Join your culinary colleagues at the 10th annual First Bites Bash!
First Bites Bash is the official kick-off event for Chicago Restaurant Week, showcasing sweet and savory tastings from approximately 50 Chicago Restaurant Week participants, along with beer, wine, and cocktail pairings to a consumer audience of over 1,200 people. Additionally, each year Choose Chicago donates a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales to a local Chicago charity.
This year’s event will take place Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Field Museum.
Restaurant partners to provide:
- Tasting portions to feed 1,000 guests throughout the full three (3) hours of the event
- Chef/owner for photo ops and interviews during the event
- Chef’s assistant and service personnel for service (max of 4 individuals, including chef/owner)
- All equipment needed to prep and dish up food item
- Chef name, restaurant name, and menu item for signage
- Optional roll-up signage/tablecloth
*Anticipated event attendance is 1,000 – 1,200 guests.
Included provisions for restaurant partners:
- (2) 6ft. tables with linen (one to be used as prep area)
- Small appetizer plates and utensils for serving samples
- Onsite promotion to an audience of 1,200+
- Digital promotion via Choose Chicago’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), Chicago Like a Local blog, and choosechicago.com
- Food stipend of $750 to offset some hard costs
In order to participate in First Bites Bash, you must be registered for Chicago Restaurant Week.
Submissions are due no later than Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Please note: This event is currently at capacity for restaurants. You will be added to the waitlist and contacted prior to the event if space opens up.
For questions concerning First Bites Bash, please contact Lori Adlesick at ladlesick@choosechicago.com or 312-567-8496, or Ben Smock at ben@toqueandbottle.com or 312-656-6849.
First Bites Bash timeline:
11/18/22: Complete your First Bites Bash registration with all contact information including restaurant name, chef name, and social handles
12/9/22: Submit the menu item you will be serving at First Bites Bash as well as your menu needs including plates/bowls, utensils, power, etc.
1/12/23: Submit all staff names for the event. Due to capacity at the venue, you are allowed a maximum of 4 staff members (this includes your chef). No exceptions. Beverage and specialty sponsors are allowed a maximum of 2 staff members. Wristbands will only be provided to pre-registered staff members.
1/19/23: Pack a minimum of 1,000 bite-sized portions for the event. We expect approximately 1,200 attendees and please keep in mind that running out of food will be viewed negatively by attendees who include consumers, sponsors, VIPs, and media.
Social media toolkit
Social media is one of the most effective ways to communicate with your audiences. To provide you with all of the tools you will need to personalize your communications about First Bites Bash and your restaurant’s participation, we’ve created a Social Media Toolkit. Leverage our Social Media Toolkit to explore best practices, sample posts, and graphics to promote your restaurant as a part of First Bites Bash.
First Bites Bash Sponsors
