On Thursday, May 19, eco-seafood guru Chef Andrew Gruel, founder of Southern California's heralded Slapfish, will be serving up fresh, sustainable fare in a pop-up in Chicago.
Following his wildly successful Slapfish food truck in California, Gruel opened seven restaurants in just three years. His partnerships with the Aquarium of the Pacific and Seafood for the Future allow him to source the highest quality, healthiest seafood available. Gruel, seen on the Food Network, Cooking Channel, and FYI Network, has always had the goal to make sustainable seafood approachable in all the biggest food cities outside of Southern California, including Chicago.
During the one-night pop-up, located at the Ampersand space inside the Kinmont Restaurant, Chef Gruel and his team will showcase both local and sustainable seafood. The dinner will highlight some of the most bib worthy, one-of-a-kind dishes on the Slapfish menu. Packed with healthy seafood, the menu is a sneak peak of what's to come in Chicago over the next few years:
- Wild Pacific Albacore Poke with avocado, radish, and yuzu.
- Clam Chowder Fries featuring chunky potatoes, thick bacon, and crispy clams.
- Surf n Turf Burger with shrimp and crab "sauce," house-cut chips, lobster dip, and quick pickle.
- East Coast Lobster "Roll" Tacos with a yellow corn shell, celery, and butter
Why is this so important? "Sustainability is about keeping the human race healthy without destroying the environment. The ocean, being so vast and resilient, is the perfect resource to sustain a growing worldwide population when managed properly. The ocean can feed millions of people and provide millions of jobs. People need to eat more seafood, and the right types of seafood… because sustainable tastes better," says Chef Gruel.
Reservations are being taken for the exclusive dining event with two seatings (6 and 8 p.m.) on Thursday, May 19. Tickets are available ($55) on SlapfishChicago.com and AmpersandPopUp.com.
