America's Chefs rustling up tasty treats at Ribfest
Ribfest is putting a new spin on the cooking experience this year.
America's Chefs has entertained and fed members of the U.S. military and their families around the world. Now they're bringing their nonprofit mission and celebrity chef lineup to Naperville's Knoch Park for live cooking shows, food demonstrations and entertainment.
The chefs will be entertaining Ribfest crowds starting at 1 p.m. and continuing through roughly 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the Ribfest grounds in Knoch Park.
The chefs are all restaurant owners who have made appearances on the Food Network show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” as some of America's most interesting and unique restaurants.
As part of the America's Chefs program, they have been to stations in the Persian Gulf, Naples, Guantanamo Bay, Pearl Harbor, Puerto Rico and more.
Seven chefs from the program will be at Ribfest: Rich “Gorilla” Bacchi, Mike “Hodad” Hardin, Pete “Panini Pete” Blohme, STRETCH, Dimitri Kallianis, Sarah Simington and Darwell Yeager.
“We banded together to entertain, educate and fill people's bellies all over the world,” one of the chefs, STRETCH, said.
His Grinders restaurant in Kansas City, Mo., has been featured on three episodes of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
He said he opened his restaurant to fill in for the lack of New York-style pizza and Philly cheesesteak, or as he calls it, good quality comfort food.
“It's somewhere everyone can go and be themselves,” he said.
STRETCH is also a sculptor and musician; he combined all of his interests to make Grinders a unique restaurant experience. Behind the restaurant is a sculpture park and live music venue known as The Crossroads KC that can hold 3,000 people.
In addition to “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” STRETCH has been a guest on Guy's Big Bite and the Guy Fieri Roadshow Tour.
Christian Vaughan and Guy Fieri started the America's Chefs program; Christian having the idea and Guy bringing chefs from the Food Network to the program.
The program started only four years ago, but has quickly grown in popularity.
“There's so many bases that would like to have our services,” Vaughan said.
To continue building support and spreading awareness about their mission, America's Chefs has created their own live stage cooking performance to be showcased at events and food festivals around the country, starting in Naperville with the 2011 Ribfest.
Each chef will be featuring their most popular recipes. There will also be a hands-on family demonstration in which parents and children will be able to put their own cooking skills to the test.
After Ribfest, America's Chefs are heading to Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois for their biggest event so far. They will be cooking for 6,000 to celebrate the station's 100th anniversary.
“It's like an entertainment-infused taste of home for the troops,” STRETCH said.
When asked what he will be showing at Ribfest, STRETCH responded, “it's going to be a secret recipe, we're doing some fun stuff.”
He said the chefs will be making fish tacos, ribs, burgers, paninis and more as well as bringing his 25-gallon monster margarita machine.
Visitors will learn more about the mission, see videos from past events at military bases and meet the chefs during autograph sessions.
Guest chefs from the nation's armed forces will be joining them onstage as well, giving visitors a chance to honor those who serve our country along with America's Chefs.