Suburban restaurants turn to virtual dinners, wine tastings during the pandemic

Doesn't everyone want to know which candy and potato chips to best pair with wine?

Or learn how to expertly grill salmon or steak?

And who wouldn't enjoy an elaborate dinner from their favorite restaurant while getting the chance to ask questions of the chef?

Those are all examples of virtual events sparked by the creativity of suburban restaurateurs and winemakers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key, they said, is to keep it fun.

“It should be celebratory,” said Sarah Stegner, chef of Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook.

Stegner teamed up with her friend Carrie Nahabedian, chef of Brindille restaurant in Chicago, to offer a six-course virtual dinner last month. The cost was $135 plus tax, tip and an optional wine pairing. There were instructions about reheating and plating, and a 30-minute live Zoom call with both chefs.

The event was so enjoyable - and the diners so full of questions about the menu and the chefs' friendship - that the Zoom call ended up being close to an hour, Stegner said. “It was a great experience.”

During the Zoom, some people ate their first course, some their whole meals, while others chose to wait and eat later. Most were regular customers of the two restaurants.

The intimacy of the relationship between customers and chefs has been a crucial element during COVID, Stegner said.

“That is the story,” she said. “People are ordering from places where they feel they can trust them (the chefs) and do the right thing.”

Customer Portia Belloc Lowndes said she frequents both restaurants and was delighted to host a virtual dinner attended by five friends at her home in Chicago. “We hadn't gotten to see each other in a long time and we said, 'This just really looks like fun,'” she said.

During the Zoom call, they had cocktails and the first course of amuse bouches - or bite-sized appetizers - and ate the rest afterward. The rolling out of the courses “was like opening a giant Christmas present,” Belloc Lowndes said.

“For each dish there were three or four more things that you could put on top. It was very interactive.”

Stegner and Nahabedian plan to offer another collaborative virtual dinner on Dec. 29.

Lynfred Winery, with locations in Roselle, Wheeling, Wheaton and Naperville, has been offering lots of virtual events during the pandemic. “We really decided to think outside 'the wine box,'” said Christina Anderson-Heller, marketing director.

Some examples: a Potato Chip & Wine Pairing Kit at $75 with six bottles of wine and 18 mini bags of chips and a Halloween Candy Wine Pairing at $60 with four bottles of wine and four full-sized candy bags. The Wheeling winery even hosted a virtual toast with a Murder Mystery presented on Zoom by Lynfred Wheeling Players.

“We are doing all these things to keep people excited and involved,” she said.

The monthly mixers for members also have moved online. While nothing can substitute for face-to-face interaction, online events allow attendance from people who might be otherwise tied up at work or have to drive too far, said customer Michael Brown of Deerfield. Some people even tuned in from Arizona, he said.

“It doesn't replace the experience of standing at the bar and hobnobbing with friends, but it's been a great way to stay in touch with people to learn about the wine of the month,” he said.

The virtual experience also can be enjoyable for staff, Anderson-Heller said. “It's really gotten a lot of fun because now we get to see people in their homes,” she said.

Stephanie Madsen, sales manager for Weber Grill in Schaumburg and Chicago, said online offerings can help expand a restaurant's customer base. Weber Grill started offering its Grill Academy virtually in June to customers as far away as the West Coast.

A successful area for the restaurant has been corporate events, with meat or fish shipped anywhere across the country and an online chef demonstration with video available for later viewing, Madsen said.

“With everything changing, people I think are looking for a new way to bond with their team or show their appreciation, and it's the closest thing we can do to entertaining and not being face-to-face.”

Upcoming events at the Schaumburg location include the Beyond Land & Sea - Innovative Surf & Turf Virtual Grilling Class on Jan. 16 and Raising the Steaks: Patio Steak House Virtual Grilling Class on Feb. 20, each for $90.

The pandemic has been rough on everyone, but taking advantage of virtual opportunities can make a difference, Stegner said. “This kind of thing can give enough of a revenue bump and enough of a success that maybe you can pay for rent, and maybe you can make payroll.”

Customer Belloc Lowndes agreed. “Everyone is kind of doing meals (to-go) and it's hard to differentiate,” she said. “This was unique.”