Dining on the Rooftop

Join the Center on Halsted for a unique, intimate dining experience on the Richard M. Daley Rooftop Terrace. Led by celebrity chef Dan Smith of The Hearty Boys, sixteen burgeoning chefs enrolled in the Center’s Silver Fork Culinary Arts Program will present two weeks of fantastic four-course al fresco dining. Each week will focus on a different regional cuisine and feature dishes from guest celebrity chefs. The Silver Fork Program at Center on Halsted is a twelve-week vocational training program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied young adults and adults (ages 18+), especially those who are unemployed or underemployed. During each session, 16 participants receive hands-on training in the culinary arts and job readiness training. Graduates of the program leave with BASSET (Beverage and Alcohol Sellers Servers Education and Training) Certification and State of Illinois/City of Chicago Food Safety and Sanitation (FSS) certification, along with the knowledge and skills to be successful placed in the hospitality and restaurant industry. The Center on Halsted also provides case management services to participants to link them to needed resources, and support them through the training, job search, and employment process. The Dining on the Rooftop series is an opportunity for Silver Fork participants to showcase their new knowledge about fine cuisine and front-of-house dinner service. Potential employers will be in attendance at the dinners to discuss employment opportunities with the new graduates. Funding for the Silver Fork program comes from Kraft Foods, J.P. Morgan Chase and a State of Illinois DCEO Training for Tomorrow grant,. Additional funding for the Dining on the Rooftop series has been provided by the Sara Lee Foundation. Italian Trattoria (July 13 and 14) In our first week of the Dining on the Rooftop series, our young chefs will explore the savory and bold flavors developed over the centuries in the rolling hills of Italy. Expect refreshing appetizers, hearty pasta dishes, and tasty sweets from the birthplace of the Renaissance. Wine lovers should consider bringing a Chianti to compliment tomato sauces, or a Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. Beer lovers will prefer an American blonde ale or light lager for the evening. French Bistro (July 20) In the second week of our series, our chefs will make Julie and Julia blush as they master the art of French cooking. Traditional and modern techniques will be employed to achieve the refined flavors of several regions of France. Consider bringing a glass of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc to balance the French flavors, or sneak across the French border by pairing with a tasty Belgian beer. Tickets are $25, and reservations can be made online at www.centeronhalsted.org. The rooftop will be open for seating at 6pm, and dinner will begin promptly at 6:30pm.

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