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Chicagoland Elites Unleash Their Inner Chef!



The tables were turned on Elites last Tuesday night as they invaded Evanston's Now We're Cookin' kitchen for their toughest assignment yet: Preparing a 5-course meal from scratch for Yelp's Kitchen Takeover. A liberal splash of culinary curiosity and a dash of competiveness got the (risotto) ball rolling!

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After a brief but informative tutorial covering basic cooking techniques and knife skills, Elites got to work. The Now We're Cookin' chefs guided guests as needed and luscious Lulu B. Wine provided the liquid courage necessary to pull off the epicurean feat. Elites chopped, blanched, puréed, baked and simmered their way to one impressive spread.

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On the decadent menu? Guests gourmandized on black bean and pumpkin soup, spicy pork empanadas, grilled polenta cakes with tomato jam and goat cheese, dried fig and Manchego skewers with Serrano Ham and rosemary and sweet Phyllo triangles with dried fruit, apples and nuts. Self-proclaimed "professional water-burner" Dana G rhapsodized, "when we sat down to eat, everything was so yummy. I couldn't believe it wasn't made by pros! Everything was just oozing with love."

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Thanks to the generous (and skilled) Now We're Cookin' chefs and Lulu B. Wine for making this dish of an ambrosial adventure happen! You can read the delicious reviews here and peep Matt Ginger's photography prowess here. Until next time, my foodie friends!

SYOY,

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Jelena Z

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