It may be a leap that falling gas prices caused a spike in restaurant sales.  Lower prices at the pump are thought to have loosened up funds for car owners so they now go out to eat.  Americans are spending less money at grocery stores.  It appears that just 10 months ago, the amount of money spent at grocery stores exceeded restaurant sales by $1.6 billion.  This is when gas prices began to decline.  By December of last year, the gap had reversed and restaurant sales exceeded grocery store sales for the first time, EVER.  By the end of April, 2015, restaurant sales outpaced grocery store sales by $1.5 billion.  It took just 10 months for the pendulum to swing that far in the other direction. This data was compiled by the NRA (National Restaurant Association) read the full story here.

We asked ourselves what that meant to our business.  We are not a place you could just grab a snack or pick up dinner on the way home.  We are, however, a food service business from which you could feel good about ordering.  Corporate catering is our focus.  If you don't bring a lunch to work and your office orders from us, you can be confident that our food is good for the body.  When you are catering a party and don't want to spend all your time tending to the food, calling All Natural Chicago will allow you to be proud of the food you are serving.  It will allow your guests to feel good about the food they are consuming and you will be spending your money on food that gets eaten!  We support local growers and producers, so the money you spend stays here in our area. 

We felt like people were on the verge of taking back the food table.  Instead, they voted with their dollars, on restaurants that may not offer transparency of their food origins.  We really hope that the pendulum swings in the other direction someday.  Big agriculture and their trampling of the food chain will have lasting effects.  We don't know what they are yet.  We can only do our part and hope our clients will learn from us.  Again, we source local product.  We buy it as fresh as possible.  We make the food to order.   Our food tastes great and works great for your body. If you are going to spend food dollars outside the grocery store, we hope it's at companies with sound philosophies. 

We catered a beautiful birthday party dinner on Friday evening.   The home was spectacular, the guests were fun and energetic and the service was impeccable.  Shortly before the first course, I went to make sure every one was seated and ready.  The guests were sort of looking at each other quietly.  I wasn't sure what was going on.  A few moments before, cell phones were out, photos were being taken.  There was a jovial vibe in the room.  Now, quiet, people were getting up one or two at a time, and heading toward the front door.  I made my way over to that area, only to discover the beginning of what became a large collection of cell phones amassed in the front hallway.  It began with one guest, thoughtful enough to leave their cell phone next to their umbrella on a shelf near the front door.  The host had gone to close the door and discovered this kind gesture.  It moved her enough to say something to the table.  Her words were not meant to shame, only to compliment the thoughtful guest and thank them for their consideration.  Apparently, the other guests shared her sentiment and decided to become engaged in the atmosphere and company of the evening.  

By the time the soup course, which was first, hit the table, the jubilation had returned and the guests were in the swing of celebration.  It was the kind of evening that if you did not have fun and enjoy yourself, it was your own fault.  The food courses came out timely.  I know I am a little biased, but the flavors were spot on and the guests really seem to enjoy them.  Every course was designed around the guest of honor's favorite foods.  We began with Mushroom soup, served with a brioche crouton and shitake bacon (stay tuned for a future post about this).  The second course was orrecchietti in a Parmesan infusion with asparagus and artichoke hearts.  The main course was braised short rib with red onion jam garni, served over creamy polenta with green beans.  Before all of the plates were served, the guests were asking if there were seconds of this dish.  Dessert was birthday cake and chocolate covered strawberries.  I thought I would share the menu, but as I did, I had the thought that I bet every guest could have told you what they ate.  Until the drinks had been flowing nonstop, every person was engaged in the conversations, the food and the ambiance.  Alcohol may have made the evening fuzzy, but at least it wasn't being viewed through the screen on a cell phone... 

Our Underground Supper Clubs are a chance for Chef Micky to have fun with food and break out of the everyday production we do.  Our most recent dinner, Apastalypse NOW! was a huge hit.  Usually we have some sort of nosh out to eat, but we chose not to this dinner so people had room for all of the courses.  The Veggie tower was a dish Chef had come up with a while ago and was looking for a reason to serve it.  The rest of the menu was pretty amazing.  Here is the tower and below, you will see the full menu.