The end of this blog contains my story of community and counsel. I began this post with that story, but decided to move it to the bottom and jump right in with examples of Women, Moms, Business Owners, supporting each other better than any ring knocking Ivy League grad could do...

is a Facebook Community of Momtreprenuers...their description states:  I know being a mom in business isn't easy, but with support and encouragement from fellow moms, you can make it through. Biz Mama is a place for moms to share their stories of juggling motherhood and small business to educate, inspire and connect. We can help each other to be happy and successful! They recently posted my story, which lead to more sharing within this fabulous community of Moms in Business.

MUMZY is a new crowd sourcing website that pools the power of Moms...Where Ideas Come to Life. - Have a great idea or project? Join the MUMZY community and raise funds, launch a business, create a nonprofit or help fellow moms reach their goals.  While they are new to this arena, the concept is powerful.  I recently launched a campaign on MUMZY to help me start an urban garden (click here to help).  Their blog picked up the story from Biz Mama and I have been added to their Entrepreneur profiles.  How nice is this? http://blog.mumzy.com/biz-mama-feature-tess-kearns-of-all-natural-chicago/

I am Tess Kearns.  I am working in my second business.  The first closed and lead the way to All Natural Chicago.  It has been a journey.  It wasn't until I found the community of female business owners in Chicago, that my people were discovered.  When I say "my people", I am referring to the loving & giving community of women business owners who also happen to be moms!  All of us share our struggles in spirit, but it is the support in good and bad times that makes us a community.  If you need it, there is a Mom in Business who can provide or knows someone who could. My husband believes we are the real Mafia, but only in the good way!  The #ChiMIBs have been amazing and I am proud and grateful to stand among them.

CBS Sunday morning is one of my favorite shows on TV.  It takes me back to childhood and watching it in my parents' family room.  Sometimes the stories are more intriguing than others.   A recent Sunday morning had a few stories I found relevant to All Natural Chicago.  One was about the Monks of Norcia (See blog post from Jan 22) and the other was about GMOs.  Such a dirty word in our kitchen.  We try not to bring them into our world, but alas, without labeling, how could you know?  This story isn't necessarily about safety or not, labeling or not, it is simply about where we stand in the world of GMOs, a bit about what and where they are.  CBS didn't try to persuade and certainly didn't answer the question for me.  It left me with more questions.  One thing I will say, there is a segment where the "expert" talks about how crops have been transformed by the hand of man throughout the millennia, hybridization and grafting only work in nature because nature accepts them.  Placing foreign genes at the nucleus level seems to be forcing the issue.  I do not agree they are the same.  Do your own research and decide for yourself.

When the news story about GMOs was announced on CBS Sunday Morning, my first thought was, "Getting these stories on mainstream news is great  exposure.  People need to know more."  Then I watched the story.  I am not sure it gives us more information, but it did have me asking more questions.  If it has you asking more questions too, that is a start.

When Chef visited the town of Norcia, Italy, he was there for the cured meats, not the music.  His memories of churches and cathedrals are of construction and closures.  They would enter the buildings never sure whether the needed repair or were undergoing repair.  It was good to see the care being taken, but completed projects were not the prevalent. I digress.  The reason I am posting this entry is that Norcia was featured on last Sunday's CBS Sunday Morning.  It wasn't for the unbelievable charcuterie, or the cheese made by members of the community, it was for the Monks of Norcia.  The Monastery had been quiet for 2 centuries, but thanks to a Benedictine Monk from Connecticut, the halls echo with chants now recorded and chart topping.

Gift Certificates for shared experiences make great gifts!

All Natural Chicago hosts an Underground Supper Club on the 4th Friday of most months.  Our communal seating and open kitchen space offer a wonderful culinary dining experience.  We have had a few Italian/pasta driven events.  Our first, PastaPalooza can be found here.  Ravioli, lasagna, handmade pastas, oh my!  The next pasta focus event was APastalype Now!  They are not always Italian driven, but our dinners allow Chef Micky to have a creative culinary outlet.  We love catering social events and corporate meetings, though Supper Club gives Chef a chance to exercise his culinary muscles. We want to invite you and your friends and family to participate in these dinners.

Our Underground Supper Club will return in January.  We are offering gift certificates this holiday season.  When you don't want to buy someone you care about more stuff, offer them an experience and have one for you to share at a discount!  With the purchase of a gift certificate for $120, you receive 2 seats to an upcoming Underground Supper Club and 50% off your seat to the same or another dinner.  Dinners range from $60 to $75 per seat, depending on the menu and offerings.  Our exclusive email recipients are notified of these events. They occur on or around the 4th Friday of most months.  Sample menus can be found here.  Consider offering your friends and family an experience this holiday season...to be enjoyed in the new year.  

Our catering services bring us to many parts of Chicago and under many circumstances.  We have been hired to cater a charity event on October 15th and while the food will be a great, the cause is worth talking about. Our mission to educate, provide and protect the food supply for as many people we can, is in line with all parts of this event....

The Catholic Charities’ Ayudando Nuestras Familias/Helping Our families Cocktail Reception will take place from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2015 at Perillo Chicago, are $85* and include an assortment of hearty appetizers by All Natural Chicago, beer, wine, soft drinks, and margaritas to celebrate the evening. Proceeds and donations will benefit our Casa Catalina Basic Needs Center in honor of its 10th Anniversary. Located in the Back of the Yards community, Casa Catalina provides over 525,000 meals every year to families experiencing food insecurity. *Reservations will be $95 after Monday, October 5, 2015.

Here is a link to sign up to attend...

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... 

It is always fun to host friends and family at the All Natural Chicago kitchen.  Underground Supper Club is an opportunity for Chef Micky to work with ingredients and try techniques that our day to day menu doesn't always allow.  We are hosting our first dinner of the year on Friday, January 23.  There are only a few seats available as of writing time, but a reminder goes out tomorrow...

At a recent dinner, we had a diverse group of guests, some family, some friends, some strangers.  Chef's cousin was in town from California and it turns out, he and his wife are food connoisseurs who write a beautiful food blog.  We were honored when they wrote about their experience.  I am including a few of Seamus Vanecko's images from the blog.   He is a fantastic photographer.  Please read the post. Sign up for an Underground dinner.  You can check the events calendar each month to see when we are hosting them.  Get on our email list to get your own invitation. 

Sublime Oranges Underground Blog Post  

I am not sure what I want to say about the reason for this blog.  There is a time to work and a time to play.  Kitchen life can be hectic.  We all need to cut loose sometimes.  This post is a small example of what happens when we cut loose.  Now All Natural Chicago did not create any of this content, but trust me when I say, we wish we had!  Please, sit back and enjoy...