ROSEMONT, IL -- Five of the chefs featured on the Food Network's Iron Chef America will showcase their culinary skills in the Cooking Theater during the 2010 International Home + Housewares Show to be held March 14-16 at Chicago's McCormick Place. Heading the line-up of celebrity chefs will be Mario Batali, Cat Cora, Masaharu Morimoto, Michael Symon and Jose Garces, the newest Iron Chef.
The Cooking Theater is the focal point of the Gourmet Home + Food District (GOHO). On hand will be exhibitors of specialty and gourmet treats and the tools used to prepare them. GOHO also features the NASFT Specialty Food Marketplace and Restaurant Row, featuring representatives from 30 of Chicago's most famous culinary establishments. The Cooking Theater is jointly sponsored by All-Clad Metalcrafters LLC, KitchenAid and Wilton Brands, Inc., with all food supplies provided by Whole Foods Market.
Cooking Theater Hosts the Stars
The Cooking Theater will feature chef demonstrations beginning at either 9:00 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. each show day. In addition to Batali, also a first-time show exhibitor with his booth Mario Batali LLC, and his fellow Iron Chefs, the current line-up includes Food Network personalities and well-known celebrity chefs Paula Deen, Todd English, Ellie Krieger, Suvir Saran and Ming Tsai. Also included are national celebrity chefs who call Chicago home, including Top Chef Master Rick Bayless, Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto and The Hearty Boys. TV chefs born from Top Chef fame, Stephanie Izard, Dale Levitski and Tre Wilcox, will also give demonstrations along with local chefs Martial Noguier and Suzanne Imaz of the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Place.
For a list of all participating chefs, dates and times, visit: http://www.housewares.org/show/exhibit/goho_calendar.aspx. Many chefs, including Bayless, English, Krieger and Symon will also hold book signings after their demonstrations.
"We are pleased to host these well-known chefs who support this year's exhibitors of gourmet specialty foods in the Gourmet Home + Food District," said Phil Brandl, president of the International Housewares Association, the Show's sponsor. "Our buyer audience has told us that they appreciate being able to shop the gourmet foods category in conjunction with the visit to the Show. This category offers traditional homegoods retailers a significant additional sales and profit opportunity."