Chicago Knife Show

For questions/topics that don't fit into the other, more specific forums.
Gregory27
Posts: 569
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:31 pm
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Been thanked: 12 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Gregory27 »

I am ridiculously interested in this. When, exactly, are things expected to migrate north, to Madison? It's just a 1.5 hour drive for me, and Madison is much cooler than Chicago.
Lepus
Posts: 4561
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Lepus »

I'll be there whenever that is.
User avatar
ChefKnivesToGo
Site Admin
Posts: 16857
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2017 2:23 pm
Location: Madison, WI
Has thanked: 2051 times
Been thanked: 3275 times
Contact:

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by ChefKnivesToGo »

I think we’ll be going back Monday morning the 17th. We can have a second get together at our office in the afternoon and follow it with dinner. Anyone that wants to travel up to see our new office is welcome to come. If it’s nice out we can go to the University of Wisconsin Union Terrace and drink some beers by the lake. It’s a fantastic place to hang out if the weather cooperates.
Image
Mark Richmond
Co-Owner Chefknivestogo
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/newarrivals.html
User avatar
Jeff B
Posts: 14736
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Has thanked: 1951 times
Been thanked: 2312 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Jeff B »

ChefKnivesToGo wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:56 pm I think we’ll be going back Monday morning the 17th. We can have a second get together at our office in the afternoon and follow it with dinner. Anyone that wants to travel up to see our new office is welcome to come. If it’s nice out we can go to the University of Wisconsin Union Terrace and drink some beers by the lake. It’s a fantastic place to hang out if the weather cooperates.
Sounds great, the problem is getting there and back. My private jet is in the shop and that's an awfully long walk from Chicago. :D
I guess I better budget in a rental car....
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
Lepus
Posts: 4561
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Lepus »

alanhuth wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:27 am Sorry, what is the Hoya? I thought I knew most machines, but I never heard of that one.
I'm not familiar with the specifics, but Mark has a commercial grinding wheel setup to speed things up. I look forward to seeing what Shibata can do with it.
User avatar
ChefKnivesToGo
Site Admin
Posts: 16857
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2017 2:23 pm
Location: Madison, WI
Has thanked: 2051 times
Been thanked: 3275 times
Contact:

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by ChefKnivesToGo »

Yes we nicknamed it the doughnut wheel sharpener and it’s made by Hoya. It’s a cool machine with a water bath that is drawn up and over the stone as it spins. Those of you that come can play with it. It’s easy to use.
Image
Mark Richmond
Co-Owner Chefknivestogo
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/newarrivals.html
Gwenzt
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:29 pm

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Gwenzt »

I work in a hotel but if I can get away in September that would be awesome.
-Kendall
salemj
Posts: 3707
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:27 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Has thanked: 197 times
Been thanked: 528 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by salemj »

ChefKnivesToGo wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:56 pm I think we’ll be going back Monday morning the 17th. We can have a second get together at our office in the afternoon and follow it with dinner. Anyone that wants to travel up to see our new office is welcome to come. If it’s nice out we can go to the University of Wisconsin Union Terrace and drink some beers by the lake. It’s a fantastic place to hang out if the weather cooperates.
I hope it does. That terrace is awesome. It is one of the few spaces on campus that I genuinely miss!
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
Chefspence
Posts: 2504
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 11:03 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 32 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Chefspence »

ChefKnivesToGo wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:56 pm I think we’ll be going back Monday morning the 17th. We can have a second get together at our office in the afternoon and follow it with dinner. Anyone that wants to travel up to see our new office is welcome to come. If it’s nice out we can go to the University of Wisconsin Union Terrace and drink some beers by the lake. It’s a fantastic place to hang out if the weather cooperates.
UW was one of my favorite places I’ve ever rollerblades as a kid. We used to hit the long stair cases backwards. Felt like such a big person as a kid there. Would be great to visit again.
timos
Posts: 1437
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: oxford, MA
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 133 times
Contact:

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by timos »

so...how exactly does one go about getting reservations for alinea on the 15th?
Tim Johnson
Oxford, MA

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
--s. suzuki
Image
Web: http://www.timothyjohnsonknives.com
Email: tim@blackstoneknife.com
Instagram: @timostheos
gastro gnome
Posts: 328
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 37 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by gastro gnome »

timos wrote: Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:48 am so...how exactly does one go about getting reservations for alinea on the 15th?
It sounds like they would not be making September dates available until the middle of July. I haven't been in a number of years so I have no idea how hot a ticket it is these days. I imagine if you set a reminder around mid-month, you should be able to get your booking.

From the website FAQ:

When do new bookings become available?
While scheduled release dates for new bookings are subject to change, we typically release bookings on the 15th of the month, two months in advance. For example, June bookings will be released on April 15th, July on May 15th and so on. Booking are released at 11:00 AM Central Time. As soon as bookings for future dates become available, we will post an announcement on our social media properties, including Facebook and Twitter.
timos
Posts: 1437
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: oxford, MA
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 133 times
Contact:

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by timos »

ahhh, thank you . I did not see that. Theres got to be a million awesome places to go that saturday. The chocies are truly overwhelming. This will be my first visit to the city since I was about 12. All I remember from that trip was the winding river and the field museum.
Tim Johnson
Oxford, MA

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
--s. suzuki
Image
Web: http://www.timothyjohnsonknives.com
Email: tim@blackstoneknife.com
Instagram: @timostheos
gastro gnome
Posts: 328
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 37 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by gastro gnome »

timos wrote: Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:25 am ahhh, thank you . I did not see that. Theres got to be a million awesome places to go that saturday. The chocies are truly overwhelming. This will be my first visit to the city since I was about 12. All I remember from that trip was the winding river and the field museum.
The river is still a great choice (you can do a sightseeing river tour, rent a small boat yourself, or just take a water taxi to and from Chinatown to see the river and all the buildings). The Field is also good, although if you are staying near the hotel/venue, then the Art Institute is even closer and pretty spectacular (if you like art museums).

We usually have our best weather in September/October so there are lots of outdoor things to recommend if you go that way (Millennium Park, lakefront path, etc).

I know you didn't ask for this, but if you need help sifting through dining options, I can offer some resources. I participate in a local culinary chat site (LTHForum.com) that discusses the local food scene. We nominate and vote on board favorites as Great Neighborhood Restaurants that have strong following and support on the board. There is a google map of those here. When I load it, only the newest awards are visible so make sure to check the box on the left showing GNRs (only Class of 2018 is checked by default). Each pin has some pictures and a brief restaurant description. The board likes raising awareness of ethnic and mom-and-pop kind of places so there is a bit of a bias towards those in comparison to some of the glitzier, highly-publicized restaurants in town (like Alinea, Girl & the Goat, etc). But there is a decent mix in there. Here is an alphabetical list of the restaurants as well as by-cuisine.

I'm not just plugging another board I visit. Chicago Magazine has a list of local ratings/recommendations/reviews (tends to skew to bigger names and better-publicized restaurants). Yelp can be a resource too.

Depending on what food is like where you come from, I like to recommend people check out ethnic food that has a strong presence in Chicago that may or may not exist to the same extent in other parts of the country like Polish, Mexican, Thai (believe it or not), Indian, etc. If people have specific questions about the local dining scene, I'm happy to try to answer them as best as I can (or you can join and post LTHForum and ask for a recommendation - just like people do for knives here. It's generally a friendly group.
Lepus
Posts: 4561
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Lepus »

Oh, that's the good stuff. If we think we can stand each other we should discuss those plans here or make a conscious effort on LTHF to make requests as a group.

I am sure some people will find it boring, but the Art Institute is also on my list. A few other museums potentially, too.
User avatar
pd7077
Posts: 1045
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:02 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 106 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by pd7077 »

Don’t forget about breakfast at Little Goat. I love that place!
--- Steve
User avatar
Jeff B
Posts: 14736
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Has thanked: 1951 times
Been thanked: 2312 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Jeff B »

I think I'll just be flying by the seat of my pants and see what develops once I'm there. I know NOTHING about Chicago and I think several of you guys will influence what I do and where I go after I'm there. At this point I had just planned on hanging out at the Pier and other waterside venues.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
Barashka
Posts: 228
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:35 pm
Location: Chicago
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by Barashka »

If you're looking for some good food:
- Sushi Doku - probably best sushi place in the city
- Gyu Kaku - probably best Korean BBQ place in the city
- Au Cheval - probably best burger place in the city
- The Purple Pig - also insanely popular, but I don't get it.
- The Girl and the Goat - also insanely popular, but I don't get it.
... Chicago has food, definitely has food.

As for what to do:
- Field Museum is great
- Aquarium is fine
- Art Institute is great
- Walk the magnificent mile - pretty great if you like the shopping bit
- Walk form Bean (or even Buckingham fountain) north (as far as your feet can take you) is pretty great walk, just a very long park along the water with city views.
- There are several good jaz places.
- There are several theaters
- The architecture boat tour can be very good, if you get a good guide.
- Willis Tower skydeck - kinda cool to stand on glass xx stories up, but it's a bit pricy
- Lincoln Park zoo is fine, it's more of a park with some animals then zoo.
- Millennium Park evening concerts are great, grab a few buddies and a few drinks
- Wrigley Field - also insanely popular, but I don't get it.
- If you can get there, the botanic garden is pretty great
- Navy Pier is overrated.
- Museum of Science and INdustry is pretty great, make sure to see the uboat (pretty much the only 'extra' thing to see there).
User avatar
STPepper9
Posts: 1356
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:37 am
Location: Chicago, IL
Has thanked: 150 times
Been thanked: 225 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by STPepper9 »

Barashka wrote: Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:20 am - The architecture boat tour can be very good, if you get a good guide.
- Willis Tower skydeck - kinda cool to stand on glass xx stories up, but it's a bit pricy
The architecture tours will bring you inland and go up and down the river showing you the buildings, which is great if you enjoy that, It's also great for pictures. There are also similar boat tours that focus on other things. There are sunset tours that bring you out to the lake to view the sunset with the skyline in the foreground then bring you up and down the coast. There are fireworks cruises on the nights there are fireworks but I think that 'season' might be over by the time of the knife show. There is a tall ship that does the some cruises as well.

If you don’t want to spend $20 per person to go up the Sears Tower, you can go to the signature lounge on the 97th (I think) floor of the Hancock building for great views while getting a drink or apps. This is especially good at sunset if it’s a nice day. You can get what I assume is a nice dinner and the next floor down as well.
User avatar
pd7077
Posts: 1045
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:02 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA
Has thanked: 66 times
Been thanked: 106 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by pd7077 »

STPepper9 wrote: Sat Jun 30, 2018 9:57 am
Barashka wrote: Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:20 am - The architecture boat tour can be very good, if you get a good guide.
- Willis Tower skydeck - kinda cool to stand on glass xx stories up, but it's a bit pricy
The architecture tours will bring you inland and go up and down the river showing you the buildings, which is great if you enjoy that, It's also great for pictures. There are also similar boat tours that focus on other things. There are sunset tours that bring you out to the lake to view the sunset with the skyline in the foreground then bring you up and down the coast. There are fireworks cruises on the nights there are fireworks but I think that 'season' might be over by the time of the knife show. There is a tall ship that does the some cruises as well.

If you don’t want to spend $20 per person to go up the Sears Tower, you can go to the signature lounge on the 97th (I think) floor of the Hancock building for great views while getting a drink or apps. This is especially good at sunset if it’s a nice day. You can get what I assume is a nice dinner and the next floor down as well.
That’s a great spot. We always referred to it as “The top of the cock” :lol:
--- Steve
gastro gnome
Posts: 328
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 37 times

Re: Chicago Knife Show

Post by gastro gnome »

STPepper9 wrote: Sat Jun 30, 2018 9:57 am
Barashka wrote: Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:20 am - The architecture boat tour can be very good, if you get a good guide.
- Willis Tower skydeck - kinda cool to stand on glass xx stories up, but it's a bit pricy
The architecture tours will bring you inland and go up and down the river showing you the buildings, which is great if you enjoy that, It's also great for pictures. There are also similar boat tours that focus on other things. There are sunset tours that bring you out to the lake to view the sunset with the skyline in the foreground then bring you up and down the coast. There are fireworks cruises on the nights there are fireworks but I think that 'season' might be over by the time of the knife show. There is a tall ship that does the some cruises as well.

If you don’t want to spend $20 per person to go up the Sears Tower, you can go to the signature lounge on the 97th (I think) floor of the Hancock building for great views while getting a drink or apps. This is especially good at sunset if it’s a nice day. You can get what I assume is a nice dinner and the next floor down as well.
From what I hear (and one personal experience), I'd stick to drinks in the Signature Room. Great view though.

Yes, if you want to get on a boat you generally have to decide river or lake. I've normally chosen the river option - mostly because I think it's cool (and kind of unique) to be able to boat through a downtown. Also, I mentioned it before but if you don't want a guide and just want to see the river, you can catch a water taxi connecting River North and Chinatown. The ride goes through most of the same route as the architecture tours (though no one will be pointing anything out to you). The water taxi ride is faster and less expensive. Pop off, eat some bao/ dim sum, and head back north by boat, train (the red line stops in Chinatown), bus, or car. I think one way by water taxi takes about 30-40 minutes.
Post Reply