CIMA Takes Flight With Dinner Series Highlighting Farm to Table Ethos

Bob Benenson
4 hours ago
3 min read

Feb. 19 Event Paired Team at Rosemont Restaurant with Renowned Chicago Chefs

Chef Sarah Stegner of suburban Chicago's Prairie Grass Cafe — a leading advocate of sourcing ingredients from local farmers — emceed introductions at CIMA restaurant's February 19 Vines and Visionaries dinner, as guest Chef Bill Kim (left) of Chicago's Urbanbelly and CIMA Executive Chef Gee Cuyugan looked on. Photo by Bob Benenson

Sarah Stegner, chef-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe in the North Shore suburb of Northbrook, is a leading farm-to-table advocate in the Chicago region. Among her many achievements, she has been a Board member for the city's Green City Market since the farmers market was founded in 1999.

So it should not surprise that as Chef Gee Cuyugan planned his CIMA restaurant — which opened last summer in Rosemont near O'Hare Airport — he reached out to Sarah, who became the project's consulting chef. And since January, Sarah has played a key role in CIMA's monthly Vines and Visionaries Collaboration Series featuring other top regional chefs.

An unfortunate schedule conflict caused me to miss the kickoff dinner in January, which featured another leading local sourcing maven: Paul Virant of Vistro Prime and Petite Vie in the western suburbs and Gaijin in Chicago. But I did make it for the February 19 feast at which Sarah, Gee and CIMA Chef de Cuisine Jesse Resendiz joined with Bill Kim of Urbanbelly, the Korean-influenced flagship of his restaurant group, and consulting pastry chef Casey Doody.

Please enjoy the photo essay about the event and keep scrolling for info about the upcoming March dinner.

CIMA is the stylish dining space in the lobby of the Hyatt Centric hotel near the airport.

The opening reception included passed appetizers that highlighted local farms. At top is a shrimp lollopop with tomato chutney and honey from Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan). Next in the spotlight was Nichols Farm & Orchard (Marengo, Illinois) with a Crispy Tempura Pickle Chip.

Steve Freeman, a longtime Nichols employee, represented the farm at the dinner. Known as Steve the Market Guy, he is well known to Chicago farmers market aficionados.

From left, Chefs Jesse Resendiz, Bill Ki, Gee Cuyugan and Sarah Stegner.

Casey Doody, who gained a following during her past tenure as executive pastry chef with Chicago's BOKA Restaurant Group, now works independently as a pastry chef and consultant.

The formal dinner was served family style, starting with a whipped goat cheese dish, designed by Sarah Stegner, with a local beet salad and buttered toast from Publican Quality Bread (Chicago). The cheese was sourced from Capriole Farm in Greenville, Indiana.

Other appetizers included tuna crudo with citrus fruits, scallions and cilantro by Gee Cuyugan...

... Roasted Vegetable Mole with mole Amarillo, chochoyones (Mexican dumplings), pickled onions and queso fresco by Jesse Resendiz...

... and an Urbanbelly pork and cilantro dumpling with belly soy by Bill Kim.

The main course was a fusion pozole ramen, designed by Bill Kim and Jesse Resendiz, with marinated chicken salsa verde, hominy, chili crunch and pork broth. I believe it was the most delicious bowl of ramen I've eaten, and it was certainly the biggest.

And for dessert, Casey Doody's Chocolate Molten Lava Cake with creme anglaise and berries.

Finally, the coming attraction:

CIMA's next Vines and Visionaries dinner, to take place on Thursday, March 19, features Chefs Javauneeka Jacobs and Zach Steen of Chef Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill in Chicago. Not surprisingly, the planned menu has a strongly Mexican flair:

RECEPTION BY CHEF GEE CUYUGAN

BACON WRAPPED DATES Romesco

SPICY TUNA Tostada, Avocado

FIRST COURSE

AGUACHILE Hokkaido scallops, citrus, avocado

Chef Gee Cuyugan

EMPANADA Flaky pastry dough, mushroom Mike huitlacoche, poblano chiles, Oaxacan Pasilla Sauce

Chef Javauneeka Jacobs

PHYLLO STRUDEL Four Star mushroom, Capriole goat cheese, caramelized balsamic onions, watercress salad

Chef Sarah Stegner

SECOND COURSE

PESCADO A LA VERACRUZANA Roasted red snapper, Bayless garden hoja Santa, classic Veracruz salsa (roasted tomato, white wine, raisins, plantain, jalapeño chile, olives, caper, spices), olive-cured green almonds, parsley

Chef Jesse Resendiz & Chef Zach Steen

BORREGO, MOLE CHICHILO Braised Niman Ranch lamb shank, mole chichilo (28 ingredients) infused with lamb jus, caramelized turnip puree, pickled guerro chile

Chef Sarah Stegner & Chef Javauneeka Jacobs

Sponsored by Niman Ranch

DESSERT COURSE

FLAN DE CACAHUATE Roasted peanut flan, chocolate caramel, Honey Manila mango, chocolate covered peanuts