Welcome to Local Food Forum
top of page
Local Food Forum.jpg
Untitled design (62) (1).png
Search

South Side Rising with Multi-Chef Culinary Series

  • Writer: Bob Benenson
    Bob Benenson
  • Feb 18
  • 2 min read

South Side + Friends is Brainchild of Famed BBQ Chef Dominique Leach


One of the best-recognized chefs, Dominique Leach (left) of Lexington Betty Smokehouse has created a three-part South Side + Friends dinner series spotlighting culinary excellence in her part of the city. The 1st event, held on January 31, paired Dominique with James Sanders (right) of Sanders BBQ Supply for a carnivore's feast. Photo by Bob Benenson
One of the best-recognized chefs, Dominique Leach (left) of Lexington Betty Smokehouse has created a three-part South Side + Friends dinner series spotlighting culinary excellence in her part of the city. The 1st event, held on January 31, paired Dominique with James Sanders (right) of Sanders BBQ Supply for a carnivore's feast. Photo by Bob Benenson

For years, most discussions of Chicago's culinary excellence focused on the downtown and West Loop (Restaurant Row/Fulton Market) areas — with the city's South Side getting short shrift.


That has been changing, as highlighted by Chef Erick Williams receiving the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes for his Virtue restaurant's elevated Southern Cuisine in the Hyde Park neighborhood (1462 E. 53rd St.).


Dominique Leach, the classically trained pitmaster of Lexington Betty Smokehouse in Pullman (756 E. 111th St.), has been a prominent advocate and ambassador for the South Side's chef community. That has prompted her to create a series of three special dinners under the title of South Side + Friends, with Dominique pairing with a different chef at each event.


For her first dinner on January 31, described below, she teamed with James Sanders of Sanders BBQ Supply in Beverly (1742 W. 99th St.) on a slice of carnivore heaven.


Dinner #2 is coming up on February 25, and it features one of the city's top bakers, Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies. This dinner is sold out, but you can visit her store at 8655 S. Blackstone Ave. (Marynook neighborhood), Fridays through Sundays to savor Maya-Camille's sweet and savory pies, quiches and tarts. 


I have had the pleasure of knowing Maya-Camille for almost 10 years from my work with the non-profit FamilyFarmed, as she participated in the organization's Good Food Accelerator program, and we have crossed paths since. I'm sure next week's guests are in for as delicious a meal as I enjoyed on January 31.


James Sanders spoke at the 1st South Side + Friends dinner on January 31. Photo by Bob Benenson
James Sanders spoke at the 1st South Side + Friends dinner on January 31. Photo by Bob Benenson

James Sanders has years of BBQ experience, and his star has been rising fast since he and fellow pitmaster Nick Kleutsch opened Sanders BBQ Supply in 2024. Their collaboration pairs James' Chicago/Midwestern BBQ talent with Nick's Texas twist.


Photo by Bob Benenson
Photo by Bob Benenson

It is certain that no one left the dinner hungry. Note about the photos: the candle-lit dinner created a wonderful atmosphere but some of the pictures evidence that it was not so great for photography, hence the lack of photos of several dishes.


Smoked beef tallow popcorn and BBQ Chicharons were served as an opening snack. Photo by Bob Benenson
Smoked beef tallow popcorn and BBQ Chicharons were served as an opening snack. Photo by Bob Benenson
BBQ prawns with Chive Grits. Photo by Bob Benenson
BBQ prawns with Chive Grits. Photo by Bob Benenson

A third dinner, on March 28, will feature Kendra Anderson of Caviar Dream Co., described by the organizers as the first Black- & female-owned national caviar brand. Click below to get tickets now (these dinners sell out fast). The location is House of Gaz, 3265 S. Archer in the Bridgeport neighborhood.



 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page