Though the Food Network was founded in 1993, America’s love affair with food media really hit its stride closer to the new millennium, as names like Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali and Bobby Flay began beaming into American households, encouraging home cooks back into their kitchens.
Meanwhile, on a quiet stretch of Webster Avenue in Lincoln Park, Shelley Young — a chef with 17 years’ experience at the time — was inviting budding cooks into her antique cooking wares shop and kitchen, teaching them the same skills as the silver screen chefs.
That was in 1997. Twenty years later, Young’s Chopping Block is a pillar of the culinary community, thanks to its robust education programs.
“When (Chopping Block) started, you couldn’t buy panko or mirin in a grocery store,” recalls Young. “Within six months of opening the shop, I could not meet the demand for classes.”
In the intervening years, Chopping Block responded to the growing demand for culinary literacy by expanding. In 2003, a Lincoln Square outpost was built, and in 2005, Young and crew traded the original location for 8,000-square-foot digs in the Merchandise Mart.
“People’s general knowledge of food is so much more these days,” says Young, “but they’re still as curious to learn the basics as they are to learn about, I don’t know, kimchi.”
Chopping Block locations also dabble in retail, but that’s never been a focus, according to Young. “If Martha Stewart couldn’t survive online, I don’t know how I would,” she says. “I never opened Chopping Block to hawk products — I have no interest.” The only reason the shop continues to sell products, she says, is because customers seek out her tightly curated selection. “I want anything you purchase from us to be a real tool and asset.”
As Chopping Block enters its next phase, Young remains passionate about education. “We’re a training and development company,” she says. “I’m interested in building a company where people can grow and thrive, and create new forms of food education for the next 20 years.”
To that end, the company is building an innovation center in Michigan for both creating a video educational platform, and research and development for a proprietary line of products. “We see video as a supportive tool,” says Young. “We have an ability to merge multiple educational avenues and really commit resources to this project.”
In the meantime, Chopping Block will be celebrating its two decades in Chicago with a series of special events for customers, and current and former employees. “They helped build the business,” says Young.
Held this Saturday at the Lincoln Square location and April 8 in the Merchandise Mart flagship, the celebrations invite back Chopping Block alumni chefs to do demos and teach hands-on classes. Guest chefs include Abraham Conlon (Fat Rice), Sari Zernich (mfk), Joaquin Soler (Smalls), Rick Ortiz (Antique Taco) and Sean Gartland (Feast Cooking School in Flint, Mich.). Young herself will teach classes both days, plus a special Chef’s Dinner anniversary class April 4, featuring some of her favorite dishes taught over the years.
“I have to give the alumni chefs credit for being with us and helping us through the years,” says Young. “They were all in the middle of their own entrepreneurship endeavors, so we were lucky to have them even for a short time.”
“We knew Abe wouldn’t be with us long — he is an amazing person, good and gracious with customers, and he knew his stuff. When Sari came to us, it was like Christmas — she chose to come to us after working at Charlie Trotter’s. She’s savvy, spunky and hardworking. I wish we had her longer!”
During the celebration events, guests can expect a buffet of bites from Chopping Block’s classes over the years. Truffled popcorn, bacon-wrapped dates and mushroom-thyme cheesecake are among the options being served alongside wine and cocktail samples.
Both Saturday celebrations run 10 a.m to 5 p.m. and are free and open to the public, with no registration required. (The Chef’s Dinner, 6 to 9 p.m. on April 4, is $250 per person and requires registration.)
Chopping Block, in its way, has very much become an elder statesman in the Chicago food scene, and Young is excited to celebrate. “I’m very honored to be part of this culinary world — it’s so supportive and just filled with lots of creative, talented people.”
Merchandise Mart, 312-644-6360; Lincoln Square, 4747 N Lincoln Ave., 773-472-6700, www.thechoppingblock.com
jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @joeybear
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