Windy City Smokeout debuts “Beyond the Pit” culinary series with top chefs & exclusive dining

Windy City Smokeout, Chicago’s premier country music and BBQ festival, has launched its debut “Beyond the Pit” culinary series presented by OpenTable. According to a press release, the chef-driven events bring top culinary talent, acclaimed pitmasters, and exclusive dining experiences to the festival, which runs on Wednesday, July 8, through Sunday, July 12, outside the United Center.

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Hosted at Bub City and on the festival grounds, the series pairs the all-star country lineup with one-of-a-kind, chef-curated meals. Tickets are available for pre-purchase only, with limited quantities, according to the press release.

Featured chefs and exclusive events

The lineup includes James Beard Award-nominated Chef Thai Dang of Crying Tiger, James Beard Award-winning Chef Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat, Michelin-starred pitmaster Evan LeRoy of LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue, and James Beard Award semifinalist and pitmaster Kareem El Ghayesh of KG BBQ, which the announcement says is “one of the hottest BBQ spots in the world.”

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Chef Dang will host a Southeast Asian-inspired BBQ dinner with multiple courses on Thursday, July 9, featuring an open-fire dining experience. On Friday, July 10, Chef Izard will curate a special menu for guests that showcases her globally inspired flavors with BBQ-adjacent cuisine. 

Pitmaster Leroy will bring his “new-school” Texas BBQ and bold flavors on Saturday, July 11. On Sunday, July 12, Pitmaster Ghayesh will fuse Egyptian flavors with Texas BBQ.

“Beyond the Pit” comes to Bub City 

The series also features two events at Bub City: a Katz’s Delicatessen pop-up and a BBQ book signing with Even Leroy. 

Windy City Smokeout passes range from $75 for Wednesday General Admission to $2,251 for 4-Day Platinum Admission, with details available at windycitysmokeout.com. Make reservations for “Beyond the Pit” on OpenTable.