We recently held our ChiBuys Winter Tasting to much fanfare -- in just two hours, nearly 400 guests from all corners of the city joined us in our effort to support local minority and women-owned food vendors. We thought we'd share some of the event highlights in case you missed it. If you're interested in supporting our roster of diverse (and very delicious) food vendors and their communities, you can take the ChiBuys pledge.
Try to picture, if you will, what it'd be like to stand in the middle of Times Square during NYE, surrounded by an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring your favorite foods and drinks. Well, it's not a stretch to say that the vignette you've just imagined closely resembles the ChiBuys Winter Tasting event. With hundreds of guests and dozens of unique dishes, the two-hour event gave a packed room of attendees a taste of off-the-beaten-path flavors that left everyone craving more.
Although we learned plenty about the delights of fusion tacos and artisanal grilled cheese, the one big takeaway from our winter tasting was this: people are ready to see more diverse flavors -- and vendors -- in their communities. If that sounds like you, we hope that you'll join us in our effort to expand ChiBuys into a city-wide effort. Here are a few ways you can pledge to help craft a more diverse, inclusive, welcoming (and tasty!) business environment.
Eat! Order from one of these ChiBuys vendors, all of whom are highly recommended by the 1871 team. Organizations who patronize ChiBuys vendors will receive a digital sticker for placement on digital or physical materials to inform guests that the organization supports local, diverse vendors.
Share! As much as we'd like to keep all this delicious food for ourselves, we also want to make sure we're spreading the love with our fellow Chicagoans. After all, everyone should have the right to try the tastiest homemade pies this side of the Midwest. If you have a quick minute to spare, send the ChiBuys list to your colleagues, clients, family, and friends.
Host! Organize an introductory luncheon with ChiBuys vendors and your events, administrative, and marketing teams. Hear from them -- and taste -- what they can offer. The 1871 team stands ready to help coordinate.
Taste! Missed the Winter Tasting? Don't fret -- we'll be hosting more ChiBuys events in the near future. Make sure you check our events page to get the latest updates and reserve your spot for our next ChiBuys tasting.
Every little bit counts and organizations and businesses who are willing to do any of the four actions above are eligible to sign on as an official ChiBuys partner by pledging their commitment. To all those who attended the Winter Tasting, both guest and vendor, thank you for your support in our endeavor to create a more inclusive business environment that truly mirrors the diverse communites here in the city of Chicago.
Are you a minority or woman-owned food vendor? We would love to connect! Please email us at ChiBuys@1871.com to learn more about getting involved with the ChiBuys program.