Vasili’s - Eat as Strangers, Leave as Cousins!

Nestled in iconic Downtown Naperville, Illinois, Vasili’s is located at 135 Water Street. The origin of Vasili’s restaurant pays homage to the warmth and charm of Papou Vasili, Founder and CEO, Scott Harris’ Father-in-Law (Papou is Greek for grandfather). Papou’s passion for flavorful cooking began at his mother’s table but blossomed at his father’s restaurant. Inspired by delicious family recipes cooked over a blazing hearth, surrounded by loved ones and friends, this passion remains true today. Each meal is celebrated with delicious food, laughter, music, and Ouzo!

Everything that comes to the table is cooked over an open fire-75% of all items to be exact. This is unique for most restaurants within the US, but more importantly, it provides an authentic Greek-Mediterranean experience for their customers.

The centerpiece of the Vasili’s kitchen is the custom-built hearth that allows staff to cook and grill items over wood, the hearth-grilling technique uses white oak to enhance authentic flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. The seating allows people to get a glimpse of the hearth in action, providing an elevated dining experience.

“I think the flavors that you get from cooking over wood, cooking that way is just extraordinary. You can keep the food very simple, very rustic, but really get some nice elevated flavors,” said Jaysen Euler, a restaurant partner and its executive chef!

Vasili’s menu includes

Continued on page 17

Project history covers variety from quick serve to white table cloth. Well established with sub-contractors. Proven in value engineering projects.

Our Project Management team has over 100 years of collective restaurant construction experience. Call Christine today:

Click

Chicago more highlights.

James Beard Foundation Announces Award Semifinalists

The James Beard Foundation announced its 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards Semifinalists in advance of the James Beard Awards presented by Capital One. The full list of 2023 Restaurant and Chef Awards Semifinalists can be found on the James Beard Foundation website. Nominees will be announced on Wednesday, March 29, and winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 5, 2023, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Gen-Z Keeps Dining Out

Only 34% of consumers aged 18-24 said inflation has them dining out less often, compared to 48% of all respondents to a recent Technomic survey. Instead of cutting back on restaurant visits, members of the younger generation say they’re choosing less-expensive menu items, and digital ordering tools make it easier to compare prices between restaurants.

– Source: Technomic

Tell them you saw their ad in

Enjoy Vegetable Variety with Arctic Gardens

For Foodservice professionals seeking the vegetable variety they need to stay creative in the kitchen, Arctic Gardens provides peace of mind, consistent quality and amazing flavors. From basics to the most sophisticated blends, its extensive range of plant-based offerings are all picked at their peak and frozen fresh. The company’s innovative preservation techniques help chefs and foodservice operators meet their everyday needs while serving up the modern flavors that today’s customers demand.

For the many operators looking to streamline the ingredients and menu components they order, the Arctic Gardens extensive product line offers a multitude of options that are easy to use, versatile and ready-to-cook. From timeless favorites to on-trend and specialty ingredients, Arctic Gardens vegetables all come pre-washed and pre-cut to help increase efficiency and decrease labor costs. The long shelf life of its products also helps to greatly minimize waste costs.

Grown across five agricultural zones and processed within hours of harvesting in one of their 13 North American plants (eight in Canada, five in the U.S.), Arctic Gardens is committed to meeting its customers’ needs. The company’s goal is to help make it easier to access the richness of vegetables so everyone can enjoy their amazing flavors easily and efficiently.

– Find the Arctic Gardens ad on page 25.