LE PETIT CHEF

EDITED BY SHERRY THOMAS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

At first it’s hard to imagine. A tiny French chef (only two-and-a-half inches tall!) is going to leap down to your table and guide you on an immersive culinary journey as you feast on a decadent five-course meal (with optional wine pairings). Impossible, no? But when the lights switch off and you are instructed to keep your plates and utensils at their exact spot, you’ll find yourself transported to a 3D foodie heaven reminiscent of the 2007 film Ratatouille (sans the rat).

“Le Petit Chef: An Immersive Dining Experience” debuted at the Fairmont Chicago’s Cuvée Room last month, bringing this globally renowned, virtual reality “dinner theater” experience to Chicago for the first time. Offered exclusively at Fairmont’s Millennium Park location in partnership with TableMation Studios, the cutting-edge Skullmapping technology combines gastronomy with jaw-dropping 3D animation.

Le Petit Chef literally (and visually) takes guests on a journey through all five-courses, from an exploration of tomatoes in the first course paired with Cottat Le Grand Caillou Sauvignon Blanc, to the main course of Butter Poached Beef with spinach, mustard seeds, caramelized onion, beets and bittersweet chocolate paired with Chateau Lassegue Saint-Emilion Red Blend, to the dessert of Hazelnut and Sea Salt Millefeuille with chocolate crémeux, burnt orange caramel and Nutella sand paired with Cyprès de Climens Barsac wine.

Throughout the 90-minute production, Le Petit Chef moves around each place setting preparing the courses, with the help of 3D projection mapping, and tells a story of the history, ingredients, and techniques used to make each dish. Choreographed in real life, each inspired course is delivered in unison with the animation.

“We are thrilled to bring this unique dining experience to our guests, the city of Chicago, and the larger Midwest region,” says General Manager Clay Spencer. “The Fairmont Chicago culinary team has been working diligently to prepare for the unveil - ing. We’re delighted for diners to experience this culinary adventure through animation. It is a dinner like no other.”

The animated gastronomic journey not only immerses you in the painterly world on Le Petit Chef (he has a Michelin star, of course) and the magical countryside of France but at times feels so real that you almost duck as heirloom tomatoes are harvested. As Chef moves from course to course, the hues and scenery change accordingly, casting vibrant color and artful canvases across the table.

Pricing per person starts at $155, exclusive of tax and gratuities, with an optional French wine pairing of $42. The first seating begins at 6 p.m. and the second at 8 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday, through the end of 2023. If you have something special coming up soon (Valentine’s Day, anyone?), we highly recommend.

For more information about Fairmont Chicago and to book your dining experience at Le Petit Chef, visit fairmontchicago.com

Celebrate Highwood’s annual Roaring 2020s Jazzed Up Dining & Classical Cocktails fundraiser on March 4 evokes a speakeasy vibe from a century ago.