Chef Mario Santiago, Chilli Pepper, UR's Candace Jordan, and friend

Chilli Pepper’s birthday party is always a much coveted invite and this year was no exception. Todd Hatoff of Allen Brothers, Chefs Mario Santiago and Guadalupe Aguilar co-hosted her party at May St. Café and over 60 friends came to celebrate with her. - Candace Jordan


Chiili with her flowers from Oprah

The first thing you noticed upon entering the restaurant was the massive floral display with little chili peppers from her friend Oprah. Chilli (spelled with TWO L’s) knows everyone and it seems everyone knows her too. She was the gracious hostess greeting everyone at the door and taking photos with her camera (And she never fails to send you the photos either!).

Chef Mario showed us around the restaurant and it was lovely with an outdoor patio and a massive grill, which is used in the summer for parties and chef demonstrations. The sit-down dinner had a marvelous menu (Chilli is a well known foodie and has been to Tru Restaurant over 100 times!) which included quesadillas, French double cream brie and pear, chorizo with Chihuahua cheese, escargot with strawberry garlic butter in phyllo, carne quisado (beef stew), Allen Brothers beef tenderloin tips made with garden fresh herbs (Mario and Guadalupe have an organic garden off of the parking lot), slow roasted pork marinated in mojo criollo. For dessert, there was Chef Art Smith’s famous hummingbird cake and the May St. Café’s white chocolate flan, which will be featured on the food network show “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”


Chef Art Smith's famous Hummingbird Cake

The restaurant was decorated with beautiful paintings by Art’s partner, Jesus Salguiero. Lucky guests included: Alpana Singh (who chose all of the dinner’s wine selections), artists Alexander Espinosa and Bob Clark, JoAnn Buccini, Charles Blackstone, Charlene Acciari, Maya Douglas, Rafael Reudas, Nadine and Ira Epstein, Rosa and Lou Ebling, Shell Reyes, Dan Bacon, Jennifer Fox, Brent Ochs and Tim O’Hare, Matt Nudelman, Brian Butterfield, Prosecco’s Jason Clark and Katherine Alvera, Jon Cochran, Paul Escriva, JoAnne F. Fehn (who is a candidate for Cook County judge) and Barney Moles among others. The After-Party was hosted by Robert and Luis Miguel. I wish you a Happy Birthday YEAR Chilli! - CJ