Chicago Auto Show 2024 previews food offerings

CHICAGO - The 2024 Chicago Auto Show starts in exactly one month, and on Tuesday, scores of people gathered at McCormick Place for a preview of what to expect. They also got a taste of some of the delicious food that will be served at the big charity party the night before the auto show.

"We're kicking off our Chicago Auto Show, one of the best traditions every February in Chicagoland," said JC Phelan, the Chairman of the 2024 Chicago Auto Show.

The ten-day show gets underway on February 10. But it's the huge charity party the night before that created all the lovely smells at McCormick Place on Tuesday.

The "First Look for Charity" black-tie event on February 9 is expected to draw nearly 9000 people and raise $3 million for 18 Chicago-area charities. And at $325 a ticket, the food has to be special as well. Among the food offerings on preview were Peruvian chicken skewers, vegan mushroom meatball sandwiches, filet mignon sliders, and double-baked potatoes with truffle cream and caviar.

"It's got to be fun. It has to be fun. That's the main thing, right?" said McCormick Place Food Service Director Michael Kingsley. "Everybody's there to have a great time and see the amazing cars. And we want to make sure they're having fun on the food side and they leave satisfied."

It's also a chance for small mom-and-pop vendors to strut their stuff like "Biteable Baked Goods," a Lockport bakery that just opened five months ago.

"This is our first main event," said bakery co-owner Kristen Bowling. "We've obviously done local events and things like that. But this is big for us. Kind of lets us know we're doing well."

Auto show organizers say after several years of reduced inventory because of Covid, the 2024 Chicago Auto Show will have plenty to look at and buy.

"Dealer lots are full again. Interest rates are coming back down a little bit," said Chicago Auto Show General Manager Dave Sloan. "And how you can tell that dealer lots are full, the incentives are coming back. So it's a good time to be a new car customer again."

And while there will be scores of makes and styles to check out, the focus this year is electric.

"EV's obviously are the buzzword in the industry right now," Phelan said. "We've got a great EV test track with eight manufacturers and dozens and dozens of models for people to take a ride in."