Chicago Luxury Hotel's New Restaurant

    /24-7PressRelease/ - CHICAGO, IL, September 18, 2008 - Executive Chef Myk Banas, of the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile Hotel's newest restaurant, Harvest Grill, is no stranger to Midwestern cuisine. Originally from the Chicago area, Banas started his career with Marriott at the Hickory Ridge Conference Center in 1994, after completing his culinary training at Joliet Junior College. Having also held the executive chef appointment at Atlanta Century Center, St. Louis Downtown and Chicago O'Hare, Banas is now leading a team of creative culinary artists at the Harvest Grill within the Marriott's Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel.

Harvest Grill can be described eloquently in one sentence: Harvest Grill features simple, contemporary and classic Midwestern American food that is chef crafted from fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced locally. While too long to be the Chicago restaurant's tagline, Banas explains that if you understand this statement, you will understand the mission at Harvest Grill.

"We serve food from the heartland; traditional values, techniques and flavors are apparent in everything we serve," explains Banas. "We draw on the diversity of the Midwest, and more specifically Chicago when we write our menus. You won't find a "New York Strip Steak" or a "Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake" on our menu. While these are great dishes, you should enjoy them in New York, or on The Chesapeake Bay. The Midwest has its own equally outstanding culinary heritage, and that is what we celebrate."

And that is exactly what Banas and his team do. While using in-season, local ingredients, they have crafted a well-rounded and distinctive menu. "We buy our pork from Plainfield, IL, our apples from Michigan, our cheese from Wisconsin and our Proscuitto ham from Iowa. We are proud of the fact that we source as much as possible from the local area, and by doing so, we support the local economy as well as reduce fuel consumption and our carbon footprint on the environment," states Banas with a satisfied smile. "Most importantly, we buy from people who share our passion for amazing food, and thus produce dishes that are fresher and better tasting for it. We will never serve our guests peaches in winter, because you can't get good peaches in winter."

Simple, contemporary and classic Midwestern American food is their specialty. They don't "stack" their food or boast plates that look better than they taste; The Harvest Grill restaurant in Chicago prides itself on using fresh local ingredients to produce impeccably savory dishes.

Surpassing expectations, not only is the produce fresh, but it is chef-crafted as well. There isn't a product, a sauce, a salad dressing or soup that comes from a can, a box or a bag. From hand-made pasta to buttery croissants, every item on the menu is hand-crafted with the ultimate in precision and care.

"This is real cooking," Banas confidently states. "Harvest Grill doesn't even own a can opener." And with that, I ask if they are accepting reservations.

About Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
Delight in a revitalized downtown Chicago, Illinois hotel fresh from a multi-million dollar transformation, boasting contemporary surroundings and sophisticated amenities at the Marriott Downtown Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel. Situated on Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile among world-class shopping, restaurants, and entertainment, this luxurious Chicago, Illinois hotel is within walking distance to the Windy City's top attractions, including Navy Pier, American Girl Place, Shedd Aquarium, Millennium Park, Theater and Museum Districts. Stylish Magnificent Mile accommodations offer chic upgrades including flat screen TVs, Marriott's Revive bedding, and ergonomic chairs with sleek, modern desks. With 65,000 square feet of versatile event space, this Chicago luxury hotel creates the perfect elegant setting for successful business engagements, memorable social gatherings, and exquisite wedding receptions. Experience the remarkable revival of a Chicago, Illinois hotel at the extraordinary and transformed Chicago Marriott Downtown. For more information or to make a reservation, call 312-836-0100 or visit http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/chidt.

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