Taste of Chicago Chef's Stage
TASTE OF CHICAGO
Chef’s STAGE
Sunday, July 12, Banchet Chef of the Year John Manion (Brasero and El Che) and Rising Chef Javauneeka Jacobs (Frontera Grill) take part in Taste of Chicago’s new Chef’s Stage with their signature dishes available for purchase, along with cooking demos and a lively "Behind the Apron" Q&A with the chefs, emceed by our own Michael Muser.
11:30 AM — John Manion Cooking Demo (Ribeye & Chimichurri)
1:00 PM — Behind the Apron Chef Q&A with Michael Muser
2:30 PM — Javauneeka Jacobs Cooking Demo (Lamb Barbacoa)
Throughout the day, enjoy dishes available for purchase from both chefs, including Italian Beef Empanadas, Brasero Brazilian Fried Chicken, Lamb Barbacoa and Roasted Mexican White Sweet Potato.
Admission to Taste of Chicago and the chef demonstrations are free & open to the public.
Chef’s Stage Date: Sunday, July 12, 2026
Chef’s Stage Vending Hours: 11 AM – until supplies last
Chef’s Stage Location: Ida B. Wells & Columbus Drives
CHEF JOHN MANION
2026 BANCHET CHEF OF THE YEAR
HOW TO COOK A BIG %SS STEAK
INGREDIENTS
1 large bone-in ribeye, anywhere from 22- 48 oz (make sure you have a cast iron large enough to fit the steak you intend to cook).
Kosher salt
Black pepper (if it makes you happy)
Maldon salt (for finishing)
8 oz Beef tallow - room temperature
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
In my humble opinion, the best way to cook a large-format steak indoors is to use the “reverse sear” method, wherein you roast the steak in the oven and then finish it in a cast-iron skillet.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Purchase the best quality bone-in ribeye you can get your hands on. Quality matters.
The night before, season the ribeye with kosher salt and place it on a rack in your refrigerator. The kids are calling this “dry-brining”, but I think the term is made-up and now everyone just accepts that “dry-brining” is what we’re calling it now.
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Pat the ribeye completely dry and place it in the oven. Slowly roast until the internal temperature reaches 100 degrees.
Coat the outside of the steak with a nice massage of beef tallow, not too much, just enough for a thin layer on the surface, about two ounces. This is where you want to season with pepper if your heart desires.
Mix the remaining tallow with the chopped garlic, and season with salt. You now are in possession of what we call at Che “beef whip”.
Preheat your cast iron to medium-high. When ready, sear the steak until it forms a nice crust, about 4 minutes. This is usually when your smoke alarm goes off. Flip and repeat for 3-4 minutes. Pull the steak at 120 degrees for medium-rare, 125-30 for medium. Rest the beef on a rack and brush with a liberal amount of beef whip.
When ready (5-10 minutes) slice the steak from the bone, then slice from back to front to serve. Chimichurri is always welcome at my table.
CHIMICHURRI INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves (from about 3 bunches), very finely chopped (no stems!!)
6 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes’
1 bay leaf
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a medium-sized airtight container, stir together the parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes.
Stir in the olive oil, cover and refrigerate the chimichurri sauce overnight.
When I’m pressed for time, I’ve been known to throw everything in the food processor and pulse it a few times instead of doing all that fine chopping.
2026 BANCHET RISING CHEF
LAMB BARBACOA
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE LAMB
A 12-inch chunk of an agave leaf (penca de maguey) or 1 large banana leaf, optional
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder
1 12-ounce bottle of beer (optional but I love this!)
Salt
FOR THE MARINADE
2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 canned chipotle chile en adobo
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
FOR SERVING
Your favorite hot sauce or salsa
A little chopped white onion
A handful of cilantro leaves
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Roast the agave leaf, being careful not to touch the exposed flesh of the agave) over an open flame, turning every few minutes until pliable and charred, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. (If using a banana leaf, run it briefly over an open flame to soften it.) Cut into 3 pieces.
In the stovetop-safe insert of your slow cooker or in a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel, sprinkle generously with salt, and lay it in the insert of the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until richly brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Fit the insert into the machine or transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender with 2 cups of water and blend to a smooth puree. Pour through a medium mesh strainer into the slow cooker. Nestle the pieces of agave leaf or banana leaf under and around the meat and pour the beer over the top, if you are using them. Cover and turn on the slow cooker to high. Your barbacoa will be done in about 6 hours, though you can hold it for longer. (My slow-cooker can be programmed to switch from high after 6 hours to a “keep warm” temperature for up to another 6 hours. Some slow cookers click to “keep warm” automatically; others need to be switched manually.)
When you are ready to serve, coarsely shred the lamb and arrange it on a warm platter. Skim any fat from the sauce that remains in the slow cooker, then taste it. If you feel it would be better with a more concentrated flavor, pour it into a medium saucepan or remove the insert and set it over high heat. Boil for a few minutes to reduce the quantity, then taste and season with salt if needed. Spoon as much as you like over the lamb or beef. (I like to sprinkle coarse salt over the meat at this point.) Serve the barbacoa with the hot sauce or salsa, onion and cilantro. Grab some tortillas, if you like, and you’re ready to make some delicious tacos.
