Influenced by his love for travel and cooking, chef Andrew Zimmerman has married his two great loves into one phenomenal concept — and its name is Proxi.

Inspired by street food from around the world, this Chicago-based restaurant takes patron’s palates on a journey through Asia, India, Mexico, and beyond.

Zimmerman’s passion for flavor and ability to blur the lines when it comes to different types of cuisine is why Proxi is one of the Chicago restaurants we love! Let Proxi’s menu take you around the world, one boundary-blurring dish at a time.

The Setting: Raw and Elegant

Located in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, Proxi fits in comfortably on the prestigious Restaurant Row.

What Zimmerman has been able to express through his food, restaurant designer Meyer Davis has captured in terms of the restaurant’s ambiance. An undeniable elegance sets the stage from the moment you enter the restaurant.

A playful balance of raw industrial elements and warm, inviting furnishings mirror the juxtaposition of Proxi’s fusion food style.

The vibe is both swanky and inviting, with a dining room and lounge divided by one long central bar. Patrons have the opportunity to reserve a seat at the chef’s table overlooking the open kitchen.

(Photo credit: ProxiChicago.com)

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Fall is in the air.

As we bid farewell to Summer BBQs and beach bonfires, we welcome some of our favorite Fall traditions: apple picking, pumpkin patches, and of course Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving: the Busiest Travel Day of the Year

One thing that makes Thanksgiving so special is being able to spend time with friends and family. Many people travel long distances by car, train, or plane to be with their loved ones.

This can often mean traffic, delays, and long commute times. It’s easy to get cranky but remember why you’re traveling in the first place. Having a good attitude and checking all time expectations at the door will keep your spirits right where they need to be.

Reasons to be Thankful: Friends, Family, and Food

Friends: Making New Traditions, Upholding Old Ones

With everyone’s busy lives, it can be hard to gather everyone together, all at one time. But Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends. Making time for your friends also helps alleviate some of the pressures of family time.

A Friendsgiving potluck is a great way to celebrate the season and show thankfulness for friendship. Have everyone bring a dish (make sure to cover appetizers, sides, and desserts at minimum!) to the host, who will be in charge of the turkey. Or, hire a caterer to take care of everything so that you and your friends can spend all of your time catching up — instead of worrying about cooking and cleanup.

Family: Get Everyone Involved

No matter how much you love them, when it comes to family, spending the holidays with them can be stressful at times. To get in front of any potential negativity, this is the perfect opportunity to organize some fun activities that everyone can participate in.

A few ideas:

• Put together a friendly family football game.
• Host an early breakfast/brunch bash to keep the hunger at bay.
• Grab a game that everyone can participate in and let loose a little.

The Feast: Getting All Your Favorite Foods On One Table

As families grow and new members join, including everyone’s favorite dish on the Thanksgiving menu can be tricky. To be sure, it isn’t always practical (and there certainly isn’t enough stove space) to have six different types of potatoes on the menu!

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It’s apple season!

Fall into the crisp, decadent taste of fall with our gourmet hand-decorated caramel apples featured in our new Taffy Apple Menu. We offer a wide variety of delicious seasonal toppings, including chocolate toffee, orange and black sprinkle mix, fall-colored M&M’s, and more.

Our delicious apples are the perfect seasonal treat for football games, holiday parties, family get-togethers, office parties and more. We also offer gift baskets that include an assortment of jumbo hand-decorated caramel apples. A delicious seasonal gift!

Celebrate the fall season with our delicious hand-decorated caramel apples delivered right to your door. Check out our Taffy Apple menu, and then give us a call to place your order!

You may not have realized but the holiday time clock has already begun ticking. The moment the leaves start to turn and Halloween candy hits the stores — Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years are practically here (at least when it comes to party planning!).

The question is: how much work are you willing to do for your holiday entertainment?

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a hosting newbie, entertaining for the holidays can be stressful. No matter how much holiday cheer is in the air, it is still the busiest time of the year. With this in mind, we’ve put together a holiday survival guide to help you host a magical holiday event!

Sending Out Invitations

Knowing how many guests you will be entertaining is an important place to start the process. Is it going to be a quaint, cozy evening with a few family members or a mingling mixer for your whole neighborhood?

If your guest list is long, online invitations are a great way to keep track of your guest list. Online invites are quick and handy, allowing people to set reminders, encourage conversation between guests, and keep an accurate headcount.

That said, traditional snail mail invitations allow for a more personal approach. This a nice touch if you’re planning to host a more intimate affair. If you decide to go this route, make sure to keep an accurate guest count as people send in their RSVPs.

Holiday Catering: Full Service + Delivery Planning

Once you have an idea of how many people will be attending your party, you can start planning the best part — the food!

When it comes to holiday planning, you can never be too prepared. If you are opting for full service or delivery there are a few things to keep in mind:

• It’s never too early to get your order in
• There are often peak date charges during the holidays
• Labor can be tight during the holidays so if you’re going full service — make sure to secure your staff early
• Take the time to find a caterer you trust
• Don’t forget to create storage space in your refrigerator and pantry to accommodate your order (and any leftovers)
• Make some time to research fun, festive specialty drinks or cocktails to enhance your party

In general, using a caterer will help you free up time during the busy holiday season. Imagine how much more you’ll be able to get done without having to worry about shopping, cooking, and the dreaded cleanup. You’ll also benefit from the expertise of hiring a good caterer in terms of how they’ll work with you to plan the perfect party.

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We are so excited to announce our newest team member: Justin Frankenberg.

Justin Frankenberg is Catering by Michaels’ new Executive Chef, helping to develop new recipes while experimenting with new flavors.

We sat down with Justin to learn more about his past and how he can help Catering by Michaels continue to innovate.

What Did You Do Before Working at Catering by Michaels?

I was a Johnson Wales graduate. I stayed in Providence for about 8 years when the fusion cooking scene was just getting started. I worked for a few hot places that got me some good, solid cooking experience outside of school.

Eventually, I moved because of a job opportunity back in DC, where I’m from. I worked for Pesche, under two of my biggest food idols (who were both critical in terms of defining the food scene in DC). I initially started as a sous chef and eventually became the Executive Chef. Later, I worked for another DC hot spot — Red Sage.

I moved to Chicago in 2005 and got involved with catering shortly after. I started with J & L Catering but moved on once the economy tanked. I also worked for Paramount events as well as the Stefani Group, where I helped rebrand their catering division.

Upon having my third child, a little girl, and after 20 years of seeing my other kids mostly after they were already asleep, I took a break — and now I’m here!

What Experience Do You Bring to the Executive Chef Role?

I think one of my biggest assets to the team is a fresh take on things in terms of kitchen management. Much of the Catering by Michaels staff has been here for a long time (20+ years), which is amazing, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to shake things up! So far, people are responding positively to the changes I bring.

As far as food goes, I’m pretty simplistic in nature. I bring a fresh set of eyes when it comes to plate appeal, making things more modern but still practical.

I think the pinnacle of testing as a chef is being able to work in conditions which may not be ideal yet still produce great food — like so many of the venues where Catering by Michaels works! It’s a rarity to have a full kitchen at your disposal at an event: it’s more like a glorified broom closet!

What are You Looking Forward to By Working For Catering by Michaels?

There’s so much!

I’m most looking forward to research and development-related tasks. I haven’t really been in a position before where I’ve had such a strong team I can rely on so that I can focus on creating new recipes and testing them properly. We have a great system in place where we can develop and test recipes three to four times to get them right before looping in other departments (and putting them on our menu).

Unlike a restaurant experience, so many different things have to be taken into consideration in catering when it comes to the food. We have to deal with less-than-ideal conditions. I also have to think of ways to perfect our dishes by using equipment not associated with the experience I obtained during my past restaurant life.

These are all challenges I’m looking forward to in this new role.

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