Chicago Ducks Foie Gras Ban

Charlie Trotter plans 'sabbatical' after 25 years

(NEWSER) - A Chicago landmark will soon be history. Legendary chef Charlie Trotter is closing his restaurant in August, after a quarter-century of service. It's not a financial matter: "We’ve always been profitable, that’s for sure," he tells the Sun-Times . But Trotter is ready "to put the flag in the sand" and achieve some non-culinary goals, including travel and a graduate degree in philosophy and political theory. More»

New mayor calls for change, sacrifice to address city's woes

(NEWSER) - It was a departure of sorts for Rahm Emanuel today, a swearing in, as opposed to the swearing at he's famously used to. The potty-mouthed former White House chief of staff today became Chicago's first new mayor in two decades, taking the oath of office and officially marking the end Richard M Daley's 22-year reign, reports the Chicago Tribune. Emanuel takes the reins in a troubled city, and echoed his old boss' call for change: More»

Richard Daley names street 'Oprah Winfrey Way'

(AP) - What do you get the woman who has everything and has given away just about everything? How about her own street? Outgoing Chicago Mayor Richard Daley gave Oprah Winfrey her very own "Oprah Winfrey Way," naming a block in front of Harpo Studios after her. Winfrey is the latest of well over 1,200 celebrities, such as Michael Jordan, Siskel and Ebert, and Frank Sinatra, who have been honored with street signs in Chicago. More»

Apparently everyone's very excited about Grant Achatz's new venture, Next

(NEWSER) - Want to eat at Next, the highly anticipated new restaurant from top Chicago chef Grant Achatz? Then expect to pay quite a bit for the experience. Unless you can snag your own ticket (which isn't cheap at $85 per person), a ticket bought on Craigslist or eBay will set you back $500 to $3,000, Slashfood notes. The difference in prices for the scalped tickets can be explained by what options they include, the Huffington Post reports: Some include wine pairings, while the most expensive are at the chef's table. Eater notes that the average ticket price seems to be around $1,000 for a two-person table. More»

Challenges facing Chicago require painful solutions

(NEWSER) - Rahm Emanuel won the Chicago mayor’s race—but will he be able to keep the job for more than one term? The Sun-Times , the Tribune , and the New York Times take a look at the many, many challenges facing him:

• Financial crisis: Chicago is on the brink of bankruptcy. Mayor Daley borrowed and spent, and the city’s structural deficit is approaching $1 billion. All the solutions will likely be painful. Emanuel outlined $500 million in savings during the campaign, but must find ways to bring in income that will fill the gap.
• City Council: The aldermen basically did what Mayor Richard Daley wanted, but their relationship with Emanuel could be fraught with tension, especially since the new mayor wants to reorganize. In particular, he faces a big fight with 40-year veteran Edward M. Burke.