People will do anything to get LeBron to their town. Some of the country's greatest chefs have extended free meals to ‘The King,' including local talents like Graham Elliot Bowles, Rodelio Aglibot, Carrie Nahabedian and Radhika Desai. While it's rumored that the deal is in the bag here in Chicago (sorry New York and Miami), here’s a look at what our culinary elite would cook in order to lure the basketball giant to the Midwest.
Graham Elliot Bowles (Executive Chef/Owner at Graham Elliot, former Top Chef Masters contestant): “I would lure LeBron James to Chicago by offering him a monthly family-style dinner for him and nine of his guests consisting of our interpretations of his favorite food or dishes. I would also create a customized playlist featuring his favorite songs and artists to be played during their monthly dinner while the Graham Elliot service team wears his jersey number on their uniforms.”
Rodelio Aglibot (Executive Chef at Sunda, star of TLC's Food Buddha): "I would show LeBron the best Chicago has to offer, like the dishes he cannot have anywhere! I'd start him off with my signature Brussels sprouts salad and crispy rice. Then my sushi items, like great white nigiri and broiled crab roll. Then, roasted duck hash and rock shrimp tempura, followed by our 56 oz. bone-in ribeye and malay Chilean sea bass. Finished off with The Ridiculous [Aglibot's signature tempura carrot cake]."
Carrie Nahabedian (Executive Chef/Co-Owner at NAHA): “Who wouldn’t want to cook for LeBron? He dominates the court and I love the idea of my cooking being the fuel for his power. I'd make him a wood-grilled 18 oz. Prime 'Ribeye' of Beef with Garlic 'Scapes,' with a gratin of macaroni and Hook’s blue cheese in a rich oxtail sauce made with Murray River 'apricot' sea salt.”
Radhika Desai (Executive Chef at English, former Top Chef contestant): "I'm a huge Lebron fan being an Ohio native. I'd do a 23 calorie soup -- chicken noodle with hand-picked tamarind instead of salt, and hand-rolled gluten-free noodles. Then a curried chicken a la King -- fried chicken with an Indian kiss. And LeBrownie, dusted with a clap of powdered sugar and a shot of Jameson. Yummy, satisfying, energy rich and all LeBron. Come to Chicago fellow Ohioan!"
Kevin Hickey (Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Chicago): "LeBron once said if you want him to show up somewhere you gotta have 'fried chicken and sweet tea.' I lived and cooked in Atlanta for three years and since Atlanta is America's capital of fried chicken, I've eaten and made quite a bit of it! As a matter of fact, we do a Homestyle special everyday here at Four Seasons Chicago and Thursdays are 'fried chicken day.' We serve it with corn on the cobb, mashed potatoes, gravy and the best butter biscuits you will ever taste. One of my guys in the kitchen is from south Georgia and he fixes us up a pitcher of grape sweet tea a couple times a week. I am more than ready for LeBron."
Rick Gresh (Executive Chef at David Burke’s Primehouse): "A meal fit for a King: 45 day, dry-aged 35 oz. porterhouse with porcini mushroom gratin and lobster gnocchi with sweet peas, bacon and truffle. And a Napoleon of slow roasted pineapple, smoked vanilla crema and chai spiced wafers for dessert."
John Coletta (Executive Chef at Quartino): “We'd cook for LeBron for free! We’d prepare for him a variety of house-cured salumis, some authentic, house-made pasta, a variety of our pizzas and veal osso bucco. This should give him the energy to take Chicago to the top once again!”
Troy Graves (Executive Chef at Eve): "That would be huge if Lebron came to Chicago. I'd probably make him the fried chicken we serve at brunch: a buttermilk fried chicken with tasso waffle and crawfish gravy."
Dominique Tougne (Executive Chef at Bistro 110): “I would serve him our signature roasted garlic. His breath would be his secret weapon under the basket to distract the opponents!”
See what chefs in New York and Miami are cooking up to bribe LeBron to their cities.
