Darina Allen: My trip to Chicago

I’VE just returned from a whistlestop tour of Chicago. The main purpose of my trip was to collect a iBAM award which I was indeed very honoured to receive.

I was warmly welcomed by the hospitable Irish Chicagons. I also managed to check out the food, urban farm and gardening scene.

On the very first evening I had a delicious dinner at The Gage (right) , a sister restaurant of Acanto both owned by the Lawless family (now Chicago restaurant ‘royalty’) originally from Rahoon in Co Galway.