Chefs Richard Sandoval & Bill Kim Team Up for Exclusive "Viva Abejas" Dinner at Toro Chicago

On April 16, Toro Chicago will host "Bloom to Table," an immersive 4-hands dinner featuring Chef Richard Sandoval and Chicago Chef Bill Kim. The evening serves as a cornerstone of Sandoval’s Viva Abejas (Long Live Bees) campaign, an initiative that educates the public on the critical fact that one in every three bites of food depends on bees for pollination.

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The five-course tasting menu blends Latin and Asian culinary traditions to showcase specific ingredients like agave and avocado that rely on the honeybee. As a pioneer in preserving Latin American heritage, Sandoval joins forces with Kim, behind Urbanbelly and The Table at Crate of Cornerstone Restaurant Group, to highlight the intersection of their cultures. Known for his fusion of Korean and Midwestern flavors, Kim brings a refined technical precision to this collaborative environmental mission.

“Bees are the silent heroes of our food system, especially within Latin cuisine,” Sandoval said. “Viva Abejas was created to move the needle on conservation through education. By partnering with Chef Bill Kim, we are blending our culinary heritage to show guests exactly what is at stake if we do not protect our pollinators.”

The Bloom to Table experience begins with a blue corn masa biscuit served alongside a chipotle-infused Viva Abeja Paloma. The menu then transitions to stracciatella with pickled rhubarb and asparagus, followed by the Viva Tiradito, a trio of chili-crusted ahi, cured salmon, and hamachi accented with orange blossom honey and paired with a mezcal-based Miel Del Fuego. The savory journey continues with Chef Kim’s tea-smoked duck and a beef tenderloin with truffle honey, both complemented by a curated wine pairing. The evening concludes with a dessert duet of bee pollen pavlova and a coconut milk pot de crème, served alongside a Honeycomb Carajillo.

To further the mission, 20% of ticket proceeds will support cause-based organizations, with 10% going to the Viva Abejas initiative to fund environmental education and 10% to the Greater Chicago Food Depository to combat local food insecurity.

Tickets for the event are $145 per person and include the full five-course menu and beverage pairings. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. on April 16 at Toro Chicago, located at 200 N. Columbus Dr. With only 45 seats available for this one-night-only experience, reservations are required and can be made via OpenTable.