The Alley Cat Unveils "Stray Chef Sundays" - a 13-Week Pop-Up Series Beginning August 16

The Alley Cat will host a weekly pop-up series featuring guest chefs from across Chicago beginning August 16 and running through November 8. The 13-week program, titled “Stray Chef Sundays,” will bring a different chef into the kitchen each week for a one-night collaboration.

Participating chefs will include a mix of Michelin-recognized chefs, James Beard–affiliated talent, and local operators. Each guest chef will create a featured dish for the evening along with a variation on the venue’s signature deviled egg, part of its “Girl Dinner” offering. The set menu item will be available starting at 5 p.m. each Sunday until sold out.

The series will open August 16 with Charles Wong of Umamicue. His menu will include a sandwich featuring smoked beef, cheese sauce, and onions on a housemade roll, served with fries, along with a deviled egg topped with sausage and pickled greens.

Each event will also include a rotating cocktail developed by bartender Britt Bogdan, designed to correspond with the featured chef and dish. Additional beverage offerings will include shot-and-beer combinations and the bar’s standard happy hour menu.

“Our food menu has always been intentionally small because we wanted the flexibility to create experiences exactly like this,” said Tony Dezutter, co-owner and executive chef of The Alley Cat. “Every Stray Chef gets complete creative freedom to cook something they're excited about while introducing guests to restaurants they may not have discovered yet.”

“Chicago has one of the best hospitality communities anywhere, and this is our way of celebrating it one Sunday at a time,” Dezutter said. “Every week, she's creating a cocktail inspired by that Sunday's Stray Chef and their dish.”

Menus and cocktail details for each event will be announced on The Alley Cat’s social media channels throughout the series.
Meet the Inaugural Class of Stray Chefs at The Alley Cat:

August 16 — Charles Wong (Umamicue)
August 23 — Rickie Pérez (Logan Oyster Socials)
August 30 — Jason Melamed (Allez Cafe, Ambrosia Foods)
September 6 — Henry Zimmerman (BébéLala)
September 13 — Larry Feldmeier (All Well, Oriole)
September 20 — Ryan Fakih (Beity)
September 27 — David Choi (Seoul Taco, Prince St. Pizza)
October 4 — Stephen Gillanders (Valhalla, S.K.Y., Apolonia, Le Mistral)
October 11 — Donald Young (Duck Sel)
October 18 — Sieger Bayer (bar Berria)
October 25 — Oliver Poilevey (Le Bouchon, Chez Poulet, Obelix, Mariscos San Pedro, Taqueria Chingon)
November 1 — Won Kim (Kimski, Lilac Tiger)
November 8 — Max Robbins (Lettuce Entertain You)