Festival staple Taste of Chicago takes over Grant Park for 45th anniversary
Cam'ron Hardy | Chicago Tribune (September 8, 2025)
Beat Kitchen Cantina at Navy Pier was another restaurant that had its first vendor opportunity at the Taste. The cantina is an extension of Beat Kitchen but has more tacos and empanadas, said Victor Avelar, the head chef.
Avelar’s father is one of the owners of the restaurant, and kept him in the kitchen since he was 5 years old, Avelar said.
His parents couldn’t find a babysitter for him, so Avelar spent time in the corner where his dad used to work.
“I would just be peeking at what my dad would be doing, and then I just fell in love with the kitchen, with the food,” Avelar said.
He saw the compliments his dad would get, and that drove him to want to be like his father. As soon as he got his worker permit at 16 years old, he started getting his hands on meals.
“I want to make people happy with the food I make, that’s my ultimate goal,” Avelar said. Sunday’s menu included lobster empanadas, soft shell crab tacos and steak tacos.
He was promoted to head chef when he was 21 years old, and this weekend was his first time leading the restaurant at the Taste.
Now 24, Avelar was noticing things aren’t the same as they are at the Navy Pier restaurant.
“It’s really a new experience,” Avelar said. “It’s totally different from being in the kitchen.”
Festival staple Taste of Chicago takes over Grant Park for 45th anniversary
Taste of Chicago closes out the summer season in Grant Park with plenty of food to go around, including a 1,000-pound cheesecake.
Chicago Tribune
