Meet Chicago The Bear
When we traveled to Chicago during spring, there seemed to be a restless energy, an eagerness to burst out from the coronavirus’s period of hibernation. After seeing the characters that inspired the beers at Ørkenoy, we asked Brewer Jonny Ifergan and illustrator Katie Lukes to bring Chicago the Bear—a representation of the Chicago hospitality industry—to life.
chicago the bear | illustration: Katie Lukes
Chicago’s most distinct memory as a cub is swimming and catching trout off the southwestern tip of Michigan.
Separated from their birth parents early on, Chicago grew up fast on their own, learning to forage and store food in their lovely, little cave, appropriately named “The Cocoon.” Throughout their travels in the forest, Chicago became aware of the lack of resources for the other orphan bears. So Chicago started inviting all their new friends into The Cocoon before winter to feast on berries and fish that Chicago had smoked and dried to preserve. But Chicago always dreamed of moving to the big city of their namesake to attend Kendall College.
One spring morning, Chicago was sipping a tea they made with dried fruit and currant leaves and thinking about their future. It was time to follow their dreams. Chicago decided to host an arts, music, and culinary festival to raise funds for Kendall College.
Chicago then migrated across the lake to Kendall College and dived into learning the skills of a great chef like sharpening a knife, keeping your station clean, and completing a dish before eating it. (They couldn’t help it!) Chicago particularly loved fermenting vegetables and cooking with seasonal ingredients. They learned how to sous vide and cure meat, which could prove useful during hibernation. But nothing quite tickled Chicago’s nose more than the smell of freshly baked bread in the oven.
After graduation, Chicago migrated around the city’s neighborhoods, learned more about different cuisines, and worked their way up from washing dishes at a greasy spoon to being a line cook at a fine dining restaurant. Chicago still laughs about those memories, thinking about trying to hold those tweezers in their giant paw while plating.
Chicago is now an award-winning chef at a well-known, minimalist restaurant in the Fulton Market District. But not a day goes by where Chicago doesn’t think about those days on the beach as a young cub, full of naivete and curiosity. In fact, Chicago plans to open a local market near the lake one day named The Cocoon to give back to the communities that have taught them so much about life, love, and the pursuit of food.
CHICAGO’S FAST FACTS
What you eat on your days off: A few Depot Dogs in the parking lot while running errands
What you drink on your days off: Mead, but when that’s not an option, Chicago doesn’t mind trying new beers, especially those made with fresh fruit or foraged ingredients—the fruitier the better!
How you spend your free time: Chicago loves riding their bike through the boulevards and lakeshore, discovering new places to eat or stopping at a nearby farmers market.
