Giant Cheetos puff up bar menu at art-inspired, Michelin-starred Esmé in Chicago’s Lincoln Park!

Chicago — The hum of a grain blast under pressure isn’t what one would expect in a Michelin-starred restaurant, but Chef Jenner Tomasca at Esmé in Lincoln Park says it’s crucial to making a home favorite on the bar menu: Flamin’ Hot Cheeto.

“A friend helped me build the machine,” Tomasca says. “It’s basically this extruder attached to a flywheel with a 10-horsepower motor.”

The 3-foot-high Flamin’ Hot Cheeto comes in a bouquet at the table and is seasoned with house-brewed peppers and cheddar cheese. The dish refers to Tomaska’s fun and quirky style of fine dining as well as his appreciation for art.

“Both tasting menus and art can be intimidating, but this space isn’t all about that,” Tomasca says. “It’s very welcoming and inviting and that’s what we try to instill in the food and in the experience.”

Esmé’s menu is rotated every three months to match the artwork installed in the restaurant. Last winter’s first featured artist, Chicago photographer Paul Octavius, describes the experience of his images interpreted through food as mind-boggling.

“You can not only look at it,” said Octavius, “but you must eat it.” “You’re eating in a Michelin-starred place and it’s like a museum.”

Tomasca describes Esmé’s current tasting menu as childish and nostalgic because it’s all about empowering kids. The dishes, inspired by featured artists Griffin Goodman and Zellen Schlossberg, are colorful and playfully painted.

“We are currently working with Kitchen Possible, a youth programming group,” said Tomasca. “Part of the proceeds from ticket sales go to that institution.”

The eye-catching dishes on the current menu include a piece of cod topped with bits of corn to appear like a cob called “The Trick” and a multicolored, fruit-flavored drink served with a crazy glass straw. Tomasca says diners don’t have to be educated in food or art to connect with the experience at Esmé.

“I think putting myself on a white canvas is a bit scary,” Tomasca said. “For me, the fun part about doing this is connecting with others and especially in the arts; how they go from point A to point B in their craft is inspiring and it’s also very connected.”

For more information about Esme, visit esmechicago.com.

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