Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago 2026: 13 Chef Pods, Six Courses and One Night at The Geraghty
Picture a converted warehouse on the Lower West Side, gold woven chandeliers glowing over 450 guests in black tie, and a team of chefs leaning over your table to plate the third of six courses they built just for you. That is Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago, and it returns on Friday, October 23, 2026, from 6 to 11:30 PM at The Geraghty, 2520 S. Hoyne Ave.
Now in its 36th year, the gala from Meals on Wheels Chicago gathers more than 50 of the city’s best chefs, including Michelin, James Beard and Bib Gourmand honorees, and splits them into 13 cooking pods. Each pod writes its own six-course tasting menu from scratch, so no two sections of the room eat the same dinner. Tickets are $450, and every one helps deliver meals to homebound seniors and people with disabilities across Chicago.
What happens at Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago?
The night opens with a cocktail reception and tasting stations, where hors d’oeuvres teams pass bites and pour oysters before anyone sits down. Then the room settles in and the main event begins: an interactive six-course dinner, with each chef team preparing and presenting its courses tableside. For one night, every table becomes a chef’s table.
Between courses there are raffles, a silent auction and a live auction stocked with in-home dinners, vacation stays and food experiences, and the evening keeps going well past dessert. The dress code is black tie optional, which in practice means sharp suits, cocktail dresses and a few tuxedos.
Who is cooking at the 2026 Chef Ball?
This year’s lead chefs are Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir of Mirra in Bucktown and Mariela in the Loop, named 2026 Food & Wine Best New Chefs. Mirra cooks Indian and Mexican food side by side, and Mohajir also runs Muhājir and Bobo in Lincoln Park, whose bar lead Richard Beltzer is the night’s featured mixologist.
The pods read like a dream reservation list. Cole Schweitzer of Maple & Ash, Manny Cisneros of Mercadito and Jake Peterson of Deliz Italian Steakhouse share one menu. Stephen Gillanders of S.K.Y., Dino Tsaknis of Laurel and Stephen Sandoval of Diego and Trino share another. Tigist Reda of Demera, Lawrence Letrero of Bayan Ko and Pat Sheerin of Cira bring Ethiopian, Filipino and Midwestern cooking to the same table.
Fine dining is well represented. Cesar Murillo and John Brandon of North Pond cook alongside Helmy Saadon of Miru and Geno Bahena of Manchamanteles. Jenner Tomaska of The Alston teams up with Justin Dumcum of Petit Pomeroy and Danny Rodriguez of TenGoku. CJ Jacobson of Aba, Devin Denzer of Atsumeru, Ken Polk of Batter & Berries and Victor Martinez of UHCHI make up another pod.
Other menus pair Meagan O’Connor and Jesús Maldonado of Topolobampo with pitmaster James Sanders of Sanders BBQ Supply Co. and Soo Ahn of Adalina, and Javauneeka Jacobs of Frontera Grill with Joe Spretnjak of Apolonia, Devon Quinn of Eden and Bradyn Kawcak of Catalpa Hospitality. Sahil Sethi and Sathish Kumar of Indienne and SIFR cook with Marcos Campos of Mama Delia and Jesús Delgado of Tanta, while Prime & Provisions, Coda di Volpe, Santo Chorizo and Santa Masa Tamaleria fill out a pod of steak, pasta, chorizo and tamales.
What will you eat?
That depends on where you sit, which is half the fun. A table in the Maple & Ash pod might move from crudo to dry-aged beef, while the Indienne and Tanta pod could swing from tandoor spice to Peruvian ceviche in a single evening. Past menus give a sense of the ambition: a glossy tuna poke under a lace-thin green tuile with a saffron-bright sauce, and candy-striped beets set one by one with tweezers, plate after plate, by the chef who designed them.
Before dinner, the hors d’oeuvres crews set the pace. Fred Ramos of Bar Roma, Rickie Perez of Logan Oyster Socials, Han Jeon of Sankyu Sushi & Izakaya and Labriola work the reception, with lobster from Supreme Lobster and oysters from Island Creek Oyster Company on ice. Dessert comes from Yudith Bustos of Adorn, Esther Greigo of Bittersweet Bakery, Henry Pariser of Goose Island and Arshiya Farheen of Verzênay Chicago.
Because each course is a one-off created for the night, the kitchens cannot take special requests or dietary restrictions, though vegetarian options appear throughout the evening. Come hungry and curious.
Where is The Geraghty?
The Geraghty is an industrial-chic event space at 2520 S. Hoyne Ave., on the Lower West Side near Pilsen and McKinley Park. The open warehouse room holds hundreds of guests under high ceilings, with plenty of space for 13 chef stations and the auction. Rideshare is the easy option for a night with wine at every course.
Why the night matters
Every ticket supports Meals on Wheels Chicago, which delivers more than 4.6 million meals a year and works to reach more than 20,000 people through its programs. Its Home Meal Delivery program brings a nutritious meal, a wellness check and a familiar face to homebound seniors and people with disabilities. Proceeds also support the Nourish Chicago Pantry, a pet food program and wellness packs.
The need is real: one in six Chicago seniors faces hunger, and 84 percent of clients say their delivery driver is the only person they see all week. Since it began, the Celebrity Chef Ball has helped feed more than 2 million seniors, which makes this the rare black-tie dinner where seconds on dessert count as doing good.
This year’s co-chairs are Mark and Mary Baranek, longtime supporters of Meals on Wheels Chicago; Mark serves on its board. “Celebrity Chef Ball celebrates what makes Chicago’s culinary community so special, but at its heart, it’s about coming together for our neighbors,” says Elise Geiger, CEO and executive director of Meals on Wheels Chicago.
How to get tickets to Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago
Individual tickets are $450 and are sold on the Meals on Wheels Chicago Celebrity Chef Ball page. Groups can buy a full table, and sponsorships with advertising benefits are available through the organization. With the full lineup announced and nine days to go, seats are moving fast, so book soon if you want in.
Know before you go
- Date: Friday, October 23, 2026, 6 PM to 11:30 PM
- Venue: The Geraghty, 2520 S. Hoyne Ave., Chicago, IL 60608
- Tickets: $450 per person at mealsonwheelschicago.org/ccb; tables and sponsorships available
- Dress code: Black tie optional
- Menu: Cocktail reception and tasting stations, then a six-course tasting menu cooked by your table’s chef pod; no special requests or dietary restrictions, some vegetarian options
- Benefits: Meals on Wheels Chicago
Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago FAQ
When is Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago 2026?
Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago 2026 takes place Friday, October 23, 2026, from 6 PM to 11:30 PM at The Geraghty, 2520 S. Hoyne Ave. on the Lower West Side. The evening starts with a cocktail reception and tasting stations, followed by a six-course dinner cooked tableside, raffles and a live auction.
How much are tickets to the Celebrity Chef Ball in Chicago?
Tickets to the 2026 Celebrity Chef Ball in Chicago are $450 per person, sold through the Meals on Wheels Chicago website at mealsonwheelschicago.org/ccb. Full tables and sponsorships are also available. Proceeds support Meals on Wheels Chicago’s home meal delivery for seniors and people with disabilities.
Which chefs are cooking at Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago 2026?
More than 50 Chicago chefs cook at Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago 2026, led by Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir of Mirra and Mariela. The 13 pods include chefs from North Pond, Topolobampo, Frontera Grill, The Alston, Atsumeru, Maple & Ash, S.K.Y., Aba, Tanta and Sanders BBQ Supply Co.
What is the dress code for the Celebrity Chef Ball?
The dress code for the Celebrity Chef Ball in Chicago is black tie optional. Expect suits, cocktail dresses and some tuxedos at The Geraghty on October 23, 2026. Comfortable shoes help, since the night runs from 6 PM to 11:30 PM with a standing cocktail reception before the six-course dinner.
Can the Celebrity Chef Ball accommodate dietary restrictions?
No. Because every pod at Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago serves a one-off six-course menu created for the night, Meals on Wheels Chicago cannot accommodate special requests or dietary restrictions. Some vegetarian options are available throughout the evening, including at the cocktail reception and tasting stations.
Further reading
- Meals on Wheels Chicago: Celebrity Chef Ball tickets and chef lineup
- Meals on Wheels Chicago on Instagram: 2026 chef pod announcements
- Chicago Food Magazine: Meals on Wheels Chicago Hosts 36th Annual Celebrity Chef Ball, October 23rd
- Food & Wine: 2026 Best New Chef Rishi Kumar of Mirra
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