the picture I took with my iPhone of the Watermelon Radish salad

A few months ago, the DuPuis Group, a design firm client of mine, held an industry dinner for some of the top people in the food industry. Hershey, Conagra, and Keebler were among those who attended, and I had my work hanging on the walls. The best part about this dinner was that Dale Levitski prepared the meal with menu items from his Lincoln Park restaurant, Sprout. This is how I was introduced to his delicious talent.

At the restaurant, Chef Dale provides you with three sections of choices. You pay a prix-fixe, selecting one item from each. Because he always tries to use local, organic, and sustainable ingredients whenever possible, menu items are constantly changing. Although we didn't get to choose ourselves at the DuPuis dinner, Dale picked out a perfect menu for us. His flavor profiles are so sophisticated, with light, fresh tastes that are intricate in subtle ways rather than being overwhelming. We had Watermelon radish salad to start, the black cod as an entrée, and the corn brioche for desert. If you hurry in, you may still be able to try the latter two before they disappear from the menu. The cod alone is worth the rush. It's seared skin side down, which gives it a wonderful crisp, and it's paired with cucumber, mint, and sambal for some slight heat.

Unfortunately, the watermelon radish is no longer on the menu. That salad was delicious! It had braised artichokes, Caprica Wisconsin cheese, red tatsoi, asparagus, and frisee, with extra virgin arbequina olive oil and an emulsified sherry vinaigrette. Everything balanced very well, giving way to fresh, simple flavors that highlighted the crisp light taste of the watermelon radish. And the presentation was beautiful!  

I didn't have to change much recreating this dish because Dale chose such great ingredients. The deep purpley greens of the red tatsoi were the perfect dark accent to make the bright pinks and light yellows of the watermelon radishes really pop. I chose a white plate with a red bottom to mimic the radish colors, and used really light, fresh looking greens layered throughout. The white surface allowed the colors from the salad to bounce back in the natural light, which I love.

As a side note, I had an awful time trying to find the watermelon radishes. Finally I called Dale to ask where I might find some. Without hesitation he offered up his own, along with some tatsoi. I was very impressed by his generosity and eagerness to help. This same attitude really shines through his food because you can tell it's something he's truly passionate about.

Sprout 1417 W Fullerton. 773-348-0706

This is the image I shot after recreating the dish in my studio. 

For a behind-the-scenes look at food photography, be sure to read my other blog, Who's Hungry?

Stephen Hamilton is an award-winning commercial food photographer based in Chicago. To view additional pictures, and to find out more about him, please visit www.stephenhamilton.com. 

this is the duck confit ravioi with asparagus that i took a picture of with my iPhone at Branch 27

Branch 27 was open for just over 6 months before they closed their doors to reconceptualize and remodel last November. I'd never been there during the first incarnation, but based on my recent experience there, I would have to guess the change is for the better. Now with Chef John Manion, formerly from Goose Island Brewpub, Branch 27 is a casual and delicious gastropub. 

The restaurant is in the old 27th Ward Library. They redid the space with a glass roofed-atrium in the back, a dramatic move that creates the feeling of an indoor garden patio. I went with a friend and sat in the front area at the hightop bar, where it was much darker and a little livelier. They offer a great beer list. It seemed very "Chicago" and very "West Town."

Although the waiter recommended the Brazilian Stew, it was the one dish I didn't really care for. The meat was too heavy and greasy for me. But the Butter Lettuce Salad I had was terrific. This was early Spring, so the lettuce was just coming in to season, and it tasted extremely fresh. 

My favorite dish was the Duck Confit Ravioli. The duck was extremely rich and gamey, but it was balanced beautifully by the light earthy broth and fresh spring asparagus.

I went out to get an LED video light to help take pictures in dark restaurants, so I tried it out for the first time here, using the menu as a fill card. I think the picture turned out much nicer than usual, but I felt like it attracted too much attention. I'll have to wait for the new iPhone with a flash to see if that's any more discreet. 

When I recreated the dish, I wanted to simplify it a little and make the colors pop. The dish had such intense flavors that I thought the colors should be just as rich. I chose a darker plate, more golden toned raviolis, and a deeper hued sauce to compliment the bright green asparagus. 

Branch 27 1371 W Chicago. 312-850-2700

This is the ravioli that I recreated and photographed after eating it at Branch 27.

For a behind-the-scenes look at food photography, be sure to read my other blog, Who's Hungry?

Stephen Hamilton is an award-winning commercial food photographer based in Chicago. To view additional pictures, and to find out more about him, please visit www.stephenhamilton.com. 

tender baked brisket sandwich from Katz's Delicatessen in NY, taken with my iPhone

The last time I was in Manhattan, I wanted a real NY Jewish deli experience. A friend of mine suggested that I visit the iconic Katz's Deli on the Lower East Side. Established in 1888, they stick to traditions that have worked for them for ages.

Strong New York accents greet you when you walk in. A waiter hands you a ticket to be filled out with your order, which you can have via counter service or table service. We decided to be waited on for convenience. 

You had the option of ordering a half or a full sandwich (for a couple bucks more). Now these are New York priced sandwiches, so for $2 more I thought I could finish off a full. I was not prepared for what was put in front of me. It was beyond life size - well over a pound and a half of meat! I couldn't even finish half of it. But the meat itself was very tender and had great flavor. 

Also, if you like pickles, this is your place. They pickle them fresh, with strong vinegar, and they have three different kinds. The one I had was one of the most crisp pickles I've ever eaten.

When I recreated the dish, I wanted to highlight its abundance without losing any appetite appeal. I chose small deli pickles to help accentuate the size of the sandwich. I thought the addition of sauce suggested more flavor. And I wanted to keep the image bright against a full monotone background.

Ess gesunt!

Katz's Delicatessen 205 E Houston St, New York, NY 212-254-2246

This is the brisket sandwich that I recreated and photographed in my studio after eating the sandwich in NY. 

For a behind-the-scenes look at food photography, be sure to read my other blog, Who's Hungry?

Stephen Hamilton is an award-winning commercial food photographer based in Chicago. To view additional pictures, and to find out more about him, please visit www.stephenhamilton.com. 

the image I took at Sunda with my iPhone

I love hearing a chef talk about their dishes. It's especially cool if I'm eating their food at the same time! At Sunda, I had the opportunity to have my meal sitting beside the executive chef, Rodelio Aglibot. 

I went there on a Saturday night with a friend who knows the chef. Chef Rod came over a little after we were seated, and he basically sat with us the entire time. Apparently he is known for visiting restaurants and ordering OOE (one of everything)!  TLC is even launching a show about him doing just that. It's called "The Food Buddha," and it premieres June 14th. He wanted us to have this type of experience, so he had the kitchen send us out a tasting of most things on the menu!

Sunda's food is inventive and upscale Pan-Asian cuisine, and the interior and ambiance are just as cool as the preparations. There's a full sushi bar, dim sum, grilled items, and noodles among other things. I don't normally go for sushi, but some of the signature sushi dishes are not your typical finds. One of my favorites was the pan-fried sushi rice glazed with soy sauce and topped with seared kobe beef tartare. It's prepared in extremely flavorful bite-sized pieces. I love the contrast of the cooked and raw portions of beef, and the crispy aspects of the sticky rice balance the texture out nicely. 

Another dish with beautiful texture is the brussels sprout salad. It's a mix of chopped brussels sprouts, chilies, fried shallots, and minced shrimp. I love the way the outside layers of the sprouts are more crispy than the inner ones, giving it a really varied consistency with great Asian flavors. 

For my recreation I chose the braised oxtail pot stickers. I already have a weakness for pot stickers, and oxtail is such a flavorful intense meat that the dish instantly became a favorite. At the restaurant they're topped with a caramelized onion jus with wasabi cream sauce. I chose to portray them with a soy reduction to simplify the dish and let the pot stickers really stand out on their own. 

Sunda 110 W Illinois St.  312-644-0500

For a behind-the-scenes look at food photography, be sure to read my new blog, Who's Hungry?

the picture I took at one sixty-blue with my iPhone

When I want to spoil myself and not have to go too far, one sixtyblue is the answer. It's right around the corner from my studio. On top of that, it's across the street from the Tasting Room. If I have the luxury of finishing early at the studio, I can go to the Tasting Room, relax over a glass or two or wine, and then indulge with dinner at one sixtyblue. 

Even though the head chef has changed, the food is still really good. It's upscale American fare that is simple and classic. And the atmosphere is very stylish. It's hard to believe that it was once home to a pickle factory! 

If you have a chance to eat in the private dining room, it's like having a sleek living room and dining room all to yourself. I used to know the owner of Randolph Wine Cellars across the street. He told me once that while he was dining in the PDR, Michael Jordan came in and wanted to use it. He offered to buy them all dinner if they agreed to move. How do you say no to Michael Jordan?

Even though I had the short rib the last time I was in, my friend ordered the Alaskan Cod and I had to choose that dish for the blog. The colors were beautiful. It had a great golden crust that contrasted nicely with the green brussels sprouts. I wanted to bring out these colors as much as possible when I recreated it.

one sixtyblue  1400 W Randolph, 312-850-0303

For a behind-the-scenes look at food photography, be sure to read my new blog, Who's Hungry?