Food Friday: Celebrating the Pabst’s 125th, Menu by Menu

Nov. 12 / 2020

As the Pabst Theater Group celebrates the 125th anniversary of our beloved mothership theater, the Pabst, I took a minute to stroll through some of my favorite memories, menus and moments of cooking for the many artists who have played at the Pabst over the last 10 plus years I've been here. There are so many fun moments to cherish in that time that it was hard to whittle it down to just a few.

I think the one moment that most stands out, though, is when I had the opportunity to cook for, meet and then listen to the world famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

YoYo.jpeg

First off, I feel like the theater, with its ornate structure and beautiful acoustics, was built with the sound of a cello in mind. And nobody can unleash the sound of a cello quite like Yo-Yo Ma. The concert sounded amazing and stuck with me for days afterward.

The other aspect was knowing that this man travels the world, playing in some of the largest cities, and has probably tasted culinary offerings by some of the best chefs in the world. I figured he had a pretty refined palate and I was a little nervous to disappoint.

Choosing an appropriate menu was not easy, but I zeroed in on a few dishes that I thought he would appreciate. It turned out, he zeroed in on the lobster consommé that took me a few days to painstakingly prepare.

I was really happy with how it turned out, and as I watched him stand next to the service station and refill his bowl a couple times (he sipped the consommé right out of the bowl, sans spoon, exactly the way I would have), I was thrilled with his reaction. After watching me gawk for a few minutes he walked over and asked if I was the one who prepared the consommé. I said yes and we chatted for a bit. He asked about the procedure and what flavorings I used. It was a glorious conversation and I asked if he would sign a menu for me. He gladly obliged and we chatted for a bit longer before he started preparing for his set.

As I mentioned, the number of talented artists I've been able to feed at the Pabst Theater over the last decade is almost countless. Along with the Yo-Yo Ma menu, here a few other special menus that I have had the pleasure to prepare along with our amazing hospitality staff.

Here’s to 125 years of existence, Pabst Theater. Cheers to you!
 

Buddy.jpeg

Brisket for Buddy Guy

Gypsey.jpeg

Stuffed Squid for Gipsy Kings

Priscilla Presley.jpeg

Sous Vide Atlantic Salmon for Priscilla Presley

Portugal.jpeg

Crab Cakes for Portugal. The Man

Sharon Jones.jpeg

Jerk Chicken with Plantains for Sharon Jones

(another signature from a happy customer!)

Aimee Mann.jpeg

Saag Paneer for Aimee Mann

Jun 2023

twitter

Follow

Upcoming Events

Wednesday | July 12, 2023

America

The Riverside Theater
Event Starts 7:00 PM
Wednesday | July 19, 2023

John Lodge

Performs Days of Future Passed

The Pabst Theater
Event Starts 7:30 PM
Saturday | July 22, 2023

Kansas

★ 50th ANNIVERSARY TOUR ★

The Riverside Theater
Event Starts 7:30 PM
Tuesday | Aug 1, 2023

Rick Springfield

The Pabst Theater
Event Starts 8:00 PM
Wednesday | Aug 9, 2023

Brit Floyd

Overture Center for the Arts
Event Starts 8:00 PM
Sunday | Aug 27, 2023

Three Dog Night

with special guest Tommy Odetto

The Pabst Theater
Event Starts 8:00 PM
Saturday | Sep 23, 2023

Leonid & Friends

The Pabst Theater
Event Starts 8:00 PM
Sunday | Oct 1, 2023

Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney ft. Tony Kishman

The Pabst Theater
Event Starts 4:00 PM
Rescheduled - October 6, 2023

Eric Johnson

Treasure Tour

Turner Hall Ballroom
Event Starts 8:00 PM
Saturday | Oct 28, 2023

The Fab Four performs The Beatles' "Rubber Soul"

The Pabst Theater
Event Starts 7:30 PM
Friday | Nov 3, 2023

Steve Hackett

Genesis Revisited | Foxtrot At 50 | Hackett Highlights

The Pabst Theater
Event Starts 8:00 PM