The 6th Annual Great Chicago Food Bash!

Chicago’s most delicious startup tradition is BACK – and it’s the tastiest way to kick off the year!

Join us inside the Hoste cocktail venue, a modern industrial cocktail taproom in the heart of Pilsen, for a high-energy night of food, drinks, and community as we showcase Chicago’s rising food & beverage startups.

You’ll sample some of the city’s finest bites and sips, meet the founders behind them, and hear a fireside chat with a special guest who knows what it means to serve up success.

Enjoy a premium welcome cocktail (Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Negroni, or Martini) courtesy of Hoste. Then make your way around the festival floor sampling delicious bites and sips from 15 different exhibitors.

Sample Bites & Sips like:

Quesabirria tacos

High-protein savory dips

Gluten-free snacks

Premium finishing salts

Waffle & dessert bar

Alcohol & N/A spirits

Cane sugar sodas

Functional wellness shots

Hot chai

and more!

Enjoy a sit-down conversation with TOP CHEF COMPETITOR, CHOPPED CHAMPION, JAMES BEARD NOMINEE, AND CHICAGO RESTAURANTEUR CHEF ZUBAIR MOHAJIR.

This is lively conversation with old friends and new friends.

This is energy worthy of getting out of the house on a cold January night.

The 6th Annual Great Chicago Food Bash is the place to be.

NOTE:

This is our largest event of the year and we are likely to reach capacity. Don't delay on getting your tickets!

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Want to be an exhibitor? Apply to exhibit no later than January 4th to showcase your product to 100+ new people. Exhibitor spots are limited and we prioritize earlier applications, so get your app in ASAP.

Past exhibitors have gone on to receive distribution at Costco, Whole Foods, and other major retailers, win grants, and raise large funding rounds.

Agenda

5:30 PM: Doors Open, Welcome Drink, and Food Festival!

Check in, get a ticket for a premium welcome cocktail at the Hoste bar, and enjoy sampling from 15+ food and beverage startups!

7:15 PM: Fireside Chat with special guest

Tuck in with a drink for an energizing fireside chat with a special guest from the local F&B scene. Guest announcement coming soon!

8:30 PM: After-party!

Continue to hang out with old and new friends around the Hoste bar!

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Hosted By

Rajiv Nathan, Director

Hey there! Great to meet you! I'm Rajiv Nathan aka RajNATION. I started attending Startup Grind Chicago events in 2019, became a co-director in 2020, and started leading the chapter in 2022. My goal for the chapter is to provide you with perspective, whether that's through our content, event formats, or trainings.

My main gig is running the firm Startup Hypeman, building startup pitches for both fundraising and customer growth so you don't just go to market, you become The GOAT to Market.

Sid Khaitan, Head of Community

Brittany Canty,

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Partners

Hoste LLC (https://www.Hostecocktails.com)
Hoste Cocktails crafts premium ready-to-drink batch cocktails of your favorite classics. Try our Mezcal Negroni, Gold Fashioned, Manhattan, and more.

Startup Hypeman (https://www.startuphypeman.com)
Startup Hypeman helps startups NOT suck at telling their story so they stand out to their audience and stand apart from competitors. Founders and CEOs at startups of all stages collaborate with us to convert their Vision into pitches for capital raises, customer acquisition, and category creation so their audience doesn’t acknowledge them as the best, they acknowledge them as the ONLY.

Grow to Market (https://www.growtomarket.now)
Grow to Market provides playbooks for food & beverage founders, from reimagining categories to retail activation. Subscribe to our newsletter at growtomarket.now/subscribe

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Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-chicago-presents-the-6th-annual-great-chicago-food-bash/.