Ravina Festival's Chef Dishes On This Year's New Menu

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — As excitement builds for Ravinia Festival kicking off on Friday, Patch sat down with the Levy Senior Executive Chef at Ravinia Festival, Mark Hill, to get the dish on this year's new menu items.

Ranging from sweet treats to succulent and savory bites, this year's menu creates a balance between classic items and new offerings to keep guests excited. Hill said his goal was to offer unique, differentiated food experiences that complement the diverse range of artists performing at Ravinia.

"The food that we do here is going to be different than any other venue you go to," Hill told Patch. "I like to think of it as Chicago International. We have so many influences in Chicago, and we're just bringing that out in something that is familiar, but just a little different."

The new menu items this year include a cappuccino crunch float, pulled pork stack, lamb tartare and smoked short rib. These offerings will be available at regular concession stands, as well as menu items inspired by festival performers Janelle Monáe and Grace Jones and their love for Jamaican food.

Chef Hill said he used his own special jerk chicken recipe to create a delicious menu offering. The menu item is going to be half a chicken smoked and glazed in brown sugar to add a sweet heat element. It will be served with pigeon peas and mac and cheese.

Hill used a similar play, but with pulled pork to create jerk pork tacos with charred pineapple to keep in theme with that sweet heat element.

Additionally, light bites will be available at the newly reimagined Tree Top Lounge, which has transitioned from a restaurant to a social space with a full bar, communal tables and lounge vignettes. Screens inside the lounge will present a live feed of the concert while guests enjoy the inventive plates in the new space.

Guests can enjoy dishes like burrata, cured tuna, wagyu sliders and seafood fritto misto at the Tree Top Lounge.

"We're super excited to do food and hopefully bring some more guests into that venue," Hill said "You're not going to miss anything if you happen to come in for a minute to check out the lounge."