—Phil Stefani's 437 Rush and RIVA Crab House on Navy Pier have translated the dinner menus at each restaurant into six different languages for the NATO Summit that will take place in Chicago May 20-21. The menus have been translated to accommodate guests who speak Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and French. The complete translated menus are available upon request.
—Premise, a 50-seat casual fine-dining restaurant and upstairs cocktail salon, is slated to open in the former In Fine Spirits Lounge space at 5420 N. Clark Wed., April 11, at 5 p.m. Executive Chef Brian Runge ( formerly chef de cuisine at Graham Elliot ) has combined classic culinary technique with modernist art form for his first series of menus at Premise. On the dinner menu, appetizer and entrée selections are limited to six each, and desserts to three, keeping with Runge's philosophy that "small and refined leads to better quality."
—"Vinitaly in the World" Italian wine tasting will take place Monday, April 30, at the River East Arts Center, 435 E. Illinois St., 6-8:30 p.m. More than 200 wines will be featured, complete with light food pairings. Tickets are $30 each; see www.Vinitaly2012.eventbrite.com .
—A new, wine-focused bistro named Southport & Irving is moving into 4002 N. Southport Ave., with an opening date scheduled for Friday, April 20. Geri and Tom Foley, owners of Broadway Cellars, are the management team behind this neighborhood spot offering dinner seven days a week as well as brunch Friday through Sunday. Frankie Bocardo, who has experience most recently at Ceres Table, rounds up this team as chef de cuisine.
—National Prime Rib Day is Friday, April 27. To mark it, Lawry's ( 100 E. Ontario St. ) will be offering a prix fixe menu for two during April, in addition to a traditional "Family Time Dinner" in a tech-free zone April 22. Among the prix fixe menu items are mini meat-and-potato martinis, Yorkshire pudding and, of course, prime rib. See www.LawrysOnline.com .
—Rosebud Restaurants is undergoing a number of changes. Founder Alex Dana is stepping back after 40 years, and the company will open Bar Umbriago, 6 W. Hubbard St., this spring. Bar Umbriago, inspired by a character in singer Jimmy Durante's famous song, will seat 130 people. The new Rosebud team includes includes Director of Operations and Culinary Arts Michael Ponzio, Director of Restaurant Operations John Gurgone, Director of Administration Phyllis Calabrese and Research and Development George Dana.
—The French Pastry School, 226 W. Jackson Blvd., is hosting "Fundamental of Chocolate Candies" April 17-19. Pastry chef instructor Joshua Johnson ( and 2011 National Pastry Champion ) will teach attendees how to make those candies using dark, milk and white chocolates. The cost is $575; see www.frenchpastryschool.com/ce-class/fundamentals-chocolate-candies.
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