Gene & Georgetti’s 70th Anniversary
Ever wonder what a night at Gene & Georgetti’s would have been like back in the 1940’s? Well, this past July the MDE team had the privilege of recreating this experience for the restaurant’s 70th anniversary event. For those unfamiliar, Gene & Georgetti is one of Chicago’s most celebrated steakhouses in the city. The restaurant is known for its history, loyal customer base, and of course, delicious steaks!
To kick off the 3-day event, the G&G family brought in restaurant regulars to film a documentary segment. Loudbyte Cinematography took the reigns on this project and spent two days at the restaurant collecting stories and memories from clients, suppliers, and staff, both old and new. We are looking forward to the debut of this feature this winter!
Gene & Georgetti (located at 500 N. Franklin St.) geared up to celebrate their 70th anniversary by promoting three nights of 1940′s-style “throwback” dinners. Patrons were offered 4 courses plus 2 cocktails, all off the special 1940′s-inspired prix fix menu, for just $15.25 per person. Yes, you read that correctly, a meal consisting of appetizer, salad, entree, dessert and two drinks of your choice (think classic cocktails like Rob Roys, Manhattans, and Sidecars) for less than $20! What made the offer even sweeter was that all proceeds from the three nights were donated to local charities Common Threads, Standing Tall, and St. Vincent DePaul Center.
We incorporated a unique 1940’s inspired twist to make each evening of the three day event special! Chrome stanchions and a fabulous red carpet provided by Classic Party Rentals led guests through the front door as if they were celebrities of the era. The restaurant was surrounded by Topiarius’ beautiful floral; everything was bottled into beautiful milk glass vases, from classic white orchids to white roses, hydrangea and peonies. A range of 1940’s movie posters, such as La Dolce Vita and Casablanca, lined the restaurant’s timeless hallways with classic film stars of the time such as Lucille Ball and Clark Gable.
On each table stood a beautiful tabletop menu provided by Erickson Design, and two small-frames with classic mini movie posters. Bonbon girls greeted guests as they passed around sparkly and delicious chocolates from Bedazzle My Bonbons and truffles from Vosges Chocolates. Yogurt and Chocolate Pretzels from Ricci & Co. were also passed! Surprise guests such as Humphrey Bogart, Carmen Miranda, Victoria Lake, Lucille Ball and Audrey Hepburn from Zzazz Productions joined the fun! Friday night magician, David Kovac, brought his tricks, sharing mystery and magic with all! On Saturday night, Steve Bioset serenaded the crowd with his Jazz band and Shutterbooth snapped photos of guests! TipsyCake provided a replica G&G sign made out of cake with LED lights!
The event was an enormous success. A huge thank you to Carasco Photography and Ben Mahoney Productions for capturing and documenting this event. We were so appreciative to be a part of such a wonderful collaboration of people, for a blend of noteworthy causes, at one of our favorite restaurants! Congrats Gene & Georgetti and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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Planning & Decor: Michelle Durpetti Events
Press: Molise PR
Venue: Gene & Georgetti
Photography: Carasco Photography
Design & Print: Erickson Design
Floral: Topiarius
Documentary Cinematography: Loudbyte Cinematography
On-site Event Film: Ben Mahoney Productions
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Photo Booth: Shutterbooth
Band: Steve Biossat & SWAY Chicago
Magic: David Kovac Magic
Entertainers: Zzazz Productions
Pastries: Bedazzle My Bonbons, Vosges and Ricci & Co
Cake: TipsyCake
