Rayan
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS | OCTOBER 2026
Presented by Basil Hayden
The evening was cinematic. The amber glow of candlelight flickered against velvet tablecloths and brassy chandeliers as piano music accompanied percussive rain on window panes. The crowd was boisterous, their voices and cheers filling the dance hall of the Refectory at Columbus Park, each course served a new reflection of Midwest autumn.
Guests arrived to find grill smoke wafting up behind the pond and waterfall outside the Refectory. We set the bar for a cocktail hour by Basil Hayden under a mission-style covered pavilion, rain falling all around us. After many new introductions and reunions, we moved inside to share another memorable meal. This one, by Chef Aaron Cuschieri from Chicago’s The Dearborn, paired with wines from Stags Leap Wine Cellars. He welcomed everyone to the table with a reminder that there are many hands that come together to make a meal such as this, long before the food hits the plate, or even makes it into his kitchen.
This Supper had a really special sense of community. It’s something that we always strive for, but this particular group brought a unique energy to the table. Maybe it was this summer’s Culinary Pursuiters reuniting for the first time since their adventure together; maybe it was that so many people had joined us before, and welcomed the newcomers with open arms; or maybe it was the passionate energy every member of The Dearborn team brought to their role for the evening. Whatever it was, we were filled with gratitude for the community that builds around the table, strengthening every time we set it somewhere to forge new connections or strengthen those already existing.
WELCOME
Sarah Clark from The Dearborn built a cocktail menu featuring the spicy, smooth flavor profiles of Basil Hayden’s craft bourbon. She dressed up a classic Basil Hayden bourbon sour with fresh plum and brought together the flavors of fall — apple cider, maple, and chai spices — to compliment the complexity of Basil Hayden 10-year.
A MENU BY AARON CUSCHIERI
Chef Aaron Cuschieri wanted to bring one thing to the table for Supper: “full on Midwest Bounty!” He worked with eight different farmers in the greater Chicago area to bring together a feast showcasing Midwestern American fall, with almost exclusively locally sourced ingredients.
MENU
WELCOME
Wild Boar Empanadas aji verde sauce, cilantro
Tropia Onion Tart fig & brie
Delicata Squash Focaccia Flatbread arugula, goat cheese, sunflower seed dukkah, olive oil
COCKTAILS
Basil Hayden Sour Basil Hayden, plum liqueur, plum demerara, lemon
Basil Hayden Old Fashioned duck fat washed Basil Hayden 10-year, fig sherry syrup, orange + angostura bitters, orange
Sipsmith Gin & Tonic Sipsmith Gin, rhubarb liquor, elderflower liqueur, sparkling grapefruit tonic, lemon
Apple Cider Chai Cooler (0.0%) apple cider, chai spices, maple cold foam
ON THE TABLE
Country Pâté & Camembert nuts, mustards, jam, sourdough
FIRST
Lake Superior Trout Gravlax “Caesar” gem lettuce, radicchio, frisée, endive, bread crumb, smoked trout roe, egg yolk dressing
Wine: 2025 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, AVETA Sauvignon Blanc
SECOND
Grilled Chicken Roulade chicken sausage, sweet corn mousse, romano beans, chicken jus
Wine: 2024 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, KARIA Chardonnay
The Substitute Merlot Rosé (0%)
MAIN
Mint Creek Farms Grass Fed Ribeye blistered shishito peppers, grilled scallion chimichurri, steak sauce
Celery Root and Potato Au Gratin with aged cheddar
Wine: 2023 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon
DESSERT
Cinnamon-Sugar Apple & Maple Cake vanilla and Basil Hayden Bourbon pouring sauce, vanilla bean chantilly
Cocktail:
Basil Hayden Pumpkin Spiced Espresso Martini Basil Hayden Cognac Cask Reserve, espresso, maple pumpkin-spiced brown sugar, coffee liqueur
WINE PAIRINGS
For a Supper in such a historic location, we brought in a historic American winemaker to pair with the Americana-inspired meal. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars paired each dish beautifully, from fresh AVETA Sauvignon Blanc to compliment Lake Superior trout to unctuous ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon paired with grass fed ribeye.
NIGHTCAP
We ended the night with a full-on assault of the best of fall; cinnamon, apple, and maple cake paired with a Pumpkin Spiced Espresso Martini made with Basil Hayden Cognac Cask Reserve. It was the perfect cozy moment to close a rainy night of connection around the table.
SECRET LOCATION: COLUMBUS PARK REFECTORY
Columbus Park is often considered the magnum opus of Jens Jensen, dean of the iconic American Prairie School of architecture.
The Refectory was added in 1922, it’s Spanish-inspired design complementing the native landscaping with surprising ease. The Dance Hall, where we set the table, oozes Roaring 20’s glamour with terracotta tile details and hand painted frescoes on the walls. It was the perfect setting for a luscious meal inspired by old-school Americana, and particularly beautiful with the dueling soundtracks of live piano and pattering rain outside the open doors.
OUR PARTNERS
BASIL HAYDEN, STAGS LEAP WINE CELLARS, CHEF AARON CUSCHIERI of THE DEARBORN, THE ZERO PROOF, SMITH TEAMAKER, COLUMBUS PARK REFECTORY
Photos by Alex Rodriquez
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