Ripasso, Chicago

Many things have been done for charity, but creating an entirely new restaurant to support a single cause is not usually one of them. From March 12 to April 14, however, Italian restaurant Ripasso is doing just that by unveiling Red-Headed Stepchild, a gourmet eatery that blends Irish and Italian culinary traditions in meals designed to serve a singular purpose: raise money for the youth rugby teams of Chicago. In service of this mission, the typically Italian chefs are creating a menu filled with staples of the Emerald Isle from scratch. House-cured corned beef and sausage and house-baked rye rolls mingle with the restaurants regular deliveries of local ingredients and Italian mandolin solos to create such progressive fusion dishes as corned beef sliders adorned with Carr Valley cheese and poached quail eggs. Craft breweries in the area are even creating signature beers exclusively for the restaurant's fundraising efforts. Since a portion of all proceeds will be donated to youth rugby, diners who harbor a special fondness for a particular team may request that their money goes to support it. The fundraiser closes with Ruck for the Kids, a battle between celebrity chefs to see who can make a tastier dish and say "aioli" ten times fast.