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Event
Dames Who Read - April 3, 2018
THE GORILLA MAN AND THE EMPRESS OF STEAK
A New Orleans Family Memoir
Randy Fertel
No doubt you know about Ruths Chris Steak House. Maybe youve enjoyed one of their famous steaks yourself. Perhaps you've wondered about the unusual use of the apostrophe in the name. Or you may know a bit about the woman who started the very successful chain, the first woman to hold such a role, which begin with daring --but no experience - buying a small neighborhood restaurant and despite all odds, turning it into an empire of 85 locations around the world, selling millions of pound-size steaks with annual sales topping a third of a billion dollars when it was sold in 1999.
Chances are, however, that you have no idea about the outrageous circumstances behind this eccentric family and how those circumstances affected the people and the empire itself.
Join Dames Who Read as we go on a wild ride with Ruth Fertel's son, Randy Fertel, as he reveals in excruciating detail the many family dynamics that affected each of the players family, friends, investors and even the customers themselves. Its a tale of dysfunction, employee loyalty and disputes, not to mention the scars from an often-absent father who dressed as a gorilla while running for mayor - a campaign that was unsuccessful but led to a memorable nickname that lasted and haunted his sons for decades.
While our DWR budget will not allow for one of those huge steaks (sorry!), you will be salivating at the many New Orleans food references on nearly every page of the book. Chef Paul Fehribach of the outstanding Big Jones restaurant promises to cater to those salivations with his authentic and modern interpretations of the foods from the Louisiana Levees.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
6pm - 8pm
Big Jones Restaurant
5347 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640
Parking: Street metered parking
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LocationBig Jones Restaurant (View)
5347 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640
United States
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