About Illinois Restaurant Association
Founded in 1914, the Illinois Restaurant Association is a non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, educating and improving
the restaurant industry in Illinois. The IRA owns and produces Chicago
Gourmet – the annual food and wine festival held in Millennium Park that
unites hundreds of restaurants, chefs and beverage experts for a
weekend filled with food and drink tastings, entertainment, cooking
demonstrations, book signings, interactive seminars and more. The
Association is a proud host of the James Beard Foundation Awards, which
will be held in Chicago through 2021 and celebrates excellence in
cuisine, culinary writing, and culinary education throughout the
country.