This weekend, Takeout 25 founder and Oak Park Village Trustee Ravi Parakkat will conduct a panel discussion with a group of area restaurant owners. Frank Lipo, executive director of the Historical Society, and Fran Knechel, Historical Society board member, will share a brief historical overview of the restaurant businesses in our villages to provide context and perspective for the discussion.
The panelists will share their stories of starting business in this community, operating a food establishment today, and planning for the future, including positioning our community as Illinois’ first Green Dining District.
Panelists include:
Rob Guenthner from Kettlestrings, the Grove, and Betty’s
Christine Tully from Autre Monde
Michelle Mascaro from Happy Apple
Denise Roy from Surf’s Up
Malik Jawid from Khyber Pass
Melissa Elsmo, local food writer
Please join to learn more about these restaurants and to share your memories of your favorite places to dine over the years!
Tickets for this event are $25 each and include pizza provided by Betty’s Pizza & Pasta in Oak Park, beer contributed by Kinslahger, and boxed water courtesy of Takeout 25. Proceeds benefit both The Historical Society of OPRF and Takeout 25. Space is limited, so sign up today at oprfmuseum.org or by calling the museum at 708-848-6755.
