This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Macy’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

In the pantheon of Chicago celebrity chefs, Stephanie Izard ranks among my favorites. Not only was Stephanie the first woman to win on “Top Chef,” my favorite television show, she is also a fellow curly girl and an all-round lovely person. And now she is a new mom! So when I heard that Stephanie Izard, a member of Macy’s Culinary Council, was doing a demo of her favorite Summer Cookout recipes on July 21 at the Macy’s on State Street, I signed up to attend.

I was following Stephanie Izard’s career long before she appeared on “Top Chef.” In the early 2000’s, Stephanie opened a restaurant named Scylla in the neighborhood where my husband and I were living at the time. I loved that restaurant and was terribly sad when it closed. Little did I know that the chef at Scylla would go on to win “Top Chef” and open one of Chicago’s hottest restaurants, Girl and the Goat. Today she has three restaurants, including the hot new Duck, Duck, Goat.

Stephanie Izard is a master of combining unusual flavors and elevating humble ingredients to new heights of deliciousness. Despite her celebrity chef status, Stephanie Izard is incredibly down-to-earth and her restaurants reflect her sense of fun and approachability. That is why she is the perfect chef to go to for Summer Cookout recipes. No one wants fussy, pretentious food at a cookout. But everyone wants delicious food, and that is just what Stephanie Izard promises.

So won’t you join me on Thursday July 21 at noon to see Chef Stephanie Izard demonstrate her favorite Summer Cookout recipes at the State Street Macy’s 7th floor Culinary Studio? There will be samples galore and with any purchase of $35 or more in the Home Department, you will receive a special gift and a copy of Stephanie’s book Girl in the Kitchen, which she will be signing after the demo on the Lower Level. The event is free to attend but you will need to RSVP by calling 1-800-329-8667. And with your reservation, you will receive a $10 Macy’s gift card. Do it today because this event will fill up quickly! For more information, go to http://bit.ly/IzardSummer16.