Exploring Chicago's Unique Prime Rib Dining Experience
In the heart of Chicago, a unique dining experience is rewinding time. St. Clair Supper Club isn't just a restaurant; it's a time machine back to America's culinary golden era. Picture this: a cozy, dimly lit space where Sinatra's tunes float through the air, and the walls are adorned with nostalgic wood paneling. It's December, and the place is buzzing with energy - young couples, friends, everyone’s there for a piece of history on their plates. The star of the show? Prime rib.
Fast forward to 2023, and prime rib, once a symbol of America's middle-class abundance, is becoming a rare indulgence. The St. Clair isn’t just serving food; it’s serving memories. Renowned chef Grant Achatz is the mastermind behind this retro haven, a tribute to a bygone era of American dining.
Christmas is prime rib season. According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, 70% of annual prime rib sales happen then. Imagine this: while you're flipping burgers in July, the beef industry is already gearing up for the December prime rib extravaganza. It's a festive ritual, embodying America's relationship with food, as noted by historian Joshua Specht.
St. Clair Supper Club
But why the fuss over prime rib, especially when steak prices are soaring and health concerns loom large? Well, it's about nostalgia. In 2022 alone, Americans bought 33 million pounds of rib roast during the holidays. It’s a taste of the past that people can't seem to let go of.
Post-WWII America saw prime rib rise to fame. The country was thriving, and beef, once rationed, was back. Amy Bentley, a food studies professor, calls it a "symbol of abundance." There was even an ad in the 1940s by the American Meat Institute proclaiming a raw rib roast as "a symbol of man’s desire, his will to survive." This wasn’t just food; it was a statement.
Then came the prime-rib themed restaurants of the '50s and '60s, with their macho-named cuts like “Paul Bunyan’s Cut” and “King Henry VIII Cut.” These eateries weren't just about the food; they were about the experience, offering a slice of luxury to the middle class. And Vegas? It turned prime rib into a showpiece, a symbol of affordable opulence.
However, the love affair with beef started to wane in the 1970s. Economic shifts, rising beef prices, health, and environmental concerns began to change American diets. Today, beef consumption has dropped, and the middle class, prime rib’s biggest fan, is shrinking.
Despite this, there’s a dedicated minority still clinging to this tradition. A study in Nutrients revealed that half of all beef in the U.S. is consumed by just 12% of the population, predominantly white men aged 50 to 65. But chef Angie Mar challenges the gender association with prime rib, emphasizing its universal appeal.
“For food to have a gender association to it, I find to be so ridiculously American,” she said. “Great food is great food. And it brings all people to the table.”
The price of beef today makes the 1970s seem cheap. But some, like Thomas Dobbels of Sages Meat Market, aren’t worried. People are willing to splurge for holiday traditions. It's more than a meal; it's a connection to the past, a moment of unity in an increasingly divided country. “Nobody asks about price,” said Mr. Dobbels. “They’re just like, I want the good stuff. I think people save up for the holidays.”
One customer’s experience at St. Clair summed it up. Raised in the '60s, dining at supper clubs in Wisconsin, they see prime rib as a nostalgic escape, a holiday luxury in an era of diminishing beef consumption.
As we move into 2024, indulging in prime rib is like a trip back in time. It's a testament to America's evolving relationship with food, economy, and culture. The St. Clair Supper Club isn't just selling prime rib; it's offering a slice of history, a taste of a bygone era that many still yearn for.
