I was recently contacted by Tasting Table about shooting a few of Chicago's finest for their running Sous Chef Series. Let me tell you friends, you're in for a treat ... a finger licking, lip smacking treat. If you enjoy ribs as much as I do, you'll want to check out the full feature with the recipe here. 

Cedric is a sous chef stirring up trouble at Chicago's Urbanbelly & Belly Shack. This dude knows how to make some killer BBQ. Cedric & I spent a full day shooting and I was lucky enough to have him show me some of his favorite hidden markets. You'll have to sweet talk me into passing those along though. Here are some photos from our day out:

We all know that having a delicious sauce is king. Cedric's homemade BBQ sauce is definitely one for the books. Take notes--this is one you won't want to forget. 

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and garlic powder and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the lemongrass and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the brown sugar; once it has all melted, stir in the ketchup, vinegar, water and soy sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce is dark and thick and large, slow bubbles rise to the surface, about 30 minutes. Add some sambal oelek to taste. Cook for 10 minutes, then puree in a blender until smooth. Enjoy. 

Styling: Arlene Matthews + Brandon Frein, H&M: Maggie Kerr, Model: Anna Lewis, Ford Models

LOOKBOOK SHOT FOR: TWENTY THIRTY FORTY

STYLED BY: Arlene Matthews + Brandon Frein of Twenty Thirty Forty

HAIR & MAKE-UP: Danielle Dettore

MODELS: Dana Taylor + Karrington True of Ford Models