CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
The Taste of Chicago kicks off Wednesday in Grant Park, but this year, it's shortened, from ten days to five days.
And instead of 59 different restaurants, there will be 40.
But none of that matters to Jorge Sierra.
He tells Fox Chicago, "I love gaining at least five pounds like throughout the entire festival."
He and his friends won't just be eating the great food -- they hope to be serving it up, as well.
Sierra and his friends, who all just graduated from St. Ignatius, hope to earn extra money by working at a pizza stand. "I've been looking for a job all summer, the job market--it's so difficult to find anything. It's a nice opportunity and I'll be happy to save up."
The Taste kicks off Wednesday morning at 11 a.m., and will run through Sunday, shutting down each night at 9 p.m.
City officials say food ticket prices have stayed the same, but if you come hungry, you may use all those tickets on one meal.
While the city has made changes at the Taste, like no fireworks, the number of days has been trimmed, and so have the vendors.
Restaurant owner Russ Pioebene of Carbon says to get as many customers as he could, he's made changes of his own.
"My prices now - everything is two dollars. So everything is a taste portion. Taste portions are considered 3 or 4 tickets. The highest-priced thing on my menu is four tickets."
The owner of Vee-Vee's African Restaurant has been cooking and serving up sauteed goat for 20 years.
He says there are a lot of changes this year, but still worth being here.
Another major change - the live performances.
Some teens we talked with say they feel left out.
Michael Malaychuk, says, "We've had better. I think we have a decent line-up, but we have to go a little deeper for the kids these days (need to get) up-and-coming bands. Jennifer Hudson is here -- that's pretty solid.
On the menu for day one at the Taste -- "Asian Carp Sliders", using the fish that has become the scourge of many U.S. waterways. And for the first time ever, the Taste is attracting some celebrity chefs who will show folks some of the tricks of the cooking trade.
