Rohini Dey, longtime chef/owner of the Indian-Latin fusion Vermilion restaurant in Chicago’s bustling River North neighborhood, understood the power dynamic in the restaurant industry. It had always been about who you knew, which restaurant was hot, which celebrity chef was trending — and which major restaurant groups and players had the economic power to dictate all […]
Chef Rob Levitt of Publican Quality Meats was looking to jumpstart his music career before he found his way into the culinary scene. While looking for a source of income as a young college musician, Levitt fell into a summer job as a dishwasher at a little deli. That kitchen ignited a love of cooking. […]
Natalie Saben doesn’t like preparing chocolate. And yet she’s one of the most innovative pastry chefs in the city. Saben is the current head pastry chef at Pacific Standard Time, a Californian-inspired kitchen located in the River North neighborhood of Chicago. Pacific Standard Time has temporarily paused operations due to the pandemic, but while we […]
Avec started in 2003 as the brainchild of Paul Kahan, Donnie Madia and Eduard Seitan. All three partners brought a different spin to the table, creating a Mediterranean mecca in the Midwest. Seventeen years later, the West Loop spot is one of Chicago’s most acclaimed restaurants. Dylan Patel started at the restaurant in 2015 as […]
Shake up your usual holiday cookie routine with these festively hued, gluten-free goodies from Yūgen’s executive chef Mari Katsumura. You can follow Mari on her Instagram @mari.katsumura. “These gluten-free matcha white chocolate chip cookies are offered in our grab-and-go store and people seem to really, really love them. It’s just a little twist on something […]
Cooking is — literally — elemental. Earth, fire, and water determine the character of a dish: the terroir of local produce and proteins; the presence (or absence) of heat, both in terms of temperature and flavor; and water as the integral component to every life form (whether animal or vegetable), recipe, and cooking method. A […]
As every home chef knows, a great gadget can help cut down the time you spend in the kitchen while also adding flair to your dishes. An egg slicer can thinly slice not just eggs, but also strawberries and avocados for salads that look like they came from a high-end restaurant. A 2-in-1 oil mister […]
As every home chef knows, a great gadget can help cut down the time you spend in the kitchen while also adding flair to your dishes. An egg slicer can thinly slice not just eggs, but also strawberries and avocados for salads that look like they came from a high-end restaurant. A 2-in-1 oil mister […]
