Curtis Duffy
Born in Columbus, OH, Curtis Duffy knew early on he had a passion for cooking. In addition to having the support of his parents, he was fortunate enough to have his passion recognized and encouraged by two of his teachers, both of whom remain close friends and mentors. To this day, he notes these teachers alongside such culinary luminaries as Michel Bras, Charlie Trotter, Grant Achatz and Fernand Point as key influencers in his career.

 While in high school, Duffy started working for chef John P. Souza at a private golf club, learning the basics – and advanced – culinary techniques. After six years under Souza’s tutelage, Duffy left to work as chef de cuisine at another private club, while at the same time finishing his studies at Ohio State University. Shortly after receiving his Associates Degree in Applied Science (1999), he left Ohio to move to Chicago to work at the legendary Charlie Trotter’s; while at Trotter’s, Duffy staged at The French Laundry – the young chef he honed his skills at the two restaurants oft-named #1 and #2 in the country. After three years at Trotter’s, Duffy accepted a position as Pastry Chef at the esteemed Trio, where he was recognized as “Best Innovative Pastry Chef” from Food & Wine (2003). It was at Trio where Duffy met chef Grant Achatz; in 2004, he and Achatz left Trio to open Alinea the following spring, where Duffy worked as chef de cuisine. Alinea skyrocketed to fame, being named the “Best Restaurant in America” by Gourmet just one year after opening, and is widely recognized as one of the best restaurants in the world. In 2008, Duffy took his impressive skill set to Avenues (The Peninsula Chicago) and was instantly celebrated for his thoughtful, progressive and imaginative cuisine by consumers and media alike.

At Avenues, Duffy garnered an extraordinary list of awards and accolades, including receiving two stars from the coveted Michelin Guide, perfect four-star ratings from Chicago magazine and the Chicago Tribune, and the AAA Five Diamond Award. In May 2010, to mark the 20th anniversary of the James Beard Awards, Duffy was named a “Legacy Chef.” The James Beard Foundation asked previous Outstanding Chef award winners from each of the prior twenty years to select a chef whom they have mentored and whom they believe would have a major impact on the culinary world in years to come. Grant Achatz selected Duffy – essentially naming him to the next generation of leading chefs. The following year, Duffy was nominated by the JBF as “Best Chef, Great Lakes Region.”

In mid-2011, Duffy left Avenues to begin making plans for his own restaurant, expected to open mid-2012. At Grace, Duffy’s culinary style – that of elegant, graceful cuisine - will be showcased, reflecting his personal taste and drawing upon his wealth of experience. His micro-seasonal cuisine is best described as “thoughtfully progressive” – thoughtful as he puts tremendous time, focus, research and thought into what he creates, and progressive as he will utilize modern techniques to coax the best out of the ingredients. Each dish is an expression of his personality – progressive but grounded – and puts ingredients at the forefront. He will continue to source the highest-quality ingredients, allowing flavor to trump technique; flavor first, with the modern techniques playing a supporting role, resulting in a supremely flavorful, thoughtful and engaging experience for the guest.

While not in the kitchen, Duffy volunteers with the Grand Chefs Gala, the fundraiser benefitting the Greater Illinois Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In 2012, he will serve as the Chef Chair of the Gala; in 2010, he emceed the annual fundraiser and helped to raise $275,000 to benefit the Foundation. In his spare time, he spends time with his two young daughters and when he can, hits the road on a motorcycle trip. Duffy lives on the north side of Chicago.



 

Jimmy Bannos, Jr.
Bannos Jr., a fourth-generation restaurateur, was "born and raised" in Heaven on Seven. Put to work bussing tables for his father at age five, Bannos learned the trade firsthand while spending days at the family-owned Louisiana-style restaurant.

Jimmy quickly discovered that he shared his father’s passion for people and food and made the decision to attend the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. While there, he worked at the critically acclaimed Al Forno restaurant, located near the university. As part of his studies, Jimmy also completed an internship at Emeril's in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Upon graduation, Bannos returned to Chicago to assist Gabriel Viti with his opening of Miramar Bistro in Highwood, Illinois. He also teamed up with Scott Harris for the opening of one of the Mia Francesca locations. Although raised on gumbo, he let his passion (and his palate) guide him to more Mediterranean styles of cuisine.

He soon embarked on a six-month excursion to Italy to immerse himself in the culture and cuisine, working in two small towns outside of Rome at the family-owned Hotel Guiliana in Guarcino, and Mezzogiorno pizza in Frosinone. From there he moved on to Florence for stints at both Ristorante Zibibbo and Beccofino.

Upon his return to the states, Bannos made the move to New York City. There, he spent three and a half years working under Mario Batali at his Del Posto, Lupa Osteria Romana and Esca restaurants.

Bannos returned home to Chicago, bringing his love for Italian food, the restaurant business and his family, to become Chef/Partner of The Purple Pig, a mecca of cheese, swine and wine in Chicago's Gold Coast.


Video courtesy of Katherine Saxon and FurlaVision

Chris Curren
Born July 20th, 1979 in Niskayuna, NY Chris Curren spent his formative years growing up in Cleveland, Ohio. Curren recalls his earliest culinary memories taking over the kitchen in his family home.

“When I was around eleven years old my parents started letting me experiment a little more in the kitchen,” Curren reminisces. “Once they saw that I wasn’t going to burn the house down I was left alone to create.”

Even with those early signs, Curren began to focus on a culinary career only after graduating from the University of Dayton in May of 2001. He quickly enrolled in the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, PA and in December of 2002, graduated near the top of his class. Eager to put his newly acquired culinary knowledge to work, Curren moved back to the Cleveland area and for the next four years worked his way through the kitchens of many of Cleveland’s top restaurants where he met and worked under his mentor and biggest culinary influence, Chef Bruce Kalman (former Executive Chef of Coco Pazzo, Green Dolphin Street Café, and owner of 5 Boroughs Deli).

Chris’ final work in Cleveland was as Chef de Cuisine at 3 Birds Restaurant. There he wrote seasonal menus and created weekly specials that helped the fine dining eatery earn a spot on lists such as Esquire Magazine’s “Top 20 Best New Restaurants in America” and Bon Appetit’s “Top 50 in 2005.”

Wanting to advance his burgeoning career, Curren moved to Chicago in 2006. By the summer of 2008, after learning the intricacies of the Chicago culinary scene, Chef Curren and his business partner Dan Marunowski opened Blue 13 in Chicago’s River North with the idea of running a fine dining establishment free of pretense or self-importance.

Now open over three years, Blue 13 allows Curren to showcase his style of twisting traditional American cuisine by using French, Italian and Asian influences as Partner and Head Chef. The success of Blue 13 that includes everything from shining reviews from many of Chicago’s top food critics to representing Chicago’s culinary elite at events such as Green City Market Chef BBQ, Chicago Gourmet and Lollapalooza, has granted Chef Chris Curren many new and exciting opportunities. Chris was most recently one of 25 chefs from across the country featured in Cochon 555’s Heritage Fire held at the Charles Krug Winery in Helena, CA.

Patricio Sandoval
Born on June 16, 1974 in Acapulco, Mexico, Sandoval grew up in the kitchen of his father Manuel Sandoval’s world class restaurant Madeiras. After moving to California to attend high school, Sandoval moved to New York City and began working with his older brother Richard, who also followed in the family’s culinary footsteps with his own restaurant, Maya. It was while working alongside his brother that Sandoval discovered his passion for cooking.

Although his brother was aware of this potential, Sandoval started on the “ground floor” of the restaurant, eventually working his way from an apprentice in 1998 to sous chef. After returning to California to help his brother open Maya in San Francisco in 1999 and working as sous chef at the highly acclaimed Hawthorne Lane in 2000, Sandoval decided that it was time to train seriously as a chef. Returning to New York City, Sandoval enrolled in the French Culinary Institute and further refined his skills while working with Chef Peter Hoffman at the legendary Savoy and alongside celebrity Chef Terrance Brennan of Picholine. Upon graduating from the French Culinary Institute, Sandoval was tapped by his brother Richard to act as a consulting chef for his latest restaurant Pampano. It was during this time that Sandoval began to consider opening his own restaurant.

Sandoval’s inspiration for Mercadito drew from his experiences shopping with his mother in the markets of his native Mexico. He instinctively gravitated towards the small market stalls where local merchants sold native delicacies that fueled a day of bargaining. Never forgetting these delectable yet uncomplicated dishes, Sandoval strived to capture the flavor and energy of this cuisine with his first culinary offering.

The Signature Room
The Signature Room' bio will be available soon.

Jimmy Bannos
Jimmy Bannos, a third-generation restaurateur, worked at his parents’ diner when he was growing up between the age of 9 and 20. After receiving his formal culinary education at Washburne Trade School, Bannos became infatuated with Crescent City cooking in the early 1980s and worked with famous New Orleans chefs, such as Paul Prudhomme at K-Paul’s, Frank Brigtsen and Emeril Lagasse.

Bannos’ bustling New Orleans-style Heaven on Seven restaurants have been one of the most popular eateries in Chicago for 29 years. Serving a highly personalized interpretation of New Orleans and Southern cooking, Bannos has smartly reinvented his food and his restaurant over the years to keep his concept fresh and vibrant. Today, he marries Latin, South American, Asian and Western European methods with New Orleans techniques and ingredients.

A collector of both modern and antique cookbooks, Bannos entered the publishing world himself with The Heaven on Seven Cookbook: Where It’s Mardi Gras All The Time! and Big Easy Cocktails, Jazzy Drinks and Savory Bites. They invite food lovers into his kitchen and share some of his favorite down-home recipes.

What separates Bannos from the rest is his ability to season aggressively without overpowering the palate. While he uses cayenne-spiked seasoning blends and red chili pepper sauces, he also incorporates milder, well-rounded seasoning agents. The result is a complex layering of flavors that is consistent with New Orleans cooking principles, while bringing the region’s food into the 21st century.

Beverly Clark
Beverly Kim Clark, Chef de Cuisine for aria restaurant and bar located at Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park joined the Fairmont team in February 2011. In her new position, she is primarily in charge of aria, aria bar and eno wine room.

Driving Chef Beverly’s culinary skill is an energized passion for her craft, applied with a cultivated hand that transforms fresh ingredients into fine cuisine. She has enjoyed an illustrious career thus far, working at some of the city’s premiere restaurants and hotels. After graduating from the Kendall College with an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts, Chef Beverly began work as a line cook at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago, followed by time at Charlie Trotter’s. It was actually the legendary Chef Sarah Stegner, of Prairie Grass Café and formerly The Ritz-Carlton Chicago Dining Room, who encouraged Beverly to pursue a degree at Kendall College as a means to hone her culinary skills and techniques.

 Following her time at school, Chef Beverly surveyed a number of courses on Asian cuisine in Seoul, Korea. Chef Beverly’s respect for the culture of Pan-Asian cooking is what gives her culinary creations a decidedly contemporary taste and edge.

In the years following, Chef Beverly worked at Chicago’s Red Light under the notable Chef Jackie Shen, Opera and Takashi, respectively, before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio. There she lent her expertise to Whole Foods, as a supervisor and then as a consultant at Lucky John Market.

Chef Beverly brings a wealth of creativity and dedication to Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park. Influenced by her mother’s cooking, Chef Beverly’s culinary style is guided by the idea of adding a new twist to traditional Asian cuisine. She incorporates many locally sourced products within the menus, including items from Green City Market and artisan cheese makers.

Yanitzin Sanchez
Growing up in Toluca, Mexico where the smells of garlic, onion, and butter were abundant, Chef Yanitzin Sanchez was inspired to pursue a further journey into the culinary arts. After graduating as Chef International from Institute Culinary of Mexico Puebla, she spent time traveling through Mexico and Europe discovering new flavors and techniques. She landed in Paris where she completed her training at the Ecole de Paris Patisserie Bolangere. She then worked for The Ritz Carlton for a number of years, but after an offer she could not refuse, she made her way to Chicago to impart the knowledge she had gathered to the students of The Art Institute of Chicago. In 2009, she fulfilled her dreams of owning her own restaurant opening the doors of Sabor Saveur, where she blends her culinary backgrounds from both France and Mexico and continues to express her love of cooking through her dishes.

Chris Macchia
Youthful and imaginative, Executive Chef Chris Macchia brings the Coco Pazzo menu to life with the finest local and organic ingredients the season has to offer. And, his creative talent is in perfect harmony with the flavorful tradition of Tuscan fare.

Chris grew up in a New York Italian family where food and family were synonymous. His early memories include his father’s hand-made cavatelli and Sunday gatherings at his grandmother’s home in Brooklyn where the family spent hours around the table. “That’s just what we did,” says Chris. “Every Sunday was an experience with food and family.” By the time he was in high school he had decided that he wanted to be a chef.

Chris graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in 2000 and spent two years at the Gotham Bar & Grill in New York. His notable experience also includes the Four Seasons in Maui and the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. Chris yearned for his Italian roots and followed his dream to Coco Pazzo Café in 2005. With grooming and guidance by Owner Jack Weiss, he became Executive Chef at Coco Pazzo Café where he remained until his move to Executive Chef at Coco Pazzo in 2008.

Chris has always been passionate about ingredients and flavor. His unforgettable dishes at Coco Pazzo incorporate the finest and freshest ingredients resulting in flavor beyond expectation. Imaginative and talented, Chris delivers the freshest pasta, impressive wood-fired entrees, and a risotto said to be one of Chicago’s best. Chris believes in the Tuscan tradition that food should be alive with quality and brought to the table with a perfect combination of flavors. This is a philosophy he lives by each day at Coco Pazzo.

Carl Shelton
Chef de Cuisine, BOKA RESTAURANT
Lending a hand on an animal farm near St. Charles, Missouri, Carl Shelton grew up understanding the bond forged between farmer and buyer. Now, Shelton, the sous chef at BOKA RESTAURANT for more than two years, is on the other side, perusing Chicago’s farmers markets every week for the best product.

At the age of 16, Shelton began cooking his way through a myriad of St. Charles restaurants, which included both mom-and-pop shops and corporate high-volume restaurants. After moving to Chicago in 2004 and then, graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, Shelton joined the Gibsons Restaurant Group. After this, he began to stage in restaurants around the city, most notably at Tru, before becoming the tournade at DeLaCosta. Each step, each chef and each station along the way has influenced Shelton’s philosophy on food, but no one has had more of an impact than his mentor, Giuseppe Tentori, executive chef at BOKA.

A firm believer in keeping cuisine simple and clean, Shelton painstakingly examines each product to ensure his dishes are the dishes he would want set on his own table.

A life-long and vocal St. Louis Cardinals fan.



Sarah Jordan
Sarah Jordan grew up in Dublin, Ireland. Her love of food stems from baking with her Grandmother, cooking for her family with her Grandfather and weekly trips to the Smithfield farmers markets with her parents. She has worked in the restaurant industry for over ten years. Upon moving to the America over seven years ago, Sarah made the transition into pastry. She has had the pleasure of working at restaurants in Austin Tx, such as FINO, Olivia and Jeffreys. Upon moving to Chicago , Sarah spent time working at Blackbird. She joined the BOKA restaurant group in August, she is the pastry chef of BOKA and designs the menu for GT Fish & Oyster. Her approach to food is to keep flavors simple but with a savory aspect while presenting food in a modern way.

Jim Chapman
Jim began his culinary career honing his culinary skills in some of Chicago’s top restaurants after earning a culinary degree at Kendall College in 1998. Working with some of Chicago's great chefs.

Jim joined Eurest Dining Services as a Chef de Cuisine in the fall of 2005. In November of 2007 he took over as the Executive Chef in charge of culinary operations for Baxter Healthcare. Chef Chapman’s loves to include the people he feeds in the creativity of his food as well as the adventurous education that he offers in is his passion for food. His creative menu ideas have brought a new culinary awareness to the cafés he over sees.

In 2009 Chef Chapman participated at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations Grand Chef’s Gala and took home the Peoples Choice Award during the Jean Bonchet awards presentation. When asked to participate once again in 2011 he and the Eurest team took home there SECOND consecutive win as the Peoples Choice of the Event!

Justin Anderson
Participating for a second consecutive year in the Grand Chef's Gala, Justin is now serving as one of the Nightcap Committee members for the newly titled Nightcap portion of the event for 2012. Using a minimalist approach to making cocktails, Justin yields maximum flavors, giving people what they want while enjoying something they normally wouldn't. This Southern California native has years of experience behind the bar, but rose to a whole new level when he made the move to Midwest nearly two years ago. Anderson strives to create approachable cocktails that provide the true expression of their base spirit(s) by using complementary ingredients and flavors. Currently, you can find Justin behind the bar at Branch 27 and The Bedford, but look forward to his libations this Spring in the new and highly anticipated “Latin local" concept La Sirena Clandestina to be located in Fulton Market.

Stephen Cole
Stephen Cole's bio will be available soon.

Pete Gugni
In a wine and beer type of town, Gugni, a native of Detroit, is ready to shake up Chicago – literally – by raising the standard of service offering artistic expression through his menu to compliment the cuisine and please the palette. Featured in The New York Times, USA Today, and E!, Gugni’s passion for all things liquid has earned him national attention, as well as garnered accolades, such as level II sommelier.

Receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan, Gugni has managed three other Chicago restaurants and has also taken on the role of master mixologist for Bacardi. From handpicked offerings of locally-minded beer and wine to carefully crafted cocktails, Gugni takes the concept of a typical drink to the next level at The Bedford. And his creativity isn’t limited to what’s on paper (for those looking to order outside the glass) – his favorite part of the job is surprising people with new and flavorful concoctions, featuring Rye, Pisco, Sherry, and more, or mixing a crave-worthy custom cocktail on the spot. By offering a variety of spirits, Gugni keeps The Bedford bar fresh and fun, with the goal to constantly challenge himself.

Daniel de Oliveira
Daniel de Oliveira is an award-winning mixologist and full time brand ambassador for Olmeca Altos tequila.

A native Chicagoan, Daniel got his start slinging shots and beers at an Albany Park bar over ten years ago. He moved to Nacional 27 in 2003 to work under famed mixologist Adam Seger who quickly became a mentor and friend. After 3 years honing his skills and palate at Nacional 27, was tapped by the BOKA group to run his own program in 2006.

Daniel worked closely alongside Chef Giuseppe Tentori to establish BOKA as a premier destination for cocktails in Chicago. In 2009, Daniel was approached by Tippling Brothers founder and international bar star Tad Carducci to help open Mercadito and Double A. During this time, Daniel was also busy working alongside friend and fellow mixologist Todd Appel at the Crimson Lounge, where the duo proved that you can turn out high quality cocktails made with fresh juices and housemade syrups in high volume nightclub, a first for the Chicago cocktail scene.

In 2009 Daniel launched High Proof Chicago, a cocktail consulting and event production company. High Proof Chicago clients include Plymouth Gin, Absolut vodka, Zespri Kiwi, Chef Wear, Hennessy, and Gran Marnier. In 2010, Daniel became a full time brand ambassador for Olmeca Altos tequila.

Daniel holds an Advanced certificate from the Academy of Spirits and Fine Service with Bridget Albert. He is BARSmarts certified and has recently completed B.A.R, a rigorous five-day spirits certification program. He took First Place in the Jose Cuervo Margarita Competition in 2009 and placed Second in Bombay Sapphire’s prestigious “Most Inspired Bartender Competition” that same year. He has also placed as a National Finalist in Shake It Up Las Vegas 2010, the St-Germain Can-Can Classic 2010, and the Milagro Competition at Tales of the Cocktail 2010.

Katherine Duncan
Katherine's upbringing on a sustainable Wisconsin farm allowed for unique exposure to the world of real food that was hormone and pesticide-free. Katherine’s mother taught her that using fresh cream from the family's pasture-grazed Jersey cows was the secret ingredient to creating batches of soft, old-fashioned caramels. At 10 years old, Katherine began her confectionary career selling her very own honey vanilla caramels.

Cleverly named “Katherine’s Karamels”, business was tough as her hometown of Wilson, WI (population 300) didn't have much of a market for artisan confections. Her father aided in her business by selling caramels at his office for a mere 25 cents each. The sweets were a hit and Katherine’s entrepreneurial drive took off.

Fast forward to 2006, where Katherine is living in Chicago with her husband, Frank. For years they'd made truffles and caramels as gifts, and had numerous requests for more. Katherine noticed there was a void in the eco-friendly field of for confections, and decided that was the time to re-ignite the idea of running her own business.

In the fall of 2006, Katherine launched Katherine Anne Confections with a specialized focus on classic truffles and caramels using local and organic ingredients. Working out of several rental kitchens over the next few years, Katherine grew her business from 3 small coffee shops and bicycling her deliveries all over town, to her first employees, a full line-up of farmers markets, selling in Whole Foods, and an online store.

In the fall of 2010, Katherine acquired her own production studio in Logan Square, opening it to the public for truffle-making parties, and truffle & caramel pop-up events. She keeps a full docket with wedding favors, sweets tables, corporate gifts, and retail orders. Creating the confections is no small feat: Katherine and her team roll and dip her truffles by hand, thus creating an elegant and unique treat every single time.

Katherine Anne Confections can be found online and in select stores all over Chicagoland including select Whole Food Markets, Marion St Cheese Market and the Fairmont Hotel, to name a few.

Niall Campbell
Experience:
Last Unicorn, Waterville, Maine;
Alden Camps, Oakland, Maine;
the Bread Box Café, Waterville, Maine;
the Blue Macaw, Vieques, Puerto Rico;
Larkcreek Inn, Larkpsur, California

How he got into the food business: Working as a dishwasher at the Last Unicorn to pay the bills and eat during high school. “Money was tight when I was growing up; I grew up on a dairy farm before moving out on my own at 16. I was home alone a lot as a kid & experimented with what little we had in the kitchen, that’s where I got the bug. But when I got the dishwasher job, I got fed and I got a paycheck, it was a necessity.”

Biggest influences: Rick Gallup, who started the Last Unicorn. “Rick is a monster in the kitchen. He taught me to not get in the way of great ingredients, to not be afraid to push myself & to always keep my menu fresh and new. At firefly we change our menu everyday, I got that from Rick.”

Memorable cooking experience: Cooking for my wife for the first time. She was a tough nut to crack but when I made her a lobster, mango and avocado salad with the Puerto Rican sun setting in the background, I think she was ready to marry right then.

What his next restaurant would be: A taco shack on the beach in Costa Rica. My wife and I bought a small farm in Pavones on the Pacific Coast and hope to retire down there someday and feed all of the surfers.

Favorite cheap eat: Big Star, Wicker Park, Chicago. “Their Sonoran Hot Dog is money – I love it!”

Favorite cookbook: Bouchon, Thomas Keller. “That guy has style and unbelievable finesse.”

My Cooking Philosophy: “Don’t get in the way of great ingredients, keep it simple and let them speak for themselves.”

Erin Brew
Executive Pastry Chef Erin Brew joined Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park in September 2011. As Executive Pastry Chef, Brew is primarily in charge of the pastry kitchen for catering banquets and the hotel’s three food and beverage outlets: aria, aria bar, eno wine room.

Brew joined Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park from the Conrad Indianapolis where she worked as Pastry Chef de Partie since 2007. After graduating from the University of Illinois with a Master of Science in Chemistry, Brew received extensive training and earned her Certificate in Baking and Pastry Arts from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, CA. Brew started her pastry career at Sugar Butter Flour in Sunnyvale, CA and eventually transitioned to Indianapolis to work for the Restaurant du Soleil at the Conrad Indianapolis. With her artistic vision and extensive pastry background, Erin Brew is a welcome addition to the culinary team at Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park.

Brad Parsons
Brad Parsons, Executive Chef at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park and aria restaurant, first joined the Fairmont team as Chef de Cuisine at the acclaimed aria in 2004. Since then, Parsons has reinvented the cuisine at this luxury hotel with American comfort food inspired by flavors from around the world.

Parson’s goal at the Fairmont Chicago is to raise guests’ expectations about hotel dining. “Food is constantly changing and evolving,” he explains, “and as a chef, you have to change with the times and learn about new products and ingredients. You have to constantly reinvent.” Parsons is always in search of what’s new. When adding new dishes to the menu, he solicits input from his cooks, who have a variety of ethnic backgrounds – including Thai, Korean, South American, and Chinese – to give his menu an authentically global feel.

Now responsible for a culinary staff of nearly 60, Parsons feels strongly about empowering the people who work for him. During his tenure, Parsons has hired and promoted nearly all of his key staff members. “If you don’t hire and train the right people, you’re not doing your job as a manager,” Parsons says. “I want my team to be able to make decisions without me and I value their feedback.”

An advocate of locally grown and seasonal ingredients, Parsons and his purchasing managers regularly visit local farmers markets – especially the chef’s favorite Green City Market – for food served at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park.

Parsons earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Northern Arizona University, but fixed his sights on becoming a chef after taking a college culinary class. After his first kitchen job preparing breakfasts in Flagstaff, Parsons received a degree from the Culinary Institute of America. Despite the fact that he had never cooked in a professional kitchen until college, Parsons quickly rose through the ranks in some of the country’s best restaurants, including Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Napa Valley, Rick Tramonto’s Tru in Chicago, and Alan Wong’s restaurant in Honolulu.

Parsons currently lives in the Taylor Street Neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side with his daughter.

Sarah Levy
Chicago native Sarah Levy developed a passion for all things sweet at an early age. Sarah started her company, Sarah’s Pastries & Candies, in March 2004 by making chocolate candies out of her mom's kitchen. After a year she had built up a wholesale business that included Whole Foods Markets in the Midwest, and smaller gourmet grocery shops such as Olivia’s Market, Southport Grocery and East Bank Club.

Sarah launched her first retail store at 11 E. Oak St. in September 2005 and expanded her line to include morning pastries, specialty and wedding cakes, tarts, chocolate gift baskets, and other delectable pastries. She has since moved to a larger location at 70 E. Oak St. and opened a second location inside of the Macy's on State Street (street level) in November 2007.

In 2011 Sarah competed on Food Network Challenge, won the $10,000 prize for best extreme dinosaur cake.

Sarah’s has been featured in USA Today (top ten candy stores across the country) and has been featured on Chicago's 190 North, WGN Lunch Break, ABC and NBC morning news, and Eye on Chicago television show, and has also been featured in Better Homes and Garden, BRIDES (America’s most beautiful wedding cake issue - Sarah’s Pastries was the only cake out of the 23 chosen from Chicago), Elegant Bride, Complete Woman Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Time Out Chicago and other publications.

In 2007, Sarah was honored to receive the 2007 YWCA Promise Award. Sarah launched her first cookbook, Sweetness, Delicious Baked Treats for Every Occasion, in October, 2009 (Surrey books) which is now on its third printing. In 2010 she was nominated for a Jean Banchet award for “celebrity pastry chef.” Sarah’s pastries & Candies is a certified WBE (women’s business enterprise) and DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise). Sarah has trained at several of the country's top restaurants and bakeries, including Spago Beverly Hills (where she apprenticed under the James Beard Award winning pastry chef Sherry Yard) and Bittersweet Bakery in Chicago. Sarah is a graduate of Northwestern University, French Pastry School of Chicago and Francis W. Parker.

Derek Alexander
After nearly a decade of pouring drinks and paying dues on the Chicago cocktail scene, Derek Alexander has arrived. Carving out his voice in the reclaimed wood and rustic confines of Longman, Derek builds cocktails that focus on old-school recipes, contemporary cooking technique and locally sourced ingredients. A veteran of Blackbird and The Bristol, Derek earned his chops under the tutelage of Steven Carrow. In between his intensive trainings at Bristol and “The Bird” he spent the summer of 2008 studying the style and finesse of Tokyo’s elaborate cocktail scene. Now, at the lead of Longman’s 100 plus whiskeys, a laundry list of bitters and other fine spirits, Derek offers weekly drink specials, a regular rotation of unique, exceptional cocktails and plenty of “whiskey for drinking.”

Charles Joly
Charles Joly's bio will be available soon.

Gaetano Di Benedetto
Executive Chef Gaetano Di Benedetto is a native of the lush coastal town of Bagheria, located just outside of Palermo, Sicily. He began as a kitchen apprentice in Palermo in 1978 and is a graduate of the prominent IPAS professional culinary school in Italy. His cooking career spans three decades, maintaining the title of Executive Chef since 1989 at restaurants throughout Italy, as well as France, England and the United States.

While still in Sicily, Gaetano served as Chef at the oppulent Villa Paino, where he was accorded the honor of preparing state dinners for the Presidents of Italy, Francesco Cossiga, and Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. After leaving Sicily, Gaetano worked in such culinary capitals as London, Paris and Milan before accepting his first American position at Disney’s first independent Italian restaurant at Celebration City.

In 2001 Gaetano was invited by the Italian delegate to serve as chef for Team Italy and the government dignitaries at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Since 2002, Chef Gaetano has developed a loyal following for his highly rated restaurants, Gaetano’s and La Piazza. In 2010, he was named to the Board of Advisors of Chef’s for Humanity, an alliance of culinary professionals in partnership with U.S. and global organizations supporting world-wide relief programs working to reduce hunger.

Gaetano is a teacher of culinary art in both Italian culinary colleges and colleges here in the United States. On March 17, 2011, the Italian Government awarded Chef Gaetano with the prestigious “Ospitalita Italiana” award for having an “Authentic” Italian restaurant. Only 600 restaurants in the world have this seal of approval from Italy.

At Gaetano’s, you will experience a multitude of fresh, home made, delicious authentic Italian food. Buon Appetito!



 

Louie Alexakis
Louie Alexakis is the current Chef/Owner of Avli Estiatorio, located in Winnetka, IL. Louie grew up in the food business, whose family started in the early 1900's in Chicago with the Athenian Cafe in 1915. He learned the management side of the food business growing up and working for his Mother and Father, who owned a chain of Concession stands in the Chicago Park District for over 50 years.

In 1989 he opened his 1st restaurant in the acclaimed China Club nightclub in Chicago. In 1993 he was hired as an assistant manager at the Greek Islands restaurant, the nation's busiest Greek restaurant. In 1995 he left to open his 1st Greek restaurant, Ouzeri, Chicago's first Greek tapas restaurant, in the Lincoln park neighborhood. There, working with staff that had experience from some of Chicago's best restaurants, Louie proceeded to be more creative with Greek cuisine. He returned as the general manager of the Greek Islands from 2000 to 2007.

In 2008, while attending a Seminar on Mediterranean cooking at the Culinary Institure of America, Louie met Diane Kochilas and shared his vision of offering creative and regional Greek cuisine in Chicago. Avli Estiatorio was opened in 2009 and was named one of the best new restaurants of by Northshore magazine, has won two awards of excellence from Wine Spectator magazine, and has been featured and reviewed in numerous publications like the Chicago Sun Times, Sheridan road magazine, and New Trier magazine. Recently, the restaurant had receipes featured in Plate magazine, a national chef's publication and on "The Hungry Hound", Chicago's ABC news food and restaurant show hosted by Steve Dolinsky. Avli consulting Chef Diane Kochilas and Louie Alexakis can also been seen for the second year in a row at the 2011 Chicago Gourmet festival, held in Millenium Park at the end of September.

Chris Pandel
Take everything that connotes Midwestern charm: effusive goodwill and a love of community coupled with a killer work ethic, and you’ve got its embodiment in 2011 Chicago Rising Star Chef Chris Pandel. His food is just as appealing—rooted in classic French technique and mostly local Midwestern ingredients, it is unfussy and hearty, and at the same time fresh, clean, and elegant.

Pandel began his career as a chef by helping out at a restaurant in his hometown of Riverside, Illinois. Before long, the head chef picked Pandel up by the scruff of his neck and plopped him down in the kitchen, where Pandel says, “I've been working my tail off ever since.” His next job was at Courtright’s in Willow Springs, a favorite fine- dining excursion for Chicagoans. Next, Pandel attended Johnson & Wales University and grabbed the chance to intern at Chicago chef-factory Tru under Chef Rick Tramonto.

Pandel spent what he calls “graduate school” in New York City, at Café Boulud under Chef Andrew Carmellini. Love of home brought him back to Chicago, and Tru, which led to a position as corporate chef at three Tramonto restaurants. Of his mentors, Pandel says Carmellini molded him into a cook, and that under Tramonto, he earned a “sense of self” in the kitchen and the know-how to run a business.

In 2008, Pandel opened neighborhood eatery The Bristol with partners John Ross and Phillip Waters. Time spent at Chris Pandel’s The Bristol is time invested in cozy good humor: communal tables encourage conviviality, the staff spreads the warmth, and Pandel’s cooking follows through with just the right blend of comfort and creativity.

John des Rosiers
John des Rosiers has already established himself as an inventive chef who is not only passionate about food and flavors, but also sure of himself when it comes to trying something new. “If I have an idea in my head”, he says, “it just works”.

He’s proven that to be true throughout his career, which started on the salad station at Gabriels in Highwood, IL. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, in 1997, des Rosiers staged at Charlie Trotters in Chicago and returned to spend six years at Gabriels. Here he served as sous chef, restaurant manager, wine director and ultimately, chef de cuisine.

In 2003 he joined Bank Lane Bistro where at first he prepared straightforward, European-style bistro fare. Then one day he served some associates a few offbeat items he had dreamed up “on the spur of the moment”.

“This is what you should be cooking all the time”, they told him.

des Rosiers recalls this experience, saying; “I woke up at three oclock in the morning thinking about it. The next day, I threw the menu out. We changed everything”.

A turning point in his career, des Rosiers knew he should trust his gut and not be afraid to draw his inspiration from a variety of sources. “Honestly, all kinds of things inspire me”, he notes. “It could be anything from watching someone on the Japanese version of Iron Chef to a song on the radio to a TV commercial”.

This diversity of inspiration is front and center at des Rosiers’ latest venture; Inovasi. Located in suburban Lake Bluff, IL, “inovasi” translates as “innovation” in Indonesian. Serving up contemporary American cuisine at affordable prices, des Rosiers “just wanted to find a cool way to say the word innovation that started with an I. Sometimes ideas are just playful or goofy”. des Rosiers believes that being creative, having ingenuity and keeping an open mind are not expensive.

Innovation is an appropriate summation of des Rosiers’ ability to synthesize an array of culinary influences and techniques, including French, Italian, and Japanese. He delights in creating memorable dishes from ingredients that are locally sourced and, when appropriate, accented by others from around the globe. Items on his menu might include Red Quinoa from South America, White Romaine Lettuce from Illinois, Scarlet Runner Beans from California, or Turnips pulled from the ground while still very young “so they taste like candy”.

For all of its’ quirks, however, des Rosiers’ cuisine remains approachable, and he eschews techie trickery and unrecognizable ingredients. “Molecular gastronomy is not appealing to me”, he says. “My cooking is real, honest, contemporary American cuisine”.

Approachability is, to des Rosiers, an essential part of the dining experience and is not simply confined to the food. To that end, he and the staff at Inovasi – many of whom he has worked with for years – strive to connect with customers in an authentic way.

“One of the big things we want to create is a sense of community inside the restaurant,” des Rosiers continues; “we really want people to like spending time with us. It’s casual here, which I do not think is a negative word; it simply means this space is very warm and friendly”.

In addition to spending a fair amount of time in the kitchen overseeing not only the menus but also restaurant operations, des siers makes sure to enjoy his free time. A former Eagle Scout and Waukegan, IL native, des Rosiers is most likely to be found outdoors traveling, camping, or playing golf.



 

Jonathan Beatty
Jonathan Beatty is the Corporate Chef of Davanti Enoteca. He joined the family of Francesca’s Restaurants and Restaurateur Scott Harris in 2009 as the opening Sous-Chef at the award winning Purple Pig restaurant on Michigan Avenue. With his proven success and creative culinary talent, Harris brought Chef Beatty up through the ranks to open Davanti Enoteca in September 2010. Soon after it’s opening, Time Out Chicago named Davanti Enoteca “Best New Italian Restaurant” and Chef Beatty was named “Best New Chef” by Chicago Magazine.

 Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, Chef Beatty discovered his passion for cooking at an early age from his mother who he describes as one of his culinary mentors. As a young student, he spent a year working in kitchens in Florence and Siena, Italy. It is there that Beatty learned a great appreciation for how Italians treat food, with respect and simplicity.

Beatty has had a colorful seven year career attending the renowned French Culinary Institute in New York City and gaining Italian influences as a chef apprentice at New York City’s well known Felidia’s and Esca restaurants.

Jonathan Beatty’s enthusiasm for the freshest seasonal ingredients is one of the many views he shares with the family of Francesca’s Restaurants. He describes Davanti Enoteca as one of his greatest culinary accomplishments to date.



 

Tony Priolo
Chef Tony Priolo has known since childhood that he wanted to be a chef. Growing up in Chicago, he started cooking at the age of eight with his Sicillian grandmother in her kitchen in the northwest side of the city, and his first restaurant job was as a 16-year-old prep cook in an Italian restaurant near his house. He went on to graduate at the top of his class from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago in 1989, and quickly dived into Chicago’s competitive Italian restaurant scene. Priolo’s style of simply prepared Italian food caught the attention of the Chicago restaurant critics and diners in 1997, when he opened Coco Pazzo Cafe as the executive chef. After a year, he moved over to become executive chef at the flagship Coco Pazzo, and later was made partner in both restaurants. During his time with Coco Pazzo, he traveled to Italy regularly, and even worked for a short time at Da Delfina, a two Michelin-starred country restaurant in Tuscany, with famed chef/owner Delfina Cioni.

Under Priolo’s direction, Coco Pazzo was honored by many leading food organizations. It won the AAA four diamond and Dirona awards, and received high ratings by local and national restaurant writers from the Chicago Tribune, La Cucina Italiana, Zagat and Fodors. Priolo has also been a regular guest on Chicago television stations, and is known for his support of local charities, including Meals on Wheels Chicago, St. Jude’s Hosptial and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Priolo brings his rustic, clean cooking style to Piccolo Sogno. His philosophy is to find the best ingredients possible for his guests, and he sources specialty items including heirloom vegetable seeds from local organic farmers, fish from the Mediterranean, Italian “00” pizza flour, San Marzano tomoatoes and mozzarella from Naples. He says it’s all part of providing his guests with a true Italian dining experience at Piccolo Sogno.

 

Joe Moore
Joe Moore's bio will be available soon.

Chris Breitengross
Chris Breitengross's bio will be available soon.

Joshua Baudin
Joshua Baudin's bio will be available soon.

Amanda Rockman
Amanda Rockman grew up in Katy, Texas, where her mother would prepare lavish meals made from fresh and seasonal ingredients; she still recalls the day her mother made a Sacher torte when she was eight. Those meals around the dinner table provided enough inspiration for Amanda to attend The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park where she received her A.O.S. in Baking and Pastry Arts.

Upon graduation, Amanda moved to Chicago to work at TRU under Gale Gand, where she started their chocolate program, offering 12 hand-made confections nightly, and importantly, met Chef Chris Pandel who was her sous- chef. Shortly thereafter, she traveled abroad for a few months and returned to Texas to work as the Executive Pastry Chef of FINO and ASTI Trattoria in Austin.

After a few years, she returned to Chicago where she helped open Laurent Gras’s L.20, and at the age of 26, she became the Pastry Sous Chef at The Peninsula Hotel where she met her mentor, Celine Plano. In January 2011, she was honored with Chicago’s Jean Banchet Rising Pastry Chef award alongside Chef Chris Pandel, whom she rejoins at The Bristol.

Amanda’s culinary philosophy is “Flavor comes first. Technique is second.” Amanda says, “Last but not least, your food needs a bit of soul. Sure, it can be simple or complex, but I want you to be able to feel the love and attention that was put into making that pastry.” She always has almond flour, vanilla bean, salt, vinegar, and chocolate on-hand. Amanda will be opening The Bristol group’s second restaurant, Balena, in Chicago come Fall of 2011.

Danny Grant
Strong ties with local farmers, an exceptional rapport with his staff, and a special dynamic with guests are the key elements that have guided Chef Danny Grant throughout his career.

With two Michelin stars and a four-star review by the Chicago Tribune under his belt, Grant is responsible for the culinary team at Elysian Hotel, which includes RIA, the hotel’s two Michelin star restaurant and Balsan, a modern bistro.

Grant began his career cooking in professional kitchens throughout New York and Arizona, but it was in Chicago where he hit his stride, working for award-winning chef, Bruce Sherman, at North Pond for five years. After serving as chef de cuisine at North Pond and completing his studies in pastry at the French Pastry School, Grant left to travel and work in Europe. Once back in the United States, he served as a sous chef at NoMI before launching RIA and Balsan at the Elysian Hotel in 2009.

 

Matthew Kirkley
Commanding the kitchen of L2O, the modern seafood restaurant located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood that has garnered four-star reviews from the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, Executive Chef Matthew Kirkley offers some of the most pristine fish and shellfish available from around the world, in inventive presentations served with a warm hospitality that can be found nowhere else.

Kirkley, a Baltimore native, started his career at the Striped Bass in Philadelphia after graduating from culinary school, before moving on to hone his talents in some of the most recognized fine-dining kitchens of Chicago and Las Vegas, including NoMI, Four Seasons Chicago, RIA at the Elysian Hotel and Joël Robuchon at the Mansion at MGM Grand. His current role at L2O is his second tenure at the restaurant, his first being on the opening team in 2008.

He now guides the restaurant on its continued path of exceptional cuisine and exemplary service, with dishes and ingredient usage described by Chicago Magazine’s Jeff Ruby as uncomplicated compositions that “display impeccable sourcing and execution without grandstanding… familiar flavors speak for themselves… simple, but clever, like a quiet song with an irresistible hook… a gentle playfulness unites everything… and the surprises flow naturally.”

 

Boris Kirzhner
Chef Boris Kirzhner has been with the Saloon Steakhouse since the summer of 2008. He trained at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC), graduating with degrees in both Culinary Arts and Baking. Chef Kirzhner is comfortable with many different styles of cuisine and enjoys fusing those styles in different and exciting ways. He has worked at numerous hot-spots in and around Chicago since 2002 and has served in the brigade of some of Chicago’s most renowned chefs.

Tucked away on East Chestnut Street, just steps from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, The Saloon Steakhouse has been pleasing guests with its quality steaks and seafood since 1991.

The Saloon is known by locals, tourists and visiting celebrities as the place to dine for steak, in its casual, yet stylish atmosphere. The Saloon introduced Chicago diners to the Bone-in Filet Mignon and was the first steakhouse in Chicago to offer Wagyu Beef, a flavorful, low in cholesterol type of beef, originally bred in the Kobe region of Japan.

Of course there are many other choices such as the creative daily specials, fresh fish and seafood that round out the menu that Zagat designated as an Outstanding Performer - "This Streeterville spot is a great steakhouse...enhanced by excellent sides and service; like prime beef, it has aged well." Chicago Magazine selected The Saloon Steakhouse as having the best "Chicago-Cut" bone-in filet in the city.

 

Carlos Gaytan
Chef Carlos Gaytan’s culinary journey has been one of hard work, persistence and dedication. Having arrived in Chicago in early 1991, he began a career at Sheraton North Shore Hotel, quickly working his way up to pantry cook, line cook and banquet cook during his first year of employment. He earned a position as a Chef Garde Manger and discovered he possessed a highly artistic and creative ability to carve on ice, fruit and vegetables. He participated in many food and ice carving competitions- winning several awards. Having perfected his skills in handling both hot and cold foods for over six years, he began his employment as Chef Garde Manger at the Union League Club of Chicago in 1996. For over seven years he worked under the guidance of Chef Michael Garbin. He honed his ability to cook a wide variety of foods and ultimately became the Banquet Sous Chef. The Union League Club has ranked as the second best private club in the nation and it became the place where Chef Carlos Gaytan gained the additional knowledge he needed to lead a successful career.

In April of 2004 he was offered the position of Chef de Cuisine at Bistrot Margot where he worked tirelessly and passionately at creating the art of food. Over the years, he has worked with renowned French Chef Dominique Tougne and has participated in such events as the Confrerie de la Chaide de Rotisseurs, the Moet and Chandon Brunch and the Annual Flora Springs Dinner Auction in Napa Valley.

Today Chef Carlos Gaytan is thankful, as he was able to see his dream become a reality in May of 2008 by opening his own Restaurant Mexique on Chicago Avenue. With great creativity, love and dedication he applies his knowledge of French cooking techniques and ingredients to his roots of traditional Mexican cuisine creating a revolution of Mexican gastronomy. Mexique has received much recognition since its opening. Within the first three months CS Magazine recognized Mexique as one the best restaurants in Chicago and most recently it was named by Chicago Magazine as one of the top new restaurants of 2009 and was awarded by the American Culinary Federation Chef of the Year in 2011.



 

Michael McDonald
Chef Michael McDonald’s passion and appreciation for the integrity of ingredients was solidified during his culinary studies at Elgin Community College in Illinois. With over two decades of experience, Chef McDonald has had a series of formative stints at top kitchens. He practiced the art of fine French cuisine under Chef Jean Joho at Everest as chef de cuisine, served as executive chef at the Shore Club Hotel in Miami Beach, FL, and was later mentored by Chef Gray Kunz who solidified McDonald’s appreciation for Asian technique and ingredients.

Most recently, McDonald was executive chef at C, Chef Charlie Trotter’s restaurant in the One and Only Palmilla Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico as well as the executive chef of Restaurant Charlie, the seafood-focused restaurant in the Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas. McDonald credits Trotter for giving him intensity and focus.

 

Edward Leonard
* Named Global Master Chef from the World Association of Chefs' Societies in 2008 and a Certified Master Chef from the The American Culinary Federation in 1996

* He worked at the famed Westchester Country Club, 12th ranked Platinum Club in the USA

* Presently the corporate executive chef for Le Cordon Bleu Schools

* Edward Leonard was instrumental as the chef who established cooking practical's for all levels of ACF Certification in America.

* Instrumental in bring back global respect for the USA in cookery with team USA and winning the first hot food championship since 1988 in 2004

* In the years 1998 to 2008, he spearheaded a 10 year successful effort of leading the United States Culinary Olympic Team to five culinary championships including the world hot food championship for the first time since 1988 and over 34 Gold medals.

* He also served for four years as President of the American Culinary Federation and was the visionary to have the first five year business plan in the federations history along with building a new headquarters for the ACF, developing new logos for the federation, the USA culinary team and the levels of certification, and having ACF recognized by the global culinary community as a leader.

* As the Executive chef and director of Food & beverage for the Westchester Country Club he was recognized for his contributions by having received many major awards, including the Santé Culinarian of the year, Lifetime Achievement Award and the induction into Le Cordon Or Hall of Fame, General John D. McLaughlin AAC educational award ,Chairman’s Medal from the American Academy of Chefs and Maître D' Honneur by the Antonin Careme Society along with a honorary Doctorate from Johnson & Wales University.

* He also served concurrently served as President of the American Culinary Federation, Manager, Team Chef of ACF Culinary Team USA and as Vice President of the World Association.

* He has garnered over 50 gold medals in cookery competitions in the USA and globally being one of the very few chefs to win gold in every category including baking and pastry.

 

Greg Elliott
Some say cooking is a career that chooses you. The comment rings true with Greg Elliott, executive chef of Lockwood Restaurant at The Palmer House Hilton.

An Illinois native and Kendall College graduate, Elliott caught the bug early. When only 13 years old, he began washing dishes. When he turned 15, he was already preparing dinners for 80. By then, the energy in the kitchen had him hooked. Before long, he had found his way onto the line at some of Chicago’s best restaurants, including Ambria, Naha, Tournesol, and Aubriot, working every station from pastry to sauté.

It was while working at one sixtyblue with his mentor, chef Martial Noguier, that Elliott’s cooking skills melded with confidence, giving him the leadership tools he needed to run his own kitchen. In 2007, when he was chef de cuisine, one sixtyblue earned three stars from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Magazine.

Elliott’s first executive chef position took him to the Napa Valley. At Brannan’s, a classic, casual wine country restaurant on Calistoga’s main street, he revamped the menu, adding more-contemporary American flavors while strengthening the farm-to- table connections between the restaurant and local growers. His work at Brannan’s garnered praise from the Napa Valley Register, which, in 2009, singled out Elliott as a rising culinary star.

As executive chef at Lockwood, Elliott rejoins the Chicago restaurant community, to which he owes his formative culinary development. He oversees breakfast, lunch, and dinner operations for Lockwood, Potter’s Lounge, and room service. On days off, he checks out new restaurants and spends time with his wife, son, and the family pet pug.



 

Jessica Oloroso
Jessica Oloroso is Chef and Owner of Black Dog Gelato, which she started over three years ago. Black Dog Gelato crafts gourmet artisanal gelato and sorbet which are available in Chicago restaurants and was named on TimeOut Chicago’s “100 best things we ate (and drank) this year.” Her new scoop shop opened in the summer of 2010 in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood. She is a Chicago native and was most recently Pastry Chef at Stephanie Izard’s Scylla Restaurant.







 

Josh Pearson
Sepia Head Bartender Josh Pearson began his hospitality career as a teenager in his hometown of Queensland, Australia. After serving at several cafes, he took his first position as a bartender at the legal age of 18, which ignited a newfound interest that ultimately defined his career path.

Eager to explore the world of cocktails, Josh sought out books chronicling the history of mixology. One title in particular, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (a classic encyclopedia of the 20th century cocktail by David Embury), fascinated and continually informed him as he took on several bartending positions throughout Australia. He spent time at CBX in Sunshine Coast, as well as Family and UQ Club, both in Brisbane. Seeking a new adventure, Josh then moved to Canada, where he refined his skills as a bartender at Dominion on Queen in Toronto before moving on to Chow in Vancouver.

Josh then made his way to Chicago and accepted an opportunity to join the Sepia team in 2009, where he is responsible for the creation and constant evolution of Sepia’s highly respected cocktail program, which places emphasis on the classics, but with seasonal products and international flair in mind. While he takes his drinks seriously, Josh is guided by an overarching philosophy that drinking and being at a great bar should still be fun, a philosophy inherent in his clever flavor combinations and cocktail descriptions.

An active participant in Chicago’s growing mixology scene, Josh is a member of the Illinois Chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. When not at Sepia, he can be found sipping his favorite cocktail (the Astoria or the Toronto) at The Drawing Room in Chicago, Prime Meats in Brooklyn, or Boneta in Vancouver. He believes that there is always an answer in gin or rye whiskey.

 

David Posey
Chef David Posey first took a culinary interest at the age of 10, when he began cooking with the guidance of his mother. "I was a little chubby kid, so I wanted to learn how to make my own snacks," he says. Growing up, the California native concentrated on the artistic side of his brain, where his strengths really lay, focusing on music and cooking throughout school.

Posey's first professional foray into the restaurant industry came during his sophomore year in high school. His mom encouraged him to take a job at a newly opened local restaurant, where the pay was minimal but the educational opportunities were pivotal. Eventually, Posey worked his way up to full-time status, while still in high school.

After high school, Posey attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York. His introduction to Chicago came via an externship at Trio, where Posey worked under then-Executive Chef Grant Achatz. Posey calls Achatz an important mentor figure in his early culinary career. Upon the completion of his externship and graduation from college, Posey went to work again under Achatz, though this time at Alinea. The chef initially worked as the garde manger for two months before transitioning to pastry for a year.

Posey left Alinea for Blackbird, working at Whole Foods in the interim in order to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for seasonality and organic ingredients.

 

Phillip Foss & Andrew Brochu
Phillip Foss & Andrew Brochu's bio will be available soon.



















 

Revae Schneider
Revae Schneider is the founder of Femme du Coupe. With a career background in fashion and personal styling, she found her place behind the bar in 2008 studying the craft at Gilt Bar and Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar and quickly realized that crafting a cocktail was just like composing the perfect ensemble. It takes an understanding of flavor and color, a deftness for combining high-end and low-end elements, the ability to aptly accessorize and a respect for the personality that will be consuming it. Revae founded Femme du Coupe in 2011. Named after the iconic champagne glassware that was styled in the form of Marie Antoinette’s breast, Femme du Coupe is a bar-styling company that specializes in crafting cocktails and bar concepts for in-home and professional use. Supplying the bar and then using the products to teach clients not only how to craft the cocktails you would find at restaurants and bars but designs cocktails using those newly purchased additions to the bar to create a cocktail just for that clients tastes. A couture cocktail if you will.

 

Scott Walton
Gardening initially sparked Chef Scott Walton’s interest in the culinary arts, so it is especially fitting that he now tends a large, rooftop garden above Markethouse in Chicago’s busy Streeterville neighborhood. Throughout the spring and summer seasons, Walton and his team tend to the 13 massive cedar beds, planting a variety of heirloom tomatoes (German Red Strawberry, Black Cherry Tomato); herbs (Lemon Basil, Stevia); peppers (Chocolate Habanero, Fish Pepper); root vegetables (Albino Beet, Chinese White Winter Radish); and lettuces (Basil Lettuce Leaf) that appear on the restaurant’s menu throughout the summer and early fall. In addition to the garden, Chef Walton makes several trips to the local farmers’ markets each week—freshness is his motto.

A Chicagoland native, Walton began his professional culinary career at the Joliet College of Culinary Arts in Illinois and the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. In 1996, Walton was appointed executive sous chef at Magnum’s Prime Steakhouse in Lombard, IL until 2001, when he joined the Olympia Fields Country Club to serve as chef de cuisine. During his tenure there, Walton had the privilege of staffing the culinary team for the 2003 U.S. Open.

In 2005, Walton took the role of executive chef at Stoney Point Grill in Mokena, IL where he developed a loyal following with his seasonal and sustainable American menu. In 2007, he was brought on as a chef consultant by Chicago’s highly-regarded Harry Caray’s Restaurant Group. In late 2008, he joined the Sheraton Chicago Hotel Towers as executive banquet chef, and in February 2009, Walton opened Markethouse as the executive chef.

In addition to a green thumb, Chef Walton has a strong rapport with numerous farmers throughout the Midwest, which allows him to source the freshest product for Markethouse’s hearty, flavorful dishes representative of America’s Heartland.

Walton is a member of the American Culinary Federation and Club Chefs of America, and resides near the restaurant in Streeterville with his wife.



 

James O'Donnell
An experienced chef who has honed his craft on the job at restaurants throughout the country for the last 20 years, James O’Donnell brings a culinary passion and attention to detail to his role as executive chef at the new Michael Jordan’s Steak House in Chicago.

Born in New Bedford, MA, and raised in San Diego, most of O’Donnell’s earliest memories involve the kitchen and cooking. “My mother was a great cook who prepared meals for the family, and my father loved to bake,” he explains. “I was also fascinated with PBS cooking shows like ‘The Galloping Gourmet’ and Julia Child.”

O’Donnell’s first job as a teenager was in the kitchen of a local steak house, where he learned the ins and outs of the trade. Within six months he began doing prep work and soon after became a line cook.

Realizing his passion for cooking, O’Donnell moved to the emerging restaurant mecca of Las Vegas and worked as sous chef at Caesars Palace Excalibur and New York New York. In 1997, O’Donnell was scouted by House of Blues Los Angeles and became the venue’s executive chef, working there for the next three years, followed by a stint at China Grill’s rumjungle in Las Vegas.

In 2001, he met Cornerstone Restaurant Group CEO David Zadikoff, who hired him as executive chef of the first Michael Jordan’s Steak House at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. “I love working with James,” Zadikoff says. “He is an intelligent, passionate chef who brings creativity and personality to his menus. O’Donnell continued working as the group’s director of culinary operations from 2003-05. In 2006, he pursued the opportunity to become partner and executive chef at The Capital Grille in Jacksonville, FL.

After five years, O’Donnell is once again working with Cornerstone—this time as the executive chef at the new Michael Jordan’s Steak House at the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile. “I am excited to be back with Cornerstone and to bring the brand to a new audience in Chicago,” he says. “Our menu will definitely honor the traditions of true steak house, while going a bit outside-the-box. Instead of serving steaks à la carte, we plan to have fun and complement them with seasonal ingredients and interesting sides.”

Now living in Chicago, O’Donnell enjoys reading, tennis, and spending as much time as possible with his wife, son and daughter.

 

James Gottwald & Amanda Downing
James Gottwald & Amanda Downing's bio will be available soon.



















 

Nathan Sears
“Tastes of the seasons, preserved,” is the quote of the kitchen staff here at Vie. Our philosophy of using fresh, seasonal ingredients is represented in its contemporary American cuisine. Vie supports many of the local farmers and artisans in the Midwest. After studying Photography and Cinematography at Columbia College Nathan moved on to and graduated from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. Nathan worked the front and back of the house before becoming Chef de Cuisine at Vie. He also teaches butchering classes and heads the charcuterie program at Vie.

Prestigious awards to Vie Restaurant include:

A Michelin Star Restaurant
Top 40 Restaurants in the USA, Gayot Restaurant Guide
Jean Banchet Best Fine Dining Restaurant
Top 25 Farm to Table Restaurants, Best Life Magazine
Top Ten Chicago Area Wine Lists, Gayot Restaurant Guide
Three Stars by Phil Vettel, Chicago Tribune



 

Bernardo Silva
Bernardo has over 20 years as a Pastry Chef. He has worked with Ritz Carlton and Renaissance Hotel. In 2011 he was hired by Rivers Casino to open the Pastry Department.



















 

Debbi Peek
Debbi Peek began bartending 14 years ago when she moved from Chicago to Maui, Hawaii. After three years, hundreds of Piña Coladas and Mai Tai’s it was “back to reality” and back home to Chicago. She is currently the House Mixologist at The Bristol and Balena, President of the United States Bartenders Guild Illinois chapter and the Beverage Chair for Share Our Strength’s - Taste of the Nation Chicago. Some of her accolades include being honored by the James Beard Foundation as one of the Nation’s Top Female Mixologists in 2008 as well as a three time Nation Champion in the I.B.A. World Cocktail Challenge competing in Taiwan, Singapore and Poland.

 

Rare Tea Sellers
Rare Tea Sellers' bio will be available soon.



















 

Louis Glunz Beers
Louis Glunz Beers' bio will be available soon.



















 

Jeffrey Hedin
Like many chefs, Chicagoan Jeffrey Hedin was first inspired by Julia Child. As a young boy, he and his dad were watching the culinary icon on TV as she made a soufflé, and they were motivated to give it a try. Although this first foray at making the classic French dessert was less than successful, the budding chef didn’t give up. He continued to try out recipes, and although he would over-caramelize the onions the first time he tried his hand at omelet-making, he was hooked. At the time, he had dreams of playing in the NHL, or perhaps becoming a documentary filmmaker or architect, but as the years passed, Hedin realized his interest in cooking was more than just a hobby.

Self-taught, Hedin worked his way up from washing dishes and waiting tables to running the line. While living in Boulder, CO, he began working at Mateo under Hugo Matheson. Matheson turned Hedin on to cooking seasonally and to connecting with farmers, and to working with the best quality fundamental ingredients – using seasonal vegetables at their peak, high quality oils and vinegars, sea salt, handmade pasta and the like. Hedin left Boulder for Chicago, where he began working for Shawn McClain at the acclaimed Spring. He moved up Spring’s kitchen ladder to the tournant position, and then moved over to Green Zebra, McClain’s vegetable-focused restaurant under chef de cuisine Michael Bulkowski and later as sous chef to Christine Kim. Hedin then accepted the sous chef position at Blue Water Grill under Joel Dennis and was later on the opening team at The Bristol. In 2009, Hedin met Christy Agee through a mutual friend; she and her partners were looking to elevate the menu at Witt’s Tavern. Hedin took the opportunity and later that year, the two began collaborating on Leopold.

At Leopold, Hedin explores Belgian cuisine, peppering in French and German influences. He describes his cooking as “simple and seasonal” and most enjoys the process of cooking – going from inspiration to conception to the finished plate. Though his childhood dreams didn’t pan out how he hoped, Hedin has found a new passion in the kitchen, one that is going to continue to develop and evolve over the years to come. Hedin lives in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago.
 


 

Matthew Riordan
Chef Matt Riordan is a Rogers Park native whose love of food began as a child. His parents worked full time but always had a home cooked meal ready for Matt and his two younger brothers, instilling an appreciation for fresh ingredients and creativity on a plate.

Halfway through business school at Loyola University, he changed tracks to culinary school and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago in 2006. He honed his style as owner and operator of MR Catering and most recently as Executive Chef of Pops for Champagne. He brings experience and enthusiasm to the Saigon Sisters team.



 

Matthew Riordan

Matthew Riordan' bio will be available soon.


















 

Matthew Riordan

Matthew Riordan' bio will be available soon.


















 

Michael and Patrick Sheerin
Working in the kitchens of several of Chicago’s finest restaurants during his 14-year professional career, Patrick Sheerin joined The Signature Room at the 95th in 2002, where he worked as a banquet Sous Chef and then as Executive Sous Chef. Chef Patrick was promoted to Executive Chef in December 2006 and he has been creating innovative dishes ever since. Patrick combines his Illinois upbringing, utilizing fresh local farm ingredients, with his traditional culinary training to create dishes that are both savory to the trained palate and still approachable to the everyday diner.

A native of Chicago, Sheerin graduated in 1998 from the French Culinary Institute of New York; prior to which he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University. A chronology of his career, beginning 1996, includes banquet chef at the Walnut Hills Country Club in East Lansing, Michigan followed by a series of positions in Chicago through early 2002: Garde Manger at Crofton on Wells; pastry chef at Toque restaurant; Chef Poissonier at the Everest Room; pastry cook at NAHA restaurant and Chef Saucier at The Four Seasons hotel.
 

Armando Gonzalez
For the past decade, Armando has been opening, working, or filling in at some of Chicago’s best-known restaurants. Sometimes the stints were a few months, other times a few years, such as Mas, Bin 36 and mk. In every case, he learned great skills from these renowned chefs to keep in his repertoire forever. They proved to be fertile training ground for his inaugural partner-executive chef position at Libertad, a modern Latin-American small plates restaurant that opened in Skokie last fall.

Through the school of experience, he honed and further developed an uncanny ability to perfectly pair flavors for robust and flavorful results. Armando's culinary roots sprouted in early childhood, growing up in Mexico where his mother ran a fonda in Oaxaca. After school, Armando peeled potatoes, washed dishes and watched day after day the preparation of traditional foods that continue to inspire.



 

Michael Burkauskas

Michael has over 15 years of experience as an Executive Chef – including The Clubhouse, McCormick & Schmick and most recently with Gibson’s. In 2011 he partnered with Rivers Casino as the Exec Chef of Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chophouse.

















at Rivers Casino

 

Martial Noguier
Chef Martial Noguier, Executive Chef and part-owner of Bistronomic, brings more than 25 years of culinary experience to the French gastronomic bistro located in the heart of the Gold Cost in Chicago.

Originally from Paris, France, Chef Noguier worked for a number of French chefs before coming to the States. He continued to gain experience as executive chef and chef de cuisine for various prestigious hotels and fine-dining establishments such as Patina in California and Citronelle at the Latham Hotel in Washington D.C. before relocating to Chicago. Prior to his position at Bistronomic, Noguier served as executive chef and corporate chef at the venerable Pump Room in the Omni Ambassador Hotel, One Sixtyblue and Café de Architectes at Sofitel Water Tower. Under his tutelage, One Sixtyblue was named the Best Restaurant of 2006 by the Chicago Sun-Times, and he received additional accolades from esteemed local media, including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, and North Shore Magazine. While at Sofitel in 2009, Chef Noguier was honored as Chef of the Year by Chicago Social.

Bistronomic opened its doors in February 2011 and was deemed Best New Restaurant by Chicago Magazine and added to the prestigious 2012 Chicago Michelin Bib Gourmand list. Featuring local and seasonal ingredients complemented by an extensive French-centric wine list, Bistronomic offers a creative and authentic French bistro dining experience.



 

Guy Meikle

Chef Guy Meikle was born on Chicago’s South Side and raised on Saugany Lake in LaPorte County, Indiana. This small town upbringing in America’s heartland instilled food values such as growing your own produce for both the freshness and economy and opting for natural locally-produced food over mass-produced foodstuffs whenever possible.

Meikle’s fascination with cooking started at an early age and he developed a keen interest in the terrior of food and the nurturing of plants and animals, realizing early-on the nurturing of the ingredients is symbiotic with the preparation. This sensibility applies to his cooking style; he strives for dishes that are prepared with sustainable ingredients and are nutritionally balanced, all while respecting the culinary heritage of the dish. He designs recipes with the goal of letting the pristine ingredients shine through and he aims to make every aspect of the dish – from taste to texture to appearance -- natural and intentional.

Meikle is a Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago graduate and also holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Valparaiso University. Prior to taking the helm at Nana, Meikle spent several years in catering, serving as executive chef at Finesse Cuisine. He also has years of restaurant experience under his belt, including chef de cuisine at Bin 36 and Bin Wine Café in Chicago, and he was also a sous chef at the legendary Carlos’ Restaurant in Highland Park.

Meikle has been the creative force behind the seasonally-minded menus and handcrafted cocktail program at Nana since early 2010. The Bridgeport restaurant has garnered considerable local and national media attention under his watch. Meikle was nominated as a “2011 Chicago Breakout Chef of the Year” by Time Out Chicago, the restaurant received two stars from Phil Vettel of the Chicago Tribune and received a “Chicago Bib Gourmand” rating from The Michelin Guide in 2011 and 2012. Additionally, Nana appeared on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” in 2011 and is slated for an appearance on WTTW’s cult-favorite “Check, Please!” in February 2012.

When he is not in the kitchen, Meikle enjoys dining out with his wife Tiffany as often as his schedule allows. An avid collector, Meikle has an impressive collection of cookbooks and cooking lore and his Wicker Park apartment is peppered with his vintage furniture finds. Meikle also is a motorcycle enthusiast and enjoys reading detective fiction and poetry when his nose is not buried in a rare cookbook.



 

Joe Farina

Joe Farina' bio will be available soon.


















 

Jerl Griffin
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Jerl Griffin’s passion for cooking began at the age of 12 when he would prepare dinner for his three brothers. After graduating the Cooking Hospitality Institute of Chicago at Le Cordon Bleu, Griffin went on to work for the Hillstone Restaurant Group for six years as the Kitchen Manager. Following his time there, Griffin joined the Riverwalk Café and Bar, where he served as the Unit Chef for two years. Griffin grew to love the busy kitchen atmosphere.

In June 2009, Griffin was offered the Chef Partner position at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse. Excited to join the Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse’s culinary team, Griffin quickly accepted.

“From a Chef’s standpoint, Fleming’s has it all -- a passion for excellence paired with the energy and excitement of the kitchen,” says Griffin. “Everyday we strive for perfection and build strong bonds with our fellow associates and guests. We pride ourselves on providing an exceptional dining experience to exceed our guests’ expectations.”

Griffin, currently resides in Chicago and when he’s not in the kitchen he enjoys golf, racquetball, and skiing.

 

Trevor Hoyte
Trevor Hoyte, Executive Chef of IPO, has created an eclectic menu of New Urban Cuisine inspired by the diverse cultures found in Chicago. Chef Hoyte’s menu at IPO features his signature "shared dishes" including lobster & orzo with fiddle head ferns, enoki mushrooms, sugar snap peas, sweet bread nuggets and lobster bisque; chocolate waffle with chocolate mousse, macerated blueberries, foie gras caramel, and cream cheese.

IPO, an abbreviation for Initial Public Offering tips its hat to the Loop, Chicago's financial district as well as to Chef Hoyte's initial offering of New Urban Cuisine. "My unique interpretation of Contemporary American flavors inspired me to create New Urban Cuisine. My vision is to redefine and create a new food culture in the Loop to bring intrigue and curiosity to the area," said Hoyte.

Hoyte's culinary professional positions placed him in some of Chicago's most highly regarded kitchens including Tru, Green Dolphin, Caliterra and Vintage Wine Bar.

Hoyte is a graduate of New York Food and Hotel Management School with a Certificate in Culinary Arts. Chef Hoyte has parlayed his love of contemporary American Cuisine in this beautiful new restaurant.



 

Scott Halverson
prasino - the first eco-friendly restaurant to debut in Chicago’s western suburbs and now in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood is led by Le Cordon Bleu trained Scott Halverson.

A veteran in the kitchens of private clubs and luxury hotels, (most recently the historic Driskill Hotel in his native Austin, Texas), Chef Halverson incorporates local, artisanal and organic products into prasino’s breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.

Armed with a culinary arts degree from Le Cordon Bleu, Halverson jump-started his career in 1995, working under the guise of celebrity Texas chef David Bull at the five-star Driskill Grill in Austin’s historic Driskill Hotel.

In 1999, Halverson was named sous chef at La Valencia Hotel, overlooking the Pacific ocean in La Jolla, California. From here, Halverson went on to lead the kitchen as executive chef at Chive, the James Beard award-winning restaurant in San Diego.

He returned to Texas in 2004 as executive sous chef at Houston’s exclusive Coronado Club and, in 1996, Halverson lead the world-renowned Jean-Georges Vongerichten Bank restaurant in Houston’s Hotel Icon. He returned to his roots as chef de cuisine at The Driskill Hotel in 2008, prior to being named executive chef at prasino.

Chef Halverson sources the finest products for his menus, such as Eggland’s Best ® organic eggs for baked goods and breakfasts items and Niman Ranch ® antibiotic and hormone-free meats for sandwiches and entrees.

All seafood and shellfish - from line-caught Alaskan black cod to Tasmanian salmon - are sourced from 100% sustainable and environmentally-friendly purveyors. And, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free selections are woven throughout the menus.

Halverson’s signature menu items range from an homage to his hometown, Austin Texas (jalapeño corn buttermilk biscuits, bacon, eggs, chorizo gravy) to Lobster Stuffed Avocado (mango salsa, chili beurre fondue) to Braised Beef Short Ribs (cauliflower cheddar gratin, greens, truffle mushroom cabernet sauce).

Scott Halverson
prasino - the first eco-friendly restaurant to debut in Chicago’s western suburbs and now in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood is led by Le Cordon Bleu trained Scott Halverson.

A veteran in the kitchens of private clubs and luxury hotels, (most recently the historic Driskill Hotel in his native Austin, Texas), Chef Halverson incorporates local, artisanal and organic products into prasino’s breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.

Armed with a culinary arts degree from Le Cordon Bleu, Halverson jump-started his career in 1995, working under the guise of celebrity Texas chef David Bull at the five-star Driskill Grill in Austin’s historic Driskill Hotel.

In 1999, Halverson was named sous chef at La Valencia Hotel, overlooking the Pacific ocean in La Jolla, California. From here, Halverson went on to lead the kitchen as executive chef at Chive, the James Beard award-winning restaurant in San Diego.

He returned to Texas in 2004 as executive sous chef at Houston’s exclusive Coronado Club and, in 1996, Halverson lead the world-renowned Jean-Georges Vongerichten Bank restaurant in Houston’s Hotel Icon. He returned to his roots as chef de cuisine at The Driskill Hotel in 2008, prior to being named executive chef at prasino.

Chef Halverson sources the finest products for his menus, such as Eggland’s Best ® organic eggs for baked goods and breakfasts items and Niman Ranch ® antibiotic and hormone-free meats for sandwiches and entrees.

All seafood and shellfish - from line-caught Alaskan black cod to Tasmanian salmon - are sourced from 100% sustainable and environmentally-friendly purveyors. And, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free selections are woven throughout the menus.

Halverson’s signature menu items range from an homage to his hometown, Austin Texas (jalapeño corn buttermilk biscuits, bacon, eggs, chorizo gravy) to Lobster Stuffed Avocado (mango salsa, chili beurre fondue) to Braised Beef Short Ribs (cauliflower cheddar gratin, greens, truffle mushroom cabernet sauce).

Jo-Marie Frigo
Jo-Marie Frigo, owner of Nonna Santi's Biscotti, supplies Chicago with traditional, Italian biscotti, based on her Nonna's recipe from Tuscany.

Working as a decorative painter in some of Chicago's finest Italian restaurants, she would bring her biscotti in as a treat to share with staff. A trip to Italy and enthusiastic words from restaurant chefs and friends prompted Frigo to take her cookies commercial.

Nonna Santi's Biscotti can be found in Chicago's local Whole Foods, Panozzo Italian Market, Dirk's Fish and RL Restaurant. Along with her traditional anise seed-walnut biscotti, other flavors include olive oil- orange-walnut with sea salt, as well as seasonal flavors.

Great with coffee, tea, wine or beer... the olive oil-orange-walnut biscotti pairs perfectly with your favorite brew! Enjoy!