Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/461818
CHICAGO CHEFS LIK E Grant Achatz and Curtis Duffy are household names to gourmands everywhere, and they've changed the way diners interact with their food. But when it comes to the nitty-gritty of food and drink, they aren't the only reason all eyes are on Chicago. It's also due to the professionals who've come up in their wake, serving unexpected dishes (Bohemian House's spiced grilled chicken paprikash with pickled sweet peppers, kale, and Czech potato dumplings comes to mind), creative restaurant concepts (like Momotaro's chic three- story space with an izakaya bar and authentic Japanese cuisine), and delicious drinks (Tippling Hall's Deep Dish Manhattan—yes, please). THE BR E AKOUT Jake Bickelhaupt, chef, 42 Grams OPENINGS TO WATCH FOR IN '15. MONTEVERDE: The first restaurant from Sarah Grueneberg, former chef de cuisine at Spiaggia and Top Chef runner-up, is slated to open in the West Loop this spring. EL CHE BAR: With the chefs behind La Sirena Clandestina (Manion) and Carriage House (Steuer) at the helm, this Latin-inspired West Loop spot is sure to be delish. RURAL SOCIETY: Set to open this spring, Iron Chef Jose Garces' much-anticipated Argentinean steakhouse takes up residence in the gleaming, new Loews Hotel. Last year, after only 10 months in business, Jake Bickelhaupt got the call most chefs dream of all their lives: His restaurant, 42 Grams, received two Michelin stars. It was the culmination of a lifelong goal for the Uptown chef. And while some might consider the presti- gious accolade permission to kick back, Bickelhaupt is not of that mind. "I was the underdog, nobody knew me," he says. "Now suddenly I'm not a rookie anymore, and people are looking to me as an example—that puts even more pressure on me as a chef." Tickets to the intimate BYOB restaurant (which has an open WHERE LOCAL FOODIES GO FOR OF-THE-MOMENT EATS. BIG STAR: Chefs like Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia) and Jared Van Camp (Old Town Social) have hailed this five-year-old and still sizzling Wicker Park taco joint as a favorite post-work spot for late-night eats. Go after midnight to see your favorite chefs outside the kitchen. 1531 N. Damen Ave., 773-235-4039; bigstarchicago.com RANDOLPH STREET: The restaurant strip between Halsted and Ogden has become ground zero for the hottest new spots. SOHO HOUSE: This West Loop club for creatives may be members-only, but the first-floor lounge is open to the public and is quite a scene in itself. 113 N. Green St., 312-521-8000; sohohousechicago.com THREE DOTS AND A DASH: Mixologist extraordinaire Paul McGee may have flown the coop, but chefs and bartenders still flock to this buzzy tiki bar. 435 N. Clark St., 312-610-4220; threedotschicago.com Epicenters of Cool: Food and Drink Food Trends of 2015 "This year is going to be the year of live-fire cooking. We've been cooking with fire since the dawn of time, but I think we'll see more chefs using fire in more modern applications." —Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia "Last year was definitely the year of the pickle, and I see chefs taking it even further in 2015 by incorporating fermented products into their menus." —Paul Virant, Perennial Virant, Vie, Vistro "One of the most important ingredients of 2015 will be what's natural—the public is interested in adding things to their meals that aren't heavily processed." —Spike Mendelsohn, Good Stuff Eatery "We'll see an influx of root vegetables like sunchokes, parsnips, and celery root alongside more interesting, lesser known species of mushrooms." —Justin Ferguson, executive chef, Blue Door Farm Stand and La Storia Ristorante BUZZWORTHY CHICAGO CHEFS DISH ON WHAT 'S UP NEXT. kitchen, a 10-seat communal table, and eight seats at the bar) are hard to come by, especially given all the Michelin buzz. But guests who score a seat are well taken care of. "My main concern is giving guests a fun atmosphere with serious food," Bickelhaupt says. "I want to give them an experience they never even knew could exist." 4662 N. Broadway St.; 42gramschicago.com DREAM TEAM: "My wife, Alexa, and I are the only investors in 42 Grams, and we work here every night. We're a ma-and-pa shop." ROLE MODELS: "Our restaurant shows that you can create something like this at a high level, and it doesn't have to be a million-dollar buildout in Lincoln Park." WHY CHICAGO'S THE BEST PLACE TO BE A CHEF: "New Yorkers expect a more traditional approach to fi ne dining, so the chefs can't be too adventurous. In Chicago you've got Midwest hospitality and adventurous eaters who like variety." THE NEXT STEP: "It could be excit- ing to expand. For now I want to keep evolving and refi ning who we are and what we do." // CUISINE // From gastronomy to mixology, Chicago's culinary wunderkind are leading the way. Coolest New Restaurants Shirt, Giorgio Armani ($80). Saks Fifth Avenue, 700 N. Michigan Ave., 312-944-6500; saks.com. Pocket square, Isaia ($125). Saks Fifth Avenue, SEE ABOVE. Blazer, Bickelhaupt's own 118 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM