Inside Next: Grant Achatz Tours the Secret VIP Bar, Ice Room

This week, Eater Chicago brings you a five-part mini series, where we take you on a video journey through Grant Achatz's Next and The Aviary, two of this year's most-buzzed-about openings in America.

In part 4, we take you inside a couple of the more tucked-away spaces inside the building. First, Aviary executive chef Craig Schoettler lets us inside his ice room where he and his team craft approximately 20 different types of ice with various molds designed by Martin Kastner. They have some geeky toys, like a super chiller to freeze glassware and other things at serious cold temps. At Aviary, which still hasn't opened to the public, guests can order from a list of about 25 cocktails, that will be handcrafted by chefs in the Aviary kitchen.

We leave the ice room and follow Achatz into what could be Chicago's most exclusive space, The Office. This masculine-looking room is dubbed the "anti Aviary," and is meant to serve as somewhat of an old-time speakeasy, with classic cocktails, big plush distressed leather couches, found art and a menu of hearty fare, like foie gras terrine, caviar and shrimp cocktail. What makes it so exclusive? "The public won't have access to this room," Achatz said.

Go behind the scenes:

Eater Visits The Office

Tune in tomorrow as we wrap up our five-part series and talk to Achatz about reviewers, critics and the future of Next.
· Inside The Aviary: Garden-Inspired Design; Unique One Bites and a Specially Crafted "Bar" [~EChi~]
· Grant Achatz Dishes Details About Aviary's Secret VIP Room [~EChi~]

Thanks to Sky Full of Bacon's Michael Gebert who worked with Eater to create the videos.