Jeff Mahin, one of the country's top up-and-coming chefs, will bring his talents to Chicago with a new project set to open in the former space of Tilli's. The California-based chef has successfully opened two restaurants out on the West Coast with Lettuce Entertain You—Stella Rossa Pizza Bar and M Street Kitchen—and will partner with them again. The space at 1952 N. Halsted will be occupied by a Chicago version of Stella Rossa while the other half will feature a "California restaurant."
Lettuce founder Rich Melman tells Chicago that the project is finally materializing because of Mahin and the longtime wishes of former L2O chef Francis Brennan. ""They have been bugging me for the last couple of years: 'When are we going to do a California restaurant?' With a real California sensibility—it's real because of them." On top of all this Mahin will also be competing on ABC's new reality show The Taste, so if Chicagoans are unfamiliar with his name, that will likely change very soon.
Jeff Mahin [Photo: Lettuce Entertain You]
· About-to-Go-Supernova Chef Jeff Mahin Breaking Ground on a Chicago Project [Chicago]
· New LEYE Project [~EChi~]