Mindy Segal Anoints Amanda Barnes as New Hot Chocolate Exec Chef

After hiring her first pastry chef last spring, Mindy Segal has rounded out her kitchen by anointing a new executive chef at Hot Chocolate. Amanda Barnes, most recently at the defunct Packing House, has stepped into the head savory position at Chicago's sweets queen's nearly-10-year-old Bucktown restaurant.

"(Barnes) is the chef I've been looking for...to have a permanent home (at Hot Chocolate)," Segal says. "Her food is phenomenal. She seasons the way I would season if I were a chef."

Now in her fourth week at Hot Chocolate, Barnes (The Purple Pig, The Publican, Moto, City Tavern) has flipped most of the savory menu, most notably in the entree and starter section, while keeping a few of the staples. Segal highlights her roasted half chicken with soy glaze and fingerling potatoes she first cooked at her tasting, as well as her lobster spaghetti. Read through the latest dinner menu below.

Meanwhile, Segal also reveals that her forthcoming cookie cookbook is heading to print in preparation for its release next year.