'Top Chef' Alum Aaron Cuschieri to Helm Lawless Sisters' Loop Restaurant

The Dearborn, the forthcoming Block 37 restaurant from the Lawless sisters, is taking shape—and they've hooked a prominent local chef that viewers around the country are familiar with. Aaron Cuschieri, a former "Top Chef" contestant (season 11), will run the kitchen at the highly-anticipated restaurant when it hopefully opens this summer.

Cuschieri has served as executive chef and worked at many prominent Chicago restaurants before, including Kinmont, Slurping Turtle and Takashi, but The Dearborn marks his first time creating and executing his own culinary vision. And he's getting a custom-built kitchen to implement that vision, which will have some fancy facets including a caviar bar and a dry-aging room that he'll use to make terrines, pates, sausages, "upmarket" Chicago-style hot dogs, and more. Also look for a dedicated raw bar in the concept ownership is terming a "contemporary, urban American tavern."

The Dearborn has been in the works for two-and-a-half years—the Lawless' originally signed the lease in June 2013—but they're finally ramping up the project following downtown construction delays. Look for a ramped-up food program from their new chef too.