Chef Jared Wentworth Out at Heisler’s Regards to Edith

Jared Wentworth is out as executive chef at Regards to Edith, less than two months after Heisler Hospitality opened the Fulton Market restaurant. Regards to Edith is the street food-inspired restaurant that features cheffy takes on Chicago classics including a decadent, juicy Italian beef sandwich made of prime rib shavings. Heisler opened the restaurant as a complement to its neighboring cocktail bar, the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Prairie School.

Heisler has promoted chef de cuisine Eric Michael (The Southern, La Sirena Clandestina, Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s) to replace Wentworth, according to a spokeswoman. Wentworth achieved acclaim while chef at Longman & Eagle in Logan Square and Dusek’s Board & Beer in Pilsen. He helped elevate both restaurants to Michelin stars. This year, Michelin inspectors relegated Longman to Bib Gourmand status, while Dusek’s retained its star. He remains a partner at those restaurants’s parent company, 16” on Center. After relinquishing his chef duties at Dusek’s in late 2016, he jumped to Heisler to freelance and to help with the Trencherman revamp in Wicker Park. The Trench reboot lasted eight months after closing on October 1.

The spokeswoman said Heisler management decided now was the time to make changes. No specific reason was given for Wentworth’s departure. The Heisler spokeswoman mentioned the need to find a rhythm as Heisler opened the Jim Meehan-led Prairie School and Regards to Edith within weeks of each other. That’s something that servers echoed on an October visit, saying how the restaurant was still finding its footing.

Besides the chef swap, they’re adding more seating to Regards to Edith’s bar space and adding weekend brunch on December 30. Expect New Year’s Day brunch service, too.