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People eat with their eyes first, so it’s only natural that Instagram serves as the perfect platform for chefs in Chicago to showcase what they’re up to both in and out of the kitchen these days — from recipe development and travels around the globe, to local restaurant visits and weekends with their dogs. Here are 10 of the best chef and restaurant feeds to check out now — each one guaranteed to leave you hungry for more.
1. Scott Green (Travelle)
It’s easy to get totally immersed in the imagery of Scott Green’s ‘gram — after all, the pastry chef and blogger had a career as a fine artist before he landed in the kitchen. Expect dreamy dessert shots that are as balanced in composition as they are bound to be on the palate, each capable of standing alone yet simultaneously a definite part of Green’s epic sugar collection.
2. Iliana Regan (Elizabeth and Kitsune)
The same whimsy experienced at Elizabeth and Kitsune infuses the Insta handle of chef Iliana Regan, whose pics prove that she’s as big on real deal, foraged ingredients as she is on the natural light that showcases them. There’s no shortage of animal power in this feed, which features everything from fox molds and bunny chopstick rests, to profiles of her two pups: George the Newfoundland and Bear the Shih Tzu.
3. John Shields (Smyth + The Loyalist)
If yet to visit Smyth, get a good preview on the feed of chef John Shields, who posts images of the offbeat and flavor-forward courses he’s putting out in the West Loop (think barbecued shimaaji ribs, pork shoulder with blood pudding, and root vegetable terrine in chilled bouillon).
4. Meg Galus (BOKA Restaurant Group)
Meg Galus has her hands all over the Chicago pastry scene, but that doesn’t stop her from taking Insta on the road with her, too. Follow her around the globe as she captures everything from malted chai tea lattes in New York, to vegetable ash baguettes in Paris.
5. John Manion (El Che Bar and La Sirena Clandestina)
Instagram makes it a lot easier to keep up with chef John Manion these days, who hits the road frequently for R&D trips for his two bustling West Loop spots. Most recently he could be found in Tulum, as evidenced by pics of cocktails at Hartwood and dishes at the Noma pop-up. Five minutes on his feed and you’ll surely meet his rescue mutt Tina, too — aka #tinathewonderdog.
6. Jimmy Papadopoulos (The Bellemore)
Many eaters can’t wait to see what chef Jimmy Papadopoulos will be up to at the forthcoming The Bellemore this summer, but until then, settle for his (pretty fantastic) Instagram offerings — a collection of dishes to come that’s mixed in with restaurant visits about town and snaps of daily life with the fam.
7. Anna Posey (Elske)
Elske co-owner/pastry chef Anna Posey knows a thing or two about composition — before working in some of the city’s top kitchens she acquired a BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in Painting & Drawing. As such, look for well-lit shots that place an emphasis on strong depth of field, repetition, bright pops of color, and, of course, her dog Bazooka.
8. Jenner Tomaska (Next)
Not everyone can produce the technical and awe-inspiring plates Next is best known for while also maintaining an Instagram following of more than 50.4K followers — but Jenner Tomaska seems to be thriving. Credit that on-screen success to clever snaps of everything from an Alba white truffle assembly line to a honey mussel rissole that will likely leave you wanting a res — and a personal Instagram refresh — in no time.
9. Mindy Segal (HotChocolate)
Eaters who are carb cravings-inclined, be forewarned — Mindy Segal’s feed is full of all of the baked goods you could dream of, from challah bagels and caramelized cinnamon rolls, to matcha snickerdoodles and oversized, from-the-oven pretzels. Luckily for everyone, you can now find her works across town, too — thank you, Revival Food Hall.
10. Chris Teixeira (Steadfast, Homestead on the Roof, West Town Bakery)
Breakfast is now instantly more fun thanks to everything pastry chef Chris Teixeira is sharing on the ‘gram — especially the likes of the Fruity Pebble-bedecked croissant that hit his album last week, just one of the new cereal bowl croissants he’s working on for West Town Bakery.
