FSR September 2022

SEIZINGA ONE-OFF CHANCE BY NICOLE DUNCAN

CHICAGO’S BELOVED ONE OFF HOSPITALITY ENDURED ITS FAIR SHARE OF DIFFICULTIES DURING THE PANDEMIC, INCLUDING THE CLOSURE OF ITS OLDEST RESTAURANT, BLACKBIRD. NOW, WITH NEW CONCEPTS OPENING AND A MAJOR CASINO DEAL IN THE WORKS, THE GROUP IS TAKING BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

LIKE MANY IN-LINE RESTAURANTS dotting Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Avec’s simple exterior belies a vibrant dining room inside. While the original location in the West Loop—a long, narrow space with floor-to-ceiling wood pan eling—fosters a cozy atmosphere, the newer restaurant is spacious and window-lined with buttery tones, a tiled open kitchen, floating bar, and pops of green from a small assort ment of plants. Just as stylish, albeit in a very different way, are the two people seated at a table in the otherwise empty restaurant. It’s 1 P . M . on a Monday and dinner service won’t begin for another four hours. The pair, Donnie Madia and Karen Browne, both clad in tailored black with thick-rimmed spectacles, could easily pass for art curators out of New York or film produc ers from L.A. It’s a fitting parallel, given they’re leaders in an equally creative field that’s a whole production unto itself. One Off Hospitality is the parent group of the two Avec locations, as well as Big Star, Dove’s Luncheonette, Violet Hour, Bar Avec, The Publican, Publican Quality Meats, and Publican Quality Breads. In its 11 years of operation, One Off has racked up multiple James Beard Awards across catego ries, including Outstanding Restaurateur for Madia, Outstand ing Chef for chef/partner Paul Kahan, Outstanding Bar Pro gram for Violet Hour, and most recently, Outstanding Baker for Greg Wade in 2019.

ONE-OFF HOSPITALITY

50 SEPTEMBER 2022

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