Michelin-starred chef opening elevated Cincinnati-style chili parlor in Chicago

It was only a matter of time before our humble Cincinnati chili kicked off the dust of this dirty old town and moved to the big (well, bigger) city.

That was the first thought I had this morning when I read Christian Hunter, a James Beard Award-nominated chef helming the Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant, Atelier, in Chicago, was opening an elevated Cincinnati chili parlor in the Windy City.

According to an article from WTTW, a Chicago PBS affiliate, Hunter – who serves as Atelier's executive chef and co-owner – and his business partner, Tim Lacey, will soon open La Verne's, a bar and Cincinnati chili parlor. While a location has yet to be secured, according to the article, they are focusing on the city's Lincoln Square neighborhood and hope to open it within the year.

“To me, it’s Midwest bolognese,” Hunter told WTTW. “Spaghetti and chili with a mound of cheese on it! – I don’t know if people really understand it. And then they start smelling the spices, and it doesn’t quite smell like the traditional chili con carne that we all grew up with.”

According to Atelier's website, Hunter was a finalist for the James Beard Best Chef/Northeast award in 2023. Later that year he received the Young Chef Award from the Michelin Guide, earning the restaurant a star from the Guide as well. I reached out to Hunter this morning for comment and am awaiting his response.

According to the WTTW article, Hunter's love of Cincinnati-style chili developed while he was growing up in Lexington, where Skyline Chili has several locations. Hunter's mother is from Cincinnati, and La Verne's is named in her honor.

Along with Cincinnati chili, the new spot will offer other Midwestern specialties, such as mac and cheese with Wisconsin cheddar and popcorn, and gussied-up pickled eggs. According to WTTW, drinks will pay homage to old-school Midwestern supper clubs and will include Harvey Wallbangers and Brandy Alexanders.

In some ways, Cincinnati chili's transformation into more chef-driven restaurants seems long overdue. That said, there are some local chefs who have played a part in its elevation. For example, James Beard-nominated chef Eric Bentz uses Cincinnati chili seasoning for his Cincinnati-style ramen at Cafe Mochiko in Walnut Hills. You can also get an excellent Cincinnati-chili rubbed shepherd's pie at Gilligan's in Wyoming.

Hunter's foray into the chili parlor world comes on the heels of another Chicago chef's celebration of the dish. Last year I wrote about Paul Fehribach's new book, "Midwestern Food," in which the executive chef of Chicago's Big Jones restaurant wrote the following:

“Probably the most defamed food I’ve read about throughout my life, Cincinnati’s chili is thus also perhaps the most felicitous exemplar of Midwestern cuisine: misunderstood and mischaracterized, a victim of closed minds unwilling to consider its virtues."

While I'm kind of sad to see Cincinnati chili hit the big time, I know this city well. And I know its true heart and soul will always be right here in the place it was born.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Michelin-starred chef opening Cincinnati chili parlor in Chicago