The Tempest : The Cuisine
Chef Perry Hendrix presents a Duck Egg Pizza with Pickled Chilies, Charred Greens & Black Garlic. The group of Neapolitans who land on Prospero’s magical island are represented by a pizza (a dish that was also born in Naples), while the classic phrase “I have been in such a pickle” (Act 5, scene 1) provides inspiration for the toppings. The overarching themes of forgiveness, release and rebirth are symbolized by the egg topping the dish.
Chef Paul Kahan
Executive Chef Paul Kahan has become known for passionately seasonal, unconventionally creative and classically inspired cuisine. Kahan has received international acclaim for Blackbird, avec, The Publican, Big Star, Publican Quality Meats and most recently Nico Osteria. Awarded Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation in 2013 and Best Chef of the Midwest in 2004, Kahan has earned the praise of many who claim him to be one of America’s most influential working chefs.
A Chicagoan through and through, Kahan grew up around food. His father owned a delicatessen and a smokehouse, and “When I wanted to make a buck,” says Kahan. “I would help my dad take the fish out of the brine, hang them on the racks and wheel them into the smokehouse.”
After a brief post-college stint as a computer scientist, Kahan took a job in the kitchen of Erwin Drechsler’s Metropolis. It was in Dreschler’s kitchen where Kahan realized his true calling. Over the course of 15 years at Metropolis and Erwin, Kahan developed relationships with Midwestern farmers—leaving a permanent mark on his culinary outlook. He further honed his craft at Topolobampo under the tutelage of the award-winning chef Rick Bayless.
In 1999, shortly after Blackbird opened, Food & Wine placed Kahan on their Best New Chefs list, recognizing his highly individual approach to cooking and the talent that Chicago diners have celebrated for years. Despite accolades and adoration, Kahan’s biggest accomplishment remains his work as a mentor for young chefs. As Kahan puts it, “I have won my awards, what I love is cooking and teaching. If somebody has a great creative vision or a great mind for food, I want to learn from them.” He works to foster empowerment, providing the resources necessary to grow, both as a chef and person.
Kahan is an ardent supporter of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for pediatric cancer research, as well as Pilot Light, an organization dedicated to enhancing school children’s perception of food through hands-on education. Paul Kahan is a devoted husband to his wife Mary, an ardent music lover and bike aficionado.
Chef Perry Hendrix
Chef Hendrix began his professional cooking career in Asheville, NC where he sought independent restaurants dedicated to local ingredients and traditional foodways. Next, Hendrix was lured west to Utah, where he headed the kitchen at The Metropolitan, followed by time in St. Louis where he opened Brasserie by Niche, as well as conceptualize Taste by Niche. Hendrix moved to Chicago in 2010 to take the helm at Custom House Tavern, eventually opening Maison in 2012. Now at avec, Hendrix’s rustic menu features Mediterranean classics, highlighting Midwestern ingredients.
About avec
avec, a Mediterranean and Midwestern-influenced shared plates restaurant, opened in October 2003 out of a partnership between Executive Chef Paul Kahan, restauranteur Donnie Madia and wine steward Eduard Seitan. Chef Perry Hendrix's rustic menu, featuring Midwest ingredients from valued local purveyors, takes its cue from the sun-drenched wine regions of Southwestern Europe. Beyond reflecting the aromas, flavors and colors of the Mediterranean in its cuisine, avec's moderately priced wine list focuses on the region's boutique vineyards.
These sections of the menu blur the lines of formal dining. A meal can be constructed of any selection of small or large plates, chosen at the whim of the diner rather than dictated by order and tradition. Fresh crudo salads, cheese or salumi selections, warm cassoulets and casuelas are served in whatever order diners desire. Large plates such as pasta, pork shoulder or focaccia can be shared among a group or ordered as a meal unto themselves. The dishes at avec are a lovely representation of the everyday foods of the Mediterranean. Their presentation recalls the communal, unhurried approach to dining enjoyed on those warm shores.
The James Beard Award-winning design, by Thomas Schlesser, incorporates the elements of wine-making into the architecture of the 1,500-square-foot bar and dining area. Designed in a Danish Modern style, the room finds ornamentation in structure and materials. The honey-colored room is wrapped in cedar and anchored by a light hickory floor and outfitted with red oak seating. The space holds five communal tables, each seating eight guests, encouraging a convivial atmosphere. A 48-foot stainless-steel bar seats 18 guests with a view into the galley kitchen.
