Chef Nicole Pederson
Chef Nicole Pederson has a terrific pedigree in food. After culinary school in her hometown of Minneapolis and staging in France, she was at Gramercy Tavern in New York then Lula Café in Chicago, where she honed her passion for all things local. She most recently held the post of Executive Chef at C-House, where she cut her teeth on running a kitchen. Nicole’s Midwestern roots contribute to her focus on pure flavors, simplicity and seasonality in her cuisine, evident in Found’s produce-centric menu.
 

About Found Kitchen and Social House
Found is a kitchen, a social house and a restaurant with a mission. Its rustic new American dishes change with the market and season and are served in a relaxed, creative atmosphere inspired by 1920’s Bohemian Paris and icons of the Beat Generation. Like much of the restaurant, Chef Nicole Pederson thinks of her menu as ever-evolving. It is comprised of simple, striking dishes, light in ingredients and on the pocketbook. Even in the cocktails, Found takes the phrase “locally found” quite literally, with recipes featuring neighboring labels such as North Shore Distillery and F.E.W. Spirits, whose distillery is less than a mile down the road!
 
Owner Amy Morton found inspiration for the restaurant’s design through her love of entertaining. The space feels as though one is walking through the rooms of a house. Some of Amy’s best décor “finds” include salvaged furniture like old Chicago courthouse benches and even the original “host” phone from Chicago’s legendary Pump Room.
 
In addition to making Found an incredible place for Evanston neighbors up and down Chicago’s north shore, Amy’s personal mission is to make a difference in both her community and on the planet. Found’s social mission, to “hire and train people coming out of homelessness” as a stepping stone to living more independent lives is fundamental to our philosophy. The restaurant also stays mindful of the environment by repurposing found objects, recycling, composting and supporting Evanston-area farms and businesses whenever possible.