Bringing fresh flavors to an 80-year old Chicago staple
A lot has changed in Chicago since 1938. But one thing that has remained a staple in our city is Frances’ Deli & Brunchery in Lincoln Park {2552 North Clark Street, Chicago; 773.248.4580}. For more than 80 years, this Clark Street favorite has been serving Cubs fans, neighborhood families and businesses, and foodies from across the city. They served brunch before it was an Instagram craze, and they have no plans to slow down anytime soon!
Frances’ has always been known for its comfort food and generations-old family recipes, plus sandwiches too big to finish in one sitting. But the story doesn’t stop there. Enter Chicago-famous chef and personality, Derek Rylon, who is bringing his own special spin onto this long-time Chicago favorite. Chef Rylon has been perfecting his culinary skills and recipes for more than 30 years, and now he helms the Frances’ kitchen with his long-time team. What is he bringing to the deli and brunchery? He’s here to give us the scoop!
DiningOut: What are some of your earliest food memories?
Rylon: Not to sound cliche, but my earliest memories that revolve around food involve my mom and our kitchen at home. When my mom used to cook, I would sneak a chair in front of the stove and season the pot. After she caught me she would reprimand me for messing with her recipe, but then she would take a minute and say that my interest in cooking was good! Before I knew it she was recruiting me to help in the kitchen, but I think it was because I would not take no for an answer. So, at 10 years old I started cooking with my mom and the rest is history!
What were some of your first kitchen jobs?
My first kitchen job was at Chances Are in Hyde Park. It was my uncle’s place and he gave me a job as a dishwasher. It was one of those places where you could throw your peanut shells on the floor, and as a kid, I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I absolutely hated the job, and I would watch the line cooks work and do their thing. I did not know that I wanted to be a chef yet, but I knew that I did not want to wash dishes. My shot came one morning when two chefs didn’t show up and I had to step onto the line at the age of 11 years old. This was my shot to get out of dish duty, so I stepped up to the plate. When I was fully trained, I could do the job of two line cooks and started developing my own dishes.
You have been all over the Chicago food world, what drew you to Frances’?
It’s pretty simple for me: The best food has to be in the best neighborhood. Lincoln Park is just an amazing place to be. It has become my home away from home for about a decade now. I am part of the neighborhood’s association, and I try to give back to Lincoln Park as much as I can because it has given so much to me.
What makes the Frances’ team a special one?
The restaurant business is tough and you are with your co-workers more than you are with your own family. To make it short and sweet, we truly are a family! It is important that you like who you’re working with and that you have synergy. Good food and good atmosphere comes from good vibes. My line has been with me for more than seven years; we not only work seamlessly together, but we can finish each other sentences. That is a level of competency that just makes coming to work fun no matter how busy we get, we can always work with a smile. Bring us your toughest crowds, we got this!
How have you been putting your own spin on the menu?
Anyone that knows me, knows that I want to push the limits of how people think about breakfast and brunch. To me, it’s a Chicago thing and since I am a Chicago chef, I want to represent this great city with some great food. Since Frances’ has been around for more than 80 years, changing the menu drastically is tricky. We have so many regulars that like the menu as is, so I have to tread lightly. The way I put my own spin on it is through the specials. My specials menu is constantly changing with the seasons and trends. When you think about going out to eat, I want to be at the front of your mind. My menu will never be stale or played out because I am constantly creating.
What are some of your favorite menu items right now?
That is a tough question because as the executive chef, I love every item on the menu. However, if I have to choose, it would currently be some of the breakfast and deli items I am making in house. I love making our Chicken and Pork Sausage, as well as curing our own Corned Beef and slow roasting our Roast Beef.
To what do you credit the restaurant’s enduring success?
In the restaurant game, customers vote with their feet and their phones. If you don’t have great food and great service, your customers go elsewhere and let all their friends know. The opposite is true as well, provide great food and treat your customers like they are gold and the rest handles itself. Frances’ has been successful for so long because they stuck to this philosophy. If you want to know why we’re successful, take a look at our reviews online…they speak for themselves.
You serve all day long; how does the atmosphere change throughout the day?
The restaurant is truly a living thing that changes as your customer mix turns over throughout the day. The early morning has all the runners and customers that just finished their workout. Lots of egg whites, low carb dishes, and quiet conversations. As brunch kicks in, we get a livelier crowd and the vibe is mimosas, French toast, and lots of laughter. When the Cubs have an early game, forget it, the place is so full of energy you don’t need any coffee to power through. Once lunch rolls around, the business people file in for their favorites and the servers already have orders in before their regulars arrive. It is an amazing thing to see and be a part of. Every restaurant has a soul and a personality that the customers give to the space.
What do you want people to feel when they eat with you?
I just want people to be happy. Frances’ should be a spot where people create great memories and have good thoughts about. I love it when I see smiling faces in the dining room and the occasional dancing fork in someone’s hand because they are so excited to dine with us!
What is something no one tells you about being a chef?
The one thing I wish I knew was that as much as you are in the spotlight, it is a lonely profession. You work crazy hours and you’re on-call for every holiday; it makes it tough on your family and relationships. You can find yourself alone at the end of a busy day simply because everyone else is asleep or already at the party. But if hospitality is in your heart, you plow through these times because you are happiest while you are in the chef jacket bringing joy to others.
What do you love most about the Chicago food world?
I love that the culinary scene here is not one dimensional. Our Midwestern values and cultural diversity allow chefs to work across boundaries and restaurant groups to create something great together; something that is truly Chicago at heart and unique because culturally we are not silo-ed. Collaboration is natural. We are not just deep dish pizza and hot dogs! Underground we are pushing the envelope in every genre and those who are lucky enough to live here are lucky enough to eat the best food our city has to provide!
What’s next for the restaurant?
Ambience can add to the flavor of a dish and since we are a Lincoln Park staple, we want to provide an outdoor dining experience that will immerse you in the community! Our sidewalk patio is coming and we can’t wait for our customers to experience it. Complete with hanging chandeliers and beautiful flower boxes, it will be the place to “Brunch on Clark.”
By Kaleigh Glaza | Online Editor
The post Chef Showcase: Chef Derek Rylon of Frances’ Deli in Lincoln Park appeared first on DiningOut Chicago.