A look inside the life: the rewards, the challenges, and everything in between
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DiningOut talks with nine independent restaurateurs who make our dining scene the quintessential culinary destination it is today. Without the same deep pockets as the ‘Big Box’ chains and large hospitality groups, these Chicagoland spots thrive against the odds. In honor of all independent restaurateurs, we shine the spotlight on these neighborhood entrepreneurs and offer a salute in thanks for the charming character, economic value, and of course, delicious flavors they bring to our city.
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DALILA YOUKHANA: Athena Greek Restaurant
Dalila Youkhana, a 2009 DePaul University graduate with a background in marketing and sales leadership, surprisingly hails not from the culinary world. When an opportunity arose in 2014 for her to jump into the realm of hospitality in the form of joining the longtime family business, Youkhana was itching for a new adventure—and she has never looked back.
“I don’t think it took me more than a minute to realize I was ready for something new,” she says. “It was really a leap of faith.” Today, Youkhana is the owner and operations manager of the longtime Chicago standby, Athena Greek Restaurant.
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THOMAS KLEINER: Club Lucky
Boasting a culinary career over 30 years strong, Thomas Kleiner dipped his toes into the restaurant industry at just 14 years old. Like with many a chef, Kleiner’s passion began alongside a mother who was well-versed in the kitchen. His résumé is decorated with stints working under industry heavy-hitters like Wolfgang Puck, Bernie Laskowski, Sandra Suria, Mark Boullion, and many others, across the dining scenes of Detroit, New Orleans, Washington, and Chicago.
Today, Kleiner is a partner and the executive general manager of Club Lucky. He says, “I am a firm believer of going out and getting the experience. Seeing and doing is the way I love to live life and embrace the ins and outs of the hospitality industry.”
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MARY NGUYEN AREGONI: Saigon Sisters
In 2009, Mary Nguyen Aregoni noticed a niche in the Chicago dining scene that longed to be filled: fast-casual Asian fare, especially that of Vietnamese influence. And despite touting a longtime career in the corporate IT world, Aregoni and her family promptly secured a spot at the Chicago French Market food hall unveiling Saigon Sisters. This kicked off an Asian-inspired food craze that landed Aregoni three more Saigon Sister locations in the next five years, a much-welcomed Thai concept called Bang Chop Thai Kitchen, and a successful Vietnamese/Thai catering venture. Next up for Saigon Sisters: a national community. “I long to become an entrepreneur like my mother and grandmother were when I was a child growing up in Southeast Asia,” Aregoni says.
MARK SPARACINO: PROSECCO
Mark Sparacino brings more than 20 years of local, national, and international experience to his culinary endeavors—and PROSECCO is far from the beginning. While Sparacino’s name may appear familiar to you from his contributions at dining scene favorites like Avanzare and Topo Gigio, he unveiled his tenacity for the industry as early as 1994, when he launched his Traveling Fare catering company, and again in 2001, with his beloved Italian eatery, Sparacino Ristorante on Chicago’s West Side. In 2007, the chef/restaurateur debuted PROSECCO, a joint venture with his sister and a Chicago destination for visitors and locals alike.
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ANDRÉS CLAVERO: Galit
Born and raised in Miami, Andrés Clavero credits his passion for food, beverage, and hospitality to his Cuban, Spanish, and Palestinian heritage. Clavero first made waves in the Chicago dining scene as part of the One Off Hospitality team. He would then earn tenure on the floor of Nico Osteria, and assist in putting on industry ventures like the James Beard Awards and Lollapalooza catering. Today, Clavero is helping to tell the story of Modern Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisines as the general manager and partner of Galit.
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DANIELLE AND THAI DANG: HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen
Thai Dang immigrated to the United States with his family when he was very young, but memories of his youth are a beautiful blend of the flavors and aromas of the Vietnamese fare he grew up with. A graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, Dang moved to Chicago in 2009 with his wife and business partner Danielle, where together they launched their first venture, Embeya, in 2012. A progressive Asian eatery, Embeya was a smash hit amongst critics and foodies alike, and was the cementing factor in the duo’s decision to shift their focus to bringing exclusively elevated Vietnamese flavors to the area.
In 2017, the husband-wife team opened HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen. Just one year into business, the restaurant was nominated for a James Beard Award: Best New Restaurant. Since then, the restaurant has carved out a spot for itself on Chicago’s unofficial list of dining destinations for locals and visitors alike, and the Dang duo has expanded their expertise to include a next door cafe, Cà Phê Dá, specializing in Vietnamese specialty coffee and Hanoi-inspired street food with late-night cocktails.
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CRAIG RICHARDSON: Batter & Berries
Unlike many other restaurant success stories, Batter & Berries wasn’t the result of a slew of culinary triumphs, nor the latest on the list of a star-studded repertoire. Instead, Batter & Berries was the unexpected masterpiece of a Ball State business major, with 22 years of insurance brokerage under his belt and a hankering for a good brunch.
In 2012, abandoning his longtime career at State Farm, Craig Richardson converted his self-proclaimed brunching “hobby” into one of Chicago’s most popular brunch locales, with little more than a good palate for pancakes and support from his partner-in-brunching and wife, Dr. Tanya Reeves-Richardson. A success story all his own, Richardson and team look forward to national and international Batter & Berries growth.
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THOMAS REDA AND FRANK REDA JR.: Topo Gigio
For brothers and business partners Thomas Reda and Frank Reda Jr., joining the food and beverage industry was more of a family rite of passage than any conscious decision. It’s in their blood, after all. Topo Gigio, a local Italian staple for over 30 years, was founded in 1988 by their father, Frank Reda Sr. The duo have since taken over the reins as kitchen manager and bar manager, respectively, and are grooming the next generation of Redas to someday take their place on the line.
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THOMAS CLAXTON: Frances’ Deli & Brunchery
There aren’t many industry roles that Tom Claxton hasn’t filled in the last 27 years. In nearly three decades, he’s served as a barista, waiter, pizza tosser, wine buyer, food stylist/photographer, restaurant marketing consultant, and of course, restaurant owner. When he married into an Italian family 20 years ago, the Sunday dinners and rich culinary traditions of the culture sealed his fate.
“It changed my perspective on food completely, turning it into an experience and a reason for people to not only eat, but connect with each other,” Claxton says. He has spent the last four years as director of marketing for Rosebud Restaurants and the last five years as founder of Influx Consultants, a marketing firm zeroed in on digital media and marketing for the hospitality industry, representing a slew of iconic Chicago brands. Claxton is also a partner owner of the popular Frances’ Deli & Brunchery.
By Peyton Garcia
The post Chicago’s Top Independent Restaurateurs Right Now appeared first on DiningOut Chicago.