One of London’s most popular restaurants, Hawksmoor, is set to open in Chicago’s River North neighborhood this summer. Hawksmoor is renowned as one of the best steakhouses globally, consistently ranking in the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants for five years in a row. It’s a rare achievement that only a few restaurants in the world hold.
Chicago will be the twelfth location for Hawksmoor worldwide and the second in the U.S. The restaurant will be located at the three-story LaSalle Street Cable Car Powerhouse, which was previously the location of Michael Jordan’s Restaurant. The 16,500-square-foot space at 500 N. LaSalle Street dates back to 1887 and exudes a sense of history that is in line with Chicago’s celebrated architecture.
The Hawksmoor team includes local hospitality veterans
Several local hospitality veterans will join Hawksmoor Chicago, adding to an existing roster of the team’s top food and beverage professionals from the U.K.
Lead Sommelier – Dylan Estey: Dylan is a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He began his career in hospitality in Madison, Wisconsin, working at L’Etoile restaurant. There, he was mentored by James Beard award-winning Chef Tory Miller and Sommelier Michael Kwas. In 2021, he moved to Chicago and served as the Wine Director at Claudia, which won a Michelin Star in 2022. Most recently, he was the Wine Director of Coda di Volpe.
Chef de cuisine — Juan Alvarado: A Chicago native and industry veteran for nearly 20 years. Juan has worked in some of the city’s most renowned steakhouses, including Gibson’s, and with Parker Hospitality.
Operations Manager – Matt Lukas: Matt is a Chicago native and a graduate of Kendall College with a BAS in Culinary Arts. With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, he has worked in both front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) roles. His professional journey includes working at renowned Chicago and New Orleans restaurants. Restaurants include El Che Steakhouse & Bar, Girl & the Goat, Lula Café, Senza, Spring, and Coquette.
Hawksmoor has named Pilot Light as a Chicago Charity Partner
Hawksmoor is widely considered a role model in purpose-driven hospitality and has earned a rigorous B-Corp business certification, which identifies leaders in the global movement who are creating a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.
In preparation for its Chicago 2024 opening, Hawksmoor will work with Pilot Light as their local charity partner. Pilot Light is a nonprofit organization in Chicago focused on food education. They invest in teacher leadership to bring about long-term positive change in both students and the food system.
Hawksmoor has committed to making an initial donation of $10,000 to support Pilot Light. They plan to continue collaborating with the organization on additional fundraising and volunteering efforts.