Oct. 05--Stephen Gillanders, the latest chef-in-residence at Intro restaurant (2300 N. Lincoln Park West, 773-868-0002), will debut his menu Oct. 29, and reservations are available Monday.
Intro, for those who came in late, is a Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises restaurant launched by founder Rich Melman; supported by permanent front-of-house and back-of-house staffs, Intro brings in new, star-in-the-making talent every three months to serve as chef-in-residence, at the same time learning the ins and outs of the restaurant business from LEYE experts.
For Gillanders, who plans to open a restaurant in 2016 in Los Angeles (working title is S.K.Y.), his time at Intro will serve as an out-of-town tryout for his LA concept.
"That's the plan," Gillanders said. "I'm basically launching the restaurant here."
As a result, Gillanders' turn at Intro (he will be the fourth chef in this, Intro's inaugural year) will feature something unavailable in previous iterations: an a la carte menu.
"It's a big change," Gillanders said. "But we'll also offer a tasting menu, for those who are accustomed to that."
A particular challenge for Gillanders is that his menu launches after the Midwest's summer bounty will have expired. But the chef said he plans to make full use of fall and winter foods; look for dishes such as sea scallops with brown-butter dashi and maitake mushrooms, flat-iron steak "beef and broccoli" style, wilted-kale salad with roasted pepitas and cotija cheese and a banana cake with bourbon-caramel cream.
What you won't see much is game. "It's not really my forte," Gillanders said. "I don't want to stray too far out of the box."
Like many chefs, Gillanders hates to label his food -- which he calls "travel inspired" by his many ports of call -- as any specific style. "Once we get going," he said, "people will understand."
Gillanders is a former winner of the S.Pellegrino Almost Famous culinary student competition and has worked with Jean-Georges Vongerichten at two of the chef's Las Vegas restaurants. Prior to joining Intro, Gillanders was executive chef of Vongerichten's Jean-Georges Management in New York City.
Prices at Intro will range from $12 to $16 for appetizers and $28 to $32 for entrees. The five-course tasting menu will be $84, with an optional $50 wine pairing.
Intro reservations are available by phone, via OpenTable and via the Tock ticketing system.
Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic.
