Blackbird

How it all began

Blackbird, one of Chicago’s most respected modern fine-dining establishments, opened in December 1997. Executive Chef Paul Kahan and Chef de Cuisine Mike Sheerin bring together a respect for local ingredients with the innovations of the modern culinary world to create a cuisine that has been described as quietly revolutionary. The James Beard Award-winning design, by Thomas Schlesser, incorporates sharp, Nixon-era lines with expanses of white space and soft gray mohair.

The French slang term for a Merlot grape, Blackbird is leading a growing cadre of independent restaurants helmed by chef/restaurateurs who have built a solid culinary reputation for Chicago. Delivering a smart and peerless approach to dining for patrons from all over the world, the restaurant has earned its place as one of Chicago’s premier dining destinations for discriminating and forward-thinking culinarians.

The culinary partnership of Kahan and Sheerin is right at home in the austere, yet serene, restaurant. A James Beard nominee for Outstanding Chef in 2007 as well as the James Beard Best Chef of the Midwest 2004, Kahan roots his cooking in both French and American classics, his easy style and soulful approach built on freshness and seasonality. Sheerin, a technician with an eye for nuanced detail, deconstructs the elements of a classical dish or food pairing, tempting the boundaries of flavor and reinventing the dish as his own — as aesthetically pleasing as the space itself, celebrating the vibrant tastes of fresh seasonal ingredients from local farms.

In 1999, Food & Wine placed Kahan on its Best New Chefs list. The New York Times acknowledged Kahan’s leadership role in elevating the profile of Chicago’s independent chef-driven restaurants on the world culinary stage. The restaurant was on Gourmet’s list of the country’s 50 best restaurants in 2001 and Chicago’s top five restaurants in 2000. In addition to the aforementioned James Beard recognitions, Blackbird was also nominated for Best Graphic Design in both 2001 and 2002.

A partnership between Executive Chef Paul Kahan, Donnie Madia, sommelier Eduard Seitan and Rick Diarmit, Blackbird sits next door to avec restaurant.