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Esmé Chicago

@esme_chicago

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⭐️ Michelin Star
Mission-driven fine dining concept by @jennertomaska & @bravo.katrina located in Lincoln Park, Chicago.

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Beet Generation. Named for the Beats, the original counterculture, and inspired by Kerouac's On the Road. A milk punch of goat cheese, Kyro single malt, beet, and peppercorn, crowned with honey whip cream. Whipped cream on a milk punch? Radical, man. Peace, love, and a savory sip at Esmé. by @esme_chicago

Jenner Tomaska is redefining Chicago’s creative culinary landscape by turning fine dining into a unique artistic experience. ✨

Rooted in Chicago since he began his kitchen journey at age 14, he now co-owns the mission-driven restaurant Esmé alongside his wife and business partner, Katrina Bravo.

Through quarterly menus inspired by contemporary artists, every tasting becomes a carefully crafted masterpiece.

#FoodForThought #FineDining #EsmeChicago #CulinaryArts by @esme_chicago

Above the Clouds. Crisp-skinned red mullet on a cloud plate by Depy Zepo, with fermented Jimmy Nardello pepper, plum, basil, and beef tongue rillettes finished with a fennel nage. Sweet, savory, and a little funky in the best way.
Part of Once and Future, Hebru Brantley’s exhibition at Esmé, curated by Frame Chicago. Reserve your table, link in bio. by @esme_chicago

Watermelon. Tableside, watermelon dashi is poured over king crab, compressed watermelon, and heirloom tomato, finished with melon flowers and pea tendrils. Part of Hebru Brantley’s tasting menu at Esmé. 🍉

Illumination. Norwegian king crab, compressed watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, and finger limes, with salsa macha and lemon verbena oil pooled underneath.

The last touch is a spoonful of tomato-kukicha granita, which melts into the watermelon dashi as you eat. by @esme_chicago

One kitchen. Two chefs. One night to taste what they’ve been planning. ✨

Next Wednesday, October 21, Chef @austinwaiter and Chef @jennertomaska a of Chicago’s Michelin-starred @esme_chicago and @petiteedith_chicago come together at 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝘾𝙡𝙪𝙗 with @thesaltymag_ for a special multi-course dinner rooted in French cuisine, with a little Chicago and British influence along the way.

The tasting menu is $195 per person, with optional beverage pairings available.

Consider this your cue to make the reservation. 🍷

Reserve your table at https://bit.ly/4hysYUv by @esme_chicago

Esmé belongs on your Chicago special-occasion restaurant list. This dinner reminded me why.

For one night, Salty Magazine brought Chef Jonny Black of Chez Noir in Carmel-by-the-Sea together with Chef Jenner Tomaska at Esmé in Lincoln Park. Coastal California met the Midwest over a tasting menu that felt remarkably seamless.

Two standouts I’m still thinking about:

🐟 Esmé’s rouget with beef tongue rillettes, fermented Jimmy Nardello peppers, plum, fennel, and basil. Crisp fish skin, deep savory richness, and enough bright acidity to keep every bite interesting.

🍅 Chez Noir’s heirloom tomato terrine with Big Sur calamari, mussel escabeche, and guindilla pepper. Sweet summer tomatoes, tender seafood, brine, and a vinegary kick. A cold dish with a lot to say.

What keeps bringing me back to Esmé is the curiosity behind the cooking. This Michelin-starred Chicago restaurant brings local artists into the experience, gives back to its community, and makes an ambitious meal feel playful and welcoming.

The collaboration was one night only. The restaurant is worth seeking out for its own evolving tasting menu.

📍 Esmé | Lincoln Park, Chicago

Save this for your next anniversary, celebration, or dinner worth making a whole evening out of. Send it to your favorite dining partner. by @esme_chicago

Would you eat the art? Here, you do. 💥

Passion fruit sorbet, clementine, black sesame praline and an edible Fly Boy. Swipe for the break.

The pre-dessert is an edible print of Hebru Brantley’s Fly Boy, set in a Frame Chicago frame on a custom DTK ceramic plate. Swipe to see it shatter.

Part of the Hebru Brantley tasting menu at Esmé, Chicago. by @esme_chicago

Still thinking about this one.

An unforgettable evening at Esmé welcoming Chef Jonny Black of Michelin-starred Chez Noir into our kitchen alongside Chef Jenner Tomaska for a dinner built around collaboration, creativity, and a shared love of hospitality.

A huge thank you to Jonny and the entire Chez Noir team for making the trip to Chicago and sharing your talent with us, to our incredible Esmé team for bringing every detail of the evening to life, and to Salty Magazine for bringing us all together in the first place.

These are the nights we love most: chefs learning from chefs, teams working side by side, new ideas taking shape, and a dining room full of guests there to experience it all.

To everyone who joined us at the table, thank you for being part of it. And to every person behind the scenes who made the night possible, we couldn’t have done it without you.

Until the next one. by @esme_chicago

Every puzzle piece is different, and every piece belongs to something bigger. That idea sits at the center of our Marigold canapé.

A custom puzzle box arrives tableside. Pull open a drawer and find the Marigold: tempura fried marigold, peach, truffle, and pickled candy striped and yellow beets, cut into interlocking puzzle shapes. by @esme_chicago

Happy Birthday to the person behind so much of what makes Esmé and Petite Édith what they are. 🤍

Jenner, we’re constantly amazed by the way you balance it all. The hours, the creativity, the precision, the pressure, the constant pursuit of getting better, and, somehow, still making space for the people who matter most.

Your talent as a chef is undeniable, but it’s the person behind that talent that we’re especially grateful to celebrate today. You lead with an incredible amount of heart. You care deeply about the food, the experience, the people you work alongside, the artists and communities you support, and, above all, your family.

Watching you move between chef, leader, mentor, husband, dad, friend, and about a hundred other roles makes us wonder where you find the hours in the day.

Both Esmé and Petite Édith carry pieces of your vision, your creativity, and the standards you’ve spent years building. We’re incredibly lucky to be part of it.

Happy Birthday, Chef. We hope today gives a little back to someone who gives so much to everyone around him. ❤️

With love,
Your Esmé + Petite Édith family by @esme_chicago

ONCE AND FUTURE.

@hebrubrantley takes over @esme_chicago for a new artist residency, bringing his unmistakable world of characters, color and storytelling to the table.

Art doesn’t have to live on a wall.

Once and Future moves beyond the canvas, translating Hebru’s visual language through art, food and imagination for a fully immersive dining experience.

Presented by ESMÉ in partnership with Arte Haus Studios and Frame Chicago.

Now open, with reservations available throughout the residency.

#BUYARTE #HebruBrantley #OnceAndFuture #ArteHausStudios #ChicagoArt by @esme_chicago

Glass artistry, it’s always fun to be exposed to someone else’s creative outlet and skill. @matzglass bringing vision to life. by @esme_chicago