One of the year’s most high-profile Chicago restaurant openings, Venteux will breathe a wave of new energy into Chicago’s most iconic downtown street as it opened its doors at 224 N. Michigan Ave., today, Wednesday, May 26. In his debut venture as Executive Chef-Partner, Donald Young (Temporis, Les Nomades, Bistrot Saveurs) has partnered with acclaimed national entertainment and restaurant powerhouse, Clique Hospitality (Pendry Hotels & Resorts, MGM Resorts International, Blackstone Group) to bring the concept to life within the city’s historic 1920s landmark Carbide & Carbon property (the champagne bottle-top building). Young, one of the city’s brightest rising culinary talents is celebrated as the youngest MICHELIN starred chef in Chicago (Temporis, 2019) and one of the youngest to be recognized with the honor industry-wide. Joining him in the kitchen is Chef de Cuisine Justin Gomes (Alinea, Pump Room, LondonHouse, Virgin Hotel) to present reinvigorated Nouvelle French cuisine and playful raw bar renditions.
“We’re excited to open the doors to Venteux on the city’s legendary Michigan Avenue and to usher back the magnificence that it’s known for around the world,” says Young. “Chicago is a world-class destination that carries a true spirit of grit and perseverance, and we’re optimistic people are ready to get back out and experience the excitement of downtown again.”
THE SPACE – From Morning to Night: Situated on the ground floor of Pendry Chicago, the 4,000 square foot Venteux space has been completely reinvented by globally-renowned design firm Studio Munge to showcase a distinctly French style while respecting the building’s Art Deco heritage. The restaurant is split into two main sections – the light and airy daytime café that connects to the outdoors via a lush garden terrace. The luminous brasserie features a festive shellfish and Champagne bar. Within the café, sunlight enters through soaring 40-foot windows while romantic botanical murals grace the walls.
The eclectic dining room boasts warm design elements, including comfortable seating upholstered in deep burgundy velvet, plush vintage Persian rugs, expressive marbles, and cognac leather, oak wood, and brass. From early in the day to late into the evening, every meal at Venteux becomes an opportunity to revel in the restaurant’s vivacious, energetic vibes while feasting in one of the city’s most stylish settings.
THE MENU – A Modern Twist on Traditional French: Drawing upon his 11 years of experience working in French kitchens, Young presents a menu of comforting French fare featuring classic dishes that showcase his creativity and affinity for unique flavor combinations and visually-striking presentations.
In the evening, diners can gather around the brassiere’s plush circular banquettes to savory plates such as the Dover Sole Meunière featuring anglaise style pan-fried Dover sole dusted with a dehydrated brown butter powder, then dotted with a lemon puree topped with caper leaves, pickled lemons, parsley oil and a parsley bread crumb; Eggs Five Ways, an omelette filled with a mixture of lightly scrambled egg and Delice de Bourgeon cheese topped with trout roe and a yeasted hollandaise then sprinkled with grated salt-cured egg yolk and a fine herb salad. Whole Roasted Duck brushed with a black walnut syrup while dry-aging, finished with sauce Bigarade (Duck A’la Orange), orange marmalade, pickled vegetables and local seasonal options like fermented sunchoke puree and celeriac slaw with savory scallion crepes on the side. Classic French favorites including NY Steak Frites made with Maître d butter and bearnaise sauce and decadent French Onion Soup featuring melted gruyere, chives and onion ash will have a presence on the menu as well, along withan assortment of seafood and raw bar selections courtesy of the restaurant’s expansive shellfish bar.
Venteux will serve breakfast and lunch daily and offer grab-and-go options such as freshly-baked pastries and house-made breads from the café. Weekend brunch service will launch shortly after opening, more details coming soon.
THE EVENING EXPERIENCE – After Dark Excitement Re-emerges Downtown: The high-energy atmosphere and luxurious ambiance of the brasserie and Champagne bar come together to create a place to see-and-be-seen, ideal for enjoying post-work drinks, date nights or other celebrations in the heart of the city. Guests are encouraged to grab a drink well into the evening with selections from the robust wine program, or sip one of Venteux’s inventive cocktails featuring fun French twists on the classics and local flavors like the “Welcome to Chicago,” a spritz-style drink that stars the city’s iconic liquor, Malort, alongside Pamplemousse liqueur to cut the notoriously bitter spirit with a pink grapefruit flavor along with Lillet blanc, lemon and Prosecco or the Spill the Tea, a riff on the margarita that features Casamigos Blanco tequila infused with the Mallorca Melon blend by gourmet Chicago tea purveyor Rare Tea Cellar combined with agave, lime and the smokey heat and spices of Casamigos Mezcal.
Venteux is open for dinner from 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily, and Happy Hour from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. The Venteux café is open for breakfast and lunch from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. For more information, please visit Venteux Chicago or follow Venteux on Instagram at @VenteuxChicago.
