“Be kind, be generous, and be genuine — that usually works.”
Andrew Zimmerman helped define what fine dining in Chicago looks like. Seventeen years at Sepia. A Michelin star every year Michelin has rated the city. Five James Beard nominations and Jean Banchet Chef of the Year. That body of work is what he now brings to restaurants, hotels, and brands looking to build something that lasts.
A Global Culinary Perspective
Andrew is genuinely obsessed with how the world eats. Classical French and Italian training gave him the foundation, but what followed was decades of deep, curious engagement with food cultures from nearly every corner of the world — studying them, cooking them, and understanding not just what they taste like but why they taste that way. That kind of fluency is rare, and it's what allows him to help clients build something with real culinary depth.
What It Looks Like to Work With Andrew
Every engagement is different. Some clients need a menu built from scratch. Others need someone to look hard at what they already have and tell them the truth about it. Andrew works with restaurants, hotels, and premium brands at whatever level the project demands, from kitchen design and sourcing to full concept development. If you're trying to build something serious, that's the conversation worth having.
