Give my Compliments to the Chef: Featured 2025
Feature Photo of CMB Catering
Chicago’s culinary scene is unmatched and attracts some of the world’s top chefs. By pairing a sincere passion for food with pure talent, these Chicago culinary artists are sure to elevate your wedding day meal. Not only will you be served a work of art, but your guests will also talk about the delectable meal for years to come.
Mychael Bonner
Chef/Owner, CMB Catering
Chef Mychael Bonner is an experienced chef and entrepreneur with decades of experience in the culinary profession. For over the last 32 years, he worked as a Chef Partner at Lettuce Entertain You, where he played a significant role in opening multiple successful restaurant concepts, including Maggiano’s Little Italy, Di Pescara, Saranello’s, Ivy Room at Tree Studios, B Square Pizza, Reel Club and Petterino’s. Chef Bonner is now thrilled to have branched out on his own to a new area of the culinary world: catering! CMB Catering is an opportunity for him to showcase his culinary prowess and accommodate the diverse tastes of the clientele. He believes every event should be an exceptional experience, with attention to detail and personalized service.
Dish: Pomegranate-glazed Scottish salmon with blistered green beans.
Charles Haracz
Executive Chef, Blue Plate
Chef Charles Haracz brings more than a decade of culinary leadership to Blue Plate, where he leads menu development and oversees a large-scale culinary team. Before joining Blue Plate, he worked with Bon Appetit Management Company, overseeing programs at renowned institutions including The Art Institute of Chicago, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and Porsche North America Headquarters in Atlanta. At Blue Plate, he guides menu creation and kitchen operations with a focus on peak-season ingredients, bold flavors and thoughtful sourcing. Through strong relationships with local growers, Chef Haracz delivers menus tailored to each event’s vision and style.
Dish: Spinach and artichoke doppio ravioli: 18-month aged parmesan reggiano, Nichols Farm crispy sunchokes, sugar snap peas, chives, basil oil and garlic cream sauce.
Carlos Orozco
Executive Head Chef, Catered by Design
Raised in a family of bakers and bakery owners, Carlos Orozco honed his passion for executing delicious sweets at the French Pastry School in Chicago. Having an extensive background in delectable desserts and off-premises catering, he has streamlined Catered by Design’s (“CBD”) kitchen and operations to run like a well-oiled rolling pin. For the last eight years at CBD, Orozco has created unique dishes and has incorporated different techniques to improve the systems both in CBD’s commissary and in the field at events. Orozco believes that leadership and teamwork are a part of who he is and believes they play a key part in achieving success in the catering world.
Dish: Golden and red beet composed salad with goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette, garnished with microgreens.
Francesco Simone
Food and Beverage Director, City Cruises
Chef Francesco Simone is the Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director at City Cruises Chicago. He honed his culinary skills at the Illinois Institute of Art Culinary School and has been with the company since 2011. Known for his instinctive ability to craft menus that range from elevated gourmet to guest favorites, Chef Francesco is passionate about using fresh, seasonal ingredients. With a deep respect for culinary tradition and a creative approach to modern flavors, he is dedicated to delivering unforgettable dining experiences on the water.
Dish: Atlantic striped bass served atop Castelvetrano olives, herb couscous, asparagus and fines herb vinaigrette
Matt Jergens
Executive Chef, The Gwen
Inspired by his Midwest and New England upbringing, Executive Chef Matt Jergens brings a passion for innovative cuisine and years of experience to The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel. His love for cooking began early, shaped by the contrasting food cultures of Iowa and Boston. A graduate of Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, he refined his craft at The Liberty Hotel, earning five promotions in five years. Now at The Gwen, Chef Jergens leads a talented culinary team, creating vibrant, modern menus that embody the lively spirit of River North while remaining grounded in timeless techniques and classic flavors.
Dish: Garlic shrimp with Spanish chorizo, olive oil, chili, and lemon
Nick Landeweer
Executive Chef, Abbington Distinctive Banquets, Glen Ellyn
With an illustrious culinary career spanning decades, Chef Landeweer brings unparalleled expertise and a passion for excellence to his innovative and sophisticated cuisine. His culinary journey began in Chicago, where he trained under the legendary Michelin star chefs Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter’s and Jean Joho of the Everest during the 1980s and 1990s. Before making his mark at Allgauer’s at the Hilton in Naperville, Chef Landeweer honed his skills at the Hilton Chicago/Northbrook, where he developed a reputation for his exceptional culinary talent. Guests can now look forward to an elevated dining experience, with menu offerings that combine classic techniques with contemporary flair at Abbington Distinctive Banquets.
Dish: Grilled, French cut pork rib chop served with apple cranberry relish, roasted red potatoes and broccoli florets.
Ken Regan
Executive Chef, The Odyssey
Leading the innovative culinary team at The Odyssey is Executive Chef Kenneth Regan. A native of the south suburbs of Chicago, Ken brings a deep passion for seasonal and locally sourced ingredients to every dish he creates. He is dedicated to supporting local farmers and artisans by incorporating fresh, Midwest-grown produce, cheeses, and meats into his menus. Chef Regan draws inspiration from Midwest craftsmanship and is always in pursuit of the finest, freshest ingredients. “The goal is to cook as you would for family,” he says — a philosophy that resonates in every meal served at The Odyssey.
Dish: Midwest New York strip steak with roasted vegetables, creamy herb polenta, roasted mushrooms and kale.
Clinton Dew
Executive Chef, The Glen Club
Chef Clinton Dew began his culinary journey at Big Jones in Andersonville, training under the mentorship of three-time James Beard Award nominee, Chef Paul Fehribach. He then went on to become Sous Chef at White Oak Tavern and Inn, where his dedication and culinary talent quickly earned him a promotion to Executive Chef. With another harsh Chicago winter approaching, Dew returned to the south in 2017 as Executive Banquet Chef at The Olde Farm in Bristol, VA, managing large-scale events for up to 4,000 guests, including VIPs like Jack Nicklaus and Peyton Manning. After three years in the South, he made his way back to the Midwest to start a family, drawn to the region’s sense of home and balance. Today, Chef Dew blends Southern flair with Midwestern sensibility in every dish .
Dish: Filet Rossini: foie gras, sauce Périgueux, sauteed spinach and pomme puree
Hector De La Rosa
Executive Chef, Chicago Marriott Naperville
Originally from Jerez Zac, Mexico, Hector De La Rosa is a seasoned Executive Chef boasting more than 22 years of culinary expertise. Since 2017, Chef De La Rosa, affectionately known as “Chef Lobo,” has been an integral part of the culinary landscape at Chicago Marriott Naperville. Prior to this, he served as the Executive Sous Chef at The Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort. Renowned for his innovative approach to cuisine, Chef De La Rosa is celebrated as a visionary chef, well-versed in current food trends and renowned for his ability to craft menus that push boundaries. With an understanding of diverse ethnic and regional cuisines, he consistently delivers exceptional dining experiences. His strong personal work ethic and guest-driven focus on quality service results in mouth-watering flavors and meticulously crafted presentations.
Dish: Dried blend mushroom-crusted filet mignon served with roasted heirloom tomatoes, grilled local baby zucchini and French baby carrot, tricolor roasted fingerling potatoes and a fig balsamic glaze.
Alonso Beckford
Restaurant Chef, The Matrix Room & Meg’s Lounge
Chef Alonso Beckford was introduced to baking by his godmother, to whom he attributes his curiosity and deep interest in cooking. Originally from Jamaica, his family immigrated to New York, where he brought flavors from his Caribbean roots while exposing his culinary skills in French, Asian, Italian, Greek and American cuisines. Along with formal schooling at Johnson and Wales in Miami, Chef Alonso cut his teeth in kitchens in New York, Atlanta, Orlando and Chicago. His love for art, multi-culturalism, education in food nutrition and simply bringing folks together over a thoughtful meal is what Chef Alonso loves most. He is thrilled to bring his craft as the Restaurant Chef of The Matrix Room & Meg’s Lounge, presenting contemporary global cuisine and highlighting flavor profiles from around the world.
Dish: Corn and zucchini handvo with avocado, peach and corn relish.
Devinder Utpaul
Executive Chef, The Matrix Club
Executive Chef Devinder Utpaul leads the charge on the culinary front for diverse events and catering at The Matrix Club. Internationally trained with a mastery in global cuisine, Chef Devinder has more than 20 years of culinary and banquet experience — working for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in the British West Indies and Eastern Caribbean Islands, Marriott Hotels in Washington D.C. and New York City and Maurya Sheraton Hotels in New Delhi, India. The acclaimed chef has developed menus for Qatar Airlines and was part of the opening team for the Emirates Airlines catering service. Chef Devinder has created and presented his unique cuisine for dignitaries from around the world throughout his career.
Dish: Grilled filet mignon accompanied by honey-glazed seasonal vegetables, herb potatoes and a bordelaise sauce.
Tito Alvarado
Chef, Venuti’s Italian Restaurant and Banquets
Venuti’s Italian Restaurant and Banquets is proud to introduce its chef, Tito Alvarado. Chef Tito comes with 30 years of culinary experience and a background in Italian cuisine. Hailing from a small town in Ecuador, he grew up enamored by his father’s cooking and passion for Greek cuisine. Although Chef Tito loved his father’s cooking, his passion was in Italian cuisine, specifically old-world-style Italian food. After attending the New York Institute of Culinary Education, he started his career working at a Manhattan Italian restaurant under the guidance and mentorship of Chef Giovanni Trotony. There he learned the ins and outs of heritage Italian recipes and the secrets to some of the most famous Italian dishes in the world. He brings these secrets with him to Venuti’s, incorporating such flavors in both the restaurant and event catering menus while incorporating his own unique touches.
Dish: Chef Tito’s Special Surf and Turf: Lobster sauce smothered crabcake stuffed between two 6 oz. filet mignon medallions over a bed of risotto and topped with sauteed jumbo gulf shrimp.
