Native Chicagoan Todd Richards became the Seelbach Hilton Hotel’s executive chef in January 2004. He says he wasn’t nervous about running the hotel’s AAA Five Diamond restaurant, The Oakroom, because he’d prepped for the job at the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons Hotels in
When did you start cooking? At 13. My mother passed away. My dad cooked, but he worked overnight. We entertained a lot and always had over family.
Did that shape your culinary philosophy? Yes, I believe that we don’t just feed people; we entertain them.
Give us a sneak peek of what will appear on the Oakroom menu this fall. Lamb. They’re coming to market early this year. We’re also working with shrimp and scallops.
What are your favorite ingredients? I couldn’t live without thyme, onions, garlic, olive oil, soy sauce and, of course, Kentucky bourbon. It’s not just the bourbon, but the by-products too. We use the barrels for smoking.
You recently participated in an episode of the Food Network’s Iron Chef television program. What was that like? Surreal. We had about two weeks to prepare, and I had gall bladder surgery during that time. The guys came down to the hospital and we went through our notes. But we work through pain all the time. People think we’re crazy. Cooking is very much a sport and food is an obsession. Cooking is the vehicle we use to produce our obsession.
And what would your staff be surprised to learn about you? I was a lifeguard in high school.
