#SIGNATURE ROOM CHICAGO FULL#
#SIGNATURE ROOM CHICAGO FREE#

Outside of the restaurant, Reid enjoys spending time with his two children, exploring Chicago’s many parks and museums. Prior to becoming the Signature Room’s executive chef, Reid worked for two years as chef de cuisine.

During that time, he also had the opportunity to cook for Chicago Chefs de Cuisine Society’s “Les Amis Escoffier” Dinner 2006, and at the James Beard House in 2013, both under the direction of Executive Chef Patrick Sheerin. Reid participated in the restaurant’s chef exchange program, traveling to Osaka in 2005 as an ambassador of the Signature Room. He dedicated seven years in the catering department as assistant banquet chef and banquet sous chef, playing an instrumental role in planning and executing multiple-course wine dinners and cocktail receptions for up to 1,500 people. The self-taught chef mastered the skills of working in a fine-dining kitchen early on in his time at the restaurant, as he quickly ascended through the ranks after beginning work on the line in 2001. Growing up cooking alongside his mother in Jamaica, Reid brings in aspects of his upbringing to the Signature Room’s menu, notably his affinity for sustainable seafood. They really take care of me.” Since taking on the role of executive chef in January, 2014, Reid manages the entire back of the house, overseeing menu planning, food distribution, and supervising the kitchen and pasty departments. “It’s one of the many reasons why I have loved working at the Signature Room for so long.

#SIGNATURE ROOM CHICAGO FREE#

“It’s exciting to work somewhere that gives me free range to explore my cooking creativity,” he says. Reid credits the innovative nature of his contemporary American dishes to the autonomy encouraged at the Signature Room. The Signature Room veteran designs his menus around sustainable ingredients sourced from local purveyors and markets such as the Green City Market. But if you're looking for a world-class view to pair alongside a pour of bourbon, this spot should top your list.With 13 years of kitchen experience under his belt at The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center, Executive Chef Cardel Reid continues to prove his dedication to upholding the culinary legacy of the iconic Chicago restaurant. Many of them are understandably put off by the touristy vibe of this towering attraction. Signature Room at the 95th Restaurant Review: About the restaurant: You wont find better dining with a view in Chicago, save at Everest.

So be deliberate with your order, and don't expect special requests to be met with a warm welcome.Ī great after-dinner stop on date night, the Signature Lounge is criminally under-appreciated by Chicago cocktail lovers. It's a big space, and it's lightly staffed. You can fill up on duck nachos or the New York strip sandwich.Īs with many bars with views like this, service isn't exactly a hallmark of the presentation.

#SIGNATURE ROOM CHICAGO FULL#

The menu is full of snacks, but high end ones. A menu breaks them down by base spirit many skew sweet, so if you prefer things boozy, keep it classic with the signature Manhattan. But the Signature Room is also adept at cocktails. There are plenty of local suds on tap, including a gluten-free option and a wheat ale brewed specifically for this bar. Those last three words, 'perfectly acceptable cocktail' mean that the bar tends to appeal more to couples on dates than spirit geeks. Up here, two floors above, admittance is free to those who don't mind spending $18 on a perfectly acceptable cocktail. The observation deck costs $24, simply for entry. The room is dimly lit, minimizing the glare against the floor-to-ceiling windows.Īlthough the scene is peppered with tourists, savvy locals comes here to enjoy unrivaled views of their hometown. This is why you're here: to gaze out over the Windy City where it meets Lake Michigan, a thousand feet below. You've just walked in: What's your first impression?Īt The Signature Room at the 95th (on the 95th floor of 875 Michigan Avenue), the elevator doors open to reveal the magnificent Chicago skyline, unfurling into the distant horizon.

Signature room chicago