A decade ago, Jason Vincent and Josh Perlman opened the Giant, a delectable gastropub in Logan Square. Contrary to its name, the Giant is intimate and hosts a small number of patrons. Slightly larger and home to different cuisine is Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar, which Jason and Josh opened together with two new partners, Chase Bracamontes and Aaron Kabot, in 2020, just weeks before Chicago, and the rest of the world, went into quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar is located in Wicker Park and offers incredibly flavorful Chinese food. The interior space is colorful and vibrant, drawing a parallel to the mouthwatering dishes and the array of savory cocktails offered. Below, Chase and Aaron walk us through the concept and design behind Chef’s Special, how the restaurant has changed throughout the years, and more.
What inspired the concept behind Chef's Special?
The concept was actually crafted by our partners over at Giant, but when they looped us into the idea we were extremely excited to be a part of it. All four owners, including myself, grew up in Jewish homes with a loving reverence for eating Chinese food with our families. Chinese food gives us a feeling of comfort that few other cuisines can provide. The goal was to create a space that felt layered over time with the approachability of a bar and delicious Chinese-American classics that offer that feeling of comfort.
How would you describe the food, atmosphere, and overall experience you want guests to have?
I think Chef’s Special is easy to enjoy. It’s a low-pressure atmosphere where you can walk-in to the bar on a whim or book out weeks in advance for a special occasion. The atmosphere is stylish but welcoming at the same time. As I mentioned above, we serve comfort food; whether it feels nostalgic or not, it is satisfying and fun to share. The drinks are meant to complement the bold flavors of our food with tropical and herbal contrasts.
Has the Chicago community influenced the restaurant in any way?
If you are not being influenced by the community of Chicago, then I don't think your restaurant is going to make it. If you set out to create a space for people to enjoy outside their homes, you need to have your finger on the pulse for what people like, want, and need that they can’t get at home. For us, we offer something we know Chicagoans love, which is big flavors and classic dishes executed well in a no-bullshit (yet still stylish) atmosphere. For us, those classics are the Americanized version of Chinese food that has developed over the last 100+ years. We also feel grateful that Chicago has such an incredible Chinatown and regional cuisines around the city to enjoy when you want authentic Chinese home cooking. Although our style of cooking is not one of our own cultural background, we are continually inspired by the history and variety of delicious Chinese food that we are so lucky to have access to in Chicago.
What's one thing about Chef's Special that guests might not notice right away, but you're proud of?
We are very considerate when creating policies or protocol for the restaurant. This can be hard to manage and sometimes hard to train because you want to be consistent but also give individual situations fresh eyes. I think the extra time we take to discuss how to operate and run the business is one of our strengths, and also helps us cultivate an internal culture with the staff we are proud of.
How has the bar evolved since it first opened?
We opened six weeks before lockdown in 2020, so we went through a lot of different phases before we started to feel grounded with knowing what we were as a restaurant and neighborhood space. That evolution was tiring but taught us a lot about ourselves and how we want to run a professional business, yet maintain a beating heart to it. We’ve gotten better at finding that balance between knowing when to invest ourselves personally and knowing when to use a more objective lens.
Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar is located at 2165 N Western Ave. In addition to the Giant, which is located at 3209 W Armitage Ave, Pizza Matta is also a part of the group and located at 3211 W Armitage Ave.
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