Take everything that connotes Midwestern charm—effusive goodwill, love of community, and a steadfast work ethic—and you will find its embodiment in Chef Chris Pandel, chef/partner of Swift & Sons, Cold Storage, Dutch & Doc’s, and newly opened Cira. His food is just as appealing: rooted in classic French technique and predominantly local Midwestern ingredients, Pandel’s cooking is rustic, yet refined.

In 2008, Pandel opened neighborhood eatery, The Bristol. Located in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, Pandel’s menu centered around handmade pastas and charcuterie; farm-fresh, locally sourced produce; and a nose-to-tail approach to cooking. James Beard Nominee, Balena, an ode to Italian influenced simplicity, opened in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood in March of 2012, with a menu consisting of handmade pastas; pizzas from the wood-fire oven; and locally sourced, farm-fresh meats and produce.

Pandel then opened Formento’s on Chicago’s West Loop “Restaurant Row” in January 2015. Formento’s is an Italian-American heritage restaurant with warm hospitality and polished service, reminiscent of a 1950’s “red sauce joint,” featuring classic Italian-American fare grounded in tradition.

In October 2015 Pandel, along with Boka Restaurant Group and B. Hospitality Co. opened Swift  & Sons, a retro modern steakhouse that celebrates the history of Chicago’s meatpacking district. At Swift & Sons, Pandel provides the restaurant with his signature focus on high quality, locally sourced ingredients and classic cooking techniques presenting a menu of reinvented steakhouse classics, “boutique beef,” thoughtful vegetarian dishes and seasonal sides. Pandel then opened Cold Storage, located adjacent to Swift & Sons, in December 2015. The casual seafood concept offers an approachable menu of fresh seafood, salads, and sandwiches. He then went uptown to open Dutch & Doc’s in 2018 – a casual, brasserie-style restaurant in Chicago’s Lakeview – a mere 500 feet from Wrigley Field’s home plate.

Pandel’s most recent endeavor, Cira, is a modern Mediterranean restaurant in partnership with The Hoxton, Chicago. Located on the hotel’s ground floor, Cira is an all-day eatery, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. The menu largely consists of small, shareable plates, inspired by the countries that make up the Mediterranean Basin and their symbiosis over the years. Pandel shares his time overseeing the kitchens and culinary concepts at Swift & Sons, Cold Storage, Dutch & Docs, and Cira.