SARAH STEGNER Co-Chef/Owner, Prairie Grass Cafe
In
spite of her award-winning history, Chef Sarah Stegner is modest in the
way she approaches her life as a chef, she's an easy person to embrace,
and so likeable you just want to cheer her on. As she embarks on her
new venture with co-chef, partner and friend George Bumbaris, she
exudes her pride and excitement with a grin and a gleam in her eyes.
spite of her award-winning history, Chef Sarah Stegner is modest in the
way she approaches her life as a chef, she's an easy person to embrace,
and so likeable you just want to cheer her on. As she embarks on her
new venture with co-chef, partner and friend George Bumbaris, she
exudes her pride and excitement with a grin and a gleam in her eyes.
"I
was at the Ritz-Carlton for so long it felt like family, not a job,"
says two-time James Beard award-winning Stegner. Leaving, with George,
to open Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook, Illinois seems so natural,
she says. "Working with George means cooking with my friend, and I'm
thrilled that we will keep working together in this exciting new
venture. He is so talented and so smart."
was at the Ritz-Carlton for so long it felt like family, not a job,"
says two-time James Beard award-winning Stegner. Leaving, with George,
to open Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook, Illinois seems so natural,
she says. "Working with George means cooking with my friend, and I'm
thrilled that we will keep working together in this exciting new
venture. He is so talented and so smart."
With
the launch of Prairie Grass Cafe, Stegner and Bumbaris have taken a
decidedly personal approach. "Our goal is to bring the culinary
technique that we mastered in the world of fine dining to the more
accessible level of casual dining. We will create familiar dishes that
are delicious because we will use the best ingredients and employ the
skill we have developed over the years."
the launch of Prairie Grass Cafe, Stegner and Bumbaris have taken a
decidedly personal approach. "Our goal is to bring the culinary
technique that we mastered in the world of fine dining to the more
accessible level of casual dining. We will create familiar dishes that
are delicious because we will use the best ingredients and employ the
skill we have developed over the years."
Stegner
is thrilled at the great sense of freedom she is experiencing in
putting together the restaurant. "We were ready to do this... this is
the right thing to do at this point in our careers. We are happy with
the location; we are in the right spot with the right people."
is thrilled at the great sense of freedom she is experiencing in
putting together the restaurant. "We were ready to do this... this is
the right thing to do at this point in our careers. We are happy with
the location; we are in the right spot with the right people."
The
right people include hotel and restaurant industry veteran and husband
Rohit Nambiar, who will be managing front of the house operations and
Stegner's mother, Elizabeth Stegner. Elizabeth will be in the kitchen
teamed with daughter Sarah, baking her "transcendent" homemade pies
that make the dessert menu something truly special.
right people include hotel and restaurant industry veteran and husband
Rohit Nambiar, who will be managing front of the house operations and
Stegner's mother, Elizabeth Stegner. Elizabeth will be in the kitchen
teamed with daughter Sarah, baking her "transcendent" homemade pies
that make the dessert menu something truly special.
Having
the right team is only part of a winning equation that ensures this
venture to be a safe bet. "It's all about the quality of the
product-its freshness, its flavor and the care by which it has been
handled," she says. It isn't surprising that Stegner puts the
ingredients first. She will talk about her [exceptional] technique when
prompted, but she truly believes that it is her attention to quality
and local, fresh ingredients that has provided the springboard for her
success.
the right team is only part of a winning equation that ensures this
venture to be a safe bet. "It's all about the quality of the
product-its freshness, its flavor and the care by which it has been
handled," she says. It isn't surprising that Stegner puts the
ingredients first. She will talk about her [exceptional] technique when
prompted, but she truly believes that it is her attention to quality
and local, fresh ingredients that has provided the springboard for her
success.
She
is doing what she truly loves to do and over the years she has
transformed a childhood filled with loving cooking memories into a very
personal culinary mission that is honest and pure, yet far from
simplistic.
is doing what she truly loves to do and over the years she has
transformed a childhood filled with loving cooking memories into a very
personal culinary mission that is honest and pure, yet far from
simplistic.
"My
approach to ingredients developed over a long, slow process," Sarah
says. "When I started out as a chef, I knew that the best, freshest
flavors came from ingredients produced by local farmers. But I couldn't
find farm contacts easily, so my friends in the business helped
introduce me to some of them. What a joy! The farmers turned out to be
passionate about what they were doing and very perceptive when it comes
to what quality means. I began to establish wonderful working
relationships with these producers and the momentum grew from there."
Stegner continues to incorporate fresh, seasonal produce from small,
regional family farms into her menus at Prairie Grass Cafe.
approach to ingredients developed over a long, slow process," Sarah
says. "When I started out as a chef, I knew that the best, freshest
flavors came from ingredients produced by local farmers. But I couldn't
find farm contacts easily, so my friends in the business helped
introduce me to some of them. What a joy! The farmers turned out to be
passionate about what they were doing and very perceptive when it comes
to what quality means. I began to establish wonderful working
relationships with these producers and the momentum grew from there."
Stegner continues to incorporate fresh, seasonal produce from small,
regional family farms into her menus at Prairie Grass Cafe.
While
Prairie Grass Cafe is clearly more casual than the superlative fine
dining style that defined their efforts at the Ritz-Carlton, Stegner
and Bumbaris bring the same exceptional technique and flavor
sensitivity to the menu of the new restaurant. "George and I are
creating an atmosphere that is very personal, both in the dining room
and in the kitchen. We love passing our skills and techniques along to
our staff and sharing our ideas with our customers."
Prairie Grass Cafe is clearly more casual than the superlative fine
dining style that defined their efforts at the Ritz-Carlton, Stegner
and Bumbaris bring the same exceptional technique and flavor
sensitivity to the menu of the new restaurant. "George and I are
creating an atmosphere that is very personal, both in the dining room
and in the kitchen. We love passing our skills and techniques along to
our staff and sharing our ideas with our customers."
Stegner's
culinary résumé makes her one of America's most respected chefs. Her
rise to fame began in 1994 when she was named the James Beard
Foundation's Rising Star Chef. This was an award of national importance
and while it gave Stegner great prestige, it did not affect the warm
and very personal way in which she approaches cooking.
culinary résumé makes her one of America's most respected chefs. Her
rise to fame began in 1994 when she was named the James Beard
Foundation's Rising Star Chef. This was an award of national importance
and while it gave Stegner great prestige, it did not affect the warm
and very personal way in which she approaches cooking.
The
Evanston, Illinois, native grew up in a family devoted to food. Her
grandmother was a caterer "before women did those kinds of things," and
the table was the center of the family and where Stegner's passion for
food emerged. "My mother was a huge inspiration," Stegner recalls. "As
I was growing up, we spent many wonderful hours in the kitchen cooking
together."
Evanston, Illinois, native grew up in a family devoted to food. Her
grandmother was a caterer "before women did those kinds of things," and
the table was the center of the family and where Stegner's passion for
food emerged. "My mother was a huge inspiration," Stegner recalls. "As
I was growing up, we spent many wonderful hours in the kitchen cooking
together."
From
the beginning, Stegner was creative. She spent a year studying
classical guitar at Northwestern University, and then followed her
heart and enrolled at the Dumas Pere Cooking School in Glencoe, which
at the time was one of the few professional culinary schools in the
Chicago area. She graduated with a chef's certificate one year later
and was hired as an apprentice at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Chicago, under
the guiding hands of executive chef Fernand Gutierrez.
the beginning, Stegner was creative. She spent a year studying
classical guitar at Northwestern University, and then followed her
heart and enrolled at the Dumas Pere Cooking School in Glencoe, which
at the time was one of the few professional culinary schools in the
Chicago area. She graduated with a chef's certificate one year later
and was hired as an apprentice at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Chicago, under
the guiding hands of executive chef Fernand Gutierrez.
Later
she worked with the hotel's executive chef George Bumbaris, and they
established a friendship and a professional camaraderie that has stayed
strong for twenty years. They both remained at the Ritz-Carlton
throughout the years and developed stellar careers.
she worked with the hotel's executive chef George Bumbaris, and they
established a friendship and a professional camaraderie that has stayed
strong for twenty years. They both remained at the Ritz-Carlton
throughout the years and developed stellar careers.
Over
the years, Stegner received numerous accolades that built her
reputation and that of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton. She was
competitive early. In 1990 she represented the United States in the
prestigious Prix Culinaire Internationnal Pierre Taittinger, a
multinational cooking competition. She was the only woman to compete;
she placed fifth. The recognition began in earnest in 1994 when she
received the Rising Star Chef of the Year award from the James Beard
Foundation. In 1995 she received the Robert Mondavi Culinary Award Of
Excellence. In 1996, 1997 and 1998 she was nominated for Best Chef:
Midwest by the James Beard Foundation, winning the prestigious award in
1998.
the years, Stegner received numerous accolades that built her
reputation and that of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton. She was
competitive early. In 1990 she represented the United States in the
prestigious Prix Culinaire Internationnal Pierre Taittinger, a
multinational cooking competition. She was the only woman to compete;
she placed fifth. The recognition began in earnest in 1994 when she
received the Rising Star Chef of the Year award from the James Beard
Foundation. In 1995 she received the Robert Mondavi Culinary Award Of
Excellence. In 1996, 1997 and 1998 she was nominated for Best Chef:
Midwest by the James Beard Foundation, winning the prestigious award in
1998.
Meanwhile
the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton earned constant praise throughout
the industry. In 2000, Wine Spectator called the Dining Room "One of
the Top 20 Restaurants In America." Also in 2000, Condé Nast Traveler
magazine named the restaurant the "Second Best Hotel Dining Room in the
World." In 2002 and 2003, Food & Wine magazine named the Dining
Room "One Of The Top 50 Hotel Restaurants In America."
the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton earned constant praise throughout
the industry. In 2000, Wine Spectator called the Dining Room "One of
the Top 20 Restaurants In America." Also in 2000, Condé Nast Traveler
magazine named the restaurant the "Second Best Hotel Dining Room in the
World." In 2002 and 2003, Food & Wine magazine named the Dining
Room "One Of The Top 50 Hotel Restaurants In America."
Local
critics were equally enthusiastic. The Dining Room received a rare
4-star rating from Chicago Magazine, which also named the Dining Room
the "Best Hotel Restaurant in Chicago in 2003." The Chicago Tribune
also gave the restaurant four stars.
critics were equally enthusiastic. The Dining Room received a rare
4-star rating from Chicago Magazine, which also named the Dining Room
the "Best Hotel Restaurant in Chicago in 2003." The Chicago Tribune
also gave the restaurant four stars.
While
she certainly enjoyed the recognition, Stegner continued to stay
focused on her main culinary mission: cooking with the best seasonal
ingredients she could find. She accelerated her search for locally
produced ingredients. In 1999 she joined Chicago food writer Abby
Mandel and a small group of Chicago's top chefs to form Chicago's Green
City Market, a weekly venue for Midwest sustainable farmers who produce
freshly picked fruits and vegetables, meats, artisan cheeses and many
other top-quality ingredients. Green City Market has become an
important Chicago institution, and Stegner continues to serve on its
board of directors.
she certainly enjoyed the recognition, Stegner continued to stay
focused on her main culinary mission: cooking with the best seasonal
ingredients she could find. She accelerated her search for locally
produced ingredients. In 1999 she joined Chicago food writer Abby
Mandel and a small group of Chicago's top chefs to form Chicago's Green
City Market, a weekly venue for Midwest sustainable farmers who produce
freshly picked fruits and vegetables, meats, artisan cheeses and many
other top-quality ingredients. Green City Market has become an
important Chicago institution, and Stegner continues to serve on its
board of directors.
"It's
time to have fun! My only hope is that I continue to produce something
that I am proud of," she says, with characteristic modesty. Her excited
grin and that gleam in her eye tell us that Prairie Grass Cafe is going
to be her personal pride and joy for a long time to come.
time to have fun! My only hope is that I continue to produce something
that I am proud of," she says, with characteristic modesty. Her excited
grin and that gleam in her eye tell us that Prairie Grass Cafe is going
to be her personal pride and joy for a long time to come.
