BOKA Restaurant Group Celebrates Jacques Pépin

Stephanie Izard, James Beard “Best Chef: Great Lakes” recipient 2013 and 2011 Food & Wine “Best New Chef,” is the Executive Chef/Partner of four Chicago restaurants: Girl & the Goat, Little Goat, Duck Duck Goat, and Cabra, Girl & the Goat LA, and Valley Goat. Izard was also awarded the coveted title of “Iron Chef” after winning season one of Food Network’s Iron Chef Gauntlet. Additionally, Izard was the first woman to win Bravo’s Top Chef (season 4/2008) and is the only winner of the original version of the show to take the title of “Fan Favorite.”

A 2011 James Beard “Best New Restaurant” nominee, Girl & the Goat has been praised by high-profile publications such as Saveur, The New York Times, Food & Wine, Better Homes and Gardens, and others. Little Goat, Stephanie’s highly successful follow-up to Girl & the Goat, encompasses a diner, coffee shop, bakery, and bar. In March 2016, Stephanie opened her third restaurant, a Chinese inspired concept called Duck Duck Goat in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. In April 2019, Stephanie opened Cabra, where she showcases Peruvian-inspired cuisine. In 2021, Stephanie expanded to the West Coast, opening Girl & The Goat Los Angeles, followed by Cabra Los Angeles in 2022 and Valley Goat in 2025.

Izard’s first book, “Girl in the Kitchen,” was released in 2011 and her second book, “Gather & Graze,” was released in April 2018.

Growing up in a Japanese household in Charlotte, North Carolina, Kato learned to cook the foods so integral to his heritage and culture and is devoted to elevating Japanese cuisine while remaining authentically respectful of tradition.

Prior to becoming a Boka Restaurant group Chef/Partner, Kato owned and operated Sumi Robata, a beloved restaurant that brought Chicago the traditional takumi experience of grilling on a robata using sumi, a distinct Japanese white charcoal. He also had a tenure at the highly regarded restaurant, Ohba, as well as nine years working as Founding Chef and Partner of Japonais, launching the modern Japanese restaurant in Chicago, New York, and Las Vegas.

Kato was named Executive Chef Partner of Momotaro, Boka Restaurant Group’s modern, seasonal Japanese restaurant, located in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood in 2019. Since taking the helm, the restaurant has received a three-star review from Phil Vettel in the Chicago Tribune and has been lauded with both local and national praise. His purview encompasses The Izakaya, Momotaro’s basement level bar and restaurant, reminiscent of the Yokocho street scene of Tokyo, which was added to Chicago’s Michelin Guide in 2023. Gene debuted his latest restaurant in Lakeview’s Southport Corridor neighborhood this Spring. Itoko, which translates to “cousin” in Japanese, is inspired by its sister concepts in Fulton Market, and highlights Gene’s passion for traditional sushi and robata dishes.

An innovator of Japanese cuisine, Kato has twice been nominated for a James Beard Award (Best Chefs in America 2017, Best Chefs in America 2020), and is also the recipient of the Jean Banchet Award of Culinary Excellence.

Since opening The Bristol in 2008, Chef Chris Pandel has become known for some of Chicago’s most beloved neighborhood restaurants. Located in the Bucktown neighborhood, Pandel’s menu at The Bristol featured handmade pastas, charcuterie, farm-fresh and locally sourced produce, and a nose-to-tail approach to cooking.

In 2012, Pandel and Boka Restaurant Group opened Balena, an ode to Italian-inspired simplicity in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Its menu of handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, and local farm-fresh meats and produce earned Balena a James Beard semi-finalist nomination for “Best New Restaurant” in 2013 and was listed as one of the 50 “Best New Restaurants in America” by Bon Appetit. In 2015, along with Boka Restaurant Group and B. Hospitality Co., Pandel opened Swift & Sons, a retro-modern steakhouse that celebrates the history of Chicago’s meatpacking district. At Swift & Sons, Pandel brings his signature focus on high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and classic culinary techniques to a menu of reinvented steakhouse classics, thoughtful vegetarian dishes, and seasonal sides. Quickly rising to the top of the Chicago steakhouse scene, Swift & Sons was ranked #2 in Chicago Magazine’s 2017 list of the top 10 steakhouses in Chicago. Swift & Son’s Beef Wellington was also named one of 66 reasons “Why We Love Chicago” by Chicago Magazine in 2017. In December 2015, Pandel also opened Cold Storage, located adjacent to Swift & Sons. The casual seafood concept offers an approachable menu of fresh seafood, salads, and sandwiches, along with fish-friendly wines and a Chicago-centric beer selection.

With the development of The Hoxton, Chicago in 2019, Pandel opened Cira. It’s a warm and welcoming all-day restaurant celebrating the vibrant flavors of the 21 countries that touch the Mediterranean. Although often featured for brunch, Cira also boasts a lively lunch and dinner menu as well.

Building on the success of Swift & Sons steakhouse, Pandel translated the same caliber of food and hospitality to a more casual atmosphere at Swift Tavern. In 2025, he opened Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna in Chicago

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Lee Wolen decided to pursue a career in the kitchen when he was in high school. During his early career, Wolen worked as Sous Chef at Moto and Butter in Chicago before spending time in Europe at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and the famed El Bulli.

After his time in Europe, Wolen returned to the States and spent three years as Sous Chef at Eleven Madison Park in New York. During his tenure, Eleven Madison Park achieved The New York Times’ coveted four stars, earned multiple Michelin stars, and a Top Ten ranking in San Pellegrino’s “World’s 50 Best Restaurants.”

In 2012, Wolen returned to his midwestern roots, joining The Lobby at The Peninsula Chicago as Chef de Cuisine. Under Wolen, The Lobby received a five-star rating from Time Out Chicago, a four-star review from Chicago Magazine, three stars from the Chicago Tribune, and a Michelin star.

In 2014, Wolen joined Boka Restaurant as Executive Chef/Partner, where he was named “2014 Chef of the Year” by Chicago Tribune and Eater Chicago, one of Plate Magazine’s “30 Chefs to Watch,” and was nominated as a finalist for a James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Great Lakes” in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Boka was named semifinalist in the 2020 James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurant.” Boka has maintained a Michelin star from 2011 to 2023. In September of 2021, Wolen debuted Alla Vita, serving a menu of comfortable Italian cuisine in the West Loop. Just this year, he opened the first brick and mortar outpost of GG’s Chicken Shop in Southport Corridor. In 2025, Lee opened Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna in Chicago, followed by Elliott Aster in St. Petersburg, Florida.