Sheffield's Owner Passes Away

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jan 18, 2011 5:25PM

We're stunned and saddened right now at the news that Sheffield's owner and Friend of Chicagoist Ric Hess passed away last night. Hess had a heart attack at the bar.

Hess was always accommodating with us whenever we needed time to speak to him for a story or to set up an event at his Lakeview bar. Whenever we did have the time to talk about matters beyond business, the conversation would occasionally veer off into beer, good barbecue and writing. Hess was an accomplished author and playwright and we shared an affinity for the work of John Irving, good beer, and what his kitchen staff was toying with in Sheffield's Southern Pride smoker. That barbecue is probably some of the most under-the-radar low & slow in the city. Hess installed his first Southern Pride smoker in his office, tweaking the bar's barbecue recipes until he got them just right.

Godspeed, Ric.