Celeb Chef Graham Elliot Teams With Matthias Merges For New West Loop Spot

By Stephen Gossett in Food on Sep 5, 2017 8:40PM

One of Chicago's most prominent celebrity chefs is finally heading back to some familiar digs, and he's taking another famous culinary face with him. Graham Elliot confirmed on Tuesday that he's teaming up with Matthias Merges on a new restaurant, called Gideon Sweet, which will take up shop at the former Graham Elliot Bistro location (841 W. Randolph St.), in the West Loop.

"Psyched to be working with my mentor Matthias Merges again!" wrote Elliot on Twitter. "Gideon Sweet opening this fall in former" bistro space. The two came up working together at the famed Charlie Trotter's.

With his signature specs, love of emo, multiple James Beard Award nods, profile-boosting stint at MasterChef cohost, and the now-shuttered concepts that bore his name, Elliot remains one of the city's most notable chefs. But he's been noticeably absent from the limelight since Graham Elliot Bristro closed for good in August of 2016. It'll be great for the West Loop and the Chicago dining scene in general to have him back involved in a restaurant.

Elliot will help create the menu at Gideon Sweet, which includes everything from pastry with salmon mousse to Thai curry, according to Eater. The restaurant will also feature revamped patio seating and vintage spirits for cocktails, the site reports. Merges—well known for restaurants like A10 and bars such as Billy Sunday—said that Elliot owns a portion of the venture, but it wasn't clear how much.

However it shakes out, Graham Elliot will be back on Restaurant Row—and that's comforting to know.