Under normal circumstances you’ll see a few Jamaican touches on the menu too, such as Scotch bonnet peppers used at Travelle and Jamaican patties – which resemble spiced beef empanadas – served in the 12th floor club lounge.
“I believe luxury hospitality will bounce back better than ever before in Chicago,” Henry says. “Once we have control of the pandemic we will see a huge demand. The smaller mom-and-pop restaurants, around the city are sadly not in the same position.”
Henry predicts that luxury to-go menus will be here to stay, and some form of social distancing will linger when dining out.
“I get to do what I love to do every day and have the freedom to be creative, make decisions and inspire,” Henry says. “Then there’s the joy that I bring to everyone that enjoys my food. My food comes from the heart, you feel the love in every bite and that’s the only way I know how to do it.”
As an executive chef, Henry has learned how to delegate more duties and trust his team to deliver, all while coaching, training and supporting his team to accomplish goals.
Before moving to Chicago, Henry worked at the Four Seasons Miami, Four Seasons Hotel New York and Conrad Hotel in Battery Park. Over the course of his career, he says that he’s faced both direct and indirect discrimination as a Black chef, but he compartmentalizes it and uses it as a source of motivation to achieve more.