Gingie

Gingie, from Boka Restaurant Group, bring Brian Lockwood to River North | Eater Chicago

"Described by Boka as “combining thoughtful European techniques with Japanese-inspired flavors,” this River North restaurant is slated to debut in late summer at 701 N. Wells Street with chef-partner Brian Lockwood tapped to develop the menu. Lockwood’s resume includes stints at renowned restaurants including Thomas Keller’s the French Laundry and Eleven Madison Park, and the announcement also notes his work at NoMad in New York where he was chef de cuisine under the late James Kent. A Boulder, Colorado native, Lockwood’s real introduction to Chicago comes via The Bear: in January 2024 he spent a week training Jeremy Allen White in California for White’s role on the TV show, and, according to The Denver Post, former Eleven Madison Park co-owner Will Guidara helped Lockwood nail down the four-month consultant gig with the FX-produced TV show (Guidara is friends with Boka co-founder Kevin Boehm). It’s also notable that earlier in February, Boka helped bring Milk Bar, the esteemed bakery, to Chicago; Milk Bar’s founder, celebrity chef and author Christina Tosi, is married to Guidara. The menu will be split into three familiar sections — sharables, specialties, and pastas — with items like baked gnocchi with Wisconsin cheddar, summer truffle, and chive blossom, and Boka says the concept will serve a broad and accessible menu. Boka hopes customers will appreciate the kitchen techniques; an example is a scored eggplant dish that’s fried, brined, and poached after being filled with roasted garlic and burnt eggplant puree, plus pickled young ginger. Using a hearth, the eggplant is lightly grilled and topped with a grated egg yolk that’s been cured in miso and smoked. The space (previously a River North steakhouse that opened in 2016 and closed in December) will be remodeled, with interior designer Anna Filatov planning finishes like hand-carved oak trim and marble." - Ashok Selvam