Today we’d like to introduce you to Emmanuel Nony.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in the French countryside, raised by parents who were true bon vivants and passed on their love of food and entertaining to me. I fondly remember accompanying them to the open-air markets and dairy farms for groceries, experiences that proudly influenced my palate and showed me the importance of seasonally fresh food. After attending culinary school, I realized I enjoyed being in the front of the house as opposed to the kitchen, so I set my sights on restaurant management.
I moved to Orlando, FL and started working at Chefs de France, a joint venture between celebrity chefs Paul Bocuse, Roger Verge, and the Walt Disney Company. After that, I moved to Hyatt International, a company I worked with for 16 years. There, I oversaw the food and beverage operations while tending to an elite clientele at several of Hyatt’s luxury properties, including the U.N. Plaza Park Hyatt in New York City, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Grand Hyatt Seoul, and Japan’s Hyatt Regency Fukuoka. In 1996, I took a new role within Hyatt International in Tokyo and managed its multimillion-dollar food and beverage operations. I returned to the US to help open the Park Hyatt Chicago and its restaurant, NoMI. Having fallen in love with the city, I decided to put down roots in Chicago and set to work realizing my lifelong dream of launching my first independent venture, Sepia.
I opened Sepia in 2007, restoring a print shop from 1890 to be the restaurant I’d always envisioned. Since launching Sepia, Chef Andrew Zimmerman and I have seen incredible achievements including a Michelin star since the guide’s first Chicago edition in 2011, James Beard Foundation nominations in 2012, for “Best Chef: Great Lakes” and “Outstanding Wine Program,” and the title of “Restaurant of the Year” at the 2012 Jean Banchet Awards. We have been humbled and honored by all of this praise and I credit out a fantastic team for getting us to where we are today.
In 2017, Chef Zimmerman and I launched Proxi, a more casual, globally-inspired restaurant next door to Sepia and Private Dining by Sepia. Opening something that’s so different in look and vibe was really fun and challenging and the rewards have been huge. We have loved growing our team and look forward to many more exciting creative projects ahead.
Has it been a smooth road?
There are many every-day obstacles when running 2 restaurants, but you learn to go with the flow and build up your team in order to help with those challenges. I would say the biggest hurdle was opening a second restaurant. We wanted to make sure that everything was just right, after having had so much success with Sepia. We spent many years honing in on the concept and design and worked hard to find a team who shared our vision. It’s been incredibly rewarding.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Proxi and Sepia (two businesses) story. Tell us more about the business.
I am the owner and managing partner of both Sepia and Proxi. My role includes a number of tasks, but mainly, I’m responsible for making sure both restaurants are running smoothly, that guests are having an incredible experience, and that our team is happy. Chicago has a huge and bustling restaurant scene, so it’s important to really determine what makes your special and capitalize on those strengths. For us, I think it’s the attention to detail. Our kitchens produce impeccable dishes and both restaurants are designed to be beautiful yet comfortable spaces. Everything from the temperature of the wine, to the floral arrangements, to the music playing, has been meticulously planned out by us and I believe that’s what gives up the leg up on our competition.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The restaurant industry is in a very important transition right now. I think we’ll see more diversity in the workplace and hopefully more acceptance for everyone. Technology will continue to evolve and make us operators more efficient and have better controls of our operations.
Contact Info:
- Address: Sepia – 123 N Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60661
Proxi – 565 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661 - Website: www.sepiachicago.com
- Phone: (312) 441-1920
- Email: emmanuel@sepiachicago.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sepiachicago/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SepiaChicago/
Image Credit:
Interiors – David Burke, food – Paul Strabbing, headshots – David Turner
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