May 16, 2017

Meet Craig Fass of The Bad Apple in North Center and Lincoln Square

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Craig Fass.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Craig. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My culinary adventure began in 1990 at the age of 16. I was immediately drawn to the fast paced environment of working with a team which reminds me of all the organized sports I had played growing up. Even though my skills were terrible and I was thrown off the quite a few times, I kept going back for more punishment. While my high school friends were off doing what they did, I was being demeaned and chased off the line by grizzled men who could care less about me or my feelings. I had found the greatest place on earth.

I fought hard to not be a cook. I went to college and got a degree, but continued working in kitchens to put me through school. I never thought this would be my career. I had other plans and while I was studying history at school, two of my buddies and me created the game which would become known as the 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon. This game would put me on a path I had never dreamed of filled with travel and TV appearances and radio interviews with all sorts of people. Various other opportunities presented themselves, so I put my “regular” life on hold for a brief period to see where the game would take me. All the while I kept jobs in various kitchens to help pay my way. I learned the valuable lesson that there is not a lot of money to be made from cult verbal parlor games. But, what a fun ride.

When all the dust settled I found myself a year into grad school and cooking at a country club in north Jersey. I decided to pick one of these two paths full time for a year to see which direction my life would go. Naturally, I chose the easy and stress free life of being a cook. Moving into NYC as a cook didn’t seem feasible so I needed a change of scenery. I decided on LA or Chicago. I had friends and family in LA and someone suggested I may like Chicago. So, I booked a trip to check both cities out. I grew up in the cold and was craving sunshine and the beach, so my Chicago leg was just an excuse to visit a city I knew almost nothing about. I landed on a freezing cold January day. Something about seeing the city right on the lake that struck me immediately. I think I fell in love at first sight. The wind was blowing giant snowflakes parallel to the ground and I found myself in a random bar drinking beers and meeting the nicest people. I was on the ground for 3 hours before I was convinced. I cancelled the rest of my trip to LA because I knew I would be moving to The Windy City.

In April of 2000 I packed up my stuff and left NJ to give the Midwestern city life a try. It took me 2 months to land the job I wanted. It didn’t pay well financially but I was learning a lot. And I had the opportunity to work with an amazing line crew. After my year was up I needed a change of pace so I left the kitchen to work in the front of the house. Even though the money was great, I knew I needed to return to my passion: kitchen work.

I was fortunate enough to land a job and learn under Chef Dominique Tougne in downtown Chicago. Chef Tougne had been a sous chef in France for one of the most renowned chef’s in the world. To be able to pick his brain and watch him work for a few years was the greatest gift. Chef Tougne reinstalled my belief in how a kitchen and restaurant should be run.

When the opportunity to open my own spot presented itself, I jumped at it. We opened a little neighborhood spot named Menagerie. Within our first year we were named Chicago Magazine and Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurant. Even though we garnered critical acclaim, it was hard to fill the seats. After several years of struggling we decided to switch gears and change the location to a BBQ and Beer-centric eatery named Cooper’s. A few years later we sold Cooper’s and took a little time to recharge our batteries.

In 2009 we found the perfect location for what the neighborhood needed and opened The Bad Apple. The Bad Apple is a neighborhood spot that focuses on craft product. We know our farmers and brewers. We are connected to our fellow bars, shops, boutiques, restaurants and businesses. We have a drive to give the customer a one of a kind experience without breaking the bank.

I am a lucky person and often feel as if I won the lottery. I have been cooking for 27 years and I still love working the line with my crew. I get to work with an amazing team, to cook great food supplied by hard working and honest people to the best families and friends we have gotten to know as our customers.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth Road? Where IS the road?

Owning a restaurant is like juggling an entire circus (tents, clowns, rides etc.) while someone is tossing in various items like feral cats and flaming swords. As soon as you think things are running smoothly the restaurant gods throw you a new curveball to figure out how to catch or dodge.

During our first stint as restaurant owners we had a small neighborhood spot with upscale food at affordable prices. It was a constant struggle to make ends meet, keep employees happy and customers coming in the door. Every time things seemed to start going well, someone would quit, a piece of equipment would explode, or a delivery would fail to show up. We were awarded a few nice accolades and were very proud of what we had done. However, when only a few people come in to eat on Wednesday, it is hard to feel as if you are crushing it. The struggle is constant.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Bad Apple serves hand crafted food in a comfortable neighborhood setting with a large craft beer selection and thoughtfully creative cocktails.

We are known for a fresh take on bar food. Everything is made in house from our various pickles down to the ketchup and dry- cured and other encased meats. We also go through a ton of potatoes a week for our French fries. However, we are most well-known for our burgers. We created a one of a kind blend of free range beef with Pat LaFrieda. The meat is unlike any other – designed to taste like a steak. This food is served with some of the best craft beers on the planet – 25 taps and over 200 bottles guarantees you will find a beer to suit your style.

With all of that being said, I do believe what sets us apart from every other restaurant is our staff and service. We couldn’t do this alone and behind any good restaurant is a staff of people working together. With a team approach to service. Anyone who is working is there to help you enjoy your experience, an entire team of service industry professionals wanting to take care of you.

What were you like growing up?
I was always a talkative social person. And, I played a lot of sports. So, I was involved with my community at an early age. I think it was my love for sports and the team aspect of things which drove me to cooking and working in a restaurant.

Contact Info: