2025 will be a busy year for Jenner Tomaska, best known as the chef behind Michelin-starred Esme. Earlier in January, Tomaska announced he was opening a Gold Coast steakhouse, the Alston, a collaboration with Fifty/50 Restaurant Group. On the heels of that news, Tomaska and wife Katrina Bravo say they’re working on a French restaurant inside a new Old Town apartment tower.
Petite Edith is named for Bravo’s mother (“Edith” is her middle name), and the restaurant should open in October at 868 N. Wells Street. Tomaska looks forward to showcasing his unique style of cooking in a less formal setting. He’s also relishing the opportunity to serve more customers in a larger dining room compared to the spaced-out confines of Esme’s fine dining sanctuary in Lincoln Park.
The restaurant will be located inside a 27-story luxury apartment tower built in July 2024.
“I’ve always wanted to open a bistro,” Tomaska says.
French cooking remains Tomaska’s favorite, but the acclaimed chef warns that Petite Edith will serve the unexpected: “It’s not going to be your typical steak frites and escargot,” he says. “It’s going to be a Midwest bistro.”
So what does that mean? Many times, Midwest cooking is a stand-in for nostalgic Americana — vintage diners and the ‘50s and ‘60s. Anyone who’s tasted Tomaska’s creative cooking knows that’s not his goal. Expect lots of seafood in a modern bistro setting with an emphasis on local produce. It sounds similar to the approach Joe Frillman and company have taken with Daisies, where Italian food gets the Midwest treatment. At Petite Edith, diners should be able to enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in a comfortable setting. Don’t expect red leather and dark woods, Tomaska says, this will be an eclectic space. Plans call for 80 seats and big garage doors that will swing out to reveal a patio.
Tomaska and Bravo are working to open several projects. While the Alston — slated for a late spring debut — represents a partnership, Petite Edith and Byrdie’s — a restaurant that opened last year in Louisville — are part of the couple’s plan to expand and form a hospitality group. Tomaska was a finalist in 2024 for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes for his work at Esme.
Petite Edith, 868 N. Wells Street, planned for an October opening
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