Member’s solely membership and Willis Tower resident, The Metroplitan, has been serving up steakhouse fare and craft cocktails at its restaurant, Craftsman, for 50 years. On the helm of operations for the 50 12 months celebration is Director of Meals and Beverage, Dominique LeBlanc Beers, an trade veteran and feminine chief in a male-dominated subject. We not too long ago chatted tableside about what it is like to steer the historic mainstay into the following half century and the way The Metropolitan might be honoring the milestone.
CFM: What does it imply to you to be a feminine chief in a male-dominated trade?
DLB: Within the 20+ years since I’ve been working professionally in kitchens and eating places, being a feminine within the trade isn’t as difficult for individuals to grasp as of late. Years in the past, I might often be requested questions like “the place is the chef?” whereas sporting a coat that claims Government Chef, or those that hadn’t met me in particular person would routinely assume I used to be a person and handle me that method in emails or calls. In the end, I discover that if you happen to work laborious and deal with the staff proper, they are going to respect you as a frontrunner whether or not feminine or male.
CFM: Your menus at Craftsman rotate seasonally, what are some prerequisites for present and potential members to bask in earlier than the menu modifications within the Fall?
DLB: We’re presently that includes Latin-inspired picks for the Summer time. You can find objects like selfmade oxtail empanadas, mole hen and a vegan hearts of palm ceviche. For a cool Summer time cocktail, we’ve a drink referred to as Purple Line Specific with Empress Indigo Gin, fig easy syrup, lavender, and glowing wine. Good for a scorching Summer time day!
CFM: The Metropolitan is celebrating 50 years in 2024, are you able to give us some culinary highlights from the previous half century?
DLB: Over the previous 5 a long time, The Metropolitan has at all times featured a mix of traditional dishes and fashionable developments. Lobster Bisque is likely one of the mainstay staples that has nearly at all times been on the menu and our Members come again for time and time once more! One of many first occasions on the Membership was a Bourgogne Wine Dinner that includes three wines, Beef Bourguingnon, Salsify au Beuerre Noisette and Crepes Suzette for less than $14! Plenty of the highlights over the previous half century would come with tableside shows of dishes like dover sole, bananas foster, and steak Diane.
CFM: What’s Craftsman and The Metropolitan doing in honor of its fiftieth anniversary?
DLB: The Metropolitan might be internet hosting a fiftieth Anniversary Gala on October 3, the place we are going to honor the previous 5 a long time by means of meals, drinks, music and leisure. Main as much as the Gala, we’ve been that includes an array of culinary picks that had been as soon as provided within the early years of the Membership. Presently we’re highlighting Oysters Rockefeller, Sole Meunier, and Crème Brulee. The Membership additionally labored with Hillrock Distillery to do a barrel choice and personal bottling of their Solera Aged Bourbon.
CFM: The place do you see The Metropolitan within the subsequent 50 years?
DLB: The Metropolitan will stay as one of many preeminent Enterprise & Social Golf equipment in Chicago. Our longstanding philosophy of constructing relationships and enriching lives will proceed for many years to return as we honor our previous whereas ever-evolving to serve our members and their fashionable wants.
CFM: Inform us concerning the Frank Lloyd Wright inspiration for Craftsman.
DLB: When the Membership was renovated in 2018, the house was re-imagined creating the open house design Frank Lloyd Wright was well-known for. Greater ceilings with black uncovered metal beams additionally pay tribute to the outside of The Willis Tower.
CFM: What’s your favourite half about residing and dealing in such a culinary mecca like Chicago?
DLB: So many issues! It by no means will get previous working in probably the most iconic constructing in Chicago with breathtaking 360 views of Lake Michigan and Chicago. Being within the middle of all of it means we’ve the whole lot at our fingertips. Inside the metropolis you possibly can expertise cultures from all over the world by means of eating places which helps with at all times studying new meals, elements and provides me the flexibility to attract inspirations for distinctive programming and choices for our members and friends.
CFM: Should you weren’t working within the meals and hospitality trade, what would you be doing?
DLB: Powerful query! Lately I’ve been diving deeper into the Wine & Spirit world, which I do know isn’t actually that totally different from meals and hospitality. In any other case, I actually get pleasure from gardening and hanging out with my canine, so something that will enable me to do extra of that will be nice!
