Paul Virant | |
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| Born | (1970-02-25)February 25, 1970 (age 55) |
| Education | Culinary Institute of America |
| Spouse | Jennifer Virant |
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| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | Contemporary American Cuisine |
Current restaurant(s)
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Previous restaurant(s) | |
Award(s) won | |
| Website | www |
Paul Virant (born February 25, 1970) is thechef and owner ofVie inWestern Springs, Illinois, Vistro Prime in Hinsdale, Illinois, and Gaijin in Chicago, Illinois. His contributions to cooking include introducing inventive canning and preservation recipes to the restaurant industry, which culminated into the release of hiscookbook,The Preservation Kitchen: The Craft of Making and Cooking with Pickles, Preserves, and Aigre-doux (co-written with Kate Leahy and photographed by Jeff Kauck).[1]
Paul Virant's philosophy of year-round, seasonal eating stems from his childhood growing up outside ofSt. Louis, Missouri, on a farm. Family trips to the farmers markets, gardening, cooking and preserving were a significant part of his family's activities. These experiences helped him develop his reverence for local ingredients, an appreciation towardsgastronomy and the time-honored practice of canning and preserving.[2][1]
After graduating with a degree in nutrition fromWest Virginia Wesleyan College, he enrolled at theCulinary Institute of America (CIA) inHyde Park, New York. Followingculinary school, he went on to further refine his skills at March inNew York City where he worked with chefs Wayne Nish and Hilary Gregg. After two years, chef Virant moved to Chicago where he worked at such restaurants asCharlie Trotter’s, Ambria,Everest and Blackbird.[3]
In 2004, he opened Vie in a suburb of Chicago.[4][5][6] With a focus on house-made pickles and preserves, chef Virant's contemporaryAmerican cuisine at Vie has garnered regional and national attention, including a three-star review by Phil Vettel of theChicago Tribune and aMichelin Star.[7] In 2011, he became partner and executive chef of Boka Restaurant Group's Perennial Virant (now closed) and helped open The J. Parker, the rooftop lounge and bar located at Hotel Lincoln in Chicago, the following year.[8] Virant opened Vistro inHinsdale, Illinois,[9] in 2014. Vistro focuses on approachable, seasonal food and drinks, and serves as a staple in the community for friends and families.[10]
In 2017, Virant launched Jar Sessions,[11] a locally produced, small-batch line ofpickled and preserved products. He collaborated with Midwest farmers to create the Jar Sessions collection of farm-to-fork products.[12]
In 2019, Virant opened Gaijin in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, which focuses on Japaneseokonomiyaki.[13]
Virant is an avid supporter of local, family farms and frequents the Green City Market,[14] Chicago's outdoor farmers market providing local, sustainably grown food with a mission to connect farmers and local producers directly with chefs and the community.[15] He also serves on SAVEUR's chef advisory board as a SAVEUR Tastemaker™.[16]
Paul Virant competed in season seven ofIron Chef America against Iron ChefMasaharu Morimoto. Virant lost to Morimoto with a final score of 51–50. The secret ingredient waspheasant.
The Preservation Kitchen: The Craft of Making and Cooking with Pickles, Preserves, and Aigre-doux by Paul Virant with Kate Leahy. Published byTen Speed Press, a division ofRandom House, Inc.[1]
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