David Posey to Leave Chicago’s ‘Blackbird’

Those taking culinary school online may want to consider Chicago as a potential post-graduate destination. The city’s culinary scene continues to expand at a rapid rate.

David Posey, a James Beard Award finalist for the last two years and current chef de cuisine at the esteemed Chicago restaurant Blackbird, has announced that he will be leaving his post. Posey will be departing from Blackbird on August 1 with plans to open his own restaurant. Perry Hendrix, who currently serves as a chef at Avec, another of Chicago’s elite restaurants, will take over Posey’s role while maintaining his position at Avec.

Blackbird has decided to honor Posey’s time there over the past four years with a “Posey best of” that will feature an eight-course tasting menu of the chef’s favorite meals. That menu will become available on July 18 and run through the rest of the month.

Paul Kahan, an executive chef with One Off Hospitality, the management group that runs both Blackbird and Avec as well as a host of other Chicago restaurant destinations, says that he feels having Hendrix in both kitchens will bring the two restaurants back to their similar roots.

“Back in the dinosaur days there were a lot of similarities between Blackbird and Avec’s food, different execution – modern elegance versus rustic shared plates – but similarities in ingredients,” Kahan told The Chicago Tribune. “Under Perry’s direction, we will return to that connection.”

Posey is hardly the first prominent name to come out of Blackbird. Mike Sheerin, who served as chef de cuisine prior to Posey’s tenure, now heads Cicchetti Restaurant and was a Best New Chef in 2010 according to Food & Wine Magazine. Two pastry chefs, Dana Cree and Patrick Fahy, were James Beard Award finalists in the outstanding pastry chef category.

Posey will not be entirely rid of Blackbird on August 1, as he will continue to cook for the special events space held above the restaurant until the preparations are complete for his new project. Posey has indicated that his new restaurant will not be a part of One Off Hospitality.