Hinsdale Magazine welcomes Phil Vettel, Chicago Tribune's Food Critic of 31 years

Hinsdale Magazine | Food & Drink

LOOKING BACK

–at– DINING OUT

PHIL VETTEL OF DOWNERS GROVE HAS BEEN A CHICAGO TRIBUNE FOOD CRITIC FOR OVER 30 YEARS. 38

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Phil Vettel Reviewed Fine Dining In Chicago For 31 Years

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BY LARRY ATSEFF I PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCELLO RODARTE

e recently had the opportunity to sit down with Phil Vettel, who recently retired after writing dining reviews for the Chicago Tribune for 31 years.

has been to give the average reader an honest, useful review that tells them what the restaurant is good at, what’s the price point, and what to expect. I didn’t write for the chefs, I wrote for the typical reader.”

Naturally, we picked out a comfortable neighborhood spot, known for its food, Sam Vlahos’ Pierce Tavern in Downers Grove.

Things Phil has learned about chefs and the restaurant business

“First and foremost, the chefs at the top restaurants are artists, just as much as a painter, or a ballet dancer, or a musician. They are

presentation is not right, back it will go.”

The ‘best of the best’ make every item on the menu taste great. A perfect example is Rick Bayless and Frontera Grill Restaurant. After spending years in Mexico, learning about ingredients and how to cook them, he brought his knowledge and several Mexican chefs to town and introduced authentic Mexican cuisine to Chicago in 1987. He practices the saying, ‘if it grows together, it goes together’.”

Phil started out covering general news topics for the Suburban Tribune in 1979. Stories included restaurant reviews. As the Tribune consolidated operations, Phil then Over time, I have been to the moved to headquarters on Michigan Avenue in 1983, fanciest, most expensive, as well as covering entertainment the restaurants that offer excellent beats, which again included restaurants. In meals that are not the most expensive.

1989, he was offered the My goal always has been to give the opportunity to review restaurants on a full-time average reader an honest, useful review basis, and the rest is the that tells them what the restaurant is following history.

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Imagine.

Eating at quality dining establishments regularly, and getting paid for it. He estimates he’s done about 1500 reviews over time.

good at, what’s the price point, and what to expect. I didn’t write for the chefs, I wrote for the typical reader.

“I’ve met with some of the brightest, most interesting people who cook, savored “well prepared” food, and even learned how to become a good cook myself He says modestly, “My friends think I am good, but I don’t think I am quite ready to have over one of those special chefs I’ve met.”

“Over time, I have been to the fanciest, most expensive, as well as the restaurants that offer excellent meals that are not the most expensive. My goal always

— PHIL VETTEL

very creative. They know how to combine ingredients in ways that make food taste special, unique, and wonderful. They know how to present the ingredients of a meal so that colors and textures entice, and set the stage for eating. To put it simply, for these chefs, you would be astonished at how much thought goes into an appetizer, an entrée, or a dessert. Presentation is so important to these chefs, that you’ll often see them stationed at the ‘pass thru’, just before it is taken to the diner’s table. If the

”

“Then, there are the chefs who are excellent at certain dishes. They grew up with the meal, or they learned it along the way.

The rest of the menu may not stand out, but they are known for signature dishes. These chefs are businessmen; they know how to make money.”

“Then there are the chefs who know what the customers in their neighborhood like, and they give them what they like at a reasonable price.”

“No matter the level of cuisine expertise and creativity, the successful ones also know how to manage a kitchen, from training the staff to instilling enthusiasm for preparing food. In many ways, when it is busy, they are like a conductor, leading an orchestra. On a personal level, they’ve also learned to be ready for anything; including even solving a plumbing problem on a busy Saturday night.”

Vettel says his timing as a reviewer was perfect. “I had a ringContinued on next page HINSDALE MAGAZINE | HinsdaleMag.com

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PHIL VETTEL DINES WITH HINSDALE MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR LARRY ATSEFF AT PEIRCE TAVERN IN DOWNERS GROVE.

made sure that he rotated selections on those bases, over time. He also side seat and watched as Chicago developed a couple of traditions. evolved as a dining mecca and During the summer, as people put top chefs started coming to town out lists for “summer reading”, Like Bayless, they saw he would put out lists of Chicago as a place to restaurants for “summer conquer. Of course, there eating”. For New Year’s I’ve met with some of the brightest, Eve, when it was hard to was Charlie Trotter, who was self-taught. In get reservations, he would most interesting people who cook, addition, restaurants like list restaurants who would savored “well prepared” food, and honor reservations if they Gordon’s, in River North, led by Gordon Sinclair, even learned how to become a good called and asked for a Phil became known not only Vettel table, on a firstcook myself. He says modestly, “My come-first-serve basis.” for great food, but also for great chefs; people friends think I am good, but I don’t When preparing for like John Terzcak, Ron think I am quite ready to have over a review, he made sure Blazek, Michael Smith, the restaurant had no Stewart Parsons, and Don one of those special chefs I’ve met. idea he was coming. He Yamauchi.” followed this routine: he Another factor in — PHIL VETTEL made reservations, never attracting top chefs: in his name. Second, he Chicago rents are far more For Phil, in choosing restaurants, used several credit cards with other reasonable than New York, several factors came into play. names. Third, he would go back San Francisco, Paris, Tokyo, If it was a new restaurant, that 2 or 3 times just to make sure he or Bangkok. Not only that, in was news, which made it easy. He captured the character of the place. crowded cities like those, people would also select by type of cuisine, And fourth, he would talk to the live in small quarters with virtually geography, and price point. He chef before publishing the review.

Continued from the previous page

no room for decent kitchens.

Therefore, dining out, including fine dining, is part of their culture.

In Chicago, fine dining can be more of an occasion.”

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If the experience was not a good one, the review would never see the light of day.

even tougher. Restrictions on guest seating and social distancing in the dining room and the kitchen have meant fewer customers and fewer wait staff and kitchen help available to work, despite the fact that rent stays the same or is even higher.”

tired of just accumulating more stuff. Instead of more stuff, have a dining experience. Go to a fine dining restaurant. Here are a couple Interestingly, when doing a of relatively new ones I am planning review of a meal, early on, Phil to try. There’s Claudia, led by chef would have some wine. He adds, Trevor Teich, who just opened in “In the last 10 years, as the cocktail Bucktown. He features a tasting culture really took off menu approach with four in the US in general and different Modernist meal Chicago in particular, No matter the level of cuisine expertise experiences from the I found it important to chef’s table at around $225 and creativity, the successful ones also explore that part of the per person. Another is restaurant experience as know how to manage a kitchen, from Monteverde, with superb well.” training the staff to instilling enthusiasm pastas by James Beard Award-winning chef Over the years, Phil has for preparing food. In many ways, when it Sarah Grueneberg. Or, seen restaurants make is busy, they are like a conductor, leading you can come to a great mistakes and then recover. neighborhood restaurant When restaurants with an orchestra. On a personal level, they’ve like Pierce Tavern in Michael Jordan’s name also learned to be ready for anything; Downers Grove and enjoy first came on the scene, including even solving a plumbing a grilled cheese brisket.” ■ the menu reflected food that diners would find at a problem on a busy Saturday night. stadium, and they catered — PHIL VETTEL to visitors to Chicago.

It became a tourist trap.

On the plus side of trends, he Jordan wanted a restaurant where says “New American Cuisine has he could take prominent friends. been growing. It is a cuisine that Today, Michael Jordan’s is a solid speaks to today's approach of less steak house restaurant in Oak is more and healthy. The food is Brook. sophisticated in the sense that it is

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When asked about the current state of affairs of restaurants, Phil remarked, “As you might expect, the pandemic has made the tough business of running a restaurant

locally sourced, simply prepared, and light on sauces. When used, sauces are vegetable-based.”

Also, on the plus side, he offers this suggestion. “People are getting

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