Jonathan Fox

Kasumi

Over the course of a 35 year restaurant industry career, Jonathan Fox has become a noted expert at new concept development and expansion, operations, hospitality marketing, and business modeling. He has been credited in the involvement of creating and developing over 20 different restaurant and hotel concepts, including Firecakes Craft Donuts, Osteria LaMadia, Maggiano’s Little Italy and Corner Bakery Café...

After graduating with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America, Fox returned to Chicago to train under legendary chef Jean Banchet of Le Francais for two years. He then went on to become Executive Chef at Printer’s Row Restaurant. He gained high praise from local media for his farm-to-table approach to classic French inspired dishes. He joined Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises in 1989 as Executive Chef of the historic Pump Room. There he was responsible not only for making sure the restaurant was running smoothly but the adjoining Ambassador East Hotel food operations were as well. His next project with Lettuce took him to Greece to build his knowledge of Mediterranean cuisine. This experience led to the opening of Papagus Greek Taverna, where he was Executive Chef and partner.

In 1991, Fox joined a talented team led by legendary restaurateur Richard Melman of Lettuce Entertain You to create Maggiano’s Little Italy and Corner Bakery Café. As a founding partner, he helped turn both brands into household names. He continued to work in a key leadership role as Chief Operating Officer as he and his team expanded Maggiano’s from it’s flagship restaurant in downtown Chicago to over 28 locations across the country. Under his leadership the brand topped annual revenues of 330 million.

After a 16-year run, Fox then turned to create 3Sixty Dinning Intelligence, a boutique hospitality consulting and management firm based in Chicago. In 2007, after scouring the United States and Italy in search of the ideal pizza, Fox opened La Madia. There he offered neopolitan style pizzas in inventive flavor combinations as well as serving his own take on classic pastas and entrees. As a certified sommelier he also curated a wine list that focused on regional representation and a depth of range in price points. LaMadia won multiple Wine Spectator awards for this effort.

He then took a lead from his wife to expand his knowledge of dough and opened critically acclaimed Firecakes Craft Donut Shop. The brand has expanded to four locations and a beloved 1968 Citron food truck named “Billy”. Firecakes has been recognized as one of the best donut shops in the country, featured in Martha Stewart, Food and Wine, Bon Appetite, Travel and Leisure and Thrillist, as well as many other national and local publications. An appearance (and victory) on Donut Showdown of the Food Network, Steve Harvey and Windy City Live have also been fun stops along the way.