The Civic Health Development Group (CHDG), in partnership with Hospitality HQ and Cushman & Wakefield, announced the group is searching for restaurant vendors for a new food hall concept, Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall, set to open summer 2020. Located in Chicago’s Near West Side neighborhood within the historic Cook County Hospital at 1835 W. Harrison St., Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall is part of the landmark’s transformative $150 million renovation, which will also include a 210-room Hyatt House and Hyatt Place hotel, fully leased medical office space, and a daycare center. Specifically seeking artisanal concepts from passionate chefs, ideal vendors are those that can deliver focused menus in a convivial environment.
Culinary offerings at Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall will be curated by award-winning chef, restaurateur, TV personality and food hall veteran, Akhtar Nawab. A Kentucky-bred chef of Indian heritage, Nawab is the owner and chef of innovative Mexican restaurants Alta Calidad in New York, Otra Vez in New Orleans as well as fast-casual taqueria ACTQ, and is an advisor at Prather’s on the Alley in Washington D.C. He is also founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of Hospitality HQ, a creative consulting and management group offering bespoke solutions for culinary-driven concepts across the United States.
“The Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall project has a special place in my heart, because my father completed his residency at the Old Cook County Hospital,” says Chef Nawab. “I feel passionately about bringing quality, nourishing food to underserved neighborhoods, and there is definitely a dearth of options within the Illinois Medical District area. We look forward to serving the thousands of medical professionals, students and educators who spend most of their waking hours here, as well as creating an inviting dining experience for new residents, guests, and visitors of Cook County.”
Interested vendors may apply through the online form on the food hall’s website, and must include details about their restaurant concept, professional background, and other important details for review. Special consideration will be given to women and minority-owned business candidates. Vendors will benefit from the financial and promotional incentives that come with operating within the food hall.
Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall is named in recognition of Dr. John B. Murphy, one of America’s preeminent pioneering surgeons through the turn of the last century who studied, interned and taught at Cook County Hospital. The food hall will comprise of 10,000 sq. ft., with six vented and four non-vented bays, plus a bar and lounge area. Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall will be the only destination of its kind in the area, providing unique and delicious dining opportunities and accessible options to those visiting and working in the largest urban concentration of healthcare institutions, biotechnology hubs and technology-based incubators in the country.
Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall is a project of Murphy Real Estate Services and its design and operating partners, including Hospitality HQ, Walsh Investors, Eimer Design and Colicchio Consulting. For more information on Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall or to apply, visit www.drmurphysfoodhall.com.
