Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago announced the appointment of Evan Sheridan as executive pastry chef. Chef Sheridan brings extensive experience to the property including a 6-month education at The French Pastry School and esteemed pastry chef positions held at Boka, The University Club of Chicago, The Inn at Little Washington, and most recently at the AAA Five Star and Forbes Five Diamond hotel and restaurant The Umstead Hotel and Spa in North Carolina.
As executive pastry chef, Chef Sheridan oversees the dessert program at the property’s modern American restaurant, Sixteen, the chic mezzanine-level lounge Rebar, and The Terrace at Trump as well as those for banquets and in-room dining. Captivated by the Chicago culinary community, Chef Sheridan is eager to return to a city that served as a solid foundation to his career and values the opportunity to join the two Michelin-starred Sixteen and work with Chef Thomas Lents and his acclaimed culinary team.
Not overly swayed by modern sensibilities, Chef Sheridan is driven by contemporary techniques to enhance flavors. Through his tenure at the French Pastry School, Sheridan fine-tuned his practice to focus on precision and flavor while allowing for simplicity – playing with two or three ingredients that have complementary profiles.
“I prefer to work with seasonal ingredients, such as fresh fruit. I’m typically drawn to light, refreshing desserts,” says Sheridan. “Chef Lents’ philosophy and focus on sourcing only the finest ingredients resonates with me and I am excited to work together and produce a cohesive dining experience for our guests.”
Chef Sheridan joins Sixteen in the midst of its 2016 guiding theme: A Study in Ingredients, which spotlights the diverse nature and versatility of ingredients. While retaining a consistent format, Chef Lents will introduce new ingredient studies throughout the year. Each will come about based on seasonality, influence and availability worldwide. Chef Sheridan has folded in several of his innovative dessert creations to fit within the current menu, including:
Chocolate Cremeux with Chamomile, Hazelnuts, and Kalamansi, a dessert highlighting floral elements with the complicated flavors in small batch chocolates balanced by the acidity of kalamansi.
Cherry Cream with Ginger-Coconut Financier and Goat’s Milk Sherbet, a dessert that focuses on seasonality of ingredients and highlights the complexity in flavors and an elegant aesthetic.
“Chef Sheridan has brought an extreme level of creativity and innovation to our culinary team,” adds Executive Chef Thomas Lents. “On behalf of Sixteen, we look forward to experiencing what’s to come in pastry under his direction.”
