Brunch for two persons at Sepia Chicago Restaurant.  Executive chef Kendal Duque has a glittering resume that includes a long stint under the legendary Julian Serrano at Masa's in San Francisco ("I had to work free for 11 months before I got a job offer," Duque recalls, "but it was worth it."), and work under Jean Joho at Everest, Rick Tramonto at Tru and Sandro Gamba at NoMI.

The Ecuadorean-born Duque describes his food style as one that "speaks mostly of the ingredients, but with a chef's touch, a restaurateur's hand." Just enough ego, in other words, to convey a sense of personality.