Andrew Zimmerman On Chicago's Sepia

Andrew Zimmerman's Sepia does not fit easily into any particular category for a restaurant. As he descibes it, "We are a contemporary American restaurant. Sort of globally informed we like to say."  But one thing that is certain is that diners are loving what he's doing — he's recently been nominated again for a James Beard Award.

We caught up with Zimmerman to discuss the restaurant and what drives his cuisine. He noted that "A lot of my inspiration comes from taking things that have already existed on some level and then applying them in my own way. [For example] curried granola with scalllops and parsnip or we like to do a lot of things with blood pudding... I do look at myself as the quintessential melting pot kind of chef."

We also discussed where Sepia fits into Chicago's robust dining scene. Zimmerman believes that the restaurant is in many ways a reflection of the type of diners that inhabit the city. "To a cetain level, Chicagoans don't like a lot of pomp and circumstance in their dining," he says. "There are a few notable exceptions of course... But we try to give the same kind of quality in a setting that is more casual and approachable and fun."

For more, watch the video above and if you're intrigued, head to Sepia!