KYLE COTTLE, Chef de Cuisine
Chef Kyle Cottle grew up outside of Chicago in Minooka, IL, and always felt drawn to the Windy City’s culinary scene. After earning his culinary degree at Joliet, Cottle moved to Chicago to work at the lauded cocktail emporium, The Aviary. It was there he first experienced the magic of exemplary service and creativity in the kitchen. He moved on to Next, before settling in to work at Michelin-starred Blackbird alongside Chef de Cuisine Ryan Pfeiffer. For five years, Cottle rose the ranks to executive sous chef under the guidance of Chefs Paul Kahan and Pfeiffer and credits the experience for giving him a greater sense of self and culinary personality. Some of Cottle’s most memorable experiences at Blackbird can be linked to the restaurant’s regular chef collaboration dinners, when he got the chance to cook with renowned chefs from around the world.
In 2020, Cottle moved to another West Loop culinary institution, Sepia, to serve as the Michelin-starred restaurant’s chef de cuisine. Cooking alongside Executive Chef Andrew Zimmerman, Cottle creates an everchanging menu of inventive, American cuisine.
When he’s not in the kitchen, you’ll find Cottle biking around the city or watching baseball.