Inside the Sofitel, chef Greg Biggers is taking housemade to a new level. With dairy-manufacturing plant-license in hand, and an $8,000 pasteurizer, according to Biggers, Cafes des Architectes became the only restaurant in Illinois certified to make cheese. Biggers and pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky turned a banquet kitchen into a cheese cave, aging brie, chevre, taleggio and raw milk cheddar alongside lomo, pepperoni and bresaola. That’s right—they’re making charcuterie, jams and preserved veggies too, all of which you can find on the menu and soon, for retail.
