“Bespoke means ‘made-to-order’ or ‘custom-made,’” says Kim Shambrook, executive chef for Bespoke Cuisine. While the catering company offers set menus from which customers can choose appetizers, entrees, and desserts, Shambrook is eager to rise to the challenges of special requests–which recently have included a Ukrainian birthday party and a Polish funeral luncheon. “It gives me an opportunity to research and figure out what we can do,” she says. But no matter what the menu, there are certain culinary standards she will not abandon: “We believe margarine is the devil incarnate,” reads the manifesto at bespokecuisine.com.
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Bespoke, which got its start in 2002, acquired its own kitchen and dining space late last year. Before then, Shambrook and co-owner Jeannie Lukow worked out of rental kitchens or clients’ homes. In January they moved into digs on the Randolph Street foodie strip. A vast, gleaming kitchen abuts a dining room with dark wood floors, and the yellow walls are hung with close-up photographs of produce. The long dining table is from Cost Plus, the chairs are from a 1940s bingo hall, and the floor-to-ceiling drapes don’t look like burlap–they are burlap. The atmosphere reflects another of Shambrook and Lukow’s culinary philosophies: good food should be appealing, not intimidating.
Since then their kid clientele has expanded to include boys. “The boys tend to be a little more shy about wanting to cook,” Shambrook admits. But one recent attendee, an eight-year-old named Miles, proved an exception. “He was dynamite. He was right at my hip the entire time. He was dying over the walk-in freezer. He washed all the dishes.” Shambrook, who has a master’s in education, loves this part of the job. “I have five nieces, all of whom have an Easy-Bake oven, thanks to me,” she says.
Bespoke Cuisine is at 1358 W. Randolph, 312-455-8400.
