STUDENT AFFAIRS

Chicago-based chef Dominique Leach joins NU Dining’s Celebrity Chef Series

Leach will bring a taste of barbecue to Allison Dining Commons this Wednesday, January 14

NU Dining is continuing its Celebrity Chef Series with Dominique Leach cooking up some barbecue favorites in Allison Dining Commons on Wednesday, January 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The series features highly-recognized chefs from the Chicago area who curate special menus, allowing students to experience the city’s rich dining culture between classes. Past chefs have included chef and content creator Jonathan Zaragoza, who whipped up costillas in salsa verde, and James Beard-nominated chef Margaret Park of South Indian restaurant Thattu, who served vegan kadala curry, jeera rice and cabbage slaw.

“We’re now able to bring food from the city’s hottest restaurants directly to campus, allowing students to experience it from the comfort of their own dining hall,” said Stacey Brown, Northwestern’s director of dining. “By partnering with award-winning chefs who take the time to connect with students and share their stories, the series offers a really memorable experience.”

This week, Chicago native Leach will cook for NU students.

Leach is a classically trained chef and nationally recognized pitmaster—a skilled barbecue chef who has mastered cooking meat in a pit or smoker—and one of Chicago’s most exciting barbecue talents. After training in top Chicago kitchens, including Michelin-starred Spiaggia under Tony Mantuano and Monteverde under Sarah Grueneberg, she and her wife opened Lexington Betty Smoke House, inspired by Leach’s grandmother Betty King’s Mississippi cooking.

Her food has been named the best barbecue in Chicago by Good Morning America, and she has been featured on Food Network’s Chopped and Fire Masters. Leach has previously taken over Harry’s Café on Northwestern’s Chicago campus, and said she’s looking forward to taking her talents to Evanston.

“I’m excited to share some of my knowledge and experience with the next generation of cooks and food lovers,” Leach said. “I love being able to inspire students through food and show them that great cooking is approachable and fun.”

When creating the menu, Leach said she focused on bringing in crowd-pleasing flavors that are approachable but delicious. She also said she kept in mind that students likely will appreciate bold flavors, but might also want familiarity.

To do so, Leach will serve up a taste of Lexington Betty Smokehouse right on campus, with red beans and rice and Spicy Betty BBQ Chicken.

“It’s a dish that’s classic and comforting but elevated with flavors and seasonings that give it my own signature twist,” Leach said.

To create the menu and make it fit for dining hall cooking, Leach and the NU Dining staff discussed several dish options, narrowing it down to find something that would be popular with students and highlight the flavors of Leach’s barbecue cooking.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what the students enjoy about the dish and sharing a little piece of my culinary style with them,” Leach said. “For me, it’s about bringing my heritage and the South Side to the plate, and coming together over a delicious meal.”