Christy Agee – Owner/General Manager
As a child surrounded by food, wine and good company it only makes sense that Owner/General Manger Christy Agee found her niche in the hospitality arena. An Italian heritage and ingredients from grandmother’s garden constantly brought the family together at the dinner table, influences which would play a role in her career years later. At a young age Agee became consumed with the restaurant world, a passion that continues today.
After finishing college Agee moved to Chicago, taking what would be an invaluable position with Abelson Taylor. After seven years of honing her strategic skills in the corporate world, Agee had the fortune to return to her first love, the hospitality industry, with the opportunity of becoming owner of Witts Bar and Grill. As owner and General Manager of Witts Bar and Grill, Agee tended to the day to day operations of running a restaurant. While keeping a focus on the business, Agee wanted the food to keep with her family history of fresh ingredients and meeting Chef Jeffery Hedin allowed for Witts cuisine to take on a new direction. After a successful implementation of a seasonal menu at Witts, Agee and Hedin began collaborating on Leopold.
As owner and General Manager of Leopold, Agee is excited to bring a Belgian inspired menu and beverage program to the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. In preparation for the project both Agee and Hedin traveled to France for inspiration in menu and design for Leopold. While Hedin works the magic in the kitchen, Agee has created a warm and inviting atmosphere from the beverage program to service staff, much like the family dinner table she grew up at herself.
Jeffrey Hedin – Executive Chef
Like many chefs, Chicagoan Jeffrey Hedin was first inspired by Julia Child. As a young boy, he and his dad were watching the culinary icon on TV as she made a soufflé, and they were motivated to give it a try. Although this first foray at making the classic French dessert was less than successful, the budding chef didn’t give up. He continued to try out recipes, and although he would over-caramelize the onions the first time he tried his hand at omelet-making, he was hooked. At the time, he had dreams of playing in the NHL, or perhaps becoming a documentary filmmaker or architect, but as the years passed, Hedin realized his interest in cooking was more than just a hobby.
Self-taught, Hedin worked his way up from washing dishes and waiting tables to running the line. While living in Boulder, CO, he began working at Mateo under Hugo Matheson. Matheson turned Hedin on to cooking seasonally and to connecting with farmers, and to working with the best quality fundamental ingredients – using seasonal vegetables at their peak, high quality oils and vinegars, sea salt, handmade pasta and the like. Hedin left Boulder for Chicago, where he began working for Shawn McClain at the acclaimed Spring. He moved up Spring’s kitchen ladder to the tournant position, and then moved over to Green Zebra, McClain’s vegetable-focused restaurant under chef de cuisine Michael Bulkowski and later as sous chef to Christine Kim. Hedin then accepted the sous chef position at Blue Water Grill under Joel Dennis and was later on the opening team at The Bristol. In 2009, Hedin met Christy Agee through a mutual friend; she and her partners were looking to elevate the menu at Witt’s Tavern. Hedin took the opportunity and later that year, the two began collaborating on Leopold.
At Leopold, Hedin explores Belgian cuisine, peppering in French and German influences. He describes his cooking as “simple and seasonal” and most enjoys the process of cooking – going from inspiration to conception to the finished plate. Though his childhood dreams didn’t pan out how he hoped, Hedin has found a new passion in the kitchen, one that is going to continue to develop and evolve over the years to come. Hedin lives in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago.
Josh Kaplan – Assistant General Manager
Growing up as the son of a restaurant critic may have contributed to Josh Kaplan’s affection for the hospitality industry, but the path he chose is one unique of his father’s. Enjoying food and wine but not yet understanding its depth, Kaplan attended the University of Illinois Chicago and majored in English. Following his graduation he took some time to figure out his career path of choice and immediately gravitated back towards the restaurant industry as assistant manager at Va Pensiero, where he stayed for one year. Kaplan credits his father with shaping his interest in cuisine and wine collecting. Wine focused restaurants have been the majority focus of his hospitality career. After working at Va Pensiero, he moved to Cleveland, working as a server for four years at Lola Bistro, owned by the James Beard Award winning and Food Network Iron Chef Michael Symon.
Chicago called him home when an opportunity at mk, alongside longtime friend Chef Todd Stein, presented itself. At mk Kaplan worked as Beverage Manager before being promoted to the General Manager and, even then, Kaplan could not let go of his love of wine. During this period Kaplan continued to oversee the entire beverage program while simultaneously serving as General Manager. When selecting wines and beers, Kaplan looks for those grown and brewed organically. “I really try to search for family owned wineries and breweries that encourage sustainable and biodynamic agriculture,” he says. As a beverage buyer Kaplan seeks wines “made by real people” and disregards those made by corporations and committees. 2008 was one to be proud of for Kaplan. StarChefs.com recognized him as Chicago’s “Rising Star Sommelier”, he was awarded Runner Up for Best Wine Service in Chicago Social magazine and one of his drink recipes was published in the Food and Wine Magazine Cocktail Book. In 2009 Kaplan was tapped to create the beverage programs for the restaurants at the Wit Hotel. His beer list for State & Lake restaurant was immediately recognized in the New York Times.
At Leopold Kaplan is excited to bring his love of hospitality and passion for wine, beer, and cocktails to West Town’s first Belgian restaurant. In Kaplan’s spare time he is a record collector and an avid movie fan.
