'Hottest Chef' Contestant, Others Cook For Vital Bridges

Chef Ryan Poli of Perennial. (Photo: Boka Restaurant Group)

Perennial's Ryan Poli made it through the first round of Eater Chicago's first-ever Hottest Chef Poll, and now you can meet the baby blue-eyed culinary star at a benefit happening Feb. 8.

John Manion Leaves Branch 27

John Manion. (Photo via Chicago Reader)

John Manion is out as executive chef of Branch 27 to start his own Latin venture, according to an Ultimate Insider, who also tells 312DD that sous chef Rich Phelps is also gone and leaving for MK.

We expect something pretty big, considering Manion was one of the forces behind the nuevo Latin cuisine scene back in the late 1990s as executive chef of now-shuttered Mas and Otro Mas.

We'll keep you updated as more info comes out about location, concept, etc. . . .