Chef Timothy is an experienced private chef who will transform your dining experience into a symphony of flavors using seasonal ingredients!

Tim was born and raised in the north shore suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. He began his culinary journey at the young age of 15 years old and was inspired by family gatherings filled with love, laughter & good food. The kitchen soon became a canvas for his creativity and self-expression which further fueled his passion for cooking.

Chef Tim has had a distinguished career working for some of the best chefs in Chicago at restaurants such as Moto, Nomi and North Pond. These experiences not only exposed him to the art of fine dining but taught him how to master classical techniques and to eventually add his own modern twist.

Once he started working at North Pond, located in the heart of Lincoln Park in Chicago, Chef Tim developed a deep admiration for seasonal ingredients. He was trained by his mentor and friend Bruce Sherman, a James Beard award winning chef whose contemporary French menu at North Pond was one of the first to highlight seasonal food in Chicago. This is where Chef Tim really embraced the philosophy of cooking with the seasons and learned how to incorporate local, seasonal ingredients into his dishes. When he first began working at North Pond, Chef Tim started as the Chef de Cuisine but eventually took over as head chef after his mentor retired. In 2013, under Chef Tim’s tenure, North Pond was awarded a Michelin star which it continued to maintain until 2020, when he ultimately left his position as head chef to pursue a new culinary adventure.

Chef Timothy is an experienced private chef who will transform your dining experience into a symphony of flavors using seasonal ingredients!

Tim was born and raised in the north shore suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. He began his culinary journey at the young age of 15 years old and was inspired by family gatherings filled with love, laughter & good food. The kitchen soon became a canvas for his creativity and self-expression which further fueled his passion for cooking.

Chef Tim has had a distinguished career working for some of the best chefs in Chicago at restaurants such as Moto, Nomi and North Pond. These experiences not only exposed him to the art of fine dining but taught him how to master classical techniques and to eventually add his own modern twist.

Once he started working at North Pond, located in the heart of Lincoln Park in Chicago, Chef Tim developed a deep admiration for seasonal ingredients. He was trained by his mentor and friend Bruce Sherman, a James Beard award winning chef whose contemporary French menu at North Pond was one of the first to highlight seasonal food in Chicago. This is where Chef Tim really embraced the philosophy of cooking with the seasons and learned how to incorporate local, seasonal ingredients into his dishes. When he first began working at North Pond, Chef Tim started as the Chef de Cuisine but eventually took over as head chef after his mentor retired. In 2013, under Chef Tim’s tenure, North Pond was awarded a Michelin star which it continued to maintain until 2020, when he ultimately left his position as head chef to pursue a new culinary adventure.

Due to the circumstances surrounding the pandemic in 2020, Chef Tim continued his passion for cooking by opening a local restaurant that specialized in elevated BBQ food. He is currently the chef and owner of Porky’s BBQ located in Arlington Heights, Illinois where he lives with his wife and son. He brought the same philosophy that he had at North Pond of focusing on seasonal ingredients and local vendors to Porky’s BBQ.

Chef Tim is ready to provide you and your guests with an exquisite private chef experience in the comfort of your home that celebrates each season with various global influences! He is delighted to showcase his deep-rooted passion for seasonal fine dining by collaborating with local farmers and artisans to source the freshest ingredients.

Due to the circumstances surrounding the pandemic in 2020, Chef Tim continued his passion for cooking by opening a local restaurant that specialized in elevated BBQ food. He is currently the chef and owner of Porky’s BBQ located in Arlington Heights, Illinois where he lives with his wife and son. He brought the same philosophy that he had at North Pond of focusing on seasonal ingredients and local vendors to Porky’s BBQ.

Chef Tim is ready to provide you and your guests with an exquisite private chef experience in the comfort of your home that celebrates each season with various global influences! He is delighted to showcase his deep-rooted passion for seasonal fine dining by collaborating with local farmers and artisans to source the freshest ingredients.

David Kaufman started his journey into the restaurant industry by earning a degree in hospitality management from the Le Cordon Bleu USA program. He has over 20 years of experience working in some of the most reputable restaurants in Chicago, including: Smith & Wolensky, Chicago Cut, Perennial Virant, Mon Ami Gabi and INTRO Chicago.

David’s path to becoming a sommelier began when he was asked a very intriguing question, “What are the 5 main grapes in a Bordeaux style blend?”. This question piqued his interest into the world of French wines. He soon became obsessed with learning about the different types of grapes and the amazing wines that came from every French wine region. The knowledge he gained from learning about the different types of French wines furthered his interest in all wines. He started learning about American wines and began to recognize them as a newer version of some of his classic French favorites. He eventually went on to become a certified sommelier and is an expert in selecting the perfect wine to compliment any dish to highlight its unique flavor.

Although his love for wine was initiated by his quest to discover the ideal blend of grapes in a French Bordeaux, David is very knowledgeable in all types of wine including: Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian, as well as fortified wines such as Port, Madeira and Sherry. Through his extensive experience in the restaurant industry, David has had the pleasure of tasting some very rare and vintage wines from various vineyards located around the world.

David is a skilled sommelier who will collaborate with Chef Tim to curate the perfect wine pairing for each course of your special event or celebration. He will carefully consider the different flavors, regional influences and your individual preferences to make sure that you and your guests have an enjoyable wine pairing experience!

David Kaufman started his journey into the restaurant industry by earning a degree in hospitality management from the Le Cordon Bleu USA program. He has over 20 years of experience working in some of the most reputable restaurants in Chicago, including: Smith & Wolensky, Chicago Cut, Perennial Virant, Mon Ami Gabi and INTRO Chicago.

David’s path to becoming a sommelier began when he was asked a very intriguing question, “What are the 5 main grapes in a Bordeaux style blend?”. This question piqued his interest into the world of French wines. He soon became obsessed with learning about the different types of grapes and the amazing wines that came from every French wine region. The knowledge he gained from learning about the different types of French wines furthered his interest in all wines. He started learning about American wines and began to recognize them as a newer version of some of his classic French favorites. He eventually went on to become a certified sommelier and is an expert in selecting the perfect wine to compliment any dish to highlight its unique flavor.

Although his love for wine was initiated by his quest to discover the ideal blend of grapes in a French Bordeaux, David is very knowledgeable in all types of wine including: Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian, as well as fortified wines such as Port, Madeira and Sherry. Through his extensive experience in the restaurant industry, David has had the pleasure of tasting some very rare and vintage wines from various vineyards located around the world.

David is a skilled sommelier who will collaborate with Chef Tim to curate the perfect wine pairing for each course of your special event or celebration. He will carefully consider the different flavors, regional influences and your individual preferences to make sure that you and your guests have an enjoyable wine pairing experience!