New executive chef takes over at Chicago's The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Chicago’s The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel, welcomes Matt Jergens as executive chef. Previously of The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston, Jergens brings more than six years of luxury hotel culinary experience. 

Jergens is revamping The Gwen’s food-and-beverage program with modern takes on classic dishes such as grilled skirt steak with green beans, fried green plantains, chimichurri and lime crème fraiche; and the pan roasted salmon with roasted mushrooms, snow peas, bok choy and warm miso vinaigrette. Additionally, Jergens introduced the first weekend brunch menu at The Gwen. Menu highlights include smoked salmon toast, mascarpone pancakes and the fried chicken and egg sandwich.

“Our food and beverage brings a current feel to an area that has some older classic restaurants,” Jergens said. “We want to make the best-tasting food and drinks we can and showcase them in a way that coincides with the newest trends and techniques.” Jergens believes that The Gwen’s food and drink should match the property’s surroundings: modern, yet classic, fun and lively.

Jergens was raised in an Italian household just outside of Boston. Cooking has always been a part of his life: He was gifted his first charcoal grill when he was just 11 years old, started busing tables at age 17 and eventually landed in the kitchen after working front of house. Upon his graduation from Cambridge Culinary Arts School in 2011, he landed his first full-time cook position at The Liberty hotel, where he worked his way up to executive sous chef.