Our Story

Real Kitchen was founded in 2011 by classically trained fine-dining chefs with pedigrees ranging from Charlie Trotters to North Pond to El Bulli who decided to return to their roots and cook the most delicious ‘home cooking’ you’ll ever eat. The goal was simple, to prepare quality food from scratch, using the freshest ingredients, rotating menu selections weekly, working with what the seasons have to offer. With a focus on environmental sustainability, Real Kitchen partnered with Resource Center in Chicago to divert the vast majority of our waste from the landfill through a comprehensive recycling and industrial composting program.

Through the years, Real Kitchen grew into a leading full-service caterer in the Chicago-land area, and in 2020 partnered to open Walden, an industry-leading event venue. With an increased focus on catering and online delivery, Real Kitchen closed its storefront and moved into the production kitchen at Walden.