Chef Michael Kornick

Meet our Featured Chef Michael Kornick, Chef/Owner MK and MK North in Chicago Chef Michael Kornick, founder and owner of mk and mk north, is a nationally recognized leader in the culinary arts. Kornick uses the freshest seasonal ingredients to create dishes that combine subtle flavors and textures focusing on classical cooking techniques. Kornick believes in letting the ingredients stand for themselves. Kornick’s career highlights include: 1982 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America - Kornick has worked with some of the most influential chefs and restaurant operators in the United Sates including Barry Wine at New York’s legendary, The Quilted Giraffe; Gordon Sinclair, of the infamous Gordon Restaurant and Richard Melman’s Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises on various themed restaurants. Kornick also served as Executive chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston. - Kornick opened Marché and then Red Light with the KDK Restaurant Group, where he served for five years as Managing Partner and Director of Restaurant Operations. Both restaurants have received critical national acclaim. Esquire Magazine’s John Mariani named both restaurants in his annual survey “Best New Restaurants of the Year.” - In 1998 Kornick opened mk, the restaurant. Since opening, the restaurant has been acclaimed by the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times, and Chicago magazine all recognizing mk with a three-star review. Condé Nast Traveler selected mk as one of the “Hottest Restaurants in the World,” and Esquire chose mk as one of the “Top Restaurants to Open in 1999.” - Kornick currently serves as a consultant-partner for the restaurant Nine, a 16,000 square foot American steakhouse, Caviar Bar and nightclub in Chicago. In late 2001, Kornick along with partners Michael Morton and Scott DeGraff opened Nine restaurant in the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. - Kornick’s latest venture, mk North offers a casual, family friendly, yet sophisticated environment that encompasses the elegance of the original mk restaurant.

Recipes by Chef Michael Kornick

Veal Chop with --- minted peas, portobello mushrooms and red wine syrup

Serves 4

ingredients for Veal Chop marinade:

• 4 ea. 14 oz. Loin veal chops
• 4 oz. Olive oil
• 2 Tbs. Thyme (chopped)
• 2 Tbs. Rosemary (chopped)
• 2 Tbs. Garlic (diced)
• 1 Tbs. Peppercorn (cracked)

  ingredients for Red Wine Syrup:

• 1 Bottle Dry red wine
• 2 Tbs. Honey

  ingredients for Garnish:

• 1 ½ cups Fresh peas (shelled and blanched in salted water)
• ½ cup Mint leaves stemmed and loosely packed
• ¾ cup Extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large Porotbello mushrooms (stems cut short)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

To prepare the marinade, combine oil, herbs, garlic and pepper and rub onto veal chops evenly (24 hours before cooking) and refrigerate. Chop the mint and add the ½ cup of olive oil and the peas. Season to taste. Brush the mushrooms with the remaining ¼ cup olive oil. Season the mushrooms and veal chops with salt and pepper. Grill the chops to desired doneness about 6-8 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Grill the mushrooms until tender. Reduce wine and honey 90% and reserve and spoon onto the plates at room temperature. To serve, plate the veal chops in the center of the pate with a mushroom the side surrounded with peas.

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