Erin Kobler
Proxi and Sepia | Chicago
SEPTEMBER 2024
When she was young, Erin Kobler wanted to be a teacher, but after working parties at a bowling alley as a teenager, she got a taste of the hospitality industry, turned to cooking, and never looked back. Kobler’s parents gave her free reign in the kitchen, letting her help make meals and create anything she wanted. Through a fair amount of trial and error, Kobler developed an interest in baking. She explored her newfound hobby by taking culinary classes at the local community college while in high school. She went on to attend Kendall College, enrolling in the school’s baking and pastry program while pursuing a business degree at the same time. Kobler also worked as a teacher’s assistant for pastry classes on the side and, after an externship at the small bakery Lovely, Too, she was ready to pivot to pastry full-time.
When she graduated, Kobler joined the Boka Restaurant Group and started as a pastry cook at Balena before joining the team at Swift & Sons. She moved on to help open Bellemore and eventually worked her way up to pastry sous chef under Rising Stars alum Leigh Omilinsky. During the pandemic, Kobler took over Bellemore’s pastry program, stepping into her first leadership position. In November 2021, Kobler became the executive pastry chef for Proxi and Sepia. With support from mentor and Rising Stars alum Andrew Zimmerman, she has expanded the program to include celebration desserts and cheese courses, with plans to incorporate bread service as well. Kobler has embraced her leadership role, creating efficient systems across the two concepts while still prioritizing the education of her team.
