Jimmy Papadopoulos
Bellemore | Chicago
JUNE 2018
Born and raised in suburban Illinois, Jimmy Papadopoulos’ passion for the restaurant industry has always revolved around two driving forces: people and food. A fascination with the art, style, and technique, as well as the opportunity to enrich the lives of others through an amazing meal, has been his inspiration since the beginning of his career.
Papadopoulos got his industry start working the fish counter at Whole Foods, where a colleague turned him onto the idea of attending culinary school. He soon enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu Chicago and graduated into the workforce. Papadopoulos began working at Sam and Harry’s Steakhouse at the Renaissance Schaumberg Hotel and stayed for almost six years. The hotel experience exposed him to luxury ingredients and taught him how to manage a large team. After departing his chef de cuisine position there, Papadopoulos was hired as executive chef at Bohemian House in Chicago, cementing his reputation as a chef to watch. For his work, he made Zagat’s “30 under 30” list and was named Eater Chicago’s “Chef of the Year,” both in 2015.
In 2016, Papadopoulos met Rising Stars alums Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm of Boka Restaurant Group, forming a partnership that led to the opening of Bellemore the following year. In his dream of a restaurant, Papadopoulos is cooking playful, imaginative American cuisine, and Robb Report recently named him one of “The Best Young Chefs in America.”
