Chef Curtis Duffy & Team
Chef Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser have combined their talents and ambition to bring Ever to Chicago.
After meeting at Avenues at The Peninsula Hotel Chicago, which earned two Michelin stars under Chef Duffy, the pair built Grace. At Grace, Duffy and Muser were honored with two Michelin stars their first year and three stars the next four years, from 2015 to 2018.
Now, they return as co-owners and the creative forces behind Ever.
Ever earned two stars in the 2022 Michelin Guide.
Curtis Duffy
Chef and Co-owner
Curtis Duffy is a renowned American chef and restaurateur who is celebrated for his artistry and ingredient-driven menus. He owns and operates the esteemed Ever Restaurant Group in Chicago and has garnered international acclaim, with Ever earning two Michelin stars and his previous venture, Grace, earning three Michelin stars from 2015 to 2018.
Duffy has been honored with Forbes Travel Guide’s Five-Star rating, Triple A's Five-Diamond rating, and the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef, Great Lakes Award in 2016. Recently, he was honored as one of the top 50 most influential figures in fine dining by the Robb Report.
Chef Duffy's captivating journey is chronicled in the acclaimed documentary “For Grace,” highlighting his rise from adversity to culinary greatness.
In addition to his culinary pursuits, Duffy is deeply committed to giving back to the community. He sits on the advisory board of the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, where a $25,000 scholarship in his name is awarded. Duffy’s past charitable efforts have included volunteering and serving as chef chair for the Grand Chefs Gala, a fundraiser for the Greater Illinois Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He also participates in Chicago's Banchet Awards.
In 2022, Duffy and business partner, Michael Muser, expanded their group and opened After, a dinner and cocktail lounge, and The Canvas by Ever, a high-end event space. Both places are located next door to Ever and have already received high praise.
Michael Muser
Director of Operations and Co-owner
Michael Muser is a 30-year veteran of the restaurant industry and an accomplished sommelier. Food and Wine Magazine named him a Sommelier of the Year in 2014, and Muser has worked side-by-side with Chef Curtis Duffy since 2009.
Muser and Chef Duffy opened Ever in 2020, and Ever earned two Michelin stars in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Michelin Guides. Their previous two restaurants, Avenues and Grace, earned two and three Michelin stars, respectively.
In 2022, they opened After, a dinner and cocktail lounge, and The Canvas by Ever, a private event space.
Muser’s attention to detail is relentless and exacting. His motto: “This is not what you do. This is a representation of who you are.” His past restaurants have earned numerous accolades, including Forbes Travel Guide’s Five-Star rating and AAA’s Five-Diamond rating, as well as the Michelin stars.
Muser hosts Chicago's annual Jean Banchet Awards, which recognize Chicago's culinary talent. And his podcast, "Amuzed," has nearly reached the 100-episode mark.
In the 2016 documentary “For Grace,” filmmakers chronicle the creation of Muser's and Chef Duffy’s former restaurant, including Muser's role in its journey from a concrete box to opening night.
Amy Cordell
Director of Hospitality
Amy Cordell has worked with Chef Duffy and Michael Muser for more than 13 years, starting as a captain at Avenues at The Peninsula Hotel Chicago. She followed Duffy and Muser to three-Michelin-starred Grace, where she was captain and floor manager, and she has now joined them again at Ever. Before Avenues, Cordell was a captain at two-Michelin-starred Charlie Trotter’s.
Lucas Trahan
Chef de Cuisine
Lucas Trahan became Ever’s Chef de Cuisine in October 2023. Previously, he was Ever’s pastry chef from 2020-2023. Trahan worked with Chef Duffy at Grace from 2015-2017 and worked on the culinary teams of Entente, Fulton Market Kitchen and Pacific Standard Time. Trahan attended the Art Institute of Dallas and was named a Rising Star Pastry Chef in 2021 by StarChefs.