Cooking has always been at the heart of everything that Chef Cory does. From his early teenage years, Cory began cooking  for his family, trying to ease the burden for his working parents and introduce his four siblings to a variety of flavors. This instilled a  love for food that followed him into adulthood, as he traveled through much of Latin America and through other parts of the world. Chef Cory’s travels greatly influenced the food he would go on to cook and the restaurants he would work in.

“I got a late start in the culinary world that didn't start until I was 18. I had a summer job in Arizona that got me hooked on cooking. 3 years later I landed a job as Executive Chef at the Red Rock Grille in Springdale UT/Zion National Park.”

But this was just the beginning for Chef Cory.

Back in 2008, he made his move to Chicago, where he opened Mercat a la Planxa, a restaurant directly inspired by his travels through  Latin America. There, he worked under the direction of Jose Garces, an Iron Chef and recipient of a James Beard award. Starting as a sous chef, he was eventually promoted to chef de cuisine. In this role, Cory brought the restaurant even more success, and it became a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2014.

Cory’s influence in the culinary world became only more pronounced after this point. The Argentinian steakhouse that he opened, Rural Society, grew to popular success, as did Ronero, where Cory further developed his understanding of and expertise in Latin cuisine. At Boleo, another prominent Chicago restaurant, Cory was named chef de cuisine. There, he continued to develop his cuisine, heavily influenced by Argentinian and Peruvian flavors.

“I have been cooking for 21 years now and have been fortunate enough to travel extensively. I will focus heavily on what is growing at the farms and utilizing my connections with local artisans to elevate the offerings.”

Before joining Eat Purely, Chef Cory took the helm at Nacional 27, a part of Lettuce Entertain You, in 2018. And while his background in restaurants is certainly impressive, it’s not all that Cory has added to his impressive resume. He became a Chopped champion and has also beaten Beat Bobby on the popular Food Network program.

At Eat Purely, he is excited to grow his culinary expertise even further with a focus on health. He has personally become more committed to healthier living after the birth of his two year old son. As he takes the lead of culinary direction at Eat Purely, he plans to put health and flavor as top priorities.

“I am excited to start working here because I am able to have the nights off to spend with my family. But in the early morning it’s all about the food. We will be here before the sun rises producing some really great locally sourced dishes.”

Keep your eyes peeled for new menu items from Chef Cory starting in July!

‍