Stephen Gillanders
Stephen Gillanders
Apolonia
Cooking at:
The Second Life of Dom Pérignon -
A Study of Plénitude 2
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Stephen Gillanders spent much of his childhood in his grandmother's kitchen, where his love for food began. His formal culinary journey started at age 15 when his mother enrolled him in a teen cooking class at a local culinary arts school—despite his initial resistance. After the first day of class, he was hooked. Upon graduating high school, Gillanders pursued a degree in Culinary Arts Management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Gillanders’ career took off under the mentorship of world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises founder Rich Melman, who guided him through a wide range of cuisines and operations. He fondly refers to this period as his “grad school of restaurant operations.” In 2017, Stephen opened his first restaurant, S.K.Y., which quickly earned numerous national and local accolades.
With S.K.Y. thriving, Gillanders realized his team had outgrown the space, prompting him to expand with a second restaurant, Apolonia. Named after his late grandmother, who first ignited his passion for food, Apolonia focuses on the southern Mediterranean, offering a unique coastal approach to the region’s cuisine. The restaurant has garnered significant attention, being recognized as one of Chicago’s best new restaurants of 2021.
