Soo Ahn believes that food, at its best, is a culinary adventure and pushes boundaries in his cooking to offer unique concepts for guests to indulge in. He takes the drive and competitiveness he learned from his first career as a professional golfer and translates that into the kitchen.

He finds inspiration through his grandmother’s traditional recipes, childhood snacks, fast food chains and travel experiences across the U.S., South America and Korea. Working throughout Michelin-rated restaurant kitchens, he retained a Michelin Star as the Executive Chef at Band of Bohemia in Chicago. Now, as the Executive Chef at Adalina, Soo and the team bring Italian favorites to Chicago’s Gold Coast, reimagining them using unique flavors and techniques.

Within a year of being open, Adalina has attained multiple accolades from Eater Chicago for Best Dish and Best Meal, is one of the 38 Essential Restaurants in Chicago, and was nominated as the Best New Restaurant of the Year by the Jean Banchet Awards. Outside of the kitchen, he recently got married and still plays golf as much as possible, one day hoping to play with Thomas Keller, David Chang and Tiger Woods.