Press Room

Executive Chef Thomas Lents Launches New Menu at Sixteen at Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago

CHICAGO – Feb. 16, 2012 – Tonight, Executive Chef Thomas Lents unveils his inaugural menu for Sixteen, the chic, fine dining restaurant at Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago. Since his appointment last month, Chef Lents – a protégée of Chefs Joël Robuchon, Michael Tusk and Jean Joho, among others – has worked with Chef de Cuisine Joseph Rose, Executive Pastry Chef Sarah Kosikowski, and Beverage Director Rachael Lowe to introduce new menus offering an inspired, elegant take on modern American cuisine.

“Chef Lents’ new programming offers a truly elevated perspective on the staying power of fine dining and showcases our commitment to offering an incomparable dining experience, befitting the grandeur of Sixteen as the city’s most sought-after dining destination,” says T. Colm O’Callaghan, vice president, managing director of Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago.  “We are thrilled to have Chef Lents join our brilliant team, and look forward to inviting guests to experience the talents they have to share.

After more than a decade of working with some of the finest chefs in the world, Chef Lents brings his personal culinary philosophy to life. With a commitment to sourcing only the highest quality ingredients, Sixteen’s menus feature a thoughtful approach to modern American fine dining, forged through French technique, a refined mindset, and worldly inspirations. Whether featuring langoustines from New Zealand and Scotland, veal from Four Story Hill Farm in Pennsylvania, or specialty fish from the coasts of Brittany, Chef Lents brings the world’s finest ingredients to Sixteen with a mission of extracting the true essence of each dish and introducing new flavor profiles to every guest.

“Complementing the refined Trump Chicago experience, Sixteen’s menus showcase a modern and ingredient-driven, yet not overly convoluted, approach to fine dining,” says Chef Lents. “My cuisine highlights fine elements sourced from the world’s most reputable purveyors and is prepared with the utmost respect, allowing the ingredients’ natural flavors to shine.”

Chef Lents’ nightly a la carte dinner menu is designed for a three-course meal. Those seeking a progressive gastronomic experience can select his seven-course offering, or – for the adventurous –

a prestige tasting menu of twelve courses. All can be paired alongside carefully selected wines from Rachael Lowe, who holds an advanced sommelier degree from the Court of Master Sommeliers and was named one of StarChef’s 2011 Rising Stars. Chef Kosikowski’s lineup of sweet temptations, which have received national acclaim for their innovative, yet refreshing approach to nostalgic classics, provide a complementary finish to Chef Lents’ new menus.

Cognizant of the importance to satiate and not overpower, Chef Lents’ multi-course presentations offer thoughtful portions whose flavors flow from light and delicate to robust and complicated, each designed to match the profiles of chosen beverage pairings. Menus change nightly. [Menus included below.]

“I believe there is a tremendous opportunity with fine dining in Chicago,” says Chef Lents. “There are very few upscale restaurants opening, and there is an audience that misses the progress we’ve previously seen in this genre. I am confident that Sixteen can be at the forefront of its re-awakening.”

For more information on Sixteen’s menus or to make reservations, please visit the restaurant online or call (312) 588-8030.

About Chef Lents

Thomas Lents was appointed executive chef of Sixteen in January 2012 after working in the world’s most celebrated fine-dining establishments. In his new position at the acclaimed restaurant on the sixteenth floor of Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, Chef Lents presents innovative menu programming that marries the details and qualities of traditional fine dining with his own modern style and culinary perspective.

Chef Lents began his career as executive sous chef of Chicago’s four-star restaurant Everest, under the direction of Chefs Jean Joho and Thierry Tritsch. After a five-year tenure, he chose to broaden his culinary perspective by moving to Dublin, Ireland, where he worked as a sous chef in charge of the wild game and seafood departments at the Michelin two star-rated Thornton Restaurant inside the Fitzwilliam Hotel. During his time abroad, Chef Lents took advantage of his proximity to England and staged in several acclaimed kitchens, including the Michelin three star-rated Waterside Inn in Bray and Le Manoir Aux Quatres Saisons in Great Milton.

Upon returning to the United States in 2007, Thomas accepted a position at the Michelin three star-rated, five-diamond Joël Robuchon at The Mansion inside Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, where he was quickly promoted from sous chef of the meat and fish stations to executive sous chef. In 2008, he moved north to San Francisco to take the chef de cuisine position at the Michelin-rated Quince Restaurant, before Chef Robuchon reached out and offered him the opportunity to be the first American to serve as chef de cuisine of his namesake restaurant – a position Lents graciously accepted.

A Michigan native, Lents holds an advanced placement culinary art degree from the New England Culinary Institute, where he studied under founding Chef Michel LeBorgne, as well as a B.A. in philosophy from Wabash College in Indiana.

About Sixteen

Located on the 16^th Floor of Trump International Hotel & Tower^® Chicago, Sixteen was designed by Ivanka Trump and Chicago-based architects Valerio Dewalt Train Associates. The space defines a unique environment that celebrates modern American cuisine and Chicago’s famed architecture. Sixteen serves breakfast daily from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. and Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Lunch is available daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is available Sunday through Wednesday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The Bar at Sixteen, as well as the adjoining Bridges Room, open daily at 11 a.m. and serve a casual bistro menu from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations, please call (312) 588-8030 and visit Sixteen on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SixteenatTrump.

About Trump International Hotel & Tower^® Chicago

Trump International Hotel & Tower^® Chicago, located in the heart of the city at 401 N. Wabash Avenue, welcomed its first hotel guests in January 2008. The hotel, comprising floors 14-27 of a 92-story residential tower developed by the Trump Organization, features 339 luxuriously appointed guestrooms including one-, two- and three-bedroom suites; Sixteen, a fine dining restaurant featuring the modern American cuisine of Executive Chef Thomas Lents; The Spa at Trump^® with 53 specially appointed spa guest rooms; the Trump Health Club; Rebar, a chic cocktail lounge; The Terrace at Trump and more. Designed by the noted architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with interiors by McGinley Design, Trump International Hotel & Tower^® Chicago is a stunning addition to Chicago’s distinguished skyline. Recently, the hotel was ranked #1 in Large Scale Hotels in the Continental U.S. and Canada and #20 in the World’s Best Hotels Overall category by Travel + Leisure’s 2010 “World’s Best Awards.” For room and event reservations at Trump International Hotel & Tower^® Chicago, call (312) 588-8000, (877) 458-TRUMP (7867).  Click here to follow the hotel on Twitter. Click here to find the property on Facebook.

For information on owning a Residential Condominium or Hotel Condominium in Trump International Hotel and Tower^® Chicago, please call (312) 644-0900. Prices start from the upper $400,000s.

About TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION^™

Launched in October 2007, TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION^™ is the next generation of luxury hospitality – one that is raising the bar in the top-tier travel experience with a level of customized service unrivaled in the market today. Presided over by internationally renowned developer Donald J. Trump and his three grown children – Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric – the prestigious portfolio includes the highly acclaimed Trump International Hotel & Tower^® New York, Trump International Hotel & Tower^® Chicago, Trump International Hotel™ Las Vegas, Trump International Hotel™ Waikiki Beach Walk^®, Trump SoHo®New York, Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower Panama, and the newly opened Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto®. Reservations can be made at www.TRUMPHOTELCOLLECTION.com or by calling (855) TRUMP-00 (878-6700). TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION is headquartered at Trump Tower, 725 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10022. Connect with TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION on its social media pages.

Back to Listing