South Side + Friends chef series with Dominique Leach
Chicago is, and always has been, one of the greatest culinary cities in the world. Yet, while the North Side often capture the spotlight, the South Side rarely gets the love it deserves. That’s exactly why nationally acclaimed pitmaster and South Side icon Chef Dominique Leach of Lexington Betty Smokehouse (Food Network’s 2023 BBQ Brawl Champion, Food Network Canada’s FIRE MASTERS, Good Morning America’s “Best Barbecue in Chicago”) located in Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood, is launching a bold new culinary collaboration series: the “South Side + Friends” Guest Chef Series, hosted inside the intimate, loft-style House of Gaz in Bridgeport.
This ongoing series will spotlight the city’s most exciting culinary talents from the South Side (and a few special guests along the way), creating more awareness and visibility to showcase how the South Side is a more than worthy destination for food lovers with a platform that champions the community. Each dinner is a chance to experience these chefs in an entirely new way, featuring one-night-only elevated menus, coursed out meals, cocktails parties and more, all with the incredible hospitality Chef Dominique is known for. The series will be kicking off with James Sanders of Sanders BBQ Supply Co, Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies, and Kendra Anderson of Caviar Dream Co.
“For me, this is about visibility and pride,” says Chef Dominique Leach. “It can be hard to get people to pay attention to the South Side, even though it’s where so many culture-shaping chefs are doing the work. There is so much talent and heart here, and I wanted to create something that brings those voices together in one intimate space. This series is about rallying people to the South Side, celebrating incredible chefs from this area (plus a few from beyond!), and showing that this community isn’t just special, it’s essential to the city’s story.”
The series kicks off with a powerhouse lineup including:
Saturday, January 31 — James Sanders of Sanders BBQ Supply Co (Beverly)
Chef James Sanders has created Sanders BBQ Supply Co. as a BBQ destination in the Beverly neighborhood, which has gaining acclaim from local and national publications, including a spot on the 2025 New York Times Top 50 Restaurants List and Eater Chicago dubbing them the “new kings of BBQ.” Opened in partnership with Texas BBQ aficionado Pitmaster Nick Kleutsch, Sanders BBQ Supply Co. has earned praise for its Central Texas-inspired smoked brisket, ribs, house-made sausages, and peach tea wings.
Wednesday, February 25 — Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies (Avalon Park)
Maya-Camille Broussard is the chef and owner of Justice of the Pies, an Avalon Park bakery specializing in sweet and savory pies, quiches, and tarts, and operating with a strong social mission centered on fairness, equality, and food justice. She starred on Netflix’s Bake Squad, where she was handpicked by Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi and dubbed the show’s “Flavor Maven,” and was a finalist for Outstanding Baker at the 2022 James Beard Awards. Since opening her flagship storefront in September 2023, Justice of the Pies has earned national acclaim, including Esquire’s 2023 Best New Restaurant honor and Pastry Chef of the Year for Broussard.
Saturday, March 28 — Kendra Anderson of Caviar Dream Co. (West Loop)
A professional chef, advanced sommelier, serial entrepreneur, and overall hospitality maven, Kendra launched Caviar Dream in 2024 to share her love of this unique delicacy with the world, and with a specific mission to transform the world of luxury caviar by making it more inclusive and empowering. Caviar Dream is the first Black- and female-owned nationally distributed caviar business in the United States, providing representation, access, and experiences that inspire and encourage communities to indulge to live well.
