What Cleetus is Cooking as Fountainhead's New Chef

Not everyone that closes a restaurant bounces back quite like Cleetus Friedman did.

Less than two months after shutting the doors of his deli, the chef is heading the kitchen at Fountainhead and could be hosting a TV show highlighting the city’s food scene.

In January, Friedman sent a message to his nearly 13,000 social media followers that “sustainability… wasn’t sustainable.” He was closing his locally-sourced delicatessen, City Provisions, Jan. 28.

While the business wasn’t sustainable, Friedman proved his ideas were, saying, “I have no doubt that my next step will parlay all I have learned and turn into a great move.”

That step turned into developing a new menu for Fountainhead, the artisanal beer and whiskey restaurant at 1970 W. Montrose Ave.

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The one thing he didn’t want to do—leave Ravenswood and the community relationships he built there.

Places like Fountainhead were frequent stops on the way to his Albany Park home from City Provisions. That’s why it was the perfect fit, he said.

“I can do everything I love here with beer, whiskey and Ravenswood,” he said. “I love that people wave to me while I’m wheeling my bagel mixer down the street at 8 a.m.”

The chef started his new job March 20 and less than a month in, will release a redesigned menu, night menu and open the rooftop patio.

“I have my work cut out for me,” he said. “I want to create a menu that highlights the mad selection of beer here.”

The new menu—debuting April 15—will include staples from City Provisions like the turkey sandwich: smoked turkey, Gouda, romaine with tomato and rosemary mayonnaise. Friedman’s pickles and duck fat home fries will also make an appearance.

When asked where the inspiration for new dishes comes from, Friedman just pointed to the bar: “Look at what I get to work with.”

But more than just the food will change. The chef’s biggest priority is converting the restaurant’s kitchen into a more sustainable place, a theme he kept religiously at City Provisions.

The proteins and produce will be first, sourcing more seasonally and locally. After those, Friedman will focus on dairy, cheese and making biscuits and donuts from scratch.

He’ll also experiment with communal dining—having difference sizes of food available to order. 

And if his plate wasn't full enough, Friedman could be the next host of "Check, Please!"

The gig would be constant exposure for Fountainhead and give the improv performer-turned hip-hop artist-turned chef a chance to be in front of an audience again.

Friedman said he didn’t know that 10-year host Alpana Singh resigned from the show to focus on her River North restaurant until someone on Twitter suggested he take over as host.

Hundreds of tweets and retweets later, Friedman sent in his 55-second audition tape—one week after closing City Provisions.

“I see myself hosting 'Check, Please!' I feel like it’s what I’m supposed to do,” he said. “The kitchen is my stage now.” 

Producer David Manilow agreed with the chef and in March, he was revealed as one of the show’s 17 finalists. Now, he’ll film a mock episode and wait for the announcement of the show’s new host May 1.