Janet Kirker

Managing Chef Partner with Beatrix Market

Janet Kirker grew up in Champaign, Illinois and developed a passion for food at a young age while spending time in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother. Janet received a B.S. in Restaurant Management from the University of Illinois and her Culinary Arts degree from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
After school, Janet joined the team at Chicago’s iconic restaurant, Charlie Trotter’s. She spent most of her time in the pastry department, which led her to be the Assistant Pastry Chef at Danny Meyer’s Contemporary Indian Cuisine restaurant, Tabla, in New York City three years later. From there, Janet broadened her experience in other various positions in San Francisco and then as the Sous Chef at Café Lucy in Napa, Sous Chef and Executive Chef at Trotter’s To Go, and the Culinary Director at The Chopping Block in Chicago.
In July of 2012, Janet joined Lettuce Entertain You as the Executive Chef at Foodease, where she helped expand the concept through menu creation and operations. In 2017 she became a Partner with Lettuce Entertain You and has opened four locations of Beatrix Market in Chicago.
In her free time, Janet is passionate about all things wine, vacationing, visiting local farmer’s markets, and spending time with her husband.