Sepia
Sepia is a privately held, Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop, founded in 2007. It serves affluent diners through a four-course Prix Fixe menu, an eight-course Tasting Menu, curated beverage pairings, and private events for 12-60 guests.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sepia does
Sepia is a privately held fine dining restaurant operating from a single location at 123 N. Jefferson Street in Chicago's West Loop / Fulton River District. Founded in 2007 by Emmanuel Nony, the restaurant has operated continuously for nearly 20 years, serving a clientele of affluent individual diners and private event guests. The operation is dinner-only, with cuisine described as ingredient-driven contemporary American with French technique and Midwestern seasonality. Sepia is currently recognized with 1 Michelin Star in the 2025 Michelin Guide and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
The restaurant's core products are two prix-fixe dining formats: a 4-course Prix Fixe Menu at $125 per person and an 8-course Tasting Menu at $195 per person. A beverage program supplements the food offering with optional wine pairings ($65 and $90), zero-proof flights, craft cocktails, and add-ons including caviar and cheese. Private dining is available for parties of 12 to 60 guests. The underlying technology stack is conventional restaurant SaaS: OpenTable for reservations, Toasttab for gift card fulfillment, and Squarespace for the marketing website. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML infrastructure, and no delivery or retail channel.
Revenue is generated per-cover through multi-course dining, supplemented by beverage markup, private event bookings, and gift card sales. Pricing includes a 3.5% health and wellness surcharge, automatic gratuity for large parties, and corkage fees. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the restaurant's website and reservation platforms, supported by press / earned media and an email newsletter. The business is privately held with no disclosed outside funding. Leadership comprises Executive Chef Kyle Cottle, Managing Partner Emiliano Götting, Wine Director Jake Bennie, Head Bartender Keith Meicher, General Manager Devon Goldsmith, Pastry Chef Erin Kobler, and Founder / Advisor Emeritus Emmanuel Nony.
Sepia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sepia
- Legal name
- Sepia
- Website
- https://sepiachicago.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sepia is a privately held, Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop, founded in 2007. It serves affluent diners through a four-course Prix Fixe menu, an eight-course Tasting Menu, curated beverage pairings, and private events for 12-60 guests.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Sepia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sepia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Dining Service: Revenue generated from prix fixe and tasting menu dining experiences. Guests pay per person for curated multi-course meals with optional wine or zero-proof beverage pairings. Corkage fees apply for guests bringing personal wine bottles.
- Private Events: Private dining room accommodates 12-60 guests for celebrations, corporate events, and private parties. Revenue from custom event bookings with customizable menus and optional wine tasting packages.
- Beverage Program: Wine sales by the glass and bottle, craft cocktails, and non-alcoholic options contribute to revenue. Full bar service complementing the dining experience.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold through Toasttab platform for customer gifting occasions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Prix Fixe Menu - Four-course dinner with choice for each course |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tasting Menu - Eight-course immersive chef-curated experience |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Corkage Fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Sepia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sepia is a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop that serves a contemporary American cuisine menu rooted in French technique and seasonal Midwestern ingredients. Its two core dining formats are a four-course Prix Fixe Menu at $125 per person and an eight-course Tasting Menu at $195 per person, complemented by optional wine and zero-proof pairings, a craft cocktail program, and a Private Dining experience accommodating 12-60 guests for celebrations and corporate events.
Product overview
Sepia is a Michelin-starred restaurant offering a unified fine dining experience centered on two distinct culinary journeys: the four-course Prix Fixe Menu ($125/person) providing flexibility with seasonal choices, and the eight-course Tasting Menu ($195/person) delivering an immersive chef-curated experience. The portfolio extends to curated wine pairings, a craft cocktail program, and private dining events accommodating 12-60 guests. The offerings are unified by Executive Chef Kyle Cottle's ingredient-driven, seasonally-inspired contemporary American cuisine and the restaurant's warm, refined atmosphere in Chicago's West Loop.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Prix Fixe Menu A flexible four-course prix fixe dining experience priced at $125 per person, offering guests a choice for each course from Sepia's seasonal ingredient-driven menu, with optional wine and zero-proof pairings and add-on courses. Targeted at guests seeking Michelin-starred fine dining with structured choice and value.
- Tasting Menu An immersive eight-course tasting experience priced at $195 per person, with optional wine pairings at $90, showcasing Executive Chef Kyle Cottle's and Executive Pastry Chef Erin Kobler's seasonal favorites. Limited availability nightly; targeted at diners seeking the most immersive Michelin-starred culinary experience.
- Private Dining Events Private dining experience accommodating 12 to 60 guests in a dedicated event space, combining Michelin-starred cuisine with customizable menus and optional wine tasting packages. Targeted at corporate event planners, wedding hosts, and private celebration organizers.
- Sepia Gift Cards Digital gift cards purchased through the Toasttab platform, redeemable for Sepia dining experiences. Targeted at individuals purchasing gifts for Sepia diners and celebration occasions.
Companies that use Sepia
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sepia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sepia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Seedling FarmsminorSouth Haven, Michigan farm collaborating with Sepia for exclusive farm-to-table dining experience. Seedling Farms dinner event on September 4th featuring meet-the-farmer opportunity and peak-season menu highlighting local agriculture and sustainable practices.
- OpenTablecoreThird-party reservation platform powering Sepia's online booking system. Reservations widget embedded on website and managed through OpenTable's platform with rolling release approximately two months in advance.
- ToasttabminorToasttab platform used for Sepia's gift card sales, enabling digital gift card purchases for customer gifting occasions.
- Culinary AgentsminorCulinary Agents platform used for Sepia's career listings and recruitment, posting employment opportunities to attract hospitality talent.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sepia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boka: One-Michelin-star contemporary American restaurant in Chicago led by Chef Lee Wolen. Sister concept to Sepia-adjacent Bellemore under Boka Restaurant Group; same neighborhood, similar price point, and shared customer pool for celebrations and private events.
- Smyth: One-Michelin-star contemporary tasting-menu restaurant in Chicago's West Loop led by John and Karen Shields. Operates in the same neighborhood and competes for the same high-end diners and Michelin recognition; also tasting-menu only.
- Bellemore: One-Michelin-star contemporary American restaurant in Chicago where Sepia's Pastry Chef Erin Kobler developed her style. Direct competitor for affluent diners and private events in the same West Loop market.
- Oriole: Two-Michelin-star tasting-menu restaurant in Chicago led by Noah Sandoval. Closest direct competitor on format and price point, sharing the same luxury tasting-menu customer and corporate event book.
- Ever Restaurant: Two-Michelin-star tasting-menu restaurant in Chicago led by Curtis Duffy. Competes directly for the same prix-fixe tasting-menu diner, comparable price band, and Michelin prestige positioning as Sepia.
- Alinea: Three-Michelin-star contemporary American tasting-menu restaurant in Chicago founded by Grant Achatz. Direct competitor for the same affluent diners, culinary tourism, and Michelin-driven press attention as Sepia; both operate prix-fixe/tasting-menu formats in the city.
- Blackbird: Long-standing contemporary American fine dining restaurant in Chicago where Sepia's Executive Chef Kyle Cottle previously trained. Direct peer on format, neighborhood, and Michelin-tier aspiration within the same chef talent network.
Broad incumbents
- The French Laundry: Thomas Keller's three-Michelin-star Yountville tasting-menu restaurant. Sets the price and prestige benchmark for the format Sepia operates in and competes with Sepia at the top of U.S. culinary tourism.
- Eleven Madison Park: Three-Michelin-star plant-forward tasting-menu restaurant in New York City. Comparable on format, prestige tier, and price point, and competes with Sepia for high-end culinary tourism within the U.S. Michelin ecosystem.
Emerging players
- Girl & the Goat: Stephanie Izard-led contemporary American restaurant in Chicago's West Loop. Overlaps with Sepia on neighborhood, customer base, and beverage program (Sepia's Wine Director worked there); operates a la carte rather than tasting menu, so it competes for the special-occasion diner at a lower price point.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sepia social profiles
Digital presenceSepia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sepia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Sepia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sepia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sepia
What does Sepia do?
Sepia is a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop that serves a contemporary American cuisine menu rooted in French technique and seasonal Midwestern ingredients. Its two core dining formats are a four-course Prix Fixe Menu at $125 per person and an eight-course Tasting Menu at $195 per person, complemented by optional wine and zero-proof pairings, a craft cocktail program, and a Private Dining experience accommodating 12-60 guests for celebrations and corporate events.
Is Sepia a public or private company?
Sepia is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sepia founded?
Sepia was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sepia based?
Sepia is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sepia make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dining Service is the primary driver. The others are private Events, beverage Program and gift Cards.
Who are Sepia's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boka, Smyth, Bellemore, Oriole, Ever Restaurant, Alinea and Blackbird. Broad incumbents are The French Laundry and Eleven Madison Park. Girl & the Goat is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sepia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sepia.