His dad owned multiple restaurants and his brother also have worked in the food industry. So, it's no surprise Brent Conn landed in the field, too.
Now in its 21st year, he is the president of Conn's Catering, based in Edgewater, which also runs an adjacent restaurant, Red Rover Café, which has been open for about a year and is doing very well, he said.
"I've known [this industry] all my life and I've always wanted to have my own business," said Conn, 61, who lives in Evanston and is openly gay. He has lived in the area since 1975 and is originally from Springfield, Ill.
Conn previously worked at Marshall Fields, "and I just thought to myself, 'There's no better time than the present to get into my own business,'" he said.
So he launched Conn's Catering, with its meticulous attention to detail, including expressions of seasonality and creativity. Conn's Catering is on the approved list of caterers from the Chicago Park District.
Conn's menu includes hors d'oeuvres, salads, entrees, buffet packages, barbecue packages, lunch packages, boxed lunches, a full liquor license, and more. Conn's also offers linens, glassware and china, among other necessities.
"It's fun; it's different," said Conn. "I love eating out because it leads to a lot of ideas."
And those ideas often hit at some of the 50 or so annual weddings catered by Conn's, or the numerous private house parties that call Conn for assistance.
Conn's has catered at Loyola and Northwestern University, as well as the University of Chicago, among other spots around the city and suburbs.
Conn's Catering does about $500,000 in business annually, and has about 40 employees during its peak season, the summer.
Conn has annually hired exchange students from Ireland to assist in the busy months.
"I really enjoy the business," Conn said. "Every client is different, every couple is different. Sometimes you pull your hair out, for any number of reasons. Often, it's a fun job, rewarding."
Conn said his catering has been expanding into the LGBT market, especially for same-sex weddings. In February, for instance, there were 15 couples attending a Conn-sponsored food tasting—and five were same-sex couples. In March, about 50 percent of the couples at a food tasting were same-sex couples.
Conn's Catering holds monthly and quarterly tastings for potential clients, usually for weddings. They also have had school groups attend, too.
"There have been a lot of fun events, fun memories," Conn said.
Such as the time a few years ago when he catered a tequila-themed event in Garfield Park for a New York-based company, with food. But, two days before the event, Conn learned it was open to the public; he was under the impression it was a private, by-invitation-only event.
Instead, it was promoted in a local newspaper—and more than 1,000 showed up, as opposed to 600 that he was expected.
"That was a horror story," he said, laughing.
Then there was the time, en route to an event, when Conn's deviled eggs slid out a van door—onto the street, filled with traffic.
Conn's also recently has had to plan, then re-plan, its route to an event when President Obama's motorcade closed numerous streets in Chicago.
"We can adjust, and have," Conn said.
Specialties from Conn's Catering include sweet potato croquette, pork and apple compote, roasted root vegetable skewers, and herb roasted turkey breast, among others.
Conn's also has, and suggests, DJs, photographers, bakeries and florists.
Red Rover Café offers sandwiches, soups, salads, specialty coffees and an amazing array of deserts, among other goodies.
˘ Conn's Catering and the Red Rover Cafe are located at 1535 W. Devon Ave. For more information, go to connscatering.com or redrovercafe.com .
