Chef Eli Jackson

Personal Chef In Bolingbrook

Based in the Chicagoland area, Eight 11 Catering originally started as a side hustle. The collaborative efforts of Chef Eli Jackson, and Walter Killingsworth, friend with experience in the hospitality sector, produced a catering company focused on infusing creole, Italian, Mediterranean, and Southern American influences for smaller intimate gatherings with intent to offer an experience that felt as exciting as the childhood memories that inspired them.

Managing the business solo these days chef Eli Jackson is a multidisciplinary hospitality professional with 12 years of experience honed in Michelin starred, James Beard award winning, and five star five diamond establishments. Those work experiences certainly shape the high quality and immense professionalism Eli brings to every event he caters, but a personal focus and nostalgia of home has always been the driving force of Eli’s professional work.

Contact Eli for personal chef services, small gathering events, and be on the lookout for collaborations with amazing Chicago establishments and coursed pop-up dinners.

For me, cooking is...

Love of life and happiness!

I learned to cook at...

My grandmothers kitchen, as well as the culinary institute of America.

A cooking secret...

No secrets, life is best when it’s shared.

My menus

Cruising Mediterranean Coasts I

STARTER

All inclusive

Prawn fennel and blood orange tartare with garlic crisp

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan-seared monkfish with butter-poached and charred cauliflower, romesco, and sauce Bonnefoy

Lobster and ricotta filled pasta with paprika, saffron and sauce fine herbs

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Seafood paella

Herb crusted rack of lamb with couscous stir fry, pomegranate & harissa jus

DESSERT

All inclusive

Spiced chocolate gelato with kumquat marmalade and sherry infused whipped mascarpone

Pasta tasting menu

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Spaghetti à la tajarin with tiger prawns, conserved tomato and smoked eggplant

Classic scarpinocc

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Braised hen agnolotti , finished with aged balsamic, parmigiano-reggiano and preserved critus

Enoki mushroom caramelle with miso mushroom ragu, almond crumb, asiago cheese

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Potato & pancetta culurgiones, bacon dust, white wine creme fraiche sauce, fresh chives

Black garlic garganelli with andouille sausage and truffle bolognese, garlic chive pesto

DESSERT

All inclusive

Amaretto-spiked affogato

La Cucina di Creole + Cocktail!

STARTER

All inclusive

Seasonal cocktail

Tomato burrata with honey fermented kumquats, pistachio crumb and spring herb salad

Faroe Island salmon crudo with charred onion agua chili, shaved pickled radishes and Calabrian chili crisp

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Brown butter bay scallops with corn and crawfish bisque and crispy polenta and coriander blossoms

Enoki mushroom and pancetta stuffed tortelloni with miso mushroom ragu, and truffle butter sauce

Andouille sausage and crab tortellini with spinach garlic butter and wilted spinach

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan seared flank steak with garlicky fingerling potatoes, sautéed leek tops and ramp salsa verde

Whey braised lamb pappardelle with ramp puree, preserved lemon and grated pecorino romano

Squid ink chitarra with lobster conserved tomatoes, Calabrian chilies and preserved lemon

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Blood orange amaretto pavlova

Cafe du monde affogato

Bonbon of fig jam, pistachio butter and vanilla cognac cream

Mardi gras masquerade + cocktail (listed in 1st course)

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Hokkaido scallop Crudo with charred blood orange, creole XO sauce and crispy leeks

Lump crab cake with passionfruit beurre blanc and frisée salad

Sazerac or French 75 cocktail

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Enoki mushroom and ricotta agnolotti pasta with miso mushroom ragu, and truffle butter sauce

Caramelle pasta stuffed with roasted winter squash, fried sage, and brown butter sherry

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan seared ribeye with lobster mardi gras butter, potato fondant and sauce gratin

Black pepper crusted filet mignon with foie gras, huntsman sauce an herb roasted heirloom carrots

Andouille sausage stuffed squid with tomato and red bell pepper coulis, grandma a lot of breadcrumbs

Half roasted hand stuff with grandma‘s sage dressing, black garlic and jus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

King cake, truffles with orange gelato and a white chocolate rum sauce

Chocolate & banana foster bonbon

Blueberry tres leches cake

Costal grandeur II

STARTER

All inclusive

Lump crab cake with remoulade sauce and orange beurre blanc

Pan-seared monkfish with butter-poached and charred cauliflower, romesco, and sauce Bonnefoy

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Lobster & spinach stuffed mushrooms

Paprika and saffron ravioli filled shrimp and ricotta, sauce fine herbs

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Hokkaido scallops with cheese polenta cake, creole spiced butter, and smoked apple

Tomato jam glazed salmon, four cheese mashed potatoes and charred asgaragus

DESSERT

All inclusive

Sticky toffee sweet potato cake with brown butter and lemon ice cream

Cruising Mediterranean Coasts III + Cocktail!

STARTER

All inclusive

Seasonal milk punch cocktail

Prawn fennel and blood orange tartare with garlic crisp

Pan-seared monkfish with butter-poached and charred cauliflower, romesco, and sauce Bonnefoy

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Squid ink spaghetti a la chitarra with conserved tomato pan sauce, crispy calamari, fresh lemon, and fine herbs

Seafood paella

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Herb-crusted rack of lamb with couscous stir fry, pomegranate, and harissa jus

Lobster and ricotta filled pasta with paprika, saffron and sauce fine herbs

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Bonbon of fig jam, pistachio butter, and vanilla cognac cream

Spiced chocolate gelato with kumquat marmalade and sherry infused whipped mascarpone

Perserved lemon chiffon cake with coconut foam, yuzu white chocolate and basil ice cream

Il modello III + Cocktail!

STARTER

All inclusive

Tomato burrata with honey fermented kumquats, pistachio crumb and spring herb salad

Sautéed Faroe Island salmon with charred onion agua chili, shaved pickled radishes and Calabrian chili crisp

Seasonal cocktail (spirit free option available)

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Enoki mushroom and pancetta stuffed tortelloni with miso mushroom ragu, and truffle butter sauce

Andouille sausage tortellini with spinach garlic butter and wilted spinach

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Whey braised lamb pappardelle with ramp puree, preserved lemon and grated pecorino romano

Sous vide lamb loin with ramp salmoriglio, eggplant fritto and blackberry jus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Blood orange pavlova

Cafe du monde affogato

Il. Modello

STARTER

All inclusive

Tomato burrata with honey fermented kumquats, bread crumb and spring herb salad

Seasonal cocktail

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Faroe Island salmon crudo with charred onion agua chili, shaved pickled radishes Calabrian chili crisp

Andouille sausage and crab tortellini with spinach garlic butter and wilted spinach

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Sous vide lamb loin with ramp purée, eggplant fritto and blackberry jus

DESSERT

All inclusive

Blood orange amaretto pavlova

Cruising Mediterranean Coasts I

STARTER

All inclusive

Prawn fennel and blood orange tartare with garlic crisp

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan-seared monkfish with butter-poached and charred cauliflower, romesco, and sauce Bonnefoy

Lobster and ricotta filled pasta with paprika, saffron and sauce fine herbs

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Seafood paella

Herb crusted rack of lamb with couscous stir fry, pomegranate & harissa jus

DESSERT

All inclusive

Spiced chocolate gelato with kumquat marmalade and sherry infused whipped mascarpone

Pasta tasting menu

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Spaghetti à la tajarin with tiger prawns, conserved tomato and smoked eggplant

Classic scarpinocc

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Braised hen agnolotti , finished with aged balsamic, parmigiano-reggiano and preserved critus

Enoki mushroom caramelle with miso mushroom ragu, almond crumb, asiago cheese

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Potato & pancetta culurgiones, bacon dust, white wine creme fraiche sauce, fresh chives

Black garlic garganelli with andouille sausage and truffle bolognese, garlic chive pesto

DESSERT

All inclusive

Amaretto-spiked affogato

La Cucina di Creole + Cocktail!

STARTER

All inclusive

Seasonal cocktail

Tomato burrata with honey fermented kumquats, pistachio crumb and spring herb salad

Faroe Island salmon crudo with charred onion agua chili, shaved pickled radishes and Calabrian chili crisp

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Brown butter bay scallops with corn and crawfish bisque and crispy polenta and coriander blossoms

Enoki mushroom and pancetta stuffed tortelloni with miso mushroom ragu, and truffle butter sauce

Andouille sausage and crab tortellini with spinach garlic butter and wilted spinach

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan seared flank steak with garlicky fingerling potatoes, sautéed leek tops and ramp salsa verde

Whey braised lamb pappardelle with ramp puree, preserved lemon and grated pecorino romano

Squid ink chitarra with lobster conserved tomatoes, Calabrian chilies and preserved lemon

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Blood orange amaretto pavlova

Cafe du monde affogato

Bonbon of fig jam, pistachio butter and vanilla cognac cream

Mardi gras masquerade + cocktail (listed in 1st course)

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Hokkaido scallop Crudo with charred blood orange, creole XO sauce and crispy leeks

Lump crab cake with passionfruit beurre blanc and frisée salad

Sazerac or French 75 cocktail

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Enoki mushroom and ricotta agnolotti pasta with miso mushroom ragu, and truffle butter sauce

Caramelle pasta stuffed with roasted winter squash, fried sage, and brown butter sherry

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan seared ribeye with lobster mardi gras butter, potato fondant and sauce gratin

Black pepper crusted filet mignon with foie gras, huntsman sauce an herb roasted heirloom carrots

Andouille sausage stuffed squid with tomato and red bell pepper coulis, grandma a lot of breadcrumbs

Half roasted hand stuff with grandma‘s sage dressing, black garlic and jus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

King cake, truffles with orange gelato and a white chocolate rum sauce

Chocolate & banana foster bonbon

Blueberry tres leches cake

Show me more

Chef Eli's reviews

4.84

•

82 services

Chef Eli could not be more incredible. My brothers and I had him come to our parent’s house to make a private meal for them to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, and he went above and beyond. You can tell how passionate he is about his craft, and how excited he is to share it with others. Eli was not only engaging, but he was also so interesting to talk to and found such a perfect way of relating his food to not only his personal life but also using seasonal ingredients. We could not recommend him more!

Truly remarkable. I hired Chef Eli off of Take a Chef to cook my wife and I a surprise anniversary dinner and it was a 12 out of 10 amazing experience. Couldn't recommend more highly. Chef Eli himself is fun, engaging, and very thoughtful, and the food he creates is to die for. The meal was so delicious, each course so well thought out and had a lot of creative flare that was well executed, and we loved hearing the story and inspiration behind each of the dishes. Every aspect of the service was flawless. Love Chef Eli, love his food, and am thankful that Take a Chef brought us together for a meal and celebration we won't soon forget!

Chef Eli was professional, fun and most importantly his food was delicious! We had a wonderful event and would recommend Chef Eli to anyone looking for a professional and delicious experience.

Chef Eli was absolutely amazing! Every single dish was Michelin starred restaurant quality, we eat out a lot and wanted to do something different for a birthday dinner. He was friendly, warm, and thoughtful of making our special occasion memorable! 10/10

Our chef Eli was simply stupendous. The French cuisine food he prepared was scrumptious. Also, he knew when to engage with us and when to let us have our private moments. I would highly recommend Eli and takeachef.

Chef Eli was excellent. The food and presentation was better than restaurant quality. The comfort and ease of being at home with family of five was wonderful. Eli was engaging with the kids and they had fun. I highly recommend the experience with Chef Eli!

Chef Eli was fantastic. The food was delicious and creative. In addition, the stories behind each dish were interesting. Highly recommended!

Eli was absolutely amazing! Very kind and professional. Food was incredible also, book book book!

Chef Eli was very professional, thoughtful, punctual, and talented. His impressive bio and excellent reviews online were very much in line with what we experienced. He presented each dish beautifully, and in a very professional manner. His menu was delicious and exactly what we hoped for. Cannot recommend him enough!

The meal chef Eli prepared blew us all away. We all thought it was one of the best meals we'd ever had, comparing it to El Ideas, Atelier, Schwa, Virtue, Goose Foot, chef Eli can stand with the greats in this city and I hope to see him do a lot more going forward. It honestly felt really special to have someone so talented in our house, in our kitchen, cooking just for us. The dinner for was my husband's 40th birthday and it was everything we had hoped for and so much more. We were treated with a few bonus surprises, and he went out of his way to ensure everyone's dietary needs were accommodated. At one point, all of our dinner party guests agreed amongst ourselves it was okay to slurp the remaining juices from our bowls, the dish was so good none of us wanted to leave anything remaining. This was a plate-licking good meal from top to bottom. Chef Eli really helped make our celebration feel once in a lifetime special. Before hand, chef Eli communicated frequently and made sure I knew what to expect and that he knew what he needed to know to prepare. This was an incredibly easy and smooth experience to set up and prepare for. I highly highly recommend Chef Eli. If I ever have another event I need catered or could justify hiring a chef, I would hire Chef Eli back in a heartbeat and I'll be telling everyone I know to do the same.

Chef Eli left us with an unforgettable experience. The dishes were delicious and made with high quality ingredients- we really enjoyed all of the dishes. He allowed us to take the lead on how interactive we wanted him to be. He had a surprise for us at the end that was a fantastic personal touch. I would highly recommend Chef Eli to friends and family and would have him as a host again.

Our experience with Chef Eli was fantastic. Not only was the food beautifully presented, but it was delicious as well. He was able to recommend wine pairings ahead of time so we could match up the drinks with each course. He surprised us all with a specialty cocktail and ended up joining us at the end to chat about himself and how he started his career journey. Overall we had a great experience and I’d definitely do it again!

Eli nailed it! Food, presentation, style, demeanor all top notch. Highly recommend

Chef Eli prepared an incredible 4-course meal for a birthday celebration for our family. Not only was the food delicious, but it was artistically plated on beautiful dinnerware. We enjoyed getting to know Eli and talking about food and wine. He was very knowledgable and professional - we'd highly recommend him!

Chef Eli was incredible. He was very easy to work with in creating a menu as we had a specific idea of what we wanted to eat. He arrived very prompt with all of his materials, we did not need to supply one thing. He was super easy to talk to and we had great conversation as he prepared the first part of the meal. When the initial course was ready, we were served with a beautiful plated experience and given a description of the food. He prepared each dish and course, spaced out perfectly. The food itself was outstanding. The meat was tender, the veggies were fresh, and the flavors were superb. We will definitely be using Chef Eli again!

Chef Eli was amazing! We received this as a gift, we weren't sure how the process worked. Chef Eli explained everything, prepared an awesome meal. My wife and I enjoyed the total experience provided by Chef Eli! Highly recommend!

Eli made us a wonderful dinner for 10 to celebrate my husband's birthday. He worked with us attentively on customizing the menu to fit our tastes and the dietary preferences in our group. The food was executed beautifully, and we especially appreciated the high quality pieces of lobster and crab in our dishes. Eli also provided great service without being intrusive, and was altogether polite and pleasant throughout the experience. We enjoyed this a lot and will likely hire a private chef again!

Chef Eli had made this the most memorable evening. Everything was absolutely delicious. We really enjoyed hearing about all the spices and ingredients he used in each dish. Definitely will be doing this again!

INCREDIBLE! This was our first time doing something like this, and I truly could not recommend it more! Chef Eli was engaging from the start! He was so easy to talk to and created such a nice environment! We spent our whole night talking with Chef Eli! The food was AMAZING! We thoroughly enjoyed every bite of our menu! If you are looking to do something fun and have a great chef with a wonderful meal, this is the way to go!

Eli was an excellent chef. We had a large group for a Christmas party and the food was so creative and fantastic! A elevated culinary experience. We enjoyed learning the inspiration behind each dish. Would definitely recommend him for any event.

Chef Eli was professional, fun and most importantly his food was delicious! We had a wonderful event and would recommend Chef Eli to anyone looking for a professional and delicious experience.