Iliana Regan
Iliana Regan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979 Merrillville, Indiana, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, entrepreneur, author |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Known for | Owner of Elizabeth (2012–2020), The Milkweed Inn (2019–present) |
Iliana Regan is a renowned American chef and entrepreneur in the restaurant industry. From 2012 until 2020, she ran Elizabeth in Chicago, consistently earning Michelin star recognition each year. Since 2019, she has been the proprietor of The Milkweed Inn located in Wetmore, Michigan.
Early life and education
Born in 1979 in Merrillville, Indiana, Regan was raised on a 10-acre farm. She pursued chemistry studies at Indiana University Bloomington and later obtained a degree in creative writing from Columbia College Chicago. In 2022, she completed a Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFAW) at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Career
Regan’s culinary journey began in Chicago’s upscale dining scene, gaining experience at Trio, Schwa, and Alinea under the guidance of chefs Grant Achatz and Michael Carlson. Starting in 2008, she sold microgreens and vegetables at local farmers' markets and eventually incorporated pierogi into her offerings. By 2010, she was running a weekly supper club that attracted investors interested in supporting her own restaurant venture.
In 2012, Regan launched Elizabeth in Lincoln Square, Chicago, naming it to honor her late sister. The establishment focused on ingredients sourced from home gardens and foraging, initially featuring prix fixe menus served at communal tables before adopting a more simplified approach. Within two years, Elizabeth had earned its first Michelin star.
She opened a second restaurant called Kitsune in 2017, which showcased Japanese culinary influences but closed its doors in 2019. In July 2020, Regan transitioned ownership of Elizabeth to her staff.
Together with her wife Anna, Regan opened The Milkweed Inn in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in 2019. The inn hosts weekend culinary retreats from April through October, with costs ranging between $750 and $1750 per guest. Lodging options include three rooms, a platform tent, and an Airstream trailer. Guests enjoy multi-course meals that emphasize foraged ingredients.
Regan authored her memoir Burn the Place in 2019, sharing an intimate account of her personal challenges alongside her culinary development. The memoir was praised for its honest depiction of addiction and self-identity. In January 2023, she published a second memoir titled Fieldwork, which centers on her experiences with foraging and living closely connected to nature.
Recognition
In 2008, Chicago Magazine honored Regan’s pierogi as the city’s best. She was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs in 2016 and featured on Crain's Chicago Business 40 Under 40 list the same year. Chef David Chang has described her as one of the finest chefs he has ever encountered.
Her book Burn the Place was longlisted for the National Book Award in 2019—the first food-related work to achieve this since Julia Child in 1979. Additionally, it was selected by Smithsonian as one of the top ten food books of that year. The memoir also earned the Midland Authors Prize and Story Studio Chicago’s non-fiction award.
Personal life
Regan is married to Anna Hamlin, whom she met while Hamlin was managing the Elizabeth account for a wine distributor. They reside at Milkweed Inn along with their four dogs.