The Niche team

Jeremy Lycan

Age: 31

Town: Elburn

302 West connection: Kendall College graduate worked at 302 West from 1999 to 2001, then taught at California Culinary Academy. Returned to 302 West in June 2004 and took over kitchen when Joel Findlay passed away that same year. Opened Niche in August 2006.

Kitchen strength: "Joel said a good chef is the rudder on the ship. My greatest strength is probably my ability to set my ego aside and guide the group effort; helping to pull out of (the crew) their excellence."

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Guilty pleasure: Mexican Coca-Cola made with real cane sugar, Cap'n Crunch with Crunch Berries and Lucky Charms #8230; "but when I get home from work, not in the morning." Also gyros from Chicago Char House in Geneva.

New York moment: Hearing sirens in front of the Harvard Club Monday afternoon. "There was this NYFD tanker with a huge American flag on the back and a guy in the front chewing a cigar that wasn't lit. These guys were trying to get to work and the traffic wasn't moving."

Christoper Kline

Age: 34

Town: Batavia

302 West connection: Fellow graduate of Kendall College, worked at 302 West from 1994 to 1997. Now corporate executive chef for Sara Lee in Downers Grove.

Kitchen strength: "I have a sauce and pastry background; my job here is to do what I'm told to do."

Guilty pleasure: Portillo's Italian beef, extra juicy with giardiniera on the side.

New York moment: "After it was all over, drinking a Meyer's and Coke at the Blue Ribbon in SoHo."

Chris Ayukawa

Age: 29

Town: St. Charles

302 West connection: Elgin Community College culinary graduate started at 302 West in 1999 and moved with the crew to Niche. Lycan's second in command.

Kitchen strength: Speed and knowledge. "I'm a utility player; I know a little bit about lots of things."

Guilty pleasure: Chili dogs -- "Hormel from the can, no beans, and a Hebrew National." Also, kettle-cooked potato chips, sandwiches with iceberg lettuce, "it's so crisp with a little bit of oil and vinegar; there's nothing like it."

New York moment: "Driving around in the cabs. What I knew of New York I had just seen on TV, so seeing it in person gave you a different perspective. And all the people we ran into were so very, very nice."

Jody Richardson

Age: 29

Town: Geneva

302 West connection: Learned the wine business from 302 West's Findlay, continued education with sommelier courses. Now sommelier and partner at Niche.

Strength: Finding unique wines that express the diversity of what America has to offer. "With the wines, my whole purpose is to accentuate everything that the kitchen does."

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate chip cookies. "I've given up all forms of chocolate in the name of the wedding (in May), but not chocolate chip cookies #8230; those Pillsbury cookies that you break off and bake are the best invention."

New York moment: "At the end of the night at Yakatori; everybody just sitting back and unwinding. My favorite part of any event we do is when we sit back, relax and come back together."