One Fifty One Kitchen | Bar features nontraditional venue space, seasonal cuisine

An interview with Kristi Blessing, owner of One Fifty One Kitchen | Bar.

Q: Tell us about the business.

A: One Fifty One Kitchen | Bar is a full service restaurant and premier venue space located in the heart of charming downtown Elmhurst. We feature seasonal American cuisine inspired by the traditions and harvest of the Midwest.

Our nontraditional venue space can accommodate small intimate gatherings to personalized celebrations to large extravagant corporate functions up to 150 guests.

Q: How did it get started?

A: Downtown Elmhurst has been experiencing tremendous growth over the last few years and we recognized the need for additional dining options in our city center and the farm-to-table concept, One Fifty One Kitchen | Bar, was born. Our menu features classic American dishes created with a unique culinary twist. Our executive chef works with local farmers to create these seasonal menu offerings. We focus on sustainable product and practices.

Q: What do you offer when it comes to corporate meetings?

A: One Fifty One Kitchen | Bar offers a nontraditional venue space. We can transform our restaurant space to suit your event needs. Our open floor plan can be set for a corporate meeting, a formal dining event, an elegant reception or cleared for a DJ and dance floor with buffet stations.

We offer intimate private dining space which features a 60-inch flat screen HD TV with HDMI port and free Wi-Fi accommodating up to 10 guests. We also offer semiprivate space that accommodates 24-50 or a complete restaurant buyout accommodating up to 150 guests.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

A: I started my career at a public accounting firm in Chicago. Most of my clients were in the hospitality industry and I was able to experience a first hand look “behind the scenes” of many of the hotel giants in the city. I loved it. We opened our first restaurant, Pints, a neighborhood sports bar in Elmhurst, in 2010. After 2 years of planning and construction, One Fifty One opened in October 2016. In March 2018, we opened Barrel House Social in downtown La Grange.