Two veterans of one of Chicago's most decorated restaurants have gone and done it again. All Well, from the team behind Oriole, opened in April with executive chef and co-owner Larry Feldmeier and chef-partner Noah Sandoval running the show.
The restaurant takes its name from the daily "all well?" check-in between the two chefs when one was out of town. That rapport is the concept, according to eater.com. Less fanfare, more consistency.
The short version
- All Well opened in April, from the team behind Oriole.
- Noah Sandoval is chef-partner; Larry Feldmeier is executive chef and co-owner.
- GM Mary Christie and bar director Maxx Kleiner also came from the Oriole network.
- The opening team was largely hired in early April, just weeks before service.
- Friends-and-family service happened the week after hiring.
The opening, week by week
Feldmeier walked through the timeline. The space landed in January, with construction and equipment running through February and March. By the end of March, the team realised they had about two to three weeks to pull off a friends-and-family service. Hiring happened the first week of April. Service started the following week.
That's tight. Most serious openings run six-week training programmes. All Well ran trial-by-fire. Feldmeier argues that's sometimes easier when the team already knows what they're doing.
The supply chain hit the typical pre-opening panic. Glassware and plates ordered months ahead didn't show up in time. Feldmeier shrugged it off as the usual pre-opening headache.
Our analysis
All Well's story is about what fine dining actually costs to spin up. The restaurant is a Michelin- and James Beard-recognised operation spinning a new concept, not a pop-up. The fact that they got it open in three months with mostly internal hires is the real story.
The "we didn't want Oriole 2.0" framing is smart branding. It signals to regulars that this is a different room, not a clone, and gives critics a fresh target. The downside: about 60% of the early clientele were Oriole regulars, according to Feldmeier, which means the new concept still has to convert strangers.
The training shortcut is the part to watch. Trial by fire works when the management team carries the load in the first weeks. It falls apart when managers don't. All Well's bet is that their core crew can absorb the chaos, which is a fair bet given Oriole's track record.
Say you are a first-time restaurant owner
Imagine you've signed a lease and you're four months out. Use All Well's playbook: build your management team first and let them recruit the rest. Train as you go if your leads are experienced, and accept the chaos as the cost of opening sooner. The bigger risk is sitting on an empty room while you wait for a six-week training cycle nobody needed.
What to watch next
Watch the menu evolution. Feldmeier has signalled the food will continue to develop. Watch whether the Oriole-regular base holds or shrinks as the concept finds its own crowd. And watch the cocktail programme under Maxx Kleiner; an Oriole-trained bar director is not a detail.
Bottom line: a fast, smart opening from a team that already knew what they were doing. The hard part starts now.
Key takeaways
- All Well is a new Chicago restaurant from the team behind Oriole, opened in April.
- Co-owner Larry Feldmeier described a tight, trial-by-fire training schedule.
- Most of the management team came from the Oriole network.
Frequently asked questions
Who is behind All Well?
Larry Feldmeier (executive chef and co-owner) and Noah Sandoval (chef-partner), both veterans of Oriole in Chicago.
When did All Well open?
April 2026, with friends-and-family service starting the week after the team was hired in early April.
How did they train the opening team?
With minimal structured training. Most hires had industry experience and learned on the job during the first weeks of service.
Is All Well similar to Oriole?
The team intentionally tried to avoid an "Oriole 2.0" feel, though Feldmeier said about 60% of early guests were Oriole regulars.
Who runs the bar programme?
Bar director Maxx Kleiner, also previously at Oriole.
Source: eater.com
