Ballyhoo Hospitality is at work growing its presence in the suburbs. In additional to opening a second location of Sophia Steak in Lake Forest, the group helmed by Ryan and Anna O’Donnell will open a new bakery and sandwich shop in downtown Wilmette this year.
Eater Chicago reports Buck Russell’s will operate under the guidance of Chicago local and Pastry Chef Jenny McCoy, who, in addition to attending Kendall College’s Baking and Pastry Program, has experience working under celebrity chefs like Emril Lagasse and Tom Colicchio.
Her career has taken her from New Orleans to New York City, and she is a co-founder of Cisse Trading Company, a line of gourmet and fair trade hot cocoa and baking mixes. Currently, McCoy is a chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education and recently published her first cookbook. She opened the Chicago bakery Recette in 2019.
Buck Russell’s will serve a variety of sandwiches as well as pastry “with an emphasis on cakes in a diner setting,” reports Eater. With a tagline like “Health food sucks. Eat at Bucks,” Buck Russell’s is self-described as the “soon-to-be best bakery and sandwich shop on the North Shore.”
According to Buck Russell’s website, the shop at 1137 Greenleaf Avenue will open this year. A date has not been announced. Find the bakery online to learn more.
