Photo By Graham Lienhart

Sean Kagy, chef/owner, one restaurant & lounge

Entering one's beautifully restored Art Deco building, you feel like you're walking into a swanky 1940s dinner club. Chef/owner Sean Kagy created this mid-century modern vibe to showcase his redefined modern American cuisine. "That just means familiar food prepared using quality ingredients," he explains. "But we give it a twist to make it fun ... not so serious." For instance, his barbecued pork chops have a pecan crust and are served with a white corn crepe. Sean's a frequent participant in local charitable events like Gourmet Sensation, a fund-raiser for Hospice of Cincinnati. "It's not about what you take," he says. "It's about how you can help others."

CityBeat: Where did you eat your last great meal and what was it?

Sean Kagy: The Dining Room at the Chicago Ritz-Carlton. My wife, Jennifer, and I know the chef, Sarah Stegner, and she prepared a his-and-hers tasting menu for us, pairing each course with wines. We had foie gras, truffles, house-cured salmon. ... We went to the same restaurant for breakfast the next morning and I had Frosted Flakes with fresh raspberries.

CB: You used to work with Charlie Trotter in Chicago. What do you think of his campaign to ban foie gras?

SK: I don't like it. I grew up working in my grandfather's slaughterhouse. If you say people shouldn't eat something because of how it's treated, you might as well say everybody has to be a vegetarian. I just think we should all make our own choices.