“If you want to make the best gnocchi, go to Bologna. And if you want to experience tom ka kai, eat it in 120°F heat on the streets of Bangkok at 3:00 in the morning.” That’s Chef Kevin Hickey, executive chef of Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, on the significance of going to the source for culinary inspiration. To which we’ll add, if you want to eat like a Chicagoan, check out Hickey’s menu.

Born on the city’s south side, Hickey belongs to a generation of chefs inspired by the 1980s success of Charlie Trotter and others to turn Chicago into one of America’s premier culinary destinations. He got started back in the meat-and-potatoes days, cooking for his sister while his mother pursued Illinois politics. At age 15, Hickey moved to Chicago’s north side and strapped on an apron at his uncle’s restaurant. After college he landed at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, and never looked back.

He did, however, eventually look down – and he didn’t like what he saw. “I’ve been heavy my whole life. I could always lose it when I wanted, but when I got older, it wouldn’t go away.” Two years ago, Hickey’s weight reached a dangerous tipping point, forcing him into drastic action. He went on a liquid diet and signed on with a sports doctor who taught him to think hard about the food decisions his job presents. He made a deal with himself not to go to work hungry or swallow every morsel he tasted on the clock. Now 40, Hickey has lost 100 pounds and has kept it off for 2 years.

Might diners at Four Seasons be eating healthier as a result of Hickey’s raised consciousness? “Don’t get me wrong, there’s still pork belly on the menu, and I still make pasta carbonara with egg yolks and bacon,” he says. “But the experience definitely opened my eyes to concentrate more on the ingredients than on the fat.” In that case, here’s to all our health!

Read the latest coverage on Kevin Hickey and the restaurants at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.

• USA Today - Chef cooks up a weight-loss solution