About Chris

Chris Harrington has worked in the Hospitality industry for over 35 years. Throughout his career, Chris has continually taken on roles to hone his Membership, Food and Beverage, Financial, Training and overall Operations skills. He has had the opportunity to open dining facilities across the country and learn from some of the best in the hospitality field. Chris is passionate about creating dynamic teams that can consistently create that memorable Member experience. As Chris started his Chicago career at The Metropolitan, returning as General Manager is like coming home. Outside the Club, you can find Chris barbecuing (makes a mean smoked salmon,) listening to good music, relaxing with great food and wine or exploring cultures in distant lands with his wife, Linda.

About Maggie

Maggie may be new to The Metropolitan Club, but she is not new to the Invited family! She has previously worked at The Mid-America Club and Knollwood Country Club. Maggie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Theatre and a Minor in Communications from Ball State University and graduated from the Conservatory at Second City in 2019. She brings her passion for people and connection into her role as Membership Manager and is eager to help members maximize their potential through rich experiences and valuable introductions. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with The Junior League and One Hope United, serving on the Emerging Leaders Council for The Chicago Chamber, playing beach volleyball, trying new restaurants, and enjoying culture through theatre and festivals.

About Gina

Gina was born and raised just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a BA in Sociology and a Minor in Football Games, Gina began her fine dining career with Morton’s The Steakhouse, eventually leading to a move to Chicago! After wearing multiple hats for Morton’s, Gina had a short stop at Carnivale, in the West Loop, before settling at The Mid-America Club in 2014. Gina was a vital part of the Private Dining growth the Club saw. She is excited to continue her career with Invited at The Metropolitan! In her spare time, she enjoys walking with her dog Penny around her favorite neighborhoods of Chicago!

About Rachyl

Rachyl Wright was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia where she concentrated in Sociology and Women's studies. After college, she got her start in hospitality on the opening team of Topgolf Atlanta, as a membership manager in the company's first metro location. She continued her work opening new developments, as a leasing manager at what was then, the tallest high-rise community in midtown Atlanta. Building community in business remains a core value for Rachyl and it is ultimately what brought her here to Chicago. Upon arriving in Chicago, Rachyl shifted back into hospitality operations as the concierge of The Blackstone, Autograph Collection. Working closely with their sales and marketing department, Rachyl's client engagement background paired well with the Hotel's frequent business and social clientele.In her free time Rachyl enjoys trying out new restaurants, perusing antique stores, and traveling.

About Amy M.

Amy joins our team from a long-time background in customer service and food and beverage. With a passion for hospitality, she has held management roles in fine dining establishments, working with Michelin-starred chefs all over the Chicago Metropolitan area. She takes pride in providing thoughtful solutions and delights in the opportunity to surprise her guests with the unexpected. With a sommelier certification from the Court of Masters, she demonstrates her passion for all things food and wine. She enjoys visiting farmer’s markets to find the freshest local ingredients to whip up a delicious meal in her free time. Her favorite activity is combing these passions of hospitality, wine and cooking to entertain family and friends….of course, sharing the leftovers with her spoiled rescue pups Daisy and Lulu.

About Julia

Originally from the Chicago area, Julia grew up in Virginia, where she studied dance at a fine arts high school. She returned to Chicago for college at DePaul University with a major in Marketing and a minor in Music Business. A passion for events was cultivated during this time, planning on-campus concerts and experiences while organizing performances throughout the city as President of DePaul Dance Company. Her love for live events and performance continued as she toured the country TDX dance convention, working alongside world-renowned choreographers. During the off-season, she also enjoyed crafting lattes as a barista at the quickly growing Brewpoint Coffee. When live events stopped during the pandemic, she found a new path, managing the launch of a new craft cafe concept, where she later transitioned to the Director of Marketing. When she is not at The Metropolitan you can find Julia exploring various Chicago neighborhoods in search of the best coffee or live music.

About Emily

Emily was raised in a small mountain town in Arizona and began her hospitality career at Northern Arizona University with a Hotel & Restaurant Management degree. While in school, she interned for a Wedding Planner and discovered her love for weddings. Upon graduation, Emily spent a year planning weddings at the Grand Canyon before taking the leap to move to Chicago with her fiancée. In 2020, Emily began a new role as a Lead Wedding Planner for a local company. There she dedicated her time to helping couples with the challenges of postponing their big days amidst a pandemic. While executing a wedding at The Mid-America Club, Emily was recruited to join their team as a Private Event Coordinator. Now, in the same position at The Metropolitan, Emily focuses on social media and marketing and works to optimize the wedding planning experience for their couples. Emily enjoys playing video games, spending time with her pets, fostering kittens and planning events for her friends and family.

About Austin

Austin was born and raised in Warner Robins, GA and he started his hospitality career during his time in Valdosta, GA. He later moved to Nashville when he transferred to Belmont University for Music Education. While he was in school, he continued his already blossoming hospitality career. He received the opportunity to work at Nashville’s premiere historic hotel, The Hermitage Hotel. He then later went on to join the opening team of Bobby Hotel and spearheaded the creation of their concierge department, as well as the Bobby VIP experience. He has worked for numerous major hotel brands and was initially brought on as the Experience Specialist at The Metropolitan. Austin didn’t always plan on ending up in the hospitality industry. Growing up, he always planned on being a television brain surgeon. After realizing that he wasn’t a huge fan of life-and-death decisions, he shifted his career plans to focus on entertainment management and hospitality.

About Adam

Chef Adam Wendt started cooking at 14 at an Italian bistro in Rockford, IL. Realizing his passion for cooking was real, he continued to cook his way through many restaurants, landing at a French steakhouse until leaving town for college. In 2016 Wendt was recruited by Chef Jared Wentworth to be the Executive Sous Chef of Michelin Starred Duseks. Working along the Michelin Starred Chef, Wendt retained the coveted status for two more years. In 2019 Chef Jared Wentworth hired Wendt again to help open the new restaurant at Moody Tongue Brewing Co., A fine dining twelve-course chef’s tasting menu that went on to receive 2 Michelin Stars. Upon hearing of the Metropolitan Club’s revamp of its fine dining room and the open position in the kitchen, Wendt departed Moody Tongue to become Executive Sous Chef and now your Executive Chef.

About Dominique LeBlanc

Dominique grew up in the picturesque Hudson Valley area of NY. Her passion for food has been a part of her life, with her family having a French restaurant for seven years and growing up around the Culinary Institute of America, where she would later receive her Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts. After graduating from the CIA, Dominique spent a year at Coach Farm learning how to make goat cheese, selling to some of the top restaurants in NYC. She moved to the Midwest to attend Purdue University, where she received her Master's of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management. Before joining the Invited family, Chef Dominique worked for White Lodging at the Marriott in Indianapolis and Omni Hotels & Resorts in Indianapolis and Chicago. Her food philosophy is centered around honoring the ingredients and making fun, approachable food that will excite the palate and awaken the senses. You can find her cuddling up with her dog Stella and trying not to kill her plants in her free time.