Proprietor: Luke Johnson

Co-owner Luke Johnson brings to Elate a unique mastery in business management, having honed his craft in restaurants and real estate. He bears certifications in Restaurant Tourism from Coastal Carolina University and Professional Cookery from Chicago's Kendall College, as well as real estate certifications from the Illinois Association of Realtors.

Johnson's debut in the restaurant industry took place at Cafe Luci's, an Italian restaurant in Glenview, Illinois. Within three summers, starting in 1999, Johnson worked as front of the house assistant manager and line cook. In 2002, he moved to Roy's in the heart ofChicago's River North. As a line cook at the Pan Asian restaurant, he toiled at meat, fish, starch and vegetable stations to cook for an average of 450 covers a night. The real estate company he currently owns and brokers, Carriageway Real Estate Group, started as a project manager position in 2002 and eventually evolved to an ownership role in 2004. Here, he works as general contractor for custom single family homes, town homes, re-models and commercial restaurant re-models. He also served as the general contractor for the build-out of Elate, where he has served as proprietor and manager since the restaurant's opening.