A Long Island native, Danny Grant began cooking at a young age alongside his family in New York. He moved to Chicago in his early 20s, where he trained under Bruce Sherman at North Pond, rising to chef de cuisine before refining his craft abroad in Paris and Italy and at the French Pastry School.

Grant’s career accelerated in 2009 when he became executive chef of Ria and Balsan at the former Elysian Hotel. His French bistro–inspired cuisine earned him Food & Wine’s 2012 Best New Chef award, a four-star review from the Chicago Tribune and two Michelin stars, making him at the time the youngest U.S. chef to achieve the honor.

In 2015, Grant returned to Chicago to join the predecessor of Maple Hospitality Group as chef and partner. Today, his creative vision and operational leadership anchor an award-winning portfolio including Maple & Ash, Monarch, Kessaku, Eight Bar and Marisella—top-performing restaurants recognized across Chicago, Scottsdale, Miami, Santa Barbara and Dallas.

At the core of Grant’s restaurants is experience. His dining rooms balance meticulous, technique-driven cuisine with moments of nostalgic whimsy, where serious food is delivered with energy and warmth. That philosophy now anchors his expanding team as Maple Hospitality Group prepares to debut in Boston in April 2026, with New York to follow later this summer.