Our Story
GOOD FOOD STARTS AT HOME.
Food was always a part of Founder & Chef Kyle Pileggi’s life. His mom was a fantastic cook who loved sharing what she knew with him. She let him experiment with different flavors, ask questions and start figuring out food for himself.
By 15, he had his first restaurant job. From there came culinary school, country clubs and eventually iconic Chicago kitchens like The Purple Pig, Boka and Bellemore. But a lot of what Happy Times is today still goes back to those early days in the kitchen with his mom.
And while Kyle is the one behind the food, Happy Times has always been a family effort. His dad, sister, fiancé, and friends have also been some of his biggest supporters, showing up, pitching in and helping turn his idea into something real.
THEN CAME HAPPY TIMES.
When COVID closed the restaurant Kyle was working at, he knew it was time to do what he loved for himself.
Happy Times went through plenty of names and concepts before Kyle realized he didn’t need to choose just one. He wanted the freedom to cook, experiment and figure out what he actually enjoyed making.
So he started with one goal: cook good food that people wanted.
A few years and a lot of experimenting later, the answer became pretty clear. The things Kyle loved making were also the things people kept coming back for: burgers and fried chicken.
NEXT STOP: LEMONT.
Kyle grew up just outside Lemont, but this has always been his community. It’s where he spent his time, where his family is and a place that has always felt like home.
So when it came time to give Happy Times a permanent home, Lemont just made sense.
Opening here is a chance to give something back to the community that helped shape him, surrounded by the family who helped him get here.
And while the food will always come first, Kyle wants Happy Times to be the kind of place that sticks with you. Maybe something you eat reminds you of a memory. Maybe you leave thinking about your mom, your cousin or your best friend and how you need to bring them here next time.
That’s the kind of Happy Times we hope to create here in Lemont. And this next chapter is just getting started.
