It Started With a Spark.
Long before Dark Horse had a name, Chef Terrell Cole was building his craft.
Originally from Philadelphia, Terrell studied culinary arts and restaurant management at The Restaurant School while gaining experience in French and Italian fine dining. His career eventually led him to Sullivan’s Steakhouse, where he became executive chef, traveled the country training culinary teams, and ultimately landed in Naperville—a community that would become home.
After nearly a decade leading Sullivan’s Naperville kitchen, that spark became something more.
Then Came the Dark Horse.
A dark horse is the unexpected contender—the one who may not be the obvious favorite, but has every chance of surprising you.
For Chef Terrell, the name became both an identity and a reminder: never get too comfortable, keep evolving, and never stop finding new ways to create.
Dark Horse began as Chef Terrell stepped out on his own, taking on everything from outdoor festivals and cooking classes to weddings, wine dinners, birthdays, brewery events, private dinners—and, yes, even the occasional divorce party.
Along the way came Dark Horse Pastries, a downtown Naperville bakery, wholesale desserts, pop-ups, and an ever-growing catering business. The format changed over the years, but one thing never did: Chef Terrell never wanted Dark Horse to fit neatly into one box.
And the Fire Kept Growing.
Today, Dark Horse brings together everything Chef Terrell has built along the way: private and catered events, corporate dining, festivals and community events, seasonal wood-fired pizza, custom menus, and experiences created specifically for the people around the table.
There isn’t one signature cuisine or one menu everyone has to choose from. A corporate lunch shouldn’t feel like a wedding. A backyard celebration shouldn’t feel like a wine dinner. And sometimes the best idea is the one that isn’t already on the menu.
That willingness to create something different has also made Dark Horse part of the community beyond the events it serves. Chef Terrell has contributed his time and food to fundraisers, charitable events, and local organizations throughout the Chicagoland area—the same community that helped turn an unexpected contender into something much bigger.
Through every version of Dark Horse, the goal has remained remarkably simple.
“My goal is good food that makes people happy.”
— Chef Terrell Cole
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