Four Seasons Hotel Chicago today announced it will open a modern American restaurant in February 2012, as part of an extensive redesign project that is planned for several public spaces inside the hotel. Seasons Restaurant will close Jan. 1, serving its last meal on New Year's Eve.

"For us at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, it is a time of exciting transition," says General Manager Denise Flanders. "We now look forward to introducing a fresh vision and concept that recognizes the more relaxed turn that dining has taken in recent years. The new restaurant will be an approachable yet exciting destination for food-lovers."

Executive Chef Kevin Hickey, under whom Seasons earned its Michelin star rating in 2010, will continue as executive chef of the forthcoming new restaurant, creating a concept that will focus on regional, farm to table modern American cuisine.

"Chicago inspired me to become a chef and continues to inspire my cooking. The passionate commitment to local, sustainable foods and Chicago's melting pot of ethnic and American food traditions drives our menus and fuels our creativity," Hickey says.

The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago's new restaurant will be located in the space adjacent to the seventh-floor hotel lobby that currently houses Seasons Bar and Lounge, while the current Seasons space will be converted into private event space. Featuring floor-to-ceiling views of Lake Michigan and Michigan Avenue, the private space will become a picturesque backdrop for social and corporate events.

The extensive redesign of the current Seasons Bar and Lounge space will showcase a warm, approachable, and more modern aesthetic. While the main structural elements of the space will remain intact, all decor elements will be replaced to create a chic, contemporary look for the new restaurant and adjacent bar.