Our Team
EMILY MCDANIEL
Partner & GENERAL MANAGER
Emily absorbed a rich tradition of Southern Hospitality growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee. She studied anthropology at the University of Tennessee, but soon discovered through work in Knoxville restaurants, that her true passion was sharing her hospitality with others. In pursuit of a place to expand her talent, she visited Chicago and found a new home in Lincoln Square.
Gather was the natural place to express her warm southern hospitality.
Shortly after our opening, Emily started at Gather in 2014, and in 2017 she joined the leadership team. Her strength with staff enrichment and her ability to easily create memorable experiences for our guests were immediately recognized and she quickly ascended to General Manager.
Through these experiences and her travels to Spain, she developed a love for wine. She refined an expertise in Gather’s wine program and assumed the role as Wine Director. Emily has taken control of the Gather experience while embracing the community we love, and in 2022 has become our Managing Partner.
Emily is the smiling face who welcomes you at Gather’s front door, guiding you into the heart of the dining experience… as if she’s welcoming you into her home.