The Michelin-Starred Restaurant That Once Served Little Debbie-Inspired Desserts

You know her, you love her, you've eaten her wares as a child (and maybe even beyond). Little Debbie, with its iconic and influential mascot, has been a fixture on supermarket shelves for decades, right alongside Hostess and other brands of sweet snacks. But as much as we all love Cosmic Brownies and Swiss Rolls (which are banned in some foreign countries), we don't exactly associate them with haute cuisine. They're ultra-sweet snack cakes, dispensed from a factory to your local supermarket and ultimately, to your child's lunchbox. But that didn't stop Sepia, a Chicago restaurant with a Michelin star, from serving Little Debbie-inspired elevated desserts back in 2014.

The four desserts (not including the Boston Creme Roll, which is dearly missed) were apparently included on the menu simply to prove a point, with then-pastry chef Cindy Schumann joking that she would make desserts inspired by Little Debbie, only to be met with a "yeah, right" from the chef. "I decided to do it just to prove I could," Schumann told Tasting Table — and based on the descriptions, it sure sounds like she succeeded. Consider Sepia's take on Little Debbie Honey Buns, which involved mini beignets glazed with honey and served with lingonberries and lemon curd. Or just imagine biting into Sepia's version of an Oatmeal Creme Pie, featuring an oatmeal cake with a crust of caramelized coconut and a topping of maple ice cream. Who knew childhood could taste so sophisticated?

Now, if you were to go to Sepia today expecting to get your hands on one of those fancy desserts to try yourself, you'll probably be disappointed. Cindy Schumann, the pastry chef who came up with the idea, has since left the restaurant, and while the desserts on Sepia's current prix fixe menu sound absolutely delicious (honey pavlova! Sticky toffee pudding! A jivara chocolate "frosty"!), there isn't so much as a hint of Cosmic Brownie stardust to be found. But the restaurant's Michelin star is proof positive that it can knock your socks off with or without the help of sugary nostalgic memories.

Set in a building that was once a print shop back in the 19th century, Sepia's Art Nouveau-inspired interior is the perfect backdrop to enjoy head chef Andrew Zimmerman's seasonal menus. As it is seasonal, the menu (both the tasting menu and the prix fixe one) regularly changes, but as of right now you might be able to enjoy dishes such as golden Kaluga caviar, black truffle toast, Rohan duck breast, and grilled beef short rib. It may not be Little Debbie, but it sounds pretty darn good all the same.

Static Media owns and operates The Takeout and Tasting Table.