Heinz Hans Kern

Heinz Kern of Chicago shed this mortal coil on October 9, 2026, at the age of 87. He was a consummate hotelier, philanthropist, and creative entrepreneur. He loved travel, adventure, golf, opera, the Wild West, Dom Perignon, the Chicago Bears, and, most of all, his wife of 46 years, Mary Ann Rose. With his shock of thick white hair, bright blue eyes, Italian suits and silk pocket squares, Heinz commanded the attention of every room he entered. He was the life of the party, a warm, generous friend who dispensed hugs liberally and would happily give you the crocodile loafers or his feet.

Heinz entered the world on December 21, 1938, in Düsseldorf, Germany, the second child of Heinrich and Annemarie Kern. His early years were spent on a farm in Austria where food was scarce; he survived an entire month on carrots, an experience that would influence his later career path as a chef. After World War II, his family returned to Germany where Heinz excelled in athletics and math. He was a B student, but graduated hotel school first in his class. Through the late 1950s and 1960s he enjoyed plumb assignments as a sous chef in hotels and resorts throughout Europe. He worked at the George V in Paris and at The Savoy in London, supplementing his income by selling watches on Petticoat Lane. Always a snappy dresser, he once spent an entire week’s salary on a purple tie.

Heinz immigrated to the United States in 1967. His first stop was Gregory’s, an exclusive private dining and night club in Houston, Texas. He soon joined Hilton Hotels as Executive Sous Chef in New York, where he and his first wife welcomed daughter Kerstin. Next stop was the Conrad Hilton in Chicago as Executive Chef, where he pioneered large scale dinners with show-stopping entrees, flambé desserts, and ice sculptures. At the Washington, D.C. Hilton he cooked for dignitaries including President Nixon and later played tennis with Robert Redford and Dustin HoRman while they filmed All the President’s Men. A move to Las Vegas came with a promotion to Hotel Manager, where he had a hand in designing the now famous pink and orange logo.

After eleven years with Hilton, Heinz joined Hyatt Hotels as Food and Beverage Director at Hyatt Regency Chicago. It was there that he met the love of his life, Mary Ann Rose, who’dcome to sell him entertainment for the lobby bar. When they married in 1980, he gained a bonus daughter in Laurie Zerwer. Heinz and Mary Ann’s union was a true partnership. Their mutual support for each other’s respective careers in the hotel and event planning businesses brought tremendous professional growth for both. Together they hosted spectacular parties and traveled to exotic locales such as Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Bora-Bora, and Canton, Ohio, home to Mary Ann’s parents, Joe and Mary Margaret Rose, who joined them on many adventures As a General Manager for Hyatt, Heinz enjoyed successful assignments in Arlington, Virginia and across Chicagoland, including hotels in Oak Brook and Schaumburg; Hyatt Regency Suites on Michigan Avenue; and the Park Hyatt Chicago. He served as Vice President for Hyatt Hotels Corp., overseeing food and beverage operations for more than 100 hotels and resorts across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. He was a leader of the Chicago chapter of the Chaine de Rotisseurs, the world’s oldest gourmet society. Following 17 years with Hyatt, he and Mary Ann opened Palette’s, an art themed restaurant on Chicago’s Gold Coast.

Heinz had a big heart, always advocating for those less fortunate than himself. He was honored for his philanthropy by Shelter, Inc., Face the Future, and Eversight Eye Bank. His impact on the City of Chicago was significant, making every area he touched more beautiful than he found it. He was on the board of the Magnificent Mile Association, the landscape committee for Friends of Lincoln Park Zoo, the building and fundraising committee for Cummings Playground, and served as board president of his condo association for twelve years.

Heinz was predeceased by his parents, in-laws, and many dear friends and colleagues. He leaves behind his wife, Mary Ann Rose, daughters Kerstin Stitt and Laurie Zerwer, sons-in- law Skip Stitt and Andrew Orenstein, grandchildren Cole Stitt, Maxwell Orenstein, Sofie Stitt, and Harry Orenstein; the Beck family of Germany: sister Margret, nephews Gunnar, Torsten, and Ingmar; the Rose family of California, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, including nephew Tyler Rose; the Gwin family of Ohio; and countless friends around the globe. If you met Heinz, you’d never forget him. His family would like to thank Carole Considine for her compassionate care in Heinz’s final year of life. In lieu of flowers, donations in Heinz’s name may be made to Shelter, Inc.( https://shelterinc.org/), Face the Future (https://facethefuturefoundation.org/ ), and Chicago Police Foundation (https://www.chicagopolicefoundation.org/).

Arrangements entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options in Schiller Park, Illinois.