Dan the Baker

With his intricate, decadent, croissant-wrapped creation, pastry chef Daniel Koester, who goes by Dan the Baker on Instagram, gives new meaning to the Chicago-style hot dog. This picture-perfect pastry tucks most of the traditional elements inside a buttery bun (he dropped the onions and celery salt, so as not to “overcrowd” his concoction), but with some cheffed-up twists. Order at danthebakerchicago.com for weekend pickup from the Emily Hotel. $6.50. 311 N. Morgan St., West Loop

Dog: Koester kept with the classic Vienna Beef version.

Bun: “I cut the block of croissant dough into strips and face them on top of another piece of croissant dough so you can see the lines of butter and dough. It has a different texture and a little bit of a crunch.”

Poppy seeds: These are a direct homage to the classic.

Relish: To maintain the croissant’s crispness, Koester puts regular dill relish through a cheesecloth to strain out the moisture.

Mustard: Koester chose the Maille whole-grain variety, which has a kick. It’s elements like that, Koester says, that “cut through the fattiness of the hot dog and, in my case, the butteriness of the pastry.”

Tomato wedges: Fresh tomatoes wouldn’t work because of their moisture. “I thought I was going to pipe tomato paste on, but then I saw sun-dried tomatoes at the grocery store and was like, Oh, duh, they’ll be perfect.”

Cornichon: Koester opts for a single French gherkin on top of the dog in place of the traditional dill spear or sport peppers. “That was something to elevate it a bit. It brings the whole thing together.”