Jerry Cedicci on Repositioning Chicago's Fulton Market
How Jerry Cedicci applied Paris market history to buy, run, and convert an active Fulton Market meatpacker into 27 luxury condos.
The Man Who Taught Kison Patel to See M&A Opportunities
With Kison Patel, Jerry Cedicci · Friday, September 25, 2026
In this episode, real estate developer Jerry Cedicci shares his journey from growing up in the French state orphanage system to developing hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate across Chicago and Los Angeles. He details the origins of Café Croissant, the development of luxury residential and commercial properties, and the creative structuring tactics he used to acquire and reposition distressed assets. Host Kison Patel reflects on the early dealmaking instincts and negotiation lessons he learned working alongside Cedicci.
Key takeaways
- Jerry Cedicci identified the upside of Chicago's Fulton Market meatpacking district by pattern-matching its layout and logistics directly to Les Halles in Paris. Read more →
- Orphanage upbringing shaped an early tolerance for operating without institutional safety nets after losing both parents at age seven. Read more →
- Jerry Cedicci entered the Chicago retail market in 1981 speaking no English and possessing zero commercial baking background. Read more →
- Real estate developer Jerry Cedicci secured a $3 million construction loan at age 32 by transforming an initial lender rejection into an underwriting blueprint. Read more →
- Jerry Cedicci acquired Chicago's distressed Wacker Hotel for $14 million and exited less than twelve months later for $24 million. Read more →
- Jerry Cedicci bypassed a restrictive non-compete lease clause for a restaurant space on Walton Street by installing standing counters instead of traditional seating. Read more →
6 articles from this episode
Jerry Cedicci on Orphanage Roots, Jean Arbitrage, and Avignon
How Jerry Cedicci went from French state orphanages and bedroom retail to acquiring distressed real estate in Avignon.
Jerry Cedicci on Launching Café Croissant with Zero Experience
How Jerry Cedicci ignored retail bakery benchmarks to launch Café Croissant in Chicago, generating $60,000 in month one.
How Jerry Cedicci Turned Bank Rejections into $3M Loans
Jerry Cedicci extracted underwriting criteria from rejecting banks to secure a $3M loan at age 32. Here is the exact turnaround method.
Flipping Chicago's Wacker Hotel for a $10M Net Gain
How Jerry Cedicci bought Chicago's distressed Wacker Hotel for $14M and exited to an institutional buyer for $24M in under a year.
Jerry Cedicci on Locking a $10M Lease Option on Walton Street
Jerry Cedicci turned a standing-room retail lease into a $10M buy option on Walton Street, exiting into a $22M appraisal.
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