TONY MANTUANO
Four star chef Tony Mantuano is known not only in Chicago, but also internationally as an influential culinary force. The James Beard Foundation named him “Best Chef: Midwest” in 2005.
Before opening Chicago-based Spiaggia, Mantuano worked in several Michelin starred restaurants in Italy including the three-star Dal Pescatore in Lombardia and Da Romano on the Tuscan coast in Viareggio.
Mantuano opened Spiaggia to critical acclaim in 1984. Since then, he has owned and operated a number of other successful restaurants, including Mangia Trattoria in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
His first book, THE SPIAGGIA COOKBOOK – Eleganza Italiana in Cucina, co-authored with Cathy Mantuano, was named by Food & Wine magazine as one of the top 25 cookbooks of 2004 and was also nominated for a James Beard award.
In WINE BAR FOOD, Cathy and Tony Mantuano show you how to re-create this irresistibly appealing part of the Mediterranean lifestyle at home. Organized by city, from Lisbon to Rome, and paired with accessible wines from each region, the delightfully unpretentious, simply prepared dishes can be shared as small plates by many or make a sit-down dinner for two or more.
Mantuano has been seen on national TV networks PBS, CNN, FOX and The Food Network. He is also a frequent contributor to local Chicago television and radio. The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Chicago Tribune have featured him over the years.
Mantuano can also be found coast to coast leading cooking classes and demonstrations from DeGustibus at Macy’s in New York’s Herald Square to San Francisco’s popular Ferry Market. Mantuano and the Spiaggia team have also frequently cooked at The James Beard House.
Under Chef Mantuano’s leadership, Spiaggia continues to mark the culinary map. Rated by The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Magazine, Spiaggia is the only four-star Italian restaurant in Chicago. Mantuano has also received The Chicago Tribune’s highest culinary prize: “The Good Eating Award.” He has become known for utilizing rare, authentic Italian products of the highest quality. Spiaggia bottles its own Tuscan olive oil, conducts yearly cooking classes and leads culinary tours of their favorite Mediterranean destinations.