TONY MANTUANO

Most often recognized as one of the Champions on season two, of Bravos’ “Top Chef Masters” Chef Tony Mantuano is also internationally regarded as an influential culinary force. He is Chef/Partner at Spiaggia, the only four-star Italian restaurant in Chicago and has been awarded the 2005 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Midwest.

Mantuano’s love for creating exciting restaurant concepts has given way to other ventures including a classic trattoria in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin and is the Chef/Partner at Terzo Piano, an Italian inspired restaurant at The Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. His latest endeavor, Bar Toma is a long-time dream to create an Italian neighborhood pizzeria and bar, featuring wood-fired pizzas, an espresso bar, a gelateria, with a wide selection of Italian beers and wines.

Mantuano’s first cookbook The Spiaggia Cookbook was lauded by Food & Wine magazine as one of the top 25 cookbooks of 2004. In 2008 Mantuano co-authored Wine Bar Food with wine expert and wife Cathy Mantuano, which

continues to be the inspiration for Wine Bar Food outposts at the last three US Open Tennis Championships in New York.

Mantuano has made numerous television appearances including “Nightline”, “The Today Show”, “The Early Show” and “The Martha Stewart Show” and has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Food and Wine, La Cucina Italiana, Bon Appetit and Wine Spectator, among others.

In addition to his 2005 honor, Mantuano’s Spiaggia has also received James Beard Foundation nominations for Outstanding Restaurant in America in 2006, 2007 and 2010 and for Outstanding Service in 2008 and 2009. However, his favorite award was presented in April 2009, when he and Cathy Mantuano were honored with the keys to San Martino in the Italian region of Molise for serving authentic Italian cuisine in America and in particular to President Barack Obama, a long-time Spiaggia guest who celebrated his presidential election victory at Spiaggia in 2008.