Chef Rick Tramonto

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CENITARE RESTAURANTS, LLC

Tramonto’s restaurant management and development company

Osteria di Tramonto
Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood
RT Sushi Bar & Lounge

All located in the Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling, Illinois. New locations of Osteria di Tramonto, Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood and RT Sushi Bar & Lounge opening in the Chicago area in 2008.

Hometown:

Rochester, New York

Professional training:

Gotham Bar & Grill, Pierre Gagnaire, Michel Guerard, Lettuce Entertain You

First restaurant job:

Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, 1979

Must-have ingredient:

Kosher salt and pepper

Signature dish:

Caviar Staircase

Favorite indulgence:

Foie gras

Greatest cooking influence:

Pierre Gagnaire

Culinary mentor:

Alfred Portale of the Gotham Bar & Grill

Least favorite condiment:

BBQ sauce

I ignite my cooking creativity by …

the changing seasons.

Earliest food memory:

My mom’s lasagna — homemade meat sauce layered high with fresh ricotta cheese.

Intresting fact:

I have over 2,200 cookbooks in my collection, with favorites by Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, James Beard and Charlie Trotter.

Most admired regional chef:

Charlie Trotter

>> See Rick Tramonto’s demonstration at the Grand Cooking Stage on Saturday at 11 a.m. Book signing at Borders booth immediately following the demonstration.