Tony Priolo
Tony Priolo, executive chef at Coco Pazzo (300 W. Hubbard St., Chicago, IL)and Coco Pazzo Café(636 N. Saint Claire Chicago, Il) since 1997, began his culinary education at a young age, cooking with his Italian grandmother in a basement apartment on the Northwest side of Chicago. Early on, he established the credo that, "you can strive to create the best dish, the finest meal; but if your ingredients are poor, your efforts are useless."
At age 31, Priolo is a single, young chef who has completely dedicated himself to creating authentic, Tuscan cuisine reflecting the warmth he felt in his family's kitchen. After graduating from The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC) in 1988, he landed his first job at Les Plumes in Chicago, a fine dining French restaurant. From there, he moved to become a Sous chef at Le Margaux, another upscale French restaurant in Chicago.
While Priolo appreciated the techniques he learned from French cuisine, his true desire was to return to his first love, Italian cooking. Over the next few years, he accepted positions at numerous Italian restaurants including Pane Caldo Group in Chicago, and Da Delfina in Artimino, Italy.
Eventually, Priolo was invited to direct the kitchen of Coco Pazzo Café in Chicago. There he built a noteworthy repertoire of hearty, casual Tuscan fare. A year and a half later, having demonstrated his talent and creativity, in November 1998 he was appointed executive chef of the more upscale Coco Pazzo. Since then Coco Pazzo has received numerous culinary awards, including a DiRoNA award, a AAA Four Diamond Award and an "Award of Excellence" from the International Food Manufacturing Association. The American Tasting Institute named Priolo "Chef of the Year" in 2001.
"Coco Pazzo is a beautiful space that provides the perfect backdrop for delicious, traditional Tuscan cuisine," Priolo says. And his love for Italian cooking shows when he says, "I am constantly excited to be in the [Coco Pazzo] kitchen." He strives to keep the Italian plate true to its roots.
Chef's Recipes :
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