Chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia restaurant (Chicago) serves some of the best Italian cuisine in the country. Like any fine dining restaurant, ingredient quality and menu creativity is key to Spiaggia's success. Mantuano was the James Beard 2005 winner for best Midwest chef. Receiving an award from the James Beard Foundation is like receiving an Oscar in the food industry. Winners are chosen by their professional peers in the industry.
Two of Mantuano's signature dishes on Spiaggia's menu are wood-roasted sea scallops with porcini mushrooms and shavings of parmigiano-reggiano, and Buffalo ricotta-filled pasta with fava beans and mint, served with a cup of warm chocolate espresso with whipped cream and a raisin pasticcini. Mantuano's Italian masterpieces can be found in his new cookbook, The Spiaggia Cookbook: Eleganza Italiana in Cucina.