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Chef Riccardo Michi designs his dishes at Riccardo Trattoria {2119 North Clark Street, Chicago; 773.549.0038} and Riccardo Enoteca {2116 North Clark Street, Chicago; 773.549.5010} with an almost zen-like clarity. After growing up in his family’s restaurant in Italy, Chef Michi went on to hone his skills in the kitchens of Milan, Los Angeles, and New York, before finally making Chicago his home. Foregoing fleeting restaurant trends, Chef Michi focuses on time-honored Italian techniques that produce dishes that touch the soul. In tandem with his wife—sous chef at Riccardo Trattoria—Chef Michi crafts food based on a lifetime of experience with a passion for the cuisine of his youth. We caught up with Chef Michi to discuss what drives him, how his mother inspired his passion, and his take on essential Italiano cuisine.
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Photo via Riccardo Trattoria
DiningOut: What was it like growing up in your parent’s restaurant?
Riccardo Michi: I inherited all of my passion and knowledge from my mother and what she was doing in the restaurant. She was my first master chef.
Did you always know you wanted to work in the restaurant industry?
At first, I was not sure I wanted to go into this profession. I wanted to explore the world when I was young. I used to work as a sailor on passenger and tanker ships. After that career, I traveled to India and Mexico on a spiritual journey. This then led me to America where the easiest way for me to find work was in the kitchen. It was what I knew best. When I opened my first restaurant in San Francisco, RTD Trattoria Toscana, my retired mother, at 75 years old, came to help me. She transferred her knowledge and passion for the craft to me—it was a very spiritual moment. It was in that moment that I accepted that this profession would be the best path for my life.
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Riccardo Enoteca
What drives your passion to recreate Italian classics?
I want to continue the tradition of the cuisine I learned from my mother, by focusing on classic Tuscan and Milanese cuisine. Nowadays, it is becoming rare to find these types of authentic restaurants.
What are some dishes that are essential to a great Italian restaurant?
It depends on the region the restaurant is focused on. As for northern Tuscan and Milanese cuisine, some essential dishes are Veal Ossobuco with Risotto Milanese, Braised Beef Stracotto with Polenta, Veal Milanese, Fish Stew Alla Viareggina, and Pappardelle Fiorentina.
What do you enjoy eating when you’re relaxing with friends and family?
I eat many different foods, but I do love risotto or pasta with porcini mushrooms, braised meats, or a simple grilled fish with olive oil and lemon.
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Photo via Riccardo Trattoria
How do you keep up with evolving food trends in Chicago while maintaining authenticity?
To be honest, I am not so interested in or involved with trends. Trends come and go. I am more of a classically-trained Italian chef and I prefer to stick to tradition. I hope the next trend is to take us back to our roots.
After living in the United States for over three decades, do you see American cuisine and tastes influence your sensibilities as a chef?
I always found it to be a privilege to be in the States and to be able to do what I love. The American tastes are becoming more and more sophisticated. There is a constant evolution in the tastes from the various ethnic cuisine that have come over. Americans travel all over the world and are able to accept and appreciate modern or classic Italian cuisine. Chicago is the best place for me because here, this type of cuisine is understood and appreciated.
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Riccardo Enoteca
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