Get Cookin' With Chef Giuseppe Tentori

Chef Giuseppe Tentori reimagined the American seafood restaurant when he opened GT Fish & Oyster (531 N. Wells) in March 2011. He received critical acclaim on local and national levels, including three stars from the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times and four stars from Time Out Chicago. He was a two-time semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef: Great Lakes" competition, and was named "Chef of the Year" by CS Magazine in 2011.

In 2016, Chef Tentori expanded the GT family with the introduction of GT Prime Steakhouse (707 N. Wells), an avant-garde dining concept in Chicago's River North district. At GT Prime, Tentori prioritizes sourcing from regional farmers and utilizing seasonal ingredients—a strategy that has become a trademark of his business and, what he says, is one of his favorite parts of being a chef. 

His early years as a chef began in Milan, then to the U.S. to Highland Park, Illinois and even Salt Lake City before he moved back to Chicago and joined the legendary Chef Charlie Trotter at his restaurant in Lincoln Park. There, he spent nine years perfecting his culinary skills, including two as Chef de Cuisine.

His true calling came in 2007 when he joined forces with the Boka Restaurant Group as Executive Chef at Boka restaurant (1729 N. Halsted). There, he attracted accolades for the restaurant and as its chef. The restaurant earned a Michelin star four years in a row and solidified its place in Chicago’s thriving culinary scene. Tentori received three James Beard Foundation nominations for "Best Chef: Great Lakes" during his time as Executive Chef and was named "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine magazine in 2008.

Considering his early years, it’s no surprise he is such a success today. Tentori developed his love of cooking from his mom and “nonna” who were “great Italian cooks.” His nonna specialized in polenta with a side of snails and mushrooms, while his mom loved making rabbit stew. Today, he is inspired by Chef Daniel Boulud. “His dishes are extremely well-executed, and the staff is impeccable,” he said. 

His favorite meal is a simple Margarita Pizza, preferably from Coalfire Pizza, and for his family, he loves to sear salmon with dill butter which he calls a “quick and easy meal for weeknights.” 

When asked what he likes to do in his spare time, he had this to say: With two kids, two restaurants and the catering division of Boka Group, when I have a free moment, I love to sneak off for a round of golf followed by a great Dominican cigar with buddies. A glass of fine wine or bourbon always helps too!

Chef Tentori is definitely a multi-tasker. He is the Chef and owner of GT Fish & Oyster, GT Prime Steakhouse, and Boka Catering Group. Luckily for us though, he still had time to share one of his favorite recipes, Spaghetti Bolognese, shared below.

Spaghetti Bolognese (Serves 6) 

Ingredients: 

1.5 lbs. spaghetti (Barilla is a great brand that you can find at most grocery stores)

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 

2 lbs. ground beef

2 ribs celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup red wine, full bodied

2 cans, 28 oz, crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. sugar

Kosher salt to taste

Cracked black pepper to taste

3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot on high heat with the olive oil

2. Slowly add the ground beef trying to caramelize, do not overcrowd the pan, use a small whisk to stab at the beef to break up the chunks leaving a finer texture

3. When all the beef is caramelized reduce heat to medium, add celery, carrot, onion and garlic, season with salt (start with 1 Tbsp.) and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently

4. Deglaze with the red wine and reduce by half

5. Add the cans of crushed tomatoes, being sure to scrape the inside of the can to get everything out

6. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium low, reduce the tomato by 1/3 to 1/2, about 1-1.5 hrs., stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn

7. When reduced to the desired consistency add the sugar and taste for salt and pepper, add more as necessary

8. When the sauce is ready to go, boil a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta to your desired doneness and strain

9. Add directly to the Bolognese along with the heavy cream and cook together, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes so the pasta can soak up the flavor of the sauce

10. Top with freshly grated parmesan, chopped parsley or basil, a sprinkling of extra virgin olive oil and a few cracks of fresh black pepper

11. Enjoy!