Coco Pazzo

Address:
  300 West Hubbard
  Chicago, IL 60610

Phone: 312-836-0900

Website: www.cocopazzochicago.com

Pricing: $$$

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Description:

Jack Weiss opened the doors of Coco Pazzo in the River North area of Chicago in 1992. Much excitement followed, as this was the first Chicago restaurant to focus solely on the Tuscan region of Italy. Praise was immediate for the straightforward seasonal cuisine, award-winning all-Italian wine list, beautiful loft setting, and impeccable, friendly service.

Coco Pazzo has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the AAA Four Diamond award, the DiRona Award (Distinguished Restaurants of North America), multiple Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence, and the Wine Enthusiast Award of Distinction.

Coco Pazzo has been given three-and-a-half stars by the Chicago Sun Times and three stars by the Chicago Tribune. In addition, they are listed in America’s 1,000 Top Italian Restaurants by Zagat and rated with an outstanding score of 25 for food. 

About the Chef:

Chef Jim Kilberg is a focused, hands on chef who has seriously cultivated his talent. Born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Wheaton, Jim started cooking as a child and has honed his culinary gift ever since. If you ask what he enjoys most and what makes him smile, he doesn’t hesitate..."a really nice pasta”.

Jim is passionate about Tuscan cuisine based on the flavorful combination of simple, fresh ingredients. From olive oil and thyme to saba and honey, Jim’s well studied technique and uncanny talent for pairing unexpected ingredients are reflected not only in his exquisite pasta dishes but in his wood fired entrees and pizzas.

Jim graduated from the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. He realized his enthusiasm for Tuscan cuisine while at Gioco, in Chicago, and he soon moved to Italy to learn the art of Italian cuisine from the masters. Jim began working for renowned chef Francesco Bernadelli in Florence at Beccofino and again in the Chianti region where he consulted for the resort Borgo di Fontibussi. He returned to Gioco and then expanded his culinary experience at Bice, Coco Pazzo Café and Il Poggiolo.

Jim’s solid training and imaginative ingredient combinations bring a refreshing flair to Coco Pazzo’s traditional and contemporary menu selections. This is a chef whose time has come and his commitment to the Tuscan cooking philosophy is echoed each day at Coco Pazzo.