Gino Bartucci, who attended Maine South High School, owns BarTucci Homemade Italian Restaurant on Harlem Avenue in Chicago.
Q: Tell me about your career as an entrepreneur in Chicago leading up to owning BarTucci.
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A: My most recent job was the food and beverage director at the Dana Hotel and Spa in River North. I worked in all different types of restaurants. I did a lot of nightclub work and large-scale events. I worked with celebrities and charities.
Q: Why did you want to open BarTucci?
A: The more that I continued with my professional career, I started to appreciate the foods that I was brought up with. The days of nonna’s homemade Italian recipes are gone. My family owns Pasta Fresh on Harlem Avenue, and I figured I could bring my experience of food and beverage to Harlem.
Q: What makes BarTucci’s menu special?
A: The menu has old-school dishes that are staples. We do the “simple things” extremely well. My father is from Calabria, so you’ll see “peasant” dishes. My mom is from Bari, so you’ll see a lot of seafood at my restaurant, too. My chef studied in Rome, so he brings in a Northern Italian mix. Everything is regional.
Q: Do you travel to Italy a lot?
A: I was just there two weeks ago. I had a friend’s wedding in Santorini, Greece. Then, I went to Rome. I went on a motorcycle trip through the Alps.
Q: Does BarTucci have any events coming up?
A: The last Sunday of every month, we do “Sundays with Nonna.” People always say that no matter how good a restaurant is, it isn’t as good as their nonna’s cooking. So, we invite Italian grandmothers, and I have them be the chef for the day. Nonna is the boss for the day, and we do all of the work.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
A: I love to be active. I spend a lot of my time at the restaurant. I have a serious passion for food. I like finding new foods and traveling, of course.
Q: What is the future for BarTucci?
A: I see it growing, but not too much. I like the culture as it is now.