Spiaggia; Chicago (Rest.)

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Top Chef: Texas finalist Sarah Grueneberg rose from line cook to executive chef at this esteemed Italian restaurant owned by Tony Mantuano (Top Chef Masters Season 2). She now works side by side with Mantuano, cooking a menu of handmade pastas and wood-roasted entrées. The duo regularly travel to Italy for inspiration (they’re currently exploring Mantuano’s roots in Calabria), bringing back ideas and ingredients. One of Grueneberg’s favorite finds is a honey she helped pollinate in Venice last summer and recently used to glaze doughnuts filled with a grappa-infused cream. http://spiaggiarestaurant.com