Tony Mantuano
Since opening the critically acclaimed Spiaggia more than 20 years ago, Executive Chef Tony Mantuano has become one of the most celebrated chefs in Chicago. In 2005, after three previous nominations, he received the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Midwest Award for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine.

Under Chef Mantuano’s guidance, Spiaggia Restaurant itself has received several nominations from the James Beard Foundation: for Outstanding Restaurant in 2006 and 2007 and for Outstanding Service in 2008. Prior to opening Spiaggia, Chef Mantuano developed his craft at several Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy, including the three-star Dal Pescatore in Lombardia and the renowned Da Romano. He has co-authored two books with his wife, Cathy Mantuano: Wine Bar Food (Clarkson Potter) and The Spiaggia Cookbook—Eleganza Italian in Cucina (Chronicle Books), which was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as a top cookbook in 2004. Today, Chef Mantuano continues to lead the culinary team at Spiaggia.

Chef di Cucina

Margaret (Meg) Colleran Sahs opened Terzo Piano at The Art Institute of Chicago to much anticipation on May 16, 2009.  Colleran was appointed to the position thanks to her stellar skills, culinary prowess and experience in the restaurant business, working most recently at Spiaggia, Chicago’s only four-star Italian restaurant.

Colleran’s passion for locally sourced, organic, high-quality foods complements Terzo Piano’s menu style of dishes grounded in Italian tradition  while served in an updated, modern fashion.  Colleran has long been inspired by this culinary philosophy and became better acquainted with it while working at Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley, California.  At Terzo Piano, Colleran draws on that experience and succeeds in finding the balance between authenticity and sustainability. 

As Chef di Cucina for Terzo Piano, Colleran has sourced many high-quality, seasonally produced, local foods such as Nichols Farm Illinois spinach, Pinn Oak Farms Wisconsin lamb, Lake Erie Walleye Pike, Michigan Manchego cheese, and more.
                                      
In addition to her knowledge of seasonality and sustainability, she is well-trained in all facets of culinary execution. Colleran is also skilled in managing operations and has experience serving up to 400 guests in casual and fine dining situations, from her time spent at Cafe Spiaggia, Spiaggia and The Private Dining Rooms of Spiaggia.

Colleran also became familiar with French culinary style during a stage at La Fleur de Sel and Ma Petite Folie restaurants in Brittany, France.

Before receiving a grand diploma in culinary arts, with honors from The French Culinary Institute, Colleran received a bachelor’s of arts degree in business marketing from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

About Our Wine Expert

Cathy Mantuano
A sought-after expert on wine and food pairings from New York to San Francisco and a contributor on food and wine topics to Chicago television and radio, Cathy Mantuano helps restaurants around the country create distinctive wine lists.

Mantuano got her start while working in the dining room of a prestigious Milwaukee restaurant during college. There she met a young chef, Tony Mantuano, with a remarkably similar passion for all things Italian. The two went on to work in several Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy—she in the dining room, he in the kitchen—including the three-star Dal Pescatore in Mantova and Da Romano on the Tuscan coast in Viareggio.

Then they took their experience and passion to Chicago, where they helped turn Spiaggia into one of the world’s premier Italian restaurants. Cathy Mantuano has gone on to open and operate a number of successful restaurants, to teach classes on wine and wine-and-food pairing and to co-author with Tony Mantuano The Spiaggia Cookbook and Wine Bar Food.