Quick Facts
Biography
Richard Michael "Rick" Tramonto (born May 30, 1963) is a Chicago chef and cookbook author. He was executive chef and partner in Tru, a contemporary fine-dining restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.
Biography
A native of Rochester, New York, Tramonto began his culinary career working in a Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. He later worked in New York City and London, England. In 1994, while at Trio in Evanston, Illinois, Tramonto was named among Food & Wine Magazine's Top Ten Best New Chefs.
In 1999, he opened Tru with culinary partner Gale Gand and Rich Melman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Tramonto and his partners at Tru won the 2007 James Beard Foundation Award for Service. Tramonto was named the "Best Chef: Midwest Region" by The James Beard Foundation in 2002. At this time, Rick was also a featured chef on Great Chef television, appearing in episodes of Great Chefs of America, Great Chefs - Great Cities, Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, and Iron Chef America.
Tramonto founded Cenitare Restaurants in 2006, opening several restaurants in a Wheeling, Illinois hotel, including Tramonto's Steak & Seafood, Osteria di Tramonto (now closed) and RT Lounge. He left the company in 2009.
Tramonto left Tru in 2010.
Works
- Butter, Sugar, Flour, Eggs ISBN 0-609-60420-1
- American Brasserie ISBN 0-02-861630-8
- Amuse-Bouche ISBN 0-375-50760-4
- Tru ISBN 1-4000-6061-3
- Fantastico!
- Steak with Friends" ISBN 978-0-7407-9257-1
- "Scars of a Chef" ISBN 9781414331621
On July 30, 2006, he appeared on Iron Chef: America. Losing to Mario Batali (53 - 46)
In 2010, appeared on Bravo's Top Chef Masters Season 2. He was eliminated in the fourth episode of the season.
Home on the Range, Restaurant Development
On August 25, 2010, Tramonto announced his partnership with Chef John Folse and the formation of Home on the Range: Folse Tramonto Restaurant Development, LLC. Their first joint venture is Restaurant R’evolution, which opened in 2011 at 777 Bienville St. in the Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans. Restaurant R’evolution offers contemporary Creole cuisine. Their second venture is Seafood R'evolution, which opened in 2014 in Ridgeland MS, just outside Jackson.