Tesori Appoints New Executive Chef

Tesori Trattoria and Bar, located just steps off Michigan Avenue in the bustling Loop, is pleased to announce Carlos Ysaguirre as its new executive chef. Ysaguirre’s most recent position at Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile (Austin, Texas) showcased his simple and rustic culinary point-of-view of using seasonal, high-quality ingredients while continuing his passion for working with local purveyors. While in Texas, he appeared at the celebrated Austin Food & Wine Festival and was awarded “People’s Favorite Dish” in the Do512 Karbach Chili Cook-off and “Best in Show” at the American Lamb Board’s premier Lamb Jam Global Flavors Tour. 

Prior to Jacoby’s, Ysaguirre helmed the kitchen at Anteprima (Chicago), where for six years he brought acclaim to the Andersonville restaurant with his rustic Italian fare. During his tenure, he also helped open neighboring farm-to-table Acre and regional-focused Italian Bar Ombra of the same ownership to high praise, exhibiting his ability for larger leadership over a family of restaurants.

Says Ysaguirre, “I’m very excited to join the Tesori team and once again share my love of the kitchen and Italian food with Chicago. I was taught that great cooking is about showcasing good, quality ingredients in an interesting way and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. Tesori’s philosophy of seasonally-driven, rustic fare aligns perfectly with that point-of-view.”

At Tesori, Ysaguirre will focus on seasonal-driven menus featuring simple and rustic flavors inspired by regional Italian ingredients. The menu will include a combination of antipasti, house-made pastas, piatti (entrees) and contorni (sides). Highlights from the upcoming fall menu include: eggplant caponata (sweet and sour Sicilian relish, capers, pine nuts); duck breast saltimbocca (butternut squash, apples, Brussels sprouts, saba); and grilled marinated leg of lamb (Borlotti beans, fennel, radish, pickled peppers, feta), among other dishes. Ysaguirre will continue Tesori’s tradition of handcrafted, red and white Neapolitan-style pizza. Ysaguirre’s new menu will launch mid-October.

Owner Jim Horan feels “Ysaguirre’s strong background in rustic and seasonally-driven Italian fare and passion for forging relationships with local purveyors was a perfect fit for Tesori. We are excited to welcome him to our family of companies and back to Chicago.”

Chef Ysaguirre will present fagioli e polpettine, a traditional Italian dish, at Chicago Gourmet this Sunday, September 25 (tasting pavilion 8). 

Tesori Trattoria and Bar is open daily at 11:30 a.m. and offers both lunch and dinner service as well as daily happy hour specials. More information can be found at tesorichicago.com. 

About Tesori Trattoria and Bar Tesori is Chicago Loop’s premier Italian-inspired restaurant and bar located at 65 East Adams in the historic Symphony Center off of Chicago’s Cultural Mile. Its uniquely modern take on rustic, Italian food and drink borrows from Italy's various regional influences and traditions to create an authentic Italian experience while the lively bar features handcrafted cocktails, a curated menu of craft beer and an extensive Italian-driven wine list that highlights many of Italy’s regional varieties as well as old and new world wines. The architecturally-driven space designed by Knauer Inc. offers casual ambience and a bright and spacious setting including a private event room perfect for special events. 

About Round The Table Hospitality Round The Table Hospitality (RTTH) is a family of companies based in Chicago's West Loop, founded by Blue Plate Catering CEO Jim Horan in 2016. The RTTH roster includes the state-of-the-art facility Larkin Hall, an intrapreneurial incubator program Wild Blue, Blue Plate Catering, and restaurants Tesori Trattoria and Bar and Park Grill.