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Rick Tramonto

2002 Best Chef: Midwest Region by The James Beard Foundation

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Rick Tramonto Biography

Rick Tramonto's 24-year restaurant career has been a climb to the stars. With the stellar success of his current culinary endeavor,Chicago's TRU, Tramonto has become a star in his own right. "Tramonto is a blend of mad scientist and magician in the kitchen. He is innovative, creative and somewhat an illusionist," described Pat Bruno of the Chicago Sun-Times.

 

A native ofRochester,NY, Tramonto became disinterested in traditional academics during his teen years, choosing instead to enroll in a vocational tech program where he began developing his cooking skills.

He then went to work full-time at Wendy's old fashioned hamburgers to help out his family, earning $200 for a six-day workweek. He left after two years becoming grill/sauté cook at the Scotch & Sirloin, which led to his first real culinary experience at the Strathallen hotel. Under the tutelage of Chef Greg Broman, Tramonto learned the techniques of classic French cuisine in the hotel's first class kitchen.

Young and ambitious, Tramonto moved toNew York Cityin 1985 where he worked at the legendary Tavern on the Green. From there he joined Chef Alfred Portale as line cook at Gotham Bar & Grill and was part of the brigade awarded three stars by the New York Times. He also worked under Chef Gerard Panguad atAurora. Tramonto was brought toChicagoby noted restaurateur Richard Melman in 1987 to work at his popular Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. establishments, including Avanzare, Scoozi, and the Pump Room.

Tramonto moved to Charlie Trotter's in 1989. Soon he received a call from Bob Payton, who operated 14 American-style restaurants inLondon(My Kinda Town, Ltd.) and 17 other venues acrossEurope. Payton asked Tramonto and his culinary partner Gale Gand to transform the kitchen and cuisine at his award-winning country-house hotel,StaplefordPark, in Leicestershire, outsideLondon. They accepted the opportunity to live and work inEngland,FranceandSpain. Their proudest moment was receiving the coveted Michelin Guide's Red "M" after only a year at Stapleford, a feat not accomplished by an American in five years.

Tramonto reopened the historic Criterion Brasserie inPiccadilly Circus,London, the restaurant made famous in a Sherlock Holmes novel, with Bob Payton and Rocko Forte of the Trusthouse Forte Hotel Group. These experiences abroad allowed him to work with some of the world's greatest chefs including Chef Pierre Gagnaire, Chef Anton Mosimann, Chef Michel Guerard and Chef Raymond Blanc. He returned toChicagoafter a four year experience abroad.

 

Tramonto's passion for food, unique culinary style and his proven track record at home and abroad provided him a solid foundation to partner in a successful restaurant. When he and Gand opened Trio in 1993, the restaurant was an immediate triumph, earning Chicago Tribune restaurant critic Phil Vettel's first four-star rating in six years. 1994 saw the opening of Brasserie T inNorthfield,IL& in 1995 they introduced the Vanilla Bean Bakery. Their first cookbook, American Brasserie, hit the shelves in late October 1997 and was named as a finalist in the IACP/Julia Child Cookbok Awards.

 

May 1999 saw the opening of TRU, an acronym for “Tramonto” and “Unlimited.” Tramonto's goal when opening TRU was to remain true to his art, keep flavors true, use unlimited creativity and have access to unlimited resources from around the world. Critics agree — Tramonto has remained true to this vision — a vision born when Tramonto partnered with Rich Melman and Executive Pastry Chef Gale Gand.

 

Tramonto & Gand’s second book, Butter Flour Sugar Eggs, released in October 1999, was nominated for the 2000 James Beard Award for the Best Cookbook in the Baking and Desserts category. In October 2002, Random House published Tramonto’s third cookbook Amuse-Bouche, which features the little bites Tramonto has become known for.

 

Tramonto has a history of television work, including “Oprah”, “Today”, “CBS This Morning” and the TV Food Network. His sixth cookbook, “Fantastico!”, is a tour ofItalyone small plate at a time and will be released in autumn 2007. In 2006 he founded Cenitare Restaurants with culinary partner Gale Gand , a restaurant management and development company which opened four new concepts The Westin Chicago North Shore, including Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood, Osteria di Tramonto and RT Lounge.

 

Tramonto is president of Tramonto Cuisine, which encompasses his work as an author and a corporate spokesperson. In addition to his best selling cookbooks, Tramonto has lent his expertise as a spokesperson and consultant to many well-known companies including, Nestle, Sunkist, the American Dairy Association, Chef's Catalogue, Illy Coffee, and Isi North America, just to name a few.

FAQs
  • How do I book Rick Tramonto to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Rick Tramonto for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Rick Tramonto, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Rick Tramonto or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Rick Tramonto

    Speaking fees for Rick Tramonto, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Rick Tramonto are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Rick Tramonto, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Rick Tramonto speak about?

    Rick Tramonto is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Celebrity Chefs, Food, Lifestyle.
  • Where does Rick Tramonto travel from?

    Rick Tramonto generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Rick Tramonto’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Rick Tramonto for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Rick Tramonto for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Rick Tramonto or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

2002 Best Chef: Midwest Region by The James Beard Foundation

Travels From:
Chicago, IL, USA
Speaking Fee:

Rick Tramonto Biography

Rick Tramonto's 24-year restaurant career has been a climb to the stars. With the stellar success of his current culinary endeavor,Chicago's TRU, Tramonto has become a star in his own right. "Tramonto is a blend of mad scientist and magician in the kitchen. He is innovative, creative and somewhat an illusionist," described Pat Bruno of the Chicago Sun-Times.

 

A native ofRochester,NY, Tramonto became disinterested in traditional academics during his teen years, choosing instead to enroll in a vocational tech program where he began developing his cooking skills.

He then went to work full-time at Wendy's old fashioned hamburgers to help out his family, earning $200 for a six-day workweek. He left after two years becoming grill/sauté cook at the Scotch & Sirloin, which led to his first real culinary experience at the Strathallen hotel. Under the tutelage of Chef Greg Broman, Tramonto learned the techniques of classic French cuisine in the hotel's first class kitchen.

Young and ambitious, Tramonto moved toNew York Cityin 1985 where he worked at the legendary Tavern on the Green. From there he joined Chef Alfred Portale as line cook at Gotham Bar & Grill and was part of the brigade awarded three stars by the New York Times. He also worked under Chef Gerard Panguad atAurora. Tramonto was brought toChicagoby noted restaurateur Richard Melman in 1987 to work at his popular Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. establishments, including Avanzare, Scoozi, and the Pump Room.

Tramonto moved to Charlie Trotter's in 1989. Soon he received a call from Bob Payton, who operated 14 American-style restaurants inLondon(My Kinda Town, Ltd.) and 17 other venues acrossEurope. Payton asked Tramonto and his culinary partner Gale Gand to transform the kitchen and cuisine at his award-winning country-house hotel,StaplefordPark, in Leicestershire, outsideLondon. They accepted the opportunity to live and work inEngland,FranceandSpain. Their proudest moment was receiving the coveted Michelin Guide's Red "M" after only a year at Stapleford, a feat not accomplished by an American in five years.

Tramonto reopened the historic Criterion Brasserie inPiccadilly Circus,London, the restaurant made famous in a Sherlock Holmes novel, with Bob Payton and Rocko Forte of the Trusthouse Forte Hotel Group. These experiences abroad allowed him to work with some of the world's greatest chefs including Chef Pierre Gagnaire, Chef Anton Mosimann, Chef Michel Guerard and Chef Raymond Blanc. He returned toChicagoafter a four year experience abroad.

 

Tramonto's passion for food, unique culinary style and his proven track record at home and abroad provided him a solid foundation to partner in a successful restaurant. When he and Gand opened Trio in 1993, the restaurant was an immediate triumph, earning Chicago Tribune restaurant critic Phil Vettel's first four-star rating in six years. 1994 saw the opening of Brasserie T inNorthfield,IL& in 1995 they introduced the Vanilla Bean Bakery. Their first cookbook, American Brasserie, hit the shelves in late October 1997 and was named as a finalist in the IACP/Julia Child Cookbok Awards.

 

May 1999 saw the opening of TRU, an acronym for “Tramonto” and “Unlimited.” Tramonto's goal when opening TRU was to remain true to his art, keep flavors true, use unlimited creativity and have access to unlimited resources from around the world. Critics agree — Tramonto has remained true to this vision — a vision born when Tramonto partnered with Rich Melman and Executive Pastry Chef Gale Gand.

 

Tramonto & Gand’s second book, Butter Flour Sugar Eggs, released in October 1999, was nominated for the 2000 James Beard Award for the Best Cookbook in the Baking and Desserts category. In October 2002, Random House published Tramonto’s third cookbook Amuse-Bouche, which features the little bites Tramonto has become known for.

 

Tramonto has a history of television work, including “Oprah”, “Today”, “CBS This Morning” and the TV Food Network. His sixth cookbook, “Fantastico!”, is a tour ofItalyone small plate at a time and will be released in autumn 2007. In 2006 he founded Cenitare Restaurants with culinary partner Gale Gand , a restaurant management and development company which opened four new concepts The Westin Chicago North Shore, including Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood, Osteria di Tramonto and RT Lounge.

 

Tramonto is president of Tramonto Cuisine, which encompasses his work as an author and a corporate spokesperson. In addition to his best selling cookbooks, Tramonto has lent his expertise as a spokesperson and consultant to many well-known companies including, Nestle, Sunkist, the American Dairy Association, Chef's Catalogue, Illy Coffee, and Isi North America, just to name a few.

FAQs on booking Rick Tramonto

  • How do I book Rick Tramonto to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Rick Tramonto for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Rick Tramonto, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Rick Tramonto or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Rick Tramonto

    Speaking fees for Rick Tramonto, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Rick Tramonto are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Rick Tramonto, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Rick Tramonto speak about?

    Rick Tramonto is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Celebrity Chefs, Food, Lifestyle.
  • Where does Rick Tramonto travel from?

    Rick Tramonto generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Rick Tramonto’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Rick Tramonto for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Rick Tramonto for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Rick Tramonto or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Rick Tramonto is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Rick Tramonto for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Rick Tramonto generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are John Folse, Zakary Pelaccio, Stephan Pyles, Shannon Bennett and Marc Murphy. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Rick Tramonto for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Rick Tramonto

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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