Born in Belgium but raised in both his homeland and Italy, Aldo Zaninotto spent much of his time growing up at his father’s Italian restaurant in the heart of Brussels. It was there, that his love for the restaurant industry took off. After graduating with honors from one of the top hospitality schools in Europe, CERIA, Zaninotto had the opportunity to learn and work in some of the best restaurants in Brussels. In 1988, he landed in New York City where he continued to expand his resume working in some of the best fine dining spots in the city like San Domenico and Le Perigord. From New York he moved to Los Angeles, holding various positions in fine dining restaurants including L’Orangerie, La Toque, Fleur de Vin, Celestino and Patina. Later, Zaninotto settled in Chicago after accepting the general manager position of Carlucci, a Lincoln Park institution at the time. In 1994, he opened Savarin in River North with legendary Chef John Hogan, and then Ditka’s Restaurant in 1995 before deciding to focus on another side of the business that is very near and dear to his heart: wine. For the next 12 years Zaninotto travelled throughout America and Europe, building relationships within the world’s winemaking elite. Eventually, he became the import manager for many of Italy’s famed wineries and helped bring these labels to restaurants and stores throughout the states and Canada. After working as a full-time wine seller and representing some of the best wineries from Piemonte, Zaninotto wanted to bring his love of this particular region of Italy to the Logan Square community. In 2014 he opened his first restaurant, Osteria Langhe, a cozy, wine-focused eatery dedicated entirely to the traditions and flavors of Piemonte. After six successful years and garnering several noteworthy accolades for Osteria Langhe as one of best Italian restaurants in Chicago as well as the US, Zaninotto wanted to introduce his love for another part of Italy, the neighborhood of Testaccio in Rome, and opened his second restaurant of the same name in 2020. Testaccio, also located in Logan Square, is a lively and welcoming dining spot and wine bar showcasing authentic Roman dishes and Italian staples in a casual setting. Zaninotto also acts as wine director for both restaurants, bringing only the highest quality and value-driven wines to his establishments.
Aldo's Restaurants: https://www.osterialanghe.com/https://www.testacciochicago.com/
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