Chicago is mourning the loss of chef, entrepreneur and creative force Steve Chiapetti, who died unexpectedly Friday at the age of 58.
A native of Chicago’s South Side, Chiappetti was inspired from an early age by the traditions of European cooking. His first restaurant, Mango, opened in the 1990s. He later went on to open several others, including Mediterranean cafe Grapes and Rhapsody at Chicago Symphony Center.
Most recently, he served as Vice President of Food & Beverage for Chicago-based Dreamweaver Hotels, leading the food and beverage vision for several Chicago hotels. His work spanned signature restaurants, including the Albert, State and Lake Chicago Tavern and ROOF.
Chiappetti was featured on WBBM several times over the years and was a longtime favorite of local and national media.
A news release announcing his death says Chiapetti "will be remembered as someone who fed people in every sense of the word."
He leaves behind his wife and two children.