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About Us

RPM is a group of restaurants from celebrity couple Bill and Giuliana Rancic and siblings R.J., Jerrod and Molly Melman of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. The RPM brand focuses on sourcing the highest quality ingredients and providing guests with exceptional service for a dining experience unlike any other. RPM Italian and RPM Steak are located in the River North neighborhood of downtown Chicago, with a second location of RPM Italian in Washington, D.C.’s Mount Vernon district. Most recently, the team introduced Pizzeria Portofino, RPM Events and RPM Seafood to the Chicago Riverfront.

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Our Purveyors

Paola Mariani Mill 00 Flour

Our team makes over a dozen different pasta dishes daily using Paolo Mariani Mill’s exceptional flour, which is imported from Italy and prized for its optimal hydration properties. Our handmade pastas are all made using a variety of artisanal pasta tools such as bronze dies, gnocchi boards, pasta wheels, and groove cutters.

Giachi Olive Oil

Nestled in the picturesque hills of Mercatale Val di Pesa, within the celebrated Chianti Classico region of Florence, lies the Giachi family farm. Their award-winning olive oil is crafted from a skillful blend of hand-picked Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino, Maurino, and Pendolino olives, harvested during the first ten days of November to ensure peak ripeness and flavor.

Olive Oil Martini

Gaja

Nestled in the breathtaking Piedmont region of northwestern Italy lies Gaja Winery, a world-renowned producer of exquisite Italian wines. Established in 1859, the winery is celebrated for its visionary approach to winemaking, harmoniously blending time-honored techniques with state-of-the-art methods. Gaja’s mastery of the Nebbiolo grape is particularly notable, showcased in their legendary Barbaresco and Barolo wines, revered globally as benchmarks of Italian winemaking excellence.

RPM Italian Chicago's Gaja collection

Tekla Inc.

Tekla, Inc. is Chicago’s foremost importer of specialty cheese and caviar from around the world. The family business started as a modest wholesaling operation by Sophie and Leonard Soloman and has expanded to importing the world’s best cheeses, including La Tur, a coveted small batch cheese from Piedmont, Italy.

Acetaia San Giacomo Balsamic

Andrea Bezzecchi is an award-winning family producer of balsamic vinegar in Reggio Emilia, Italy, who preserves tradition and original techniques of producing aged balsamic vinegar. San Giacomo represents passion, culture, and rigorous production methods. The balsamic vinegar is made from cooked grape must and aged in traditional wooden barrels resulting in a product that is well balanced with a harmonious blend of sweet and sour.

WasteNot Compost

Starting in 2023, Chicagoland RPM Restaurants initiated a comprehensive composting program, partnering with local Chicago-based company WasteNot. The program includes glass, cardboard, and all food waste, contributing to Lettuce Entertain You’s commitment to a more sustainable future.  In addition to composting nearly all waste coming from the restaurants, RPM Restaurants has also switched to offering only glass bottles from water to liquor so they can all be recycled. Inspired by Managing Partner Kelly Clancy, the initiative aims to expand composting efforts to more Lettuce restaurants nationwide, aligning with a broader environmental mission of the company.

Our Team

Bob Broskey

Executive Chef Partner

Bob Broskey, the Executive Chef Partner of RPM Restaurants, hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and his culinary journey stems from a family of adept cooks. After refining his skills in Chicago at Michelin-starred establishments like Ria and L2O, Broskey ventured back to Pittsburgh to contribute to the success of Notion. Returning to Chicago, he played a crucial role at Intro, earning accolades like Zagat's "30 Under 30." Joining RPM Seafood in 2019, Broskey's passion for seafood propelled him to be made Partner in the restaurants, overseeing chef teams nationwide across various RPM concepts, including RPM Italian, RPM Steak, RPM Seafood, and more.

Sam Dickstein

Executive Chef

Sam Dickstein, inspired by an early love for food and hospitality, honed his skills at Johnson and Wales University. After completing the Lettuce Entertain You Summer Internship Program, he earned a degree in Restaurant Food and Beverage Management. Returning to LEYE, he worked at Saranello's, eventually discovering his passion in the kitchen. Transitioning to Sous Chef roles at Il Porcellino and Ramen San, he deepened his expertise in Italian cuisine. Joining RPM Italian's team, he contributed to its success before becoming part of the opening team at Pizzeria Portofino. His dedication earned the restaurant the Chicago Tribune Readers' Choice Dining Award for Best New Restaurant. Now the Executive Chef at RPM Italian Chicago, Sam continues to evolve his culinary passion through travel and cooking for loved ones.

Andrea Coté

Executive Pastry Chef

Andrea Coté, the Executive Pastry Chef at RPM Restaurants, brings a modern twist to classic flavors in her pastry creations, showcased across the RPM brand of restaurants. Originally from Everett, MA, Coté pursued communications at Boston University before transitioning to pastry studies at the International Culinary Center in NYC. She honed her skills at prestigious establishments, including Jean-Georges and Per Se. Joining Lettuce Entertain You in 2017, she contributed to the re-concept of Booth One before becoming the Pastry Chef at RPM Restaurants in 2019. Coté's creativity extends beyond the kitchen, indulging in painting and enjoying family time on the East Coast with her husband, Michael, and their dog, Ducasse.

Richard Hanauer

Partner

Richard Hanauer serves as the operational Partner for RPM Restaurants and Pizzeria Portofino, steering the wine programs. His wine journey started at the family table and led to studying Hospitality at Syracuse University. Hanauer began as a sommelier at 160Blue and fine wine expert for Levy Restaurants, eventually becoming Tru Restaurant's youngest sommelier at 25. After a tenure at L2O with a Michelin star, he joined RPM Italian in 2014 and later opened RPM Steak and RPM Italian in Washington, DC. He played a pivotal role in the success of Bar Ramone, Pizzeria Portofino, RPM Events, RPM Seafood, and RPM Italian Las Vegas. Hanauer's accolades include Wine Spectator's "Best of" Awards, a "Sommelier of the Year" title, and being named one of Wine Enthusiast magazine's 40 Under 40 Tastemakers in 2019. Currently residing in Chicago, Hanauer takes pride in his talented sommelier team and contributes to Lettuce's newest wine-forward concept, The Oakville Grill.

Joseph Lapi

Wine Director

Joseph Lapi, hailing from Buffalo, NY, found his passion for wine at local restaurant, Hutches, discovering the richness of Chianti over LSATs. In 2014, he moved to Chicago, evolving from bartender to sommelier at RPM Steak. Now RPM's Wine Director, overseeing the nationwide program, Lapi, in his 9th year, embraces the subjectivity of taste. He enjoys classics like syrah and champagne but appreciates wines from all corners. Outside work, Lapi cherishes family time, supporting the Buffalo Bills, and finds joy in making wine more than a job, considering it a true passion.

Our Partners

Bill & Giuliana Rancic

Celebrity power couple Bill and Giuliana Rancic – who are television personalities, New York Times best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, executive producers and marketing experts – have added restaurateurs to their long list of accomplishments as partners in the RPM brand. Dynamic and highly sought after as speakers, the duo travel around the world focusing on topics that continue to inspire and motivate audiences of all sizes.

Bill & Giuliana Rancic

R.J., Jerrod & Molly Melman

With more than a dozen restaurants to their names, the Melman siblings are responsible for some of downtown Chicago's most sought-after spots. Their foray into LEYE partnership began with Hub 51 and has since grown to include Bub City, Three Dots and a Dash, RPM Italian, RPM Steak, Ramen-san, il Porcellino, Bub City & Joe's Live Rosemont, Sushi-san, Pizzeria Portofino, RPM Events, RPM Seafood and Dance Studio. They have also expanded concepts to Washington, D.C. and L.A. and are driving forces behind the nation's premier BBQ and country music festival, Windy City Smokeout.

R.J., Jerrod & Molly Melman