I bring big energy, deep culinary training, and a passion for cooking to create unforgettable meals—tailored to you.

Richard Mancini

I craft bold, guest-focused dining experiences—from handmade pasta to sushi and beyond.

I’m a professional chef and a graduate of Washburn Culinary, with an A.S. in Culinary Arts & Science. I’ve competed and appeared on Food Network and other major TV networks, and I’ve toured and cooked for rock bands as well as on movie sets.

I’m comfortable across many cuisines, including sushi rolling and pasta making, and I put my heart into every event. I live for my clients, and I love building menus that feel personal, exciting, and deeply satisfying.

Let’s plan your menu

Cooking is my passion, my desire, and my lifelong dream—I’m a career chef with a true desire to please.

I cook with purpose, precision, and a guest-first mindset.

My cooking is my calling

Cooking is my passion, my desire, and my lifelong dream—I'm a career chef who focuses on making every guest feel taken care of through food.

I trained in Chicago’s classic kitchens

I learned and cooked in some of Chicago’s standout restaurants and institutions, including Gibson's Steakhouse, the Chicago Hilton & Towers, and The Bakery under Chef Louis Szthmeyer.

Fresh ingredients, better food

My secret in the kitchen is simple: the best and freshest ingredients produce the best and healthiest dishes, and I pour my desire to please into every plate.

Richard’s Menus

I offer curated, multi-course menus built for memorable nights in—whether you’re craving Italian comfort, a classic steakhouse dinner, French favorites, a seafood-forward experience, or a vibrant Mexican spread.

Request a menu

Stories and Testimonials

Chef Rich’s best quality is his personality. We wanted to hear stories about his career and he has years of experiences owning restaurants, cooking privately, and winning television competitions. It’s so great to get first-hand information and he is so entertaining in the way he does it. I’m sure he would be happy to just be more in the background for those who don’t want the conversation. We really hoped for sometime to talk with us and he’s perfect for that. The food was amazing. He was incredibly organized at keeping it all moving and it was so delicious. He left the kitchen spotless and we would highly recommend him to anybody who wants an outstanding meal from an experienced chef.

Jay Cohen

Exceptional service, lovely man and exquisite food. Would highly recommend

Steve Marsh

Chef Rich was great! The food was fantastic as well as the service and level of engagement. It was an awesome evening!!! Highly, highly recommend.

Jon Soffer

This experience and the chef were outstanding. He offered a very creative and flexible menu; he thought of every detail; he came prepared and equipped; and he was full-service. He was entertaining if you wanted to watch him cook, he served as things were ready, his timing was fantastic, and his cleanup was perfect. He made our night perfect! He was everything we hoped for in a romantic dinner for two.

Kevin Schaff

We hosted a dinner for our salon staff and had an amazing experience with Chef Mancini. He prepared a delicious Italian meal that everyone absolutely loved and the entire night felt effortless because of how professional and organized he was. The food was incredible, everything was beautifully prepared, he had the kindest assistant, and he even cleaned up afterward, which made hosting very stress-free. It was the perfect touch for our celebration, and we would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking to elevate a dinner or event.

Lauren Brown

Chef Rich was awesome!! Highly recommend him and his staff.

Angela Cosenza

Amazing chef and staff, made thanksgiving a real easy treat for everyone

Chrislyn Castillo

Chef Rich and his team were simply incredible! They navigated the kitchen effortlessly in our absence and organized, prepared, and served our entire dinner with complete ease. I didn’t have to think or worry about a single thing — and neither did our guests. We hired Chef Rich and his team for our private wedding reception dinner, and everything was excellent and truly beyond our expectations! I am forever grateful to him and his team!

Sonja Vukosavljevic

We hired Chef Rich for a private dining experience during a bachelorette weekend in Long Beach, Indiana, and he was incredible. He arrived right on time, the food was amazing, and he handled everything from start to finish with such care. The cleanup was spotless. We truly could not have asked for a better experience and would love to work with Chef Rich again. Thank you!

Kiley Cox

Chef Richard and his team were amazing and made our dinner party very special.

Paul Rauckinas