Chef Joe Flamm, Culinary Director of Day Off Group and owner of il Carciofo, Rose Mary and BLVD Steakhouse
Chef Joe Flamm’s newest restaurant concept, il Carciofo, is bringing Rome’s authentic flavors and Old World sensibilities to Fulton Market.
The South Side native, Top Chef season 15 winner and Culinary Director of Day Off Group has long been among Chicago’s top chefs of Italian cuisine, from his days leading the kitchen at the iconic Spiaggia and Cafe Spiaggia to his current hits Rose Mary and BLVD Steakhouse. At il Carciofo (meaning “The Artichoke” in Italian), time-honored Roman recipes take center stage on an ever-evolving menu of antipasti, traditional pasta dishes and market-led main courses.
These include small bites like prosciutto di parma, crispy carciofo and suppli con ragu, accompanied by Roman-style pizzas baked in a custom Wood Stone oven and hand-rolled pasta crafted daily in a dedicated pasta lab that doubles as an event space.
Hand-rolled carbonara pasta
The culinary program is rounded out by traditional Roman desserts, including maritozzi sweet buns, zabaglione custard and house-spun gelatis and sorbettis.
“What sets il Carciofo apart is doing the classics of not just a carbonara but an amatriciana, a gricia, doing pizza al taglio and supplì,” says Flamm. “These dishes aren’t seen as much in Chicago as they are in Rome.”
While staging in Rome during his time as chef de cuisine at iconic Chicago establishment Spiaggia, Flamm’s love and admiration for the Italian capital was born. “That wasn’t the first time I was there, but that’s really when I fell in love with Rome. I loved how there are such levels to the food, from things they considered street food to elegant cuisine to super classic pasta. I loved the variety of it,” Flamm says.
The restaurant’s moniker was brought about by Flamm’s visits to the legendary Campo de’ Fiori Roman plaza. “Artichokes, for me, and for a lot of people, are always synonymous with Rome,” Flamm says. “I saw these beautiful displays of artichokes everywhere. In my mind, when I picture Rome, it’s really hard not to picture that market and not to picture that stand full of artichokes.”
Roman-style pizza rosso
Inspired by Rome’s venerable trattorias and ristorantes, the decor incorporates dark woods, tactile fabrics, handcrafted tiles and natural stones.
The deep, vibrant color palette extends to an open kitchen with chef’s counter seating and a well-endowed dining room, complete with retractable windows and an adjoining patio adorned with perennial blooms, string lighting and overhead canopies.
Flamm says, “Il Carciofo is Roman-inspired, so I want it to feel like a city restaurant. The restaurant is very much not too modern or too sleek, but has that Old World feel to it and that more classic feel that Rome has so naturally.” il Carciofo opens on Thursday, Dec. 12. Reservations can be made here.
See also: The Hottest New Restaurants In Chicago, December 2024
Photography by: Photography by Matt Hass, courtesy of Day Off Group
