Restaurant interiorSince it’s opening in 1991, Coco Pazzo has earned the reputation as one of Chicago’s best Italian restaurants. Behind the AAA Four Diamond award-winning concept of traditional Tuscan cuisine is owner Jack Weiss who strives to emulate the pinnacle of Tuscan tradition. At Coco Pazzo, the focus is straight forward – we are dedicated to the essence of Tuscan cuisine and culture.

COCO PAZZO BIO'S:

Jack Weiss
Owner
Coco Pazzo and Coco Pazzo Cafe
jweiss@cocopazzochicago.com

Jack Weiss, Owner Jack Weiss has proven himself a master of consistency in all areas of restaurant operations thanks to a business background, a knack for details and a simple ease in dealing with people. As owner of Coco Pazzo and Coco Pazzo Cafe, Jack has dedicated his career to providing Chicago with authentic Tuscan dining for nearly two decades.

After earning an MBA from Baruch at the City College of New York in 1974, Jack worked in corporate marketing for 10 years before starting his career in the restaurant business. “There’s just something special about being the author of a classy, refined restaurant,” says Jack. He began his restaurant career with the opening of Il Cantinori, in New York's Greenwich Village. It was there that Jack was introduced to the traditional recipes from Tuscany. Il Cantinori was unique because it embraced an authenticity that set it apart from the other Italian restaurants in New York.

From there, his career rapidly grew: In New York he managed Le Madri then opened Coco Pazzo, New York in 1990. In 1992, Jack opened Coco Pazzo in Chicago and relocated to the Windy City. His challenge in Chicago was to maintain Coco Pazzo’s Tuscan authenticity while making the restaurant a uniquely Chicago dining institution, not simply a New York transplant. Jack succeeded in introducing, and then solidifying, Chicago’s interest in this bold, new world of regional Italian cuisine. Coco Pazzo, in Chicago’s River North, and the more casual Coco Pazzo Café, in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, have both become popular and critical favorites.

With Jack at the helm, both restaurants have achieved a national reputation. Some of Coco Pazzo’s awards include Four Diamond Awards from AAA for eight years in a row; Three Stars from the Chicago Tribune; a DiRona Award (Distinguished Restaurants of North America); an IFMA Award (International Food Manufacturers Association) plus acclaim from numerous consumer and trade publications.

As a firm believer in supporting the community, Jack and his Coco Pazzo team work with many charitable organizations in Chicago. Since 1998 they have donated food and beverages to many charitable fundraisers, including Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago Gateway Green, America’s Second Harvest, Share our Strength and Children’s Memorial Hospital. Jack has also overseen all food and beverage operations for The Arts Club of Chicago for the past five years. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Illinois Restaurant Association and was inducted into the Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois in 2003.
Tamra Weiss
Wine Director
tpweiss@aol.com
Tamra Weiss, Wine Director
Creating and maintaining the wine lists for Coco Pazzo and Coco Pazzo Cafe´ is a labor of love for Wine Director Tamra Presley Weiss. Tamra has traveled Italy meeting with winemakers and proprietors in search of the best and most fitting wines for the Tuscan cuisine at the Coco Pazzo restaurants. Reflective of Italy’s geographic difference is the restaurants’ 200 bottle all Italian wine list. Patrons are sure to find excellent Brunellos, Super Tuscans and Chiantis as well as a variety of splendid value wines all with the special touch of Italy.

Tamra received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. Her interest and focus on Near Eastern studies took her to the American University in Cairo and later to Geneva, Switzerland where she studied French. Subsequent to her academic training, Tamra worked at the World Health Organization for five years. While there she would often spend time traveling with friends. Collectively, they had a passion for wine and explored a variety of Europe’s vineyards. Much of her time was in and around Florence where she realized the breadth and depth of Italian wines. Her desire to expand her knowledge of wine persuaded her to pursue a vocation related to her passion.

Upon returning to Chicago she launched her enthusiasm for wine into a new career. She began her profession at Heritage Wine Cellars of Chicago then moved on to a national representative position with Premium Port Wines. Her experience in the wine industry encompassed all aspects; from working with distributors to marketing and sales with major cellars. Her business acumen in wine extends both nationally and to Chicago having spent a great deal of her business in the country’s top restaurants. This role led her to the meeting of her husband Jack Weiss at the opening of Coco Pazzo.

Under Tamra, the wine program at the Coco Pazzo restaurants is based on quality and value. Tamra spends many Saturdays educating the staff on the Italian wine list and makes sure that they are not only familiar with the wines but are comfortable suggesting pairings with the Tuscan cuisine. She encourages staff to ask questions of the patrons when they request a recommendation. Understanding what they like and what they are familiar with allows the staff to find a wine that will compliment their Tuscan dining experience.

Tamra Presley Weiss has collected an impressive list of awards including the Best Bistro Wine List in the Midwest from Sante Magazine, Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Wine List Award for Pili Pili and the coveted Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for two years at Pili, Pili and three years at Coco Pazzo.