As Gene & Georgetti celebrates 85 years in Chicago, we had the pleasure of joining WGN TV’s Spotlight Chicago to share a little of the history, food, and family behind Chicago’s original Tuscan steakhouse.
Michelle Durpetti and Collin Pierson joined the show to look back at Gene & Georgetti’s enduring place in Chicago’s dining scene, talk about the stories behind some of our most iconic dishes, and, of course, do a little cooking.
Watch the full WGN Spotlight Chicago segment below.
The Story Behind Chicken alla Joe
If you know Gene & Georgetti, chances are you know Chicken alla Joe.
The longtime favorite has become one of our signature dishes, but its story begins the way so many Gene & Georgetti traditions do: with the people who have walked through our doors.
Chicken alla Joe traces its roots to longtime Gene & Georgetti waiter Adorno “Joe” Pacini. After a regular guest requested a chicken dish with a little more punch, Joe brought the idea to the kitchen. What emerged was a simple but memorable combination of chicken, sweet bell peppers, pepperoncini, fresh lemon and Italian seasoning.
Decades later, guests are still ordering it by name.
During the WGN segment, Michelle shares the history behind the dish while Collin prepares Chicken alla Joe live on set, giving viewers a look at how this Gene & Georgetti classic comes together.
Want to learn even more about its history? Read Gene & Georgetti’s Chicken alla Joe: A Chicago Classic for the full story behind one of our most beloved dishes.
Celebrating 85 Years of Gene & Georgetti
Since opening our doors in 1941, Gene & Georgetti has been part of Chicago for 85 years.
A lot has changed around us in those eight and a half decades, but what happens around our tables remains remarkably familiar: families celebrating milestones, friends gathering over dinner, longtime regulars returning to their favorite dishes, and new guests discovering Gene’s for the first time.
Our WGN Spotlight Chicago appearance gave us an opportunity not only to look back at that history, but also to talk about how we’re celebrating this milestone through the food that helped create it.
Bringing Back the Classics: Fried Ravioli & Bacon Blue
During the month of August, as part of our 85th anniversary celebration, we’re reaching into Gene & Georgetti’s history and spotlighting dishes that longtime guests may remember, including Fried Ravioli and Bacon & Blue.
These aren’t simply dishes from an old menu. They’re part of the generations of meals, celebrations and memories that have made Gene & Georgetti what it is today.
And for guests who have been dining with us for decades, seeing an old favorite return to the table might bring back a memory or two.
That is exactly what celebrating 85 years means to us: honoring where we came from while continuing to welcome the next generation through our doors.
85 Years, and Still Gathering Around the Table
Being part of Chicago’s restaurant community for 85 years is something we never take for granted.
Gene & Georgetti has always been about more than what is on the plate. It’s about family, hospitality, tradition, and the people who have made our restaurant part of their own stories.
Thank you to WGN TV and Spotlight Chicago for inviting Michelle and Collin to share a piece of ours, and for giving Collin the chance to bring a little Gene & Georgetti into the studio with Chicken alla Joe.
Watch the full segment above (or on our YouTube channel!), then come experience the classics for yourself at Gene & Georgetti in Chicago.
