Nearly a century of Chicago hospitality
Chef Ciccio is a family brand with deep Chicago ties — bold flavor, rich tradition, and a warm, no-nonsense attitude.
Born in the meatpacking district
In the early 1920s, Italian immigrants working in Chicago’s meatpacking district were sometimes rewarded with less desirable, tough cuts of beef. Families slow-roasted those cuts for hours in a highly seasoned au jus — tenderizing, seasoning, and creating what would become the city’s most iconic sandwich.
Chicago history says the Italian beef was commercialized around 1938. Rumor has it Ferraro Catering, established in 1935, was already catering a premium version years prior.
Ferraro hospitality, three generations
Our restaurant roots go back to Victoria Banquets — one of Chicago’s most recognized names in catering and events. Over the decades the family operated banquet halls, served thousands weekly, and earned lasting trust by knowing how to feed a crowd and keep people coming back.
Mario Ferraro, second-generation restaurateur, created Chef Ciccio to bring Italian beef back to what it was always meant to be — bold, simple, and unforgettable. Retirement never really stuck; his passion for food kept pulling him back in.
Mia Ferraro Schultz, third generation, and husband Michael Schultz helped launch the Navy Pier concept and continue to drive the brand’s growth — from day-to-day excellence to expansion beyond the Pier.
“You should never trust a skinny chef.”Mario Ferraro
Not your typical beef stand
We’re an upscale Italian sandwich shop with a bold personality and food that stops people in their tracks. Our signature Italian beef features thick-sliced, flavor-packed beef in a rustic torpedo roll that soaks up every drop of our addictive au jus.
We cook beef in-house using Ferraro family techniques, source Italian sausage from trusted local partners like Notoli, and work with Greco & Sons for quality Italian staples. Our rustic bread comes from a top-secret bakery — we’ll never tell.
Since opening, Chef Ciccio has earned hundreds of five-star reviews, been named one of Chicago’s Top Ten Beefs by Chicago Magazine (Nov 2024), and been featured in the Chicago Tribune, The Infatuation, and WGN.