Nicolás Mónaco

Private Chef · Head Chef

Chicago, IL · open to travelchef@nicolasmonaco.com(872) 214-6642nicolasmonaco.com

Private chef with restaurant discipline. I ran the kitchen at C Gourmand in Madrid as Head Chef after three years as Sous Chef in fine dining at Pimiento Verde, and I now lead paella and large events at Mama Delia, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in Chicago. Since 2022 I have cooked privately for families and their guests: weekly menus, dinner parties and events, planned around each household's tastes and dietary needs, and run end to end on my own.

Experience

Chef, Paella & EventsJun 2026 – Present
Mama Delia · Wicker Park, Chicago · Michelin Bib Gourmand
  • Lead the paella station
  • Plan and run catering and large private events, from menu to service
Private Chef & Culinary ConsultantFeb 2022 – Present
Freelance · Madrid, then Chicago and the North Shore
  • Cook in clients' homes: private dinners, celebrations, weekly meals and multi-day residencies
  • Write menus around each family's preferences, allergies and dietary needs
  • Handle everything myself: sourcing, provisioning, preparation, service and a clean kitchen
  • Advise on menus and kitchen set-up for private clients and events
Head ChefDec 2025 – 2026
C Gourmand · Madrid
  • Led kitchen operations, food quality and presentation
  • Designed seasonal menus tailored to guests' preferences and dietary needs
  • Trained the team and controlled food costs and supplier relationships
Sous ChefSep 2022 – Oct 2025
Pimiento Verde, fine dining · Madrid
  • Second in command to the Executive Chef in daily operations and menu development
  • Kept standards through high-volume service
  • Managed stock and suppliers, and trained junior cooks
Bar ManagerApr 2021 – Sep 2022
La Mucca
  • Supervised kitchen and bar operations and improved service flow

References

Restaurant and private-client references available on request.