10 Essentials: Donnie Madia
Photo: Courtesy of Donnie Madia1/11Donnie Madia is not one to rest on his laurels. Though he's one of Chicago's most prolific restaurateurs (Blackbird, avec, Publican, and Big Star, among others) and has four James Beard Awards on his C.V., Madia often still works the floor, and like it's his first night on the job. A seasoned traveler, family man, and appreciator of a well-mid martini, Madia's life essentials revolve around style—he's a silver fox—and experiences, much like the ones he creates every evening for his diners.
Photo: Facebook2/111. A standing dinner reservation every Tuesday night with his wife, Estelle
"We both work very hard—I sometimes work seven days a week. I could work 12-hour days, go home, and say, 'Honey I'm tired,' but we always make time to go out or make dinner, and share wine. She's pregnant now, though, so I'm the only one drinking wine. If we go out, we like Saigon Sisters right around the corner from Blackbird and avec, and when we can get in, we go to Great Lake Pizzeria. We enjoy Riccardo Trattoria in Wicker Park, too. My wife and I are Italian, so when we cook, we love pasta. We do fish and a ton of vegetables. These dinners are definitely essential to our relationship."
Photo: Facebook3/112. Dinner service every Thursday and Saturday night at Blackbird
"Thursday and Saturday are my days at Blackbird, and I won't give them up—I've been doing them for the last 15 years. It keeps me on point with my loyal regulars. I love working with my staff and helping them ensure the best dining experience. I love making people happy. That's my job, and it's a pretty cool one."
Photo: fransboonestore.com4/11**4. Boglioli washed cashmere navy jacket **
"Boglioli makes the same jacket every year—they don't change the style. It's the same fit, but every year they come out with a different material like weathered cashmere or corduroy. They're all hand-sewn and look great with jeans, dress pants, an open collar shirt, or T-shirts. I use it as filler in my wardrobe instead of putting on a suit. I always think about Richard Gere in American Gigolo in the '80s. He walks into a restaurant in a casual jacket and slips on a sport coat. I can keep it in the office or in the restaurant and slip it on when I need to change my look."
Photo: riccardiboston.com5/115. Thom Browne oord shirts
"I bought three Thom Browne shirts—one in grey gingham, one in blue gingham, and one in plain white. They're all button-downs, an upgraded throwback from the '60s. I wear those just like the Boglioli jacket—whether I wear them with a vest or a tie and jacket, I look presentable for lunch or client meetings."
Photo: violethour.com6/11**3. 3-to-1 gin martini from the Violet Hour **
"When we opened the Violet Hour, I went on the hunt for the cocktail that I would regularly enjoy. I think the 3-to-1 gin martini is it for me. I like mine with Dolin dry vermouth and an old-school gin like Beefeater, finished with a little lemon peel. We use vermouth in half-bottles so it's always fresh."
Photo: easianwine.com7/116. Sitting with his friend Mariano Buglioni in Verona
"Verona is this beautiful, iconic Italian city. It's enough to spend two days or a week in there and feel very comfortable. Mariano has an osteria, Osteria Buglioni, off the main street in the old section of Verona on Corso Porta Barsari. It's just so nice to have someone who can look out for you while traveling. He also makes incredible wines—Valipolicella and Amarone—so sipping a glass of one of these with him and my wife Estelle is the best."
Photo: amazon.co.uk8/118. Favorite Books: The London Cut, Steve McQueen: Photographs, and The Expectant Father
"The London Cut is a history of Savile Row. If you enjoy clothes and dressing, I think it's important to know the players and the traditions of cutting and sewing bespoke fabrics. In McQueen, William Claxton followed Steve for a year and a half in the '60s. McQueen was a badass, and whatever he was wearing was the epitome of cool, whether it was a hairstyle, a suit, sunglasses, or car. However, I'm currently reading, The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips and Advice for Dad's to Be. My wife is pregnant, so I want to prepare and be on point."
Photo: converse.com9/117. Chuck Taylors
"Easy—black or blue canvas high tops. I wear them with skinny jeans or with straight-leg cigarette pants. I wore them for New Year's service at Blackbird with a beautiful black suit. I also love pairing them with an old pair of Gucci jeans from when Tom Ford was designing—he did that luxurious wide-lapeled rope-shoulder jacket, and went back to the '70s with super-wide-leg pants. I can just throw on the jacket and an oord to match."
Photo: layerlsondon.com10/119. Carpe Diem Boots
"I wear them in the winter more than the summer, because they're a little higher than my ankle. I've worn them for eight years and I've worn down the soles three times. Carpe Diem has reinvented itself into a new store, and you can only get them a few places now. They're my patent look, not everyone else's."
Photo: Wikipedia11/1110. Helles Lager
"I tag team with my business partner Terry Alexander at the Publican. We have offset Sundays, and Paul [Kahan] is usually at Publican Quality Meats. After we get our asses kicked working a busy Sunday brunch service at The Publican, I won't lie, I do enjoy a beer. To me, that means sharing the experience of hard work with my partners. The essential part is realizing what you have, and how grateful you should be for it."