Today we’d like to introduce you to Marco Conte.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Marco Conte is originally from the suburbs of Detroit and worked in the kitchens of his family’s restaurants. His grandparents opened one of the first pizzerias in Detroit. Marco’s grandmother, Santina, taught him the basics of classic Italian cooking in the restaurant kitchen and at home. Summers were spent in Ponza, Italy, where catching and cooking Mediterranean seafood came naturally. Marco worked with his aunt and uncle at their critically acclaimed Italian restaurant, Café Cortina in Farmington Hills, Michigan. At 25, he opened his first upscale Italian restaurant in Michigan, which was very successful and in operation for over 13 years.
In 2004, Chef Marco was recruited to the Chicago area to become the executive chef/manager at Café Amano in Elmhurst, where he brought his experience and style of classic European cuisine. In 2017, Marco decided to leave his position at Café Amano to travel and learn more about the world of cooking. This time off work led to trips throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central / South America, the Caribbean, and the United States.
In January of 2020, the decision was made to open Marco’s Kitchen in beautiful downtown La Grange. The space on La Grange Road was the perfect size and location for the upscale dining experiences he wanted to provide for his guests. Marco and his team transformed the very small, intimate dining room into an Art Deco-era space with dark woods, rich colors, white linen, candlelight, and fresh flowers. Marco’s goal was to bring the romance and elegance back into fine dining. Marco’s Kitchen was scheduled to open for business on March 20th, 2020. All plans came to a sudden halt when the government declared COVID-19 a pandemic and closed all restaurant dining rooms.
Marco quickly realized that he had to act quickly to keep his business; it was either sink or swim. On April 1st, he began offering family curbside dinners, which quickly became very popular. The curbside dinner packages were very different from regular carry-outs, as they were full-course dinners priced per person and included dishes from French, Italian, Mexican, Spanish, and American cuisines.
At the same time, Marco also began his very popular curbside produce bag pickup, which skyrocketed his social media presence. Large white shopping bags were filled with an assortment of farm-fresh restaurant-quality produce. The produce bags helped so many different people in so many ways. It kept Marco’s staff employed, helped farmers and produce distributors, and, along with our incredible patrons, helped anxious people go to the grocery store.
Marco’s Kitchen finally opened its dining room in August of 2020 to rave reviews. The opening was very short-lived, as indoor dining closed again in late October; Marco’s Kitchen returned to offering only curbside dinners, along with a new program called curbside soups for the colder months. It’s been a challenging couple of years for Marco and his staff. Because the business was opened after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Marco’s Kitchen was not eligible for any state or federal government assistance.
In March of 2021, our dining room reopened with a very warm welcome to La Grange and the surrounding communities. As with most businesses after the pandemic, Marco’s Kitchen faced a staffing shortage. Most evenings, you’ll see Marco cooking, mixing drinks, and even bussing tables, but most importantly chatting with his guests. Our menu is a very eclectic and unique offering of appetizers, entrees, and desserts from around the world.
Business steadily grew in 2022 and 2023 as we continued to bring a unique and flavorful menu to our guests. In 2024, 2025, and 2026, Chef Marco, along with his very dedicated staff, received the very prestigious DiRona Award – “Distinguished Restaurants of North America”. Marco continues to strive to create a unique dining experience for all guests who visit our dining room.
Marco’s Kitchen now offers Dinner / Theatre packages for Broadway shows that include dinner, transportation, and only the best theatre tickets at the Cadillac Palace located in downtown Chicago.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Opening during a pandemic was one of the largest challenges of my life. Just imagine investing your life savings in a business that the government closes on opening day. I had a fully trained staff, a full food and beverage inventory, and a dream. I originally thought it would be a couple of weeks, but it turned into a year of uncertainty. I saw long-standing restaurants around me close because they didn’t know how to weather the covid storm. My mind worked 24 hours a day to fugure ot how to stay in business. We did make it through the pandemic, but only to be plagued by the challenge of finding staff.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
From a young age, I’ve had an understanding of food. My parents worked in the restaurant industry, so I would practice cooking at home for my brother, sister, and friends. Travel was a very large part of my personal cooking style. When we were children, my grand parents would bring us to Italy and the surroundung countries for the entire summer. My brother and I would catch so many different things from the Mediteranean sea and my grand mother would always now how to cook it. I gained the ability to re-create dishes from other countries with my own touches. Blendind different cultures of food together became a challenge to create unique dishes to offer our dining room guests.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Do your research…know the area, know what the local area is looking for, and most importantly, dedicate your time and energy to making the business a success. There will always be setbacks, but never make a quick decision; always think it through. Follow your heart and knowledge to become an expert in what you offer. Be a trendsetter, not a follower. My favorite quote is “Always Forward, Never Back”, it’s actually tattooed on my wrist for all to see!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marcoskitchen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcoslagrange1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcosKitchenLaGrange
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XlGANrpLAp4
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/marcos-kitchen-la-grange
