Celebrity chef part of new Gurnee restaurant

Celebrity chef Richard Mancini will be part of a new restaurant opening in Gurnee, according to the establishment's co-owner.

Mancini, a Bloomingdale resident who's cooked for the likes of the Rolling Stones and won the first season of Food Network's "Chef Wanted" hosted by Anne Burrell, will lend his kitchen prowess to Khayat Restaurant Group's Primo at 720 N. Milwaukee Ave. near Route 120.

Primo will become the latest addition to Khayat Restaurant Group's portfolio, which includes Lake House in Lake Villa.

"I'm looking forward to working with the Khayat family," Mancini said. "Their restaurants have always been staples in the community, but wait until you see Primo and try the food. "

Set to open Aug. 24, Primo will dish out Italian-American cuisine, said co-owner Nicole Khayat. Prime and grass-fed steaks and classic Italian dishes from a variety of regions are expected on the menu that will be complemented by a roughly 100-bottle wine list.

Co-owner Nicole Khayat said the interior will feature soaring ceilings, Italian marble and custom furniture.

"When we started developing this concept 18 months ago, we had a very grand vision of what we wanted to bring to the community," Khayat said. "A world-renowned chef was part of that vision."

Mancini, who trained at Washburne Culinary Institute in Chicago, won the debut of Food Network's "Chef Wanted" in 2012.

Last year, he was a contestant on Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" hosted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. He nominated himself for elimination and wound up getting bounced by Ramsay.

Mancini at one time owned Porto Bello Steakhouse in Lake Zurich