Piatti Pronti: “Arlington Heights’ Best Kept Secret”

Piatti Pronti, 210 E. Grove Street, may well be one of the best kept secrets in Arlington Heights.

The business is set back off of Arlington Heights Road with an entrance off of Grove Street, and offers personalized professional chef services, any size or style catering and cooking classes in a variety of different fares.

It is owned by Lucia Biscaglio, a nearly 40 year Arlington Heights resident.

Biscaglio has an interesting back story, in how she came to own the business which opened in the summer of 2009.

She owned dance schools for 30 years, then worked several years in the health care industry, until her daughter nudged her in the direction of making one of the loves of her life, cooking, into a business. 

“My daughter was at a career fair, and put my name down with Le Cordon Bleu,” Biscaglio said. “I knew how to cook, but I didn’t know the science behind cooking-when I went there for an interview, I put down a deposit that night.”

When Biscaglio received her degree in hospitality and the culinary arts, she wasn’t sure initially what she would do with it.

Then, her cousin learned that Tomarosa Pizza had gone out of business and left a pizza oven, walk-in cooler, stove, fryer and even tables making it easier to simply walk in and start her business near the intersection of Grove and Arlington Heights Road.

“My family strongly encouraged and supported me, and that is how it all began,” Biscaglio said.

Personal Chef Services

Biscaglio will do the grocery shopping, travel to your home, and prepare as many meals, in whatever variety you would like. Normally, a 48 hour notice is needed. Chef Lucia’s Heat and Eats are very popular, according to Biscaglio. The prepared meals can be refrigerated and warmed in the microwave or oven or stored in the freezer. Biscaglio can work with any dietary restriction.

“Many people have stopped cooking for themselves, just make a request on what you would like prepared and I do my best to always accommodate,” Biscaglio said.

If you’re having a dinner party, Biscaglio can not only shop for and prepare the food, but take all the pressure off of you so you can entertain your guests, by proving all staff needed.

Catering

Piatti Pronti caters to special diet restrictions, including gluten free.  Catering packages are available for parties two to 200, and though there is a menu (available on the Piatti Pronti website), Biscaglio takes requests for virtually anything. Free consultations are always included, and the affair can include appetizers to desserts, and everything in between. From birthday parties, to showers, wedding receptions and other gatherings, Biscaglio will plan, shop, cook, serve and clean.

Culinary Classes

Ongoing classes are offered at Piatti Pronti, and Biscaglio suggests starting with a skills class, such as how to handle and care for a knives so people learn how to cut, slice and dice correctly - which she says is part of the basis for cooking. A wide variety of classes are offered, from pasta and pizza making, hand and pan sauces, preparing vinegarettes, south of the border, French fare, appetizers, canapés and much more. Classes can be held in concert with other events, such as bachelorette parties, Girls’ Night Out or any other gathering her current or future customers and clients can think up.  

Stop By Piatti Pronti

The business is normally open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Biscaglio invites you to stop in and have a seat at the chef’s table for a chat about your next event or classes the business offers. On Sundays from 7:30 a.m. until noon, a separate business, Mangia Bubala sells fresh bagels, bialys and rye bread out of the Piatti Pronit location.

Local business, Barbara’s Best Gourmet Toffee also makes her famous toffee in the Piatti Pronit kitchen.

Make Your Reservations Now for Mardi Gras

From February 9-12, a Mardi Gras celebration will be held at Piatti Pronti. It will include cooking demonstrations, and a dinner buffet filled with authentic Cajun and Creole creations by Biscaglio, who is a certified French chef. Cuisine offered will include jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp creole, okra, a surprise dessert and a number of other special offerings for $35 a person. To register, call Piatti Pronti at 847-342-8444 or visit their website at www.piattiprontiblog.com.

Biscaglio has lived in Arlington Heights since 1974, where she has lived with her husband and raised their six children.