Giuliana and Bill Rancic sure have their hands full! Splitting their time between Los Angeles and Chicago, the couple juggles raising adorable son Duke, running the successful Chicago eatery RPM Italian and their respective TV gigs, including E!'s Giuliana & Bill (Tuesdays, 10 p.m.). Up next for the couple: They're opening a second Chi-town restaurant called RPM Steak.
Scheduled for a 2014 opening, the Rancics' RPM Steak — helmed by the couple, partners RJ, Jerrod and Molly Melman and chef partner Doug Psaltis — will mirror the design of their Italian venue, but offer a modernized spin on traditional Chicago steakhouses. "We want to achieve the same level of sophistication in the design of RPM Steak that we have at RPM Italian. The vibe will be similar, but it will still have its own personality," Giuliana tells Us Weekly of the new eatery, located in the city's River North neighborhood.
As seen on Giuliana & Bill, Giuliana was instrumental in choosing the RPM Italian waitstaff's uniforms and contributing to the menu — duties the reality star is anxious to expand upon with RPM Steak.
"RPM Italian is a culmination of 'firsts' for Bill and me: From the concept to the design elements, working on the menu with our team, understanding the ins and outs of good service, you name it. We constantly strive to make the guest experience better, and I'm always thinking that way about the restaurant, even when I'm not there," explains Giuliana, who cohosts Fashion Police and coanchors E! News when she's in Los Angeles. "I've really excited for RPM Steak because now I have so much more knowledge about the restaurant industry going into it and can contribute in ways I couldn't before."
Until RPM Steak's doors open, Psaltis — who has whipped up signature dishes like Mama DePandi's Bucatini entree and Bill's Chocolate Budino dessert since RPM Italian's 2012 opening — has big plans to revamp the eatery's menu for fall and winter. "I always have to try the specials Doug is coming up with, like our new imported Burrata with black pepper roasted pumpkin, orange zest, honey and arugala," Giuliana says, adding that the restaurant partners have already broken ground on a Washington, D.C. outpost of RPM Italian opening in 2015. "It's amazing and makes the cold Chicago temps bearable."
To follow Giuliana and Bill's foray into the restaurant business, catch Giuliana & Bill Tuesdays at 10 p.m. (EST) on E!.
