201 - Cooking at Coonley House - Riverside, IL

Enjoy a uniquely delicious experience at the Coonley House in Riverside, Illinois! Your party of six people will enjoy a cooking class and meal at Coonley House–as well as a complete house tour with the homeowners, including both the public and family wings. Chef and restauranteur GianCarlo Nardini will guide you through the ingredients and techniques needed to cook your own Italian supper. You will prepare your meal in the Coonley kitchen itself, and present and enjoy it together with the chef and homeowners in the main dining room. 

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Coonley House is set in beautiful grounds in the first division of Riverside, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The house was commissioned by Queene Ferry Coonley and her husband Avery Coonley in 1907. In the 1950s, the Coonley estate was subdivided and the main house made into two residences. In recent years both residences have received Wright Spirit Award-winning restorations. Enjoy this rare opportunity to experience both sections of the main house during one visit. 

GianCarlo Nardini is a 3rd generation restauranteur who owns Club Lago in River North, Chicago with his brother Guido. The restaurant was started in 1952 by their grandfather and continues to offer traditional northern Italian fare and modern cocktails in a friendly and authentic setting. This experience must be redeemed before the end of June 2025.