Chad Ellegood

An Illinois native, Chad Ellegood was turned on to the intricacies of wine and wine service while working at the legendary Printers Row restaurant, where he fell in love with all things wine. The precision of the glassware, the ceremony of decanting, the stories the wine told – and of course the taste of the wines themselves – all piqued his interest in rare wines. Ellegood continued his working education, next as Captain at the four-star Spiaggia with Henry Bishop. Bishop is lauded as one of the best sommeliers in the business, with an especially strong knowledge of eclectic Italian wines as well as obscure American wines. Under Bishop’s tutelage, Ellegood began to see the beauty of educating his guests about lesser-known wines and wine regions, and continued to learn as much as he could over the next year.

In early 2005, Ellegood left Spiaggia to work with Scott Tyree at TRU, and just ten months later, was named Assistant Sommelier, overseeing with Tyree the 17,000 bottle list. Under Tyree, he learned to build and maintain an award-winning wine list and honed his knowledge of both white and red Burgundy, wines that are paid particular attention at TRU. At TRU, Ellegood has had the opportunity to meet some of his winemaking idols, Angelo Gaja, Heidi Peterson Barrett, and Alvaro Palacios.

 
He most loves the contrast in wine – that wine has been enjoyed around the world for centuries and continues to reveal new secrets. “With wine, you are always honoring the past, respecting the present and reacting to the future,” states Ellegood. Looking to his past and his childhood dream of being an actor, he uses the floor as a stage, using humor and timing to engage the guest, offering the right balance of fun and knowledge, and first and foremost, listening to and anticipating their needs. It’s the dynamics of the restaurant experience that he so enjoys, and plans to continue learning and sharing his knowledge for many years to come. In 2007, Ellegood passed the Advanced Sommelier exam given by the Court of Master Sommeliers and looks forward to the next and final exam, Master Sommelier. Ellegood lives in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago with his wife, Jennifer and their son Finn.