Marianna Shubalis (Bannos) and team make her hometown their renowned restaurant’s second home

By Valerie Hardy 

When it comes to swine dining in the heart of Chicago, nobody does it better than The Purple Pig. Situated along the Magnificent Mile (444 N. Michigan Ave.), this James Beard Award-winning restaurant, featuring “nose-to-tail cooking” and an extensive array of Mediterranean dishes, has been a top stop for tourists and locals alike for over 15 years.

Soon, suburbanites will also have easier access to this dining destination’s delicious dishes because The Purple Pig is headed west. This spring, the acclaimed restaurant announced its expansion to Oak Brook, the hometown of two of its owners: Marianna Shubalis (Bannos) – whose ex-husband Jimmy Bannos Jr. was The Purple Pig’s co-founder and original chef – and her father, Tom Shubalis.

The new location is slated for 15 Oakbrook Center, a prime space on the west side of the mall, formerly occupied by home furnishing retailer Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Shubalis (Bannos) is excited about the site’s proximity to shopping hot spots Lululemon and the Apple store, and she is eager to “bring culinary talent” to that area of Oakbrook Center.

Chef Tony Mantuano

While Oak Brook has undergone a culinary renaissance of sorts in recent years, “it does not have any James Beard or Michelin chefs,” Shubalis (Bannos) explained – something that the addition of The Purple Pig will hopefully change. While an executive chef for The Purple Pig’s Oak Brook location had not been appointed at the time of publication, Shubalis (Bannos) said there will be “a lot of involvement” in the restaurant’s operation from current Executive Chef Efrain (Effy) Medrano and Chef Tony Mantuano, who – along with his wife Cathy – is a co-owner of the restaurant.

James Beard Award-winning and Michelin-starred Chef Mantuano has been a partner with The Purple Pig since its inception in 2009. His work with Chef Medrano dates back to when Medrano was working under him at Spiaggia, the restaurant that set the standard for Italian dining in Chicago. Shubalis (Bannos) said having these two chefs together in the kitchen again is “a beautiful reunion of culinary vision.”

In addition to the obvious roles of Chefs Mantuano and Medrano, Shubalis (Bannos) attributes her restaurant’s longevity to its commitment to “putting out exceptional products, serving phenomenal dishes, featuring an amazing wine and beverage program, and providing guests with exceptional service.”

This same high-end experience will greet diners at the new restaurant, which is anticipated to open this fall, pending village permitting and construction progress. At over twice the size of the original, the Oak Brook location will also be able to provide private dining and a spacious outdoor area.

Chef Effy, Purple Pig’s executive chef, in action
Photo by Karl Solano

Another unique feature of the Oak Brook restaurant will be a market concept, offering the opportunity for “shoppers, working moms, and others looking for a ‘grab and go’ experience to pick up something from our amazing assortment of pastries, gelato, and more,” Shubalis (Bannos) explained. The market will also sell private label items, such as nationally and internally sourced olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and branded souvenir t-shirts and other products.

With all the opportunities the new restaurant presents, Shubalis (Bannos) said she could envision turning the Oak Brook Purple Pig “into our flagship location.” She also shared that there is interest in expanding the restaurant further, specifically to Nashville.     

In any of its iterations, The Purple Pig is in good hands with Shubalis (Bannos) at the helm. She cites her “financial and people management skills” as her greatest contributions to the business, which she cultivated in her earlier career as a senior executive at Ralph Lauren Corporate in New York.

However, the restaurant’s longstanding and predicted future success is not hers alone. Her father’s involvement is critical, she explained. The senior Shubalis owned The Diplomat West, a banquet hall in Elmhurst, and “has the sharpest brain and greatest business acumen,” Shubalis (Bannos) said.

“I’m humbled and grateful for the warm welcome.”
– Marianna Shubalis (Bannos),
on the community’s response to the announcement
that The Purple Pig is coming to Oak Brook

The restaurant’s leadership team is rounded out by the “beautiful partnership” with the Mantuanos, Shubalis (Bannos) stated, who bring important and unique skills to the group. “Chef Tony is the lead on culinary talent and brings expertise in dining, and Cathy is the talent behind all things wine and service.”

Shubalis (Bannos) also commended Jason Schultz of the J. Rich Company, “friend, commercial realtor, and project manager,” for his pivotal role in the expansion to Oak Brook. News of the new Purple Pig has been met with enthusiasm. “We received over 165 inquiries in the first few days after the news broke,” Shubalis (Bannos) said. “It is incredibly touching, and I’m humbled and grateful for the warm welcome.”

Shubalis (Bannos) aims to provide a similarly warm welcome to patrons of the Oak Brook eatery. The restaurant’s ambiance is “not pretentious, not stuffy,” she explained, and the menu, boasting fan favorites as well as seasonal specials, will keep diners coming back time and again.

Shubalis (Bannos) can’t pick a favorite dish from the menu – “everything Chef Effy and Chef Tony create is amazing” – but highlighted the whipped feta smear, chicken thigh kebab served over smashed potatoes with a house-made Tzatziki sauce, and any of the handmade pastas, including her daughters’ favorite: orecchiette with house-made Italian sausage and broccoli.

Back of the House

Marianna Shubalis (Bannos) and family beyond The Purple Pig

Tom Shubalis and Marianna Shubalis

The Shubalis family moved to Oak Brook in the 1980s, and Marianna Shubalis (Bannos) attended Notre Dame School in Clarendon Hills and Downers Grove North High School before heading to the University of Iowa and, subsequently, Columbia College. She spent nearly a decade working in New York City but wanted to be near her parents when she started her own family.

Today, not only does Shubalis (Bannos) work alongside her father, but she and her two daughters, Gianna (11) and Olivia (9), live just a few doors down from her parents, Tom and Georgia Shubalis. “They support me a lot as a single mom, and I support them with things like technology,” Shubalis (Bannos) said of this symbiotic relationship.

“Family is most important to me,” she added, as is her heritage. Her father immigrated from Greece at 2 years old, and her mother grew up in a Greek orphanage before she was adopted at age 9. An homage to her roots, Shubalis (Bannos) is active in the Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Westchester.

While she spends much of her time at The Purple Pig, Shubalis (Bannos) prioritizes family and community contributions. She was co-president of the Parent-Student Association at her daughters’ school and recently applied to serve on Oak Brook’s Sports Core Advisory Committee.

Shubalis (Bannos) and her parents can also be found cheering on Gianna and Olivia at dance competitions and softball games. “It’s harmonious organized chaos,” Shubalis (Bannos) said of her busy but full life. “I learned how to navigate family, work, and community commitments from my mom and dad, and I want to keep doing the same to set a good example for my girls.”