Chef Chris Montero

Chef Chris Montero was born and raised in New Orleans and quickly found a passion for Creole cooking under the influence of his grandmother. His culinary career began at the five-star Louis XVI restaurant in the French Quarter, studying under Daniel Bonnot and deepening his knowledge of European-style and French cuisine. Chef Chris also worked with renowned chefs Susan Spicer and Warren LeRuth before joining the team at BACCO in 1999.

As Chef de Cuisine at BACCO, Chef Chris worked under the direction of Executive Chef Haley Gabel, contributing his creativity, talent, and extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry. During this time, BACCO was named one of New Orleans’ best Italian restaurants by Brett Anderson in the Times-Picayune, and was voted Best Italian Restaurant by the readers of Where Magazine four years in a row.
In 2005, Chef Chris succeeded Chef Haley as BACCO’s Executive Chef. When Hurricane Katrina struck only a few months later, Chris helped to lead the loyal team of staff members who returned to re-open the restaurant in early October, before it had gas, electricity, or running water. Later that month, he served President Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, and their party for dinner in the Skylight Room at BACCO. Under Chef Chris’ direction, BACCO continues to receive national attention in publications like Southern Living, which praised its “delicious Northern Italian fare” in a recent feature of New Orleans’ top restaurants.

Chef Chris never tires of expanding and redefining the fusion of Creole and Italian cuisine that distinguishes BACCO’s menu. He takes sincere pleasure in cooking with the abundance of fresh seafood and locally grown seasonal produce that the Gulf Coast has to offer, highlighting these ingredients with housemade pastas and sauces. Chef Chris’ specialties include his truffled egg with Gorgonzola cream sauce, grilled fillet of fresh redfish with the freshest seasonal vegetables, and New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp in Abita Amber butter sauce with ciabatta bread.