John Parrino is a hospitality producer, marketer and advisor representing agencies, asset managers, chefs, developers, distilleries, events, hoteliers, investors, restaurateurs and wineries since 2011. He has over 30 years of hospitality industry experience focused on comprehensive food and beverage operations, integrated marketing and experiential events.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, John worked as Maître D’ at Augusto’s Cuisine, which was at the time one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated fine dining restaurants as owned by Austrian Chef Augusto Schreiner. In Cincinnati, he was a Chef de Rang at North America’s most revered restaurant at the time, The Maisonette, which retained Mobil Travel Guide’s (Forbes) most coveted Five Star Award for 41 consecutive years.
In Miami, John worked as a restaurant manager at a celebrity hot spot operated by Jeffrey Chodorow – the Blue Door restaurant at Ian Schrager’s iconic Delano hotel in South Beach – which was named to Esquire magazine’s list of America’s Best New Restaurants.
In 2008, John relocated to Chicago to lead James Beard Award-winning Chef David Burke’s Primehouse, located at The James Hotel, as the general manager. In 2010, John joined The Purple Pig as general manager, helmed by James Beard Award-winning Chef Jimmy Bannos, Jr. and named one of Bon Appétit magazine’s Best New Restaurants in America.
In 2011, John and then-business partner Janet Isabelli founded Isabelli Partners and almost overnight became Chicago’s preeminent, full-service hospitality and lifestyle marketing firm representing clients locally, nationally and internationally. Clients included Michelin-starred Chef Tony Mantuano (Yolan, Nashville), James Beard Award winner Chef Erick Williams (Virtue, Chicago), as well as the first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin star, Chef Carlos Gaytán (Tzuco, Chicago). Other notable clients included SOHO House & Co., Intercontinental Chicago Hotel Magnificent Mile, Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago, Illinois Restaurant Association, Chicago Gourmet, Chicago Restaurant Week and multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand, one, two, and three star restaurants.
From 2014 - 2021, John led Isabelli Partners as co-executive producer of James Beard Foundation’s annual Taste America in Chicago — a series of events aligning world-renowned chefs with the city’s respected culinary enthusiasts, corporate supporters and media. His efforts raised substantial funds for the Foundation’s scholarship programs and other initiatives geared towards building the hospitality industry. Talent included Michelin three-starred Chefs Grant Achatz (Alinea, Chicago) and John B. Shields (Smyth, Chicago) as well as Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef Sean Brock (Husk, Nashville), New York Times four-starred chef Mark Ladner (Del Posto, New York), Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef Missy Robbins (Lilia, Brooklyn), Bravo’s Top Chef Season Four Winner Stephanie Izard (Girl and the Goat, Chicago & LA) and many others.
John has produced a range of remarkable events featuring celebrity Chef José Andrés, Olives from Spain; The Spirit of Italy; Allegrini Winery; and the Garnacha & Grenache Wine consortium - for whom he orchestrated 2023 North American media, trade and industry tasting and educational events in Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles.
In 2013, John’s ideation and encouragement that led then-client Master Sommelier and media personality Alpana Singh to align with Choose Chicago and engage The James Beard Foundation to relocate the prestigious annual Awards from New York to Chicago. The James Beard Awards remain in Chicago until 2027 and have forever changed the culinary landscape of Chicago and The James Beard Foundation.
By 2024, Isabelli Partners had consulted and advised over 300 hospitality and lifestyle clients with 180 openings; produced over 10,000 hours of content; planned hundreds of events, sponsor activations and partnerships; managed thousands of media dinners; and secured billions of media impressions.
In 2024, John divested his ownership interests in Isabelli Partners Inc. and formed Alcamo Hospitality.
Alcamo Hospitality, working as an independent contractor, offers consulting services to exclusive clients in collaboration with John Parrino. The company is also subcontracted by renowned event producers, marketing agencies and established hospitality operators nationwide.
SERVICES
BRAND ACTIVATION
BRAND DEVELOPMENT
BRAND MANAGEMENT
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATIONS
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
CONTENT PLANNING
CONTENT MANAGEMENT
CONTENT PRODUCTION
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
EVENT PLANNING
EVENT MANAGEMENT
EVENT PRODUCTION
EXPERT WITNESS
FOOD AND BEVERAGE PLANNING
FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT
FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTION
INFLUENCER MARKETING
ONLINE MARKETING
PARTNERSHIPS
PROCUREMENT
PUBLIC RELATIONS
REPRESENTATION
