Sarah Grueneberg
“I love music, and really love a good dance party,” declared Sarah Grueneberg when we asked her how she devised her playlist for us. “I’ll listen to anything that gets my shoulders moving to a beat--from classic rock to blues to old school and current hip-hop, R&B and pop.”
Sarah’s the James Beard Award-winning chef/partner of Chicago’s temple to Italian cuisine, Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, and music plays a big role in her restaurant and life.
“I love the power that music has,” she said. “In our restaurant world, it sets the tone for the guest experience. Nothing beats that feeling of digging into a dish and a song you like, or one you have’t heard in while, pops on and all is right in the world. On the personal side, I love how music connects you to memories and moments you can relive whenever that song plays.”
Sarah provided us with an eclectic mix, and also the situations that inspired each pick. Here’s a sampling of what you can expect:
Mood: Anytime Songs
- “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
- “Livin Thing” by ELO (“Anything ELO makes me so happy! It gets the energy up in the room.”)
Mood: Songs That are Great for Prep
- “Passionfruit” by Drake
- “Roses” by Outkast (“This one brings me back to make early twenties, driving around and trying to be cool.”)
Mood: Some of My Favorites During Service
- “I Can’t Go For That” by Hall & Oates (“I’ll take Hall and Oates anywhere!”)
- “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” by Talking Heads (“During the first six months of opening Monteverde, we would have incredible dance parties after service. The ”Stop Making Sense” album was on repeat then, so, we include at least one song from it during service.”)
Mood: Chilling at Home Vibes
- “Bennie and The Jets” by Elton John (“My uncle passed away about a year ago, and he was a huge Elton John fan, so I’ll think of him when I listen to this one.”)
- “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys
- “Skin Deep” by Buddy Guy (“I just had my dreams come true and recently saw Buddy Guy live. He truly is a living legend.”)