Metropolis Ballroom & Eleganté Cuisine: Big City Appeal in Arlington Heights

Written by Tanisha Brewer

With a warm smile and hearty handshake, Thomas Manetti makes you feel like you’re an old friend it’s exactly what someone needs when planning a major social event.  

As owner of Metropolis Ballroom, 6 South Vail Avenue, Arlington Heights, and Eleganté Cuisine, Inc., 1161 Pagni Drive, Elk Grove Village, Manetti provides his clients with full-service event planning and catering-so every detail is taken care of.

Manetti’s passion for food and hospitality began with his family hosting events and entertaining prestigious guests in his younger years, as he grew up in Chicago. He refers to his introduction to food preparation as ‘assembly line cooking,’ as his family gathered together to make ravioli, pirogues, sauces, and other recipes handed down from generations.  

Manetti shared his father’s passions for business and his mother’s passion for food and the arts. After receiving his BA at Western Illinois University, he enrolled in the hospitality program at Triton college.

The birth of his catering company Eleganté [formerly L’eleganté] took place in his parents’ home in 1982. By 1985, the catering company became a full-time occupation. With high-end expectations, Manetti began receiving exclusive contracts with numerous clients and was added to recommended catering lists. He also succeeded in attending to stars backstage and worked in major venues throughout the Chicago land area.

After his catering business expanded to a full-service event planning company, he purchased Metropolis Ballroom in 2006. 

Manetti describes Metropolis Ballroom as a unique venue; not a typical banquet hall.

The venue boasts a contemporary feel with classic touches, including cathedral ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, and natural elements on the floors, walls, and ceilings.  Add in the veranda, full-service kitchen, and variety of additional meeting and event rooms, and the Metropolis is ready to bring all of your event ideas and dreams to fruition.  

The staff assists in event design, floor plans, entertainment, and menus at the clients’ request - all are tailored to each unique event. Manetti says his highly skilled culinary staff can create any ethnic menu choices, and meet all of his current and future clients’ expectations.

Manetti said he is currently rebranding Eleganté Cuisine with a fresher image to 'change with the times'.  He references the economic downturn from 2008-2010 and says it was a difficult time for everyone, including the hospitality industry, to survive.  “Everyone was scaling back, so it was a challenge,” he said. He added that the situation created a perfect opportunity to restructure.

“I’m excited about the new direction my companies are taking,” Manetti said.

The twinkle in his eyes and the smile on his face show Manetti’s passion for what he does. He encourages anyone interested in the hospitality industry to develop a passion, take the time to determine your path, and take it seriously.  

For information on the venue, contact Metropolis Ballroom at 847-870-8787 or visit the Metropolis Ballroom website. For information on catering, call Eleganté Cuisine at 847-806-0000 or visit the Eleganté Cuisine website.