Bill & Giuliana Rancic: Taking over the World, One Restaurant at a Time.

Photography by: Cory Osborne

He’s a Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, Real Estate Developer, TV Host, Author and Father.

She’s an author, entertainment journalist, fashion and beauty expert, clothing designer, TV personality and mother.

As if that wasn’t enough they have three restaurants, RPM Italian & RPM Steak in Chicago and their newest venture RPM Italian in D.C. Having been married since 2007, this power couple seems to have the odds working for them. The balance these two bring to the table is a clear sign their relationship will stand the test of time. While both are extremely career driven it is evident that family always comes first.

When they have some down time you can find them enjoying a stroll through the streets of Chicago, dining at Nobu in Malibu or grabbing a cocktail at The Montage. We sat down with the Chicago based couple recently at RPM Italian to talk restaurant expansion, what we can find in their carry-on and just what’s next for these trendy jet-setters.

LATM: Where was your first trip abroad?

B: Our first trip abroad as a couple was to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico right before we got engaged. The weather was perfect and we went with three other couples and had a great time. Both G and I love the beach and the sun so we felt right at home.

G: I also think that trip definitely sealed the deal for the both of us when we realized we could travel abroad together for a week and enjoy every minute of our time together. We were engaged less than a month later and Mexico has been a special place for us ever since that trip, which was 10 years ago.

LATM: Is there a destination you are dying to visit?

G: I would love to visit the Maldives. I hear it is spectacular. Being a lover of the water and the sand, it seems like heaven for me.

B: I agree with G. I can’t wait to plan a trip to the Maldives. I have also always wanted to go on an African safari. That is one of my goals in the next five years.

LATM: What has it been like having your family life and relationship translate from real life onto the big screen with an audience to watch?

G: Bill and I never lose sight of who we are whether we are on screen or off so for us it has been relatively easy and enjoyable. After 8 seasons of our show Giuliana & Bill, we got used to the cameras being around and the crew we worked with was like family to us.

B: Also, we used our platform for good and not evil and felt privileged to help people who were going through a variety of issues that we were tackling, from infertility to ‘s breast cancer to maintaining a marriage and becoming first-time parents. So it never felt like a job to us or intrusive because we knew there was a lot of good in the show.

LATM: Tell us, what is your ideal vacation?

G: My ideal vacation is Italy. I love Capri (where we were married) as well as Tuscany. We rented a villa in Tuscany a few years ago with friends and it was magical.

B: I agree with G on this one. Capri is incredible and a very special island and Tuscany is just amazing. We loved being able to take little road trips to Florence and Siena for the day. It was one of my favorite trips ever and we already want to plan to do it again next summer.

LATM: If you could travel with anyone in the world (besides each other) who would it be and where would you go?

G: That’s an easy one…my son, Duke. I want to take him to my birthplace of Naples, Italy and show him where I grew up and all the beautiful sites Naples has to offer. And of course, the food!!! The pizza is the greatest in the world and you can’t get a bad bowl of pasta. Naples is an incredible city with so much tradition and history and I can’t wait to bring Duke with us one day soon.

B: Well, if it could be any person, living or deceased, I would have to say my father, Edward. He passed away from Cancer when I was in my late 20s and he made a great travel companion. One of our last trips together was when the two of us went skiing in Colorado just before he was diagnosed. I remember it like it was yesterday. I would do anything to have just one more trip with my dad.

LATM: You are a very fashionable couple, who is your favorite LA based designers?

G: I love LA based design. Some of my favorites are L’Agence, Skaist Taylor, J Brand and Juan Carlos Obando, whose gorgeous fuchsia pink dress I wore to my parent’s 50th anniversary party this summer in Naples, Italy.

B: I like J. Brand jeans for guys. They have a great, relaxed fit.

LATM: What is your favorite thing to do when you have time off?

G: Walk up and down Michigan Avenue in Chicago. I love the energy of the city as well as the architecture, variety of restaurants and great shopping Chicago has to offer.

B: Chicago is my hometown, so whenever I have time off, I too love to be in the city and nothing beats a five mile run on the lakefront.

LATM: Share with us some of your favorite places in LA: Best Hotel/Best Restaurant/Best Activity or Attraction & Best Place to grab a cocktail.

G: I like Nobu Malibu and Giorgio Baldi, both classic LA spots and both delicious. I also love Stella Barra Pizzeria on Main Street in Santa Monica for delicious pizza and salads. The Montage and Hotel Bel Air are my favorite hotels and have great bar scenes.

B: I agree with G on those spots and we also go to Craig’s on Melrose a lot. We are friends with Craig so it’s nice to catch up with him while having an excellent dinner.

LATM: Now that your restaurant endeavors have branched out to D.C. where do you see RPM heading next?

G: That’s a great question, maybe out west, like Las Vegas or Los Angeles. We have had a lot of requests from fans of RPM for those two spots.

B: I think either of those cities would be a great next spot for us. We also get a lot of people asking us to come to Dubai and Australia, so we will see. In fact, we have had several offers from around the world to bring RPM to various cities but we are just trying to decide where we should go next now that we have RPM Steak and RPM Italian in Chicago as well as having just opened RPM Italian in Washington, DC. We are very excited about the future.

LATM: What can we find in your carry-on and tell us 3 items you couldn’t travel without?

B: My monogrammed toiletry kit, that Giuliana got me a few years ago as well as workout clothes and sneakers. I travel a lot so I need to make sure to get a morning run in most places I go.

G: Don’t forget to mention your eye shades, Bill! He can’t sleep without them. As for me, my makeup case, my laptop, and my special neck pillow. Yes, I am that person that packs a pillow for trips that are more than a few days. Thankfully, it all fits into my Bric’s Sprinner Trunk suitcase which I’m also obsessed with and never travel without. It is super chic and durable and people always ask about it when it’s on my Instagram. Love it!