Dean Zanella at Rhapsody.

Tragedy struck the family of a longtime Chicago chef late last month. On February 13, Dean Zanella—who’s best known for his years as chef of 312 Chicago in the Loop—and his wife, Mary Bridget Reidy Zanella, welcomed twin girls, Anna Grace and Nora Joan. Complications set in, and Mary passed away on February 22.

Now friends of the family have set up a fund-raiser to help Zanella with the cost of caring for his new daughters alone. There will also be a fund-raising event at Hot Chocolate on March 31; details to follow.

Zanella was chef of 312 Chicago for about a decade when he left it to open Aldino’s, Scott Harris’s short-lived Italian restaurant and deli-grocer on Taylor Street. He was then chef of Rhapsody for two years, but wasn’t retained when the restaurant reconcepted as Tesori. Most recently he has worked at Chicago Firehouse.