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Latest episodes from Chicago's Very Own Eats with Kevin Powell and Michael Piff

How Caruso Provisions giardiniera ‘elevates everything'

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025


What’s the Chicago version of peanut butter and jelly? Well, Italian Beef and giardiniera, of course! But even as a co-sponsor of our 2025 Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, Caruso Provisions aims to be more than a condiment for your dipped sandwich. Peter Caruso, co-owner of Caruso Provisions, joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the […]

Bob-O's is ready to defend their Chicago's Best Beef Tournament title

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025


Before the 2025 Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament kicks off on Thursday, Rich Bartell from Bob-O’s joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about defending their championship title. Rich shared with Kevin and Michael what it was like from a business owner’s perspective being on the competing end […]

Chicago's Best Beef Tournament returns for Year 3

Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025


WGN Radio’s Senior Digital Strategist and co-host of the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast Michael Piff joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about the third edition of WGN’s ‘Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament’, sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Caruso Provisions. Michael details this year’s bracket which features 64 mom-and-pop restaurants from the […]

National Italian Beef Month: A history lesson with Joe Buonavolanto Jr. and behind-the-scenes look at Buona in Berwyn

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025


What began as a day to celebrate “the most Chicago food item of all,” has now expanded into a month-long celebration. The family behind the winner of our inaugural Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, the Buonavolantos, joined forces with the Scalas and Pacellis (from Al’s Beef) to petition for a National Italian Beef Day, and this […]

Why you should go to Uncle Jerry's for National Deep Dish Day (and beyond)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025


Like many of us pizza lovers, Jerry and Nancy Czerwinski had “Pizza Fridays” with their family, picking up Lou Malnati’s and Pequod’s every week. When they moved to Cary, Jerry bought a 25-pound bag of flour, and began making his own pizzas at home, which slowly well known throughout the community. Located in the heart […]

The winner of the 2025 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament is…

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025


After 4 weeks of voting on 128 Chicago area pizza places, with more than 95,000 votes casted by WGN Radio listeners and pizza lovers, we have a new Chicago Pizza Madness Champion! The championship was down to Uncle Jerry’s from the North Region and Rosati’s from the Local Chain Region. Jon Hansen was joined by […]

Wings and Rings Bridgeport is your spot for March Madness and White Sox games

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025


WGN Radio and Chicago’s Very Own Eats Podcast listeners may know Wings and Rings for winning our Chicago’s Best Wings Tournament in 2023, and it’s beloved among diehard White Sox fans who go before and after games. New owner Gustavo Espinosa is reintroducing the Bridgeport establishment with renovations and a menu fit for sports fans […]

An inside look at WGN Radio's Pizza Madness Tournament

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025


Host of WGN Radio podcast “Chicago's Very Own Eats” Mike Piff joins Bob Sirott to talk about his 2025 Pizza Madness bracket, as well as how a winner will be determined and how he helps to maintain the integrity of the tournament. Freelancer Samantha Nelson also joins Bob to share details about Lent specials around […]

The 2025 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament preview show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025


Chicago Pizza Madness returns to Chicago’s Very Own Eats and WGN Radio on Thursday, March 6th, and it’s bigger than ever. Literally. Hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff preview this year’s tournament, which has now doubled from 64 to 128 Chicago area pizza places. They discuss the 60+ new participants, how to vote, the round-by-round […]

Piece and Hot Doug's team up to support PAWS Chicago with the ‘Bill and Doug's Excellent Adventure' pizza

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025


Piece Pizzeria & Brewery owner/operator Bill Jacobs returned to the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast, and he brought a special guest with him. Bill and Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s have teamed up to kickoff the annual ‘Slice To Meet You’ campaign, supporting PAWS Chicago. From January 9th to February 8th, you can order their […]

Chicago's Very Own Eats: Our favorite things we ate in 2024

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024


As the year comes to a close, Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff look back at their favorite meals, restaurants and Chicago experiences they had in 2024. Find out about… …and more! Listen below to hear their answers. And Happy Holidays from the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7116868/7116868_2024-12-18-140308.64kmono.mp3 Stay […]

Sotto will be ‘where everybody knows your name' in Chicago's Loop

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024


Fourth-generation owners of the The Italian Village and siblings Giovanna and Jonathan Capitanini are opening a new restaurant in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood, combining Italian bar and Chicago tavern culture. It will be the first concept to open in the basement of the Italian Village complex (71 W. Monroe) since 1955, and the goal is to […]

Celebrate Chicago, pizza, community and more at Chicago Pizza Summit 2024

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024


The 2024 edition of the Chicago Pizza Summit, Chicago’s original pizza festival, takes place Sunday, November 3rd. Organizer Anthony Spina has been there since the beginning in 2016, and has seen both the festival and the Chicago pizza community evolve over the years. Anthony returns to the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to chat with […]

Foodie Friday: Chicago Food Trucks with Michael Piff

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024


Michael Piff, Senior Digital Strategist for WGN Radio, joins Lisa Dent on the show to talk about his Chicago Food Truck Summer project and the 30 different Chicago area food trucks he tried. Listen below to hear some of the favorites!

A new menu awaits Bears fans at Soldier Field

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024


One of the most anticipated seasons in Chicago Bears history begins this Sunday at Solider Field when they host the Tennessee Titans. The fanbase has been salivating over their new franchise quarterback, additional playmakers on offense, and a defense that finished as one of the best units in the sport last season. The concession stand […]

Get Billy Zureikat's weekly ‘Chicago Squares' pizzas at Pizza Matta this Bears season

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024


Home chef, Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast All-Star, and Muscular Dystrophy Association ambassador Billy Zureikat brought football and pizza fans together with his weekly ‘Chicago Squares’ series last year. Every week, he created a new tavern style pizza with ingredients inspired by the Bears’ opponents. If you followed the Chicago Squares series last year and […]

Get ready for a ‘chef's table' experience with Chef Carlos Garza at Carnivale

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024


Of all the amazing restaurants in Fulton Market, you can consider Carnivale to be the ‘OG’. Many Chicago food lovers know it for its pan-latin fusion cuisine and flair-filled entertainment, but soon you can have your very own ‘Chef’s Table’ experience. Chef Carlos Garza joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own […]

Italian Village is in good hands with Jonathan and Giovanna Capitanini

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024


As Italian Village Restaurants nears their 97th year in business, the new generation is putting as much love and hard work as ever into their business. The siblings, Jonathan and Giovanna Capitanini, grew up in the restaurant and have seen how it has evolved over the years since they were little. Having taken the reins […]

The 2024 Chicago's Best Beef Tournament Champion is…

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024


The 2024 Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions, started on June 27th in conjunction with ‘The Bear’ season 3 dropping on Hulu. The field expanded from 16 of the Chicago area’s favorite Italian beef places, a year ago, to 64 this year. 3 weeks and 100,000 votes later, our Best Beef […]

Jeff Mauro brings Chicago food coast-to-coast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024


Food Network host, Chicago chef, CEO/Founder of Mauro Provisions, podcaster, musician and all-around-good-dude Jeff Mauro joins Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast! Jeff is one of the busiest people in the food industry and when you listen to this episode, you’ll find out why. We learn how Mauro Provisions […]

Celebrate National Fried Chicken Day with The Budlong

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024


National Fried Chicken Day is Saturday, July 6th and what better way to celebrate than with a Nashville hot chicken sandwich! Photo provided by Craveworthy Brands The Budlong Southern Chicken is commemorating the holiday AND their 8th birthday by offering $5 Budlong Original Chicken Sandwiches for the enter month of July. Craveworthy Brands CEO Gregg […]

The 2024 Chicago's Best Beef Tournament bracket is revealed

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024


The inaugural Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament featured 16 of the area’s best Chicago beef places. This year, we are extending the tournament to 64 competitors. The 2024 Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament is sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions. Joining Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats to talk about it and […]

Chicago's Best Beef Tournament is making a comeback!

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024


WGN Radio’s Mike Piff joins Wendy Snyder, in for Bob Sirott, to talk about the Second Annual Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament and how it highlights small businesses. He also shares details about his summer dedicated to trying foods from Chicagoland’s food trucks and where you can find regular updates. The Chicago's Best Beef Tournament starts […]

Buona defends their ‘Chicago's Best Beef Tournament' title on June 27th

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2024


Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions, returns on June 27th, and Buona Beef is ready for their title defense. Jimmy Buonavolanto and Andrew Regalado from Buona joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about the history of Buona, Chicago’s love for […]

The Old Town restaurant you should go to for Cinco de Mayo

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024


Ahead of Cinco de Mayo, daVinci Group owner Paul LoDuca joins Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast. Paul owns two restaurants that have been staples in the Old Town neighborhood for decades now, Adobo Grill and Vinci. Adobo Grill and Vinci restaurant owner Paul LoDuca with Kevin Powell and […]

The 2024 Chicago Pizza Madness Champion is…

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2024


After 4 weeks, 7 rounds and 271,351 votes, the 2024 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament sponsored by Career Vision has its champion. Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast co-host Michael Piff joined John Williams to call the owners of the winning pizza place. Listen to the segment below: https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4591566/4591566_2024-04-04-151706.64kmono.mp3 Antioch Pizza Shop won by just 1% of the […]

Chef Fabio Viviani brings Lago to Lake Zurich

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024


Celebrity chef Fabio Viviani and his team at Fabio Viviani Hospitality have opened more than 60 restaurants and concepts across the country, including Chicago favorites Sienna Tavern, Prime & Provisions, and Bar Sienna. Now Chef Fabio has opened a modern Italian steakhouse in his own backyard, Lago in Lake Zurich. Chef Fabio joined Kevin Powell […]

Kicking off the Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament with 2023 champion Georgio's

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2024


With the 2024 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament (sponsored by Career Vision) underway, John Williams was joined by Chicago’s Very Own Eats co-host and WGN Radio “bracketologist” Michael Piff on Monday to discuss the details for listeners to vote. To kick off the tournament properly, John also spoke with Courtney Miller, general manager of the 2023 […]

The 2024 Chicago Pizza Madness Selection Show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024


The Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament is back and it’s sponsored by our friends at Career Vision! In 2023, we had 64 Chicagoland area pizza places face off alongside College Basketball’s NCAA Tournament. After 4 weeks and 330,000 votes, Georgio’s of Crystal Lake was crowned the 2023 champion. This year, we asked the WGN Radio audience […]

Chicago's best burgers according to the Chicago Burger Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024


While Chicago prides itself on pizza and Italian beef, it’s also home to some of the best burger joints in the country. Chronicling Chicago’s best burgers is Samantha Esposito with her Chicago Burger Bible Instagram page and website. (Samantha Esposito / Chicago Burger Bible) Samantha joins Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very […]

From their kitchen to yours, the story of Chicago Pepper Bros.

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024


What’s as “Chicago” as Italian Beef, deep dish and tavern style pizza? Giardiniera. And if you love giardiniera, there’s a home grown business with a recipe that tops Kevin Powell’s list of favorites. Kevin and Michael Piff talk with Chicago Pepper Bros. owner Thomas Romano on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast. They talk about […]

Catching up on holiday eats and what to look forward to

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2024


Kevin Powell and Michael Piff from the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast kickoff 2024, first by catching on how they celebrated the holidays and more importantly…what they had to eat. Kevin talks about his visit to RPM and Club Lucky, while Michael shares his experience introducing his daughter to Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Lou […]

Pizza, Beer and Italian Beef: Catching up with John Carruthers from Crust Fund Pizza

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023


John Carruthers has been very busy since Kevin Powell and Michael Piff last talked to him on Chicago’s Very Own Eats. The Crust Fund Pizza proprietor continues to make and sell pizzas for Chicago area causes from his alley. He competed on Chopped and represented Chicago tavern style pizza very well. He participated in Steve […]

How Kevin Powell and Michael Piff celebrate Thanksgiving

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023


The podcast for Chicago food lovers is back in time to talk about the holiday for food lovers. To commemorate their 50th episode of the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast, hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff share their Thanksgiving traditions, the unique foods their families enjoy, favorite sides, favorite pies, and whether they are for […]

How the Lou Malnati's x Portillo's Italian Beef Deep Dish pizza happened with Marc Malnati

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2023


To kickoff National Pizza Month properly, Lou Malnati’s and Portillo’s teamed up again to bring back the Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish pizza. Lou Malnati’s owner and chairman Marc Malnati joins Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about how the collaboration between the two […]

The winner of the 2023 Chicago's Best Wings Tournament is…

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2023


The goal of the 2023 Chicago’s Best Wings Tournament was to promote local businesses in and around Chicago, and we had 32 of them that competed over the past month. Our competitors were chosen by Chicago’s Very Own Eats hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff, various wings enthusiasts on the WGN Radio staff, and WGN […]

Chicago Pizza Summit 2023: Pizza for everyone!

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2023


Chicago’s original pizza festival makes its return on October 15th! The Chicago Pizza Summit began in 2016 as a way to bring pizza lovers from the world’s greatest pizza city together and to celebrate different styles and brands from across the area. Between 2016 and 2019, the Pizza Summit grew and evolved…like the community that […]

Billy Zureikat's Chicago Bears Pizza Squares: Some good tavern-style fun

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2023


Friend of the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast and home cook Billy Zureikat joins Kevin Powell and Michael Piff to discuss his latest project that football fans and pizza lovers will enjoy. Each week of the Bears’ season, Billy is making a tavern style pizza that is inspired by the city or state that their […]

The next Chicago's Very Own Eats food tournament is…

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2023


After the success of the Pizza Madness Tournament in the Spring and the Best Beef Tourney in the summer, Kevin Powell and Michael Piff wanted to come up with the perfect food tournament for the fall. We’ll give you a hint: It goes great with Football season. Listen to the latest episode of Chicago’s Very […]

Celebrate and learn about Chicago pizza with Steve Dolinsky

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2023


If you listen to the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast with Kevin Powell and Michael Piff, then you probably love eating and talking about pizza too. There are few people who know more about, or have eaten more pizza than NBC Chicago food reporter and 13-time James Beard Award-winner Steve Dolinsky. Steve joins Kevin and […]

What we're grilling and where to eat around Lollapalooza

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2023


The start of August signifies two things in Chicago: Lollapalooza and the heart of grilling season. You may have heard of Wild Fork already, as locations are popping up all around the greater Chicagoland area. But what you might not know is what sets Wild Fork apart from other grocery stores, butchers and specialty retailers. […]

Our favorite wing places for National Chicken Wing Day

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023


As we finally move on from a very successful Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, Kevin Powell and Michael Piff discuss another one of their favorite topics: WINGS! National Chicken Wing Day is July 29th, so Kevin and Michael reminisce about some of their favorite wing experiences and the places they recommend you order from this Saturday […]

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