Podcasts about chicago pizza

Welcome back, WIFs!This week, Lauren and Michelle are diving fork-first into a cozy conversation about Chicago food, summer nostalgia, and the iconic meals that helped shape the city they love so much.What started online as a casual conversation about Chicago tavern style, ahem, thin crust pizza quickly turned into passionate Chicagoans flooding the comments with very strong opinions and some hate. That level of commitment to local food lore deserves its own episode.From deep dish pizza and dipped Italian beefs to loaded hot dogs and spicy giardiniera, the sisters unpack the stories, history, and nostalgia behind some of Chicago's most legendary foods — and why these meals feel so deeply tied to identity, family, comfort, and community. Somehow, the foods that once fed working-class neighborhoods became part of the soul of the city itself.Per usual, Lauren and Michelle also share what they're reading, watching, and listening to lately — including a classic Pride and Prejudice reread, a spooky weekly series, and a podcast obsession they can't stop talking about.Press play, get cozy, and join the sisters for a conversation about food, memories, summer magic, and why the simplest things often stay with us the longest.Because sometimes a pizza, a hot dog, or a perfect summer night can tell the story of an entire city. Resources: Leave a Message on Our House Phone!A Cozy Night For Readers - Get Your Tickets!Follow Us!Shop Our Seaonal Candles!Check Out Our Website!This episode is sponsored by Chicago Private Wealth Group and Let It Be Us.

Happy Wednesday! The NCAA Tournament gets expanded to 76 teams and we think its dumb. Someone in the office ate half a muffin. We talk about how Caleb Downs was bored playing College Football. We do Leather Jacket Time with 10TV's Nicole Shearin, and she talks about her time at the NFL Draft. There's an update on John Mobley Jr.'s NBA Draft status. Common Man ranks his top 4 Chicago Pizza's. We have a bone to pick with Wendy's, and we do Name Dropping with Jeff Rimer.

If someone asked you about French, Korean, or Thai food, you could probably name some signature flavors and dishes. I certainly can. Well, what about American food? What stands out for you there and what IS it, really? Today we're going to dig into the roots of American cuisine with food journalist David Page, who initially was an investigative journalist but turned his attention to food. And he's author of a book called Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories Behind America's Favorite Dishes. But you might also know David's work from television. He was executive producer on the hit series Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives for 11 years. He has two Emmy awards and has his own podcast series, which is excellent, called Culinary Characters Unlocked. Interview Transcript So, here's the book: Food Americana. It's really a wonderful read and, you know, every case study you go through in the book, like pizza, Chinese food, Mexican food, every one is completely fascinating. I'd love to dive in and hear more about your thoughts about how all this unfolded. So, is there such a thing as American cuisine and how did you come to write this book, Food Americana? Well, the short answer is yes, there's American Cuisine. I came to write it out of personal experience. I became really deeply interested in food when I was posted overseas for NBC News as a producer and traveling from country to country, pre-Internet. And not ever having expected to leave America. I mean, they called me up one day and said, Hey, you wanna move to England? And from there I moved to Germany and then Budapest, Hungary. I was remarkably unprepared for all of the places I was being sent. And I kind of had a study pretty quickly. And I found that one of the best ways to understand a country or culture was through its food. You know, why do they eat so much wild boar in Tuscany? Well, because it was historically a poor region. And if you wanted to eat, you had to kill something. And what you were most likely to find that you could kill was a wild boar. When you go to Strasburg in France, why are you eating Germanic choucroute, which is, you know, pork on top of sauerkraut. Well, that reveals to you that that area went back and forth in terms of which country owned it forever. And that really awakened in me a deep interest in food. When I got back to the States, I eventually ended up creating Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. And that got me deep into American food, if you will. And, more and more over time, I stockpiled stories and interests and decided as all TV producers do eventually, whether they actually act on it or not. Everyone thinks it's easy to write TV and it's hard to write a book. Those of us who are TV producers carry a chip on our shoulder because frankly, it's harder to write for television. You can't just sit down and type out whatever you want to type out. You've got to figure out the words that integrate with the pictures and that can move the pictures forward. But, you know, we all think we have a book in us, and I said, what interests me? And it was this. And I dived in; thoroughly enjoyed the process. To answer the other half of the question, I came to the conclusion looking at everything that I had put on Diners, looking at every place that I liked eating in various towns, there was a cuisine. It was something we constructed, much like we constructed American democracy out of other countries and cultures. And you know, when you go to a Chinese restaurant in America, all of us have gone with that real bore who looks up and says, this isn't authentic Chinese food. Well, no, it's not authentic Chinese food. It is authentic Chinese American food. Just as, with the exception of something called polpette, which are very small round meatballs, there are no meatballs as we know them in Italy. When the poorest of the poor left Southern Italy to come to the United States in the 1800s, to their shock when they got here, they found out that being poor here was different than being poor there, where even pasta was considered a luxury item and only enjoyed on a Sunday, if ever. Here, poor people could afford meat. And that is what created Italian American cuisine, which is to a great extent based on abbondanza, you know, a whole lot of everything. I live in New Jersey where red sauce cooking means open your belt and, you know, strap in for a few hours of absolute gluttony. And we've done that with bagels from Poland. In Poland, they weren't quite what they are here. But they were similar, and they were sold by Jewish peddlers in the streets on long sticks. Because they had holes in the middle, you could, you could stack 'em on the sticks and young kids would walk around the town square shouting in polish. I don't know the actual words but shouting something that translated as bagels and lemonade. When Jewish immigrants arrived in the United States, packed into the Lower East side into tenements, they did what they knew how to do. And bakers started making bagels which then became far more than a Jewish food. They became a New York food. And then in horribly awful incarnations, they became an American food. I would argue it's still hard to get a decent bagel outside of New York for any number of reasons, but bagels are American cuisine now. They're not the bagels per se that were eaten in Poland. But there's something from another country that we took and made into our own. And by the way, the cuisine continues to evolve. It now includes Vietnamese banh mi. As more and more cuisines are sampled here, they're modified by the lack of availability of original ingredients for the immigrants who are here who have to look for alternatives. And they're modified to suit broader tastes. You know, the original spices of much of Mexican cuisine... and when I say Mexican cuisine, it was basically the food of the Nortenos, Northern Mexico, because as with all countries, Mexico is a combination of cuisines based on regionality. But, when Americans started sampling, quote, Mexican cuisine, unquote, much of it was too hot for us. For the most part, those people who had lived in what was Mexico who were now living in America after the Mexican American war, when America seized half of Mexico. Those who opened restaurants realize that, you know, if you want a broader clientele, you better tone things down. That's the Americanization of another culture's food, and that is American cuisine. I'm hoping you wouldn't mind taking a little detour and talk about how magical it is to connect with a culture through food and through the people you meet in that context. You and I were talking before we started recording and you mentioned a trip you made to Spain and how wonderful this particular connection was. And I was thinking about some things I've done recently that have connected me with people and their history through their food. And there's something very magical about that. But tell us about your trip to Spain because I thought it was very interesting. My wife and I went to Spain a few years ago, and I had worked in Spain a fair amount when I was overseas as a journalist. But I'd never really had the opportunity to do much vacation in Spain. And I can't remember if it was Madrid or Valencia, it may have been Valencia. But we signed up for a half day cooking course. And we showed up and it was taught by somebody's grandmother. I made the mistake of trying to be polite and use my leftover high school Spanish, and I was the only one who in the class who did. So, she decided I was fluent, which I'm not. But she and I had a lengthy conversation during the class, which consisted of her saying things I did not understand in me nodding my head and saying, si. But it was just a remarkably wonderful experience to have my hands on and in and be learning about another culture. You know, one of the things I realized when I first started traveling much of the world for NBC and again, I had never expected to be sent overseas, was that there are a million ways to do things. You know, this is going to sound kind of gross, but until you go overseas and you realize there are different shapes to toilets, you know, people look at the same problem and figure it out in slightly different ways. You learn that there are multiple ways to approach things, to address things, to do things. And first of all, the cooking in Spain is extraordinary. And it's an underappreciated cuisine here in the United States. But, you know, we're in cooking class making a Spanish tortilla, which is not a Mexican tortilla. Mexican tortilla obviously is a disc of dough, either corn or wheat, depending upon the region. A tortilla in Spain is an omelet, but more than an omelet, it's kinda like a frittata. It's a very thick, almost spongy, egg-based product with potatoes in it. And making that and learning how to make that and the way that this teacher had clearly been making it, that she had learned from her mother, who had learned from her mother. You know, you turn it upside down to get it out of the dish. It was just a wonderful experience. And look, I've been fortunate enough to have that experience in any number of countries. This one, wasn't terribly culinary, but I was in Moscow in a bar frequented by locals. And this was under the Soviet Union; it was a long time ago. But they had the bars for Westerners where they took dollars and served the good vodka, which Russians could not get by the way. I mean, there was no Stoli for Russians. But we were in this real low rent bar and a guy sat down next to me with Asian features. And through, kind of, hand signals and some assistance from I guess one of the NBC translators or something, we exchanged life stories. It turned out he was visiting from Siberia to do some kind of business. Had never been to the big city. And he had... everything in the Soviet Union was crappy. I mean, it was made of plastic. He had a plastic briefcase. But he was here on business apparently. And as we got drunker and friendlier and you know, arms around each other and hail fellow well met, he opened his briefcase to reveal that it was filled with salted fish. He had brought his own delicacy from home because you never know what you're going to find in the big, bad city. And sitting at that bar, I had me some Siberian salted fish and it was damn fine. What a neat experience. Oh, it was fantastic. Just fantastic. You've reminded me, and I was mentioning this to you as well, but I love barbecue of all kinds from all places. And the North Carolina form of barbecue is typically pulled pork. And the Eastern part of the state is famous for cooking whole hogs, the Western part for cooking just the pork shoulder. But in the Eastern part they say they talk about cooking everything but the squeal. And there's a local restaurant in Raleigh, which is about a half hour for me and where I live in Durham. And there's a well-known barbecue icon in North Carolina named Sam Jones, who's the third generation of his family to run a restaurant in a little town called Aiden, North Carolina, which is frequently considered the best barbecue place in the state. Sam, at his restaurant in Raleigh, was running a half a day intensive workshop for those of us out there in the world who want to learn more about it. I took that workshop and it was a wonderful experience just like you're talking about. Because not only did I learn about the techniques of cooking the food and I was in their smokehouse, and it was just a great experience. But this fellow, Sam himself, was a really interesting character. And to hear about his family history and what the food means to them and how they learned the traditions and stuff was just absolutely fascinating. And I'm reaching for, I got a copy of a book he wrote on whole hog barbecue. There's Sam himself and with... Daniel Vaughn the writer. Yes, that's exactly right. What a great experience. I feel as you do that connecting with cultures through their food and meeting the people is just an incredible experience. Let's get back to your book now, Food Americana. So, you gave us the example of bagels, you talked a little bit about Chinese food, but give us some more richness to how these foods might have begun and what kind of forms they took in America. And I know you talked about pizza as one example. I thought the pizza one was especially interesting. Part of it is because I spent many years of my career at Yale University and was surrounded by New Haven Pizza, which was unbelievable. Which is called what? Apizza? Apizza. Yes. Well, that's coal-fired thin crust, right? Coal-fired. You know, I could go in one of those restaurants and just order crust and be happy. It was that good. What I found interesting in researching one of the New Haven pizzas that's legendary is clam pizza. And what I learned was that the clams weren't from Connecticut. That they were brought in from someplace else. I just assumed, because, you know, you got the water there that that was a local thing. And apparently it was not, which surprised the hell outta me. I mean, I live on the coast of New Jersey and there's a place down here that does its version of clam pizza and it is local clams. Oh, that's interesting. Pizza was the food of the poor in the South of Italy. Pizza was basically dough with a little bit of tomato. And if you had a couple of bucks that day, that week, maybe you put a piece of lard on top. I mean that, that was it. And when the immigrants began arriving in the United States and found that good food was easier to obtain, that's when pizza started to morph into what we know it as today. Now the wheat in Italy was different than the wheat here. The form of a fire being used was different. I'm trying to remember, I guess it was coal in New York at the time, and wood in Italy. So, you ended up with a different kind of crust in terms of airiness and crispness. But what you also ended up with is a perfect example of the development of American cuisine. Which is every place that pizza went, it was different. It evolved based on what was available in a particular region. You've got pizza in, I think it's St. Louis, maybe Kansas City, where they use kind of a processed provel cheese. I guess it's St. Louis. Because that's what they had. That's nothing. It's not mozzarella. It's not Parmesan. It's the local cheese. Or you have pizza in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, that was created for the miners by a bar owner using what is rumored to have been government cheese. These were poor people. So that's how that developed. You've got Detroit Pizza, which is having a renaissance moment now, but it has its square shape because it was initially baked in these blue steel automotive pans. They may have been oil pans that were liberated either from an auto factory or a parts supplier. You know, Chicago Pizza certainly developed in a unique way, although there are two kinds of Chicago pizza. There's the deep dish that, it's really a frigging casserole. And then there's cracker thin pizza that, that's delightful. But you see pizza developing according to what's around it. I mean, it's the perfect example of local, regional, seasonal. And then as pizza became a self-perpetuating thing, it then became a kind of a palette for creative American chefs to go nuts. The iconic decision being Wolfgang Puck at Spago in Beverly Hills. Putting what would be politely called smoked salmon, what else? New York Jews would call lox on a pizza with creme fresh and, you know, reinventing the world. In fact, the real reinvention of pizza in that way occurred at California Pizza Kitchen in California, where barbecue chicken pizza became a big deal. And pizza continues to evolve. I mean, I had a debate the other day with the owner and chef at an Italian restaurant about whether or not pineapple goes on pizza. And I obviously, I think that Hawaiian pizza with pineapple and ham is a war crime. He argues that doing what he does, which is a not canned pineapple but fresh pineapple that is macerated, chopped, and served with, I think, pork cheek as opposed to ham. Some more subtle, substantial use of pork that is in fact a terrific combination of flavors. And I'm not going to argue with him because that actually sounded pretty damn good. It does sound good. You know, pizza continues to evolve. What's interesting with pizza is, and I have this complaint with so much of how Americans consume food, is that given the choice between a great local pizzeria and BS factory like Dominoes, so much of America picks Dominoes. I mean, at the time I wrote the book a few years ago, 60% of pizza was sold at chains; 40% was sold at independents. But why, why would you possibly pick this cookie cutter piece of crap when somebody down the street from you is doing it right? You just remind me of so much, and when you mentioned Old Forge, Pennsylvania, when I read that in your book, I have a good friend who lives in Philadelphia. And I got in touch with him. I said, oh, I need to come up to Philadelphia, and we need to make a road trip to the Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. And then go down to Old Forge and try this pizza David Page was writing about and stuff. And it's just fun to do this. And I did this recently. I told you earlier, I'd made a road trip and driven part of Route 66 through Oklahoma. And stopped in this little town El Reno and had the famous Oklahoma onion burger at Johnny's and sat at the counter and talked to the cook. And I enjoyed that as much as any four-star, high end, hundreds of dollars meal. It just, it's fun. Well, but there is a misunderstanding of what good food is. I liked, well, many things about what Pete Wells did when he was a New York Times food critic. But one of the things I really liked was the fact that he evaluated restaurants based on their intent. You could be a three-star taco stand. If the promise you are making to someone is, I'm gonna make you the best goddamn taco you ever had. You have to evaluate that based on that. Not, is it La Verna dining? And frankly, our hangup with and fascination on high end haute cuisine, $350 a plate, little, tiny morsels of shit. I much prefer real food. And, you know, the foodie culture goes nuts for stuff that is fru fru, and they did this, and they did that. Making the perfect hamburger in El Reno, Oklahoma, and you know, I talked about how in Tuscany boar was the food of poverty. Onion burgers, which are considered by some purest to be the finest form of hamburger came out of, I think it was the Depression. It was certainly a time of poverty. Where you stretched a burger by adding onions to the meat. And that's a wonderful, wonderful thing. Now, I don't think it was... is El Reno outside Oklahoma City? Yes. It's within an hour drive. Yeah. It's near Tinker Airbase. El Reno is where, I included this in the book, there is a fabulous sushi restaurant in a gas station. Now the local clientele heavily Air Force people who have been in Asia, but apparently, it's phenomenal sushi. And interestingly enough, I just interviewed the chef owner of three restaurants in Oklahoma. He has a restaurant called Gray Sweater, which is highly upscale, and he has a couple of others. He was telling me that the food scene in Oklahoma has been really, really booming under the radar. And I went to school in Oklahoma. I was thrown out of both major state universities. And you know, back when I went, it was great chicken fried steak. There was some barbecue that was basically Texas barbecue that had migrated North. But I didn't see Oklahoma as culinary heaven. And apparently, it's quite the place to eat these days. I would agree with that. I went to some really fine restaurants when I was there. Plus the people are just lovely. Oh, yeah. And by the way, you talk about American cuisine. And I'm not sure if there was a direct evolution, but clearly it's an Americanized form of schnitzel. It's hard to, if you live in the East coast and you haven't had a chicken fried steak...you have no idea what you're missing. But again, food of poverty. You take a bad cut of meat, you tenderize it by beating the hell out of it with a mallet, then you dip it in egg and flour and you deep fry it. I mean that's... Oh, and the right gravy on that. Oh yeah. The cream gravy. Yeah. And, you know, don't mention it to your cardiologist, but I fell in love with that and as a college student with pure grain alcohol when I was in Oklahoma. So, it did have a couple of things I liked. I might have recorded 300 podcasts or something like that, but none has made me as hungry. This is good, right? Oh, it's great. So, let me end with a final question. And I think I can guess how you're going to answer this, but if you look at American cuisine compared to the things that it descended from, like foods from Italy and Mexico, and China and things. Is it just different? Is it authentic in its own right? Is it better worse? How do you think about that? It is wonderfully different. It has an antecedent. It's like looking at a German Shepherd and also being aware it was once a wolf. They're two completely different species. And some of the traits of one are reflected in the other, but they're different cuisines. I mean, I've spent a lot of time in Italy, thank God. And second to Spanish food, it's probably my number two all-time favorite. But, when you look at American cuisine, red sauce Italian is among my favorites. They're totally different cuisines. Chinese food, the same. You know, there's a great book and documentary In Search Of General Tso, in which the writer, Jennifer A. Lee. went looking for the guy who invented General Tso's chicken in Taiwan. And she found him and showed him what his invention had become in America. They bear no resemblance to each other. He was shocked. But I love general. Now, I can't eat it much because had a diabetes scare and had to lose a bunch of weight. But it's a wonderful dish. It is about as Chinese as Matzo. You know, it's an American invention, but remember, American Chinese food began in California after the Gold Rush when a whole bunch of Cantonese people came over to search for gold and they set up restaurants. Some came to set up restaurants for them, and they realized that Americans didn't eat offal, and much of Chinese cuisine is, you know, a nose to tail. So, they either invented or reinvented chopped suey with Americanized proteins and that's what kicked off the Chinese food boom. And there's this mall in Flushing New York that serves the food the way it's served in China. This stuff, it'll blow your mind. It's extraordinary. But that doesn't make the food that you get at a good Chinese American restaurant invalid. It's just wonderfully different. BIO David Page is the President and Executive of Page Productions. He is a two-time Emmy award winning Executive Producer with a focus on culinary projects and a special expertise in creating entertaining and engaging programming that combines the highest production values with the richest storytelling. Page is best known for creating the Food Network hit Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and executive producing the program for eleven seasons. He is also an author, having written the book Food Americana about the evolution of American cuisine. And he is now producing and hosting the podcast Culinary Characters Unlocked, featuring entertaining but substantive interviews with important people in the world of food.

Our 2026 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament, sponsored by Chicago Brick Oven, started with 128 pizza places in our “Mom & Pops” bracket. The one to come out on top was Bartolini’s of Midlothian! A day after winning our month-long tournament, owner Chris Bartolini joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats […]

After 4 weeks of voting on 160 Chicago pizza places, 128 Mom & Pops and 32 Local Chains, the polls are closed and we have our 2026 Chicago Pizza Madness Champions. Chicago’s Very Own Eats co-host and WGN Radio bracketologist Michael Piff joined John Williams and Andy Masur to announce and call the winners. Listen […]

After 4 weeks of voting on 160 Chicago pizza places, 128 Mom & Pops and 32 Local Chains, the polls are closed and we have our 2026 Chicago Pizza Madness Champions. Chicago’s Very Own Eats co-host and WGN Radio bracketologist Michael Piff joined John Williams and Andy Masur to announce and call the winners. Listen […]

After 4 weeks of voting on 160 Chicago pizza places, 128 Mom & Pops and 32 Local Chains, the polls are closed and we have our 2026 Chicago Pizza Madness Champions. Chicago’s Very Own Eats co-host and WGN Radio bracketologist Michael Piff joined John Williams and Andy Masur to announce and call the winners. Listen […]

After 4 weeks of voting on 160 Chicago pizza places, 128 Mom & Pops and 32 Local Chains, the polls are closed and we have our 2026 Chicago Pizza Madness Champions. Chicago’s Very Own Eats co-host and WGN Radio bracketologist Michael Piff joined John Williams and Andy Masur to announce and call the winners. Listen […]

Is Chicago pizza really all about deep dish? Not exactly.In this episode of Tasty Trails Travel Pod, we explore the real story behind Chicago pizza culture, from the famous deep dish pizza tourists know to the tavern-style thin crust locals actually grew up eating.We talk about:

Host of WGN Radio podcast “Chicago's Very Own Eats” Mike Piff joins Wendy Snyder, filling in for Lisa Dent, to talk the 2026 Pizza Bracket. This year, the bracket features more pizza joints than ever before. 128 “Mom and Pop” pizza places will duke it out in their own bracket, separated by region, while 32 […]

Host of WGN Radio podcast “Chicago's Very Own Eats” Mike Piff joins Wendy Snyder, filling in for Lisa Dent, to talk the 2026 Pizza Bracket. This year, the bracket features more pizza joints than ever before. 128 “Mom and Pop” pizza places will duke it out in their own bracket, separated by region, while 32 […]

Your boys go real in-depth with Pizza and we talk about the recent shakeup at XBox!   Want to ask us a question? Hit us up on our discord! Link here: https://discord.gg/n8fDw3nv   As always, thanks to Eric Skiff for the use of the intro and outro songs! If you like what you hear and want more, head on over to his website at https://www.ericskiff.com!

How has it already been a year since our last Pizza Madness Tournament? After doubling the field last year to 128, and the championship victory by Rosati’s, we go into Year 4 of Chicago Pizza Madness with another new twist! We have moved the local chains into their own 32-competitor division, and will allow 128 […]

250 EPISODES! We've officially hit a massive milestone, and the whole crew is here to celebrate in the rowdiest "mega-episode" yet. From Tony Soprano and Doc to JS Gunslinger and Big Badda Boom, the virtual table is packed for four intense rounds of tastings. This episode has everything: a breakdown of the legendary Chicago Pizza debate (Lou Malnati's vs. Giordano's), a deep dive into the "spirit tax" of Washington State, and the mystery of the "staged" youth hockey brawl that went viral. We also pay our respects to the late Scorpions bassist, Francis Buchholz, and Howard Blues tries to survive a "fermented bread drink" that tastes exactly like liquid toast. Whether you have been here since the beginning or just joining the show now—grab a cold one and join the family. Here's to 250 more! Youth Hockey Brawl Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZaraevMso8 Recorded: 1.23.26 0:00 – Intro  2:32 – What's on Tap? 26:22 – Pabst X Godzilla 26:53 – What's on Tap? Round 2 52:08 – JS is Doing Nothing. We Promise 54:39 – Youth Hockey Brawl 1:06:18 – What's on Tap? Round 3 1:22:20 – Don't Do This! Slag 1:25:32 – What's on Tap Round 3 Cont. 1:29:59 – Dad Jokes of the Week 1:35:34 – What's on Tap? Last Call 1:42:41 – Chicago Pizza Debate Revisited 1:52:20 – Cheap Plugs & Hulk Hogan in Metallica 2:01:44 – Final Thoughts & More BS   https://streamlabs.com/beerbluesbs https://beerbluesbs.podbean.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@BeerBluesBS?sub_confirmation=1 https://open.spotify.com/show/1pnho1ZzuGgThbLpXbAs3t https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Unmhz98iRYU97l18uJp99 https://www.twitch.tv/tuez13 https://www.youtube.com/@HowardsCaveofWonder?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.twitch.tv/krdneyewitnessweathernow 2:14:38   #BeerBluesAndBs #Podcast #TripleBBSPodcast #Podcast #ComedyPodcast #BeerPodcast #Brews #Laughs #BrewsAndLaughs #podcast #tripleb #Comedy #Beer #Blues #Bs #IPA #CraftBeer #BeerReview #CraftBeerReview #ChicagoDeepDish #StarTrek #PodcastLife #LouMalnati #WhatOnTap #ScotchLovers #PizzaDebate #HomeImprovementFails #Episode250 #CraftBeerReview #ChicagoDeepDish #HockeyLife #Malort #KettleHouse #ThreeFloyds #DadJokes #PodcastMilestone

Stephanie Lulay, Executive editor and Co-Founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Families Rally After Feds Take Chicago Daycare Teacher: ‘We Are Filled With Rage': Hundreds of neighbors gathered in North Center demanding that federal immigration agents stay out of schools after a teacher […]

While Chicagoans don’t necessarily need an excuse to enjoy pizza, we certainly don’t oppose having National Pizza Month and National Sausage Pizza Day on the calendar. Our reigning Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament champion, Rosati’s, is celebrating National Sausage Pizza Day (October 11th) by offering free sausage toppings on any 16″ pizza with promo code ROSATISSAUSAGE […]

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago favorites, Garrett’s Popcorn and Home Run Inn are blending flavors. A new Garrett’s popcorn is mixed with Home Run Inn’s ‘Everything But the Pizza seasoning’. They’re calling it Garrett’s Chicago Pizza Popcorn. The new flavor is available at several grocery […]

Choose Chicago’s Partnership Marketing Manager Fabiola Sierra joins Bob Sirott to talk about what the Chicago Pizza Pass is, where you can purchase the pass, and its benefits. VP of Food Industry News Cary Miller also joins Bob to discuss food costs to restaurants after the pandemic, why the demand for late night dining has gone down, […]

Segment 1: Mark Hamrick, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com, talks to John about a new Bankrate survey that shows nearly 1 in 2 workers plan to search for a new job in the coming year. Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John Williams to talk about President Donald Trump unveiling a new plan for […]

When you have out-of-town company visiting the Chicago area, what’s the one thing you make sure is part of their experience? If your answer isn’t “pizza”, you’re a bad host and you need to fix that. Taking them on the original Chicago Pizza Tour is a great way to do so. Chicago Pizza Tours founder […]

As popular travel destinations overflow with crowds, navigating the surge - along with rising tourist backlash - is becoming increasingly challenging. An AI voice hoax triggers global diplomatic and security concerns, and Chicago deep-dish pizza chains push for national expansion.

Jon Hansen, host and executive producer of the Block Club Chicago Podcast, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Jon has details on: Italian American Sports Hall Of Fame Moves To Dunning, Anchoring Northwest Side's Growing Little Italy: The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame had to leave its home on […]

Looks like the Beer Engine Pod wasn't the only ones out there doing a bracket. The fine City of Chicago and their elusive Mayor have selected their favorite pizza place and it is the Pizza Group's most beloved spot. You'll just have to listen to find out. Anyways we also had some beers this week, Griff went psycho mode on Beers of the Week and a fun region in the bracket game that will have you enjoying some precious memories. ★ Support this podcast ★

Send us a textLynn's Chicago Pizza began with Lynn Humphrey and Brandon Bruner, Sr. trying to solve a problem. They couldn't get pizza delivered to their Southside Chicago neighborhood so Brandon, a trained chef, began experimenting with making a Chicago Deep Dish pizza. Soon, they started making pizza for friends and family. The two started selling pizza at a nearby bar and the virtual pizzeria was born doing popups.  They ventured into a brick-and-mortar restaurant partnership but soon realized that they wanted to create their own vision in their Woodlawn neighborhood that was in need of restaurant options. Landing the location that the two had their eye on came with an application process. After great strides, Lynn's Chicago Pizza opened serving up deep dish and Chicago thin crust pizza.  Lynn and Brandon opened more than a pizzeria. Lynn's serves as a community hub with events and special nights for people to gather.  Their efforts have drawn local and national attention. Brandon and Lynn share how they've built momentum for their young business. Learn more about Lynn's Chicago Pizza at https://lynnschipizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lynnschicagopizza/   

Writer-slash-artist, Tim Seeley, is on the show this week to talk about his new comic projects, including:  Red Sonja vs Army of Darkness crossover (in shops April 9th) and Peacemaker Presents: The Vigilante / Eagly Double Feature, and his experience teaching art at Columbia College, tips for collecting original comic art (check out Panel Punk Comics Originals), the upcoming Revival television show, finding inspiration from 90s Image Comics, and he shares some of his favorite things to do in Chicago (and the best pizza to try!) LINKS: Watch the uncut video version of this episode, here, and subscribe on YouTube for more video content!Join our Patreon Community, and get access to bonus episodes, free comics, and other rewards! Try a FREE 7-day trial: HereTake your comic shopping experience to the limit, by shopping online at Gotham City Limit!We read Fan Mail, send us some! Visit the shop in Jax, or shop online at gothamcitylimit.comProudly sponsored by Gotham City Limit!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showREACH OUT TO US!

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Chicago is known for its pizza, and it's big business for the city. Brian Tondryk, founder and owner of Bartoli's Pizzeria in Chicago's Roscoe Village and West Town neighborhoods, and Chicago pizza historian Peter Regas join Andy Giersher on the Gains podcast for a deep dive into the Chicago pizza scene. Make sure to subscribe to us on the Audacy app; leave us a review & rate on Apple Music, too! Have a question for host Andy Giersher? Tweet him @Giersh. Never miss an episode from us! Hit the follow button on our Insta & Twitter

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 […]

A look at the future of the Chicago White Sox, a long-time Chicago Pizza chain is downsizing and a visit with our Monday afternoon stock picker.

Eric Kim has a signature style with his writing, which has appeared frequently in the New York Times, where he is a columnist for the magazine. Eric blends a truly lyrical style of prose with deep reporting chops and a knack for simple and highly focused recipe development—a rare triple threat! He's also the author of the best-selling cookbook Korean American. This is a return visit to the show for Eric, and we talk about his reporting process, how he unpacks big topics in food and culture in his columns, and some of his recent work, including dumplings, Chicago pizza, the origins of Philadelphia cream cheese, and many other memorable stories.Also on the show, it's the return of Three Things, where Aliza and Matt share what's interesting in the world of restaurants, books, television, food products, and much more. On this episode: Birria La Flor is doing Tijuana-style birria in Brooklyn, Caroline Eden's great memoir Cold Kitchen, Flour + Water dry pasta is terrific. Also, a Kingston, New York, scene check. Matt visits Pinkerton's Bakery, Fantzye Bagels, and Sorry, Charlie. Also, also: Severance is a good show, and not Westworld (we hope), and Matt tries Frost Buttercream.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We'd love to hear from you. MORE FROM ERIC KIM:It's Dumpling Week! [NYT]What Puts the ‘New York' in New York Cheesecake? [NYT]The Most Surprising Thing About Deep Dish Pizza? It's Not That Deep. [NYT]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For more go to www.smartpizzamarketing.com Summary Lynn and Brandon share their inspiring journey from making pizza at home to launching their own restaurant in Chicago. They discuss the challenges they faced, the importance of community support, and the strategies they employed to build their brand and engage with customers. Their story highlights the resilience and adaptability required in the food industry, as well as the significance of staying true to one's roots and vision. Chapters 00:00 From Home Cooking to Business Venture 05:50 Overcoming Challenges and Securing a Lease 11:58 Building a Community and Brand Identity 20:19 Deep Dish Pizza: A Chicago Tradition 27:24 Marketing Strategies and Community Engagement

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 […]

In this episode of Life Along the Streetcar, we welcome back Jude Cook, renowned Tucson neon artist and preservationist, to dive into the revitalization of the Sunshine Mile, one of Tucson's most iconic mid-century modern districts. Jude shares his insights on the restoration efforts, focusing on how neon signage is playing a major role in bringing the Sunshine Mile back to life. Learn how this historic corridor, once threatened by urban development, is being transformed into a vibrant community space where local businesses, like Rocco's Chicago Pizza, are thriving. Listen now to discover: - The history and significance of the Sunshine Mile - The vital role of neon sign restoration in the district's revitalization - Insights from Jude Cook on Tucson's mid-century modern preservation efforts We explore the unique challenges and triumphs of preserving Tucson's mid-century charm while infusing it with new energy through collaborative development efforts. With a particular emphasis on neon restoration, Jude details how he and other developers are ensuring that the Sunshine Mile retains its historic glow while evolving for modern use. Tune in for a journey through Tucson's history, neon artistry, and the future of one of the city's most beloved areas.

Pizza Hut recently launched a square-cut, thin-crust pizza that it's marketing as “Chicago's best kept secret.” And since the chain's take on tavern-style pizza has been panned in local reviews, we're telling you about our favorite spots to find this Chicago classic. Host Jacoby Cochran, producer Michelle Navarro, and City Cast marketing director Caroline Patton give their picks and engage in the eternal debate about which pizza style is the true Chicago style. Some good news: Bronzeville Art District Trolley Tour Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this July 17 episode: Ravinia Incogni — Use code CityCast for 55% off the annual plan. Wastenot — use code citycastcompost to test the service with a free month. Lincoln Park Zoo Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Pop! Squish! Six! Uh-Oh! Cicero! Lipschitz! On this episode of “Out of Office: A Travel Podcast,” the boys talk about one of their favorite cities in the US: Chicago! Perched on Lake Michigan, the city offers stellar food, world-class art and natural history, and a number of easy-to-find hidden wonders. Things we talk about in this week's episode: Chicago Architecture Tour https://www.architecture.org/tours/detail/chicago-architecture-center-river-cruise-aboard-chicago-s-first-lady/  Tiffany Dome at Chicago Cultural Center https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_culturalcenter-tiffanydome.html  Millennium Park https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park.html  The Bean https://millenniumparkfoundation.org/art-architecture/cloud-gate/  Buckingham Fountain https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/clarence-f-buckingham-memorial-fountain  Crown Fountain https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicartcrownfountaininmillenniumpark.html  Wrigley Field https://www.mlb.com/cubs/ballpark  Field Museum https://www.fieldmuseum.org/  Art Institute of Chicago https://www.artic.edu/  Thorne Miniatures https://www.artic.edu/highlights/12/thorne-miniature-rooms  Robie House https://flwright.org/tour/robie-house  Hogsalt https://www.hogsalt.com/  Chicago-Style Hot Dogs https://www.bonappetit.com/story/best-hot-dogs-chicago  Chicago Pizza https://chicago.eater.com/maps/best-chicago-pizza-restaurants  Roadside America https://www.roadsideamerica.com/    “Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums” by Bob Eckstein https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/18/travel/museum-guide-bob-eckstein-illustrator.html   

This week, Executive Editor Denise Greer goes one-on-one with Hillary Lake, who co-owns Hillary's Chicago Pizza, in St. Augustine, Florida. She's no stranger to restaurant business ownership, but she never thought she would enter the pizza industry. It was during the pandemic that she missed her hometown Chicago pizza and sought to make the perfect Deep Dish. That catapulted into creating a farmer's market and brewery pop-up for extra income. Today, Her and her husband Bruce bought a turnkey craft house. Hillary isn't stopping there. She has a vision to take her social work degree she is currently pursuing and opening a unique take on a Pizza Farm. Listen to her share her future plans. Earlier this summer, we did a quick Q&A for our Conversation feature. In that, she says “We had and have amazing support here in Northeast Florida, and buying a restaurant was not on our to-do list. We had a restaurant in Chicago and thought we were done with that journey. I applied to grad school during the pandemic and I worked at a school for special education and my husband worked in insurance. The pizza thing would not go away though. Things magically lined up over and over from pop ups to farmers markets to our funding for the brick and mortar. The location was very serendipitous. The people that told us about our first farmer's market are the same people who told us about the available kitchen in St. Augustine.” Read her Conversation: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/conversation-hillary-lake-hillarys-chicago-pizza-st-augustine-florida/Learn more about Hillary's Chicago Pizza at https://www.hillaryschicagopizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hillaryschicagopizza/ . 

What's Happening. #SmallBusinessShoutout with Rance's Chicago Pizza. Writer Phil Rosenthal joins the show to talk about “Netflix is a Joke' fest.

This week on #SmallBusinessShoutout, Gary and Shannon bring in Rance's Chicago Pizza!

This week my guest is Billy Zureikat, known online as The Real Billy Z. He's a home cook, baker and pizza-maker who's life took an unexpected turn. He went from an active lifestyle, playing basketball and working at ESPN radio, to a challenging 8-year medical journey that resulted in a diagnosis of limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2L.As his body underwent changes, he found solace and a newfound passion in the kitchen. He traded his jersey for an apron, re-focusing his energy on becoming a better home cook and baker. Sandwiches and pizza became his canvas, and from that emerged the "Tripping Billy" pizza. Little did he know, this creation would become a catalyst for raising funds and awareness for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Teaming up with some of Chicago's best pizzerias and restaurants, he shares his story of reinvention through food. It became a way to show people that even in the face of change, positive things can happen. Over the past few years, he's collaborated with over 50 culinary giants, raising $50,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.   He's been the Illinois Ambassador for the MDA since January of 2022.BILLY ZUREIKATBilly's websiteBilly's Instagram, TikTok and YouTubeDonate to The Muscular Dystrophy AssociationCHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTSIf you enjoy the show and would like to support it financially, please check out our Sponsorship page (we get a commission when you use our links).  Get the Chefs Without Restaurants NewsletterChefs Without Restaurants Instagram and ThreadsThe Chefs Without Restaurants Private Facebook GroupChris Spear's personal chef business Perfect Little BitesSPONSOR INFOHeaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond BourbonI'm excited to introduce you to Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond bourbon. Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond delivers a flavor profile that's unmatched. This bourbon is aged for seven years, three more than required, creating a richer, more sophisticated flavor profile. When you select this premium bottled-in-bond bourbon, Heaven Hill's commitment to excellence is evident in every sip. Available Nationally, look for a bottle of Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond at your local store.Heaven Hill reminds you to Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.Support the Show.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Meg investigates the true story behind John Guare's theatrical masterpiece Six Degrees of Separation. Jessica untangles the cheesy threads of the legendary Ray's Pizza litigation.Please check out our website, follow us on Instagram, on Facebook, and...WRITE US A REVIEW HEREWe'd LOVE to hear from you! Let us know if you have any ideas for stories HEREThank you for listening!Love,Meg and Jessica

In this episode, Hilary discusses her "Miracle Morning" - the daily rituals she adopted to help her deal with life's challenges.     She believes that being a business owner is not an easy task and so she relies on these daily actions to help her level through the ups and the downs.     Highlights: Hilary explains how the SAVERS tools from the Morning Miracle Book help her with her business.  When she feels overwhelmed, she uses the tools to maintain her composure.  We talk about waking up early to complete these rituals, staying consistent, and what to do if you're short on time.  Hilary leaves the audience with this: If you have a dream, go for it because dreams do come true if you choose to make it happen.    Sign Up For Our Mailing List  https://mailchi.mp/83cc1e422fb0/podcast-blog Thanks for supporting this show Ooni Pizza Ovens Affiliate⁠ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whatsgooddough Ooni Affiliate https://ooni.com/?sscid=51k7_g9gpn&utm_medium=shareasale&utm_source=2800064&utm_campaign=1232202 ⁠Corto Olive Affiliate⁠ https://corto-olive.com/?sscid=51k7_g9fhj& Our Town America https://www.ourtowndirectmail.net/ ⁠Famag Mixer Affiliate⁠ https://pleasanthillgrain.com/?utm_source=pepperjam&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=277138&clickId=4381641095&source=pepperjam&clickid=4381641095&publisherid=277138 SLICE OUT HUNGER : SIGN UP TO MAKE PIZA WITH TEAM  GOOD DOUGH  https://forms.monday.com/forms/9282cf204e8a42d716609bd2806d4d49

Michelle and Lauren have finished The Bear Season 2 and have their full review ready for you. Heads up, lots of SPOILERS. The sisters are also discussing Chicago-style pizza and why women are leaving their 9-5 jobs for shift work. Hot Topics: Morning coffee routine, what we sleep in, and Jamie Lee Curtis If you love Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project and would like to show your support for the content created, please visit Anchor.com (link in show notes) for more information. Thank you! Resource Links: Rememberings More Women are Leaving Their 9-5 Life Behind For Shift Work The Pizza That Is Taking Over The US The Sister Project @thesisterproj Anchor: Support Our Small Business --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cozy-conversations/support