Podcasts about green city market

Renee Davis, Executive Director of Green City Market, joins Jon Hansen, filling in for Lisa Dent, to share Lincoln Park’s Farmers Market opening for the 2025 season. Davis highlights the market’s new vendors and just how important the market is for independent vendors.  

The Legacy and Impact of the Farm-to-Table Movement in Chicago Chef Jason Hammel Come join us as one of Chicago's most iconic chefs, Jason Hammel, takes us back to the 1990s, tracing his journey from East Coast outsider to one of the Midwest's most passionate advocates for hyper-local sourcing. He'll recount the early days of the farm-to-table movement, the founding of Green City Market, and the rise of restaurants dedicated to local ingredients. Lula Café, his restaurant of 25 years, has grown in parallel step to this movement, and through stories from its early days, he'll highlight the challenges and resistance that once stood in its way. But this conversation isn't just about the past—it's about the economic and ethical decisions chefs face when choosing where and how to source their ingredients. As Hammel enters his third decade in the industry, he'll reflect on the movement's impact: What has changed in the restaurant world and beyond? What progress has been made for local, organic producers? And what does the future hold for Lula, for chefs across the Midwest, and for the next evolution of farm-to-table dining? BIOGRAPHY: Jason Hammel is the executive chef and owner of Lula Cafe in Chicago, the Logan Square eatery known for its seasonal cuisine. His debut cookbook, The Lula Cafe Cookbook: Collected Recipes and Stories, was published by Phaidon in 2024. Growing up in New Haven, Connecticut, Hammel aspired to be a writer, not a chef. After graduating in 1994 with a degree in English, he traveled to Italy, where an accidental stay across the street from Florence's central market foresaw his career as a chef dedicated to seasonality. In 2017 the Museum of Contemporary Art named Chef Hammel as executive chef/culinary curator for the museum's new restaurant, Marisol, Hammel himself was named the Jean Banchet 2019 Chef of the Year, and in 2024 Lula Cafe was awarded for Outstanding Hospitality by the James Beard Foundation. Today Hammel splits his time between Lula, Marisol, and the non-profit food education group Pilot Light, which he co-founded in 2010. jasonhammel@lulacafe.com / instagram Recorded via Zoom on April 16, 2025 CONNECT WITH CULINARY HISTORIANS OF CHICAGO ✔ MEMBERSHIP https://culinaryhistorians.org/membership/ ✔ EMAIL LIST http://culinaryhistorians.org/join-our-email-list/ ✔ S U B S C R I B E https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Y0-9lTi1-JYu22Bt4_-9w ✔ F A C E B O O K https://www.facebook.com/CulinaryHistoriansOfChicago ✔ PODCAST 2008 to Present https://culinaryhistorians.org/podcasts/ By Presenter https://culinaryhistorians.org/podcasts-by-presenter/ ✔ YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Y0-9lTi1-JYu22Bt4_-9w ✔ W E B S I T E https://www.CulinaryHistorians.org

This week's guest is a passionate workhorse: when Sarah Stegner isn't serving imaginative, seasonally inspired dishes as the founder and creative force behind Prairie Grass Cafe, she's showcasing the potential for chefs to advocate for change in food sourcing or rallying her chef friends to cook for a good cause. As a founding member of the innovative and purpose-driven Green City Market, she has helped shape Chicago's sustainable food movement, championing local farmers and fostering a direct connection between growers and chefs. She comes on the pod to tell us about the connections between classical guitar and dish composition, provide tips for success at the farmer's market, and go deep on the systemic problems facing food — and what we can do to fix them.      

Chicago's Astounding Food Evolution: 1990 'til Now Chef Dean Zanella Founder and instructor, Tutore Italian Cooking School The past 35 years have seen a sea change in Chicago dining. And who better than to take us on a voyage through this period than a master chef who has sailed through this time? Come join us as chef Dean Zanella takes us from the local culinary world of 1990 to the present; where fine dining no longer requires white tablecloths; where non-European cuisine has been elevated; where chefs are the main focus of the restaurant; and where chefs work with local farmers. And he'll dish on the impact of TV's Food Network on our dining experience. Chef Zanella will also give his take on some of Chicago's key chef influencers, like Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless, and more recently, Erik Williams. “They held their standards high and made people expand their palates,” he says. Bio: Chef Dean Zanella is a founder and instructor at Chicago's Tutore Italian Cooking School. He has worked at some of Chicago's finest restaurants, including Charlie Trotter's and Gordon, in addition to helming such notable eateries as 312 Chicago, and Rhapsody Restaurant at the Chicago Symphony Center. He is a strong supporter of Chicago's Green City Market. Recorded via Zoom on December 16, 2024 CONNECT WITH CULINARY HISTORIANS OF CHICAGO ✔ MEMBERSHIP https://culinaryhistorians.org/membership/ ✔ EMAIL LIST http://culinaryhistorians.org/join-our-email-list/ ✔ S U B S C R I B E https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Y0-9lTi1-JYu22Bt4_-9w ✔ F A C E B O O K https://www.facebook.com/CulinaryHistoriansOfChicago ✔ PODCAST 2008 to Present https://culinaryhistorians.org/podcasts/ By Presenter https://culinaryhistorians.org/podcasts-by-presenter/ ✔ YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Y0-9lTi1-JYu22Bt4_-9w ✔ W E B S I T E https://www.CulinaryHistorians.org

It's our first episode of a new month — and that means another edition of "Where Dave Ate." Host David Manilow shares his experience at Lula Cafe's recent "25 for 25" event, during which 25 legendary chefs came together to raise money for five different charities.Plus, this fall is loaded with food events, including the upcoming Chicago Gourmet, a 25th anniversary event for Green City Market and the "Eat & Evolve" fundraiser from Chef Sebastian White.

Have you been to the Green City Market?? If you haven't, you should make a plan to go soon! They've been around for 25 years this year. We sat down with Mandy Moody of Green City market to tell us all about it. Also, tocelebrate, they are hosting their 25th annual Chef BBQ on September 25th. It's sure to be a great time. And we want you to come! Visit https://www.greencitymarket.org/chef-bbq to purchase your tickets and use code: 77FLAVORSBBQ  for $20 off!Hope to see you there! Also, enjoy this episode!Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Check out our new merch!! https://www.77flavorschi.com/shopAlso, catch Dario on the new season of Netflix's "High On the Hog" here!!If you have anything you'd like us to talk about on the podcast, food or history, please email us at ⁠media@77flavorschi.com⁠ WATCH US ON YOUTUBE ⁠HERE⁠! Visit our website ⁠https://www.77flavorschi.com⁠ Follow us on IG: 77 Flavors of Chicago ⁠@77flavorschi⁠ Dario ⁠@i_be_snappin Sara @sarafaddah

Green City Market has zeroed in on a number of problems plaguing food distribution and accessibility in our city – and they've resolved to do something about it. Our guest this week, Mandy Moody, is the executive director behind many of these initiatives, supporting farmers in selling their products (without sacrificing a major cut), educating people about food sustainability, and working hard to make locally-grown food as accessible as possible. And beyond all of that, the market itself is a beautiful, community-driven testament to the power of combining good food with good people. Mandy is also just flat-out fun to talk to, in an episode that covers: the true cost of growing real food, the eternal struggle of getting kids to eat, and insight into September 5th's Chef BBQ event (as well as some practical tips for scoring the best possible bites).

By some accounts, chef Sarah Stegner is one of Chicago's most unheralded culinary creators and connectors. She's raised millions of dollars as co-founder of three food-related nonprofits. In this episode, Stegner shares the success stories behind Green City Market, Chicago Chefs Cook, and the Abundance Setting. Plus, Stegner is also co-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe and talks about why women chefs and restaurateurs are still vastly underrepresented.

Sarah Stegner has been the chef and co-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, Ill., since she opened it in 2004. From there she has overseen a community of team members, local suppliers, and customers that she says are essential to the success of the restaurant as well as of those around her.She's a founding member of a number of area organizations that foster sustainable food production, including Green City Market, of which she's also past president, and The Abundance Setting, which supports working women and mothers in foodservice. More recently, she was a co-founder of Chicago Chefs Cook, which has raised more than $1 million since its founding in 2022 through culinary events, some of which has been donated to José Andrés's World Central Kitchen.She's also an advisor to chef Sebastian White of The Evolved Network, which supports farming and culinary education for underprivileged kids in the area.Stegner was already an industry veteran when she opened her own restaurant, having been chef of The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, for 21 years.Stegner recently discussed the importance of community in her work, and how she continues to nurture those around her, including the growing number of people who are sensorily sensitive.

Bio: Paul FehribachBig Jones Born and raised in Jasper, Indiana, Paul Fehribach's small-town upbringing instilled in him a passion for heritage recipes. His summers were filled with fishing, hunting, foraging for mushrooms and helping in the garden at his grandparents' farmhouse. Fond memories of working alongside his mother in the kitchen and cooking from family heirloom recipes resulted in an appreciation for fresh, seasonal ingredients and a love for traditional cooking. As the executive chef and co-owner of Big Jones in Chicago, he showcases his homespun-style of cooking and commitment to finding and preserving historic foods of the American South. Chef Paul is a graduate of Indiana University's Jacob School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana. Following graduation, he served as the executive chef at Chapman's Restaurant & Bar where he further explored cooking with local and organic ingredients and heirloom seeds. In the early 1990s, he joined the opening group of Laughing Planet Café in downtown Bloomington before moving to Chicago in 1996. He transitioned to the front of house while working at restaurants Hi Ricky Asian Noodle Shop in Deerfield, Ill. and finally Schubas Tavern & Harmony Grill. By 2008, Paul was ready to return to the kitchen. He branched out on his own with the opening of his restaurant Big Jones. His regionally-inspired fare with Cajun, Creole, Lowcountry and Appalachia influences has garnered both local and national acclaim, including Best New Restaurant by Chicago Magazine. With a focus on utilizing seasonal heirloom crops, he actively supports co-ops, small farmers and frequents Chicago's Green City Market. When not hard at work in the kitchen, Paul volunteers for the Healthy Schools Campaign aMnd Chicago Public Schools' "Go for the Gold" campaign to promote healthy eating in schools and combat childhood obesity. Midwestern Food (New Book!) https://amzn.to/3ZrJnjW The Big Jones Cookbook: Recipes for Savoring the Heritage of Regional Southern Cooking https://amzn.to/3Lw0yLs Big Jones Restaurant: https://bigjoneschicago.com/ If you follow my podcast and enjoy it, I'm on @buymeacoffee. If you like my work, you can buy me a coffee and share your thoughts

Green City Market Executive Director Mandy Moody inherited an established nonprofit that's growth was plateauing. Their work was essential in her community, but few outside of the nonprofit truly understood what that work was. How could she get their message to the world despite having so many responsibilities on her plate? The first step was figuring out what that message was. Then she had to communicate it to donors. With these goals in place, Green City Market quickly grew from $800k in annual revenue into a $1.6 million nonprofit. Now, they have both the resources and public knowledge to serve their community in the most effective way possible. Tune in to 

Our guest today is Laurell Sims, Co-Founder & CEO of Urban Growers Collective in Chicago, here to talk about food accessibility and the development of community-based food systems. Urban Growers Collective (UGC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that was co-founded by Laurell Sims and Erika Allen in the fall of 2017. Working closely with community partners, their approach is to demonstrate and to support communities in developing systems of their own where food is grown, prepared, and distributed within the community itself. Urban Grower's Collective operates 8 urban farms on 11 acres of land, predominantly located on Chicago's South Side. These farms are production-oriented but also offer opportunities for staff-led education, training, leadership development, and food distribution. Each farm utilizes organic growing methods, intensive growing practices, and year-round production strategies to best maximize growing space. In this conversation, we talk about the numerous programs operating within UGC that are helping not only to bring food to underserved areas but to facilitate youth involvement and outreach programs for positive community impact.  Laurell is active in the Chicago Food Policy Action Council and formerly served on the Board of Directors for Slow Food Chicago and Green City Market. In 2011, Laurell was selected as a Bold Food Fellow, a State Department exchange with farmers from Uganda and Kenya, and has managed development projects with urban farms in Haiti. In her spare time, Laurell is a volunteer magician for Open Heart Magic which provides bedside magic for hospitalized children. Topics Discussed: How Laurell came to the Urban Grower's Collective ReVision Urban Farm in Boston The impact of the urban farming movement  The eight farms and programs within in the Urban Grower's Collective Healing aspects of community spaces Fresh Moves Mobile Market Linkup Illinois for food assistance Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark Prescription for Health, Howard Brown Health Center Food Justice and privilege  Food waste in Chicago How policy and racism affect grocery store access Farm Bus in Richmond, Mark Lilly Midwest Foods Wholesaler USDA Food boxes April Jones on The Good Dirt Julia Skinner on The Good Dirt The challenge of land access, particularly for BIPOC growers Green Era Urban Farm in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood in Chicago The anaerobic digester as mitigation for food waste Soil contamination and remediation Wasted! The Story of Food Waste Chicago Food Policy Action Council Connect with Laurell & the UGC: Urban Grower's Collective website On Instagram @urbangrowerscollective Donate or Volunteer with the Urban Grower's Collective! About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network. Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Our guest today is Laurell Sims, Co-Founder & CEO of Urban Growers Collective in Chicago, here to talk about food accessibility and the development of community-based food systems. Urban Growers Collective (UGC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that was co-founded by Laurell Sims and Erika Allen in the fall of 2017. Working closely with community partners, their approach is to demonstrate and to support communities in developing systems of their own where food is grown, prepared, and distributed within the community itself. Urban Grower's Collective operates 8 urban farms on 11 acres of land, predominantly located on Chicago's South Side. These farms are production-oriented but also offer opportunities for staff-led education, training, leadership development, and food distribution. Each farm utilizes organic growing methods, intensive growing practices, and year-round production strategies to best maximize growing space. In this conversation, we talk about the numerous programs operating within UGC that are helping not only to bring food to underserved areas but to facilitate youth involvement and outreach programs for positive community impact.  Laurell is active in the Chicago Food Policy Action Council and formerly served on the Board of Directors for Slow Food Chicago and Green City Market. In 2011, Laurell was selected as a Bold Food Fellow, a State Department exchange with farmers from Uganda and Kenya, and has managed development projects with urban farms in Haiti. In her spare time, Laurell is a volunteer magician for Open Heart Magic which provides bedside magic for hospitalized children. Topics Discussed: How Laurell came to the Urban Grower's Collective ReVision Urban Farm in Boston The impact of the urban farming movement  The eight farms and programs within in the Urban Grower's Collective Healing aspects of community spaces Fresh Moves Mobile Market Linkup Illinois for food assistance Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark Prescription for Health, Howard Brown Health Center Food Justice and privilege  Food waste in Chicago How policy and racism affect grocery store access Farm Bus in Richmond, Mark Lilly Midwest Foods Wholesaler USDA Food boxes April Jones on The Good Dirt Julia Skinner on The Good Dirt The challenge of land access, particularly for BIPOC growers Green Era Urban Farm in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood in Chicago The anaerobic digester as mitigation for food waste Soil contamination and remediation Wasted! The Story of Food Waste Chicago Food Policy Action Council Connect with Laurell & the UGC: Urban Grower's Collective website On Instagram @urbangrowerscollective Donate or Volunteer with the Urban Grower's Collective! This episode is Sponsored by True Leaf Market: Use our promo code: TGD10 - for $10 off an order of $50 or more (expires June 15th. Limit to one use per customer) at https://www.trueleafmarket.com/ About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network. Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Come with us to an urban farm in Chicago where entrepreneurs hope to build a food system easily accessible and affordable to the residents and those that shop at farmers markets in the city. Hear from Stephanie Dunn, Executive Dir., Star Farm Chicago, and Mandy Moody, Executive Dir. of Green City Market, held in two Chicago neighborhoods.

Crain's contributor David Manilow joins host Amy Guth to talk about Chicago farmers markets and shares highlights from his conversations with Esmirna Garcia, board president of Pilsen Community Market, and Mandy Moody, executive director of Green City Market. Plus: Feds say Fifth Third opened more unauthorized accounts than previously admitted, Foxtrot hires former Taco Bell exec, apartment developers cashing out of ‘Hipster Highway' projects and the reason why airline tickets are so expensive right now.

Chef Sarah Stegner is not only one of the most talented chefs in the Chicago area but also among the most impactful. A two-time James Beard Award-winner, she scaled fine dining's heights at the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, then decided she'd rather share with more people her vision of how ingredients and guests should be treated, so she opened Prairie Grass Café. She also co-founded the trailblazing Green City Market and advocates for women in restaurants through The Abundance Setting. She has no use for yelling in the kitchen and offers thoughtful ideas on how to push the industry forward. When she talks, other chefs listen, and when she cooks, bring your appetite.

If it's spring, it's time to talk once again to Bob Benenson from Local Food Forum. He reports on as many issues as he can get to in about 20 minutes, They include the reasoning behind Chicago's Green City Market's decision to open a month earlier. Author Emily Murphy returns to the show to talk about her new book, GROW NOW. In it, she shares the gospel of regenerative gardening, no-till, and what it means to go beyond organic.

Since the pandemic began, people have been concerned about food—how safe it is, how to get it, whether it would be available. We answered many of those questions a couple of months ago. But now, with new state and local regulations coming out for how to reopen, things are slowly beginning to change. And Curious Citizens have asked us what it means for things like Chicago area farmers markets, take out and restaurants. We answer a few of those questions here: What will it be like to shop at the outdoor farmers markets in the Chicago area? The City of Chicago still hasn’t released its guidelines or set a date for the reopening of farmers markets within the city limits—much to the chagrin of organizers and shoppers. But several local area markets, including those in Oak Park and Evanston, are already open, along with dozens of others across the state. The Illinois Farmers Market Association has also put out recommendations for safety. So even though city guidelines haven’t been announced, many Chicago area market operators already have a clear idea of what this year’s socially distant season will look like—and many have been operating virtually in the meantime. Here are some of the most common rules they say will be in place, once markets open for in-person shopping: All markets we checked with in Chicago will require face coverings for all vendors and patrons for entry. Market managers will limit the number of people who can be inside the shopping area at any one time. And, once inside, visitors will be encouraged to walk through the market in just one direction, keeping 6 feet from all others. Managers and farmers want customers to pre-order and pre-pay for their produce in advance so they can pick it up from the market without any money changing hands. They encourage shoppers to use an app called WhatsGood that aggregates the products of all the market vendors in one spot for pre-order and delivery.  Most social aspects of the markets, like musical performances, yoga, chef demonstrations and kids activities have already been cancelled or at least delayed until the situation can be re-evaluated later in the year. At Chicago’s Green City Market, organizers have moved some activities, like their kids’ Club Sprouts, into the virtual sphere. Logan Square Farmers Market organizers have developed detailed rules that they will combine with any city rules that emerge in the coming days. They also plan to experiment with a reservation system where shoppers can sign up for a specific time to enter the market in order to manage the flow of traffic and avoid long lines for entry. Christine Carrino, a spokesperson for the City of Chicago, says they plan to share more information about the future of Chicago farmers markets sometime in early June. What are farmers markets going to sell? Shoppers can expect a more limited selection of items at farmers markets when they reopen for in-person shopping. Many market managers tell Curious City that they are going to focus on vendors selling fresh plants, herbs, fruits and vegetables in the early weeks. This will allow them to keep crowding down and expand gradually as shoppers get used to the new rules. Jessica Wobbekind, executive director of the Logan Square Farmers Market, said they may add things like bakery items later in the season, but not prepared items—like tacos. This is to discourage people from hanging around the market and socializing. Still some sacred farmers market traditions will remain in modified form, like the famous Oak Park Farmers Market doughnuts made at Pilgrim Church. They are still being sold at the market, but have to be pre-ordered through the WhatsGood app and pre boxed for pick up—so maybe they won’t be quite as hot. What’s the best way to make sure local businesses—rather than third party delivery companies—are getting the money from takeout orders? Under the stay-at-home order thousands of Illinois restaurants moved to a takeout and delivery model, including many in Chicago. Some restaurant owners say the model has served them surprisingly well and will remain a lasting part of their business—even at high-end dining establishments. Curious City looked at the safety aspects of this model in a previous story, but today there’s a lot more scrutiny on the economics of it.  That’s largely because Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a directive in May requiring third party delivery services to disclose their fees on the customer’s receipt. This has cast a new spotlight on who is actually benefiting from the fees charged by companies like GrubHub and Uber Eats. Sometimes these companies can take up to 30 percent of the total bill. If you want to ensure your local restaurant is getting the most money from takeout transactions, here are a few tips, according to restaurateurs we’ve spoken with: Take a look at your next takeout or delivery receipt to see how much you are actually paying in various fees. The disclosure rules are already in effect in Chicago. You might see that some restaurants have added in-house COVID fees to their bills, and they should be able to answer customer questions about what these fees cover. Don’t always believe what you see on Google or delivery sites in terms of how the restaurant’s takeout procedures operate—sometimes it’s wrong. If possible, call the restaurant first and ask them about their set up. Some may have their own in-house delivery person or have limited delivery. Others may have good curbside pick up options to avoid delivery altogether. While most restaurants prefer contactless credit card transactions at this time, they also have to pay the credit card company fees for every transaction at around 1.75 percent. Call to ask if they have other payment options that they prefer. Whether you are picking up or getting delivery, figure out the tip in advance by either putting it on the credit card when you order or having a clean envelope with the cash tip taped to your front door or in the part of your car (back seat or popped trunk) where the staffer is placing your food during curbside pickup.  What kinds of creative things are restaurants doing to maintain their business during COVID-19? The prognosis for restaurants in Chicago—and across the nation—is not good. Many have announced permanent closures, others are hanging on by a thread and some may reopen only to fail, according to the National Restaurant Association. While city and state authorities are still formulating rules for when and how local restaurants can reopen their indoor dining rooms, they recently announced rules for the next small step—allowing outdoor dining. You can read the city and state rules on these links. Curious City has heard a lot of ideas from Chicago restaurateurs about how they might reshape in-person dining experiences, like removing half of the tables from the dining room, putting up bookcases between tables, creating tent-like structures around tables and even erecting plexiglass barriers. But a couple of our question askers wanted to know what other things restaurants were doing right now to adapt and try to sustain themselves safely in the time of COVID-19. Some of the most creative innovations to keep restaurants open and people fed during COVID-19 have included everything from takeout meals you cook yourself at home to mixed cocktails (after the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation allowing restaurants and bars to sell the sealed to-go drinks). Here are just a few examples of some of the creative adaptations now on offer in Chicago: Logan Square’s award-winning Fat Rice restaurant has transformed into Super Fat Rice Mart, which sells whole kits to make the erstwhile restaurant’s signature dishes including Macanese vegetable curry and ginger and pork dumplings. More adventurous types can try the “Mystery Box” option, with ingredients and recipes for three unknown (in advance) Fat Rice dishes. Pasta restaurant Daisies in Logan Square is now selling their fresh pasta along with produce and groceries from local farms, including milk, butter, flour and eggs.  El Che Steakhouse and Bar has become a butcher shop, selling premium cuts of meat, wine and grilling kits. The popular Gibson’s Steak Houses are also selling aged prime cuts of meat, normally unavailable to ordinary consumers, for cooking at home. El Ideas in Douglas Park on 14th Street is offering curbside pick up of its tasting menus paired with an optional Zoom meeting with chef Phillip Foss later in the night. Here diners can talk with Foss about the dishes and hear the inspiration behind them. “Even though dining rooms are closed,” Foss says, “I think people still want a way to connect.” And one of the biggest surprises has been the sudden (relative) affordability of meals from Chicago’s top-rated Alinea and the Alinea group. Customers regularly paid more than $200 a head at the flagship Lincoln Park restaurant that now offers a nine-course tasting menu for about $50 per person through curbside pick up. A few companies have tried to aggregate a lot of these creative offerings across the country including Chicago-based enterprises Dining at a Distance and Tock. How else can you help out your local restaurants? Kelly Cheng of Sun Wah BBQ in Uptown has a few tips for customers who want to help make the whole contactless takeout experience work better for everyone: Order early. This helps the restaurant organize its workflow. For example, order at noon for a 4pm pick up Try to do curbside pick up at off-times for quicker curbside service when you arrive. If you must pick up at a popular time (like 6:30pm), be patient. Dozens of others have probably chosen the same time for dinner pick ups. Make sure you are clear about how the pick up will go—like, do you text when you get there or call to retrieve your order? Consider putting a flag on your antenna or a sign in your window that says “Picking up Order for John Doe.” Cheng says, “It can be hard sometimes to hear and understand each other through masks and this way you can be sure you don’t have to get out of your car and interact.” Park safely. “We have seen a few near accidents as people have parked in bike lanes while waiting for their pick up,” Cheng says. Don’t pop your trunk until you see the staffer coming out of the restaurant with the food, “especially if it’s raining,” Cheng says. Thank you to question askers Jennifer Ptak, Diane Danbury, Leslie Harris and Mary Beth Nevulis for your great food questions. Monica Eng is a WBEZ reporter. You can contact her at meng@wbez.org.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Simple Mills, a company on a mission to make healthy eating simple so people can thrive. While we’re sheltering and baking our hearts out, Simple Mills’ super easy baking mixes have made us look like pros when we post the finished product to Instagram. From bread, to muffins, to pizza dough and more, Simple Mills baking mixes have 25% less sugar than other baking mixes and use only simple, whole food ingredients. Visit them at simplemills.com or follow them on social @SimpleMills for wellness tips and delicious recipe inspiration. Welcome to the Daily Distance, a new daily series from the creators of #WeGotGoals. In these short episodes, we’re bringing you one daily goal you can set for yourself during this chaotic time- one actionable thing you can do to move your body, connect with a friend, prioritize your mental health, get some work done, and practice a little bit of self-care. Today's special guest is Katlin Smith, CEO and Founder of Simple Mills. She comes on to share her secret weapon in supporting organic farmers, avoiding the grocery store, and avoiding a cooking rut: farm boxes. We chat about what surprising ingredient she's mastered cooking with, how she stays creative in the kitchen, and why it's so important for her to support the food service industry right now. Resources: Katlin's previous episode of #WeGotGoals and her appearance on our #FearlessFriday series (plus, our first-ever interview with Katlin) The Chicagoland farm boxes Katlin personally recommends: Local Foods (they're currently revamping their farm boxes, but never fear—you can still get all your locally sourced grocery must-haves via Mercato), Fresh Picks by Irv and Shelly, and Green City Market. Simple Mills on the internet: their website and their Instagram. In addition to their website, you can buy Simple Mills online via Amazon, Thrive Market, and Target. If you love this episode as much as we do, subscribe to the #WeGotGoals podcast wherever you like to listen to podcasts, including on Apple and Spotify (and hey, leave us a rating while you’re at it!).

On today's show: Former Egyptian president deadTrees in ChicagoA local farmers marketGardening awards [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

As many of you know, we’re in the midst of Uppers & Downers week here in Chicago, celebrating more than five years of our coffee and beer culture collaboration between myself, Michael Kiser, and world barista champion Stephen Morrissey. This year’s festival promises to be our best yet, with about 25 different coffee beer collaborations, a dozen different roasters pulling their best espresso shots from all over the country, some delicious things to eat from Green City Market, cocktails from Powers Whiskey and others, a pairing bar with Guinness—it’s really a room to explore with your palate. And this year, we’re posting some explosive content to Vero, a new ad-free social network that protects your data and your privacy. To access all areas of the festival, discover exclusive recipes, tips, and recommendations, and to connect with fellow Uppers & Downers enthusiasts, visit Vero here. To give you an idea of what’s in store this weekend, I got together with Jacob Sembrano of Cruz Blanca, a brewery in Chicago, and Robert Bersano of Sparrow Coffee to chat about the incredible case study of beers and coffee drinks they’re going to be collaborating on for our biggest sensory experience ever.

In this episode, I talk to Jerry Boone from Froggy Meadow farm, my favorite farmer and de facto produce educator. Froggy teaches us the truth about GMOs, hybrids pros and cons, real shallots, and life on an off-grid farm. We talk about today's challenges to farming, and the importance of supporting farmers and farmers' markets. We share our mutual love of onions and Froggy's love of Japanese farming and culture. Although we come from very different places, we have had such a positive influence on each other and what we do.

Hungry? Today we’re cooking up Cece’s Salmon Burger’s. CeCe also checks in with Lyle Allen from Chicago’s Green City Market for look ahead at their summer agenda. Mike Nowak, “The Chicago Gardener” explains why spiders are the good guys and he offers a ton of great advice on living green and raising healthy plants indoors. Finally, Courtney Abiati drops in … Read more about this episode...