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From Colombia to South Beach, Williamsburg to Chicago, Felipe Ospina’s hospitality journey has taken him through some of the most dynamic culinary landscapes in the world. With a track record of opening 25 restaurants in Chicago and a passion for concept creation, agility, and innovation, Felipe has helped shape the city’s dining scene. Now a business developer and consultant, he collaborates with...

You might know this week’s guest from the antics of his Substack, Food is Stupid , where he lovingly skewers food culture with irreverent humor and subversive stunts. But don’t get it twisted: despite his approach, the man behind it, Dennis Lee, is a serious voice in Chicago’s culinary community—a true purveyor and champion of hidden gems, and someone who knows food inside and out. By day, he’s a...

Greg Hall, the brewmaster and beverage visionary behind Goose Island ’s meteoric rise, has long been a pioneer in the craft beer world. As the son of founder John Hall, Greg’s boundless creativity and willingness to experiment with unconventional styles helped establish Goose Island as a trailblazer in the golden age of craft brewing. After the brewery’s acquisition by Anheuser-Busch, Greg found a...

This week’s guest is a man whose reputation precedes him—we sit down with the inimitable Doug Sohn, the visionary behind Hot Doug’s . A lighthearted stalwart of Chicago’s culinary old guard, his namesake restaurant became a storied institution, and his sausages have been enjoyed at Wrigley Field since 2015. Doug joins us in the studio to share insights into his journey toward the culinary arts, th...

This week’s guest is a beacon of warmth and inspiration in Chicago’s hospitality scene — a spiritual guide and charismatic leader with an infectious passion for taking care of others. Omar Cadena, a proud Chicago native and veteran of the restaurant industry, is the visionary behind Omarcito's , a vibrant celebration of his family’s Cuban and Ecuadorian culinary heritage. In this episode, we delve...

As we close out 2024, we’re excited to sit down with Malcolm Simkoff of Ritual Cannabis Hospitality. Simkoff honed his craft in some of Chicago’s most celebrated restaurants (Acadia, Elizabeth, Leña Brava...) before venturing to Tulum, where he navigated the region’s culinary gold rush. Upon returning to the U.S., he noticed a glaring gap in the cannabis industry: the lack of sophistication and ca...

This week’s guest got her start in hospitality PR before trying her hand at launching a restaurant of her own. Lacey Irby’s unique perspective as storyteller and tastemaker, coupled with inventive dishes courtesy of executive chef Ryan Brosseau, has helped turn Dear Margaret into a dining experience worth writing home about. She comes by the studio to tell us how they transformed an old dilapidate...

Last year, when we had Chef Erling Wu-Bower on the pod, Maxwells hadn’t opened yet — the concept was brimming with promise, but its mettle was yet untested. After a year of service, there’s no denying how much the spot is thriving, and it’s in large part to this week’s guest — Josh Tilden, Chef Erling’s front-of-house counterpart. Josh is an engineering major-turned hospitality maestro, whose meth...

This week, we are delighted to welcome a culinary artist who, despite his reluctance to embrace the title of "chef", is undeniably one of the industry’s most esteemed talents. Chef Giuseppe Tentori refined his culinary skills in some of Chicago’s premier kitchens before joining BOKA Group, where he led BOKA (the restaurant) and subsequently opened GT Fish & Oyster, GT Prime , and BOKA Catering...

This week’s guest is busy. From championing numerous charitable causes alongside fellow Chicago chefs to running the award-winning Bocadillo Market, James Martin embodies the spirit of humble grit and hospitality zeal. With a passion for crafting inventive dishes that put a modern twist on Spanish classics, James shares his journey from modest beginnings to becoming a celebrated force in the culin...

In his early 20s, this week’s guest was working as a builder when he accidentally dropped a pallet of bricks — and vowed to move to San Francisco to pursue a life in the kitchen. And we are lucky he did: Adam McFarland is a born natural (he started cooking when he was a toddler), and his latest venture, John’s Food and Wine, which he started alongside longtime co-conspirator Thomas Rogers, is a te...

This week, we're thrilled to be joined by Joe Flamm in the studio. The Top Chef champion and driving force behind acclaimed restaurants Rose Mary and BLVD Steakhouse takes us on a conversational journey through his life in the kitchen. From his South Side roots and the influence of his Italian grandmother to his time spent working alongside culinary icons, Joe shares the highs and lows that accomp...

This week’s guest is no stranger to blending global influences with a heartfelt approach to hospitality. Dani Alonso, the visionary founder and creative director behind Bonhomme Group , has created an expansive portfolio of venues that bring the vibrancy of both Chicago and Spain to life. From award-winning restaurants and lounges to Casa Beatnik , a boutique hotel nestled in the Spanish countrysi...

During the early days of the pandemic, this week’s guest was looking for ways to stave off dread and make a difference—and he decided to start selling pizzas out of the alleyway behind his house. That’s right: this week we are talking to John Carruthers, founder and proprietor of Crust Fund Pizza (and director of communications for Revolution Brewing by day.) He’s raised over $70,000 for a wide va...

This week, we’re diving into the world of wine with a master class led by Des Echavarrie, master sommelier and owner of Scale Wine—a Napa-based distribution business dedicated to bringing exceptional wines to discerning palates worldwide. With a career that includes a stint as a sommelier at none other than The French Laundry, Des truly knows his craft — and he’s passionate about hospitality. Here...

From selling homemade hooch at his band's merch table to distilling one of the finest artisanal gins available, Brenton Engel’s story is worth telling and listening to. As founder of Letherbee , Brenton’s commitment to authenticity and craftsmanship has made the Chicago-based distillery a flagship for quality liquor, and his philosophy to “always work with friends” makes him an exemplar of a commu...

After a career spent honing his skills around food, across many of Chicago’s best restaurant groups including One Off Hospitality, Hogsalt, and Land & Sea Dept, Max Robbins now serves as Culinary Director at Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, where he leads menu development and chef training with a hands-on, collaborative approach. Known for his creativity, dedication, and intrepid leadership,...

This week, we sidle up next to our favorite curmudgeon at the end of the bar — a legend of Chicago’s bar and beer scene, the one and only Michael Roper. He opened Andersonville’s Hopleaf back in 1992, a bar renowned for its extensive selection of Belgian beers and its famous mussels and fries. He joins us to tell us all about his journey — how being laid off from his assembly line job and doored (...

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you a casual fireside chat between our intrepid hosts. That's right -- a guest cancelled on us, and as people say all the time: when the guest's away, the hosts will play. In our first "In Case of Emergency" episode, Tim and Danny hash it out about Stock's Campfire Jamboree at Camp Wandawega 2024, the birth of Tim's child, shrubs (the drink...

This week, we're excited to welcome Julia Kramer, a former deputy editor at Bon Appetit and acclaimed restaurant critic, who joins us to tell us about her career covering food. After honing her writing skills under the tutelage of literary giant David Foster Wallace, Julia found her calling in the vibrant world of food journalism. She cut her teeth at Time Out Chicago, where she fearlessly navigat...

From Chicago's bustling kitchens to the far corners of the globe, this week's guest brings a unique blend of culinary expertise and literary flair to the table. Hugh Amano is a chef, writer, and passionate explorer, fueled by a lifelong devotion to learning about our world through food. Armed with degrees in both English and Culinary Arts, Hugh's true education comes from his insatiable appetite f...

It’s hard to say what stands out more about this week’s guest—her culinary passion or her legal expertise. Lauren Tuckey is a valuable asset to Chicago’s hospitality scene, bringing a unique blend of legal acumen and a true love of food. As a Level 2 sommelier and a genetic super taster, she knows her food, but with her law firm, Tuckey Law , she’s also ensuring that some of the city’s top owners...

After investing around $30,000 into a beer-making hobby, José Lopez, alongside his brother Javier, knew it was time to turn his passion into a full-fledged business. And we’re so glad he did. The Hermosa native’s Casa Humilde Cerveceria Artesanal has quickly become one of the most exciting spots to enjoy craft beer in town. Casa Humilde originally started in the Lopez brothers' childhood home in C...

Allison Rosenwinkel is much more than a design consultant — she’s a brand therapist. Alongside her business partner and husband, Paul Demyanovich, she co-founded and currently serves as the managing director of HiFi Brands . Together, they provide comprehensive, full-range brand strategy and a suite of design and branding solutions for a wide variety of clients in the hospitality industry and beyo...

This week, we're thrilled to welcome a culinary powerhouse, Milwaukee’s Chef Dan Jacobs, to the show. Known for his bold flavors and inventive takes on American-Chinese cuisine, Dan co-owns Milwaukee’s renowned restaurants DanDan and EsterEv . After a career working throughout Chicago and Wisconsin, he recently made waves on the 21st season of Top Chef, where he earned a top-three finish, showcasi...