Author Archives: Scott Warner

The Legacy and Impact of the Farm-to-Table Movement in Chicago

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Join us on Wednesday, April 16. 2025 @ 7 pm: Via Zoom

Chef Jason Hammel

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? Continue reading →

Two Great Chefs: Chicago’s Evolution as a Food Mecca

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Kris Hogan, Tony Mantuano, John Hogan, Cathy Mantuano 

Come join us as two of Chicago’s most acclaimed chefs, John Hogan and Tony Mantuano, look back on their 40+ year careers in Europe and Chicago, and reveal how our city has evolved as a world class food destination since the 1980’s, the significant changes in the restaurant industry, the farm-to-table movement, and their vision of restaurants in the future. Continue reading →

Unpacking NYC’s Historic Meatpacking District 

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Come join us as Jacquelyn Ottman, a fifth generation member of New York’s “meat royalty” as she serves up a beefy history of Ottman & Company; her family’s storied meat purveying company supplied some of NYC’s top restaurants, and was considered the “Tiffany’s of the meat business.” Ottman’s also pioneered many of the packaging and prep innovations still used in our kitchens today.  Continue reading →

The Glory of Chicago-Style BBQ

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Chef Dominique Leach

Podcast

We’ve all heard of the classic BBQ styles from regions like Kansas City, Memphis or Texas. But what about Chicago-style BBQ?

From rib tips to hot links to mild sauce and more, Chicago chef and pitmaster Dominique Leach of the black-women-queer-owned and award-winning restaurant Lexington Betty’s Smokehouse (plus the 2023 winner of the Food Network’s hit show BBQ Brawl), is making it her mission to further define this unique style and put it on the map in 2024. 

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