Meathead on The Meathead Method: A BBQ Hall of Famer’s Secrets and Science on BBQ, Grilling, and Outdoor Cooking

Join Us on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 @ 7 PM via Zoom

Come join us as the one and only Meathead makes a return visit to our group to continue his mission of busting BBQ and grilling myths, and throw in some savory history as well. Meathead (yes, that’s his real name) gave our members a real ribbing several years ago with tales from his first book, the New York Times best-seller, Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling. Continue reading

Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History: Cooking to the President’s Taste

Join us on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 @ 7 PM, via Zoom

Podcast

Come join us to hear about the virtually unknown history of the many Asian heritage chefs who have prepared meals for U.S. presidents extending back more than a century and continuing to the present day. Yet many of their names are largely unknown.

Our speakers, Adrian Miller, a two-time James Beard Award-winning author, and culinary authority Deborah Chang, will present stories from their just-published book, Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History: Cooking  to the President’s Taste. Continue reading

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. Continue reading

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

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