Presented by Master Chef Michael Lachowicz
Owner, George Trois, Aboyer, Silencieux, in Winnetka

Remember when you could get a great meal at an independently owned restaurant where the chef was often the owner, dishing out their unique culinary perspective? Well, as large restaurant groups continue to take over our dining scene, more independents are finding it difficult to compete. Continue reading →

Presented by Louisa Chu and Monica Eng
Co-hosts, “Chewing” Podcast

“Chewing” podcast hosts Monica Eng, left, and Louisa Chu. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)

Links to mentions in podcast:
Chewing episode where Monica talks to Raymond Lee
How Chinese Restaurants Nearly Became Extinct across USA
What A Murder In My Family Reveals About Chicago’s Chinese Gangs
Why do Egg Rolls in Chicago Taste Like Peanut Butter?

Chicago Tribune food reporter Louisa Chu and WBEZ reporter Monica Eng talk about 150 years of Chinese food in America, how it was shaped by social, political, and legal circumstances plus how it shaped their own families and lives. The co-hosts of the Chewing podcast will document the Eng family restaurant dynasty in Chicago and how it reflected the food and culture of the times. Continue reading →

Presented by Chandra Ram, Chef, Author, Editor

To be Indian-American means you have a foot in two cultures. For Chandra Ram, author of The Complete Indian Instant Pot Cookbook, America is home, but some part of her identifies as Indian as well. She didn’t want to let go of Indian culture as her parents were encouraged to do when they immigrated a generation ago, but she didn’t always know how to claim it for herself. Continue reading →

An interview with Chef Curtis Duffy and
Business Partner Michael Muser,
conducted by Monica Eng, WBEZ radio

When Grace restaurant abruptly closed in 2017, the shutdown made national news. How could an eatery that had earned three Michelin stars, (one of only 14 restaurants in America to earn such status) so quickly cease to exist? Conflict with the restaurant’s chief funder apparently was the cause, and one of our country’s top chefs, Curtis Duffy, along with the restaurant’s gifted business manager were devastated. Continue reading →