What began as Sunday family dinners and pop-ups during the pandemic, for Noel Peters, has become a growing, full-service catering business! Noel joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on Chicago’s Very Own Eats to talk about Soul Kitchen Chicago, the family traditions she honors with her menu, how the Chicago Blackhawks are supporting her and her business with their Support West program, and much more!

Michael and Kevin also discuss the latest with Chicagoland’s Best Hot Dogs Tournament, sponsored by The Puckered Pickle Company, and who is still in it!

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

As you stroll through the 26th annual Ribfest Chicago, taking place June 5th to the 7th in the Northcenter neighborhood, you’ll see all of Nikki Haggerty’s barbecue teams setup along Lincoln. Chicago BBQ Company, Austin’s Texas Lightning BBQ, and Armadillo’s BBQ will be serving up ribs and competing among several other teams, but Nikki will be one of the only woman owners (and with 3 teams!).

Nikki joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on Chicago’s Very Own Eats to talk about her history in barbecue, taking over her dad’s business and then two more of her own, competing in festivals and competitions across the country, what sets Ribfest Chicago apart from other food festivals, and much more! Michael also gives an update following Round 1 of the inaugural Chicagoland’s Best Hot Dogs Tournament, sponsored by The Puckered Pickle Company. Listen below:

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

The podcast that brought you the Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament, Best Beef Tournament and Best Burgers Tournament finally brings you its first Hot Dogs Tournament, sponsored by The Puckered Pickle Company.

Kevin Powell and Michael Piff discuss all the details on the latest episode of Chicago’s Very Own Eats. Voting will begin Monday, June 1st, at 10 AM on WGNRadio.com and the Chicago’s Very Own Eats Podcast page. Listen for more below:

As you listen, check out the inaugural Best Hot Dog Tournament bracket below.

Here are the Round 1 matchups for each region (which is very, very loosely based on geography)

The North Region
The Original Nana’s vs. Dogs on the Chain

Photo’s vs. Fratello’s

BellaLuke’s vs. Poppy’s

Hubby’s vs. Max’s Dawg House

Dog N’ Suds vs. The Mean Wiener

Paradise Pup vs. Z’s Char Dogs

Luke’s of Mundelein vs. Billy’s

Rand Red Hots vs. Dog Tracks

The East Region

Superdawg vs. Dear Franks

Budacki’s vs. Poochie’s

The Works vs. Flub a Dub Chub’s

Byron’s vs. Clark St. Dog

Jimmy’s vs. Mustard’s Last Stand

Bob-O’s vs. Bust Outs

Wolfy’s vs. Michael’s

Herm’s Palace vs. Chicago’s Dog House

The West Region

Gene and Jude’s vs. Happy Dog

Home Plate Hot Dogs vs. Gina’s

Pete’s vs. Fatt Mustard

Frannie’s vs. Teddy’s Red Hots

Henry’s vs. Parky’s

Heavenly Hot Dogs vs. Bubby’s

Double R Dogs vs. Boss Dawgz

Little Joe’s vs. Cozzi Corner

The South Region

35th Street Red Hots vs. Relish Chicago Hot Dogs

The Lucky Hot Dog vs. Fat Johnnie’s

Widen’s vs. Tasty Bite

Jody’s vs. Nicky’s Carryout

Duke’s Drive-In vs. Aussem Dogs

J’s Bacon Hot Dogs vs. Morry’s

Jacky’s vs. Hey! Hot Dog

Joe’s Hot Dogs vs. Sausage Fest Truck

Click here –> for the Chicagoland’s Best Hot Dogs Tournament voting page.

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast co-host Mike Piff joins Wendy Snyder, in for Bob Sirott, to preview ‘Chicagoland’s Best Hot Dogs Tournament,’ sponsored by The Puckered Pickle Company, which kicks off June 1st. There will be 64 mom-and-pop shops across the area that will battle for the top spot! Mike asks listeners for their recommendations on the best hot dog places.

One of the best things about Chicago in the spring and summer is food festival season, and it officially starts with the fifth annual Windy City Hot Dog Fest from May 29th to May 31st. It’s organized by the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce, sponsored by Vienna Beef, and takes place at 4000 N. Milwaukee Avenue between Cuyler Avenue and Irving Park Road.

Also part of the festival are 10 of Chicagoland’s favorite hot dog vendors, who will be competing to be the “Top Dog” of the festival. One of the vendors that has been at the festival since the beginning is Byron’s Hot Dogs. Owner Mike Payne joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats Podcast, now sponsored by the Puckered Pickle Company, to talk about the festival, the history of Byron’s, why he only refers to ketchup as the “K Word”, serving hot dogs on the East Lawn of the White House, and much more!

Kevin and Michael introduced WGN Radio’s upcoming inaugural Chicagoland’s Best Hot Dogs Tournament, launching on June 1st! Listen below to learn all about it.

And thank you to Mike for bringing some Chicago style and Byron’s style jumbo dogs to the station for our staff to try. He has a lot of big fans at WGN Radio.

• Byron’s Hot Dogs owner Mike Payne with WGN Radio’s Jon Hansen. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Mike Payne from Byron’s in a “Team Photo” with Chicago’s Very Own Eats co-hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• A jumbo Chicago hot dog from Byron’s at WGN Radio. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio

Get more details for the Windy City Hot Dog Fest, like vendors, hot dog eating contest, live music lineup, activities for children and the the “Top Dog” parade on ChicagoEvents.com! Follow Byron’s Hot Dogs on Facebook and Instagram, and visit either of their locations on Irving Park Road and Lawrence Ave!

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

Jim Photopoulos opened the original Photo’s Hotdogs in Mount Prospect back in 1989 and that was WGN Radio sports anchor Kevin Powell’s stomping grounds when he was growing up. While Photo’s isn’t in Mount Prospect anymore, the location in Palatine is thriving on Northwest Highway, and giving back to the community that it helps bring together.

Jim joined Kevin and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast for a trip down memory lane for Kevin, but to also talk about the ways his business is helping others. For National Foster Care Awareness Month, Photo’s Hotdogs is donating $1 for every Chicken Pita sold (their most popular item) as part of Sip & Share for Foster Care and One Hope United. Listen fore more below:

Jim was also gracious enough to bring in an amazing spread from the menu at Photo’s for our WGN Radio staff. Swipe through below to see some of the great things they offer. There’s a good chance you’ll get hungry.

• Jim Photopoulos from Photo’s Hotdogs in Palatine. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The incredible spread from Photo’s Hotdogs in Palatine. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The Chili Dog from Photo’s in Palatine. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• BBQ Chicken Quesadilla from Photo’s. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The cheeseburger from Photo’s. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The Italian Beef from Photo’s. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The gyro on pita from Photo’s. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio

Photo’s Hotdogs is located at 301 North Northwest Highway, Palatine, IL 60067. Learn more about them on their website at photoshotdogs.com, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook!

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

Sweet Baby Ray’s started in Chicago with Duce Raymond’s father, Chef Larry Raymond, and uncle, Dave Raymond – the creators of Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce. Great barbecue sauce is in his blood, and as an accomplished, award-winning chef, Duce is carrying his family’s legacy into a new era with Sweet Baby Ray’s Catering, Duce’s Wild BBQ and True Cuisine.

Duce joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Podcast to talk about his family’s story, the growing popularity of catering barbecue, creating food content, educating aspiring chefs and grillers, and to share some breaking news regarding his new restaurant coming to Wood Dale! Kevin and Michael also get some much-needed tips on barbecue and grilling that you don’t want to miss out on.

Follow Duce Raymond on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Check out his podcast on Apple or wherever you get your podcasts too!

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

In 2014, Anas Masoud had an idea to create a club for Chicago area burger lovers to connect, try and talk about their favorite burgers. As he puts it, “life happened” and the idea was put on the backburner. Fast forward to today, and Nas has brought his Windy City Burger Social Club to life on Instagram, and created his own recipe that has become a viral sensation – which he cooks at his South Loop Market location in Logan Square, and makes at pop-ups all over the Chicago area.

Nas joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk all about his story, reviewing burgers across the area, different places and styles they each love, and much more.

We were also very appreciative of Nas for bringing some of his delicious burgers, cheesesteak sandwiches and chicken wrap sandwiches. Swipe below to see them.

• The famous Windy City Burger Social Club smashburger. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• John Williams getting to try the Windy City Burger Social Club burger and meeting Anas Masoud during a commercial break. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Anas Masoud showing off his Cheesesteak sandwich. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Yes, it’s even better than it looks. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Anas in a “Team Photo” with Chicago’s Very Own Eats hosts Michael Piff and Kevin Powell. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio

Find each of the South Loop Market locations here. And to see where his next pop-up will be, follow Nas on Instagram at WindyCityBurgerSocialClub!

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

Since 2017, Roaring Table in Lake Zurich has been brewing some of the best beer in the greater Chicagoland area. And in the last year, they have been serving some of the best pizza too.

Founders and husband-wife duo Lane Fearing and Beth May joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats to talk about their story, their roles at the brewery, the Shakespearean inspiration for the name, what sets them apart from other brewers, the several different styles of pizza that they serve, upcoming events, and much more!

Beth and Lane were also generous enough to bring their pizza and beer down for our WGN Radio staff to try. Swipe below to see some of their Chicago tavern, New York and Detroit-style offerings, which we all will be thinking about for a very, very long time.

• Beth May and Lane Fearing from Roaring Table in Lake Zurich, with a lineup of their beer and one of the pizzas they brought to our WGN Radio studio. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Beth May and Lane Fearing, with an incredible selection of their pizzas from Roaring Table in Lake Zurich. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Chicago, New York and Detroit all represented at Roaring Table. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The “Nonna’s Meatball” pizza is special. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• There’s something for everyone at Roaring Table. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• John Williams quickly became a Roaring Table believer after trying it. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Beth and Lane from Roaring Table with Chicago’s Very Own Eats co-hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff. (WGN Radio)

Roaring Table is located at 739 West Route 22, Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Learn more and check out their menu at RoaringTable.com. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

For more on all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

Our 2026 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament, sponsored by Chicago Brick Oven, started with 128 pizza places in our “Mom & Pops” bracket. The one to come out on top was Bartolini’s of Midlothian!

A day after winning our month-long tournament, owner Chris Bartolini joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about what being a part of the tournament was like, talking and reconnecting with other competing pizza owners, the support from longtime customers and the community, his wife’s efforts running their social media, and much more.

And thank you to Chris for bringing some of their award-winning pizza and meatballs for us to try at WGN Radio!

If you haven’t yet, go visit Chris and his team at 3844 West 147th Street, Midlothian, IL. You can learn more about them at Bartolinis.com. They also ship nationwide and to Canada on GOLDBELLY! (Chris has tattoo to show his appreciation). Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see all the work they put in to promote their matchups in this year’s tournament too!

For more on Chicago Pizza Madness and all things Chicago food, subscribe to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.