The Chicago Way: An Oral History of Chicago Dining

Michael Gebert

From a city associated with steak and the stockyards, Chicago has become a capitol of innovative, even avant-garde cuisine—but how? That’s the story that James Beard-winning Chicago food journalist Michael Gebert tells in The Chicago Way: An Oral History of Chicago Dining (Agate, $36.00). https://www.agatepublishing.com/97815728…/the-chicago-way/

The story goes back sixty-plus years, beginning with Chicago’s first celebrity chef, Louis Szathmary, whose The Bakery would help establish a gang-ridden neighborhood called Lincoln Park as the home of what were soon to be called “yuppies.” From there, ersatz “Continental” cuisine gave way to authentic French cooking under chef-owners like Jean Banchet and Jovan Trboyevic. In turn, young American chefs like Charlie Trotter and Michael Foley would develop a similarly artisanal form of American cooking, while chefs like Rick Bayless and Tony Mantuano brought us authentic cuisine from other countries, helping to develop farmers markets and wine culture—as well as hot dining neighborhoods.

Gebert interviewed over 200 chefs, diners, and media and real estate figures, including Rick Bayless, Grant Achatz, Stephanie Izard, Paul Kahan and Culinary Historians of Chicago’s president and vice-president Scott Warner and Cathy Lambrecht to tell their story in their own words. His network throughout the Chicago food world offers a unique inside look at how our restaurants changed Chicago—and the world.

Biography:

Michael Gebert is the editor of Fooditor and a James Beard Award-winning food writer and video producer. He was also an editor of Grub Street Chicago, a contributor to publications such as Chicago Magazine and the Chicago Reader, and a founder of the online culinary chat site LTHForum. He lives in Chicago.

Recorded via Zoom on February 12, 2026

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Rich History of Lebanese Baking with Maureen Abood

Lebanon’s culinary repertoire includes a multi-faceted baking tradition that is influenced by the country’s history as much as by the diaspora the world over. Maureen Abood’s new book, Lebanese Baking, offers a sweeping, deeply personal guide to the baked traditions of Lebanon. With more than 100 recipes and detailed process instruction, this is the first English-language cookbook of its kind. A tribute to Lebanese baking in all its forms, the book provides a tour in chapters, photos, recipes, and stories of the many facets of baking that make up and express the Lebanese culture of hospitality, feasting, community, sharing, and family.

Growing up Lebanese American in Michigan, Maureen was immersed in a world of baking that evolved from historical traditions in Lebanon. When she finally traveled to Lebanon, she was exposed to an even broader understanding of the repertoire. The expansive population of Lebanese and Middle Easterners in Michigan also contribute to her ongoing research to capture and share Lebanese cuisine as deeply and broadly as possible.

Join us with Maureen as she shares details of Lebanese Baking, its influences and her personal stories. Discover more about Maureen on her website at maureenabood.com, and enjoy shopping with a special discount using code ZAATAR15 at her Lebanese-inspired online shop of ingredients and tools at shop.maureenabood.com.

Biography:

Lebanese Baking is Maureen’s second book on Lebanese cuisine; her first, Rose Water & Orange Blossoms: Fresh and Classic Recipes from My Lebanese Kitchen, was a Michigan Notable Book and an International Association of Culinary Professionals finalist. Her writing and recipes have appeared widely, including in the New York Times, The Washington Post, Saveur, Food52, and NPR. She teaches Lebanese cooking through her website and social media channels, and she lives in Harbor Springs and East Lansing, Michigan.

Recorded via Zoom on November 19, 2025

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Oakford Pecans - a story of discovery and Pumpkin/Squash update

Linda Eilks grew up on a farm outside of Oakford, Illinois. After careers at both IL Extension and U.S. Department of Agriculture, she retired and moved into a home within the village of Oakford. There she was faced with an abundance of pecans falling from the trees in her yard. She researched what to do with them and found some interesting historical facts about the pecan trees in the area. She will talk about pecan trees in general, those that grow around Oakford, and especially those that grow in her yard.

Many moons ago, Catherine Lambrecht was a University of Illinois Extension Master Food Preserver instructed by Linda Eilks. As it happens, Eilks now lives in the region where pumpkins are commercially grown (80-mile radius from Morton, Illinois). Knowing Lambrecht was looking for a Dickinson Squash, Eilks found one of these squash for her. Lambrecht will update on her experience. One piece of wisdom: all pumpkins are squash, but not all squash are pumpkins!!

Just saw this the next day:

https://www.allrecipes.com/what-is-canned-pumpkin-11747656

Recorded via Zoom on November 5, 2025

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Heartland Masala: An Indian Cookbook from an American Kitchen

Presented by Jyoti Mukharji and Auyon Mukharji

Come join us as a mother and son duo talk about the historical and cultural context of traditional and diasporic Indian recipes. They will base their talk on their new book, Heartland Masala: An Indian Cookbook from an American Kitchen.

Cooking instructor Jyoti Mukharji chose 99 of her favorite recipes to build the core of Heartland Masala. Her recipes hail from throughout India, with a special emphasis on the cuisines of Punjab and Bengal. To complement his mother’s recipes and recollections, culinary historian Auyon Mukharji offers a generous helping of culturally focused vignettes.

Auyon writes: “The Hindustani word masala, which translates to ‘spice mixture, feels an appropriate metaphor for not only the multifaceted and diasporic quality of my mother’s cooking, but also for the twists and turns of history that landed a daughter of Punjab here in the American heartland.”

“The history of Indian cooking is theIndiana cooking” he continues. “The cuisine itself is in constant flux, both within and beyond India’s national borders. Any attempt to pin it down is merely a record of a moment and place.”

https://www.heartlandmasala.com/

https://heartlandmasala.substack.com/

Biographies

Jyoti Mukharji is a chef, teacher, and retired physician. She immigrated to the US from India in the late 1970s, and began teaching weekly Indian cooking classes out of her home in Prairie Village, Kansas, in 2010. Jyoti has since welcomed several thousand students into her kitchen.

Auyon Mukharji is a musician, writer, and culinary historian who spends most of his time thinking about food. He studied biology at Williams College and was awarded a Watson Fellowship in 2007 to study self-expression in folk music. Since 2009, Auyon has toured with, and cooked for, the indie-folk band Darlingside. He otherwise finds time to work in and around kitchens (and farms) in both his hometown of Kansas City and his adopted state-of-residence of Massachusetts.

Recorded via Zoom on October 29, 2025

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Chinese Table Manners

Interpreted by Kelly Chang,

Co-owner and general manager of Sun Wah BBQ

Sun Wah BBQ was founded by Mr. Cheng who immigrated from China. His American

born children who are now Sun Wah’s co-owners: son Michael and daughters Kelly and

Chef Laura, who trained at Kendall College. The children have one foot in Chinese

culture and one foot in American, allowing them to convey Chinese table manners as

practiced at home.

Kelly proposed this talk over a year ago. Since then, she has been testing her

knowledge with Chinese elders who have affirmed she is more knowledgeable than

they expected.

Please arrive early to allow the program to proceed on time. If you wish to take Chinese

BBQ home, order it upon arrival.

This will be an intimate meal to allow discussion and demonstration.

Menu

BBQ combination

Boiled Chicken

Dragon Eggplant

Steamed Dover Sole

Steamed Shrimp Paste Stuffed Tofu

Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables

Beef with Bittermelon

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns

Beverages are a la carte. If you wish to order additional food, it will be served once the full menu has been served. It is suggested food ordered to take home be ordered early.

***

Sun Wah BBQ

5041 N. Broadway (just north of Argyle)

Chicago, Illinois 60640

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 6:30 pm

Recorded via Zoom on Wednesday, September 17, 2025

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The Whys and Wheys of Wisconsin Cheese

Presented by Nicole Bujewski, Kristin Mitchell, Keith Burrows and Leslie Damaso

Wisconsin cheese is more than a local delicacy—it’s a national treasure. Join us from the historic town of Mineral Point, in the heart of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, for a look at The Wisconsin Whey—what the book is about, how it came to life, and why this landscape makes such exceptional dairy possible.

Our storytellers come from a community steeped in cheesemaking history. They’ll share notes on gathering voices from the region, highlight revered makers and their craft, and offer a taste of the lore that gives Wisconsin its “cheesehead” pride—truly a compliment here.

Nicole Bujewski is a pastry chef who trained and then taught at the French Pastry School in Chicago and operated leFlour, a neighborhood bakery in Chicago. Nicole founded The Book Kitchen, inside the Republic of Letters bookstore in Mineral Point, in 2024. At the Book Kitchen, Nicole teaches cooking classes, sharing her passion for the culinary arts with students and enthusiasts.

Kristin Mitchell, a graphic designer with more than 30 years of experience, expanded her Mineral Point-based design business in 2011 by founding Little Creek Press, an independent publishing division dedicated to producing books of literary merit.

Keith Burrows is a scientist and writer who has lived in the Driftless Area since 2007, and is co-owner of the Republic of Letters bookstore in Mineral Point.

Leslie Damaso is a Filipino-American singer, musician, visual artist, poet, writer, teacher and co-owner of Republic of Letters.

***

Recorded via Zoom on Wednesday, September 17, 2025

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Foods of the African Diaspora

Presented by Rahim Muhammad and Magic Johnson,

Mahari restaurant, Chicago’s Hyde Park

America offers a melting pot of cuisines, with the foods from such countries as Mexico, Italy, France and China becoming as familiar to us as apple pie. But there’s an entire continent, Africa, where most of us have not explored its vast cuisine, let alone the cuisine of the African diaspora.

Do join us as principals from the recently opened Mahari restaurant in Hyde Park talk about their culinary creations that pay homage to the diverse culture that has shaped their heritage; Mahari Chef Rahim Muhammad and special events coordinator Magic Johnson will take us on a culinary journey that celebrates the diverse traditions and foods of the African diaspora. They will weave together the flavors and traditions from Africa, the Caribbean, creole, Afro-Latina, and soul food cuisines to the comfort foods of the American South;

Bios:

Rahim Muhammad, executive chef, is a third-generation chef. Born in Chicago and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Chef “Rah” graduated from Chicago’s Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and launched his career as an apprentice to Chef Art Smith at Table 52.

Magic Johnson is Director of Community and Culture at Mahari.

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Wednesday, August 27, 2025

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Recorded via Zoom on

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

with Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang

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.

Their book uncovers the stories of these chefs who hailed from China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand; they were instrumental in preparing meals at state dinners, on presidential yachts, and at Camp David.

During the presentation, Adrian and Deborah will spotlight five chefs they featured in their book, Their discussion will begin with the early immigrants who served on presidential yachts, and then delve into the life of Lee Ping Quan, the chef who served Presidents Harding and Coolidge. Their story will continue with the experiences of chefs at presidential retreats, rounding out with profiles of current and former White House chefs.

Deborah, who adapted sixty recipes for today’s home kitchen, will also share insights on how these chefs have influenced fusion cuisine and American classics.

Adrian Miller is a food writer and attorney. A two-time James Beard Award winner, his books include Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time, The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, From the Washingtons to the Obamas, and Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. He received his A.B. in International Relations from Stanford University in 1991, and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1995. In 2022, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Denver Institute for Urban Studies and Adult College. From 1999 to 2001, Adrian served as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton with his Initiative for One America and went on to serve as a senior policy analyst for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. Since 2013, Adrian has been the executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches. A certified barbecue judge, Adrian lives in Denver, Colorado.

Deborah Chang, a former attorney, graduated from the Napa Valley Culinary School, cooked at numerous Bay Area restaurants, created award winning recipes for Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and the National Peanut Board. She was born and raised in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, where she wondered why almond chicken was the most popular dish at her parent’s restaurant, Dragon Inn. She is a graduate of Stanford University and the Michigan Law School. Her career has included being an attorney, a tech executive, and most recently a career counselor.

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Recorded via Zoom on May 21, 2025

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250521CHCAdrianMillerAsianChefPresident.output by CulinaryHistory

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.

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?

BIOGRAPHY: Jason Hammel is the executive chef and owner of Lula Cafe in Chicago, the Logan Square eatery known for its seasonal cuisine. His debut cookbook, The Lula Cafe Cookbook: Collected Recipes and Stories, was published by Phaidon in 2024.

Growing up in New Haven, Connecticut, Hammel aspired to be a writer, not a chef. After graduating in 1994 with a degree in English, he traveled to Italy, where an accidental stay across the street from Florence’s central market foresaw his career as a chef dedicated to seasonality.

In 2017 the Museum of Contemporary Art named Chef Hammel as executive chef/culinary curator for the museum’s new restaurant, Marisol, Hammel himself was named the Jean Banchet 2019 Chef of the Year, and in 2024 Lula Cafe was awarded for Outstanding Hospitality by the James Beard Foundation.

Today Hammel splits his time between Lula, Marisol, and the non-profit food education group Pilot Light, which he co-founded in 2010.

[email protected] / instagram

Recorded via Zoom on April 16, 2025

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