This week's guest's body of work is rivaled only by his low-key demeanor and genial humility about it all. From working under Charlie Trotter and Grant Achatz, to taking a chance with Town House in Virginia's countryside, to opening the much-lauded pairing of Smyth and The Loyalist in the West Loop (with so much more in between), John Shields is a true gem of the Chicago culinary scene, and it was a pleasure to have him on the podcast. In addition to a laundry list of casual shout-outs to previous and future Joiners guests, we're talking the butterfly effect of dial-up internet, the hierarchy of Trotter's kitchen, developing a menu that reflects the pastoral qualities of a restaurant's location -- and plenty more.