Joiners

This week, we're excited to sit down with Thomas Oh who recently opened his newest restaurant, Perilla Korean American Steakhouse with his partner Andrew Lim. It's a fine dining joint dedicated to creatively reinterpreting Chicago steakhouse staples with a modern twist -- and delivering with the commitment to hospitality Thomas clearly champions. We explore what it's like to collaborate with one of the world's largest food corporations, the best way to make instant ramen (and why it matters), the unique challenges and opportunities of being a second-generation restaurateur, and so much more.

This week, we delve into the world of Michael Muser, a charismatic veteran sommelier who has played a pivotal role in shaping Chicago's dining scene. With his characteristic showmanship and deep passion for hospitality, Michael guides us through a captivating array of topics, his raconteur's charm on full display. From his beginnings as a self-described "baseball brat" to his influential positions at prestigious venues like the Peninsula Hotel and Grace, Michael's journey is a fascinating one. Now a partner at award-winning establishments Ever, After, and The Canvas, his story offers rich insights into the world of fine dining. In this episode, we explore what draws people to the hospitality industry and examine the challenges and changes in a post-COVID landscape, particularly the exodus of mid-career professionals. Michael regales us with tales that range from Olivia Colman's near-miss as a scullery worker at Ever, to the intricate "Russian dolls" of wine knowledge, to rubbing shoulders with Chris Nolan's complicated brother, and so much more.

This week, we're strengthening the Chicago-Cleveland connection by chatting with one of The Land's kind titans of hospitality: Andrew Watts, the proprietor of the renowned Cordelia, a restaurant named for his great grandmother. Known for its delicious, elevated, sharable takes on American classics (conceived by Andrew's right-hand man, Chef Vinnie Cimino), Cordelia was named Cleveland Magazine's best new restaurant of 2023 and was honored as a 2024 James Beard Award finalist. Andrew was kind enough to stop by the studio while he was in town for the awards, and we had an amazing chat about his fascinating journey across the hospitality landscape and how he realized his dream of opening his own restaurant. We cover the delicate dance of feedback, opening a hotel in Cleveland while their baseball team was in the World Series, tactfully bouncing celebrity guests, and a clandestine chef hang, replete with banana leaf exfoliation and bandsaw steaks for those lucky enough to be in the know.

This week, we sit down with Ria Neri, the creative force behind the acclaimed Four Letter Word Coffee and a certified Cicerone with an unwavering passion for craft beer, made crystal clear by her founding of Whiner Beer Company. Inspired by the vibrant coffee culture in Istanbul, Ria and her partners opened their first café on Burgaz Island before bringing their vision to Chicago. Ria shares the fascinating origin of the Four Letter Word name, their journey to creating a haven for coffee lovers in Logan Square, and her love for both beer and coffee. We also learn how a simple excuse to travel can turn into a thriving business and get to the bottom of the distinction between gose and gueuze (yes, they're different kinds of beer.) This is an episode you don't want to miss: Ria is a true connoisseur of sensory experiences, and it's clear that she loves to share her passion. 

This week, we speak to another member of the growing Highland Park mafia — Adam Pollack, a cook turned farmer, responsible for supplying some of the best restaurants in the city. Adam grows his produce right here in the heart of Chicago at Closed Loop Farms. He tells us about his journey, from discovering his passion for food and fresh ingredients, and ultimately expanding his culinary horizons by learning how to grow his own produce. We dig deep into the soil with this one, exploring the art and science of urban farming and how it's reshaping our city's culinary landscape.

Do tropical drinks actually make for gnarly hangovers? What have been the major advancements in distilling in the last century? What happens when a college kid has drink-slinging know-how and unfettered access to booze? In this week’s episode of Joiners, we explore big questions with none other than Kevin Beary, the sagacious beverage director behind River North tiki treasure Three Dots and a Dash. He tells us about his journey from underage bartending in Philadelphia to working towards his master’s degree in distilling science. Listen now for a history of the perennial tiki fascination, a deep dive into what makes good rum, beverage direction wisdom, and much more.

For our latest episode, we sit down with the inimitable Cecily Federighi to explore her fascinating path from the fashion world to the culinary scene. Cecily takes us through her early days being scouted at Six Flags as a teen, globe-trotting adventures in the modeling world, and learning the ins and outs of the restaurant industry from the ground up with Eat Free Pizza. She shares behind-the-scenes stories from opening Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream with Ed Marszewski and Won Kim, the joys and challenges of taking over an old school pizza joint with Kim’s Uncle Pizza in Westmont, and her latest venture -- Pizz’amici in West Town. Along the way, we dive into the nitty gritty of dough hydration, the perfect martini, an impassioned defense of Taco Bell, and as always, so much more.   

This week, we’re ringing in our 100th episode the only way we know how: exploring the world of hospitality by chatting with its most colorful characters. This week, our tagline is especially appropriate — we sit down with the multitalented, accomplished, and vibrant Stephanie Izard, whose list of accolades is as impressive as it is long. She opened her first restaurant when she was only 27, bested her competition on Top Chef to take home the top prize, and now runs a quartet of celebrated restaurant in the city —Girl & the Goat (which earned her a James Beard award in 2013), Duck Duck Goat, Little Goat and Cabra. She comes to the studio to spill the tea on the Top Chef experience, espouse the value of constructive criticism, reminisce about working at Olive Garden, and — as we’ve made sure of for 100 episodes — so much more.

This week, we’ve brought in an owner who just might handle more covers per night of service than anyone else in town. In this episode, Danny Wirtz, the fourth-generation owner of the Chicago Blackhawks, joins the crew to discuss everything from growing up in the northern suburbs to the evolving landscape of sports and entertainment in the city. Danny shares his passion for music, his experiences working in the industry, and how those lessons have shaped his approach to running the family business. He also dives into the nitty-gritty of brand building, both in the beverage industry with Breakthru Beverage Group and in the world of professional hockey. Tune in for some incredible stories, like: Danny's month-long stay in the Edmonton "bubble" during the 2020 NHL playoffs; the unforgettable Stanley Cup celebrations in Chicago; the time Ministry recorded a Blackhawks team song (that never quite made it to the arena speakers), and so much more.