WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

It’s Industry Night on The Download! Ellen King, head baker/co-owner at Hewn in Evanston, joins Justin to talk about her career, when she became obsessed with making bread, the importance of locally sourcing grain, the relationships she cultivates with area farmers, her efforts to revitalize the grain economy in the Midwest and bringing back heritage grains that have not been grown in years. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin Kaufmann airs Monday through Friday from 7 […]

Happy Monday! We have another terrific show for you this evening. On tonight’s episode of The Download, political analysts Chris Robling and Dave Lundy break down all the national political stories making news this week, mathematician, musician and author Eugenia Cheng talks about her recent book, “Beyond Infinity: An Expedition into the Outer Limits of Mathematics,” Ellen King, head baker and co-owner at Hewn in Evanston, tells us about her efforts to revitalize the grain economy in the Midwest, Socio-political comedian […]

Socio-political comedian W. Kamau Bell joins Justin to discuss the current season of his CNN show, “United Shades of America,” his latest book, “The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6′ 4″, African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama’s Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian” and his upcoming show at Park West. W. Kamau talks about the evolution he’s made from stand-up comedy to working on television, his use of “man on the street” […]

The Printers Row Lit Fest it taking place this weekend and tonight’s special edition of The Download features some of the writers that will be appearing at the festival. Justin talks to Ibram X. Kendi about his book, “Stamped from the Beginning,” Samantha Irby discusses her book of essays, “We are Never Meeting in Real Life,” Scaachi Koul chats about her debut collection of essays, “One Day We’ll All Be Dead And None Of This Will Matter” and we end […]

Award-winning writer Mark Bowden joins Justin to talk about his new book, “Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam.” Mark talks about the process of putting this story together, the impact the war had on him while he was growing up, how the history of the war is normally told, what it was like hearing from people who fought or were affected by the war, the importance of telling the real story of the Battle of Hue, […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the news so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the House passing a bill that would roll back regulations on the financial industry, the Tribune running a piece on property taxes, Cubs SS Addison Russell being investigated on domestic abuse allegations, the Cubs taking on the Colorado Rockies in a big early season series, Kyle […]

“How to Speak Midwestern” author Edward McClelland joins Justin for a fun segment exploring regional dialects. What do you call a soft drink? Soda or Pop?What do you call footwear? Gym or tennis shoes?  It’s the debut of “You know what I’m Saying with Inspector McClelland.” Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin Kaufmann airs Monday through Friday from 7 pm. to 11 pm on @WGNRadio

Maya Dukmasova and Aimee Levitt of the Chicago Reader join Justin to talk about the proposed sale of the Sun-Times to tronc, the potential bidders that are competing with tronc, how newspapers are dealing with declining revenue, searching for new ways of funding the media, the need for independent voices in journalism and the problem with one company owning two newspapers. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin Kaufmann airs Monday through Friday […]

Lordy, do we have a really big show for you tonight! On tonight’s episode of The Download, Marisa Novara of the Metropolitan Planning Council offers up some suggestions on how to fix Chicago’s segregation problems, author, activist and journalist Cory Doctorow talks about his new book, “Walkaway,” Maya Dukmasova and Aimee Levitt of the Chicago Reader tell us about the impact of Chicago moving towards a newspaper monopoly, Oriole chef Noah Sandoval chats about his life in food and we end […]

Noah Sandoval, award-winning chef and owner at the highly acclaimed West Loop restaurant Oriole, joins Justin to talk about his career, starting out as a dishwasher, what appealed to him about working in a kitchen, when he started to get serious about food, being part of a great culinary scene in Chicago, what inspired him to open his own restaurant, the challenges of working with family and friends, changing the conventions of fine dining and “Food & Wine” naming him […]