Joiners

Episode #59 - Matt Eisler of Heisler Hospitality

This week, we're joined by the founder of Heisler Hospitality (and half of its portmanteau namesake), Matt Eisler. With the uncanny ability to impliment a signature vision, Eisler is one of the most respected names in the industry -- and along with his partner Kevin Heisner, he's responsible for some of the city's most enduring and innovative establishments, from Estereo to Sportsman's Club to Lone Wolf. He tells about transitioning from playing Hockey in Calgary to buying Spike's Rat Bar, reminisces about opening a bar in Wicker Park during its salad days, walks us through the many phases of Heisler, and as always, so much more.

Episode #58 - Bridget Albert, Cocktail Educator

Don’t let her down-to-earth approach and genial humility fool you: Bridget Albert is an absolute legend of the craft cocktail scene, a powerhouse of creativity and raw performance whose keen sensibility and passion for education helped make the scene what it is today. With a raucous story that spans 19th century small-town taverns, airplane rescues, and riverboat casinos, she walks us through her storied career, and what inspired her to create one of the most influential and innovative mixology courses of all time (of which Danny is a proud alumnus.) This episode is rich with classic yarns and invaluable insights from an industry titan — we can't wait to have her back for a second round.

Episode #57 - Greg Wade of Publican Quality Bread

This week, we’re joined by Chicago’s preeminent bread head, the wheat wizard of West Town, Greg Wade. Greg runs Publican Quality Bread and cut his bread-making teeth all over the city — his knowledge of the rising staple is vast, and he conveys it all in a low-key and relatable way, made evident on this episode and in his new book, Bread Head: Baking For the Road Less Traveled. We talk the history of flour, how to assess a loaf of bread, the intricacies of gluten, and so much more. Plus: Grateful Dead trivia in honor of Dead & Company’s last show. 

Episode #56 - Elise Bergman of Judson & Moore

This week, we have the multi-talented Elise Bergman on the pod. A musician and apparel designer, she is also one of the creative powerhouses behind Judson & Moore, an award-winning whiskey distillery based in Chicago that she founded alongside her husband, Collin Moore. We go deep into the spirit distilling process, with an insightful conversation about barrels and proof, as well as the puzzle of branding whiskey (a thing they’ve clearly solved.) Plus: Tim reveals an old tennis rivalry, we discuss the intersections between parenthood and running a business, and so much more.

Episode #55 - Michael Nagrant of The Hunger

For our longest episode yet, we are talking with prolific food writer and critic Michael Nagrant. A long-time champion and observer of Chicago’s food scene, he takes us through his storied career, from his pioneering podcasting days to covering the scene in an independent fashion on his Substack, The Hunger. In a sprawling and delightful interview, we talk the ethics of food criticism, taking precautions to ensure an authentic dining experience, breaking the Publican story, and lots more.

Episode #54 - Anders Erickson, Cocktail Content Creator

Our guest this week is more than just a bartender (though there's no questioning his bonafides in that arena) -- he's a glorified YouTube sensation who's managed to successfully marry his love of making craft drinks with his panache for storytelling and performance. Anders Erickson stops by the Joiners studio to tell us all about getting his start as a soda jerk in Door County Wisconsin, his thespian roots in Chicago, and the unintended consequences of running a drink-making YouTube channel. Plus: the curious seasonality of online engagement, the challenges of working with pals, and Danny's questionable pants.

Episode #53 - Xavier Alexander of Metric Coffee

This week, we dive deep into a big cup of joe with none other than Xavier Alexander of Metric Coffee. His dogged persistence and commitment to independence have earned him one of the top spots the city’s coffee upper echelon, and his knowledge of and passion for every part of the process are both crystal clear and inspiring. He tells us about buying his first coffee machine with credit cards and student loans from a notorious grifter, his mission of incentivizing producers to stay in the business, and how to brew a perfect cup (which, it turns out, is defined by the person drinking it.)

Episode #52 - John Shields of Smyth and The Loyalist

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.

Episode #51 - Kris De la Torre of the Academy for Global Citizenship

As the Director of Sustainability and School Food for the Academy for Global Citizenship, this week’s guest is piloting a revolutionary new way of thinking about food in schools, with a holistic system that integrates environmental justice, urban farming, and equity into the school’s curriculum and structure — right in the heart of Chicago. With a master’s degree in Human Development and Education from Harvard, a true passion for complexity, and a diverse body of experience in food and hospitality, Kris De La Torre’s vision for a better food future is as convincing as it is utopian. She sits down with us to tell us all about her unconventional trajectory, give us a crash course on the cheesemaking process, provide some nuanced perspective on the Blue Hill controversy, and so much more. 

Episode #50 - R.J. Melman of Lettuce Entertain You

For our fiftieth episode, we're lucky to be joined by none other than R.J. Melman: he's the president of Lettuce Entertain You, one of the finest restaurant groups in the country, a family enterprise renowned for its imaginative spirit and commitment to quality. He tells us all about growing up immersed in restaurant openings, how Lettuce settles on new concepts (it always starts with the food), and what it's like working alongside his brother and sister.