Joiners

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.

Episode #49 - Dan Raskin of Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen

Raised on pans of arguably some of the best beef stew ever made in the Chicagoland area, our guest this week comes from a family devoted to taking care of the neighborhood with excellent food and warm hospitality. From its halcyon days as Raskin’s, to its evolution into Manny’s and beyond, Dan Raskin joins us to tell us all about what it was like growing up in and around Chicago’s finest Eastern European cafeteria style delicatessen. He tells us about taking over the restaurant right before Covid (and how they weathered that storm), maintaining a work-life balance, how to order at Manny’s without racking up a gargantuan bill (though we don’t blame you if you do), and so much more.

Episode #48 - Won Kim of Kimski

This week, we're joined by a man whose bombastic diction is matched only by a glut of talent and good taste. Won Kim is a DJ, artist, and chef whose raw curiosity and passion for collaboration has brought about some, well, extremely cool shit. Join us for a conversation about the hustle, the importance of good communication, amplifying pop-ups, and so much more. Plus — a shocking secret affinity is revealed.

Episode #47 - Mike Schallau of is/was brewing

With is/was brewing, this week's guest is flipping the script on craft brewing, expanding its scope while honoring its heritage with less-conventional beer styles, all composed with impeccable care and razor-sharp technical savvy. Mike Schallau joins us to share his journey, from playing jazz guitar in college to crafting some of the city's best artisanal beer. And what do you know, he brought some of those beers along to share with us. We go deep in this episode, discussing open top fermentation, the history of beer for kids, the evolution of flavor and taste buds, and as always, so much more.

Episode #46 - Eve Studnička of Funeral Potatoes

Funeral Potatoes is composed of Eve Studnička and Alexis Rice -- they're industry veterans from the catering world who opened a virtual kitchen during the pandemic, and now they’re transitioning into a full-on brick and mortar. Today, we're talking with Eve, who walks us through their origin story, shining a light on some of the more unconventional sides of hospitality in our city that are really well embraced. We're talking about how they chose their fantastic name,  drawing a vibrant cross-section of society when putting on an underground dining series, bread storage techniques, and so much more. Make sure you stay till the end for morel-hunting tips, too.
We also wanted to shout out the Funeral Potatoes fundraiser -- they're trying to raise $60k by January 1st of next year to help cushion the startup costs of opening a physical location, and their monthly goal grows every month. Stop by and offer them some generosity -- you won't regret it. 

Episode #45 - Jean Tomaro of Hogsalt

Don’t let this week’s guest’s low-key demeanor fool you — she is a creative powerhouse behind Hogsalt, a restaurant group known for their impeccable design and commitment to quality, and her work speaks for itself. On the precipice of their first (okay, technically second) foray into Paris, co-founder and beverage specialist Jean Tomaro joins us to chat the concept-to-implementation process, the importance of feedback, cardboard stand-ins, and the magnificence of the Vesper Martini. We also debate whether Small Cheval qualifies as a fast food joint — the results of which could spell major consequences for future Gratuity Rounds.

Episode #44 - Rob Lopata

You might notice that this week's guest is a bit... untethered (in the best possible way). Though he might not be tied to any particular concept, or restaurant, or project, when we talk about the "colorful characters" in our intro, our guest is exactly the kind of person we're referring to. He harbors a vast quantity of knowledge about various foods -- and beyond that, he's an enthusiast who truly loves immersing himself in cuisine and culture, in the intrinsic experience and community-making of good hospitality. Pull up a chair and join us for a round of drinks, legend telling, and genuine cheer with the good man Rob Lopata. We're talking The Urinator (#1 and #2), food fandom in 80s and 90s Chicago, the Beef-a-thon, the Wasabi incident, and so much more. All hail Pigman!