The Chicago Way

The experience of dining has changed more in the last 60 years than perhaps any time in history. James Beard Award winning author and New York hospitality veteran Adam Reiner explains.Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry. Special thanks to our guest Adam Reiner.

Coffee is now in fourth wave. One of creation, innovation and creativity from the barista on a level unseen in its history.  Ryan Castelaz of Discourse Coffee is one of seminal forces in the movement.  Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest Ryan Castelaz. 

The story of how the dried fruit of an African shrub came to be one of the most consumed drinks in the world is full of as much lore as legend. Culinary historian Jeanette Fregulia brings lesser known stories to light.  Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest Jim Meehan

A conversation with James Beard Awarded mixologist, Jim Meehan, about the classic cocktail revival and his speakeasy PDT.   Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest Jim Meehan. 

In the age of celebrity chefs, culinary historian David S. Shields has written The Culinarians. Kyle discusses the unknown American chefs of the 19th and early 20th century.  Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest David S. Sheilds. 

The Chicago Way, the book, is an oral history of how Chicago’s culinary ascendancy transpired. Chef Carrie Nahabedian is our guest  Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest Bob Gebert. 

The Chicago Way, the book, is an oral history of how Chicago’s culinary ascendancy transpired. Thoughtfully curated by culinary writer Bob Gebert, Kyle delves into some of the stories behind the stories. Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest hamburger historian, Sef Gonzalez.

What role does the restaurant critic really play? For our culture, for communities, for the cities the restaurants they review? Former NY Magazine critic weights in.Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest Adrian Miller.

The unsung and often pivotal role of the black chefs who have cooked for our presidents has historically been overlooked. Whether enslaved chefs cooking for the Founding Fathers or influential culinary cooks of the 20th century, historian Adrian Miller and Kyle discuss their crucial contributions.Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest author and renown podcaster, Andrew Friedman. 

A recap of our 1st season of Classic Eats. We revisit highlights and few that landed on the cutting room floor. Classic Eats with Kyle Johnson Cherek is created and hosted by Kyle Johnson Cherek, and co-produced by a'point productions and WUWM. Executive producers are Kyle Johnson Cherek and Rob Schoonover. Audio editing and engineering by Brian Arkta and John Rymaszewski. Additional production by Valeria Navarro Villegas, Michelle Maternowski and Rob Larry, Special thanks to our guest  Chef Paul Bartolotta