Culinary Historians of Chicago
Culinary Historians of Chicago studies the history of food and drink in human cultures. Why we procure, prepare and serve the food we do has cultural, sociological, geographical, financial and political influences. We encourage participation from all walks of life: from academics to home cooks, chefs to grill masters, farmers to heirloom gardeners, food scientists to students. Our programs, and those of our sister organization Chicago Foodways Roundtable, are supported by research, fieldwork and scholarship, though geared to an informed popular audience. We welcome everyone to gather at our table to share food, drink and their life’s culinary experiences. If you would like to contact us, please e-mail us at CulinaryHistorians@gmail.com
Episodes
October 25, 2025 • 78 mins
Chinese Table Manners
Interpreted by Kelly Chang,
Co-owner and general manager of Sun Wah BBQ
Sun Wah BBQ was founded by Mr. Cheng who immigrated from China. His American
born children who are now Sun Wah’s co-owners: son Michael and daughters Kelly and
Chef Laura, who trained at Kendall College. The children have one foot in Chinese
culture and one foot in American, allowing them to convey Chinese table manners as
practiced at ho...
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October 24, 2025 • 57 mins
The Whys and Wheys of Wisconsin Cheese
Presented by Nicole Bujewski, Kristin Mitchell, Keith Burrows and Leslie Damaso
Wisconsin cheese is more than a local delicacy—it’s a national treasure. Join us from the historic town of Mineral Point, in the heart of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, for a look at The Wisconsin Whey—what the book is about, how it came to life, and why this landscape makes such exceptional dairy possible.
Our st...
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October 24, 2025 • 31 mins
Foods of the African Diaspora
Presented by Rahim Muhammad and Magic Johnson,
Mahari restaurant, Chicago’s Hyde Park
America offers a melting pot of cuisines, with the foods from such countries as Mexico, Italy, France and China becoming as familiar to us as apple pie. But there’s an entire continent, Africa, where most of us have not explored its vast cuisine, let alone the cuisine of the African diaspora.
Do join us as principal...
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October 24, 2025 • 62 mins
Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History: Cooking to the President’s Taste
with Adrian Miller and Deborah Chang
Come join us to hear about the virtually unknown history of the many Asian heritage chefs who have prepared meals for U.S. presidents extending back more than a century and continuing to the present day. Yet many of their names are largely unknown.
Our speakers, Adrian Miller, a two-time James Beard Award-winning aut...
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October 24, 2025 • 62 mins
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April 17, 2025 • 73 mins
The Legacy and Impact of the Farm-to-Table Movement in Chicago
Chef Jason Hammel
Come join us as one of Chicago’s most iconic chefs, Jason Hammel, takes us back to the 1990s, tracing his journey from East Coast outsider to one of the Midwest’s most passionate advocates for hyper-local sourcing. He’ll recount the early days of the farm-to-table movement, the founding of Green City Market, and the rise of restaurants dedicated to l...
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February 17, 2025 • 82 mins
Two Great Chefs: Chicago’s Evolution as a Food Mecca
John Hogan and Tony Mantuano
Come join us as two of Chicago’s most acclaimed chefs, John Hogan and Tony Mantuano, look back on their 40+ year careers in Europe and Chicago, and reveal how our city has evolved as a world class food destination since the 1980’s, the significant changes in the restaurant industry, the farm-to-table movement, and their vision of restaurants in the f...
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January 7, 2025 • 76 mins
How Vienna Changed Baking Everywhere
Rick Rodgers’ book, Kaffeehause: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna, Budapest, and Prague, has been in print for over two decades. Its longevity is primarily due to the luscious recipes, which are so different from those in the Franco-Italo canon.
Also, readers are fascinated by the interesting story of the coffeehouse culture. In his presentation, Rick will discuss how the Viennese (it was not Ma...
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January 7, 2025 • 76 mins
How Vienna Changed Baking Everywhere
Rick Rodgers’ book, Kaffeehause: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna, Budapest, and Prague, has been in print for over two decades. Its longevity is primarily due to the luscious recipes, which are so different from those in the Franco-Italo canon.
Also, readers are fascinated by the interesting story of the coffeehouse culture. In his presentation, Rick will discuss how the Viennese (it was not Ma...
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December 16, 2024 • 75 mins
Chicago’s Astounding Food Evolution: 1990 ’til Now
Chef Dean Zanella
Founder and instructor, Tutore Italian Cooking School
The past 35 years have seen a sea change in Chicago dining. And who better than to take us on a voyage through this period than a master chef who has sailed through this time?
Come join us as chef Dean Zanella takes us from the local culinary world of 1990 to the present; where fine dining no longer requires ...
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December 4, 2024 • 78 mins
Leftovers A History of Food Waste & Preservation
Eleanor Barnett, PhD
A third of all the food we produce goes to waste globally, and if all this needlessly discarded food were a country it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world after China and the US! How did we become such a wasteful society? What can we learn about building a sustainable food future by looking to the past?Based on Dr Eleanor Barnett’...
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December 4, 2024 • 62 mins
The Story of Chicago’s South Asians and Their Food
Colleen Taylor Sen
Chicago has the country’s third-largest urban population of South Asians (a community that includes Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Nepalis) – and a vibrant South Asian food scene.
Colleen Taylor Sen will tell the story of this community from the early 20th century when a small community lived on the Far South Side to the present. She’ll also talk about ...
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October 31, 2024 • 56 mins
The Glory of Chicago-Style BBQ
Dominique Leach
We’ve all heard of the classic BBQ styles from regions like Kansas City, Memphis or Texas. But what about Chicago-style BBQ?
From rib tips to hot links to mild sauce and more, Chicago chef and pitmaster Dominique Leach of the black-women-queer-owned and award-winning restaurant Lexington Betty’s Smokehouse (plus the 2023 winner of the Food Network’s hit show BBQ Brawl), is making it...
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September 29, 2024 • 72 mins
The Sould of Jewish Food
Presented by Dylan Maysick, co-owner Diaspora Dinners
Links to Recipes @ CulinaryHistorians.org:
Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate, Pistachio, and Orange Blossom
Halloumi and Orange Salad with Pomegranate, Pistachio, and Herbs
Montreal Bagels
What is Jewish food? That is the question Dylan Maysick has been on a quest to answer through his Diaspora Dinner project, a Chicago-based series of dinners that expl...
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September 19, 2024 • 72 mins
Meticulous Process of Recipe Writing
Raeanne Sarazen
Raeanne Sarazen received the IACP Award 2024 in the Reference and Technical catagory:
The Complete Recipe Writing Guide: Mastering Recipe Development, Writing, Testing, Nutrition Analysis, and Food Styling
Raeanne Sarazen
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
One might think that writing a recipe is an easy task; just list some ingredients, their amounts and give some simple inst...
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August 20, 2024 • 47 mins
My Life in Recipes: Food, Family and Memories
Presented by Joan Nathan
Joan Nathan has been called the Jewish Julia Child, and is considered one of the world’s great authorities on Jewish cuisine. She is the author of twelve books, including the award winning Jewish Cooking in America and King Solomon’s Table.
Come join us as Joan Nathan serves a buffet of tales from her latest and most personal book, My Life in Recipes/ Food Fam...
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June 11, 2024 • 70 mins
How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America
Sarah B. Franklin
Come join us as food historian and author Sara Franklin gives insight into Judith Jones, the visionary behind some of the most important authors of the 20th century, including Julia Child, Anne Frank, John Updike and Sylvia Plath. This iconic editor finally gets her due in Ms. Franklin’s newly released book, The Editor.
Ms. Franklin recounts that when...
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February 29, 2024 • 70 mins
From Bean to Bar – Exploring the Complex World of Chocolate
Presented by Adam Centamore
Chocolate is one of the world’s most beloved foods, and it’s no surprise why. Few treats can rival the sweet, rich flavors of a well-made bar of chocolate. When it comes to the history, creation and production of cacao, however, most people are far less familiar with those details. It’s time to see what makes this global favorite tick! Spend an...
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February 26, 2024 • 58 mins
Ignite The Conversation: A Exploration Into Chicago-style BBQ
Dominique Leach (Lexington Betty Smokehouse) – Brian Jupiter (Frontier/Ina Mae Tavern)- Daniel Hammond (Smoky Soul BBQ)- Ron Conner (U Want Dat Smoke BBQ)
Media Speakers: Journalist Monica Eng of AXIOS Chicago and co-author of Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites & James Beard Award-winning food writer/video producer Mike Gebert of Fooditor
Moderato...
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December 12, 2023 • 49 mins
A History of the World in 10 Dinners: 2,000 Years, 100 Recipes
Victoria Flexner and Jay Reifel
In 2014, food historians Victoria Flexner and Jay Reifel cooked up a NYC supper club called Edible History, a pairing of fine dining and intellectual stimulation. Now they’ve spun their experience into a recently published book, A History of the World in 10 Dinners: 2,000 Years, 100 Recipes (Rizzoli).
Come join us as the authors share h...
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