Channel 11 Food Documentary

I am producing an upcoming Channel 11 documentary in which we plan to use food as a vehicle to explore the history of Chicago and its ethnic groups. I am looking for extremely engaging and energetic chefs who can connect food to ethnic culture and history. In addition to professional chefs, I hope to find amateurs who can speak passionately about their family’s food and culture. If you have any ideas, please e-mail me at dprotess@wttw.com

Thanks,

Dan Protess

HI,

These chefs spoke to Culinary Historians over the last few years where they encorporated a lot of family history in their food recollections.

Laura Cid from Bombon Bakery, who was raised in Puebla, Mexico, trained at Cordon Bleu despite initial family protests and made her way to Chicago. She worked before Rick Bayless before she started her own bakery, which is now at least 3 shops of different character.

Carrie Nahabedian, who opend NAHA with her cousin Michael Nahabedian, I believe her family roots are Armenian. Many of her extended family members attended her talk.

Francois Kwaku-Dongo, who used to be the chef at Spago-Chicago, is from the Ivory Coast. His Father had three wives, which was fascinaitng how he grew up in this family of full and half-siblings. He now has a restaurant in Connecticut, though he travels here occasionally.

Me? I suggest myself as the avid amateur, but I have all the good looks suited for radio!

Least I not forget ,,,

Gary Wiviott is quite knowledgeable on low and slow smoke BBQ, who is learned in the Chicago-style as well as the other schools (Carolina (both), Texas, KC, etc.). He has also taught several hundred how to DIY via his website www.wiviott.com . He spoke quite enthusiastically for Culinary Historians as well as conducted a very well attended BBQ Tour of Chicago for Slow Food.

Regards,

I'm assuming you're also speaking with Bruce Kraig, the food historian (who, I believe still) at Roosevelt University? He's a font of Chicago historical food information.

HI,

I am associated with Bruce Kraig via Culinary Historians, who I agree with gmonkey is quite knowledgeable. If contact information is required, then let me know.

Bruce continues to teach at Kendall and Roosevelt, though his activity level varies from semester to semester.

Regards,

If you're including commercial food processors, Pat Scala of Scala Packing Company (founded after WW I) gave a very good talk to the Culinary Historians about 2 years ago on the history of the Italian Beef sandwich in Chicago.

I'm sure you could also find someone from Vienna Beef (founded circa 1893) or David Berg (founded 1860) to wax poetic on Chicago hot dogs.

I thought I'd backtrack and post the response to this program.