Episodes
June 5, 2025
Supper with Sylvia~Scoring a Reservation and the James Beard Awards
Have you ever tried to get a reservation at your favorite restaurant and find yourself locked out? You’re not alone. Third party apps are squeezing out the ability to make a simple reservation at some of Chicago’s most popula...
May 22, 2025
Supper with Sylvia-Why Gourmet Ice Matters
A spicy margarita, a whiskey highball and the perfect summer gin and tonic. Great cocktails begin with great ingredients including top shelf liquor, but increasingly talented bartenders are turning their attention to the mos...
May 8, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #16 ~ The Mushroom Guys
What happens when two childhood friends grow up and become a biologist and an economist? They put their brains together to create a company that’s earth friendly and increasingly profitable while attracting some of Chicago’s top chefs. The magic Sean DiGioia and Joe Weber created is in the mushroom…
April 24, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #15~ The "Petite Revolution" of Chicago's Jason Chan
Chicago's Jason Chan is a legendary restauranteur who makes his mark in classic French cuisine and built a reputation that has industry leaders seeking his expertise. His road to success was inspired by his parents' hard work and dreams of a successful future, even when competing ideas clashed. Jas…
April 10, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #14 The Food Network's Jeff Mauro
What can you say about a guy whose favorite color is pastrami… Chicago’s Jeff Mauro is a chef with comedy chops and has become a much loved celebrity creation of the Food Network. He won a show and called it “Sandwich King” creating masterpieces like the Freddy Boombatz and the Pork Chop Sammy, all…
March 27, 2025
Supper With Sylvia #13 The Ramen Lord Mike Satinover
If you are a true ramen enthusiast, you’ve probably heard whispers of The Ramen Lord, but in Chicago those whispers turn into full blown reverence when the name Mike Satinover comes up. A self taught master of Japanese noodle science, Satinover spent years daydreaming and obsessing over the nuances…
March 13, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #12 - Our Plumbers Are Cooler Than Yours: St. Patrick’s Day
There’s no place like Chicago when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. The river is a sea of bright green and the hallowed hum of bagpipes lead the annual parades. North side, south side, it’s all about the green beer and the scent of corned beef and cabbage wafting through Irish pubs across…
Feb. 27, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #11-Chicago Chefs Cook and Ukrainian War
The world looked on in shock three years ago as Russian bombs began killing and injuring the people of Ukraine. Thousands flooded the borders to escape with little or nothing but their lives. As photographs and videos emerged, a group of Chicago chefs got together to figure out a way to do what the…
Feb. 13, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #10 Pastry Chef Casey Doody - Life is what you bake it
Chicago Pastry Chef Casey Doody isn't shy about letting her dreams pave the way. Known for her Sky High Key Lime Pie and Focaccia Fridays, she's built a reputation for creating the sweet treats that top off any celebration. Doody worked her craft in Dallas, New York City and Chicago's best restaura…
Jan. 30, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #9 Let's Go to Pizza School
Want to learn how to make the perfect pizza pie? Look no further than the North American Pizza and Culinary Academy of Lisle, Illinois. Every year, Chef Anthony Iannone shares the secrets from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Italy with fellow chefs and novices alike. Roman, deep dish, thin crust, …
Jan. 16, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #8 Ever's Michael Muser on the Banchet Awards
Every year Chicago restaurant insiders gather for the annual Jean Banchet Awards. Named after the legend behind the famed Le Francias Restaurant in suburban Wheeling, the honor recognizes original talent behind Chicago's most loved establishments, touching on pizza, pastries, fine wine and great ne…
Jan. 2, 2025
Supper with Sylvia #7 Phil Vettel, Acclaimed Chicago Tribune Restaurant Critic
An era ended in 2021 when acclaimed restaurant critic Phil Vettel retired from the Chicago Tribune. Behind the shadowy figure in his by-line, Vettel brought the tastes of a diverse and vibrant culinary landscape to thousands of loyal readers for 31 years. In this episode of Supper with Sylvia, Vett…
Dec. 19, 2024
Supper with Sylvia #6 Josh Noel and The Book on Malort
Malort, for many the word alone brings a shiver through the spine or warm nostalgia for a cold night in a Chicago tavern. This gulp of bitterness harkens back to its Swedish roots of vodka and wormwood and has been described as just about the worst tasting liqueur on the bar room shelf. Like kale a…
Dec. 5, 2024
Supper with Sylvia #5 Al Roker, Cooking up a Storm
He's been a household name for decades and the guy millions of Americans wake up to every morning on NBC's Today Show. But Al Roker is more than the beloved weatherman, he's a prolific author of fiction, non fiction and cookbooks. His latest is a labor of love, a tasty collection of cherished famil…
Nov. 21, 2024
Supper with Sylvia #4 Chef Bill Kim, Influence from Korea to Chicago
Chef Bill Kim is the culinary force behind Urbanbelly restaurant in Chicago and The Table at Crate in Oak Brook, a collaboration with Crate and Barrel. Born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Chicago, Chef Kim graduated from Kendall College and immersed himself early in his career alongside the renowned…
Nov. 7, 2024
Supper with Sylvia #3 Mohammad Salehi, Owner of Heray Spice
Top chefs use top quality ingredients, that's the premise Mohammad Salehi is counting on in building his growing Chicago business, Heray Spice. Salehi comes from a long line of Afghani farmers who have spent generations cultivating delicate saffron threads that add distinct flavor, aroma and color …
Oct. 24, 2024
Supper with Sylvia #2 Chef Art Smith, a Chicago Treasure
Chicagoan of the Year, Executive Chef, Humanitarian and Hall of Famer are just a few of the accolades bestowed upon Art Smith. Most people know he got his start as Oprah Winfrey's personal chef and skyrocketed into the culinary world cooking meals for presidents, princesses and heads of state. Chef…
Oct. 24, 2024
Supper with Sylvia #1 Chicago Foodies Chat
Monica Eng and Audarshia Townsend are veteran journalists who've been covering the Chicago food and restaurant scene for years. In this inaugural episode of Supper with Sylvia, these two foodies reveal some of the city's hidden gems and discuss how the culinary landscape has evolved since the great…
Oct. 22, 2024
Supper with Sylvia ~ The Everything Food and Restaurant Podcast of Chicago
Introducing Supper with Sylvia, The Everything Food and Restaurant Podcast of Chicago. Veteran television journalist Sylvia Perez takes you on flavorful journey through the heart of the Windy City's culinary scene. Each episode uncovers the stories behind Chicago's hottest dining spots, from iconic…