I am Consciously Curious

Our next guest has been hand painting signs since 1970. I can’t help but think about him every time I drive west on the Kennedy expressway and peer over to the roof of the Salt Shed. He did that! Join us as we reflect on how he took a leap of faith on art school and immigrated to Chicago from Newfoundland, Canada. A lot of us are striving for peace from mind and he reminds us that it’s simpler than we think. Please enjoy my conversation with Ches Perry. 

https://www.rightwaysigns.com/

https://www.i...

Our next guest is the Executive Chef and Partner of Perilla Fare and Steakhouse. Andy opens up about not being Korean enough or American enough and how he ultimately found his voice as a person and as a Chef. He was initially tapped as a consultant for the space that is now known as Perilla Fare. That relationship evolved into becoming the Executive Chef and Partner. Recognizing the importance of complementary strengths, Andy brought on Thomas Oh as Partner and General Manager to handle the Front of House operations. It’s so cool to see the success they’re havi...

Our next guest is the Executive Chef and Owner of Frontier, Ina Mae Tavern and Packaged Goods, as well as Migos Fine Foods. He has successfully embedded southern comfort food into Chicago. We reflect on his journey from New Orleans to Miami and eventually landing in Chicago. We discuss the current state of the hospitality industry in Chicago as well as his long term goals that expand beyond being a chef. Brian is down to earth and generous. Please enjoy my conversation with Brian Jupiter. 

https://www.migoschicago.com/

https://www.thefrontierchicago.c...

Our next guest traded eleven years at three Michelin-starred Alinea for something money can't buy: balance, agency, and intimacy. Simon Davies discovered this new path immediately after leaving Chicago's temple of molecular gastronomy as Executive Chef in January 2020, when he traveled to Jaipur, India for a project with Champagne house Krug. What started as a consulting venture, Ilixr Creative evolved into an exclusive private dining experience driven by organic demand from clients seeking something beyond the traditional restaurant model.

Simon embodies an intriguing duality—calm and measured, with unexpected flashes of playfulness that emerge in his work. I...

Our next guest is the Beverage Director at Esmé. He’s inquisitive, playful, and balanced. We reflect on his journey through hospitality from the earlier days at Burger King and Starbucks to earning his stripes at the now closed Claudia and eventually Esmé. In addition to directing the wine, cocktail, and nonalcoholic programs, he hosts a show called Balanced Hospitality and has managed to curate live recordings and host happy hours through it. Please enjoy my conversation with Stevan Miller.

https://www.instagram.com/stevanmatthewmiller/

https://www.instagram.com/balancedhospitality/

Our next guests are the partners of Motorshucker. A mobile oyster bar that currently pops up at places like Queen Mary Tavern, Easy Does It, and Bisous. You’ve seen photos and maybe even tried some of their seafood towers, crab rolls, or motormix fried peanuts. We reflect on their individual journeys and how they all came together. The trio perfectly complements each other while sharing the same passion and mission for access to high quality experiences for things like oysters. Please enjoy my conversation with Mico, Cub, and Jamie of Motorshucker.

https://www.mo...

Our next guest is intuitive and ambitious. He hosts a modern Korean supper club experience called Haru Haru which means “day by day." The intimate nature of pop ups and private dinners allow him to hold space and tell stories that complement his food. We reflect on the support he’s received from his family and instructors in high school and Kendall College. Despite being a young leader, his curiosity and humility encourages his team to place trust in his vision. Please enjoy my conversation with Junho Lee. 

https://www.instagram.com/junholee.hh/

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Our next guest is introspective and level-headed. He’s had an interest in men’s fashion and styling from an early age. He was on a successful path in collegiate basketball, but an ACL tear led him to reevaluate other interests. These days, he creates content to share his style and the lessons he’s learned. This community he’s built has led to personal styling consultations, brand deals, and collaborations on unique pieces. Please enjoy my conversation with Jabari Sandifer.

https://www.tiktok.com/@jabarisandifer

https://substack.com/@whereyourpantsbreak

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Our next guest is tenacious and thoughtful. She’s a mother of two boys and the Founder/Owner of Volition Tea. A specialty tea company that highlights single origin organic teas primarily from China. She’s double downed on the importance of traceability so the consumer can appreciate exactly where and when the tea they’re consuming was harvested. She yearned for peace at an early age as she entered boarding school and she’s maintained that balance as she navigates entrepreneurship, sustainability, and parenthood these days. Please enjoy my conversation with Annie Xiang. 

https://www.volitiontea.com/

Our next guest is gentle, thoughtful, and courageous. He’s the owner of Thrd. Coffee Co. which is a coffee concierge service as well as a cafe in Bucktown. Despite a rough upbringing with school and family, he had a wake up call in his second attempt at 6th grade and eventually a coming of age in Bolivia after reconnecting with family and stumbling into the world of coffee. Upon returning to Holland, MI he started as a barista at Ferris Coffee and Nut Co. He honed his barista skills with Big Shoulders and his sales skills through Back of...

Our next guest is insatiably curious, hyper-focused, and charismatic. I got the sense that he’s always all in on the task at hand. That being said, he’s balancing a family, a full-time job as Chief Innovation Officer/Senior Partner at Cultivate, and slowly growing a Chicago-based brewery with Indian heritage. The first half of the episode was a reflection on his coming of age and how we can affect culture. The second half was a reflection on what beer means to us and how Azadi Brewing got their start with Pilot Project. Please enjoy my conversation with Bhav...

Our next guest is Katie Chung. A visual artist based in Chicago. I was introduced to her work through her mural for Good Things Vending with Steph Krim! I then found out she's created pieces for Facebook, Google, Adobe, 360 Chicago at the Hancock, and even a traditional Hanbok from handwritten garment tags from her mom's laundromat [amongst many other cool textile pieces]. We explore generational trauma, what healing could look like, and her Korean-American experience. She recently completed a solo trip to Korea and got to visit areas her parents previously lived in. It was truly a real conversation. <...

Our next guest is the Executive Chef of the new modern french restaurant Gavroche. He fell in love with cooking at an early age mainly from a functional aspect. He's an alum of Kendall College and has gained experience in kitchens like Alinea, Roister, Boka, Sixteen, and North Pond. He really found his footing when he started a private dining experience with his wife called Mirepoix Gangsters. This is an episode on exploring your identity and becoming a professional at your craft. Please enjoy my conversation with Chef Mitchell Acuña.

https://www.instagram.com/gavrochechicago

Our next guest is Bernie Ambubuyog. A single mom, entrepreneur, and a MMA practitioner and color commentator. We reflect on her journey into MMA which was through her late husband Paul. She shares how the MMA community has become her second family especially through the later stages of Paul's cancer and eventual passing. We navigate the challenging dynamic of running Top Level MMA with her son Leon. On top of all that, she continues to be the Behavioral RN Care Manager at a local hospital. She's a beacon of resilience. Please enjoy my conversation with Bernie Ambubuyog.

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Jenn Dieas hosts Dr. Jon Mackoff in this podcast takeover. This is the third overall time these two have met and they're both great at holding space for self-inquiry. Some themes that they covered include the lack of safety Jenn experienced as a child, misplaced karma from parents, and embracing the feminine energy. Please enjoy this exploration between Jenn and Dr. Mackoff.

Connect with them:
https://www.instagram.com/jenndieas_
https://www.instagram.com/drjonmackoff

Our next guest is Jeff Vadukumcherry. Despite falling into tech recruiting, he's developed a mastery and fondness of facilitating "good fits." He reflects on how he and his now wife encouraged he each other to follow their dreams even if it meant traveling across the country (twice). He now finds himself at the intersection of wanting community and creativity. Either through amalgamating it with the tech world or independently. He's committed to coming up with 7 photos every week and it's helped him pause and notice the nuances of life. Please enjoy my conversation with Jeff Vadukumcherry.

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Our next guest is Mikey Rinaldo (they/them) and they're the roaster/founder of New Math Coffee highlighting specialty Asian coffees. Mikey found coffee as an escape while pursuing their PhD in literature. There's this beauty in the ephemeral nature of a good cup of coffee. Many things has to come together for it to be a good cup. Mikey has a healthy perspective with the craft of striving for a great cup of coffee while honoring the amount of work that begins with the farmers that had to go into a good cup of coffee. Please enjoy my...

Our next guest is the Chef and Co-Owner of Bayan Ko and Bayan Ko Diner in Ravenswood, Chicago. The diner space was home to Glenn’s Diner for 17 years and now serves Cuban and Filipino staples all day. The OG location a couple doors east is now a tasting menu that allows the team to push boundaries and provide a more curated experience compared to the diner. We explore his journey of moving to Chicago for culinary school, his various restaurant experiences, and meeting his now wife, Raquel Quadreny. His family is his primary motivation for why he currently do...

Our next guest is the Chef and Co-Owner of Lilac Tiger, Coach House, and Mirra. He reflects on his journey of stumbling into the world of finance only to be liberated by the 2008 Market Crash which sparked his curiosity into the world of food and hospitality. What was the early stages of a social media agency led him to feel the pulse of a kitchen and he was hooked ever since. From staging at Alinea, Bouchon, and Gaggan, and working his way up to Sous Chef at The Pump Room to eventually starting a supper club called Wazwan (in...

Our next guest is the artist behind Monsoon Pottery. Quality time with her family has her reflecting on life and what she wants to get out of it. I appreciate how singular she is with everything she takes on. From her daily tea practice, insatiable appetite for art history, and her pottery practice, she’s at a unique intersection that she relays throughout her tea tasting and pottery workshops. Please enjoy my conversation with Danielle Chutinthranond.

https://monsoonpottery.com/

https://instagram.com/monsoonpottery

https://monsoonpottery.substack.com/

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Our next guest is one of the moderators of the r/chicagofood subreddit. He shares why and how he started to moderate it. He’s made lists to organize his favorite chicken sandwiches, fries, and omakase restaurants. He’s currently organizing his favorite bib gourmand restaurants. Reddit was taken aback by how large and active the subreddit became and presented Mitch with an opportunity to cultivate the community. He began by buying out Obelix for dinner last year and a series of restaurants this year with the Reddit Community Fund. They visited places like Kyōten, Cellar Door Provisions, and C...

Our next guest is the Founder and Keeper of Good Things Vending. She places local art and oddities in vending machines and places them in some of the most iconic places in the city. You can find some of her machines in places like The Chicago Cultural Center, Kimball Arts Center, and The Garfield Park Conservatory. I truly enjoyed learning how she found her way to the intersection of art and vending machines as well as discussing what our role is in the grand scheme of life. Please enjoy my conversation with the wonderful Steph Krim.

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Our next guest is a hospitality veteran and has helped open spaces like Truce, Lilac Tiger, Coach House, and Mirra. I was first introduced to David through Justin of Kyoto Black Coffee when they put on a coffee cocktail pop up at Cindy’s Rooftop. I knew David was working on opening a bar, but it wasn’t until a recent dinner at Mirra when I realized David was also part owner. It was wonderful to hear how David has reclaimed some of that agency and is now working to reclaim some of the joy back in the work. Plea...

Our next guests are brothers and founders of an alternative chocolate brand, Mez Foods. But the implications of how revolutionary mesquite is makes this a very exciting time for these two. Their challenge is to introduce a product that is more sustainable (environmentally and production-wise), price competitive, and nutritive to cacao. This was truly an insightful episode that just kept unraveling. Please enjoy my conversation with Ben and Bob Schultz of Mez Foods.

https://mezfoods.com
https://instagram.com/mez.foods

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Our next guest is the Owner and Executive Chef of Vendador, a private dining company that imports an entire fine dining ecosystem into clients' homes. He shares how hungry he was to collect culinary experiences at a young age that eventually landed him at Roister (part of the Alinea Group). He reflected about being honest with what you want out of life and going after it despite your circumstances. The kitchen is a space (especially in fine dining) where those who truly want it will persevere. His humility, curiosity, and integrity really came through in this episode. Please enjoy...

Our next guest has been a tech recruiter for over 10 years and how he became one is a funny story. Last year he started a chex mix based snack brand that’s typically seen in Hawaiian households. The three flavors they have are The OG (Furikake), Bean (Vanilla), and Rooster (Sriracha). Only a few months after a successful launch, he approached Francis Almeda (Side Practice Coffee) with an idea for a musubi pop up at SPC. That idea eventually became Kanin which should be opening soon next door to SPC. Please enjoy my conversation with Julius Tacadena. 

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Amin returns to reflect on life and how his side hustle of operating “Chicago Food Guide” has grown over the last year. From adding on team team members to CFG, new collaborations with athletes, and providing new services like influencer marketing and food photography, Amin manages to balance his side hustle alongside being a full time ESL teacher for grades 9-12 and becoming a new dad. We reflected on fatherhood, creating dinner parties, and what could be next for Chicago Food Guide. Please enjoy my conversation with Amin Tomalieh.

https://instagram.com/chicago.food.guide
https://www...

Our next guest has been creating cookie-cracker crisps that have been passed down from her grandmother, Carolyn. Amie was inspired to make these crisps after having a hard time finding snacks that fit her needs and had the taste she was looking for. These crisps are gluten free, vegan, and soy free. She has a variety of flavors from sweet to savory and is now even producing bark which is partially inspired by not wanting the broken crisps to go to waste. She reflects on her previous life as an Art Director for various companies, receiving positive feedback after...

Our next guest makes our current favorite ice cream! Handmade and small batch pints with some of the most creative flavor combinations we’ve heard of. She shares some of her earliest memories with ice cream, journey through hospitality, and how she brought Ice Cream Girl Co to life. I appreciate her sense of adventure! We spent some time reflecting on some of her travels and how she navigated the pandemic while abroad. Please enjoy my conversation with Sarah Cochran.

https://icecreamgirlco.com
https://instagram.com/icecreamgirlco

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Our next guest is the Director of Partnerships and Communications at DishRoulette Kitchen. A nonprofit that provides financial assistance and entrepreneurship education to small businesses no matter where they are in their journey. Their most notable case study is the beloved Rubi’s tacos by the Ramirez family. The impact of creating a consistently profitable and sustainable business is far-reaching and DRK is empowering families to create generational wealth. Please enjoy my conversation with Chris Cole.

Learn more:
https://www.instagram.com/dishroulettekitchen
https://www.dishroulettekitchen.com/
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-jackson-flores/
https://www.in...

Our next guest is an indie baker who has generated quite the buzz around his bread and pastries. What started as an outlet in the pandemic has blossomed into a full time career. His journey is an example of being right where you need to be at that very moment as well as being ready when opportunity strikes. I deeply appreciate how he’s always stayed true to what he wants to do. Please enjoy my conversation with Daniel Koester.

https://danthebakerchicago.com
https://instagram.com/danthebakerchicago

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Our next guest is the Founder of Pink Salt; a Thai sauce company and pop-up series. What started as a food blog turned into a restaurant in a food hall but the pandemic forced a pivot into a pop-up series. Through the pop-ups, there was a demand for the sauce (chili jam) that is now known as Nam Prik Pao. We caught her in this major growth phase as she’s currently selecting a co-manufacturer. We talk about our Asian American experiences, journey to medical school, and the various peaks and valleys through her entrepreneurial journey. Please enjoy my co...

Our next guests are the operators behind the New York slice shop in lakeview Chicago, Zaza’s Pizza as well as the two Nemec Brothers locations in the suburbs. In addition, they’re brothers with skill sets that complement each other. We dive into their individual and collective journeys with pizza, what makes their product standout, and how they’ve been able to expand so fast. They’re honest, gracious, and ambitious. Please enjoy my conversation with Chadd and Brett Nemec.

https://www.zazas-pizzeria.com/
https://www.instagram.com/zazaspizza/
https://www.instagram.com/nemecbrotherspizza/

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Our next guest came on the podcast two years ago. It was our second time meeting back then. Fast forward to today and I’ve come to admire and look up to this wonderfully creative human being. We catch up on her residency in the Ambassador Hotel, some of the community activations we have brewing, and her experience curating her first Tedx Chicago Art show. She also recently took on the role of Creative Director for a house DJ, Monty Kiddo. Please enjoy my conversation with MKODJ.

https://www.instagram.com/emkayohdeej

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Our next guest has built a career around promoting nightlife and cultivating unforgettable experiences. He shares his personal experiences into the industry and why he’s pivoting towards healing through self-inquiry and alternative retreats. Please enjoy my conversation with Eric Boss.

https://instagram.com/ericbosschicago

Our next guest was recently named a Lululemon Ambassador for the motivation and inspiration she brings our city through her classes. She is a group fitness trainer in a variety of modalities from yoga, HIIT, and functional training. She probably goes through 3-7 workouts on any given day. She shares her humble beginnings of discovering fitness and her love of challenge. She evokes a goofy but no BS mentality in her workouts. She’s an empathetic savage who's figuring life out like the rest of us.

https://www.instagram.com/carmilla_k

Our next guest has struck a balance between work, family, and hobbies. He’s known to some as a jiu jitsu phenom by consistently training 6 days per week on top of his already busy schedule with work and fatherhood. We reflect on his journey through school and pivoting from a solely finance career to a tech career with a focus in finance. We explore his love for jiu jitsu and how he got so good at it. He's currently part owner of the second iteration of the Valko Jiu Jitsu Academy and he shares what their goals are with th...

Our next guest shares her journey through dietetics and opening up a private practice as a board-certified sports dietitian during the pandemic. Her witty and relatable hot takes or as she calls it, yapping caught my attention and I’ve been hooked ever since. She specifically aims to work with combat athletes that require peak mental and physical performance but is open to supporting anyone seeking her help. She offers 1 on 1 coaching, corporate consultations, and speaking engagements. If you like the content on her page, you’d love her Patreon page. Please enjoy my conversation with Christina Chu.

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Our next guest is the Founder and Executive Director of the Fatherhood Initiative, The Dovetail Project. An organization that provides African American and Latino fathers from ages 17-24 with the skills and resources to be great fathers. We reflect on their tumultuous upbringing, becoming a father themselves, and what their organization has been up to recently. Please enjoy my conversation with Sheldon Smith.

https://thedovetailproject.org/
https://www.instagram.com/dovetailproject

Our next guest has been making waves in the pizza community with his take on the pan pizza. He had childhood dreams of opening a restaurant one day and after 16 years of waiting tables, he decided to go all-in on himself at the start of the pandemic. What started as a personal project for him and his wife is now a brick and mortar with two locations. After being inspired by the well-known Burt Katz and receiving some help from some pizza legends, Milly’s Pizza in the Pan was born. Please enjoy my conversation with Robert Maleski

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