Best Jeff B. | Chicago Podcasts (2025)

1
Clicks, Culture & Cravings: Inside Chicago’s Food Influencer Scene with Black People Eats & Chicagopescetarian 49:40

9d ago49:40

49:40

In the age of social media dominance, influence is currency—and no one understands that better than today’s top Chicago food influencers. In this buzzworthy episode of Supper with Sylvia, we dive fork-first into the high-stakes world of food content creation with two of the Windy City’s biggest tastemakers. First up is Jeremy Joyce, the charismatic…

1
Chicago Dining, James Beard Awards & How to Score Top Restaurant Reservations 27:57

23d ago27:57

27:57

🎙️ Have you ever tried booking a table at one of Chicago’s hottest restaurants only to find every reservation snatched up—or held hostage by a third-party app demanding sky-high fees? You’re not alone. In this eye-opening episode of Supper With Sylvia, Emmy Award-winning journalist Sylvia Perez is joined by Sam Toia, President and CEO of the Illino…

1
Supper with Sylvia-Why Gourmet Ice Matters 42:10

1M ago42:10

42:10

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 most basic of all ingredients… the ice. Crystal clear gourmet ice is the rage due to its pure taste and slow melt, and creating t…

1
Supper with Sylvia ~ The Gourmet Mushroom Guys 34:36

2M ago34:36

34:36

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 mushrooms, seven high quality varieties that are good for y…

1
Supper with Sylvia~ The "Petite Revolution" of Chicago's Jason Chan 38:38

2M ago38:38

38:38

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. Jason Chan's story is one of perseverance, inner streg…

1
Supper with Sylvia-The Food Network's Jeff Mauro 45:22

3M ago45:22

45:22

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 with a laugh and a side of giardiniera. Now Mauro …

1
Supper With Sylvia -The Ramen Lord Mike Satinover 23:44

3M ago23:44

23:44

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 of ramen. Now, he’s perfected everything from the …

1
John Sebastian - John B. Sebastian (1970) 1:03:32

3M ago1:03:32

1:03:32

Send us a text The great John Sebastian celebrates his 81st birthday today as we're posting this. We had the good fortune to have a lengthy conversation with John this past fall to discuss John B. Sebastian, his 1970 debut as a solo artist. It's an album which is certainly underrated and if your ears have never had the pleasure of hearing it, today…

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Supper with Sylvia-Our Plumbers Are Cooler Than Yours: St. Patrick’s Day 41:53

4M ago41:53

41:53

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 the city. This week the lines form early at Fado I…

1
Supper with Sylvia-Chicago Chefs Cook and Ukrainian War 25:58

4M ago25:58

25:58

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 they do best, start cooking and feeding the thousands …

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Supper with Sylvia-Pastry Chef Casey Doody - Life is what you bake it 49:57

5M ago49:57

49:57

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 restaurants, private clubs and fine hotels and now finds he…

1
Supper with Sylvia-Let's Go to Pizza School 40:18

5M ago40:18

40:18

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, Detroit, sliced or squared, Chef Anthony and his te…

1
Supper with Sylvia-Ever's Michael Muser on the Banchet Awards 19:04

5M ago19:04

19:04

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 neighborhood joints. Its most enthusiastic supporter …

1
Supper with Sylvia-Phil Vettel, Acclaimed Chicago Tribune Restaurant Critic 53:57

6M ago53:57

53:57

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, Vettel details the modes operandi he used to keep his i…

1
Supper with Sylvia- Chicago Handshake-Josh Noel on Malort 32:21

6M ago32:21

32:21

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 and Brussels sprouts, Malort has been around for dec…

1
Supper with Sylvia-Al Roker, Cooking up a Storm 28:56

7M ago28:56

28:56

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 family recipes meticulously tested and detailed with the…

1
The Cure - Disintegration (1989) 56:40

7M ago56:40

56:40

Send us a text In picking her favorite album, author K.L. Doty let us know up front that she couldn't settle on just one -- something which we're all familiar with as music fans, right? So we talk about a lot of different music. But in regards to Disintegration by the Cure, specifically, she shared a thought that will land with many of us who have …

1
Supper with Sylvia-Chef Bill Kim, Influence from Korea to Chicago 42:49

7M ago42:49

42:49

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 chef Charlie Trotter. In 2008, he opened Urbanbell…

1
Al Jarreau - Breakin' Away (1981) 59:14

8M ago59:14

59:14

Send us a text You might know Brian Wecht as Ninja Brian. Or maybe you know him as Trey Magnifique. Perhaps, you just know him as Brian and that's fine too. Matt and Jeff were just thrilled to have him on the podcast to talk about Al Jarreau's mighty fine Breakin' Away album. But there were conditions. First, an impromptu 20 minute discussion about…

1
Bonus Track: Rob Baker (The Tragically Hip) 36:17

8M ago36:17

36:17

Send us a text Rob Baker of The Tragically Hip joins Matt to discuss the 35th anniversary of the band's 1989 debut, Up to Here, which is being celebrated with a lavish box set featuring a wealth of previously unreleased content. The box set is available today digitally and will be released in a variety of physical formats on Nov. 15. You can order …

1
Supper with Sylvia-Saffron-Heray Spice-Seasons of Change 28:47

8M ago28:47

28:47

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 to the finest dishes. It's a long road from the saf…

1
Too $hort - Life is...Too $hort (1988) 1:19:31

8M ago1:19:31

1:19:31

Send us a text Professor Louis Moore joins Matt and Jeff to discuss his essential new book, The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans and the Making of the Black Quarterback. Our engaging discussion with Lou took us deep into the history of Black quarterbacks and athletes in general in the NFL and he talks about the journey he took as he was…

1
Supper with Sylvia-Chef Art Smith, a Chicago Treasure 43:20

8M ago43:20

43:20

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 Art is often described as a celebrity himself, but…

1
Supper with Sylvia #1 Chicago Foodies Chat 42:48

8M ago42:48

42:48

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 pandemic of 2020. The Show Notes: Read more from M…

1
The 1974 Project: Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom 58:18

8M ago58:18

58:18

Send us a text This is almost a "lost episode" of sorts. To pull the curtain back a bit, we recorded this episode back in July and then promptly got busy with a bunch of other things. So if you hear a mention or two that sound a bit dated, there ya go. What remains is a fun discussion that we had regarding Robert Wyatt's 1974 album Rock Bottom. We …

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Supper with Sylvia ~ The Everything Food and Restaurant Podcast of Chicago 0:50

8M ago0:50

0:50

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 deep dish pizza to hidden neighborhood gems and Mi…

1
Cassingle: The Fast Food Edition 50:01

9M ago50:01

50:01

Send us a text The guys end summer break with a completely random "accidental Cassingle," as Jeff tagged it. There are discussions of Funyuns (which still exist!), Taco Bell, concept albums, Jeff's new book, asbestos, kids who swear a lot, new music from Jon Anderson of Yes, the upcoming solo album from Warren Haynes and other subjects that are pro…

1
Bonus Track: Woodstock '94 / Levon Helm 33:17

11M ago33:17

33:17

Send us a text Our latest Bonus Track features a conversation with author and journalist John Barry, who covered Woodstock '94 as it happened. Thirty years later, he joins Matt to share some of his memories of the experience. Music fans will also be interested in the book that John wrote about Levon Helm's incredible second act with the Midnight Ra…

1
Jesse Colin Young - The Perfect Stranger (1982) 54:36

11M ago54:36

54:36

Send us a text Jeff and Matt love nothing more than coming across obscure AOR gems. Jesse Colin Young's 1982 album, The Perfect Stranger, fits into that category. Featuring guest appearances by Carly Simon, Michael McDonald, Bill Payne and Fred Tackett of Little Feat and Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles, The Perfect Stranger also finds Jesse surroun…

1
Chicago - Chicago 17 (1984) 1:12:24

12M ago1:12:24

1:12:24

Send us a text Podcasting pioneer Jimmy Pardo hosts the award-winning podcast, Never Not Funny. But he also puts his name behind a lot of good things. Witness his annual Pardcast-a-Thon, which provided nine hours of laughs from Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, Dave Holmes, Jon Cryer and numerous others -- INCLUDING DAVID FOSTER -- raising over $125 …

1
Foreigner - Unusual Heat (1991) 1:17:36

12M ago1:17:36

1:17:36

Send us a text This is a flashback moment to our previous podcast, 1991: The Year AOR Ate Itself. For those of you who didn't hear that podcast series, you'll be interested to hear this episode, which aired July 5, 2021. In my memory (note: I'm making this up), we decided to celebrate Independence Day by talking about Foreigner's first album withou…

1
Bonus Track: Leland Sklar and Denny Tedesco (The Immediate Family documentary) 1:03:28

12M ago1:03:28

1:03:28

Send us a text Our latest Bonus Track features a great conversation with the legendary Leland Sklar and director Denny Tedesco regarding his film, The Immediate Family. That's right, someone finally made a movie about Lee Sklar, Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel and Russ Kunkel. If you're a liner notes nerd, you know those names! Here's one example: J…

1
The 1974 Project: Harry Nilsson - Pussy Cats 1:10:52

1y ago1:10:52

1:10:52

Send us a text The 1974 Project continues as we welcome back our friend and A&R man Peter Lubin to discuss Pussy Cats by Harry Nilsson. Produced by John Lennon, Pussy Cats is an interesting and at times, unfortunate mile marker in Nilsson's career -- and the guys discuss why that is. There is once again a great tribute album at the heart of all of …

1
The Music of the Olympics (1984-1992) 59:19

1y ago59:19

59:19

Send us a text In 1984, Christopher Cross added a unique new entry to his discography. "A Chance For Heaven" was selected as the official swimming theme for the Olympics. I bet you didn't even know there was an official swimming theme that year, did you? Neither did we. Discovering that factoid during our episode about Christopher's 1985 album, Eve…

1
Narada Michael Walden on Tommy Bolin 41:10

1y ago41:10

41:10

Send us a text In our first Bonus Track of 2024, legendary artist and producer Narada Michael Walden tells Matt about his time working with the late Tommy Bolin. It's an emotional subject for Narada, but also a period in his career that he retains a lot of love and affection for. We spoke in November of 2023 as Narada was just about to release his …

1
The 1974 Project: Suzi Quatro: Quatro 1:37:55

1y ago1:37:55

1:37:55

Send us a text The magnificent Davia Schendel joins Jeff and Matt to discuss Suzi Quatro's second album, Quatro. Today's conversation definitely goes deep into "music nerd" territory. We talk about record stores of the past, making playlists devoted to things like gated reverb and snare hits. Should we talk about the underrated power player in musi…

1
Christopher Cross - Every Turn of the World (1985) 58:13

1y ago58:13

58:13

Send us a text It's time for the first solo Jeff and Matt episode in a good while! Today, the guys team up to look back at Every Turn of the World, the third album by Christopher Cross. They dig through a number of topics including the album's relative lack of success, how Jeff found it -- and why he loved it so much at the time. We also discuss Je…

1
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention - Uncle Meat (1969) 1:20:27

1y ago1:20:27

1:20:27

Send us a text We have another first on the podcast, but you're going to have to listen to find out what it is. Let's start with the facts: Benjamin Miner of The Feldons joins Jeff and Matt to talk about 1969's Uncle Meat album, by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Have you ever heard this album? It's a wild ride, just like our discussion. …

1
R.E.M. - Reckoning (1984) 1:12:18

1y ago1:12:18

1:12:18

Send us a text Benjamin Wagner joins the guys for a frank discussion about mental health in the midst of Mental Health Awareness Month. He's spent a good amount of time thinking about -- and researching the subject. His new film, Friends & Neighbors, is the result of that work. Benjamin tells Jeff and Matt how his own mental health struggles influe…

1
Ben Arthur - Edible Darling (2004) 1:20:44

1y ago1:20:44

1:20:44

Send us a text Emmy-nominated songwriter Ben Arthur released his third album, Edible Darling, in 2004. A longtime friend of the podcast (long before there was a podcast, in fact), Ben joins Jeff and Matt to look back on the album in its 20th anniversary year. He recaps his rollercoaster experience navigating the music industry in those early years …

1
The Who - Who's Next (1971) 1:25:25

1y ago1:25:25

1:25:25

Send us a text Legendary producer Tom Werman joins Jeff and Matt to talk about one of his favorite albums, Who's Next, by the Who. Tom is one of the best kind of people you can hope to meet in the music industry, because not only is he very talented as a producer, but he also is a music fan at heart. That's something that comes through again and ag…

1
Peter Frampton - Frampton (1975) 1:08:20

1y ago1:08:20

1:08:20

Send us a text Andy Timmons is one of our favorite folks to talk about music with and he returns to the program -- with his guitar once again in hand -- to discuss his love for Peter Frampton's fourth studio album, 1975's Frampton. Andy tells Jeff and Matt why Peter has been such an important influence on his own career -- and he shares the story o…

1
Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Ain't That a Bitch (1976) 1:18:26

1y ago1:18:26

1:18:26

Send us a text The Reverend Shawn Amos is our guest today on the podcast. Matt has had a conversation with Shawn in the past, so he knew that Jeff would love speaking with The Good Reverend. Shawn opened up right away, getting deep and personal with Matt and Jeff about a wide variety of sociopolitical topics surrounding his latest album, Soul Broth…

1
The 1974 Project: Eagles - On the Border 57:50

1+ y ago57:50

57:50

Send us a text UCR's Allison Rapp is back with Jeff and Matt for another episode of The 1974 Project. This time, they're talking about On the Border by Eagles and digging into a bunch of related (and yeah, sometimes, unrelated topics). For instance, why do so many people hate the Eagles? Why do people get worked up about calling them "the Eagles" i…

1
The 1974 Project: The Doobie Brothers - What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits 53:34

1+ y ago53:34

53:34

Send us a text We couldn't miss out on the chance to post a new episode of The Record Player on a rare Leap Day! As one of our comrades said very recently, "Happy Leap Year, to all who celebrate!" We're back with the latest installment in The 1974 Project, our ongoing collaboration with Ultimate Classic Rock spotlighting a variety of albums that we…

1
Tears for Fears - The Seeds of Love (1989) 1:20:51

1+ y ago1:20:51

1:20:51

Send us a text Mike Duquette of The Second Disc and Duque's Delights is in the hot seat with Jeff and Matt to discuss The Seeds of Love by Tears for Fears. Matt has been waiting two years and several days to have an in-depth conversation with Mike. But he's also been waiting since the early '90s to find someone to have a similarly long conversation…

1
The 1974 Project: Kiss - Kiss 55:10

1+ y ago55:10

55:10

Send us a text The latest episode of The 1974 Project finds Jeff and Matt teaming up with Matthew Wilkening of Ultimate Classic Rock to discuss the self-titled debut album by Kiss, which was released on February 18, 1974. But the conversation covers a lot of territory involved with just being a music fan. Sneaking out of the house to go buy albums.…

1
Van Halen - Van Halen (1978) 1:09:56

1+ y ago1:09:56

1:09:56

Send us a text Van Halen's self-titled debut celebrates its 46th anniversary this month (today in fact, as this is being posted). Jeff and Matt celebrate by welcoming journalist Steve Rosen to discuss this legendary album. Steve brings unique insights to today's discussion as someone who was covering Van Halen from the moment that the album hit the…

1
The 1974 Project: Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark 48:09

1+ y ago48:09

48:09

Send us a text Our second entry in The 1974 Project focuses on Court and Spark, Joni Mitchell's sixth studio album. UCR's Allison Rapp once again joins Jeff and Matt to discuss a number of topics related to the album. We talk about the impact that Court and Spark had on Joni's career -- and why it stands out when compared to the rest of her discogr…

1
Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything? (1972) 1:15:52

1+ y ago1:15:52

1:15:52

Send us a text The wonderful Bill Lloyd returns to The Record Player nearly two years after he stopped in to discuss Paul and Linda McCartney's RAM with us. This time, we're talking Todd Rundgren with Bill and the conversation spirals in a lot of different directions -- including plenty of record collector nerd chatter. We also discuss Look Into It…

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Jeff B. | Chicago Podcasts

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