Culture and Community

Food waste is a huge problem that not only deprives hungry people of food but also contributes greenhouse gases. The app Flashfood allows users to buy groceries nearing their sell-by dates from stores at half price, preventing them from being thrown out. 

A program called Pilot Light brings food education into the classroom. But it's about more than nutrition or cooking lessons. One Chicago Public School teacher shares her experience with using food as a dynamic teaching tool.

Apples, tacos, and plenty of Oktoberfest celebrations are just some of the food events to look forward to in September.

Jessica Pamonicutt is the owner and executive chef of the catering and pop-up business Ketapanen Kitchen, which specializes in indigenous ingredients and cuisine––a focus that is currently rare in Chicago and the rest of the United States. 

You may have (or not have) heard of these four classic, hearty sandwiches that were created in Chicago. Explore their origins and unique ingredients.

Danielle Chutinthranond seeks to optimize the experience of eating and sharing food with the pieces she creates under the name Monsoon Pottery. “I feel like one of the reasons why I get so into the design of this stuff is because I just like to eat so much,” she says.

If you like garlic, corn, ribs, sangria, and much more, there are a variety of food events in and around Chicago this August.

Lake Michigan's "playpen" inspired Chicago brothers Joseph Moton and Ted Robinson to launch their own vodka company. They talk about how they got started, their love for the versatility of vodka, and what it's like to work as brothers.

In a year in Chicago, the app Too Good to Go has redirected around 108,000 meals from landfills by allowing consumers to buy unsold surplus products from restaurants and other food service businesses at a reduced price. 

When Chef Manny Gonzalez had his mother's tacos de canasta at a party, he knew he wanted his restaurant to be centered around the popular Mexican street taco. Gonzalez owns Guapo Taco in Brighton Park, and he explains the origins of "basket tacos."

FoodLab Chicago has been working with restaurants in South Side neighborhoods in the hopes of uplifting Black restaurateurs, especially after the pandemic brought new challenges for local business owners. Their goal is to make major corridors, like 75th Street, an established culinary destination for locals and tourists alike.