I am Consciously Curious

Our next guest is riding the high of Eeeeeatscon this last weekend. He’s been consistently selling out of his weekly preorders despite increasing available quantities. The bagels have a nice “knock k…

Our next guest is the Chef and Founder of Về lại which is currently a Vietnamese and Lao pop-up filled with themes of nostalgia and homestyle cooking. Coming from hard-working blue collar immigrants,…

Our next guest is the co-owner and Chef behind Boonie’s. Joe reflects on his Filipino-American upbringing, finding the culinary path, and eventually leaning into the Filipino culinary world. We chat …

Our next guest is one half of Tilly Bagel Shop in the South Loop and now in the West Loop. Hannah comes on to share how the bagel shop came to be. From a love of blueberry bagels her dad would bring …

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! Joi…

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 a…

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…

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 Chica…

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 h…

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 o…

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 h…

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…

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. …

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 …

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 I…

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 ha…

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 ho…

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 eac…