I’m a food lover that comes from a long line of food lovers raised in a city known mostly for its food.
I was born, raised, and continue to live in Chicago, yes the actual city, but maybe not the part you think of when you think Chicago. These days I spend many of my days downtown among the skyscrapers at my job at a market research firm that exclusively deals in food research, but as a kid and teen you’d rarely find me there. I grew up eating the unique foods of the many cultures the neighborhoods of Chicago have to offer, it is still my favorite way to pass a Saturday.
While I’m a city girl at heart my mom is originally from Central Illinois and I spent much of my youth making trips to visit family there. Both my grandfather and my great grandmother owned restaurants – cooking is in my mother’s genes. Thankfully I think some of it was passed on to me. My trips to Central Illinois taught me the value of knowing where your food comes from and the importance of appreciating the classics. To this day a trip down state will always remind me that food lover and food snob need not be synonymous. You find me someone who doesn’t get joy from a holiday dinner with as many casseroles as there are adults at the table and I’ll find you someone who is seriously missing out.
My dad is largely where my fascination with neighborhood exploration comes from. He and I still spend time doing this. He raised me to tales of his adventures in Russia as a college student during the Cold War. These tales encouraged me to study abroad which broadened my horizons, especially my food horizons. My dad is also who I credit for my habit to order the oddest combination on the menu. As children my brother and I were encouraged to try anything my parents ordered under one condition – we had to finish our bite.