Best Axios Chicago Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 137: Markets, Chaos and Scoby Snax 1:48:30

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9d ago1:48:30

1:48:30

This week on Chewing, we talk about markets, chaos and scoby snax! Monica does a ride along with Blue Hill at Stone Barns chef Dan Barber to talk about his Row 7 Seed Company, and makes a trip to the farmers market. Ecologist Mark Easter tells us about his James Beard nominated book The Blue Plate: A Food Lover's Guide to Climate Chaos, along with …

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Episode 136: Babes, Pizza and Hot Stuff 1:01:19

2M ago1:01:19

1:01:19

This week on Chewing, we talk about babes, pizza, and hot stuff. First, Monica talks to My Pi pizza founder Larry Aronson about his last pizzeria closing in Chicago after 54 years. Then, Professor Steve Balkin talks about the death of Maxwell Street as he makes Monica some homemade matzo brie. Lastly, James Park talks about his cookbook “Chili Cris…

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Episode 135: International Street Food 46:42

6M ago46:42

46:42

This week on Chewing, we talk about international street food. First, Monica talks to Faraz Sardharia about his new restaurant Rickshaw Pakistani & Indian Street Eats, which raises funds for unhoused people in Chicago. Monica also talks to women’s rights advocate Rohini Dey about transforming her pioneering modern Indian restaurant Vermilion into a…

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Episode 134: Joe Yonan, Feld restaurant, canned krill 1:04:39

9M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

This week on Chewing, we talk about plants, Feld, and krill. First, Monica talks to Washington Post Food and Dining editor — and bestselling author — Joe Yonan about his new book, "Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking"! Then Louisa talks to the chef and owner of one of the most polarizing new restaurants in Chicago — and former guest of Chewing…

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Episode 133: Ruth Reichl, Hewn bread, Volition tea, cultivated meat 1:12:04

11M ago1:12:04

1:12:04

This week on Chewing, we talk about how sisters are doing it for sustainability! First, Monica talks to legendary author and editor Ruth Reichl about her new documentary film Food and Country. Then, we talked to Hewn Bread founder Ellen King and Volition Tea founder Annie Xiang about their big expansions. Finally, Monica talked to Upside Food COO A…

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Episode 132: George R.R. Martin workshop, Honey Ahmed, Curtis Chin 1:03:14

1y ago1:03:14

1:03:14

This week, Monica and Louisa talk Honey and Fun Guys. First, Monica went to the inaugural George R.R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop, where she made Malaysian rice balls with fellow fellow, Honey Ahmad. Monica also talked to author and filmmaker Curtis Chin about his book “Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant.” Finally,…

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Phil Cousineau: Turning travel into pilgrimage 30:29

1y ago30:29

30:29

Niala Boodhoo walked nearly 80 miles along the Camino de Santiago this summer, an ancient Christian pilgrimage that's been meaningful for millions. A growing number of Americans—including non-Christians—are taking up this and other pilgrimages, for all sorts of reasons. Author and travel leader Phil Cousineau says the tradition of walking to find m…

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Barak Ravid: Israel and Hamas closer to perpetual war than a ceasefire 23:12

1y ago23:12

23:12

Hundreds of thousands have been taking to the streets in Israel, ever since the bodies of six murdered Israeli hostages were found last week in a tunnel in Gaza. It marked an escalation by Hamas, Axios' Barak Ravid tells Niala Boodhoo. Ravid has been covering the war since the start, and reporting on the Middle East for his entire career. As we app…

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Karthick Ramakrishnan: AAPI voters could tip the scales 22:42

1y ago22:42

22:42

Before Vice President Harris became the Democratic nominee, Asian American voters were unenthusiastic about then-candidate Biden. But Harris has since energized the fastest-growing voter group in the U.S.: AAPI voters. Now, data suggests these voters could be a major factor in some swing states come November. Political scientist Karthick Ramakrishn…

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Shawn Fain: The fight against corporate greed 26:08

1y ago26:08

26:08

UAW President Shawn Fain got a coveted spot speaking opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to share his message of fighting against corporate greed. With one million active and retired members, Democrats are hoping the UAW will help get out the vote for a Harris-Walz ticket. Organized labor's role in the election isn't just…

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Viet Thanh Nguyen: Defiant storytellers and scholars of memory 21:42

1y ago21:42

21:42

Growing up an immigrant in the U.S., writer Viet Thanh Nguyen tried to make sense of the Vietnamese story. "There were these two very different versions of history and memory that were going around, and I was growing up very confused about what the actual history was," he tells Niala Boodhoo. That set him on a path to become a scholar and a writer …

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Tim Heaphy and Sen. Eric Schmitt: Balancing safety and free speech in the public square 21:45

1y ago21:45

21:45

The last school year saw the First Amendment tested across college campuses. Protests over Israel's treatment of Gaza dominated headlines and disrupted commencements, while antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents on campuses rose. As another school year approaches, institutions are facing new free speech debates ahead. One lawyer who ran investigatio…

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Kaitlyn Schiess: America's Bible-haunted history and the way ahead 21:45

1y ago21:45

21:45

Americans have long used the Bible to justify their politics. That's in part why today, younger Christians are rethinking their relationship to their faith, and the Bible's place in American political life. Kaitlyn Schiess says that's a good thing. She's the author of "The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Pol…

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Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei: A brand new presidential race 20:42

1y ago20:42

20:42

"Nothing, nothing, can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition." President Biden explained his move to the American people in an address Wednesday night. Now, a new race lies ahead -- one no longer so focused on the past, between two candidates who've already done the job of president. So what is it about? Axios co-…

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Alex Thompson: A newly unified GOP 20:03

1y ago20:03

20:03

Based on this week's Republican National Convention, the assassination attempt on former President Trump seems to have unified the GOP. Alex Thompson is national political correspondent for Axios, and he says while conventions often put cleavages and frictions on display, Saturday's events have made many of those frictions within the party virtuall…

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Episode 131: Beards, Goats and Bear 1:10:03

1y ago1:10:03

1:10:03

This week on Chewing, Monica and Louisa report back from the James Beard Awards. Monica talks to Outstanding Chef winner Michael Rafidi, Best Chef: Great Lakes winner Hajime Sato, and Lifetime Achievement Award winner Ruth Reichl. Then, Monica chats with Capriole Goat Cheese founder Judy Schad and Prairie Grass Cafe chef and co-owner Sarah Stegner.…

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Noah Feldman: What it means to be a Jew today 21:13

1y ago21:13

21:13

The October 7th Hamas terrorist attack and Israel's ensuing war in Gaza have made Jews around the world look closer at the core of their faith and the role of Israel. Legal and religious scholar Noah Feldman has been digging into his own Jewish faith as he watches political and intergenerational conflict play out around him, on college campuses and…

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Jeff Rosen: SCOTUS's dramatic vision of judicial supremacy 21:15

1y ago21:15

21:15

As we celebrate 248 years of being a democracy, has the U.S. Supreme Court become the most powerful branch of government? We put that to Jeff Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, who in his latest book delves deep into the thinking of the founding fathers. For a special July 4th episode we asked him for his take on the immu…

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Maha Jweied: Businesses must lead on second chance hiring 21:45

1y ago21:45

21:45

One in every three adults in the U.S. has some kind of criminal record. That makes finding a job much harder, and has consequences not just for individuals and communities, but also takes a major economic toll on the country. One leader says businesses can advance the effort for so-called second chance hiring much faster than government. How her or…

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Alloysius Attah: Helping small-scale farmers thrive 19:55

1+ y ago19:55

19:55

Climate change, inflation, and unreliable supply chains are just some of the challenges small-scale farmers globally are facing today. Alloysius Attah grew up on a farm in Ghana and has seen it all first hand. Now, as tech advances in agriculture and AI have opened new possibilities for farmers, he's helping small-scale farmers take advantage by pr…

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Reshma Saujani: Using AI to put moms first 19:16

1+ y ago19:16

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Reshma Saujani, founder of Girl Who Code, saw the pandemic push women out of the workforce and make existing workplace inequalities worse. "We have not made the workforce work for moms," she says. With her campaign called Moms First, she launched a tool last year that uses generative AI to help moms-to-be apply for paid leave benefits in New York. …

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Rich Buery: Fighting poverty with AI 19:22

1+ y ago19:22

19:22

Some 38 million people live in poverty in this country – nearly 12 percent of the population. The problem remains especially bad in New York City, where the poverty level among kids alone has jumped 66% since 2021. The Robin Hood Foundation has provided millions of dollars of grants to fight poverty in New York for more than 3 decades. Now, its CEO…

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Sec. Jena Griswold: Protecting elections officials from violent threats 21:08

1+ y ago21:08

21:08

Elections officials have faced violent threats since the 2020 presidential election, and five months out from the next vote, Secretaries of State are on the front lines. Colorado's Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold has seen a 600% rise in threats against her in recent months. Niala spoke to Secretary Griswold about protecting elections an…

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Ed Yong: Birding for a fulfilled life 21:45

1+ y ago21:45

21:45

Interest in birdwatching has been booming, and Ed Yong is one of the millions who have fallen hard. Yong is a Pulitzer-prize winning science writer previously of the Atlantic, where he was one of the first journalists to deeply investigate long COVID. He says birding has has a transformative impact on his life in the last year, and hopes the same m…

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Steve Young: What private equity could do for the NFL 20:52

1+ y ago20:52

20:52

In his more than 15 years in pro football, NFL quarterback Steve Young made his name on the field as one of the most efficient passers of all time. But after his retirement, he turned his career to private equity, co-founding the firm HGGC in 2007. Now, Young is watching the recent surge in private equity investments in sports teams, and making the…

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Episode 130: Fake fish, black jello, José André dog treats 46:41

1+ y ago46:41

46:41

This week on Chewing, Monica recaps her Chicago adventures in beef, beer, bowls, and baseball. Then, she tastes fake fish and talks to Aqua Cultured Foods co-founder and CGO Brittany Chibe! Lastly, Louisa dares Monica & Iris to eat black jello from Costco and dares our dogs to eat treats from José Andrés! chewing.xyz chicagotribune.com/chewingpodca…

Axios Chicago Podcasts

1
Chewing

Louisa Chu & Monica Eng

1
1 big thing

Axios

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Chicago Media Talks

Rivet360

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Episode 137: Markets, Chaos and Scoby Snax 1:48:30

1
Episode 136: Babes, Pizza and Hot Stuff 1:01:19

1
Episode 135: International Street Food 46:42

1
Episode 134: Joe Yonan, Feld restaurant, canned krill 1:04:39

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Episode 133: Ruth Reichl, Hewn bread, Volition tea, cultivated meat 1:12:04

1
Episode 132: George R.R. Martin workshop, Honey Ahmed, Curtis Chin 1:03:14

1
Phil Cousineau: Turning travel into pilgrimage 30:29

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Barak Ravid: Israel and Hamas closer to perpetual war than a ceasefire 23:12

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Karthick Ramakrishnan: AAPI voters could tip the scales 22:42

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Shawn Fain: The fight against corporate greed 26:08

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Viet Thanh Nguyen: Defiant storytellers and scholars of memory 21:42

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Tim Heaphy and Sen. Eric Schmitt: Balancing safety and free speech in the public square 21:45

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Kaitlyn Schiess: America's Bible-haunted history and the way ahead 21:45

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Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei: A brand new presidential race 20:42

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Alex Thompson: A newly unified GOP 20:03

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Episode 131: Beards, Goats and Bear 1:10:03

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Noah Feldman: What it means to be a Jew today 21:13

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Jeff Rosen: SCOTUS's dramatic vision of judicial supremacy 21:15

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Maha Jweied: Businesses must lead on second chance hiring 21:45

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Alloysius Attah: Helping small-scale farmers thrive 19:55

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Reshma Saujani: Using AI to put moms first 19:16

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Rich Buery: Fighting poverty with AI 19:22

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Sec. Jena Griswold: Protecting elections officials from violent threats 21:08

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Ed Yong: Birding for a fulfilled life 21:45

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Steve Young: What private equity could do for the NFL 20:52

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Episode 130: Fake fish, black jello, José André dog treats 46:41