Current:Home > NewsA Chicago legend, whose Italian beef sandwich helped inspire 'The Bear,' has died -CoinMarket
A Chicago legend, whose Italian beef sandwich helped inspire 'The Bear,' has died
View
Date:2025-04-15 14:19:05
Who is he? Joseph Zucchero was the co-founder of Mr. Beef, a staple in Chicago's River North neighborhood that had gained a following for dishing out beloved Italian beef sandwiches. He died unexpectedly on March 1, according to his obituary. He was 69 years old.
- Zucchero and his brother, Dominic, started the business in the late 1970s, building a reputation as a classic spot for the Italian-American speciality.
- Their staple beef sandwich came from Italian immigrants in the early 20th century who could only buy less-tender cuts of the cow due to the price. They discovered that cooking those less-sought-after pieces for a lot longer would render a super tender final product.
- Zucchero's son, Christopher, had previously old WBEZ there are some crucial components to an Italian beef sandwich: slow-cooked slivers of beef, an Italian relish called giardiniera, good bread, and all sorts of customizable textures.
Want more journalism on people who made an impact? Listen to the Consider This episode on Colin Kaepernick
What's the big deal? Zucchero's beloved sandwich joint got attention and inspired many far and wide.
- The 2022 hit FX show The Bear, starring Jeremy Allen White as a young chef trying to sustain his family's failing Chicago sandwich shop, took direct inspiration from Mr. Beef. That included the show creating the set based on the restaurant.
- The popularity of the critically acclaimed series also led to a surge in business for Mr. Beef, Joseph Zucchero told NPR last year.
- Mr. Beef also has other ties to showbiz: Jay Leno has shared that as a struggling stand-up comedian, he would sleep in his car in the restaurant's parking lot. The shop now has photos of Leno on its walls, who has praised the food over the years.
What are people saying?
Christopher Zucchero, to WBEZ, on the identity of the Italian beef sandwich:
It's strictly our root food. It really is our food here in Chicago, as opposed to the Philly cheesesteak or a New York — I don't even know if they have a meat type of sandwich in New York.
Joseph Zucchero on Chris Storer, the creator of The Bear, recreating his restaurant for the show:
My son and a young man that he grew up with, Chris Storer, would come down here when they were kids. You know, they were kids, and I let them hang around the restaurant.
They built this [set] inside a building. And they took me to it. They wanted me to see it. And my mouth dropped. I was like, 'Oh, my God' — I mean, from the floor to the ceiling to the countertops to the equipment.
So, what now?
- According to Eater, Mr. Beef will continue under the leadership of Zucchero's daughter, Lauren, and friends.
- Production for season 2 of The Bear is underway in Chicago.
Read more:
- 'Sushi terrorist' and 2 accomplices arrested in Japan after viral prank
- No cow needed: Oat and soy can be called milk, FDA proposes
- For 2 chefs in Detroit, music is a passion they can taste — literally
veryGood! (3613)
Related
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Man denied bail in Massachusetts crash that killed officer and utility worker
- Biden unveils nearly $5 billion in new infrastructure projects
- EPA: Cancer-causing chemicals found in soil at north Louisiana apartment complex
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- School choice measure will reach Kentucky’s November ballot, key lawmaker predicts
- You'll Have Love on the Brain After Seeing Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's Paris Outing
- Police officer’s deadly force against a New Hampshire teenager was justified, report finds
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Trump accuses DA Fani Willis of inappropriately injecting race into Georgia election case
Ranking
- Bodycam footage shows high
- How niche brands got into your local supermarket
- Drew Barrymore cries after Dermot Mulroney surprises her for 'Bad Girls' reunion
- Economic growth continues, as latest GDP data shows strong 3.3% pace last quarter
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Microsoft layoffs: 1,900 workers at Activision Blizzard and Xbox to be let go
- Australians protest British colonization on a national holiday some mark as ‘Invasion Day’
- Sofia Richie Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby With Husband Elliot Grainge
Recommendation
The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
Father accused of trying to date his daughter, charged in shooting of her plus 3 more
Biden unveils nearly $5 billion in new infrastructure projects
'Right place at the right time': Pizza delivery driver’s call leads to rescue of boy in icy pond
Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
Vermont State Police investigate the shooting of a woman found dead in a vehicle in St. Johnsbury
Raheem Morris hired as head coach by Atlanta Falcons, who pass on Bill Belichick
Colorado self-reported a number of minor NCAA violations in football under Deion Sanders