To slide into the conclusion of Black History Month -  we are very stoked to welcome Jesse Steward Jr. of Alexander James Whiskey to discuss his heritage specific journey in building out his black owned brand. We begin with his inspiration behind the brand and move into how familial tradition affects the intentionality beyond the bottle. Jesse speaks to his Chicago commitment while also discussing how his diverse roots promote the culture of his brand, vision and community engagement....

Fresh drop with Emily Miller and LeighAnn Hranka of Junior Council and it's a bit different than we have done in the past but oh so fulfilling. We discuss their collective work in supporting Lurie's Children's Hospital through their Snowball Gala at The Drake Hotel Feb. 24th. Emily and LeighAnn discuss their commitment to non profit work, how important it is for brands to come together for the greater good and the brilliant support of their event  at The Drake Hotel. This episode truly...

Fresh drop with Art Mendoza of Barrel Aged Hospitality and Felipe Ospina of Sysco  discussing generational hospitality, mentorship and doing right by one's community. We begin with Art and Felipe's respective backgrounds and explore how they their experience within hospitality is varied from the current landscape of the industry. Speaking about large scale operations and the translation to more market specific concepts, Art and Felipe shine a necessary light on past industry trends and...

New episode drop with Jamie Chambers and its toooo cosmic. We explore her dynamic hospitality journey through the lens of astrology, zodiac and the art of tarot. This conversation is absolutely fascinating and provides deep insight into our behavioral patterns - personally and professionally. Jamie shares her sobriety journey and how her process allowed her to critically analyze herself while making very powerful changes within her life. We also discuss sobriety within the context of...

NEW DROP with Josean Irizarry of Smash Jibarito  and it's the communal dialogue that excites us the most. Josean talks about his ascension through the industry, mentorship, anxiety and ultimately - how entrepreneurship has challenged his journey and overall perspective on his business development. We talk about the the impact of the culture of The Bear and the commercialization of realities on how we operate our lives and its effect on our perspective of the industry. We anchor this...

LIVE DROP from the crew featuring Brad Bolt of Mijenta Tequila and Dustin Drankiewicz of Paper Plane Pizza hosted by Blind Barber Chicago. We anchor this conversation on the individual unique journey of our guests while exploring the unique parallels of their respective experiences. Beginning with Brad -  we discuss his background as a former partner of Bar Deville and owner of Neon Wilderness while sharing how he found his sobriety, advocacy and the value pillars of the brand that he...

We are back at it for OUR FOURTH SEASON of Terms of Service Podcast and we are eternally grateful - for you and the industry at large. Such a phenomenal journey so far and to bring us into our next phase - is Amber Payden  where we explore numerous elements of pop culture, technology within the hospitality space, scalability and the element of 'choosing your stress'. This conversation is an exciting ride as we find ourselves separating the different areas of the hospitality industry...

Ayyyooo! Season 3 is a wrap and we are overjoyed with the journey. Lance Watson of Saint Della joins us to round out the season and it's viiiibeee heavy. Lance talks to us about how being a multifaceted industry guy has propelled him to craft his culinary identity through the teachings of his grandmother alongside his evolving lived experience. We also discuss how navigating one's own position[s] within the standards of the industry presents its specific set of direct challenges....

NEW DROP with Michael Baker and Steve Cantu of Wild Edible World Podcast and it's too fresh; pun intended. Michael and Steve discuss their backgrounds, how they teamed up, the history of foraging and the impact of agriculture vs. foraging. This episode is a substantial reminder to get outside and truly enjoy everything that nature has to offer. As always - a supreme thank you to Blind Barber Chicago for hosting this necessary conversation, Ritual Zero Proof for the support and Cheyenne...

This fresh drop is our 50th and its too soothing and we are wildly thankful. We are joined by Victor Chan of I Am Consciously Curious Podcast and we talk about intention, identity and how we craft the art of hospitality throughout  our experiences. Victor talks about his background as a paramedic to how, and why - he launched 'I Am Consciously Curious. We also talk about the realities of forgoing your own personal goals to sell it to a larger vision and the honest cost of that. This...

Fresh drop from the crew! We are so happy to be joined by Eve Studnička and Alexis Rice Thomas of Funeral Potatoes and this just feels too good. Eve and Alexis talk us through their journey from a pandemic passion project to their process of fundraising for their brick and mortar restaurant to the importance of not taking yourself too seriously. The dynamic duo also discuss sustainability within their passions and share their authentic thoughts on the impact of ego and creating a space...

FRESH DROP for the culture with Father Oskar of Birria Ta-Ta-Tacos and this deluxe episode talks about it all. We explore his Guatemalan roots, while also discussing how he began his business practice inspired by Mexican cuisine. This episode is a testament on multiple levels - from respecting the inspiration that you pull from, moderation in regards to sustainability to overall integrity in regards to your community and those that you serve. We are so inspired by the work that Oskar...

Welcome back; we've missed you and are so stoked to be back. In this fresh drop - we're joined by Chef Francis Pascal, the founder of Vendador, a nomadic[ish] Chicago-based fine private dining company  that focuses on employee forward practices. Originally from Albania - Francis talks to us about how food is the vessel for connection and how he translates that through his cuisine and overall environment as well.  After gaining experience at Japonais by Morimoto, Momotaro, and Roister of...

FRESH DROP for the masses. Jackson Flores of Dish Roulette Kitchen is an operations consultant with over a decade of experience in international, multi-concept dining, and quick service operations. She specializes in developing operational foundations and processes for high volume concepts; built to launch, scale, and sustain profitability from concept to completion. We explore how they keep their community engaged - while also empowering people of color that they are equally deserving...

We're back home at Blind Barber Chicago and it feels too good to be back. To celebrate our return to our home base, we are welcoming Jennifer Kim of Alt Economy and Nemanja Milunovic to discuss Balkan cuisine while exploring hard truths of the industry. Jennifer and Nemanja speak on the importance of caretaking, accountability and shows us how fractured this industry is but reminds us to stay hopeful for what's to come. This conversation is a bold reminder that being happy is not a...

This is how we start the new year; heritage. In 2008 four friends - Alejandro Champion, Toño Vilches, Pepe Islas and Pepe Bezaury, decided to venture into Mezcal. They started a project that represents Mexico’s values, culture, and traditions, while generating a positive impact among indigenous communities. Their first mission was to travel to the Sierra of Oaxaca, meeting with different mezcal producers and agave farmers. Mezcal UNIÓN is a project with the goal to support...

FINAL drop of 2022 and what a beautiful wrap to the year as we are coming to you live from Esmé here in Chicago. We are blessed to sit down with Amanda 'Raspy' Rivera and Tyrone Redic Jr. Quite the husband and wife duo within the hospitality space. Raspy talks to us about her ascension through her artistic practice while also exploring how hospitality is wildly dynamic and is more often than meets the eye. Tyrone has been a compelling powerhouse in all aspects of the industry while...

It's not a pop - up, it's a takeover. Super special holiday drop as we have quite literally given the mic over to our friends at Not 9 to 5 and Healthy Pour. Hassel Aviles and Laura Louise Green dive into emotional intelligence, real world impact of mental health, workplace toxicity and overall industry data as the host of this episode. Hunter Seis and Alex 'AJ' Augustine join this impactful conversation to provide their industry specific realities while sharing how they have empowered...

This episode with Kristen Kaza is as much of a  vibe as it is a 'party for your eardrums' . We welcome everyone's point of views and experiences and this resonates all too real. Kristen talks to us about what it means to be centrally queer - from her roots in Vermont, to being the founder of Slo Mo Party to collective ownership with REUNION Chicago and ultimately, serving a myriad of matriarchal roles from a party mom to new mother of twins. We talk deep about culturally empowering...

Some holiday seasoning for the dinner table - this is black excellence, black drive, and black spirit. We are with Amanda Harth x Felton Edward Kizer of Monday Coffee talking creative entrepreneurship, the minority experience and all things that are anchored in overall spirited being. This conversation isn’t monolithic - this is dynamic, robust and culturally activating. Amanda Harth shares her creative journey, teaching artistry and how hospitality has been an amalgamation of her...

COMING AT YOU LIVE from Perilla and we are wildly grateful, excited and inspired. We are with Thattu diving into their culinary background and philosophies within their cultural movement. Margaret & Vinod talk to us about their background in corporate America to launching their food stall in 2019, to ultimately finding their respective passions in what they are accomplishing now. As we navigate this conversation - it is of true validation to realize the hard realities that can truly...

NEW DROP with Cheyenne English and it's feels a bit sweeter this time around. We often talk about how Terms of Service is a communal platform and this episode highlights SHOP//talk - which is us placing some well deserved shine on the diverse makers and doers of all facets of the industry. Cheyenne talks to us about her journey within hospitality, the non alcoholic movement, and her brand 'Miss Perfectpour' which provides support to wide ranging charitable causes. This conversation is a...

They say education is power and we couldn't agree more with that sentiment.  This episode explores the realities of that terminology within practice.  Alex Finnegan and Albert [Berto] Waarnar discuss their contrasting interests within their hospitality spaces and where they find unconventional commonality.  Alex hailing from Ireland discusses his experience being a J1 Visa holder and working for one of the most prominent groups in Chicago while unapologetically divulging the disconnect in...

S U R P R I S E ! We have a [exciting] fresh drop coming to you LIVE from 16th Street Bar with Tia Barrett of Esmé Chicago and Josh Davis of Brown & Balanced. From their backgrounds we launch into a enriching dialogue that explores the realities of the black experience into their ascension within the industry. We look at how they build community, navigate their curiosities, manage expectations, and craft experiences that have truly elevated themselves and their respective cultures....