Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

Uh, and we always thought, I think, multi-concept restaurant groups were, were pretty cool.

I worked for Lettuce Entertain You, and Joe was working for Pizzeria Uno and some other, some other, uh, brands as well.

Mm.

And, um, anyway, we, we came back and, and decided to, to do Carrito.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Well, uh- From a, my first job was working for Lettuce Entertain You, which is a multi-concept restaurant group.

Mm.

[upbeat music] It all started in 1971 in Lincoln Park with RJ Grunts, the first Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, and the beginning of a Chicago dining dynasty.

More than 50 years later and 130-plus restaurants, the Melman children are helping shape what comes next.

So for the season two launch of Supper with Sylvia, we went back to Lincoln Park to talk about growing up Melman, working with the legendary dad, sibling dynamics, and how this next generation is adding its own flavor to the family business.

And wow, this is even better than I expected because the venue is absolutely gorgeous.

And then the third criteria was, because we are a, a podcast about food, not only in Chicago, but nationally, we wanted to really focus on a company or a person who has been ma- has caused major impact in the city of Chicago.

And of course, that led us to Rich Melman and Lettuce Entertain You.

[audience cheering] [audience applauding] So...

And Rich Melman is...

Technology at its finest.

Today, we have an, an exciting guest, the CMO for Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, Jennifer Bell.

Jennifer Bell.

I don't think I've ever met Jennifer Bell, but did quick research, and the story's cool.

It was called CompuCook.

And I, that company went under, and I'd still kept in touch with everybody at Maggiano's 'cause I was very impressed with the opening.

Um, one quick story, 'cause I'm just such a fan of his, is Rich Melman who owns, uh, uh, Lettuce Entertain You, and at the time, Maggiano's.

He, during our opening, came in, and he would, like, move around the restaurant.

It's not that bad.

Uh, Ryan Arnold, the wine director at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises said-

[laughs]

... "It's like gasoline, not even super premium.

You can be there.

From our great friends at Let Us Entertain You, and Brian and Kenzie on Q101.

Mike, who's gonna compete today.

Mike Ahoy, tell us something about yourself.

Giovanni and the Hired Guns, Tuesday.

You will be there.

From Let Us Entertain You, our great friends Brian and Kenzie and Q101.

[upbeat music]

Yeah.

I got a pair of tickets from our great friends at Lettuce Entertain You, who are producing the show with us.

Love Giovanni and The Hired Guns.

Did so much with Q101 in the past years.

Tickets for Joe's on Weed Street, Tuesday, October 6th.

Tickets are on sale now from our great friends at Lettuce Entertain You, producing this show for our great friend Giovanni.

Uh, did so much with Q101 in the past years, and more coming.

So, uh, Mara is competing for these tickets against Kenzie.

That's amazing.

Yeah, Bill, who's like one of the partners at Lettuce these days, in charge of Shaw's and Joe's Stone Crab, I think some other places.

There's a birthday cake with your name on it.

I know.