Joe Flamm on Top Chef, Chicago Food, & South Side Stories | The Pat McGann Show Ep. 14

Top Chef Season 15 champion Joe Flamm joins Pat McGann for Episode 14 of The Pat McGann Show — and this one has everything: South Side childhood, Chicago restaurant war stories, culinary risks, Top Chef drama, and some high school memories.

Joe breaks down his rise from busboy to running three hit restaurants (with a fourth on the way), how he pitched a Croatian–Italian concept to skeptical investors, and what it was really like opening Rose Mary in the middle of the pandemic. He also shares outrageous stories from Top Chef: winning it all after weeks off the grid.

Pat and Joe dive into Chicago food culture (Top Notch, pizza loyalties, Italian beef rivalries), what it’s like raising kids while running kitchens, why he wakes up at 4:30am, and the South Side energy that shaped him.

They wrap with holiday chaos, gifts that don’t suck, and hooking Joe up with his first full Tiege Hanley skin care routine.

🎧 New episodes every week — filmed in Chicago with comics, locals, and special guests.

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🎤 Guest: Joe Flamm | Facebook: @insta.flamm

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