Chicago is known for its robust restaurant scene, and the city’s Mexican-American community is a major contributor to that acclaim. Throughout the United States, Mexican cuisine is often stereotyped as fast food, always made with cheap ingredients and served in casual settings. A new generation of Mexican-American chefs aims to negate this misconception, preparing Mexican dishes that are creative, complex, and served in a variety of atmospheres and at a range of price points.
In this episode of No Passport Required, chef and host Marcus Samuelsson heads to Chicago neighborhoods like Little Village and Back of the Yards to learn more about Mexican culture and food traditions in the area. Even through hardship and setbacks, especially surrounding DACA and immigration policy, Mexican Americans share their food and stories, exposing roots that are planted on both sides of the border. Here are the restaurants featured in this episode, listed in order of appearance.
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