Food Guy Steve Dolinsky's Final NBC Chicago Segment Will Air on May 29
The new role doesn't involve producing content or sharing food recommendations. As Dolinsky describes, Levy is intrigued by his ability to dive into a city's restaurant scene and quickly make connections with major players. Levy sees value in how a journalist can quickly identify trends, like the current infatuation with Dubai chocolate. Levy hopes Dolinsky can bolster the culinary experiences at Levy's various sporting venues and events.
'They want somebody who's immersed in food, and so that's what I do,' Dolinsky says. 'It really — it's just a perfect fit.'
For example, Dolinsky could use the journalism skills he honed as NBC Chicago's Food Guy and ABC Chicago's Hungry Hound to dive into the LA food scene and bring fresh ideas to the Intuit Dome, home of the NBA's Clippers, one of many stadiums where Levy handles food service. Dolinsky says he feels lucky for the opportunity. Levy is the Chicago-born company behind names like Spiaggia and River Roast. The company is also a stadium food vendor for Soldier Field, United Center, Rate Field, and Wrigley Field. Dolinsky has known Levy CEO Andy Lansing for three decades, and they've been talking about how they could work together for years.
'Not every company is going to create a job for somebody, but I give those guys a lot of credit,' he says. 'They see there's a great opportunity to have someone like me on their team.'
Dolinsky departed ABC in 2021 as the pandemic's dining restrictions altered consumer habits and local news was deprioritizing food or eliminating coverage altogether. A few months later, he inked a new deal with NBC, but wasn't able to bring his Hungry Hound title with him, rebranding as the Food Guy. There are no restrictions on the name at Levy, where he'll retain the Food Guy title. His contract ended with NBC this summer.
As newsrooms all over the country shrank, it took a toll on Dolinsky's segments. He no longer had the same staff support to help put together his piece. Dolinsky compensated by recording and editing his own video. But the job became somewhat cumbersome without the aid of regular collaborators, folks to help brainstorm and fine-tune ideas. Having a team behind him at Levy is one of the reasons he's taking the job.
Flashing back to his start with CLTV, a local cable news network run by Tribune Media in the '90s, Dolinsky recalls meeting Levy's chief creative officer Alison Weber, while working on a story as a general assignment news reporter. The topic: Spiaggia and white truffles. Dolinsky knew nothing about truffles, thinking they were chocolate bonbons, but he remembers talking to Weber about yearning to cover food full time. They've remained in touch through the years: 'This is one of those lessons about never burning bridges,' Dolinsky says.
Beyond NBC, Dolinsky was already working as a consultant and is behind Pizza City USA, which holds tours and festivals in select cities to bring together different pizzerias. The annual event stumbled in Chicago in 2022 and 2023. It skipped 2024, but will return to Chicago this summer on Sunday, August 24. Look for more information next month. Dolinsky calls the LA version of the event a success. It was held at L.A. Live, a venue where Levy holds a contract.
'It just makes so much sense to keep working with them on that kind of stuff,' Dolinsky says.
The media world has been shifting in recent years with the growth of social media and the emergence of generative AI. Some writers are pursuing platforms like Substack, hoping they can build an audience. So what does Dolinsky's departure mean?
'I think journalists have to look at the future — I've been doing this for 30 years, and you can sort of see where the trends are in terms of viewership,' Dolinsky says. 'I feel like I have a lot of specific skills that are going to be more valuable in the corporate world. So what does it say about food journalism or journalism in general? I think it says that people have to look for other options all the time.'
'You know, there's nothing that's guaranteed forever.'
For the record, Dolinsky's final NBC segment will feature West Town Korean American restaurant Mister Tiger to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
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