A documentarian and filmmaker with something to share:

Hello LTH Forum!

My name is Vince, and over the past year I've been building a website called The Midwestern Diner. It's a documentary art project about food and drink in Chicago featuring short films, long-form interviews, and photography. I am posting today because I'd like to introduce the site to the LTH Forum community and get your feedback.

You will find chefs, restaurateurs, brewers, farmers and more, all sharing their honest thoughts on the art and craft that goes into creating great food experiences. No listicles, no clickbait, no reposts, no ads or paid content--- just the best original stuff my collaborators and I can give you. We've talked with all kinds of cool people, working pop-up dinners and Michelin-starred kitchens, from Evanston to Pullman and back again.

On a personal note: I am not a fan of social media, and I rarely participate on message boards and the like. You will see that my username is newly created--- your site was a blind spot for me that I only recently discovered, but am very glad I did. This is a passionate and well-spoken community, and I think that not only will you find my site enjoyable but also you'd be willing to start a conversation about it.

With all the uncertainty and rapid changes in contemporary media there are days when it is difficult to be anything but pessimistic about your work being able to find an audience. When I finally visited LTH Forum for the first time I realized that there are people who share my desire to learn about Chicago's food and drink community in detail, and I hope that this is the beginning of a long, rewarding relationship between us.

Please take a minute to explore the site: I want to know what you like, what you don't, and what you'd like to see in the future. I want you guys to get to know some of the amazing people we've profiled, they all have interesting things to say. I want to be part of an honest and forthright dialogue about the greatest food city on the planet. Questions? I'm happy to answer them.

Consider this your John Hammond Moment: when a cheerful dude with glasses walks into your community with something that's right up your alley. (No dinosaurs, though. At least not yet.)

Your friend in food,

Vince Labriola (MrRainbowCone)

midwesterndiner.com

midwesterndiner@gmail.com