Before Local Style was launched, I had a dream list of all the iconic neighborhood spots where I hoped my chips might one day be sold. Corner stores, neighborhood lunch joints, and local markets— the kind of places that feel like the heart of a community. High on that list was Mr. Beef.

Mr. Beef was already a Chicago legend, but it hit a whole new level of fame when it inspired the hit TV show The Bear. One day, I did what any scrappy founder might do— I grabbed a few bags of chips, cradled them in my arms, walked into Mr. Beef, and asked if I could talk to someone. “I made these chips,” I said. “Is the owner here?”

At first, an employee told me he wasn’t and they weren’t sure when he’d be around. And then— like a scene straight out of a movie— he walked through the door. He looked at me, then at the chips. 

“What are these?” he asked, grabbing a bag. He tore it open, took a bite, and said, “Oh my God, these are fucking awesome.”

That was the first sentence out of his mouth. The next thing I knew, he was already calling out to the back. “Mikey! Joey! Jay! Come out here, you gotta try these chips!” Suddenly I was surrounded by guys shouting, laughing, passing bags around. It felt like a scene straight out of The Bear. I couldn’t believe it. After pinching myself and confirming this was in fact real life, I truly realized just how big this could be.

At that point, we hadn’t even launched yet. These were early samples, not even our final recipe. I walked in hoping— maybe —that someday Mr. Beef might sell our chips. I pictured them on a little spin rack by the register.

Chris looked at me and said, “I love these so much, I’m going to share them with some friends at The Bear.”

I was stunned. I told him I’d never ask for something like that, and he said, “I know. That’s part of the reason I want to do it. You were more excited about what my line cook thought than pitching a TV connection. I like that. I like your story.”

Two days later, my phone rang. It was the head of craft services from The Bear. She said, “Chris from Mr. Beef gave me your chips— I love them. I want to buy some for the set.”

So my husband and I packed up boxes, loaded the car, and drove to the soundstage at Cinespace in Chicago. Our names were on the list. We went through the gate— it was just like every Hollywood lot you’ve ever seen in a movie. The garage door opened, we drove in, unloaded our boxes, and handed off the chips.

The craft services team was incredible— true food lovers who were curating meals and snacks from all over the city. To be included in that lineup was a huge honor.

And there we were: a full month before launch, and The Bear was our first paying customer.

The cast and crew devoured them. We heard they were going through bags fast, and we were both thrilled and a little embarrassed. These were still samples— flavors we knew we wanted to tweak before launch. So we made them a promise: when the final version was ready, we’d come back with the real thing.

And we did. They bought another batch, and the rest is history.

That early moment— getting validation from people we admired, from a show we loved— was an unmistakable sign that we were on the right track. 

As a founder, you live so much of your journey in your head and your heart. You don’t always know how it will land until it’s out of your hands and out in the world.

That experience gave us wind in our sails. It made us hustle harder. It deepened our love for this product and this city. And it reminded us to trust that Chicago would welcome us with open arms.

The Bear helped get the ball rolling. Mr. Beef cracked open the door. And we’re just getting started.