OUTRAGEOUS CONGRESSMAN BOBBY
RUSH.
FIRST, CHICAGO'S BLEND OF
CULTURES RESULTED IN A LONG AND
DELICIOUS LIST OF CULINARY
INNOVATIONS.
ONE PARTICULAR CHICAGO FOOD
FAVORITE STARTED WITH A SYRIAN
FAMILY THAT FOLDED TOGETHER
ITALIAN AND MEXICAN INGREDIENTS
TO CREATE A HOT DOG STAND
STAPLE.
ERICA GUNDERSON HAS THE STORY
AND IT IS A BIT OF A PUFF PIECE.
>> THERE'S NO OTHER CITY THAT IS
BETTER AT DOING QUICK SERVICE
ITEMS AND CERTAINLY PIZZA PUFFS
ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.
>> THE PIZZA PUFF HAS BEEN ON
THE MENU AT BYRON'S HOT DOGS FOR
MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
THE PRESIDENT MIKE PAYNE SAYS
THE HUMBLE POCKET IS STAYING
POWER IS PROOF.
>> IT DOESN'T TAKE ROCKET
SCIENCE TO COOK THEM.
YOU PUT IT IN THE DEEP FRYER AND
WAIT UNTIL IT'S DONE AND YOU ARE
DONE.
>> SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION IN
1976 MILLIONS OF PIZZA PUFFS
HAVE BEEN PRESSED, FILLED AND
FOLDED AND PACKAGED FOR
COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL SAIL IN IL
TACO FOODS WEST TOWN FACILITY.
>> I AM STANDING OUTSIDE THE
PIZZA PUFF LINE.
AND IF YOU ARE ANYTHING LIKE ME
THIS IS EXCITING.
IT'S LIKE STANDING OUTSIDE THE
GATES OF THE WILLIE WONKA
CHOCOLATE FACTORY.
>> IT'S MADE FROM SCRATCH
EVERYDAY.
WHETHER IT BE THE FILLING OR THE
DOUGH THAT WE MAKE AND THEN WE
HAND FOLD THEM.
OUR EMPLOYEES WORK THEIR TAILS
OFF HERE AND APPRECIATED
EVERYDAY.
THEY ARE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT
THEY DO AND THEY REALLY HAVE A
PASSION AND APPRECIATE IT.
>> YOU COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR
THINKING A COMPANY NAMED IL
TACOS MAKES TACOS.
>> THAT STANDS WITH ILLINOIS
TAMALE COMPANY STARTED WITH MY
GRANDFATHER.
>> IN 1927 HE BOUGHT A COMPANY
MAKING CHICAGO STYLE ROLLED
TAMALES FOR PUSH CART VENDORS.
WHEN WARREN SHABAZ TOOK THE
COMPANY OVER IN 1964 HE
CONDENSED THE NAME TO IL TACO.
BY THE 70s, THE HOT DOG STANDS
WERE READY FOR SOMETHING NEW.
>> MY BROTHER AND I GREW UP IN
AN ALL ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND CALZONES WERE HUGE BACK THEN
AND I HAD A BUDDY.
HE OWNED AZTEC CORN PRODUCTS AND
I SAID LISTEN, ART, LET ME TAKE
SOME OF YOUR TORTILLAS.
>> WAR RIGHT HAND AND EDWARD
USED THE DOUGH AS A WRAPPER FOR
A SPICEY PIZZA FLAVORED FILLING.
HE SAYS MAKING A POCKET THAT
COULD TAKE THE PLUNGE IN THE
DEEP FLYER TOOK TRIAL AND ERROR
BUT...
>> WHEN WE PUT IT IN THE FRENCH
FRYER IT HELD TOGETHER AND IT
WAS AMAZING.
>> IL TACO ADDED THE PIZZA PUFF
TO THE LINEUP AND IT TOOK OFF.
AS THE COMPANY GREW THE FAMILY
GREW AND WARREN FOLDED HIS
CHILDREN INTO THE FAMILY
BUSINESS.
>> OF COURSE I USED TO FORCE
THEM TO COME DOWN HERE.
THEY COME DOWN AND WORK IN THE
SUMMER.
>> I CANNOT FOLD A PIZZA PUFF IT
GOES BY TOO FAST.
THE WORST PART WAS DOING THE
TACO PUFF AND HAVING TO PEEL THE
ONIONS BY FAR.
I EYES RUNNING.
>> OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, THE
SIBLINGS LEFT OTHER JOBS TO
BECOME THE FOURTH GENERATION OF
THE FAMILY TO RUN IL TACO.
>> IT'S GROWN AND IT'S BEEN SO
FUN TO DO IT WITH TWO OF MY BEST
FRIENDS.
AND ENJOY EVERYDAY DOING IT.
SO IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.
>> I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE
THREE KIDS.
SOMETIMES I ALMOST CAN GET TO
TEARS BECAUSE THEY ARE HERE.
>> AND THEY SAY THEIR HOPE IS A
FIFTH ROUND OF CHAVEZ'S WILL BE
READY TO TAKEOVER ONE DAY.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO
STAY WITH IT AS A FAMILY COMPANY
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE THE
NEXT GENERATION IF THEY WANT TO.
>> MY SON RIGHT NOW, HE DRILLS
ABOUT THREE PIZZA PUFFS A DAY
AND THAT IS NOT A JOKE.
>> I FEEL PRIVILEGED I CAN SPEAK
FOR MY BROTHERS IT IS A
PRIVILEGE.
>> THANK YOU FOR EATING THE
PUFFS.
>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" THIS IS
ERICA GUNDERSON.
>> AND YOU MAY HAVE SPOTTED THE
FOR SALE SIGN ON THE PLANT IN
WEST TOWN BECAUSE THE COMPANY IS
PLANNING A BIG MOVE.
BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING FAR.