Founder of Chicago beef shop that inspired ‘The Bear’ dies

By CLAIRE SAVAGE
Associated Press/Report for America

CHICAGO (AP) — The founder of the no-frills Chicago sandwich joint Mr. Beef, which inspired FX’s “The Bear,” has died at 69. Joseph Zucchero died unexpectedly on March 1 at Rush Medical Center while undergoing treatment for cancer, said his son, Christopher Zucchero. “He was a magnificent human being. He was charismatic. He loved his restaurant. … He loved his family, his children,” Zucchero said. Nothing will be the same at Mr. Beef without his father, Zucchero said. The River North shop has been a neighborhood staple for decades. But it became a national sensation after it was portrayed by the gritty, fast-paced show released in June 2022.