The Food World Mourns The Death Of Joe Zucchero, The Founder Of Mr. Beef

Most places in America have at least one associated dish known and championed by locals. Despite the fact that the folks who live in any given location will swear that their signature offering is a cut above the rest, there are undoubtedly a lot of regional dishes that you've likely never heard of. This includes hotdish, a baked Midwestern casserole filled with ground beef, vegetables, and a cream of mushroom combining agent, Pennsylvanian scrapple, a pork and cornmeal loaf, or Cincinnati-style chili, which is heaped over spaghetti noodles before being suffocated under a tower of onions and cheese.

However, certain regional foods are instantly recognizable as belonging to a single city. New York, for example, has pizza and bagels. Whether you're a fan of Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks, or another sandwich spot altogether, cheesesteaks are an iconic Philadelphia sandwich.

In Chicago, there are several signature dishes, like deep dish pizza, and the colorful, topping-laden Chicago-style hot dog. Another Chicago classic, the Italian beef sandwich, has long been associated with one man — Joe Zucchero.

The Italian beef sandwich is arguably one of the best and most iconic foods in Chicago. Folks in The Windy City have been chowing down on these salty, saucy, and sometimes spicy sandwiches since the early 1900s. Essentially, an Italian beef sandwich consists of roast beef, a rich broth or jus (colloquially referred to as gravy), and sometimes spicy pepper giardiniera spread.

In 1979, Joe Zucchero opened up a diminutive deli and restaurant in Chicago's River North neighborhood called Mr. Beef. At the time, he and his brother Dominic were opening up their Italian beef destination in a lower-income section of town, but in the decades since they started serving sandwiches, the area has transformed into a major city hub, home to highrise apartments and upper-end eateries. The business saw ups and downs but persevered as a borderline historic monument in the Chicago city center. Nevertheless, the legacy of Mr. Beef lives on — at the shop and in popular culture. In an interview with NPR, Joe explained that his son Chris was childhood friends with Chris Storer, creator of the hit Hulu series "The Bear," which centers around an Italian beef restaurant. The elder Zucchero even had the opportunity to visit the show's set.

CBS News reports that Zucchero passed away on March 1 at the age of 69. There is a visitation for the beloved restaurateur at 9 a.m. on March 11, which will take place at Park Ridge's Cooney Funeral Home.