Sandwich King

Jeff Mauro gets to live out one of his lifelong dreams when he stands shoulder to shoulder with master slicer Gino, slinging monstrous corned beef sandwiches and latkes at Manny's Deli, where he gets inspiration for a deli day back in his own kitchen. Jeff puts together a sandwich of Manny's corned beef using two of his own homemade latkes as the bread. And if that wasn't enough, he braises and slices a brisket for a sandwich that combines the rich, succulent meat with red cabbage slaw and smoked mozzarella. Then, he finishes the day's noshing with his take on a classic carrot and raisin salad.

Jeff Mauro stops in to see his friends at Conte de Savioa, in the heart of Chicago's Little Italy, to learn the secret of making fresh mozzarella and gain a few other insights for his Italian sandwich fest back home. Once in his own kitchen, Jeff takes some of the creamy fresh cheese he helped make and puts it first on an Italian cold-cut sub and then atop the classic sausage and peppers hero. And even your sweet tooth gets a little relief with Jeff's fun and creative take on the Italian favorite dessert, the cannoli.

On the search for healthy sandwiches, Jeff Mauro heads up to Graze restaurant in Madison, Wis., to pick up some techniques from a chef who makes the most colorful and craveable veggie burger on the planet. Back home, the healthy swagger of a Caesar salad helps jazz up Jeff's Grilled Chicken Wrap, while he uses what he learned in Madison to help him put together a Middle-Eastern spiced mini burger. And on the side, a healthy snack that's almost too good to be true: crunchy kale chips with a barbecue flair.

Jeff and his son Lorenzo head up to the Mars Cheese Castle in Wisconsin in search of the perfect cheese. With the help of the resident cheesemonger, they taste a staggering array of cheeses and even grill a few up to check their "meltitude" to figure out which ones will accompany them back home. Once back in their kitchen, father and son get slicing as they pile up both adult and kid versions of the venerable cheese steak, and then Jeff melts down a block for cheddar for a classic Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup.

You can't talk about Chicago barbecue without mentioning Russell's, and this iconic spot figures prominently in Jeff's food biography as well. This was where his folks would take him to celebrate life's little achievements, and the food has since set up shop in Jeff's heart. He watches with reverence as manager Ben Tarpia takes him into the kitchen and to the pit. Still smelling of wood-smoke, Jeff rushes back home to fire up his own pit, and goes straight-up luau with a Hawaiian BBQ pork sandwich decked in pineapple, then goes stateside for a chicken salad on Texas toast, paired with potato salad. Fire it up!

Burgers hold a very special place in the Sandwich King's foodie heart. Especially the way Jeff's friend Eddie makes them at his beloved lunch-only spot, Edzo's. Using beef he grinds fresh every day, and working up a perfect crust on a cast-iron griddle, Eddie's burgers inspire Jeff to fry up his ultimate burger, topped with tangy secret dressing, and served with easy oven fries. Then Jeff switches it up with a classic patty melt done one better by using healthy ground turkey. A show so mouthwatering, you'll need extra napkins!

Being the Sandwich King is a full-time job, and doesn't always leave Jeff time for romantic moments with his wife, Sarah. So he makes a beeline to see Chef Randy Waidner at Luxbar, a place that's figured out a way to mix the folksiness of sandwiches with the glamour of date night. Call in some classic luxury foods -- steak for mini crostini and fresh lobster on a home-baked hot dog bun -- and Jeff's ready to romance his wife at a candlelit table for two. But don't forget dessert: chocolate sandwiches with strawberries and toasted marshmallow.

Most of us think of sandwiches as lunch, but when you're having breakfast for dinner anything goes! Chicago's Deluxe Diner lives up to its name, and makes one of Jeff's favorite breakfast sandwiches: a Monte Cristo on French toast. Jeff works the griddle getting Chef Marcello's secrets and heads home to break out his own version. Then he takes the day-for-night inspiration even further and makes a sandwich as delicious as it is audacious: fried chicken between a pair of waffles. Finish with a side of bacony braised collard greens and you won't care what time it is. Order up!

There's one thing all sandwiches have in common: bread. Whether white or wheat, roll or hero - good bread is essential for a good sandwich. So Jeff pays a visit to his Aunt Rita and Uncle Joel, who happen to run a deli & bakery, to get some ideas for dressing up the outside of the sandwich. After a little time at the kneading board, The Sandwich King heads back home to get yeasty with it, baking focaccia for a Mediterranean-inspired grilled chicken sandwich and some pretzel bread to elevate a humble hot dog. A show so delicious, you'll want to eat it fresh out of the oven.

America is a land of sandwiches: We love the classics and can be fiercely protective of the way they're built. Jeff respects the great sandwiches too, but that doesn't mean he's not going to tinker from time to time. So in this episode, he heads to Gramwich, where chef Merlin Verrier has been tweaking the mainstays of the American sandwich pantheon for years. The visit with Merlin inspires Jeff to reimagine the venerable BLT using pancetta instead of bacon and subbing avocado crema for mayo. Then he dishes up a Sloppy Joe that gets its flavor from the markets of central Mexican, but brings it back stateside thanks to a tangle of crisp onion rings. America's never tasted better!

During Jeff's formative years as a Sandwich Prince, he worked at a deli working the meat slicer; his constant companions were corned beef, pastrami and lots of fresh rye bread. Classic deli fare really speaks to his sandwich soul and the folks at Fumare in Chicago's French Market know the language fluently. Jeff gets a tasty tour of some of Fumare's favorites, then heads home to put together his special take on that tart and cheesy creation, the Reuben. You can't be truly deli without coleslaw, so Jeff shreds up a fresh batch before slicing and stacking roast beef into a sandwich that reaches new heights of savory deliciousness. You want pickles with that?

Sandwiches are pretty comforting to begin with, so imagine the double-dose of cozy that comes with a comfort food sandwich. Jeff's heading to the Palace Grill to get the scoop on a couple of classics from his friend George. You better believe gooey grilled cheese is on the menu, and Jeff takes some of that inspiration home and does it one better with his grilled cheese two ways. Next up, that most famous of all comfort foods, meatloaf! But the Sandwich King pairs his meatloaf with crispy onions and slips it onto a soft potato roll. All this meal needs is a warm bowl of roasted tomato soup. Pass the remote!

As an Italian-American from Chicago, Jeff's heart pumps red sauce. Good thing Italians are also known for their spectacular sandwiches. Jeff's friend Paula from Danny's Café makes his all-time favorite Italian-style sandwich: The fried meatball hero. So the Sandwich King soaks in some inspiration before heading home to have a whack at this special sandwich himself. When he's done with that, it's on to another slice of Italy: a cheesy eggplant parmesan hero. A simple chopped salad rounds things off. Buon appetito!

Sandwiches usually get a bad rap as waistline enhancers, but Jeff's out to change that perception with a little help from friends Greg O'Neill and Ken Miller at Chicago sandwich shop Pastoral. Jeff's been watching what he eats, and he knows that lighter ingredients and healthier preparations add up to sandwiches that cut calories and fat, while still delivering on taste and satisfaction. After hanging with the guys at Pastoral, Jeff heads back to his kitchen, where he uses flatbread as a foil for vibrant grilled veggies and uses tortillas to wrap up a refreshing chicken salad. Spring pasta salad rounds out this menu, which is as healthy as it is tasty.

Jeff's first kitchen inspiration came at the knee of his father, Gus, proving once and for all that Sandwich Kings aren't made, they're born. So Jeff goes back home to take part in a spring tradition in the Mauro family, a raucous improvised dinner using Easter leftovers. Inspired by the season and a bracing jolt of family, Jeff heads home to do it all over again, on bread. Baked ham takes a bow on sweet potato biscuits and "a little of this and a little of that" adds up to an eggy kitchen-sink frittata sandwich, paired with spicy hash browns. Leftovers never had it so good.

Sandwiches can be a lot of things - but dessert? Jeff definitely thinks so, and he heads to innovative pastry shop Sugar Fixe to prove it. With some pointers from chef and owner Cindy Summers, Jeff gets inspired to whip up a sandwich that would make Elvis proud - a crunchy, sweet, creamy and fried PB&J. Next, he reinvents the ice cream sandwich by pairing ice cream with homemade chocolate turtles. Wash it down with a decadent chocolate cake shake, and you'll be ready for a nap.

Jeff Mauro serves up his favorite fish and chips meal ... on bread! He visits his favorite fish market for ocean-fresh cod, which he fries in a golden beer batter and serves on slider-sized parker house rolls with fresh and crunchy fennel slaw. Plus, you can't miss his trick for crispy sweet potato fries, the perfect accompaniment.

Jeff Mauro satisfies his street food cravings with his homespun take on the gyro. Next, he goes from street to steakhouse, stacking juicy ribeye, garlicky spinach, and blue cheese dressing on crusty buttered French bread for a power dinner sandwich you’ll never forget.

Jeff Mauro goes Chicago-Latin with not one but two delicious sandwiches. The first transforms a traditional chicken mole meal into a layered, hands-on experience by stacking shredded, mole-coated chicken on soft bolillo rolls with beans, cheese, and homemade tomatillo sauce. His second sandwich is even more surprising, using fried plantains instead of bread as a vehicle for ham sandwich like you've never had before.

Jeff Mauro transforms a favorite Chicago entree, Chicken Vesuvio, into a hearty meal on a French roll, complete with flavorful pan sauce, pea and mushrooms, roasted potato wedges, and more! Then, a side of Polish! Polish sausage that is, served exactly Maxwell Street Style -- why mess with perfection?

Craving a famous Chicago Italian Beef sandwich but don't have a deli slicer? Jeff Mauro has the perfect solution in his potroast-style Chicago Italian Beef, complete with sautéed sweet peppers and his own Hot Giardiniera. Still hungry? Jeff Mauro's Mortadella and Fig Focaccianini are pressed panini taken to the next level with pillowy, rich focaccia.

Jeff Mauro takes a classic German chicken schnitzel dinner and re-imagines the meal served inside a flaky, homemade biscuit. Layer upon layer, it's delicious proof that a sandwich is so much more than the sum of its parts.