CHICAGO—The founder of the Chicago Italian beef shop that inspired FX’s “The Bear,” Joseph Zucchero, has died at 69, his son said.
Mr. Beef, the no-frills sandwich joint in Chicago’s River North, 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.
Zucchero died unexpectedly on March 1 at Rush Medical Center while undergoing treatment for cancer, said his son, Christopher Zucchero, who is a co-owner of the restaurant. “He was supposed to come home,” he said.
Zucchero said the family is waiting to learn exact cause of his father’s death….