Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/241240
ON THE TOWN FROM TOP: Meteorologist Paul Konrad is an eight-time Emmy Award winner for WGN-TV; a self-proclaimed adventurous eater, Ferguson tried the lamb burger and red snapper sashimi. continued from page 80 EF: You and I are the exact opposites because the hotter the better for me. It doesn't bother me. I just got back from Florida, and I'm going to Florida again in three weeks, and then Phoenix two weeks after that. I have to have those mental breaks every 21 days and hit the reset button; otherwise I become an ugly person. Not you, though—you're Captain Sunshine. Paul, how does this extreme cold impact your job? EF: [Tom] Skilling shoves him out of the way. PK: [Laughs] The producers of our show are trying to get the most important information to the most number of people, so it becomes these nonstop weather days. But that's the beauty of my job: It impacts everybody, especially on extreme days. Did you go all weather today? EF: Yes! We're talking about what everybody else is talking about, and let's be honest: This is the only thing that anybody's talking about. My job is just to make fun of it. PK: We give you plenty of material! Could you imagine doing each other's job? PK: I could not. Eric has to stay on top of pop culture, and he has to do a ton of reading and stay connected. I have no interest or time for pop culture—I wind up getting so angry! [Laughs] Also, if you're doing a show early in the morning you have to do a lot of the work the day ahead of time. I wouldn't be tickled about doing that part of it. But besides that, I'm sure I could do it! EF: [Laughs] I could do it in my sleep. In all seriousness, Paul's got one of the more interesting jobs around, and people rely on him in much different ways than they rely on me—more important ways. He's got to do something 25, 30 times a day—deliver the same content in a different way. That's not easy. I have the luxury of content constantly changing. PK: [Laughs] That's why I started making stuff up just to keep myself mentally alert! [Red snapper sashimi with pineapple miso, caviar, and shaved radish is served] EF: I can eat sushi every day. We go out for sushi a lot—at least twice a week. PK: That's nice. At our house as well, my wife is trying to explore with the kids to see their level of interest in it, but it's expensive, so I'm like, "Just keep giving them Cheerios—they won't know the difference." We go to Sushi Dokku in the West Loop, where we live. [Lamb burger with date jam, harissa aioli, and heirloom tomato is served; grilled flat iron steak salad with red onion jam, soubise vinaigrette, and Wisconsin white cheddar is served] EF: Anytime I see sashimi on the menu as an appetizer or as the main course, I tend to gravitate toward it, so I wanted to make sure I got it as an appetizer. I'm more of an adventurous eater; I saw the lamb and said, "Here's something that will be an interesting foray." PK: I'd say that's a nice adventure, that lamb burger. If you have a steak salad, you really don't want salad—you're there for steak. I love this steak, and the bread is awesome. What is it you love most about the Chicago market? PK: Chicago's home to me, so there's something about growing up in this awesome city and watching TV. I think of guys like Tim Weigel and Tom Skilling; to realize I'm now working in this industry where, when I was a boy, I loved watching these guys—that is really cool. 82 "Love it or hate it, this is a real winter, and there's something to be said for that." —ERIC FERGUSON EF: I grew up listening to great radio personalities like Larry Lujack, Steve Dahl, and Jon Brandmeier. I vividly remember being a 7-year-old kid in Elburn and lying in my bedroom at night, having the radio on, and thinking, "Is there a better job in the world?" To have it come full circle—to have guys who are the reason you got in the industry become your peers—it's the greatest experience in the world. When you run into Brandmeier and he says, "I listen to your show—I really like it," you think, "Well, you're the reason I'm doing it!" It's really gratifying. I think I'm one of those few people who's doing exactly what he's supposed to be doing. How many people can say that? That's a rarity. It's a gift, and it's not to be taken lightly. Maybe there's a little boy or girl listening to you— EF: I do think about that sometimes, because there's a responsibility that goes along with that. PK: You can't swear anymore. EF: [Laughs] Exactly! MA MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 080-082_MA_Taste_OTT_Winter_14.indd 82 1/10/14 9:48 AM