With Halloween around the corner, we’re talking all things sweet! On this episode of Supper with Sylvia, we sit down with Patrick and Alycia Mason, the husband-and-wife duo behind Candycopia. The hit suburban candy shop with locations in Oak Park and Elmhurst, Illinois, is winning over candy lovers with its popular Swedish gummies, dirty sodas, sour challenges, and nostalgic favorites.

From colorful gummies to handmade creations from small-batch candymakers, Candycopia is all about discovering something delicious and unexpected. Patrick and Alycia share the inspiration behind their business, their recent Guinness world record, and how they’re bringing a whole new world of sweets to their community.

Tune in for a fun, flavorful conversation that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Because there’s no better time to talk candy than Halloween!

📌Check out SupperwithSylvia on Instagram.
📩Email us at SupperwithSylvia@gmail.com

This episode is brought to you by MARIANO'S.

🛒 Proudly Sponsored by Mariano’s

Looking for local flavor you can bring home? Discover chef-crafted sauces, pastas, oils, and more from your favorite Chicago chefs — now available through Mariano’s We Love Local program. Support local artisans, savor authentic taste, and celebrate Chicago’s culinary spirit with every bite.

👉 Explore Mariano’s We Love Local Products

Producer: Jennifer Waters

Video and Audio Editor: Donnie Cutting

Strategy and Partnerships: Iliana Blasdell

More than 50 years and 130 restaurants later, the Melman family is still at the table - and the next generation is pulling up a chair.

In this special live episode ofSupper with Sylvia, we’re sitting down with the Melman kids to talk about what it was really like growing up in a restaurant family. We get into working alongside a legendary dad, sibling dynamics, the pressures and privileges of carrying on a family legacy, and how this next generation is putting its own spin on the business.

It’s a conversation about family, food, Chicago, and figuring out how to honor what came before, while creating what comes next.

A very special thanks to Darryl Smith and the team at Sushi-san for their hospitality in hosting this live podcast event, for the benefit of Chicago Chefs Cook.

📌Check out SupperwithSylvia on Instagram.
📩Email us at SupperwithSylvia@gmail.com

This episode is brought to you by MARIANO'S.

🛒 Proudly Sponsored by Mariano’s

Looking for local flavor you can bring home? Discover chef-crafted sauces, pastas, oils, and more from your favorite Chicago chefs — now available through Mariano’s We Love Local program. Support local artisans, savor authentic taste, and celebrate Chicago’s culinary spirit with every bite.

👉 Explore Mariano’s We Love Local Products

Producer: Jennifer Waters

Video and Audio Editor: Donnie Cutting

Strategy and Partnerships: Iliana Blasdell

For Monti Carlo, being “between worlds” was never just a figure of speech. Growing up as a Puerto Rican girl in Houston, she learned to navigate two cultures, and questions about where, and how, she belonged.

In her cookbook, Spanglish, Monti traces that journey through food, family, and the experiences that shaped her. She shares her story of becoming a single mom to finding her way onto the MasterChef stage, building a career in television, and eventually making her way to the James Beard red carpet.

But this conversation goes beyond Monti’s impressive career. It’s about identity, belonging, and the freedom that comes with embracing every part of background. Today, she is proudly Puerto Rican, proudly Spanglish, and unapologetic about both. Her story, and her food, are a celebration of what can happen when the spaces between cultures become a place you can truly call home.

📌Check out SupperwithSylvia on Instagram.
📩Email us at SupperwithSylvia@gmail.com

This episode is brought to you by MARIANO'S.

🛒 Proudly Sponsored by Mariano’s

Looking for local flavor you can bring home? Discover chef-crafted sauces, pastas, oils, and more from your favorite Chicago chefs — now available through Mariano’s We Love Local program. Support local artisans, savor authentic taste, and celebrate Chicago’s culinary spirit with every bite.

👉 Explore Mariano’s We Love Local Products

Producer: Jennifer Waters

Video and Audio Editor: Donnie Cutting

Strategy and Partnerships: Iliana Blasdell