Sandwich King Jeff Mauro Is Opening His First Restaurant Ever In Chicago

The Sandwich King comes to Chicago. Jeff Mauro, Next Food Network Star winner, is opening up his very first restaurant, a casual sandwich eatery in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood.The restaurant will be called Pork & Mindy's, as a nod to the early TV appearance of the late, great Robin Williams.

The 2,500-square foot restaurant will open in late 2015, and will feature a multitude of tempting meats between two slices of bread, like bao pork, pulled smoked chicken, and pulled lamb. There will also be a super-crispy bacon BLT called Pig Candy and a waffle-bun chicken sandwich, according to the Chicagoist. The restaurant will also be a haven for local musicians and artists to showcase their work.

This is Mauro's first restaurant, but not for long. He told the Chicago Tribune that this restaurant will be a flagship, and he and co-founder Kevin Corsello, have already been asked about franchising.

"My philosophy on sandwiches, and I've made a career of showcasing them, is simplicity," Mauro said. "There are too many sloppy sandwiches out there; my flavors are complex, but there will be no more than three or four ingredients."