Fresh off the imminent Halloween sugar high, there’s another festive holiday to look forward to in Dia de Los Muertos. The Mexican “Day of the Dead” takes place late October into early November, a holiday centered around family presenting offerings and remembering loved ones who have died. Sounds morbid, but it’s actually a cleansing and positive ritual with lots of food. This year, a few Chicago restaurants are breathing life into the holiday with some Dia de Los Muertos festivities of their own, from colorful cooking demonstrations to spicy taco specials.

Host Catherine De Orio welcomes Allana Mortell, Anil Hurkadli, and Greg Frasz who weigh in on Pump Room, Paprika, and Briciola.

I enjoyed shooting every episode this season, but this was definitely one of my favorites. For this week’s episode, I visited a Chicago dining institution and learned about a couple of new (to me) restaurants – one Indian and one Italian, two of my favorite types of cuisine.