Chicago gained its culinary position in the forties and fifties, when it was one of the largest sources of fresh prime beef, a railroad center, and the largest city in the midwest. The tradition has carried on thanks to air freight services, whereby huge amounts of reasonably fresh seafood come to the midwest. Chicago remains a rail hub, and one of the five largest markets in the US. It is the demand for good food that creates the supply, so I would also give credit to the people of Chicago who have continued to expect access to the best the world has to offer.
