There’s been a shakeup on “Check, Please!” — the pioneering show on WTTW featuring Chicago-area residents discussing local restaurants.
Crain’s Chicago reports that Catherine De Orio, who hosted the series for five years, is out and Alpana Singh will step into the role this summer.
Singh knows the show well. She hosted “Check, Please!” from 2003 to 2013, before leaving to focus on her then-new restaurant, The Boarding House. Since then, Singh has opened Seven Lions in the Loop and Terra & Vine in Evanston. Last October, she sold her stake in Seven Lions.
De Orio took the reins of the show after a lengthy competition process following Singh’s departure. She is a formally trained chef, a prolific food writer and executive director of the Kendall College Trust.
“Check, Please!” was created in 2001 by David Manilow and was originally hosted by Amanda Puck. Each show features three guests who each pick a restaurant for all of them to visit. The show has won mutliple Emmy Awards, and versions of the show have launched in other areas, including the Bay Area, South Florida, Arizona and Seattle.
We’ve reached out to Singh and Manilow, and will update the story with any other news.
nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @nickdk
