VERONICA HINKE

Journalism- clips & experience

I love that I can be a cheerleader for people by telling their stories! Here are some of my favorite stories that I have reported.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/20/2020
The best meals of 2020? This year, instead, we’re celebrating how suburban Chicago restaurants got creative amid COVID-19 restrictions. LINK

CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/17/2019
We asked 50 chefs and restaurateurs to tell us where they go in the Chicago suburbs when they want a nice meal out — for inspiration, relaxation or just plain old good eats. LINK

WINE ENTHUSIAST
My 300-page book The Last Night on The Titanic began with a 350-word magazine article. Here is the magazine article that was blogged by the New York Times, the Village Voice and more and sparked the interest of a major book publisher. LINK

CHICAGO TRIBUNE- WWII HERO LOUIS ZAMPERINI
 Just months before he passed away, I had the tremendous honor to interview incredible WWII hero Louis Zamperini for the Chicago Tribune. Talking with Mr. Zamperini was a highlight of my life. Louis’ heroic story of survival as a POW was nothing short of miraculous and was the focus of Laura Hillenbrand’s book Unbroken and Angelia Jolie’s blockbuster movie of the same title. LINK TO STORY

WWII hero Louis Zamperini, subject of the book and movie “Unbroken”; 1976 Olympic gold medalist John Naber; Television evangelist Billy Graham.  
Photo: Courtesy John Naber

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
“BEST MEALS OF THE YEAR” STORIES
In Chicago and wondering where to eat? Go where the pros go! Here’s my inside scoop on the best meals in the Chicago area, as chosen by some of the best chefs right here. Five years in the running now, and this annual end-of-year round-up story is a much-anticipated “clip-and-save” for some of the biggest and brightest chow hounds!

2018
Part 1: https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-dob-ent-best-meals-0104-story.html
Part II: https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-dob-ent-best-meals-1228-story.html
2017: https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-ppn-best-thing-i-ate-all-year-story.html
2016: https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-ppn-chefs-best-meals-2016-tl-1229-20161220-story.html
2015: https://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/redeye-these-are-chicago-chefs-favorite-meals-in-the-city-20151229-story.html

At the heart of every food story, it’s always about the people. I learned that reporting food news for Chicago Tribune papers. Every story has inspired me and taught me something new. See what you might find out:

LINK TO FOOD STORIES:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-veronica-hinke-staff.html

ASSOCIATED PRESS – National Lifestyles
I have reported “news you can use” stories since I was a teenager. Here is an example – this is a report for the Associated Press national lifestyles desk that highlights the latest “fashions” in life preservers: LINK

ANTHONY BOURDAIN PRESS CONFERENCE
December 1, 2015
In his “Disappearing Manhattan” show, one of my all-time favorites of his, Anthony turned me on to so many storied NYC eateries. My favorite is the fabulous, venerated Le V’eau D’or on the Upper East Side. At a press conference in December 2015, I asked Anthony to tell everyone about his favorite restaurant from the story.