The Chicago Tomato Man

Published: Aug. 27, 2021, 6:47 p.m.

One winter, Bob Zeni’s frustration with the bland tomatoes at the grocery store came to a head and he started growing tomatoes in his basement under grow lights. Many years, hundreds of varieties and thousands of tomato plants later, he is known locally as the “Chicago Tomato Man,” selling his famous plants and helping others grow their own delicious varieties at home.