There’s nothing quite like enjoying an Italian beef sandwich with layers of thinly sliced, seasoned roast beef on an Italian-style roll, topped with pickled giardiniera relish. Dipping the whole sandwich in jus, all while listening to Panther Style music is the perfect pairing for this latest Lhyme feature. Recipe to follow!

The band features Dan Lutger on drums, his wife Melissa Koehl on guitar and background vocals, Jeanne McClure who handles bass and lead vocals, and Al Rodis on guitar. Dan and Al have a long history of playing together in various bands, while Melissa and Jeanne both have orchestral backgrounds, with Melissa initially playing cello and Jeanne the viola. Jeanne also played in Mary Tyler Morphine and was in another band with Al before this group formed. All members have extensive musical experience, with transitions between different instruments and roles over the years. Their long-standing musical connections contribute to the band’s cohesive sound.

The band came up with the name Panther Style, which they found hilarious because they initially considered calling it Sex Panther, inspired by the movie Anchorman. This was a placeholder name, but gradually they started liking Panther Style more and more. Having been in bands with various fun and quirky names before, they wanted something more grounded. After brainstorming, they finally settled on Panther Style. They like the idea of evoking a Karate or Kung Fu vibe, with a nod to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, while also reflecting their hard rock style and the power of their music. When they heard it, they knew it was the perfect name for their band.

When chatting with the band about their influences, they noted they strive not to fit into any specific genre. While their music is definitely rock, they try to avoid sounding like any one particular influence. Each member of Panther Style has distinctive musical influences, but they avoid being boxed into one style. When they let go and play freely, Panther Style just naturally emerges. Currently, their music blends a dancing, mid-90s Brit shoegaze pop vibe with a driving, percussive rock element, with songs ping-ponging between the two. They have straightforward rock numbers and others that are more groove-oriented, making their music diverse yet cohesive. Panther Style’s wide range of influences means that their music appeals to a broad audience. At their shows, you’ll see metalheads, pop rockers, and other fans of various styles of music. Jeanne mentioned notable influences include Failure, Jane’s Addiction, The Cult, Metallica, The Cure, Led Zeppelin, Sonic Youth, Peter Hook from New Order, and even Barry Manilow. Al noted influences like Dave Navarro, Ace Frehley, and Jane’s Addiction. Other influences for Panther Style include Big Thief, The Allman Brothers, contemporary hip-hop and rap, Simon and Garfunkel, Buffalo Tom, Peter Gabriel, and PJ Harvey. For Melissa, discovering PJ Harvey was particularly impactful. Initially influenced by male artists like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath in high school, she realized that a woman could also rock with raw power, thanks to PJ Harvey and encouraged her to continue playing to build her craft in rock music.

Earlier this month, Panther Style released their first album in about 13 years, an EP titled Dynasty. They’re also working on finishing a full-length record, but they were so excited about their new material that they didn’t want to wait to release something. Dynasty is the lead track, and check the awesome video release for Dynasty and Panther Style Spotify for below.

In addition, Panther Style recently covered The Cult’s “Love Removal Machine.” For the EP, they included a couple of songs they were eager to share with their fans. Marshall Gallagher from Teenage Wrist mixed the records, and they were thrilled with his work. Marshall is incredibly talented, and he took the time to produce and mix their music. A fun fact about this album is that when Panther Style released their first album, they received an email from Beau Hill, a renowned music producer who has worked with artists like Alice Cooper and Ratt. Initially, they thought it was a joke, but it turned out to be genuine. Beau Hill liked their songs and offered to mix one of them, which was an incredible compliment and opportunity for Panther Style.

They’re aiming for a February 2025 release for their full-length album, building on the momentum of the EP. The band is very close-knit, prioritizing quality over quantity in their music. This EP offers a glimpse of what’s to come, with the full-length album expected to be seamless and cohesive, reflecting their thoughtful approach to songwriting and production. Having been together for about 20 years, Panther Style has no plans to split up. They aim to continue making quality music and playing the music they love for as long as possible, always striving to create cool and meaningful music.

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When it comes to food, it plays a central role in Panther Style’s band dynamic. They love getting together to eat, holding an annual Christmas party at a restaurant, and celebrating each other’s birthdays with outings. Food is definitely a significant part of their band process, bringing them closer together and fostering their camaraderie. Panther Style always loves discussing their next culinary adventure together. For Al, a first-generation Filipino-American, food holds a significant nostalgia. He cherishes memories of his grandmother’s and mother’s authentic Filipino cooking, which is hard to find now. Dishes like his grandmother’s fish, chicken adobo, egg rolls, and pork evoke childhood memories of weekends spent enjoying their meals. Although he has found a few places that come close, nothing can replicate those cherished family recipes. Jeanne has a deep love for Italian food, which began when she visited her sister in Rome at 19. She fondly remembers the spicy arrabbiata pasta and the fresh ingredients she would pick up from local markets. These experiences ignited her passion for all things Italian cuisine. Melissa’s culinary memories revolve around her mother’s evolving cooking skills. Growing up, her family ate simple dishes like tuna casserole and pork chops. However, as her mother delved deeper into French cooking, Melissa got to experience French cuisine with all its fresh ingredients. A standout memory is the meal her mother prepared the night before Melissa’s wedding in France, featuring pork loins, green beans, fingerling potatoes, fresh herbs, wine, and cheese. Additionally, Melissa praises her mom’s coleslaw as the perfect hangover food with just the right balance of vinegar and mayo making it her go-to hangover food with fries. Dan’s favorite food is a proper hot dog, particularly the iconic Chicago-style hot dog topped with yellow mustard, white onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt all on a poppy seed bun. The band hailing from Chicago also adores Italian beef, deep-dish pizza, and other comfort foods perfect for cold weather. In the summer, Al loves to barbecue, while Dan is known for his amazing smash burgers.

For snacks, Jeanne loves snacking on roasted, unsalted almonds and Al considers pizza Combos a road trip essential. When it comes to sweets, dark chocolate, creme brulee, and tiramisu are popular among the band members. Jeanne has a special fondness for pecan pie and all kinds of pies. She often makes cherry pies with sweet and tart cherries from Wisconsin. This band truly loves fresh, local ingredients in the food they eat and indulging in the rich culinary scene of Chicago. For this recipe, I decided to go with the classic Chicago-style Italian beef and include the band’s gluten-free needs by serving it on a gluten-free hoagie roll. I wanted to capture the local essence of Chicago’s beloved Italian beef, focusing on the authentic experience rather than fancy photos when we shot this recipe. This dish embodies the savory, warm, steamy, and spicy flavors that make Chicago’s local food scene so special. Check out the recipe below!

Classic Chicago-Style Italian Beef (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

5 pounds beef top roast
1 gluten-free hoagie roll per serving (I used Udi’s brand gluten-free baguettes)
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce (gluten-free)
2 tablespoons Italian dried herb seasoning
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 jar (16 oz) giardiniera (Chicago-style mild or hot)
1 jar (16 oz) pepperoncini
4 cloves of garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 F.
Rub top roast all over with olive oil.
Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Then rub the mixture all over the roast beef.
In a large roasting pan, place the beef top roast.
Place roast in the oven, close the door, and immediately lower the oven temperature to 475°F degrees.
Roast at 475°F for 25 minutes and then turn off the oven and let the roast sit in the oven for 2-½ hours. Do not open the oven door during this period.
Remove the roast from the oven and pour the juices into a strainer then transfer to a bowl.
Store the bowl in the fridge until the next day when it’s time to make the au jus.
Wrap the cooked beef roast in foil and place in the fridge overnight.
Using a mandoline slicer, slice the beef as thin as possible similar to a deli roast beef.
In a large saucepan, combine the drained beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, pepperoncini, giardiniera, minced garlic, salt, red pepper, black pepper, basil, and oregano and stir.
Add the sliced roast beef to the saucepan as well and simmer the roast beef for 30 minutes.
Bake your gluten-free bread according to package directions.
Serve the roast Italian beef on freshly baked gluten-free bread with a side of giardiniera and extra au jus to dip. Enjoy!