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Listen: Camp Washington's Johnny Johnson and his daughter Maria Papakirk on StoryCorps

Johnny Johnson, the patriarch of Camp Washington Chili, passed away Thursday, according to a post on the restaurant's social media.

As a boy in 1951, Johnny left his native Greece and came to join the family business in America, where he became a pioneer of Cincinnati-style chili.

In 2017, Johnson joined his daughter, Maria Papakirk, for this StoryCorps in Cincinnati. Press the play button above to listen.

Updated: October 17, 2025 at 7:52 AM EDT