//The Secret Origin of Chicago’s Tamale Guy

The Secret Origin of Chicago’s Tamale Guy

Claudio Velez is a legend in Chicago. For two decades, he’s assumed the identity of “the Tamale Guy,” a man powered by a red plastic cooler filled with zip-close bags full of fresh tamales and green salsa. Velez, for the most part, has remained an enigma while selling tamales to grateful — and many times inebriated — bar customers. Though the Tamale Guy loves the bar scene, the 55-year-old kept a low profile. For years Velez has harbored a dream