Kitchen Convos Podcast

What an awesome season we have had! I really do love these conversations. Some exciting news before I dive in to how awesome Kyla Woods is. This is a wrap. That’s right. After 52 awesome episodes, three amazing seasons and a lot of conversations, we are taking a break from Kitchen Convos.  Don’t worry! I’ll […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 52: Kyla Woods appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

What is it like to be one of the top caterers in Cincinnati? What is it like to be the top woman-owned catering company in Cincinnati? In this week’s episode I sit down with boss babe Renee Schuler, owner of Eat Well Celebrations, in her Newport, KY home. Renee made us one of the best […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 51: Renee Schuler appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Locally smoked trout. Say wha?!?! In this week’s episode I had the delight of sitting down at Grant’s house, hearing about why and how he is growing a trout company in Cincinnati. Ok- so maybe a little clarification – he has a freshwater fish company that is actually based in Wisconsin and established in 1955. […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 50: Grant Johnson appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Friends, it is so good to be back! I enjoyed the last couple weeks off and now we are rounding out the last 4 episodes of Season 3. It’s so good! When I think of David Bach, he is one of these guys who embody what what Kitchen Convos is about. David worked in the […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 49: David Bach appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

I have known Aaron for a few years now. I got to know him at WNKU where he worked for many years until its untimely sign-off in 2017. I love reminding him about my appearance Movers, Shakers, & Tastemakers when I played Taylor Swift. So what happens when a guy who loves food but really […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 48: Aaron Sharpe appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

I have focused so much of this storytelling platform on the small food businesses that make up our region. This Kitchen Convo is with the awesome team at First Watch.  I walked away from this interview thinking about how lovely it is to hear how big companies still feel small. The founder of First Watch […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 47: First Watch Restaurant appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Can I just tell you that these conversations FILL MY CUP? I just love talking to folks and hearing their stories of why they do what they do. I love when they dig deep into the trials and JOYS of business. I love hosting these conversations because women like Ronda share their determination and learnings. […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 46: Ronda Breeden appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Molly Wellman, owner of Japp’s Since 1879 & Myrtle’s Punch House, author of Handcrafted Cocktails: The Mixologist’s Guide to Classic Drinks for Morning, Noon & Night If you are from Cincinnati, I am assuming you have seen Molly’s BIG BRIGHT smile, either in person or on countless news segments! She is one of my favorites. […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 45: Molly Wellmann appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

So what happens when 7 industry leaders join forces to open up a brand new concept based all around spirits? Karrikin – that is what happens. I loved when Jeff so eloquently described the meaning behind their name- Karrikins are regulators, found in the smoke of burning plants, that stimulate new growth. For this definition […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 44: Karrikin Spirits & Co. appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

To be honest, Emily and I would do this episode EVERY WEEK if we could! We just have fun together. We have been friends for quite a few years and even gathered a group of us lady bosses, calling ourselves “The Small Business B*tches.” The group would get together, and still does from time to […] The post Kitchen Convos Podcast Ep. 43: Emily Frank appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Part 2 of our recording from the 2017 Cincinnati Food & Wine Classic. SLIGHTLY OPINIONATED AND DELIGHTFULLY IRREVERENT: WRITERS SPEAK Join four of the brightest and chattiest award-winning food journalists as they talk about how cities are redefining themselves through constructing a food culture, the celebration and exploitation of regional foods, the importance of local […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 42: 2017 Cincinnati Food & Wine Classic Pt. 2 appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

This episode features 2 different interviews conducted at the 2017 Cincinnati Food & Wine Classic. First up are two engineers, artists, and visionaries. Luis Laya and James Payne of Fire Lab are the designers and master builders of Cincinnati Food + Wine Classic’s Live Fire Grill Pavilion. Hear their fascinating and unique story of how […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 41: 2017 Cincinnati Food & Wine Classic Pt. 1 appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

What started as a garnish on a salad has turned Hen of the Woods into a snack food company with the mission of creating flavor focused tasty treats that everyone everywhere can enjoy.  Nick Marckwald’s kettle chip journey began in 2013 at a local farmer’s market at Washington Park in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio. […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 40: Nick Marckwald appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

MadTree tapped their inaugural beer at Arthur’s in Hyde Park in February of 2013. Ryan Blevins was there to try it. Little did he know he’d soon be brewing it. “I told [MadTree cofounder] Kenny [McNutt], ‘If you need help, I’ll do anything. I don’t care if I scrub the floors,’” Blevins says. A mechanic […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 39: Ryan Blevins appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

A life long love of food and cooking landed her a gig as the Culinary Editor for Edible Ohio Valley. From there Joann Drilling went on to become the Dining Editor at Cincinnati Magazine where she contributed monthly coverage including criticism, news, and features. She also oversaw and executed three to four food-related cover packages […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 38: Joann Drilling appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Richard Stewart has been farming for over thirteen years now and is the sixth generation of the family to work the land. He is married and a father of two awesome children. Carriage House Farm was once a small 90 acre homestead, but today includes more than 300 acres of fertile, mostly river bottom, land […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 37: Richard Stewart appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Ali Crowdus is the Executive Chef & Owner of Power Pack Meals, a meal preparation service based in Northern KY. They shop, cook, and portion your meals each week! Each meal based on basic nutritional requirements, focusing on lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and fibrous vegetables. The main focus of Power Pack Meals is to not add […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 36: Ali Crowdus appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Founding Partner and Executive Director Company of the Cincinnati Food + Wine Classic, Donna Corvettalso has 20 years in the culinary industry and 13 years in journalism—eight of those as dining editor for Cincinnati Magazine. She is also the Founding Partner and Executive Director Cof City Stories, a multi-media company that includes writing and editing SENATE STREET […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 35: Donna Covrett appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Happy Chicks Bakery owners Jessica Bechtel and Jana Douglass met in 2001 while working together as exhibit designers at a local landmark. It was not a pleasant work environment; the pair was referred to as, “The Painter Chicks,” and it wasn’t a term of endearment. But, as Bechtel says, “It was because nobody ever really […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 34: Happy Chicks Bakery appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

What can you say about Elias Leisring that hasn’t already been said. From Fountain Square to Findlay Market to Riverside Drive and back to Findlay Market, he’s created a BBQ empire here in the Queen City. Not satisfied with smoking out the entire town, Eli has has his fingerprints on a variety of new endeavors […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 33: Elias Leisring appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Former Head Chef and Owner of Nectar in Mount Lookout discusses closing the business she ran for 12 years. Julie and Rachel also talk about her next move into becoming a personal chef as well as local and sustainable food. Podcast Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes Podcast produced by Unravel Productions. Music by Ike Wilhelm. The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 32: Julie Francis appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

After many years as a corporate chef for Kroger and making the rounds at many of the top kitchens in the city, chef Baron Shirley has finally landed in a place of his own with his brand new Inspirado at Madison Gallery in downtown Covington, and it’s so much more than a restaurant. As the […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 31: Baron Shirley appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

It took years of working in the corporate world for her to realize that it was not the life she wanted. Gone would be her days of workaholism. Frank decided to leave Chicago to return to Cincinnati and start, from the ground up, some sort of food business. “I really wanted to work for myself […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 30: Emily Frank appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Smooth Nitro Coffee was born out of a love for quality coffee and a regular need for caffeine! We believe in the use of wholesome ingredients, and value our partnerships with upstanding local businesses. We have already begun building meaningful relationships with our loyal customers, and love telling people about all the benefits of our […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 29: Dan Thaler appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Garrison is the owner of Russo’s Ravioli. Garrison uses an old family recipe to create gourmet, artisan style, cheese, meat, butternut squash and mushroom ravioli. They are handmade, using fresh never frozen products, then flash frozen – to be easily prepared in your own kitchen. Serve with your favorite sauce of choice! You can find […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 28: Garrison Jennings appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Renee Koerner trades exclusively in farm-raised American Paddlefish, from which they produce paddlefish caviar as well as paddlefish meat. It is the most cleanly and fairly produced fish one could ever dream of. And it further helps that the caviar Renee makes is a superb version of this luxurious treat, the product of exhaustive research […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 27: Renee Koerner appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Derek dos Anjos is the head chef and owner of The Anchor-OTR.  A classic seafood restaurant bringing the experience of the sea to land-locked Cincinnatians. From Maine sea scallops to grilled whole fish to fresh oysters flown in from the west and east coast, chef/owner Derek dos Anjos’s team serves high quality and sustainable seafood […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 26: Derek dos Anjos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Born in Asheville, NC and raised in the backroads of Kentucky’s farmland, it was only natural that he follow the winding contours of the terrain from Field to Fork. Beginning at his parents’ farm in Mason County where he attended high school, his path led to Providence, RI where he graduated from Johnson & Wales […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 25: Justin Dean appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Jennifer Kramer-Wine is co-publisher of Edible Ohio Valley and a partner at The Fairview Agency.  Her career path had provided her with opportunities to think about systems, systems change, and how to design programs for future scenarios. Her husband, Dennis, and their daughter, Jade, are her lifelines as she works tirelessly to change the world […] The post Kitchen Convos Ep. 24: Jennifer Kramer-Wine appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Teeny Morris is the owner of Teeny Pies, which she started in 2013 after spending all of 2012 apprenticing at various pie shops across the country. Her adorable pies can be found at Findlay Market on the weekends and at the Northside Farmer’s Market on Wednesday evenings. She’s also well known for her cookbook, Teeny’s […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 23: Teeny Morris appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Annie Woods returned home to Boone County, KY in 2014 to start a one-acre organic market garden to feed herself, her family, friends, and others looking for delicious, environmentally-friendly food. Her garden, Dark Wood Farm, provides vegetables for 40 families for half of the year through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. You can also […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 22 appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Jordan Hamons is a classically-trained chef, cooking teacher and food and beverage consultant. Prior to starting Tablespoon Cooking Co., Jordan worked as a corporate chef in the Executive Kitchen at American Financial Group and gained experience as a private chef and caterer. Jordan has traveled the world to learn international cooking techniques and taste the […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 21 appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

On this month’s panel we got to venture OFF SITE to the amazingly beautiful New Riff Distillery. WOW! If you have never checked this place you- put it on your list. We are super grateful that we got to hear some fun behind the scenes info, how awesome the owner is, and what is on […] The post September Kitchen Convos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Anthony Berin – Kitchen Manager, Findlay Kitchen Lynn Wambaugh – Owner, Firecracker Bakery Algis Aukstuolis – Owner, Skinny Piggy Kombucha This podcast is all about the importance of Incubator Kitchens. We are lucky in this region to have 3 incubator kitchens supporting, helping, and guiding small food business. This conversation was wonderful as we heard from […] The post August Kitchen Convos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Out of the Kitchen! Grace Yek – Contributing Writer for WCPO and Polly Magazine Ilene Ross – 513 Eats and Contributing Writer for Cincinnati Citybeat Joanne Drilling – Cincinnati Magazine What an amazing conversation to talk to 3 women who all have worked for years in the kitchen. All three different experiences but all the […] The post July Kitchen Convos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Have you been to Rooted Juicery & Kitchen yet? It’s stunning inside and what completely wowed me was there extensive menu! Megan Tysoe, a Cincinnati native moved away for college but then realized to make things happen she need to move back home. Cincinnati embraced her ideas with open arms and Rooted was created. It is […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 17: On the Road with Megan Tysoe appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Lisa Kagen, Executive Chef at Bottle & Basket, has been a long time supporter of Grateful Grahams. I am in awe of her strength and courage she has had while building 2 delicious eateries in our city. Melt, a Northside staple filled with a menu sure to feed the vegan or meat eater in your […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 16: On the Road with Lisa Kagen appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Doing Good Through Food, what else is there besides that? This month’s panel featured: Mike Florea – Chef/Owner of Maribelle’s Find them on Facebook Owner – Eat Local Threads Owner – Queen City Livestock Company Jason Louda – Executive Chef Meatball Kitchen Find them on Facebook Suzy Deyoung – Owner/Chef  La Soupe Find them on Facebook I […] The post June Kitchen Convos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

It was a thrill for me to sit down with Brian Busken and hear his side of the family business- a Cincinnati staple – Busken’s Bakery. I grew up visiting Busken’s as a child and it’s the number one donut shop we visit as a family when our kids beg for donuts. There glazed chocolate […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 14: On the road with Brian Busken appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

It was so much fun sitting down with Colonel De in his newly renovated “world headquarters”. He gave us a tour around and was super excited for their cooking kitchen they are getting ready to install – where they are hopeful to have fundraisers and hopefully classes on how to use some of these wild […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 13: On the road with Colonel De appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Laura Landoll, CSW, Advanced Sommelier, CMS, Sales Manager, Grand Cru Wine Company and Adjunct Professor at Cincinnati State. She teaches Sommelier Prep and Beverage Management to the Culinary students at Cincinnati State. Laura has worked at Vintage Wine Distributor, Inc. for 6 ½ years before being promoted to start–up and run the Grand Cru Division […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 12: On the road with Laura Landoll appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

This month’s panel featured: Lisa Graham, Owner, Brewhaus Dog Bones The Brewhaus Bakery Co. is a not-for-profit company dedicated to providing vocational training for young adults with disabilities. Brewhaus Dog Bones are always handcrafted, small batch, oven baked dog treats made from whole grains proudly sourced from local microbreweries. Your purchase supports fun, meaningful project based […] The post May Kitchen Convos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

What a treat it was to take some time out and talk to Ken. He is the chef and owner of The At Home Chef. He’s always had an interest in how ingredients were grown, where they were sourced, and how they can be meticulously prepared into a beautiful and delicious plate of food. For […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 10: On the road with Ken Durbin appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Chef Jackson Rouse let us literally just show up! We came unannounced and had so much fun talking history of The Rookwood, being a DJ, and collaborations! Thanks again Jackson! Podcast recording by Matt Spaulding. Visit www.unravelproductions.net for more information. Music by Ike Wilhelm. Visit www.wilhelmguitars.com for more information. Play this episode of the podcast The post Kitchen Convos Episode 9: On the road with Chef Jackson Rouse appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

This podcast was WILD. We showed up at Copper & Kings Distillery for what we though a local food fare and WHOA it was a jam packed meat-a-palooza with some of the top names in the state cooking food. A shout out to EVERYONE who took time chatting with us that evening. We had a […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 8: On the road at Copper & Kings Distillery appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Chef Anthony Lamas squeezed us in right before dinner rush! He was awesome to talk to and a total bonus – HE FED US! Here is a link to his website, they are celebrating their 10th Anniversary: www.sevicherestaurant.com He is also working with VANS on a chef inspired line of shoes. The post Kitchen Convos Episode 7: On the road with Anthony Lamas appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

This month’s panel featured: Kate Cook, Produce Manager, Carriage House Farms Amy Paul, Advertising Liaison, Edible Ohio Valley Alice Chalmers, Owner, Ohio Valley Food Connection Podcast recording by Matt Spaulding. Visit www.unravelproductions.net for more information. Music by Ike Wilhelm. Visit www.wilhelmguitars.com for more information. Play this episode of the podcast The post April Kitchen Convos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Shelley Ritchie is the founder of Moondance Heavenly Desserts. They are seriously some of the best gluten-free desserts I have ever had. More than just being a baker though Shelley has been a mentor for me over the past 6 years as I have grown Grateful Grahams. She’s never been too busy to take a […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 5: On the road with Shelley Ritchie appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

This interview was so much fun! Steven Smith is the president of Fishmarket Inc, Seafoods, Meats and Specialty Foods. Steve is also the man behind a very successful distribution network for small producers such as myself, helping to bridge the gap between Grateful Grahams and Kroger. He carries a ton of “Kentucky Proud” items, and […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 4: On the road with Steven Smith appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Matt Jamie is the founder and owner of Bourbon Barrel Foods in Louisville, Kentucky. Established in 2006 as the U.S.’s only soy sauce microbrewery, Bourbon Barrel Foods has become a cornerstone in both the bourbon and gourmet foods industries. Matt not only took time to share his story on HIS BIRTHDAY but was gracious enough […] The post Kitchen Convos Episode 3: On the road with Matt Jaime appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.

Wow! Round 2 was extremely exciting for us! We had a last minute cancellation but, like the wonder woman she is, Molly Wellman saved the day! This month’s panel featured: Christy White – Owner of Whirlybird Granola Naashom Marx – Director of Customer Connections Cintrifuse Molly Wellmann – Owner of Wellmann’s Brands Hope you enjoy […] The post March Kitchen Convos appeared first on Rachel DesRochers.