Welcome to Pulling Corks & Forks, the podcast! I’m your host, Sandy Wasserman. If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve been in & around the Phoenix food scene for over 25 years. My beat is food and wine, and where to get the best of both in The Valley of the Sun. I moved to Scottsdale from New Jersey back in the 90’s, seeking warm weather, a laid back lifestyle, and great food...so I went to work in the restaurant industry! The food-and-wine bug bit me way before it was cool and trendy. That’s why I started the Pulling Corks & Forks blog, with all the news in food. But this podcast will pick up where the blog leaves off. This isn’t just news, reviews, and recommendations, this show goes way beyond the what-and-where of eating-and-drinking . We’ll peel back the layers of our local food scene, break bread with the food artists who make it all happen, and hear how-and-why these incredibly talented people do what they do. We’ll visit with chefs, growers, experts of all kinds - and people like you and me, who just love to eat!, so pull up a chair and join us at the table!
On this episode I speak with the Penn State graduate about how growing up around her families butcher shop effected her diet at a young age, her deep dive into her health and how she changed her diet to become healthier, moving to Phoenix and starting her own business, working in the entertainment industry in LA while still in college, working in R &D at a vegan food company, her knowledge of earth based foods, how to find her earth's candy around Phoenix and more.
On this episode I speak to Chris about his process in writing about Phoenix area restaurants, the current state of affairs for food critics & media, The Best of Phoenix and how much he's involved in it, what else he writes about other than restaurants, finding good bagels and sandwiches in Phoenix, growing up in an Italian American family in Philadelphia, why he didn't become a lawyer as planned and more.
On this episode the Tucson based maker of the Maltese pastry talks about his recent trip back to Malta and visiting all the Pastizzi makers for inspiration, working as a sound engineer in NYC, retiring to Tucson, driving his food truck around Arizona spreading the word about his popular pastry and more.
In this episode I'm excited to get back to my roots in the wine industry speaking with the northern California native about tending to the land & vines he gets his grapes from, his wine making philosophy, going from a full time travel & wine writer to a winery owner, living, working and playing in Napa Valley, the effects of recent years wildfire on grapes and wines and lots more.
On this episode I speak with Connecticut native and Johnson & Wales graduate about growing up in a restaurant family, his pizza making philosophy and favorites pizza places around town, the process and winning the Food Network's "Chopped" in 2018, working at Nook Kitchen & EVO, where you'll see him next and more.
On today's episode I speak with the retired Air Force trained chef about his earliest food memories in Iowa, preparing and serving meals to service men and women around the world, getting his teaching certificate to teach Special Education after retiring from the Air Force, making the move to Arizona, what his ice sculptors are doing for his career, and more!
On this episode I speak with the self-taught chef about working with Mark Tarbell in the early days of Tarbell's Restaurant, his decision to hone his cooking skills in the SF restaurant scene, opening a restaurant in & eating his way around Tokyo, returning to Phoenix to open Posh Improvisational Cuisine & Hot Noodles, Cold Sake, the current state of his golf game, and more!
On today's episode I speak to the Chandler native of having success at such an early age, going to culinary school in NYC and working for Chef Daniel Boulud at the same time, rolling the dice and moving to Las Vegas to open Money Baby, what he learned from his mentors Barrio Cafe's Silvana Salcido Esparza & Element's Beau MacMillian, the future of his pop-up and lots more!
On today's episode I talk to the east coast transplant about growing up in The Bronx and NJ and its influence on his cooking, what brought him out to Arizona, opening food trucks as his first venture into the food industry, what style of BBQ he makes and that wins awards, his exciting appearances on the Food Network and The Today Show and more.
The Executive Chef & partner of BKD's Backyard Joint talks about growing up in Mesa and being homeless for a while, how working in the kitchen has become a family affair, his love affair with the Phoenix sports scene, his take on chef driven bar food, learning to smoke meats and lots more.
The owner of downtown Phoenix's Larder & Delta chats about working in the fast-paced restaurants of Las Vegas, Chicago, L.A. and Phoenix, opening his new pop up in Talking Stick Arena just in time for the Suns playoff run, what brought him to Phoenix, auditioning for Mark Tarbell, his appearances on food shows and more.
On this episode we talk about growing up in Newark N.J., his love of punk music, getting his start in the kitchens of of NJ & NYC, attending the Culinary Institute of America, his thoughts on how to make the restaurant industry better for employees, what brought him to Scottsdale, how he was taught cooking and how he taught the culinary arts to his students and more.
On this episode I speak to the Mezcal loving stylist about her exciting travels around the world, catching the eye of spirits & food brands to grow "A Bubbly Life", what and who she like's to cook for then and now, food and beverages she doesn't like, her favorite Phoenix area restaurants and more.
On this episode we talk to the gourmet French Fry maker about going from touring the world in the music industry to starting a food truck and company, taking cooking classes as a teenager, his love of French fries and pizza, the research and development process for making the ultimate french fry, which Phoenix chef & restaurateurs helped get his dreams of a food truck & gourmet food company off the ground, his Jewish grandparents cooking and much more!
On today's episode I speak with Chef Vibber about his exciting new venture on the farm, learning to cooking and make pizza in Italy, hiking and foraging for plants, mushrooms & truffles in Arizona and Italy, working in the restaurants of Phoenix and whom he learned from, owning a restaurant and good timing to close Cartwright's on his own terms, preparing to hike the Arizona Trail in 2022 and more.
On this episode Kurt talks about trying to make it in the big leagues, what he learned by bringing Smashburger and other concepts to Arizona, having fun and growing up in south Scottsdale, why he and friends bought Los Sombreros from the original owners, what makes Los Sombreros different than other Mexican restaurants, what veterinarians office has to do with Los Sombreros, and more!
On this episode Chef Barr reveals his darkest days living on the streets of San Francisco, working his way around the SF restaurant scene to owning a successful catering company, relocating the family from SF to Scottsdale to open Gabriella's, what he looks for when hiring for his restaurant and more.
On this episode we chat about the exciting process of buying and opening a restaurant, his busy career as a restaurant broker, explaining the Birria craze, his first restaurant experience, and more!
On this episode I am joined at the table with the passionate plant-based food artist & author about going to plant-based lifestyle, her exciting work with Dr. Andrew Weil & the NFL, how her successful career in marketing has helped her as a CEO, and more!
On this episode I speak with the co-owner of Hush Public House about the success of Hush, his soon-to-open new restaurant Aftermath, being a 5th generation Arizonan, his career and mentors in the Phoenix restaurant industry, and more!
On this episode I speak with the partner of Picazzo's Healthy Italian Kitchen about working his way up through the company, opening its newest location, helping to raise 4 kids and more.
On today's episode we talk about her weekly pop-up in Ahwatukee, Salvadorian food, how she got her start, what she wants to do, what she doesn't want to do...and more!
On today's episode we speak about achieving success at a young age, what to expect when Reserve re-opens, the difference between the Chef de Cuisine and Sous Chef, his mentors and more.
On today's episode Chef Russell LaCasce talks about growing up in Chicago, Charleston & Park City, bringing a wide variety of cultural and historical influence to his cooking style, changing up the comfort food menu at Zuzu, his mentors, his culinary team and more.
On today's episode we chat with Chef Lee Hillson about his exciting international culinary journey, growing up in England and Australia, hotel & resort restaurants, what it was really like having Gordon Ramsay as a roommate, traveling through England and more.
On today's episode the Boston native talks about going from owning a sandwich shop to a 5-star restaurant, traveling the globe and how Atlas was the perfect name for his authentic brand, his journey at Tempe/ASU in the 1990's, getting into the wine business and more.
On today's episode, St. Louis native Steven Zimmerman talks about going from the rigors of corporate hotel life to creatively heading his locally owned Scottsdale restaurant, what home grown really means to him, interesting facts about goat meat, what he likes to do in his time off, the 3 P's and more.
On today's episode I am joined at the table by the owner of the Wandering Donkey Taqueria & Tequila Bar about going from corporate America to food trucks to a brick & mortar restaurant, his new Scottsdale location, getting his wife on The Maury Povich Show and more.
On today's episode, I chat with the owner of Il Bosco Pizza about his new downtown location & future expansion plans, the Phoenix influencer community, what it's like going from global manufacturing to owning a couple of pizza joints and more.
On today's episode, Jim Gallen, the Food & Beverage Manager at the Mountain Shadows Resort, talks about working his way up through the Phoenix restaurant industry, flying in a B-52 bomber while in the Air Force, growing up around bars & restaurants and more.
On today's episode, the co-owner & beer lover at Craft 64 joins me to chat about his unexpected adventure opening a restaurant less than a year before a global pandemic hits, why open a pizza restaurant was the best thing he could have done, the difference between British & American beers & more.
On today’s episode, I sit down with the Chief Donut Officer at Chin Up Donuts & Coffee to speak about what it took to leave a corporate job to open a donut shop, her inspiration for their mouth-watering donut flavors, her collaborations with local restaurants and more.
On today’s episode, I catch up with the owner of Phoenix's Mrs. Chicken & Frasher's Smokehouse and Scottsdale's Frasher's Tavern to hear who his mentors in the restaurant business are, St. Louis foods on the menus, where he's going on his next foodie road trip, and more!
On today’s episode, I sit down for a lively conversation with Lynette Carrington, noted Arizona lifestyle, travel, foodie and media maven, to dish about the Phoenix dining scene that she grew up with and how it’s changed over the years, favorite road trips around AZ, working & attending exciting restaurant media events and much more.
On today’s episode, I sit down with the Sales Director at Grand Canyon Brewing Co. & Distillery to talk about his career in the Arizona craft beer industry, news about a new brewhouse, finding a good IPA and more.
On today’s episode I sit down with the owner & winemaker of Pillsbury Wine Company to talk about why he never directed a rock video, his secret weapon to making award-winning wines, his great New Zealand accent, and more!
On today’s episode I sit down with the owner of Wicked Brews, Bites & Spirits to talk about owning his own restaurant in Ahwatukee, going to UNLV, how important your staff is and more.
On today’s episode, I sit down with the Culinary Institute of America graduate and owner of Aioli Gourmet Burgers on his growing restaurant and food truck empire, giving back to the Phoenix community, how a dish washing gig paid off and more.
On today’s episode, I sit down with the Executive Chef & co-owner of the Scottsdale restaurant The Mick Brasserie. We talk about cooking for billionaires, traveling the world with the family, opening a new restaurant in 2020 and a lot more.
On today’s episode, I sit down at the table with restaurant consultant Rebekah Goldman, owner of Taking the Wheel Consulting. We speak about her career as a pastry chef & caterer and her move to consulting, what's the biggest obstacle to restaurants today, what's her favorite pastry to bake, and more.
On today’s episode, I sit down at the table with lively valley mixologist Richie Moe, to talk about his many years around the Phoenix cocktail scene, his exciting new downtown speakeasy Alias, and new cocktail trends in the Valley of the Sun.
On today’s episode, I sit down at the table with Leslie Owen, General Mgr. for the Bulleit Bourbon Derby DayClub and the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships. We talk about the return of live events, what to expect from The Kentucky Derby party festivities and more.
On today’s episode, I sit down at the table with Tom & Lin Baumbach of TLC Catering, talking about their crazy stories of the catering industry, Tom's annual trip to Alaska and their new modern supper club The TLC Experience.
On today’s episode, I sit down at the table with Mike Winneker, a veteran of the local restaurant scene, as we talk about his latest success as chef and owner of Plancha Kitchen, a pop up street food taco joint that he opened in his front yard!
My guest Chef Cash Murphy is known as The Taco Boss, he’s the owner of Lumber Jack’s Taco Shack and the rockin’ Sonoran Dips food truck, and he’s even got a popular YouTube channel "Cooking with Cash”!
Join me for a wine lover’s special episode with Peggy Fiandaca, owner of LDV Winery, as we discuss the Arizona wine country, what’s happening in the world of wine, and what’s new in the tasting room.
Join me and my guest David Tyda, food festival producer and aspiring bar owner, as we cover the state of live events and the local pizza scene.
Join me and my guest Justine Trujillo, chef and owner of Jewels Cafe and Tru Tacos, as we talk about the world of gluten-free foods!
My guest is Derek Upton, best known as The AZ Cannabis Chef, and for appearing on Netflix’ “Cooked with Cannabis” and the upcoming Food Network “Chopped 420”.
A sneak peek at what's a head on the Pulling Corks & Forks Podcast!
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