Something About Food?

It's food, family, and fun on Episode 100 as Chef Clarke talks to her brothers Blaise and Justin about road food when following the Grateful Dead, cereal sovereignty, trying new dishes and ingredients, and how cooking in the kitchen is where they all enjoy being together. 

John Robinson started his company, Our Ability, as a mentor network that has morphed into a business that utilizes AI and technology to build a career path for people with disabilities. He talks about including marginalized populations in the workforce, spiedies in Binghamton, NY, and hand cycling across Scotland.

Chef Eric Silverstein was born in Tokyo, Japan, where he was heavily influenced by Japanese, Chinese and Malaysian cuisine. At the age of ten, Eric moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he was introduced to traditional Southern cuisine. These divergent flavors and cuisines serve as the backdrop for The Peached Tortilla's menu. He discusses ghost kitchens, how pickles can elevate a plate, and how MSG has gotten a bad rap.

Jarvis Green is a two-time Super Bowl champ who started his own shrimp company, Oceans 97. He chats about eating pho with his Vietnamese “cousins”, all the arancini variations in Sicily, and how you can’t eat to be sexy on the defensive line.

Molly Kiely is an artist and illustrator living with her daughter in the desert outside Tucson, Arizona. She talks about her Italian grandmother’s garden, Nanaimo bars, and her sex-positive and life-affirming art. You can see her art at mollykiely.com.

Bryan Gilvesy is the owner of the YU Ranch, a sustainable grass-fed beef ranching operation in Norfolk County, Ontario. He is also C.E.O. of ALUS Canada, a national community-led, farmer delivered charitable program that rewards farmers for producing more ecosystem services. We talk about carbon farming, cabbage rolls, Winnipeg wings, and being open to change in order to build a more sustainable and bio-diverse community.

Stacey Mei Yan Fong is a home baker and the creator of the project 50 Pies/50 States in which she is baking a pie for every state as a love letter to the country she has chosen to call home. We chatted about the project, the hug that curry laksa brings you, the otherworldly landscapes in Iceland, and many, many more food connections.  

Molly Roe is the account manager for SweetGrass Trading Company, an online Native American food and gift store owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. She talks about Chicken in a Hurry, putting potato chips on a Sloppy Joe, and discovering the culinary roots of your culture as well as the the Authentic Native American foods and gifts that SweetGrass Trading Co offers.

Professor Edray Herber Goins is a Professor of Mathematics at Pomona College and runs an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates. He talks about getting more underrepresented students into Mathematics, Thai Yellow Curry and baking cakes with his mother.

Eboné F. Bell is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tagg Magazine and Tagg Communication LLC. After seeing a lack of queer women represented in local publications, she decided to start a magazine and website to tell stories, provide resources, and create events. She talks about Queer Prom, Lobster Deviled Eggs, and how important it is to be seen for who you are and what you can do.

The vegan world has a strong champion to look up to in bodybuilder Torre Washington. He talks about discovering the variety that jackfruit offers, training movie superheroes, and going hunting for vegan food when he travels.

Lori L. Tharps is a journalist and award-winning author whose work meets at the intersection of race and real life. Her most recent book is titled Same Family, Different Colors: Confronting Colorism in America's Diverse Families. Tharps is also the host of the My American Meltingpot blog and podcast. She talks about her role as a “Diversity Diva” with her podcast, learning to love eating lamb, and cooking pancakes for dinner.

A nationally-recognized and award-winning sports columnist, author, and commentator, Jackie MacMullan is a senior writer for ESPN and a regular panelist on Around the Horn. The former Boston Globe writer and editor contributes to other ESPN programs and is one of the company’s most respected NBA voices. She talks about here favorite dishes  and shares stories about writing a book with Larry Bird, stolen meatballs in Germany, and how an afternoon cuppa is a must!

Rhodes Perry believes in the power of authenticity at work and he puts this belief into practice through his leadership & management consulting firm. He has two decades of government and nonprofit experience having worked at the White House, PFLAG National, and the City of New York. Media outlets like Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The Associated Press have featured his powerful work. He also hosts a weekly podcast, The Out Entrepreneur. He talks about family meals, veggie lasagna, and dark chocolate.  

Anyanwu is the Director/Co-Founder of The Human Root. She has 20 years of experience in Education, Youth Development and Social Justice work. Her work has been grounded in building connection between people & communities. She works to move people from empathy to action in order to expand consciousness. She chats about attending the Cannes Film Festival, how Jamaican beef patties are flavorful memories of her childhood, food as a narrative, and how orange juice is her candy.

CCSO Teacher of the Year for 2019 Rodney Robinson is a 19-year teaching veteran, most recently as a social studies teacher at a juvenile detention center in Richmond, VA. Robinson has been published three times by Yale University and has received numerous awards for his accomplishments in and out of the classroom, most notably the R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence. He discusses thwarting scurvy, "brinner", and much more.

Joey Clift is a writer, performer, and enrolled Cowlitz Tribal Member who has written on shows for Cartoon Network, DreamWorks and Nickelodeon. His award-winning animated short Telling People You’re Native American When You’re Not Native Is A Lot Like Telling A Bear You’re A Bear When You’re Not A Bear is currently on the film festival circuit. He talks about green tea pasta, his dream of becoming a small market weatherman, his search for the perfect teriyaki, and of course reindeer sandwiches. 

Iman Jodeh is a first-generation Palestinian American, and Executive Director and Founder of the locally based non-profit, Meet the Middle East (MTME), which fosters relationships between the US and the Middle East through education and immersion travel. She talks about the food she loves (especially the nourishing cuisine of the Levant) and running for office in her native Colorado.

Scott Wiener writes a monthly column for Pizza Today Magazine, judges pizza competitions, speaks at pizza industry trade shows and events, consults for pizzerias and ingredient producers, and hosts the hit web series “Really Dough?” for Thrillist. Not surprisingly, he talks all things pizza, including cold cheese slices and other regional variations, pizza-adjacent foods like calzones and stromboli, and tracking his slice count.

Aryenish Birdie founded Encompass after witnessing and experiencing the urgent need for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive animal protection movement. In addition to her passion for racial equity within animal welfare advocacy, she really appreciates her mother’s global cooking and is keeping an eye out for the perfect vegan tiramisu. https://encompassmovement.org/

Mariah Gladstone (Blackfeet, Cherokee) is a food activist focused on reteaching Indigenous foods through modern methods. She is the founder of an online cooking show called Indigikitchen. She talks about restoring food knowledge systems, eating acorns and game meat, and exploring Iceland.

lauren Ornelas of Food Empowerment Project is very concerned about food: where it comes from, who is working to bring it to us, and what we can do to end animal cruelty. That is pretty amazing from someone who doesn’t really think about what she’s going to eat! She talks about animal and farmworkers' rights, crunchy peanut butter, and how she dislikes pico de gallo.

Stephany Spaulding was raised on Chicago’s South Side by public school teacher-parents. Her parents’ love of education was passed on to Stephany, whose studies culminated in a Ph.D. in American Studies. She is running to represent Colorado in the U.S. Senate and chats about Chicago deep dish pizza, agricultural trade policies, and how travel opens you up to other cultures and societies.

Hulda Waage is a plant-fueled powerhouse! Also known as the Vegan Viking, she’s a record-holding Icelandic powerlifter, mother, and vegan strength athlete. She chats about her love for cookies, her strength training goals, Icelandic hot dogs, and where her travels as a world-class athlete have taken her.

Leslie Parmeter has been an “on-air” personality in and around Oneonta, NY for over 26 years. She talks about eating fried alligator tail and other varmints, her travels in Yugoslavia, and how kayaking gives her the perfect alone time.

Julia Shih of Miracle Sports Cream is a mom and an athlete who’s overcome injuries and shyness to be a natural health advocate. She could also eat cake until she blacks out. She talks about hard work, delicious food, her love of comedy, and the power of herbs.  

Chef Diana Dávila is the Executive Chef and Owner of Mi Tocaya Antojería in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. The witchcraft that Chef Diana Dávila works with her recipes and food is her way of honoring the women who came before her. She talks me about how she learned from her Mexican ancestors, the strength it takes to run a successful kitchen, and how she would eat a taco over pizza any day!

Ru Johnson is a writer and lead executioner at Roux Black. Her strength as a business leader is enhanced by her zest for living a full-on life. She talks about how Stevie Nicks speaks to her spiritual side, the best hot dogs in Washington, NC and how she helps creatives take bold, calculated steps.

The indigenous foods of the Americas have a voice that emanates from podcaster Andi Murphy on her Toasted Sister Podcast. The New Mexico local talks about native foods, how the fish and chips she ate in Ireland was phenomenal, and how being a busy podcaster, producer, and engineer doesn’t leave her time to make her own sweetener for her Navajo Tea.

Tabitha Brown is a vegan force of nature, actress, and influencer. She talks about the joy of trying new foods, how eating vegan helped to heal her, how she knew she was an actor, and going viral!

Jon Keur is the audio magician that helps make this show happen from his Wayfare Recording Company. For almost 10 years, Jon has been deep in the audio space working alongside up-and-coming podcasters, songwriters and artists. He chats about pizza (including a very controversial ingredient), eating his way through Italy, and much more!

Richard Eng is a Biology major turned fine dining specialist, operations consultant and now back to his original pastry roots as a baker/donut maker. He is the CEO & CDD (Chief Donut Designer) of Black Label Donuts where he brings a sophisticated fine dining approach to donuts. He chats about the donut landscape, scent memories, and the universality of fried dough.

Adrian Miller is a James Beard Award-winning food writer, attorney, and certified barbecue judge who lives in Denver, CO. He is currently the executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches and, as such, is the first African American and the first layperson to hold that position. He chats about the regional complexities of Texas BBQ, apologizing to a gospel group on 420, and the over 150 African-Americans who have cooked in the White house since Washington. 

Lisa Wong comes from a family of restaurateurs, so it was a natural fit that she would become a food truck entrepreneur the Wong Way Veg. Her love of street food, animals, and her passion for feeding people is what drives this little orange truck!

Rev. Amanda Henderson has served as Executive Director of The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado since 2014. She is an ordained minister and community leader in Denver, Colorado bringing people together for healing in times of tragedy, and mobilizing individuals and groups in times of injustice. She has a lot to talk about, including tacos, brownies, and how being homeless is not a criminal act.

Professor Callie Rennison is a criminologist and victimologist who studies violent victimization. She talks about the changing definitions of crime and sexual violence. She also shares a unique method of identifying cheeses, discusses her ideal food vs service ratio in restaurants, reveals that she has a bird boyfriend of 40 years and owns her love of gas station hot dogs and Trader Joe's Mac and Cheese.
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Heather J. Haas took her past experiences as a bartender and forged a new career as a bladesmith. She talks about road trip strategy, the joys and perils of food service, sobriety, boiled peanuts, and more!

Jessica Piñeros is a vegan foodie, freelance photographer, and co-organizer for the Miami Chapter of Veggie Mijas. She talks about vegan Mexican wedding cookies and arroz con leche, supporting the femme, queer, and non-binary Latinx community, travel on a budget, and how vegans love pancakes too  

Adam Martin and Ricky Pallay of the F5 Project help formerly incarcerated felons "hit the refresh button" and transition to life outside. They talk about this important community work as well as the fried cheesy pickles, doner kebab, and tater tot hotdish that keep them fueled!

This conversation with craft beer brewers Shyla Sheppard and Missy Begay was smoky, and sweet, and local. The co-founders of Albuquerque's Bow & Arrow Brewing Co  chat about kneel down bread, knoephla soup, and how they are building community with their brews!

John Lehndorff is a Boulder County food writing institution. He talks about clambakes, restaurants that were, bakeries that are, and all the intricate requirements for the perfect pie.

Chef Antwon Brinson created his Culinary Concepts AB intensive program to train folks for employment in the world of cooking. He reminisces about hot dogs in Buffalo and the loco moco in Hawaii, ponders "burnt" as a flavor and the use of spam in island cuisine, and discusses how restaurant work is both creative labor and a trade.

Warren Scharf didn’t know what he was getting into when he married into my family or when he agreed to be a guest on my podcast. Don’t tell him I said so, but I’m glad he did. We chat about his work as Executive Director of Lenox Hill Neighborhood House in NYC, sfogliatelle pastry, and momos in Dublin.

Dr. Devon Wright is a professor of Africana Studies, an avid bike commuter, a jazz musician, and a graphic novel creator about a dystopian future with a jazz guitar playing antihero (http://avantguardians.com). Our conversation covers all those things, plus McDonald’s french fries, going mostly vegetarian, and Jamaican rum cake!

Watt Sriboonruang calls herself a "Pie Lady", we call her a chef. This creator of raw/vegan pastries at her shop Rawsome Treats chats about blue curry, tiramisu, kickboxing and letting go of judgment.

Casey Lloyd was a blast to chat with because not only is he an actor, he’s also a newly minted vegan! This native Coloradan chatted about unlocking the arcane mysteries of making Eggs Benedict, traveling in New Zealand like a true Lord of the Rings Nerd, environmental consciousness, and his lifelong dream of building his own dinosaur from the DNA up!

Monika Celly is a food enthusiast who loves teaching and sharing authentic Indian recipes through her cooking classes and meal kits with the local community. She runs the cooking school “Polka Dots and Curry” in Colorado Springs, CO. And she loves to combine traveling with exploring new food. This episode will make you hungry!

Bernard Quisumbing, aka Buddhakai, is multifaceted.  He’s a businessman, dim sum lover, father, positive rapper, New Jersey boy, hopeless romantic, and recovering addict. Plus he loves to feel the burn of spicy food!

Adriana Flores-Ragade has a podcast, LatinxAmerica, that gives a voice and visibility to diversifying the tech space. Our chat covers her embodiment of that diversity through her love for her abuela's Orange cake, learning to love Indian cuisine from her Indian-American husbands perspective, eating a world of food with her family, and where the best mole sauce comes from.

Jason Lazar founded fashion and cannabis lifestyle magazine The Hemponair because he knows that cannabis appeals to more than the tie-dye wearing, Phish-loving demographic. We talk about eating concert parking lot vegan burritos, traveling in Tel Aviv, eating Beyond Burgers to keep kosher, and why NY bagels are the best.  

Dr. René Shingles was the first African American Woman inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association prestigious Hall of Fame, an amazing tribute to an educator with a distinguished career. Working with athletes from youth to Olympic elites, cast iron skillets as a necessity, figuring out her mom’s sweet tea recipe, and the world’s best Peking duck are all part of the conversation.