The Counter Chronicles

I am so honored to introduce you to today's guest, Alissa Timoshkina.   In her teenage years, she left Russia for England.  Now, having moved through a career in academia, she is a London based writer, cookbook author, creator of KinoVino, and activist. Most recently, Alissa and her dear friend, Olia Hercules, founded Cook for Ukraine, an initiative they started within 48 hours of the war on Ukraine by Russia.  To date, they have raised approximately 1 million pounds which has been donated to UNICEF.  Aliss and Olia who has shown tremendous bravery and leadership in calling out the atrocities of this war and continuing to raise awareness and funds for the people of Ukraine.   To connect with Alissa and Olia, you can follow them on instagram and all the details of Cook for Ukraine are linked on their websites.  @alissatimoshkina @oliahercules https://www.alissatimoshkina.com/https://www.alissatimoshkina.com/cookforukraine

Today's episode is with Patrick Miller, chef, formerly of one of my favorite restaurants, Rucola, in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, and founder, distiller, and creator of Faccia Brutto Spirits.  They are a Brooklyn based liquor company that uses a variety of botanicals to make Italian spirits, namely before and after dinner drinks (aperitivo and amaros) popularized in Italy.  If you're enjoying the show, it means so much to me if you link to it on your social media, share with friends and family, and help support not only the work I'm doing on the podcast but also all the amazing guests who have been on the show.  You can find all of their products and check out the stockists section to see who carries Faccio Brutto in your hometown at https://facciabruttospirits.comI absolutely love following their instagram @faccia_brutto_spirits  to see the beautiful photography and cocktail ideas.   At the beginning of the show, I also mentioned some of the organizations doing incredible life saving work in Ukraine.  Please continue to support in anyway you can. https://razomforukraine.orgShelter Ugolyyok -  patreon.com/ShelterUgolyok Venmo @pawsofhelp    Paypal: pawsofhelp@outlook.comUAnimals - paypal@uanimals.comhttps://wck.org

Today's guest is Kristen Carbone, founder of Brilliantly, a wearable warming device for survivors of breast cancer and mastectomies.  Kristen tragically lost her mother in her early twenties due to metastic breast cancer.  The followed a decade of testing, health insurance difficulties, anxiety, and stress about developing breast cancer, until she ultimately decided to undergo a preventative mastectomy and implant reconstruction.Among the many challenges that came after the procedure, one of which, was the loss of sensation and constant feeling of coldness in her chest.  In ensuing conversations with other other who had undergone mastectomies and reconstruction, she came to realize that this was an ongoing issue that dramatically affected the quality of womens lives.  Women were using all sorts of methods to feel warm, often resulting in serious burns and scarring of their chests.  Kristen embarked on a multi-year process of research and development, raising funding, and ultimately developing Brilliantly Warm, a wearable device that a woman could insert into her bra and self-control through an app.  There were no cords, no battery packs, and a woman could lead her daily life in comfort without anyone knowing she was wearing the device.  Enjoy this incredibly inspiring story and please share Brilliantly Warm with your community. You can read more about Brilliantly and Kristen's story at https://www.brilliantly.co/Connect with Kristen directly at:  Kristen@brilliantly.co or find her on Facebook or Instagram @brilliantly.co 

This is the last podcast of 2021 and we are going out with a bang with someone I am very excited to introduce you to.  Author, YouTube host, and podcaster, Katie Quinn.  Katie has a very popular YouTube channel where she creates videos of her travels, cultural experiences, and of course incredible food.  Katie is also an author of a new book: Cheese, Wine, and Bread: Discovering the Magic of Fermentation in England, Italy, and France.  The book is an in depth dive into the world of the artisans, farmers, cheesemakers, bakers, and winemakers behind the 3 pillars of cheese wine and bread.  I hope you enjoy this conversation with the bubbly and oh so fun Katie Quinn! You can connect with Katie on her YouTube channel, theQkatie, instagram @qkatie or on her website https://www.katie-quinn.com/https://www.youtube.com/user/TheQKatie/featured

Today's guest is Peter Hoffman,  a man I've long admired for his greenmarket ingredient driven food, his former restaurants (Savoy, Back Forty, and Back Forty West), his passion and commitment to the land and the food and farmers behind it.  Peter is the author of the highly acclaimed book, "What Good?: A Memoir in Fourteen Ingredients."  From the moment I cracked the spine and dove in to this book, I knew I was in good hands.  Peter's writing is as eloquent and beautiful as his cooking was, weaving together stories of his childhood, restaurant life in NYC, the farmers behind the greenmarket, and the ingredients that drive the underlying narrative.  I hope you enjoy today's conversation with Peter.  You can connect with Peter on instagram at @peterhoffmannyc  or on his website at   https://peterhoffmancooks.com/To purchase a personalized copy of "What's Good?", go to this link: https://www.mcnallyjackson.com/whats-good-signedTo donate to the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund: https://slowfoodusa.org/Saxelby/You can connect with me on instagram @thecounterchroniclespodcast If you liked the show, please share the show link with others.  If you can kindly rate and review the show on Apple podcasts, it is tremendously helpful in helping new listeners find the show.  

My guest on this week's podcast is Brian Keyser, owner of Casellula, a cheese and wine focused restaurant in Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.   Brian is a veteran of both the restaurant industry and the artisan cheese world, and I hope you enjoy and learn from hearing his story. You can visit Casellula at west 52nd street and 9th avenue.  It's a wonderful place to meet a friend, go alone for a glass of wine and a cheese plate, or catch a pre or post theater meal.  www.casellula.com This episode is dedicate to Anne Saxelby, a woman I greatly admired and was honred to have worked for and learned from.   Anne passed away unexpectedly on October 9, 2021,  Anne was an incredible human being, mother, friend, entrepreneur and the woman behind Saxelby Cheese.  Her friends and family have created the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund in her honor, which provides training opportunities to financially distressed teenagers and young adults.  Funds raised will allow youth to apprentice in sustainable systems and agriculture, domestically and abroad, the way Anne did. and enable youth participants to return home and have the same impact on their communities that Anne had in hers.You can make a donation at:  slowfoodusa.org/saxelby   

Today's guest is Brewster McCall.  Brewster and I met working in the restaurant industry 15 years ago.  He was an aspiring actor and model, with a passion for wine, cocktails and hospitality.  Brewster's southern upbringing  and family connection made him a perfect fit for the food and beverage industry.  Brewster and I discuss his career path, including a stint doing burlesque, how he found his way into the family business, his focus on sustainability, brand development and building and maintaining leadership in the company.  We also chat about McCall Wines, an incredible winery that Brewster's father started on the North Fork of long island.  They produce a variety of wines, including award winning pinot noir, and also raise cattle that roam on the lush grass of the north fork.  You can check out the winery at www.mccallwines.com  and @mccallwines You can connect with GFI at https://www.gfifoods.com or @gfifoodsYou can also find Brewster @brewstermccall on instagram.

Today's guest is Lisa Marie (LM) Falcone, founder of The Hungry Hippie, a vegan food delivery service.   LM is on a mission to get people to eat more plant-based meals.  We talk about how she transitioned from a career in fashion to owning and operating a vegan meal delivery service.   LM was able to start this business on a shoestring  budget, the sacrifices she has made to pursue this dream, how involved her family is in The Hungry Hippie, and so much more. To order meals from The Hungry Hippie or to connect with LM, you can find her https://www.hungryhippieeats.com/ and on instagram @hungryhippieeats To connect with me, please follow @counterchronicles on instagram and send me a message.  I would love to hear from you! 

Today's guest is Amanda Kerpius.  We discuss how her career in dance and the arts eventually led to a career in yoga and massage therapy.  Amanda is a also an avid runner with many marathons under her belt, and incorporates her love of sports and fitness into yoga and massage, coupling power and strength  with mental health.  Amanda discusses the realities of pursuing this career, how challenging it can be both financially and physically, but also how rewarding this path has and continues to be.  You can connect with amanda at https://www.empoweredself.co/ or @empowered.self on instagram. 

Today's guest is Amy Larson, founder of the popular business and website, Overseasoned.  Amy has created a line of apparel and kitchen accessories that fuses feminism with the culinary world.  She has created best selling tag lines, like Smash the Garlic & the Patriarchy and Cabernet & Equal Pay, worn by some of the most renowned chefs and culinary icons across the country.  Chef Karen Aukownowitz, Priya Krishna, Gaby Dalkin, to name a few, sport her whimsical but powerful sweatshirts & tshirts.  Amy ran the business as a side hustle for 4 years before she quit her marketing job and went full time in February 2021.  We discuss how she started Overseasoned as a magazine, her love of recipes, and how she has turned this into a full time profitable venture.  We also chat about how instrumental social media has been to building Overseasoned, how to grow a following organically that stays true to your vision while leading to direct sales.  If you're thinking about starting a business or are just interested to hear how a young entrepreneur funded her business, Amy has some great advice to impart for future entrepreneurs.  You can connect with Amy at: www. overseasoned.com or on instgarm @overseasoned_amy. 

Welcome back!  I hope you enjoyed the first episode with my parents, hearing about their life back in the soviet union and their immigration story.  Today they share about how they built a life and a business in a new country, advice for future immigrants, as well as what they wish they would have known or done differently  to make their early years a bit easier. So let's get started...and stay tuned for their desert island meals at the end of the pod!   * * * * * Connect with me on instragram @counterchronicles Thank you so much for listening!  

Today we have two very special guests on the podcast: my parents, Larisa & Misha Khishchenko.  This is a two episode show.  In part 1, they discuss their past life in the former Soviet Union, reasons for leaving, anti-semitism, and the immigration experience.  Part 2 will be dropping next week and we will cover their chapter in the United States, the ups and downs as new immigrants, and how they built a business and a life for our family.    My parents are the embodiment of hard work, hustle, and entrepreneurism.  They have instilled all of their knowledge and work ethic into myself and my brother and I am thrilled to share their story.  As aways, if you enjoy the show please share with friends and family, or rate and review on Apple podcasts.  Thank you so much for listening!  

My guests today are Anu Menon and Suyog Mody, the founders of Driftaway Coffee.  Driftaway is a personalized direct to consumer coffee subscription service.  Anu and Suyog tapped into their engineering backgrounds in creating and growing this business, supporting their team, the farmers behind the beans, and continue to work and make their company more environmentally sustainable.  Their story is so inspiring and Driftaway makes the perfect gift for anyone that loves coffee in your life!  If you wish to read "God in a Cup" (a book that was instrumental to starting their business), you can check out Michaele Weissman's website and find it at your local bookstore.  https://michaeleweissmanwrites.com/You can connect with or purchase Driftaway Coffee at:@driftawaycoffee on instagram https://driftaway.coffee/

My guest  this week is Alice Jun.  Alice is an entrepreneur and founder of Hana Makgeolli, an artisanal korean rice wine, brewed and bottled in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  Together with her business partner, John, they are making makgeolli using organic rice, a natural wild fermentation process, and traditional methods, creating a complex and nuanced alcoholic beverage.   Alice learned to brew makgeolli from her father and bringing a longtime family tradition to fruition as a business is not only a labor of love, but a means of staying connected to her family in Korea.   She and John are building a unique business that fuses their heritage, traditional brewing, and innovation to a product category that truly has not developed in the United States. If you're interested in trying Hana Makgeolli, they are shipping nationwide and available for local pickup at the brewery if you're in there NYC area.  Their website is https://www.hanamakgeolli.com/ You can connect with them on Instagram @hanamakgeolli Also, if you're interested in trying Dhamaka, the restaurant I recently visited and discussed in the beginning of this podcast, they can be found at https://www.dhamaka.nyc/

Today's podcast guest is Cami Jetta.  Cami is opening a mixed-use restaurant named Dinner Party in  Brooklyn, NY.  She took over the lease of a former Mexican restaurant on an iconic street in Fort Greene and will be opening first as a takeaway picnic concept, then, as a sit down version this fall.  Cami is a new entrepreneur and I thought it would be interesting to chat with her about the idea for the restaurant, why she decided to sign a lease during a pandemic, and how she's doing when she is knee deep in the renovation process.  She is honest and open about the mistakes she's made, what she has learned, and what she is most looking forward to.  Cami references a few of her culinary icons - Alice Waters and Gabrielle Hamilton. If you have not read it, I highly recomend Gabrielle Hamilton's book "Blood, Bones & Butter." You can connect with Cami on instagram and follow along her opening at @dinnerpartybk or on her website https://www.dinnerpartybk.com

Today's guest is Jasmine Graham.  Jaz is the epitome of a hustling entrepreneur -  after getting laid off in 2008 from her job in the fashion industry, she dove headfirst into opening her own fitness and training business, Pace4Success.  she rented space from other businesses, trained clients in public parks and outdoor spaces, and in 2012  she opened Fit Factory.  She was the first woman of color to own and operate this type of business (a mixed use fitness studio where she trained her own clients but also provided a space for other trainers to build their businesses).   Jaz eventually outgrew her space, opened and closed Fitness Sanctuary, and her health issues along the way.  Jaz has since transitioned her business and her love of fitness into becoming a certified health and wellness coach.   Jaz is one of the most charismatic, energetic, motivated, funny, and inspirational people out there.  You can connect with jaz at https://www.jasminegraham.life/. or on instagram at  @coachjaz

Today's guests are Amy Feezor and Pierre Haberer, the duo behind the instagram project Fed by a Frenchman.  Amy is an American writer who met her frenchman, Pierre, while living in Paris, and the two have since fallen in love, gotten married, and started this whimsical account and project on social media.  They document their love for ugly fruit, beautiful cheeses, market life, and so much more.  It is such a unique way to experience life in France through the lens of the food culture.  You can follow Amy and Pierre's adventures on instagram @fedbyafrenchman And a few fun links to the cheese we were eating (the esteemed food writer and fellow expat, David Lebovitz and writer/culinary tour guide Jennifer Greco,  also love Beautfort, Hercule, Saint-Marcellin),  and a NY Times article about cremont wine (the sparkling wine that is a fantastic alternative to champagne)https://www.davidlebovitz.com/10-favorite-french-cheeses/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/dining/reviews/22wine.html

This week's guest is Beth George, founder of BYOB bagels.  Beth's first career was a lawyer working as a public defender and in corporate law.  She eventually started her own private practice.  but when her young son developed intolerances to wheat and gluten, Beth went on a mission to help her son and eventually to create a bagel that her son could eat.   She has created multiple businesses in the bagel world, became an educator and international bagel consultant.  Beth is the founder of BYOB Bagels, a full service teaching and consulting business.  Beth's passion for educating and helping other entreprenuers build successful businesses is evident in our conversation and in the guiding hand she provides to her clients. The NY Times Article about Beth and BYOB Bagels: You can connect with Beth at www.byobbagels.com or on instagram @byobbagels Thank you so much for listening and enjoy the show! 

Today's guest is Karen Ruocco.  She has an incredible story, one that has taken many turns along the way until she discovered her passion for wine in her mid forties, left a lucrative career to pursue wine, became a sommelier and ultimately opened her own business, Five Flights Wines and Spirits.   We discuss how she got to where she is today, issues in the wine world, including the court of sommeliers, and so much more.  If you are in NYC, you can find Karen's wines at Urban Uncorked in Downtown Brooklyn and Duke's Liquor Box in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  This is the perfect episode to pop open a bottle of wine or perhaps a negroni, a shared favorite drink of mine and Karen's, sit back, and enjoy the show.You can connect with Karen on instagram @fiveflightswinesandspirits or on her website at http://www.fiveflights.com/

Today's guest is Tory Williams.  Tory is a Brooklyn based photographer with an incredibly diverse portfolio from portraits, celebrities, brand work, food photography and more.  We discuss her almost two decade career path, what she loves about photography, the fun and the challenging parts, as well as also juggling motherhood with her flourishing career in the midst of a pandemic.  Thank you so much to Tory for sharing her story!  You can connect with Tory or book her for your next photo shoot at:http://torywilliams.com/ or on instagram @torywilliams You can connect with the show on Instagram @counterchronicles. If you enjoy the show, kindly rate and write a review on Apple podcasts.  Thank you so much for listening and enjoy the show! 

Today's guest if MJ Adams.  MJ is a chef who started her career in NYC over 30 years ago.  We discuss her pursuit of a culinary career long before sexual harassment and discrimination towards women in kitchens was ever addressed.  MJ's career spanned historic restaurants like Gage & Tollner, Home, Allison on Dominick, and more.  MJ ultimately moved back to South Dakota to start her restaurant, The Corn Exchange, which she owned and operated for over 15 years.   You can connect with MJ on instagram @chefmjadams or on her website at https://www.chefmjadams.com

Today's inspiring guest is Jasmine Moy.   Jasmine is a restaurant lawyer providing legal services to clients in the food, beverage & hospitality industry, from chefs, to restaurants and hotel owners.  Jasmine shares her success story of how she was able to leave the corporate job she was unhappy in, and ultimately make a career pivot into being a solo practitioner in the very niche market of restaurants and hospitality.  We discuss her career path, the landlord/tenant relationship of commercial leases, and our shared love of food and restaurants.  You can connect with Jasmine at https://www.restaurantlawyer.nyc/

Welcome to the Side Hustle -- a series of special episodes of The Counter Chronicles podcast.  The Side Hustle series explores new entrepreneurs that are dipping their toes into the hustle of starting their own business.  It's all about discussing the growth and creation of their company, product, or brand, while working their day job and their side hustle simultaneously.  The first guest is Lindsey Thalheimer, baker and founder/chef of Tommy Jam.  You can purchase Lindsey's exceptional jam at www.tommyjam.comShe's been kind enough to offer listeners of the podcast 10% off with the promo code COUNTERCHRONICLES You can also connect with Lindsey on instagram @tommyjamnyc 

So thrilled to have Allison Kave on the pod this week!  Allison was the co-founder of one of my favorite Brooklyn establishments, Butter & Scotch, a feminist bar and bakery.  She talks about her first career in the arts, starting her one woman operation, First Prize Pies, her passion for craft cocktails, and eventually moving into the brick and mortar world with Butter & Scotch.  Allison is now pursuing her dream of living in Paris by combining her love of dessert, cocktails, and France in an innovative new delivery concept, Izzy's Paris.  Thank you to Allison for sharing her path, the reality of opening her business, and her entrepreneurial hustle in her next endeavor. To connect with Allison you can find her at: https://allisonkave.com or @allison_kave on instagram Also shoutout to the lovely Sophie Erskine - if you need a fantastic art director or marketing lady who will take your brand to the next level, you can connect with Sophie at https://www.sophieerskine.com/

Round 2 of our Baked Goods Special Report, except this time I trek around town picking up various baked goods in New York City (hint this is a Brooklyn specific edition).  Minna Choi, back for a 3rd spot on the pod, tries to guess what I picked and we discuss why these items and bakeries made it into the top 3 choices.  Enjoy a little silliness and carb overload with us during these dark winter months.  

Kerry Brodie is a tireless entrepreneur, founder, and executive director of Emma's Torch, a non-profit that empowers refugees through culinary education.  Kerry and I discuss her family's South African background, how that impacted her education and career, and ultimately how the idea for Emma's torch was born.  This multi-faceted non-profit provides culinary training, interview preparation and so many others skills to refugees and new immigrants through their programs and cafe located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.  Kerry's work with Emma's Torch is changing lives and is so inspiring.  To get involved or donate at https://emmastorch.org/

During quarantine, an idea sprouted while talking to my #1 eater friend, Minna Choi, of recording our conversations around food that we loved.  But of course, we had to turn into a challenge.  Minna was given the task of picking 3 baked goods that were the epitome of perfection, with the requirement that one had to be savory.  We then discuss, debate, and eat!  This episode is a break from our regular discussions of hustling, business, and entrepreneurship, but I hope our love of food, baked goods, and silliness brings a bit of fun and joy to your day!  The Choi's Picks: 1. Rebel Within -- Craftsmen and Wolves - https://www.craftsman-wolves.com/2. Banh Mi -- B on the Go - http://www.b-onthego.com/3. Almond Lemon Teacake -- https://tartinebakery.com/

Today's guest is Renato Poliafito, entrepreneur and owner of Ciao Gloria, an acclaimed bakery and daytime cafe in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.  We talk about Renato's upbringing in an Italian household, his early career as a graphic designer and art director, and how he found his way into the hospitality industry.  Renato was previously the co-owner of Baked, an iconic American bakery in Red Hook, Brooklyn.  Renato has incredible insight and advice about partnerships and collaboration, how important the relationship is with your landlord, and all the savory and sweet goods coming out of the kitchen at Ciao Gloria.  Connect with Renato and the Ciao Gloria team athttps://www.ciaogloria.com or @ciaogloria on instagram 

Today's guests are David Yourd and Karrie Kimble, partners in business and in life.  We discuss their first business in Chicago, how they fell in love with artisan and specialty food, and their eventual move to New York City to start what is now Philosophy Foods.   Philosophy is a purveyor of fine artisanal and luxury foods.  I'm thrilled to share their story, the growth of their business, and what it has taken to survive the pandemic. You can connect with David and Karrie at www.philosophyfoods.com or on instagram @philosophyfoodsTo purchase any of their incredible products directly, please go to their sister company www.regalisfoods.com to order some beautiful products for your home.  

Jennifer Estevez is the founder of Omvino, a marketing and consulting company, she founded to help wineries, restaurants, startups and others in the hospitality industry.  Jennifer is a CMS advanced sommelier and was consulting for restaurants, when she noticed a gap in the marketplace that spurred her to start Omvino.  Jennifer also has another project, Palate Club, which is changing the user experience of developing your own personal wine palate.  You can find Jennifer at https://www.omvino.com/Check out Palate Club at https://www.palateclub.com/ with discount code JENNIFERAnd if you're interested in some amazing American wineries, here are a few Jennifer loves.  https://cayusevineyards.com/https://lytle-barnett.com/https://www.vivino.com/wineries/xander-soren

Today's episode is with long time Brooklyn resident and entrepreneur, Gaia Diloreto.  Gaia is the epitome of resilience, entrepreneurship, advocacy and leadership.  We discuss her path from corporate America to opening a retail shop that highlighted artisans and makers in the diverse borough of Brooklyn, NY.  She's had a wild ride from entrepreneurship to operations, and now also serves as President of the New York Women's Culinary Alliance. Enjoy this episode with Gaia! 

Today's guest is food stylist Olivia Mack McCool.  Olivia was kind enough to share her journey from growing up in a restaurant family, to FIT and culinary school.  Her artistic and creative eye eventually put her on the path to becoming a food stylist and writing her first cookbook, LUNCH!  Olivia shared her years of hustling as an assistant food stylist, the ins and outs of freelance life, and the current hustle of work during a pandemic while also juggling new motherhood.  Her work and love for food is inspiring and I recommend you follow her on instagram @oliviamackmccool. You can also connect with Olivia at: https://www.oliviamackmccool.com 

Happy New Year!  To welcome what will hopefully be a much better year, I am thrilled to share one of my favorite conversations thus far with Chris Papagni.  Chris is a lifelong student and educator.  We talk about how his career took an unexpected turn when he garnered a position at the French Culinary Institute.  Chris spent nearly two decades at the school, merging his love of food with education and student affairs.  We discuss Chris' move to Portland, Maine, and ultimately his expat life in Portugal.  Thank you so much to Chris for his candor, honesty, and a truly insightful look into his life and career.  Here is a link to Chris' blog - I highly recommend subscribing for his weekly post.https://papagnipages.com/

Today's show is Part 2 of last week's show with musician Minna Choi.  Today we dive deep into how she created Magik Magik orchestra, the realities of running Magik while working multiple other jobs, how the pandemic has affected the music industry, and so much more.  You can find Minna @magikminna on instragram or http://magikmagikorchestra.com/The podcast can be found @counterchronicles on Instagram or my personal instagram @brooklynchurnedlink to Minna's favorite hymn https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLI8HsXBVc2aEjBwOZBa5sHilIYp5CQ6PS&v=U0UlZ-Loxsk&feature=youtu.beThank you for listening and enjoy the show! 

Today's podcast is with the talented Minna Choi.   Minna is a musician, entrepreneur, creator  of Magik Magik orchestra, and the true embodiment of hustle.  Her story was so inspiring that it will be airing in two parts.  In today's episode we talk all things that led to the path of pursuing a career in music: her background growing up with immigrant Korean parents, college, the internships, the rejections, and so much more.  We laugh a lot and I hope you enjoy today's show as much as I did recording it.  You can find Minna at http://magikmagikorchestra.com/

Sue is a dynamite force in the artisan cheese industry.  Today we delve into her multi-decade career, from starting out in public relations, to running front and back of the house of a catering company, to working at the Ritz Escoffier in Paris...and that's just the first few years of her career!  Sue ultimately fell in love with artisan cheese, first in France and later in the United States.  She was instrumental in creating the CCP (Certified Cheese Professional) exam...like the bar exam for cheese professionals.  Sue went on to start multiple companies focusing on cheese education, teaching students from all over the world about cheese making, affinage (the craft of aging cheese), retail/sales, and more.  Sue now lives in Paris with her husband and we also talk a lot about French cheese, life in France during the Covid-19 pandemic, and more.  Pour yourself a glass of wine, nibble on some cheese, and enjoy the show! 

Jordan Zimmerman joins me on the podcast today.  Jordan and I met when she was working at the education department of Murray's cheese.  She has had an inspiring journey, from Texas, to being the second woman to graduate college in her family (Yale University, no big deal!), to the reality of pursuing her passion.  For Jordan, that passion lives in the food and beverage industry.  She is honest and real about her love for the industry but also the difficulties she has faced along the way.  In recent years, she has dived into a career in spirits, specifically whiskey, and has now landed in an exciting new role at Brown Forman.  I can't wait for you to listen to the whole episode and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  

Sarah Feingold's story is a fascinating tale of a lawyer who went to law school specifically to help businesses in the creative sphere.  She saw an opening in the market when she noticed one of her favorite companies, Etsy, had no legal counsel.  Sarah maneuvered her way into a job at Etsy as the 17th employee and their first legal counsel.  She helped Etsy go public and after nearly a decade left Etsy for another start-up, Vroom.  Sarah is now working on a variety of projects, from Legal Madness (her play that depicts the insane stories she hears from other legal counsels), to The Fourth Floor, an organization dedicated to connecting female founders and professionals with the goal of increasing women on boards.