Podcast appearances and mentions of James Beard

James Beard award-winning chef Rob Rubba seems to have it all: a blockbuster restaurant that's great for the environment, a happy staff, and work life balance that most of us would kill for. None of this happened by accident. In today's conversation we sit down with the chef to discuss how he architected the life and career of his dreams through the intentional peeling away of everything that did not serve him, his team, or the environment. For more information on the chef and his restaurant, visit https://www.oysteroysterdc.com/____________________________________________________________Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

Erica Luera brought her witchy tropical vibes to the world renowned Strong Water in Anaheim, CA and is currently serving as their bar lead. She used to visit the legendary tiki palace Bahooka in Rosemead as a kid, about the time she was learning how to play violin. She graduated to working in dive bars and playing the guitar, and during the pandemic, she deeply dug into the craft of tiki drinks which eventually earned her a spot at the James Beard nominated Strong Water. She also crafts a spooky sexy playlist, which you can check out here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7BBNIp9p3de0CUKdY5TEla?si=f_po_im1TAK6Axu214h6ww

Honolulu's new Special Agent in Charge discusses the priorities of the FBI under Trump; Pint + Jigger co-owner Dave Newman makes it to the final round of a new cocktail service category of the James Beard awards

In “Oh, Snapper! Mislabeled Mississippi Seafood,” Gravy producer Boyce Upholt takes listeners to Biloxi, Mississippi—a town that has long called itself the Seafood Capital of the World. But in May 2024, shocking news hit the community: Mary Mahoney's Old French House, an iconic restaurant, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to misbrand fish and wire fraud. For years, the iconic 60-year-old establishment had been selling cheap imported fish as premium local Gulf seafood, defrauding more than 55,000 customers. What makes this story particularly fascinating is the public's reaction, or lack thereof. Despite learning they'd been deceived, loyal diners packed Mary Mahoney's after the guilty plea, with customers posting on Facebook about their continued support for “their favorite restaurant.” This unexpected response reveals the complexities of the local identity in a place that is grappling with economic and environmental change. Biloxi's seafood industry once thrived on genuine abundance. Indigenous peoples had harvested oysters here for thousands of years, and by 1904, the town earned its “seafood capital” moniker through a booming cannery industry that shipped Gulf oysters nationally and internationally. But the same forces that built Biloxi's reputation—industrialization and globalization—eventually undermined it. Imported seafood began dragging down local prices in the 1980s, and disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill further devastated the fishing fleet. Mary Mahoney's fraud, meanwhile, turned out to be just the tip of an iceberg. A consulting group used genetic testing and found that out of 44 area restaurants, only 8 were properly labeling their shrimp. Yet Biloxi's dining scene is also experiencing a renaissance. Chefs like Alex Perry at Vestige and Austin Sumrall at White Pillars have earned James Beard nominations while championing local ingredients and sustainable sourcing. Even at more casual spots like Bradley's—located inside a gas station—proprietors prove that serving authentic Gulf seafood can be both affordable and profitable. What parts of Biloxi's identity matter? What does it mean, really, to be local? As Biloxi transforms from a working fishing port into a tourist destination dotted with casinos and chain restaurants, the town faces a choice about what parts of its heritage to preserve. The seafood fraud scandal serves as a mirror, reflecting not just economic pressures but cultural ones—revealing how a community that built its identity on the ocean's bounty must now decide whether that connection still matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're traveling back to the late 60s/early 70s with Call Jane! Join us as we learn about religion and abortion activism, hospital abortion boards, and the surprisingly complex history of the snickerdoodle. Sources: News Report by Peter Heller on Abortion, 1969. Oregon Public Broadcasting. Available at https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-153-988gtx44 Linda Greenhouse and Reva B. Siegel, Before Roe v. Wade: Voices That Shaped the Abortion Debate Before the Supreme Court's Ruling. Creative Commons. Available at https://documents.law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/beforeroe2nded_1.pdf "Good things to eat" Sixth Division of the Ladies Society, First Presbyterian Church (1913)  https://hdl.handle.net/2027/loc.ark:/13960/t9t159g6v?urlappend=%3Bseq=142  The "Home" Cook Book (1914), https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.rsl9sl?urlappend=%3Bseq=118%3Bownerid=27021597766901606-122  Woman's Home Companion (1915) Fashions in Foods in Beverly Hills (1929)  J. O. Dahl, Menu making for professionals in quantity cookery (1939) https://hdl.handle.net/2027/inu.30000114597218?urlappend=%3Bseq=182%3Bownerid=13510798901193441-186  James Beard, Cook it Outdoors (1949) https://hdl.handle.net/2027/umn.319510009574021  Cook book, compiled by Women of St. Paul Lutheran Church (1953) https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435059270363?urlappend=%3Bseq=113%3Bownerid=13510798904058095-119  All-American Foods: a 4-H Learn to Cook Project Leaders' Guide (1975) https://hdl.handle.net/2027/umn.31951d03882083v  Army Nutrient values of master menu recipes and food items (1985) https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uiug.30112105106089?urlappend=%3Bseq=5%3Bownerid=32607013-4  Ngram: https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=snickerdoodle&year_start=1800&year_end=2022&corpus=en&smoothing=3  Gillian Frank, "The Religious Network that Made Abortion Safe When it Was Illegal," https://genderpolicyreport.umn.edu/the-religious-network-that-made-abortion-safe-when-it-was-illegal  Sarah McCammon, "50 Years Ago, A Network Of Clergy Helped Women Seeking Abortion," https://www.npr.org/2017/05/19/529175737/50-years-ago-a-network-of-clergy-helped-women-seeking-abortion  Linda Freund, "What I learned after meeting a Catholic nun who supports abortion rights," Independent 2 August 2022, https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/abortion-rights-catholic-teachings-vatican-church-b2136442.html  Leslie J. Reagan, "Radicalization of Reform," in When Abortion Was a Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867-1973, with a New Preface (University of California Press, 2022). https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2kx88fq.16  Johanna Schoen, "Abortion care as moral work," Journal of Modern European History (2019): 262-79. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26832825 Michelle Mehrtens, "The Underground Abortion Network That Inspired 'Call Jane'," Smithsonian Magazine, available at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-underground-abortion-network-that-inspired-call-jane-180981032/ The Story of One of the Few Black Members of Chicago's Abortion Rights Underground. History News Network. Available at https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/the-story-of-one-of-the-few-black-members-of-chica RT: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/call_jane  Rebecca Harrison, "Call Jane review: a powerful, timely pro-choice drama," BFI: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/call-jane-powerful-timely-pro-choice-drama  Sheila O'Malley, "Call Jane," https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/call-jane-movie-review-2022  IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7461272/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_Call%2520Jane  Oscars, "'Call Jane' w/Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, and Wunmi Mosaku & more | Academy Conversations" https://youtu.be/5NPBfoI1YlE?si=Hp4mnqsnsswiPUBZ 

Michelin-starred, James Beard award–winning chef Douglas Keane closed his wildly successful restaurant at the peak of its fame, burned out by an industry he felt was broken. A decade later, he returned with Cyrus 2.0, a completely re-engineered dining journey that now pays every employee $75,000, runs a four-day workweek, and delivers higher margins than most fine-dining peers. Harvard Business School made it a case study about it, and here in this episode, he explains exactly how he did it. Links:Cyrus Restaurant Harvard Business School Case – “Cyrus: Turning a Traditional Business Model on Its Head”Book – Culinary Leverage: A Journey Through the Heat Chef Douglas Keane  A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

What is queer food? Today we're having a special roundtable discussion with the authors of two great new books unpacking the topic in exciting and unexpected ways: John Birdsall is the author of The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard and the wonderful new book What Is Queer Food?: How We Served a Revolution. Erik Piepenburg is a reporter and the author of Dining Out: First Dates, Defiant Nights, and Last Call Disco Fries at America's Gay Restaurants. I loved both of these books, and I'm so grateful for this lively conversation that looks to the past, present, and future of queer community.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We'd love to hear from you. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky interviews Chef Mona Sang, the visionary behind Khmai Cambodian Fine Dining in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood.More than a restaurant, Khmai is a deeply personal tribute to Mona's mother—a survivor of the Cambodian genocide—and a celebration of Cambodian culture through food. Mona shares how cooking helped her mother heal, how their journey together brought Khmai to life, and how traditional recipes passed down through generations continue to shape every dish on the menu.From humble beginnings to being recognized as a James Beard semifinalist, Mona explains how Khmai became one of Chicago's most sought-after dining experiences. Discover the emotional stories behind the food, the values driving the restaurant, and why Khmai is a place where culture, memory, and community converge.Learn more and connect:Website: https://khmai-fine-dining.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/khmaichicagoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/monabellacatering/#TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@khmaichicago1?lang=enYelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mona-bella-catering-chicagoMore episodes and local insights: https://www.thechicagolandguide.com Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide!For more insights into the best places to live, work, and explore in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com. Connect with us on social media for more updates and behind-the-scenes content. If you have any questions or want to share your own Chicagoland stories, feel free to reach out! Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.

You've seen him on MasterChef, Top Chef, and in the kitchen at Fort Worth's acclaimed Le Margot. Now, Michelin-starred chef and James Beard nominee Chef Graham Elliott joins My So-Called Fabulous for a conversation you won't want to miss. The Director of Culinary Development for Far Out Hospitality, alongside founder Felipe Armenta, shares the journey that led him from television to shaping the Texas dining scene. He opens up about his creative process, French-inspired menus, and how food, family, and personal growth continue to fuel his passion. This inspiring episode offers a look into the heart of a chef whose story goes far beyond the kitchen. Tune in now, and be sure to visit Chef Graham at one of Far Out's 13 standout restaurants.Follow Graham Elliott!https://www.instagram.com/grahamelliot/?hl=enVisit the Far Out Hospitality Group Restaurants: https://www.farouthospitality.com/ Check out our podcast, now on video, on my YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLzeA0jBX83j4wqpA2r9lpQTune in NOW and don't forget to subscribe, listen, rate, and review!To learn more about your host, Tiffany Blackmon…Check out my website,https://tiffanycblackmon.comSubscribe on YouTube, Tiffany Blackmonhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLzeA0jBX83j4wqpA2r9lpQFollow me on Instagram, @tiffanycblackmonhttps://www.instagram.com/tiffanycblackmonFollow me on Facebook, Tiffany Blackmonhttps://www.facebook.com/tiffanyslifestyleSubscribe to my newsletter so you never miss anything:https://bit.ly/44bk6fW#GrahamElliott #TiffanyBlackmon #MySoCalledFabulous #MasterChef #TopChef #CulinaryJourney #FrenchCuisine #FarOutHospitality #LesMargo #ChefLife #RestaurantIndustry #FoodCreativity #HealthyLiving #ParentingAndCareer #InspiringStories

Send us a textIn this episode of The Real Santa Fe, Bunny sits down with one of Santa Fe's most beloved chefs — and one of her dearest friends — Kathleen “Kat” Crook, executive chef and owner of Market Steer Steakhouse. Recently named to the James Beard Foundation's TasteTwenty list, Kat is taking her rodeo grit, sustainable mindset, and culinary passion to the national stage.But before she was serving up green chile mussels and reinventing happy hour in Santa Fe, Kat was a world champion roper managing 350 head of cattle on her family's ranch in Artesia, New Mexico. We talk about her wild leap from ranch life to culinary school, the surprising moment that changed everything, and how she's built a downtown steakhouse that feels like home — with food that's anything but ordinary.You'll hear:How a windy night and an Emeril Lagasse cookbook sparked a whole new lifeThe journey from rodeo circuit to fine dining kitchens in Dallas and AspenWhat makes Market Steer's beef and vibe truly differentHow Santa Fe's culinary scene is evolving — and where it's going nextWhy the James Beard recognition means so much (and what's coming this November)Oh, and did we mention caviar Frito pie?This is one of those stories that will leave you inspired, hungry, and maybe ready to take your own big leap.

A Note From The Host: Our next guest is a one-of-a-kind creative who just so happens to be someone who crafts the world's most elevated and unique cocktails. Alba Huerta is a Houston-based bartender + owner of Julep – who won a James Beard award for her work. She's a cocktail educator, author, and longtime business owner – inheriting that drive from her parents, and who ploughed head-on into her purpose. What is so interesting about Alba's story, is that while she's made a serious mark in technique and flavor, it's people and the hallowed aspects of hospitality that have driven her since the age of 18 to be the celebrated creator and entrepreneur she is today. Here, Alba humbly shares her unique story of cocktails that tell a story, with a lot of advice for business owners and fans of food and drink along the way.Discover more + Shop The Podcast:JulepJulep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned by Alba Huerta + Marah Stets Discover the episode and more on storyandrain.comfollow @storyandraintalks and @storyandrain on Instagram follow @storyandraintalks and @storyandrain on Threadsall about the host

“Untold“   Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Jamie, Torie, and COB alum Mike Croley.  All agree that Charlotte Bronte was more talented at 13 than any of us as adults.  Mike explains tenure — liberating.  David wins the pop quiz “name the book by the quote.” Award winning (as in James Beard) and best selling author Ted Genoways zooms in to share “Tequila Wars,” his massively researched and compellingly written take on the unsung and underreported Jose Cuervo, a real person with untold impact on Mexican history.

Hunter, butcher and James Beard award-winning Chef Jesse Griffiths doesn't just talk the locally sourced talk—he hunts it, guts it, cooks it, and plates it with style. We dive into Jesse's wild game philosophy, lead-free ethics, duck recipes that'll change your life, and how he's somehow never pulled the trigger on a mallard!  From feral hog feasts--and have to admit that this interview rekindled my personal hog-wild interests-- to turkey tales and steel-shot sermons, while not serving up seasonal, locally sourced culinary masterpiecs at his Dai Due restaurant, Jesse serves up a masterclass in honest foods and ethical hunting. If you ain't hungry yet you soon will be!       Visit the Legendary Brands That Make MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Possible: MOJO Outdoors  Alberta Professional Outfitters Society Benelli Shotguns BOSS Shotshells Bow and Arrow Outdoors Ducks Unlimited  Flash Back Decoys GetDucks.com HuntProof Premium Waterfowl App Inukshuk Professional Dog Food  onX Maps  Use code GetDucks25 Sitka Gear Tom Beckbe USHuntList.com   Like what you heard? Let us know! • Tap Subscribe so you never miss an episode. • Drop a rating—it's like a high-five in the duck blind. • Leave a quick comment: What hit home? What made you laugh? What hunt did it remind you of? • Share this episode with a buddy who lives for duck season.   Want to partner? Have or know a story to share? Contact: Ramsey Russell ramsey@getducks.com

The BanterThe Guys talk about a new trend: concierge for teens.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys catch up with traveling writer Michael Stern who searches for our country's best roadside restaurants. They discuss the finest dishes he's encountered and where he finds the best (and worst) places.The Inside TrackThe Guys often road trip through the U.S. and were thrilled to hear Michael and his wife Jane's theory about a pillar of American cuisine: barbecue. Here is their tip on finding the best places.“ Jane and I, in fact, developed a whole theory. It's the pigs plus Jesus theory of barbecue. When you're in the deep south, if you go into a barbecue parlor and see a lot of religious iconography on the wall, chances are very good the barbecue is gonna be excellent,” Michael Stern on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2005BioMichael and his wife Jane were trailblazing guides for over 40 years. After meeting at Yale, where they came to study art, they began a collaboration that has yielded over forty books including New York Times best sellers Elvis World and The Encyclopedia of Bad Taste. Michael is co-creator of roadfood.com – the first website to feature photography. In 1992, Jane and Michael Stern were inducted into the Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America for their pioneering work discovering regional food. Michael was an editor at Gourmet Magazine for 17 years. The monthly column he and Jane Stern wrote won three James Beard journalism awards. He was a contributing editor to Saveur Magazine from 2010 to 2015. For ten years the Sterns were regular weekly guests on the Public Radio show, The Splendid Table. In 2016 the Smithsonian Institution acquired the Jane & Michael Stern Roadfood collection for its permanent archives.InfoMichael & Jane's bookRoad Food 17th EdBy Jane and Michael SternRoadfoodhttps://roadfood.com/On Friday, June 27 Come see The Restaurant Guys LIVE with Chef Andrew Zimmern at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Brunswick, NJ. VIP tickets include a Meet & Greet After-Party with Andrew. Restaurant Guys Regulars get a discount so subscribe https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe Tickets https://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/ Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

Hey Detroit! We are back in our TechTown studio for your Daily Detroit, and on this Thursday, May 15th, 2025, the city is absolutely buzzing with news – from delicious new spots, to political shifts, to the city growing population for a second year in a row.  On today's show: Corktown Coffee & Bagel in Core City First up, Devon brought in a treat from the brand new Haraz Coffee in Corktown, which just had its soft opening. Located at 1501 Church Street (right off Michigan & Trumbull in a new parking deck), this Yemeni coffee shop is already impressing. Not to be outdone on the new-eats front, I shared my excitement about Bev's Bagels, the latest venture from James Beard-nominated Max Sussman. Tucked into a space on Grand River (south of Warren), Bev's offers an old-school diner counter feel but with amazing bagels.  Detroit's Growing Population & Development News The big headline? Detroit's population has grown for the second consecutive year, according to new U.S. Census estimates. This is the first time since 1957 the city has seen two straight years of growth, adding 7,000 residents and becoming the 26th largest city proper in America. Mayor Duggan credits reduced crime, more jobs, and new housing.  While positive news, there's much more work to do. We discuss the big pluses and what's ahead.  Speaking of development, the groundbreaking for Lee Plaza on West Grand Boulevard (in the Northwest Goldberg neighborhood) is a monumental step. This 100-year-old, long-vacant iconic eyesore is being transformed into 117 units of affordable senior housing, with rents capped at 30% of income. It's a complex project with 7-8 layers of financing, but it's a "jewel" being added outside of downtown. Political Tremors: 2026 Governor's Race Polls New polling for the 2026 Governor's race is turning heads. A Target Insyght poll shows Mayor Mike Duggan, running as an independent, with 48% overall support among Detroit voters (up 9 points since February). He's even leading 51-28 among Black voters in the city.  Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has slipped to 32%, and Republican Congressman John James is at just 3% with Detroit voters.  Although it's early, we get into it because it shows the former Mayor has more juice than some expected. Though it's kind of in line with what we predicted. What Do You Think? What are your favorite new spots in the city? Are you feeling the growth? And what's your take on these early political polls? Let us know!  Email us at dailydetroit@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 313-789-3211. Thanks for tuning in, and remember — you are somebody.  Daily Detroit shares what to know and where to go in Detroit every day. Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942  Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

The BanterThe Guys provide suggestions on what restaurants should do if they don't have a pastry chef. Mark points out why you should not take dieting tips from Francis.The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys are *on location* with chef James London of Chubby Fish. They talk about the operations and dining experience of his jewel-box restaurant and how dock-to-table benefits everyone…except the fish.The Inside TrackThe Guys dined at James' place the night before this podcast and were blown away by the meal! They also marveled at the wonderful blend of southern hospitality and northern hustle. “ When you go in and you see a service at Chubby Fish, it's almost like watching ballet. It is the way that they spin and they dance and work with each other seamlessly,” James London on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2025BioJames London, a Charleston native, came up cooking in barbecue and Southern restaurants in South Carolina. Once he graduated College of Charleston he made the leap to New York City where he enrolled at The French Culinary Institute. After graduation James worked with Chef Josh Dechellis before becoming the Executive Chef at Niko in Soho.After his time in New York, James went west to San Francisco where he led the kitchen at The Elite Café, a Creole restaurant in Pacific Heights.James eventually returned to Charleston where he and his wife, Yoanna, opened Chubby Fish, a dock to table seafood concept. Chubby Fish has garnered a Best New Restaurant nod from Bon Appetit, was ranked #7 Restaurant in the US from Food and Wine Magazine, and a James Beard finalist for Best Chef Southeast 2024.InfoChubby Fish, Charleston, SChttps://www.chubbyfishcharleston.com/Life Raft Treats “Not Fried Chicken” Ice Cream on Goldbellyhttps://www.goldbelly.com/On Friday, June 27 Come see The Restaurant Guys LIVE with Chef Andrew Zimmern at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Brunswick, NJ. VIP tickets include a Meet & Greet After-Party with Andrew. Restaurant Guys Regulars get a discount so subscribe https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe Tickets https://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/ Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

Host of the popular podcast, The Sporkful, Dan Pashman is our guest. Then pizza news. And our pizza topic is..."THE WINKING PIZZA CHEF".Dan Pashman is the 3-time James Beard winning host of the very popular, Sporkful podcast. He's the inventor of the new pasta shape Cascatelli and he's the author of 2014's “Eat More Better” and 2024's “Anything's Pastable”.Dan talked about his most controversial pizza takes, he was Arthur's therapist and we asked him about the bro infestation of food media. Follow us for more information!Instagram: @pizzapodparty @NYCBestPizza @AlfredSchulz4Twitter: @PizzaPodParty @ArthurBovino @AlfredSchulzTikTok: @thepizzapodpartyThreads: @pizzapodparty @NYCBestPizza @AlfredSchulz4

Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America (St. Martin's Press, 2024) tells the extraordinary story of how Irish and Jewish immigrants worked together to secure legitimacy in America.Popular belief holds that the various ethnic groups that emigrated to the United States at the turn of the twentieth century regarded one another with open hostility, fiercely competing for limited resources and even coming to blows in the crowded neighborhoods of major cities. One of the most enduring stereotypes is that of rabidly anti-Semitic Irish Catholics, like Father Charles Coughlin of Boston and the sensationalized Gangs of New York trope of Irish street thugs attacking defenseless Jewish immigrants. In Opening Doors, Hasia R. Diner, one of the world's preeminent historians of immigration, tells a very different story; far from confrontational, the prevailing relationships between Jewish and Irish Americans were overwhelmingly cooperative, and the two groups were dependent upon one another to secure stable and upwardly mobile lives in their new home. The Irish had emigrated to American cities en masse a generation before the first major wave of Jewish immigrants arrived, and had already entrenched themselves in positions of influence in urban governments, public education, and the labor movement. Jewish newcomers recognized the value of aligning themselves with another group of religious outsiders who were able to stand up and demand rights and respect despite widespread discrimination from the Protestant establishment, and the Irish realized that they could protect their political influence by mentoring their new neighbors in the intricacies of American life. Opening Doors draws from a deep well of historical sources to show how Irish and Jewish Americans became steadfast allies in classrooms, picket lines, and political machines, and ultimately helped one another become key power players in shaping America's future. In the wake of rising anti-Semitism and xenophobia today, this informative and accessible work offers an inspiring look at a time when two very different groups were able to find common ground and work together to overcome bigotry, gain representation, and move the country in a more inclusive direction. Hasia R. Diner is a professor emeritus of American Jewish History and former chair of the Irish Studies program at New York University. She is the author of numerous books on Jewish and Irish histories in the U.S., including the National Jewish Book Award winning We Remember with Reverence and Love, which also earned the Saul Veiner Prize for most outstanding book in American Jewish history, and the James Beard finalist Hungering for America. Diner has also held Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships and served as Director of the Goren Center for American Jewish History. Geraldine Gudefin is a French-born modern Jewish historian researching Jewish family life, legal pluralism, and the migration experiences of Jews in France and the United States. She is currently a research fellow at the Hebrew University's Avraham Harman Research Institute of Contemporary Jewry, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

We're on the road celebrating our 30th Anniversary and this week, we bring you an eventful night in Seattle in partnership with KUOW. First up, Valerie Segrest, cofounder of Tahoma Peak Solutions, and Jeremy Thunderbird, owner of Native Soul Cuisine, about the diversity of indigenous food, carrying on traditional recipes, and food sovereignty. Then, Tan Vinh, host of KUOW's Seattle Eats podcast, and Melissa Miranda, chef-owner of Musang and Kilig, talk about the rich Asian community food scene and then, Yasuaki Saito, owner of Saint Bread bakery, a semifinalist for the James Beard award for the best bakery in the country, and Janet Becerra, chef and founder of Pancita, and a semifinalist this year for Best Chef: Northwest, talk about how their local eateries reflect and serve their communities.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 9, 2025 (originally aired)Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America (St. Martin's Press, 2024) tells the extraordinary story of how Irish and Jewish immigrants worked together to secure legitimacy in America.Popular belief holds that the various ethnic groups that emigrated to the United States at the turn of the twentieth century regarded one another with open hostility, fiercely competing for limited resources and even coming to blows in the crowded neighborhoods of major cities. One of the most enduring stereotypes is that of rabidly anti-Semitic Irish Catholics, like Father Charles Coughlin of Boston and the sensationalized Gangs of New York trope of Irish street thugs attacking defenseless Jewish immigrants. In Opening Doors, Hasia R. Diner, one of the world's preeminent historians of immigration, tells a very different story; far from confrontational, the prevailing relationships between Jewish and Irish Americans were overwhelmingly cooperative, and the two groups were dependent upon one another to secure stable and upwardly mobile lives in their new home. The Irish had emigrated to American cities en masse a generation before the first major wave of Jewish immigrants arrived, and had already entrenched themselves in positions of influence in urban governments, public education, and the labor movement. Jewish newcomers recognized the value of aligning themselves with another group of religious outsiders who were able to stand up and demand rights and respect despite widespread discrimination from the Protestant establishment, and the Irish realized that they could protect their political influence by mentoring their new neighbors in the intricacies of American life. Opening Doors draws from a deep well of historical sources to show how Irish and Jewish Americans became steadfast allies in classrooms, picket lines, and political machines, and ultimately helped one another become key power players in shaping America's future. In the wake of rising anti-Semitism and xenophobia today, this informative and accessible work offers an inspiring look at a time when two very different groups were able to find common ground and work together to overcome bigotry, gain representation, and move the country in a more inclusive direction. Hasia R. Diner is a professor emeritus of American Jewish History and former chair of the Irish Studies program at New York University. She is the author of numerous books on Jewish and Irish histories in the U.S., including the National Jewish Book Award winning We Remember with Reverence and Love, which also earned the Saul Veiner Prize for most outstanding book in American Jewish history, and the James Beard finalist Hungering for America. Diner has also held Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships and served as Director of the Goren Center for American Jewish History. Geraldine Gudefin is a French-born modern Jewish historian researching Jewish family life, legal pluralism, and the migration experiences of Jews in France and the United States. She is currently a research fellow at the Hebrew University's Avraham Harman Research Institute of Contemporary Jewry, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

2025 James Beard award nominated! Jason Wise talks with winemaker Moe Momtazi as he shares the story of how he and his pregnant wife escaped Iran after the revolution in 1979 and survived against all odds to found Maysara Winery in Oregon.  You will not believe what wine can mean to people and culture in this award nominated episode.  Make sure to go to sommtv.com to watch this episode and also watch "Cup of Salvation" the newest SOMM Film featuring wine made in Iran.

This is a Vintage Selection from 2007The ConversationThe Restaurant Guys speak with Lettie Teague about her articles “The Secret Life of a Wine Salesperson” and “The Secret Life of a Sommelier.” Lettie gets a behind the scenes look into the selling of wine both to restaurants and to consumers. Hear how good shoes and avoiding coffee can lead to success. The Inside TrackThe Guys invite Lettie on the show after reading her insider articles about getting wine from the distributor into restaurants then into the glasses of consumers. Lettie says this about Food & Wine magazine. “It is half of our name and we really make a point to have it in every possible place, not just in bottles recommended or profiles of winemakers or stories but also absolutely every dish that it's appropriate to. So, our commitment to wine is profound,” Lettie Teague on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2007 BioLettie Teague has been The Wall Street Journal's wine columnist for 15 years. Before joining the Journal in 2010, Lettie was the executive wine editor and columnist for Food & Wine magazine.She has won three James Beard awards for her wine writing and is the author of three books: “Wine in Words” and “Educating Peter,” and "Dear Readers and Riders," a biography of best-selling children's book author Marguerite Henry. She is also the co-author and illustrator of “Fear of Wine" and was inducted into the Wine Media Hall of Fame in 2015.InfoLettie's article “Secret Life of a Wine Salesmen”https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/secret-life-of-a-wine-salesmanThe Restaurant Guys LIVE with Chef Alex Guarnaschelli at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center on Monday, May 12! VIP = After-Party with Alex! Tickets https://www.restaurantguyspodcast.com/rglivealexguarnaschelli Discount on Tickets AND Cocktail Party for Restaurant Guys Regulars on May 10 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe Our Sponsors The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Centerhttps://www.theheldrich.com/ Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/ Withum Accountinghttps://www.withum.com/ Our Places Stage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/ Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/ Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/ To hear more about food, wine and the finer things in life:https://www.instagram.com/restaurantguyspodcast/https://www.facebook.com/restaurantguysReach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com**Become a Restaurant Guys Regular and get two bonus episodes per month, bonus content and Regulars Only events.**Click Below!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2401692/subscribe

Detroit is like the weather. Wait fifteen minutes, and something new will happen. Well, in Detroit's case, stuff will happen. Part of what's awesome about following this town. Norris Howard joins Jer to talk about: 02:39 - Friend of the show Mickey Lyons nominated for a James Beard award for her writing at Punch 04:56 - What makes a good coffeeshop? (new James Oliver location in Woodbridge) 10:29 - New life for Cooley complex and Airport high school moves 18:10 - Your Ono feedback  Daily Detroit shares what to know and where to go in Detroit every day. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942  Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

What does sofrito—a base of herbs and spices used in Puerto Rican cooking—have to do with reimagining business, food security, and conveying a history lesson about a rich and sometimes complex culture? For today's guest, it's everything. If you've ever wondered how to weave your culture, creativity, and calling into one powerful movement... then this episode is the recipe you've been looking for. In this episode, you will hear:   Food has a cultural foundation passed through generations. Cultural identity can be preserved and taught through everyday meals. How to make the best sofrito if you don't have time to cook. Food is more than just food – it's heritage, intention, and a story. The story of the Puerto Rican pasteles is shared. Food choices are power moves, shaping local or global economies. Imagination makes it possible to wear multiple hats and still stay rooted in purpose. You don't need permission to do things differently, just the will and a plan. This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact by Melissa Llarena Audible   Audio Edition: https://www.amazon.com/Fertile-Imagination-Stretching-Superpower-Maximum/dp/B0CY9BZH9W/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0   Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Fertile-Imagination-Stretching-Superpower-Maximum/dp/B0CK2ZSMLB   Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/Fertile-Imagination-Stretching-Superpower-Maximum/dp/B0D5B64347/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0   Or, download a free chapter at fertileideas.com       About Crystal Diaz   Crystal Díaz has spent nearly two decades at the intersection of food, marketing, and cultural advocacy. She co-founded PRoduce, Puerto Rico's digital marketplace for locally grown food. Crystal is also the force behind El Pretexto, the island's first culinary farm lodge, where food and imagination meet 2,600 feet above sea level. A committed advocate for food security, she collaborates with Espacios Abiertos to advance agricultural policy. Crystal holds two master's degrees, including one in Food Studies from NYU. She's been recognized by Fast Company and El Nuevo Día for her creative leadership and impact in the local food movement. Quotes that can change your perspective:  “If you really want to learn about something and you're obsessed about it, there's always ways to learn, to make it happen.” – Crystal Díaz   “With every single meal that we do, with every single snack, everything that we eat, you are impacting economies. And if you want to support your local communities and you want to see them, everybody having a better life, you might want to spend that dollar closer home and making sure that all of the ingredients that are on that food are closer to home so that money stays closer to home.” – Crystal Díaz   “Sofrito is very personal. You know? It's part of how your family has done it… but also learn that there is a lot of history into it. It's not something that we do because we do it. There is a lot of history to it.” – Crystal Díaz   “We are on a little island. We don't have that much territorial extension, so we can't think about our agriculture as other countries that have large extensions of terrains and flats and stuff like that. We need to think about it differently.” – Crystal Díaz   “Puerto Rican food is full of history, is complex enough, is flavorful enough, and varied… so I can pull something like this [a culinary farm lodge] up in Puerto Rico.” – Crystal Díaz SHARE this episode with fellow food lovers, cultural storytellers, and moms on a mission to raise rooted kids. Crystal's insights on local food, identity, and imagination will inspire anyone looking to nourish their family and community from the inside out. Let's keep our culture alive—one pastel, one sofrito, and one big idea at a time. Supporting Resources:   Website: https://www.elpretextopr.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elpretextopr  Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/@elpretextopr/ Subscribe and Review   Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.    I'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms. About Fertile Imagination   You can be a great mom without giving up, shrinking, or hiding your dreams. There's flexibility in how you pursue anything – your role, your lifestyle, and your personal and professional goals. The limitations on your dreams are waiting to be shattered. It's time to see and seize what's beyond your gaze. Let's bridge your childhood daydreams with your grown-up realities. Imagine skipping with your kids along any path – you, surpassing your milestones while your kids are reaching theirs. There's only one superpower versatile enough to stretch your thinking beyond what's been done before: a Fertile Imagination. It's like kryptonite for impostor syndrome and feeling stuck when it's alert!    In Fertile Imagination, you will awaken your sleeping source of creative solutions. If you can wake up a toddler or a groggy middle schooler, then together with the stories in this book – featuring 25 guests from my podcast Unimaginable Wellness, proven tools, and personal anecdotes – we will wake up your former playmate: your imagination!  Advance Praise    “You'll find reality-based strategies for imagining your own imperfect, fulfilling life in this book!” —MARTHA HENNESSEY, former NH State Senator    “Melissa invites the reader into a personal and deep journey about topics that are crucially important to uncover what would make a mom (and dad too) truly happy to work on…even after the kids are in bed.” —KEN HONDA, best-selling author of Happy Money    “This book is a great purchase for moms in every stage of life. Melissa is like a great friend, honest and wise and funny, telling you about her life and asking you to reflect on yours.” —MAUREEN TURNER CAREY, librarian in Austin, TX   TRANSCRIPT   00:00:00 Crystal: Come up with ideas to make it easier for food producers to produce more food because we are in a little island. We don't have that much territorial extension. So we can't think about our agriculture as other countries that have large extensions of terrains and flats and stuff like that. We need to think it differently.  00:00:25 Melissa: Welcome to the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, your weekly podcast to inspire you to dream bigger. Plan out how you're gonna get to that next level in business, find the energy to keep going, and make sure your creative juices are flowing so that this way you get what you really want rather than having to settle. Get ready to discover founders have reimagined entrepreneurship and motherhood.  00:00:47 Melissa: Ever wonder how they do it? Tune in to find out, and stretch yourself by also learning from diverse entrepreneurs who might not be moms, but who have lessons you can tailor about how you can disrupt industries and step way outside of your comfort zone. I believe every mom's superpower is her imagination. In this podcast, I'm gonna give you the mindset, methods, and tools to unleash yours. Sounds good? Then keep listening.  00:01:17 Melissa: So what does sofrito, which is essentially a base of herbs and spices used in Puerto Rican cooking, have to do with reimagining business, food security, and passing along really critical history lessons. Well, for today's guest, it is everything. And if you've ever wondered how to weave your culture, creativity, and calling into one powerful movement, then this episode is the recipe you've been looking for.  00:01:49 Melissa: Welcome to the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. This is your weekly podcast designed to inspire you to dream bigger in your business and your life. Also, to help you find the energy to keep going because how are you going to sustain what's necessary to be big and to keep your imagination flowing so that this way you could feel inspired, lit up like a Christmas tree or Hanukkah candles. I'm your host Melissa Llarena. 00:02:17 Melissa: I'm a mom of three high energy boys. No. They did not get their energy from me. Psyched. They did. I'm also a best selling author of Fertile Imagination and an imagination coach for mom founders who are reimagining what success and motherhood can look like on their own terms, and that's really important.  00:02:34 Melissa: Now, if you've ever stirred a pot of sofrito, you already know this. Right? You know that the blend of flavors tells a deeper story. It tells a story that sometimes has made its way across generations. It preserves a culture, and it does nourish more than just our baby's bellies.  00:02:56 Melissa: So today's guest, I am thrilled to invite Crystal Diaz. Now she's taken the same approach in terms of her business ventures. She's a foodpreneur, culture keeper, I love that, and community builder. She wears four hats and in today's episode we're gonna go through each of those hats. One of which is as the owner of El Pretexto, i.e. The Excuse, a culinary farm lodge in the countryside of Puerto Rico where she serves 100% locally sourced meals and lives her mission every day.  00:03:33 Melissa: She has lots of degrees and an MA in food studies from NYU, which is why if you're watching the video, you could see, I hope, my NYU t-shirt. Hit subscribe if you see it and you love it. Subscribe on YouTube. Hit follow on this podcast. 00:03:53 Melissa: A little bit more about Crystal. She was recognized by Fast Company as one of the most creative people in business in 2022 and was named one of El Nuevo Diaz women of the year in 2023. She's the real deal. In this episode, we're gonna explore how Crystal uses her imagination as her main ingredient, whether it's in terms of the way that she's carving away for Puerto Rico to have its own food centric cultural immersive experience or even by how she decided to commute to NYU from San Juan every single week, which was creative in and of itself, or even in terms of the way that she describes the depth of a very famous Puerto Rican dish.  00:04:43 Melissa: Oh, and side note, I actually have her real life best on the planet, sofrito recipe. My gosh, do not run away, For sure. Check out the sofrito recipe we articulated in this conversation. You're gonna walk away with yummy ideas for how to use your own imagination to nourish your business, your family, and community, and it's gonna be so important even if you're not working in food.  00:05:13 Melissa: So before we dig in, I would appreciate if you hit follow, if you're listening to this on iTunes. Why hit follow? Because every time someone hits follow on iTunes, it tells me that I need to bring more guests with stories like this to the podcast. And I get really excited and when a mom is excited, it is a very good day in her entire home. So go ahead, hit follow. You will absolutely get that dopamine hit that everybody needs or if you're watching this on YouTube, then hit subscribe. I would be so appreciative and again, I will do the dance of joy. Okay. So enjoy the conversation.  00:05:54 Melissa: Crystal Diaz, thank you so much for this conversation on the Mom Founder Imagination hub. We are delighted to have you here. Crystal, just to kind of set off the scenery, why don't you explain to us where you are in Puerto Rico? What's outside your windows? 00:06:10 Crystal: All right. Well, let's… our imagination hub in a car. We are in San Juan, and you drove forty five minutes south, up to the mountains. Now we are in Cayey. I am at El Pretexto, which is also my home, and we are overlooking… we're up in the mountains, 2,600 feet over sea level, overlooking the Caribbean Sea at the south, and all the mountains slowly winding down all the way to the coast. 00:06:43 Crystal: And you will have some crazy chickens surrounding you. In my patio while you are probably sipping a wine or a coffee, depending on the time of the day. Enjoying the view and, surrounded by trees, lush greenery all over the place. And there are gardens on your side, also as well. So you are surrounded definitely by nature and you feel at peace. That's where we are.  00:07:15 Melissa: Oh, okay. Cool. So let's bring that sense of peace to this conversation. I am excited because I'm sure any listener right now who is a mom, has a business, might feel a little frazzled now and again. But right now, for the next thirty minutes, this is a peaceful zone. We are in Puerto Rico right now. 00:07:37 Melissa: Okay. So, Crystal, now I'm gonna ask you an obvious question, as you just described what you are surrounded by in Puerto Rico. But you attended NYU, and I'm just kind of super curious. You could have stayed in New York, let's say. Right? You could have been like this chef at a restaurant in New York City, Michelin star, etcetera, etcetera. But you decided to return home. And so I'm just curious, like, what informed that decision?  00:08:13 Crystal: Well, you will be surprised with my answer because I never left home. I commuted every single week to New York. Coming on to the city, take my classes, back to my home. So for two years, I was traveling every week to New York for one day.  00:08:34 Melissa: Oh my gosh. Yeah. That is so surprising. Okay. So now I'm just curious here. Okay. So you were on a plane. So, usually people complain about their commute. Right? 00:08:48 Crystal: Uh-huh.  00:08:49 Melissa: They have this whole return to work aggravation. Here you are getting on a plane every single week to take courses at NYU. So then let me ask you this other question. So I know that it's a little off track, but now I'm just way curious. Why did it have to be NYU? That's quite the pull.  00:09:13 Crystal: Yeah. Well, my background is in marketing, and I have a BA in Marketing with a Minor in Advertising and Public Relations. Then I worked with a newspaper for fourteen years. So my background is all about business and marketing. Then I did a first master degree here in Puerto Rico, in the University of Puerto Rico, about cultural action and management. And then, I wanted – because at this point, I believe that I am not passionate anymore. I am kind of obsessed with food, and I guess we will get into that later. 00:09:58 Crystal: But, I wanted to learn the policy part of it. And in Puerto Rico, we don't have any program in any of the universities nor public or private, specifically about food, and way less food policies and advocacy and that type of perspective on the food system, which is what I wanted to learn. So that's why I ended up in New York. I decided to do this because it's a direct flight. So it's gonna be a three hours and a half flight going in, then the one hour in the A train until Westport. 00:10:49 Crystal: Even though I know it's intense, it was pretty straightforward. You don't have make a stop then take another plane. And I was studying and reading all my plane hours, so there's no excuse to not complete your assignments, I guess.  00:11:07 Melissa: Yeah. I love that. Okay. So, hey, that is 100% using your imagination because I think a lot of us, myself included, I wouldn't have considered that to be an option in my mind. I still don't. Right? It's gotta be a certain set of circumstances that make that a possibility. But, I love that now that's an idea that we just planted in someone's head. Right? If they really are obsessed. Right?  00:11:35 Crystal: And if you really want to learn about something and you're obsessed about it, there's always ways to learn, to make it happen. And to my point, New York is so expensive that I spend way less money in flight tickets than actually living there.  00:11:56 Melissa: Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. Okay. So this is really interesting. Okay. So you could have stayed in New York, but you didn't even choose to stay in New York when you were taking classes at NYU. So now you have the whole, like… that's just so that's fascinating, Crystal. You really gobsmacked me right now with that piece of information.  00:12:18 Melissa: So along the same lines of using your imagination and thinking totally out of the box, let me ask you this one question. So, El Pretexto, of course, we'll go into what it is and all of that. But I also wanna understand because on your website, you say that you've traveled the world. Right? So you've seen all these different culinary experiences. And using your imagination and imagining where or how would you imagine Puerto Rico's cuisine fitting into the landscape of world gastro– I can't say the rest of that word, but I know it's a real word.  00:12:57 Crystal: Yes. Well, for me, I love to travel. I am a girl of no luxuries. Right? I don't care about purses or new shoes or jewelry. It's like I don't judge, but I don't care. So where I spend my money and my time, which I can't… money, you can recover it somehow, but time is just one time. You just have every minute that you have.  00:13:27 Crystal: And I like to spend those traveling and getting to know other cultures and exposing myself to other cultures. And I think that those travels have pushed me to understand and appreciate what we have back here at home and also understand the opportunities that we have back here at home. Not everybody is doing it perfectly, but you can definitely learn how it is done in other places. And I'm talking generally. Right? Depending on what you are interested.  00:14:01 Crystal: But you always learn of how the world do things in other places. So, I in my case, I love food and I try to expose myself, not only to eating in good restaurants or good food, but I love to go to markets. I even go to supermarkets every time I travel. I like to visit farms and I noticed, especially in Mexico, you can see this – Peru is developing this a lot and Italy has it all set. 00:14:40 Melissa: On lockdown.  00:14:41 Crystal: But you have these culinary experiences where you get to… expose to their cuisine, with a local chef and and you go to their farmers' markets and you get the whole country but with a special focus in food. And I was like, “You know what? Puerto Rican food is full of history, is complex enough, is flavorful enough, and varied so I can pull something like this up in Puerto Rico.” So that's how one of our offerings about the curated food experiences came to be because I was sure that somebody will have the curiosity to get to know Puerto Rico from its food.  00:15:33 Crystal: So that's how I got into there. And I think that because I am obsessed with the fact that Puerto Rico imports 90% of everything that we eat, I am then focused on cherish and enhance and share that 10% what it can be if we actually put a lot of effort into grow that 10% into 20%, let's say.  00:16:08 Melissa: That's interesting. So okay. So, I mean, I'm not cynical, but, in my opinion, I kind of believe that the person that controls food source kinda controls a lot. And that's not fantastic. And so I'm just wondering from a policy perspective and as you think about this share of stomach or however it's really considered, are you also part of that conversation too? Like, are you actively advocating for that too?  00:16:45 Crystal: Yes. Yes. I always say I have a couple of hats for all those also thinking that you only have to do one thing and one thing only. If you want to do one thing and one thing only, that's okay. But in my case, I am focused on food, but I try to deal with it from different perspectives. So I have four hats.  00:17:09 Crystal: And one of my hats, specifically works with food policy advocacy. And we try to understand the local food policies that are in place, understanding what programs work, what programs doesn't work, and then trying to make it as… to come up with ideas to make it easier for food producers to produce more food. 00:17:41 Crystal: Because we are in a little island. We don't have that much territorial extension, so we can't think about our agriculture as other countries that have large extensions of terrains and flats and stuff like that. We need to think it differently. And I am not against importation. We all have globalized diets, and we love olive oil, and we can't produce that in Puerto Rico. And we love wine, and we can't produce that in Puerto Rico.  00:18:16 Crystal: So it's not like, all the way 100%. That's not what I mean. But definitely, we should aim to have, let's say, half of our stomach-share full of food that is produced locally. Not only because of its nutritional value, but also because it means economic growth and development for our island and our local communities. So every dollar that you spend on food… somebody might be hearing us while they are eating something.  00:18:55 Crystal: So you imagine whatever you're eating right now, let's say it cost you $1. It depends on where the ingredients came from, that dollar went to that place. It depends on where it was processed, part of that dollar went to that place. And then if you bought it in the supermarket or if you bought it in Amazon, to who you gave that share of that dollar.  00:22 Crystal: So with every single meal that we do, with every single snack, everything that we eat, you are impacting economies. And if you want to support your local communities and you want to see them, everybody having a better life, you might want to spend that dollar closer home and making sure that all of the ingredients that are on that food are closer to home so that money stays closer to home. And that's how I see it. 00:19:58 Crystal: How do we make that that share of that dollar that we as consumers have the power to choose where it goes. And, by the way, there are some parts that we have the power and some part we don't have the power. I understand that. But how do we make an effort in whatever way we can to stay as close as possible to our home.  00:20:24 Melissa: So I think you said that… was that one out of your four hats? 00:20:28 Crystal: Yes.  00:20:29 Melissa: What are the other three?  00:20:30 Crystal: Well, El Pretexto, which is a bed and breakfast, is our Puerto Rico's first and only culinary farm lodge. This is my home, but I also welcome guests here. So El Pretexto is my second one. I'm the co-founder of PRoduct, which is a digital marketplace that connects local food producers with consumers directly. We're trying to shorten that food chain and make it easier and convenient to get local products on your home. We deliver island wide. So that's my third hat. And then I have a super small, digital, marketing agency with another partner, and it's all focused on food and beverage. So everything is about food but from different perspectives.  00:21:25 Melissa: Yeah. That's so interesting because it's almost like you have a little supply chain kind of going on. Right? It's like we've got a lot going on, but it's all related to eating, which is essential. But I think it's smart. I mean, you have your little niche there. Huge niche. We keep being hungry, so you're in a good spot, I would say.  00:21:49 Melissa: So let me understand this idea about food and how you saw it as an opportunity for Puerto Rico because it has a rich history. Right? So me as a mom, for example, I'm second generation from a Puerto Rican perspective. As a mom, for me, passing down culture is urgent. It's almost on the verge of extinction, I feel, because of where I am generationally. Like, I'm, quote, unquote, “amongst people that I know I'm not,” quote, unquote, “supposed to know Spanish.” I'm not, quote, unquote, “supposed to literally make rice and beans every day,” which by the way, I don't have to. But my goodness, my children really like their rice and beans. And I am so lazy. So that is all I make because I just want one pot.  00:22:40 Melissa: But anyway, so culture, food, that's the one way that I pass it along. Right? You are what you eat. So guess what? My kids are Puerto Rican and Cuban, at this stage. Yes. They have Dominican in them, but, hey, that's just my culinary preference. So tell me about this idea of culture, Puerto Rican culture. And I would be super curious if you could maybe choose an example of a cuisine or food and just kind of walk us through how that kind of expresses culture or maybe there's a story behind it that is unique to Puerto Rico.  00:23:20 Crystal: Well, for me and my mentor used to be doctor Cruz Miguel Ortiz Cuadra, which was the only food historian in Puerto Rico. He passed two years ago, but I learned so much from him and pretty much I was his daughter. He inherit me all his library, which I have here, home. And, so we discussed this a lot. And I think that we both shared that the ultimate dish that represents the Puerto Rican culture will be the pasteles. For those that doesn't know what a pastel is, it's a tamal like preparation. But the tamales are corn based and they use corn leaves to wrap it up. The pasteles puertorriqueños is made out of a dough made out of root vegetables mainly. 00:24:20 Crystal: It will have bananas and plantains that we got from our African in [inaudible]. It will have pumpkin, which were already with our Taino peoples here in America. It will have yautia, which also was here in Puerto Rico. And then, it will have some pork stew that was brought by the Spanish people. So you have in one dish our full heritage of the three cultures that have conformed the Puerto Rican-ness in just one dish.  00:25:01 Crystal: And then that works too will use, what is the ultimate base of flavor of the Puerto Rican cuisine, which is the sofrito. And the sofrito itself also is a blend of African, Spanish, and Taino ingredients, but it's a bricolage of flavors and smells that then go into the stew that then is used to make the pastel. And the pastel is also representative of the most authentic Puerto Rican soul because el pastel is wrapped as a gift.  00:25:40 Crystal: And if you were poor and there was a lot of poverty in Puerto Rico at some – we still have, but there used to be a lot of poverty back in the days. If you didn't have any resources, monetary resources to gift things, you will make pasteles with the things that are on your patio. You will have that growing up in your patio, in your garden, and then you will do pasteles, and you will gift that to your adult, kids, to your sisters, to your brothers.  00:26:13 Crystal: And so because it's – now we have technology, and now we can use food processors and so on. But back in the day, you had to grate that by hand. So if you have that gift, I am not only gifting you my talent and the products that I grow in my patio, but I'm also gifting my time. So it's a very meaningful way of telling someone that you really care about them. 00:26:42 Crystal: And that's all about Puerto Ricans. We care. We care a lot. We want to share everything that we have. And all the visitors that we have, they all can say that Puerto Ricans are always nice to them. Even if we have people that doesn't speak so much English, they will take you to whatever place you wanted to go, trying to understand you and enjoying our island. So I think that the pastel is representative of all the goodness of the Puerto Ricans.  00:27:16 Melissa: Let's pause for a second. If you've been nodding your head all along while listening to Crystal talk about food as fuel for imagination, then I wanna put this on your radar. My book, Fertile Imagination is for any mom who's ever thought, “I know I'm capable of more, but I don't know where to start.”  00:27:39 Melissa: And as one Amazon reviewer said this of my book, Fertile Imagination, which is all about maximizing your superpower to make your maximum impact, She says this, “It's a non judgmental kick in the butt to start valuing your whole selves and to create a new reality where we combine motherhood with our big dreams. Whether you're chasing an idea during nap time or whispering your big vision,” this is hilarious, “into a spatula, then this book is your creative permission slip.”  00:28:17 Melissa: You're gonna hear stories, especially if you like this conversation with Crystal. You're gonna hear a story as well from a podcast guest that I had here who is a James Beard award winning chef, Gabriele Corcos. And you're gonna learn about how he has really latched on to this idea of novelty as his way to explore new categories of interest in his one beautiful life. So I want to just be sure that you realize that this conversation is the beginning of the process. I wanted you to see through Crystal how if your imagination was reawakened, you can start to reimagine how you approach your own life. And I think that's important.  00:29:04 Melissa: But then the book, Fertile Imagination, goes on and adds some tools that you can actually use to incorporate your imagination into your one divine life. And here's the thing, because you could use your imagination from any place you are in the world, you won't have to hop on a plane and go to any place. You can actually just close your eyes and replug in to the little girl that you once were who had all these beautiful ideas that you wanted to play out in the world and that's what I want for you. 00:29:41 Melissa: So here's what I have for you. Just go ahead to fertileideas.com. If you're driving, if you're running, if you're walking, you could do this in a bit. Just go to fertileideas.com and you could download a free chapter of my book, Fertile Imagination. What's really amazing about that chapter is that that chapter basically takes you to a place where you can go and travel back in time, to that moment when you were most free, to that moment where you had the world totally ahead of you and you were imagining what you wanted for your one divine life. That's what I did when I got on stage at the Magnet Theater in New York City 100 years ago now, so it feels. 00:30:25 Melissa: But I talk about that moment for me in that chapter that you can get for free right now on fertileideas.com. So back to the show. Again, shop the book. This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination, every mom's superpower. Go to fertileideas.com. Grab the free chapter. Why not? What are you gonna do? Have an amazing time reading a free chapter? That's the way to set yourself up for success for this summer. All right. Enjoy the rest of the conversation.  00:30:55 Melissa: I've never ever heard of un pastel in that way. I'm just like… it's fascinating because I also think it's… maybe it's just me, but I feel like there's a bit of an acquired taste to it too. Like, for me. Right? When I think about a pastel and I compare it to a tamal, I do not think about a Mexican tamal at all. I think about Cuban. I think about– 00:31:26 Crystal: Yeah. Sure. 00:31:28 Melissa: And for me, it's really fascinating to hear the story behind the pastel in the sense that it's very, very comprehensive. You could… I mean, I bet you there's probably books already. Or maybe you're gonna write a book. Maybe you got a fourth – a fifth hat to wear, right? You can write about pasteles. I mean, it's not a bad gig.  00:31:49 Melissa: But I think it's really interesting. And I think it's a testament to the fact that irrespective of where someone travels to the depth with which they can get to know and appreciate a culture is almost unlimited in a way, right? It's… like, for me and my family, I am not a Disney World person. But I've been to Disney World because it's kinda like, “Oh, we just go to Disney World and I have three kids.” And you got a cat. That's a little bit of a cat. She's got a cat. If you're watching this on video, you see her big and fluffy cat. Is your cat Puerto Rican though? 00:32:29 Crystal: She is Puerto Rican. She is a sato cat.  00:32:31 Melissa: Aw.  00:32:32 Crystal: She's a rescue one.  00:32:34 Melissa: So cute. She probably eats pasteles because she's got meat on her. She's a solid cat. But, yeah, just the depth with which you could understand a culture, what I'm hearing from you, Crystal, it can absolutely include history and and careful attention to the food that you're eating. Right? I think about just everywhere that I've traveled and every time I've eaten food, it's kind of like there's almost a story or a reason for why something is on a plate, and it's not always superficial. It's not just labor profile. It could have to do with political conversations. It could have to do with whoever decided that that food would make its way to that region.  00:33:27 Melissa: But let me ask you this question then. So just to kind of close-up this conversation on something that I think is very practical, I'm gonna ask you a very selfish question. Okay, so I'm on the quest for the perfect sofrito. I'm gonna tell you what I do for my sofrito. So it's my ritual on Sundays. I take all the peppers that I find, red, green, yellow, and even orange because it comes in that pack. I also then buy cilantro. I'm in Texas, so let's just be mindful I'm limited in some of the things I can get.  00:34:05 Melissa: Also because I'm a health conscious mom, I put bone broth in the blender so that this way things can blend. Right? I put onions. I put garlic. I put some oregano. That is what's in my sofrito on a good day. Melissa's like, “Okay. I am ready to make a sofrito.” How can I enhance that sofrito, or how do you teach people that visit El Pretexto how to make their own sofrito?  00:34:39 Crystal: Well, sofrito is one thing as the pasteles. Right? Everybody have their own recipe, and everybody says that their mom's sofrito is the best. Right? [inaudible] My mom's sofrito is the best. So that's the one that I do. And I'm happy to share the recipe for you because I have it written.  00:35:03 Crystal: But there are two schools of Sofrito to begin with. The school that says you do your Sofrito on a Sunday and you don't touch it… you don't do another Sofrito batch up until that one is gone in one or two weeks. And then you have my mom's school, which is you do your sofrito every time that you're gonna cook. 00:35:28 Melissa: Gotcha. Right.  00:35:31 Crystal: Obviously, that's nice for those that are retired and have all the time in the world. I do it that way. I'm not retired, but it's because I have a– 00:35:40 Melissa: That's your job. 00:35:41 Crystal: That's how she does it. And I don't want to, to your point, I want to continue her way of doing things. So, there are onions. We don't use all the colors of the bell peppers. We actually use cubanelle pepper. Onion cubanelle, then we will have the aji dulce, the sweet little pepper we need. We will have the cilantro, but we will also have culantro. [inaudible]. Yeah? And then, we will have garlic in it, a little bit of oregano, and pretty much that's the base. 00:36:29 Crystal: So depending on who you ask, there are people that will omit having the onion, and they will do it when they are cooking, if they're doing a batch. And then you will have people that will go all the way in with a lot of culantro in it, so it has that strong flavor to it. My mom's is more balanced in how much goes of each little thing in there. And we also use the bone broth, but not to blend the sofrito, but to stew the rice. If it's gonna be a stew rice, we will do bone broth instead of water with the rice. 00:37:18 Crystal: And then, the beans, we like them vegetarians. We don't use any hams or meat cuts into it. But, again, that's us. There are people that say that the most flavorful ones is with a piece of ham in it and whatever. But, I like… my mom's and mine are vegetarian. And my cat starts again.  00:37:43 Crystal: But, sofrito is is very personal. You know? It's part of how your family has done it. And as I told earlier, it's also a blend of these three cultures that goes into it. A lot of cultures have mirepoix or other type of base of flavors into their food and this is ours. So you have to make it yours but also learn that there is a lot of history into it. It's not something that we do because we do it. There is a lot of history into it. But, yeah, happy to share my mom's one with you. 00:38:29 Melissa: Yeah. For sure. Crystal, this was so amazing. So I would say around now, a lot of individuals are planning their summer holiday trips and vacations and all of that. So, maybe you can share where people can learn more about you, can learn more about El Pretexto if that's an option to them to kind of explore, and just follow your journey. 00:38:53 Crystal: Yeah. Sure. Well, a friendly reminder that it is an adults only project. So this might be your chance to… El Pretexto actually translates to “The Excuse.” So this might be your excuse to having your parents take care of the kids and hop down to the island and have a little bit of a honeymoon. But, El Pretexto, you can find it at elprotextopr.com. We're also in social media @elprotextopr in Facebook and Instagram.  00:39:30 Crystal: There you will meet our chickens and photos of our garden and our harvest and the breakfast, and maybe you get a little bit hungry. In our website, you will find different options because you could come for a weekend or you could come for a weekday stay, but also you could come for these curated food experiences, which are in very specific dates around the year. We also have dinners, farm to table dinners in our property. We invite guest chefs to cook dinners, around the year.  00:40:08 Crystal: And, also, I take people to other places in the countryside to enjoy a beautiful lunch, but getting to know another piece of countryside around the island. So, El Pretexto is no other thing than the celebration of the beautiful diverse countryside of Puerto Rico. And you can check all the information there. So, yeah, feel free to follow me there.  00:40:37 Melissa: Thank you so much, Crystal. This has been amazing. Have an awesome rest of your day. Keep enjoying the peace and serenity of the mountains and the Caribbean Sea and all the beauty that you see outside your window. Thank you so much for this conversation.  00:40:53 Crystal: Thank you. Thank you for the invitation.  00:40:56 Melissa: So what's your version of a sofrito? Right? Let's take it out of the kitchen and into your home office. What sort of things for you can you put together to create your next big idea, whether it's something for business, something for your personal life or something for your family this very summer. I am so excited to have had Crystal Diaz for this conversation because I think she's inspiring all of us. She's giving us a good idea of all the ways that we could color our own individual rainbows.  00:41:33 Melissa: At the same time, I want this to just remind you that your imagination could be stirred into anything, right? Especially like tonight's dinner. So catch up on Tuesdays on the Mom Founder Imagination Hub and until then, keep cooking up ideas that only you can serve. I honestly think there's a place in this world for imaginations. And irrespective of AI and technology, at the end of the day, it's only as good as the person behind the computer screen, our prompts, our ideas, the way that we decide to use these resources.  00:42:10 Melissa: And that is the best case for you to actually keep your imagination going and playing with it. So thank you for this conversation. And again, if you are interested in learning more about the book, just go to fertileideas.com. Have an amazing rest of your day, moms.  

Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America (St. Martin's Press, 2024) tells the extraordinary story of how Irish and Jewish immigrants worked together to secure legitimacy in America.Popular belief holds that the various ethnic groups that emigrated to the United States at the turn of the twentieth century regarded one another with open hostility, fiercely competing for limited resources and even coming to blows in the crowded neighborhoods of major cities. One of the most enduring stereotypes is that of rabidly anti-Semitic Irish Catholics, like Father Charles Coughlin of Boston and the sensationalized Gangs of New York trope of Irish street thugs attacking defenseless Jewish immigrants. In Opening Doors, Hasia R. Diner, one of the world's preeminent historians of immigration, tells a very different story; far from confrontational, the prevailing relationships between Jewish and Irish Americans were overwhelmingly cooperative, and the two groups were dependent upon one another to secure stable and upwardly mobile lives in their new home. The Irish had emigrated to American cities en masse a generation before the first major wave of Jewish immigrants arrived, and had already entrenched themselves in positions of influence in urban governments, public education, and the labor movement. Jewish newcomers recognized the value of aligning themselves with another group of religious outsiders who were able to stand up and demand rights and respect despite widespread discrimination from the Protestant establishment, and the Irish realized that they could protect their political influence by mentoring their new neighbors in the intricacies of American life. Opening Doors draws from a deep well of historical sources to show how Irish and Jewish Americans became steadfast allies in classrooms, picket lines, and political machines, and ultimately helped one another become key power players in shaping America's future. In the wake of rising anti-Semitism and xenophobia today, this informative and accessible work offers an inspiring look at a time when two very different groups were able to find common ground and work together to overcome bigotry, gain representation, and move the country in a more inclusive direction. Hasia R. Diner is a professor emeritus of American Jewish History and former chair of the Irish Studies program at New York University. She is the author of numerous books on Jewish and Irish histories in the U.S., including the National Jewish Book Award winning We Remember with Reverence and Love, which also earned the Saul Veiner Prize for most outstanding book in American Jewish history, and the James Beard finalist Hungering for America. Diner has also held Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships and served as Director of the Goren Center for American Jewish History. Geraldine Gudefin is a French-born modern Jewish historian researching Jewish family life, legal pluralism, and the migration experiences of Jews in France and the United States. She is currently a research fellow at the Hebrew University's Avraham Harman Research Institute of Contemporary Jewry, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Six-Time James Beard Finalist, Cathy Whims, of Portland's Nostrana, on her new book.Welcome back to Pizza Quest!This week we welcome six-time James Beard Award finalist, Chef Cathy Whims, owner of Portland's beloved restaurant, Nostrana. which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. I first met Cathy when she was the chef and co-owner of Portland's celebrated fine dining Italian restaurant Genoa, where I enjoyed a memorable six-course tasting menu along with the famous bread book author, Carol Field (The Italian Baker). That was over 25 years ago. Genoa closed a few years later, and Nostrana emerged, but it's quite different from Genoa, serving wonderful rustic Italian food and Neapolitan pizzas to its large and loyal following. This month also marks the publication of Cathy's first book,The Italian Summer Kitchen, full of wonderful, easy-to-make recipes as well as the stories behind them.I felt like we were all so young when we first met (and Cathy is still far younger than I), but now it feels like we're like the surviving old timers. I remember reading the sobering news when Carol Field passed away eight years ago -- she was an esteemed mentor to many of us, and now we've inherited that same mentorship mantle for the next generation, which is why Cathy's new book is so important.  We'll hear all about her long journey from Chapel Hill, NC on her way to becoming hailed, as one writer called her, the unofficial Doyenne of Italian cooking for the Pacific Northwest. It's all here in this week's edition of Pizza Quest.

Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America (St. Martin's Press, 2024) tells the extraordinary story of how Irish and Jewish immigrants worked together to secure legitimacy in America.Popular belief holds that the various ethnic groups that emigrated to the United States at the turn of the twentieth century regarded one another with open hostility, fiercely competing for limited resources and even coming to blows in the crowded neighborhoods of major cities. One of the most enduring stereotypes is that of rabidly anti-Semitic Irish Catholics, like Father Charles Coughlin of Boston and the sensationalized Gangs of New York trope of Irish street thugs attacking defenseless Jewish immigrants. In Opening Doors, Hasia R. Diner, one of the world's preeminent historians of immigration, tells a very different story; far from confrontational, the prevailing relationships between Jewish and Irish Americans were overwhelmingly cooperative, and the two groups were dependent upon one another to secure stable and upwardly mobile lives in their new home. The Irish had emigrated to American cities en masse a generation before the first major wave of Jewish immigrants arrived, and had already entrenched themselves in positions of influence in urban governments, public education, and the labor movement. Jewish newcomers recognized the value of aligning themselves with another group of religious outsiders who were able to stand up and demand rights and respect despite widespread discrimination from the Protestant establishment, and the Irish realized that they could protect their political influence by mentoring their new neighbors in the intricacies of American life. Opening Doors draws from a deep well of historical sources to show how Irish and Jewish Americans became steadfast allies in classrooms, picket lines, and political machines, and ultimately helped one another become key power players in shaping America's future. In the wake of rising anti-Semitism and xenophobia today, this informative and accessible work offers an inspiring look at a time when two very different groups were able to find common ground and work together to overcome bigotry, gain representation, and move the country in a more inclusive direction. Hasia R. Diner is a professor emeritus of American Jewish History and former chair of the Irish Studies program at New York University. She is the author of numerous books on Jewish and Irish histories in the U.S., including the National Jewish Book Award winning We Remember with Reverence and Love, which also earned the Saul Veiner Prize for most outstanding book in American Jewish history, and the James Beard finalist Hungering for America. Diner has also held Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships and served as Director of the Goren Center for American Jewish History. Geraldine Gudefin is a French-born modern Jewish historian researching Jewish family life, legal pluralism, and the migration experiences of Jews in France and the United States. She is currently a research fellow at the Hebrew University's Avraham Harman Research Institute of Contemporary Jewry, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Opening Doors: The Unlikely Alliance Between the Irish and the Jews in America (St. Martin's Press, 2024) tells the extraordinary story of how Irish and Jewish immigrants worked together to secure legitimacy in America.Popular belief holds that the various ethnic groups that emigrated to the United States at the turn of the twentieth century regarded one another with open hostility, fiercely competing for limited resources and even coming to blows in the crowded neighborhoods of major cities. One of the most enduring stereotypes is that of rabidly anti-Semitic Irish Catholics, like Father Charles Coughlin of Boston and the sensationalized Gangs of New York trope of Irish street thugs attacking defenseless Jewish immigrants. In Opening Doors, Hasia R. Diner, one of the world's preeminent historians of immigration, tells a very different story; far from confrontational, the prevailing relationships between Jewish and Irish Americans were overwhelmingly cooperative, and the two groups were dependent upon one another to secure stable and upwardly mobile lives in their new home. The Irish had emigrated to American cities en masse a generation before the first major wave of Jewish immigrants arrived, and had already entrenched themselves in positions of influence in urban governments, public education, and the labor movement. Jewish newcomers recognized the value of aligning themselves with another group of religious outsiders who were able to stand up and demand rights and respect despite widespread discrimination from the Protestant establishment, and the Irish realized that they could protect their political influence by mentoring their new neighbors in the intricacies of American life. Opening Doors draws from a deep well of historical sources to show how Irish and Jewish Americans became steadfast allies in classrooms, picket lines, and political machines, and ultimately helped one another become key power players in shaping America's future. In the wake of rising anti-Semitism and xenophobia today, this informative and accessible work offers an inspiring look at a time when two very different groups were able to find common ground and work together to overcome bigotry, gain representation, and move the country in a more inclusive direction. Hasia R. Diner is a professor emeritus of American Jewish History and former chair of the Irish Studies program at New York University. She is the author of numerous books on Jewish and Irish histories in the U.S., including the National Jewish Book Award winning We Remember with Reverence and Love, which also earned the Saul Veiner Prize for most outstanding book in American Jewish history, and the James Beard finalist Hungering for America. Diner has also held Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships and served as Director of the Goren Center for American Jewish History. Geraldine Gudefin is a French-born modern Jewish historian researching Jewish family life, legal pluralism, and the migration experiences of Jews in France and the United States. She is currently a research fellow at the Hebrew University's Avraham Harman Research Institute of Contemporary Jewry, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are major Champagne houses, like Taittinger and Pommery, spending millions of dollars to buy and plant vineyards in England? How did Brexit reshape the English wine industry, from barrels to picking grapes? Why does visiting the English wine country feel like uncovering a hidden secret? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Henry Jeffreys, author of Vines in a Cold Climate. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Vines in a Cold Climate. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights Is England's greatest wine yet to be discovered? What makes Peter Hall of Breaky Bottom such a memorable and inspirational person? What is it like to visit English wine regions as a tourist? How can you make the most out of a trip to London as a wine lover? What was the most surprising historical tidbit about English wine that Henry uncovered while researching? Which significant milestones have signalled the improved quality of English wine in the past 20 years? What makes English winemakers different from those from other regions? If English wine is such a precarious venture, why have champagne houses like Tattinger and Pommery chosen to plant in England? How did Brexit impact English winemakers? What's the biggest risk to the English wine industry?   Key Takeaways Henry observes that Champagne is warming up and the concern is that eventually the grapes might not have enough acidity, so they're hedging their bets. He also thinks they are entrepreneurial. If you could bring your expertise and get it to work and make a great, great wine - which is what they're interested in - then, why not? Brexit had a big impact on the English wine industry. There was a hell of a lot of upheaval, but I think generally the industry has adjusted and worked out how they can bring things in. The cost, obviously, has gone into the wines, and we probably have to pay more. But I think all the problems have already been dealt with. It's all kind of factored in. Southern England, especially in the spring and summer, Henry says, is breathtakingly beautiful in a way that no other country is. There are beautiful little villages and hills and churches. It can be quite incongruous sometimes seeing the vines, especially if on a cold day when you'd expect to see horses and apple trees. Wine tourism is quite in its infancy at the moment, but it's coming on strongly. A lot of wineries have realized that you can sell tourists wine without anyone taking a cut. So they're beginning to take it a lot more seriously… have restaurants on site, really good tour guides. The potential is massive because most of the vineyards are within an hour and a half of London.   About Henry Jeffreys Henry Jeffreys worked in the wine trade and publishing before becoming a writer. He's a contributor to Good Food, The Guardian, Harpers Wine & Spirit, and The Spectator, wine columnist for The Critic magazine, and has appeared on radio, TV, and The Rest is History podcast. He won Fortnum & Mason Drink Writer of the Year in 2022 and is the author of four books, including Empire of Booze and Vines in a Cold Climate, which was shortlisted for the James Beard awards and won Fortnum & Mason drink book of the year. Along with Tom Parker Bowles, he hosts the Intoxicating History podcast. He lives in Faversham, Kent, with his wife and two daughters.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/335.

This is part one of a two-part recap!Top Chef: Destination Canada, it's time to improve on pizza. Is that even possible? Probably not, but it's fun to watch a bunch of James Beard stans make a go of it! To watch this recap on video, listen to our Trailer Trash bonus episodes, and participate in live episode threads, go to Patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens. Tickets for the Mounting Hysteria Tour are now on sale at watchwhatcrappens.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is part 2 of a two-part recapTop Chef: Destination Canada, it's time to improve on pizza. Is that even possible? Probably not, but it's fun to watch a bunch of James Beard stans make a go of it! To watch this recap on video, listen to our Trailer Trash bonus episodes, and participate in live episode threads, go to Patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens. Tickets for the Mounting Hysteria Tour are now on sale at watchwhatcrappens.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Steve Turk on the Hospitality Mentor Podcast as he delves into the inspiring story of BCB3 Hospitality, a dynamic partnership between Babak Bina, Andy Cartin, and Jamie Bissonnette. In this episode, they share their unique paths into the hospitality industry, the challenges and successes of opening four innovative restaurant concepts in Boston, and the passion and collaboration that fuel their ventures. From embracing Korean cuisine to creating a Basque culinary experience, discover how they navigated obstacles and earned critical acclaim, including a James Beard nomination and recognition from the New York Times.00:00 Introduction to the Hospitality Mentor Podcast00:31 Upcoming Hospitality Mentor Networking Event01:03 Special Episode with the BCB Three Team01:35 Meet Babak Bina: The Journey Begins01:51 Meet Andy Carton: From Connecticut to Boston02:36 Meet Jamie Binette: From Hartford to Boston03:25 The Formation of BCB Three06:22 Babak Bina's Early Days in Hospitality10:27 Andy Carton's Path to Hospitality12:56 Jamie Binette's Culinary Journey17:37 Designing Unique Restaurant Experiences20:38 The Birth of Somac: A Korean Restaurant Concept23:09 Overcoming Early Failures and Pivoting24:35 Embracing Asian and Spanish Culinary Influences29:02 Opening Multiple Concepts Simultaneously31:12 Reflections on Success and Future Plans41:05 Advice for Aspiring Restaurateurs43:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

We love catching up with Nicole Rucker. She's a Los Angeles–based chef and owner of the wildly creative pie shops Fat + Flour. She's also the author of a new cookbook, which covers some of the iconic pies at the shop and so much more. In this episode, we catch up about her favorite Los Angeles restaurants, have a blast debating fruit fillings, and cover all the big decisions a home baker needs to make.Also in the episode, we have a terrific conversation with Shaily Lipa. She's the author of a really cool new cookbook, Yassou: The Simple, Seasonal Mediterranean Cooking of Greece. We talk about all the foods she ate traveling through Greece while growing up and so much more.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We'd love to hear from you. See more:This Is TASTE 40: Nicole Rucker [TASTE]The Founder of Fat + Flour Busts the Biggest Baking Myth [LA Times]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What are the biggest questions heading in to round 1? ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller & ESPN CFB Senior Writer Pete Thamel joins to discuss it all. Plus, Owner of Driftless Cafe & James Beard-nominated chef Luke Zahm stops by the set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the biggest questions heading in to round 1? ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller & ESPN CFB Senior Writer Pete Thamel joins to discuss it all. Plus, Owner of Driftless Cafe & James Beard-nominated chef Luke Zahm stops by the set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the biggest questions heading in to round 1? ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller & ESPN CFB Senior Writer Pete Thamel joins to discuss it all. Plus, Owner of Driftless Cafe & James Beard-nominated chef Luke Zahm stops by the set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the biggest questions heading in to round 1? ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller & ESPN CFB Senior Writer Pete Thamel joins to discuss it all. Plus, Owner of Driftless Cafe & James Beard-nominated chef Luke Zahm stops by the set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the biggest questions heading in to round 1? ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller & ESPN CFB Senior Writer Pete Thamel joins to discuss it all. Plus, Owner of Driftless Cafe & James Beard-nominated chef Luke Zahm stops by the set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is chalky soil really the secret to great English wine—or just clever marketing? What makes it so difficult for English wine to break into the North American market? Is it time for a classified system of English wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Henry Jeffreys, author of the award-winning book Vines in a Cold Climate. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Vines in a Cold Climate. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights How did Henry become a wine critic for The Lady, a women's magazine? What was it light to interview wine pioneer Stuart Moss? How did Henry's skepticism about biodynamics nearly cause a problem with Gérard Bertrand? What inspired Henry to write Empire of Booze? What was the most surprising thing Henry learned while researching the book? How did Henry's first experience of English wine go? What unusual vineyard experience totally changed his perception? How much wine does England produce? Where are the main wine regions in England? Are the benefits of the chalky soils in certain parts of England overrated? Is it time for a classified system of English wine?   Key Takeaways We always hear about the chalk or the White Cliffs of Dover. Do you think that has an influence or is it overrated? Henry thinks it is overrated and it was the story that sold. It was a good marketing angle, and they thought that it was the best place. He thinks almost everything else is more important than whether it's chalk or clay, and once you've got everything else right, then you can argue about that. Henry observes that selling to Canada and the US is quite complicated. If you sell to Japan, you can get just one person to import it. Whereas in North America you have complicated systems by state and province. You need somebody on the ground selling. Plus, Nova Scotia makes a similar style of sparkling wines. California has some pretty good sparkling wines. And then once the English bubblies land in the market, the price is pretty much the same as Champagne. Why would you unless you wanted something quite unusual, right? Henry says that there is now a PDO, or Protected Designation of Origin, a European geographical indication for one county, which is Sussex. But it's really too early for it, because they've only been making quality wine there for 30 years. The appellation contrôlée is, ideally, codifying hundreds of years of tradition. Plus, a lot of producers buy from different counties. So Nyetimber will have vineyards in Kent and Sussex and Hampshire. So that makes a nonsense of it. And also, there's sort of bits of Sussex that are very much like Kent, so you so there's no point drawing a line where the old county barrier is. It's like, it'd be like, sort of cutting the Médoc in half. It doesn't really make any sense. I think the only place where it makes sense is Essex, because you've got the soil.   About Henry Jeffreys Henry Jeffreys worked in the wine trade and publishing before becoming a writer. He's a contributor to Good Food, The Guardian, Harpers Wine & Spirit, and The Spectator, wine columnist for The Critic magazine, and has appeared on radio, TV, and The Rest is History podcast. He won Fortnum & Mason Drink Writer of the Year in 2022 and is the author of four books, including Empire of Booze and Vines in a Cold Climate, which was shortlisted for the James Beard awards and won Fortnum & Mason drink book of the year. Along with Tom Parker Bowles, he hosts the Intoxicating History podcast. He lives in Faversham, Kent, with his wife and two daughters.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/334.

Throughout this season, we've been exploring immigrant narratives around food: roles in food systems, labour, and diasporic food stories. Part of this is making sense of the “ish” elements to identities through food, which my guest this week, Renato Poliafito, does beautifully.  Renato is a James Beard-nominated restaurateur, pastry chef, cookbook author, designer, and entrepreneur based in Brooklyn, NY. After a graphic design and advertising career, Renato pivoted to food, training as a barista to learn more about the industry, eventually opening Baked in 2005. This kicked off a culinary renaissance in the waterfront neighbourhood, resulting in several cookbooks, a line of mixes, granola, bakeware, a location in Tokyo, and multiple James Beard nominations. After over a decade at Baked, Renato embarked on a new project. He opened Ciao, Gloria in Prospect Heights in 2019, a daytime café and neighbourhood bakery steeped in his Italian-American upbringing and heritage. Inspired by the monthly pasta events he did briefly at Ciao, Gloria, pre-pandemic, Renato opened a sister concept on Vanderbilt Avenue called Pasta Night, a casual pasta concept, in October 2024. He is also the author of Dolci!: American Baking with an Italian Accent, his first solo cookbook featuring Italian and “Italian American-ish” cakes, cookies, pies, and pastries for any occasion. In this conversation, Renato explores how he infused his culture and background into Ciao, Gloria, and Pasta Nights, how he switches between his Italian and American heritages to build their menus, and his perspectives on creating community in Brooklyn and Italian-American eating experiences that speak to American-style dining. Learn More About Renato: Book: Dolci! American Baking with an Italian Accent Pasta Night Website Instagram: @pastanightbk @ciaogloria and @renatoinbrooklyn

If you’re dining out in Portland to celebrate a special occasion, there’s a good chance you might end up at Nostrana. The Italian restaurant has been in business for 20 years with six-time James Beard award nominee Cathy Whims in charge. Whims has just released her first cookbook, “The Italian Summer Kitchen,” and joins us to talk about Portland’s food scene, her role in it, and simple Italian recipes for the good life.

Melissa Lopez is the James Beard semifinalist chef behind Barra Santos, one of the buzziest restaurants in recent memory to grace Los Angeles. Barra Santos is a tiny, sardine-tin of a restaurant in Cypress Park serving up thoughtful, super high-quality Portuguese fare. But as small as the restaurant's footprint is, the noise it's made since opening has been nothing short of deafening. After visiting the restaurant myself, I knew I wanted to get to know the mastermind behind the operation, and Chef Melissa did not disappoint. Would I go so far as to say we've got one of the country's brightest rising stars on our hands? Yes, yes, I would. But listen to the interview and visit Barra Santos to make up your own mind on the matter. But first, a nasally rendition of a couple of things that caught my eye this week. There's a Jenn Harris piece on how the tariffs are endangering the diversity that makes LA's food scene one of the best in the country, a Substack newsletter (Khushbu Shah's Tap Is Fine) on whether or not we should view influencers as experts, and an exciting new survey (from Emily Wilson at The Angel) on what Angelenos want from restaurants that I highly encourage you to take. Helpful Links:Jenn Harris on tariffs https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-04-11/los-angeles-restaurants-tariffs-southeast-asian-foodLaurie Ochoa on chili crisp and tariffs https://www.latimes.com/food/newsletter/2025-04-12/its-too-late-to-tariff-the-globalization-out-of-american-cuisine-more-chili-crisp-please-tasting-notesKhushbu Shah on influencers, amateurs, and expertise https://khushbushah.substack.com/p/when-did-we-all-become-afraid-of?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=2026436&post_id=161441896&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=31nins&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=emailEmily Wilson's survey in The Angel https://www.theangel.la/p/what-angelenos-want-from-restaurants-survey?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1717567&post_id=161269590&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=31nins&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email&hide_intro_popup=trueGab Chabran and Suzanne Levy on grants for restaurants from the California Restaurant Foundation https://laist.com/news/food/10-000-grant-available-for-restaurants-affected-by-la-firesBarra Santos https://www.barrasantosla.com/–Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠–Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Mary Clarkson to go through some of the latest Houston bar and restaurant news. The pair speak about the 4 Houston chefs/restaurants named finalists for James Beard awards, Jūn becoming the home of a daytime coffee service called Third Place, and Alexandra "Allie" Peña becoming Bludorn's new executive chef. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Camaraderie is featured.  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: 4 Houston Chefs and Restaurants are James Beard Award Finalists Heights Restaurant Adds Daytime Coffee Service with Guest Chef Pop-Ups Aaron Bludorn's Rising Star Protégé Moving from Memorial to Montrose Houston's Best Chef, Restaurant, and More Revealed at 2025 Tastemaker Awards

James Beard award-winning Chef and LA icon Roy Choi is releasing his first cookbook in over a decade. The Choi of Cooking: Flavor-Packed, Rule-Breaking Recipes for a Delicious Life includes Roy's recipes that allow for you to still pursue those, let's say, glutinous cravings, while still maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. Choi discusses the cookbook, his philosophy on home cooking, and reflects on the impact of Kogi BBQ, his popular fusion food truck.

The Weekly Dish kicks off the second half with their top two including seasonal foods! They later talk about the James Beard Finalists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Weekly Dish kicks off the second half with their top two including seasonal foods! They later talk about the James Beard Finalists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back on the road to celebrate our 30th Anniversary! This week, we're headed to Los Angeles, in partnership with LAist, to talk about the world-influencing food scene in LA and the community that brings it together. First, we dig into how LA dining influenced the country and the world with KCRW's very own Evan Kleiman, Host of Good Food, and Gab Chabrán, Associate Editor of Food and Culture at LAist. Then we talk community and the restaurants that foster those connections with chef-owners Uyên Lê, who makes delicious Vietnamese comfort food at her take-out, Bé Ù, Keith Corbin, executive chef and co-owner of Alta Adams, and bestselling author of his memoir, California Soul and Elvia and Alex Garcia, the James Beard nominated chef-owners of Evil Cooks, one of L.A.'s most lauded taqueria pop-ups now transformed into a full restaurant.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 11, 2025 (originally aired)Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

One, admittedly major, decision can change the course of your life for the better. Especially if that major decision involves you leaning into your life's purpose. Because once you see the chance to align yourself with your goals, and you take it, everything starts to fall into place. This is exactly what happened with this week's guest, Bricia Lopez. She started her culinary career taking over her parents' struggling restaurant with her siblings, and now she's a critically acclaimed, globally recognized chef.    Bricia Lopez is a chef, entrepreneur, and acclaimed author. She is a partner at Guelaguetza Restaurant, recipient of The James Beard American Classics award and lauded by the late L.A. Times food critic Jonathan Gold as “The best Oaxacan restaurant in the United States.” Bricia has authored two cookbooks. “OAXACA Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico” became an instant Amazon bestseller and earned a 2020 James Beard nomination. Her second cookbook, “Asada,” published in 2023, was included in the New York Times' list of best cookbooks of the year. In collaboration with her siblings, Bricia has launched two nationally distributed brands, including the bottled cocktail mix, I Love Micheladas™️, and Guelaguetza™️ mole starters. A sought-after featured guest, Bricia has appeared on NBC's Today Show and judged Bravo's Top Chef, while also being featured in high-profile outlets such as Forbes, NPR, Food & Wine, BBC, and The New Yorker.   In this week's episode, we're talking to Bricia about how she built a culinary empire rooted in culture. We also dive into how she maintains the confidence to build her dream life and how she can do it as a mother to two small children. Bricia is proof that you can give yourself anything you want; you just have to go for it.    Follow Bricia on: Instagram: @bricialopez Website: https://www.bricialopez.com/    Follow Erika on: Instagram @‌theerikacruzTikTok @‌theerikacruzLinkedIn Website: http://www.theerikacruz.com How to work with Erika: Join the waitlist for the Courage Driven Latina program here. Join the waitlist for the Magnetic Mastermind here.   Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

When mysterious orb-like lights were recorded in the sky above Koge, a small port town in Denmark, the UFO scene took notice. But it wasn't just believers who wanted to know what these unidentified flying objects were.Danish police and the Danish security services describe the objects as large drones - similar to the ones seen on the USA's East Coast before Christmas. But no-one can say who is flying them, or why. Could it be the Russians?Lucy Proctor meets the people involved in Denmark's unique UFO scene and tries to find out what these drone sightings mean.Produced and presented by Lucy Proctor. Mixed by James Beard. Edited by Penny Murphy. Production support by Gemma Ashman.

Two St. Louis chefs are finalists for James Beard awards. The recognition represents a milestone in two very different journeys: Vicia's Jane Sacro Chatham, nominated for Emerging Chef, immigrated to St. Louis from the Philippines 17 years ago. Meanwhile, Balkan Treat Box's Loryn Nalic, nominated for Best Midwest Chef, started out working in a food truck. Chatham and Nalic discuss the significance of the award and their work at two of St. Louis' top restaurants.