Hidden Apron Radio

Ep. 33: Reflections on Breaking Bread and Boundaries (A Recap of Sorts)

After a year’s worth of writing, editing, reflecting, then editing some more, we’ve finally finished our 33rd episode, four years after we had first launched this podcast and a year after we had published our last episode.  This is a long overdue reflection of sorts tying every one of our last 32 episodes.  Across them all, we’ve gathered the underlying truths that not only relate to food but also the experience of being.  This was the most challenging episode we’ve recorded not only because...

Ep. 32: The New Filipino Kitchen Authors Pt. 3 - Alexa Alfaro and Dalena Benavente on Navigating “Half”-Lives with Full Faith

This is the third installment in a special series of conversations with fellow authors of the recently published cookbook and anthology, "The New Filipino Kitchen" (available on Amazon) that features Filipino cooks, writers, and thinkers all across the globe.  We take a peek into how they view the world and their cuisine.   For this “Halfsies” edition (all 3 of us are of mixed heritage, me being Chinese-Filipino and Alexa and Dalena being half Caucasian), we feature:     - Alexa Alfa...

Ep. 31: The New Filipino Kitchen Authors Pt. 2 - Katrina and Kristina Villavicencio and Alexa Alfaro on Expectations from Family to Food

This is the second installment in a special series of conversations with fellow authors of the recently published cookbook and anthology, "The New Filipino Kitchen" (available on Amazon) that features Filipino cooks, writers, and thinkers all across the globe.  We take a peek into how they view the world and their cuisine. For this East Coast edition, we feature:  Katrina and Kristina Villavicencio, co-creators of the Washington DC Supper Club Timpla along with their friends Aniceto and P...

Ep. 30: The New Filipino Kitchen Authors Pt. 1 - Joanne Boston, Chef Robert Menor, Chef Rodelio Aglibot on Kollaboration, Konfidence, and Filipino Kuisine

This is a special episode that is the first in a series of conversations with fellow authors of the recently published cookbook and anthology, "The New Filipino Kitchen" (available on Amazon) that features Filipino cooks, writers, and thinkers all across the globe.  We take a peek into how they view the world and their cuisine. For this West Coast edition, we feature:  Joanne Boston (previously featured in Episode 2!), the founder of JBKollaborations, a company that creates events promoti...

Ep. 29: Mary Cleaver - Local Food Pioneer on “Dirty” Food, Building Sustainable Businesses, and the Goddess of Smaller

Today’s guest - in our own backyard here in NYC - is Mary Cleaver, founder of the Cleaver Co. and proprietor of the just recently reincarnated Green Table Restaurant in Chelsea Market and Table Green in Battery Park.  Mary has been living and breathing Local Food since the 80s long before it was cool at a time when it was even scoffed at for being “dirty”.  Her restaurant, the Green Table has thrived since 2003 and just this past summer has relocated to a different space (now known as Cleave...

Ep. 28: Isabel Moura - The Traveling Polyglot on Learning Languages, the Necessity of Mistakes, and Things Lost in Translation

Today, I talk with Isabel Moura (full disclosure: she is also my Portuguese professor), who, during my visit to Brazil, introduced me to foods beyond the stereotypical açai bowl and grilled meats.  She's a popular teacher on the Language Learning Community Platform iTalki where I met her and has over ten years of experience teaching and learning languages.  We: - Demystify some of the misconceptions around language-learning (no you don’t have to rely on memorization), - The systems one ca...

Ep. 27: Cynthia Glanzberg of One Tea - On Tea and Travel in the Time of Tribes

Today’s guest is Cynthia Glanzberg who I first met behind the counter of a tea house on a cold, snowy New York night. We chatted tea and travel for hours and I learned about how she left a solid marketing job to hop from country to country learning about the world of tea for more than a year. She has since returned and started her company, One Tea, that sources unique teas from all over the world and creates experiences akin to a roaming tea house. She’s worked with yoga instructors, sculp...

Ep. 26: RG Enriquez aka “Astig Vegan” - On Plant-based Creativity, Lessons from the Newsroom, and Keeping Filipino Food’s Soul

Today’s episode may seem like an oxymoron: Filipino Vegan Food. There’s no way around it, today’s topic can be a bit touchy to some. There’s a lot to unpack with the “V" word and I’ve seen conversations range from moralizing, purely economical, to downright bizarre. One things for sure though, the words “Vegan" and “Filipino", at first glance, seem like they’d be about as good a match as unripe mango and shrimp paste. Then you realize that shit’s actually really good! Today we have on the sh...

Ep. 25: Allison Kopf of Agrilyst - The Inefficiency Killer on Focusing on the Right Things, Creating “Magical” Products, and Using Data to Feed the World

I first met our guest Allison Kopf, founder of Agrilyst, years ago at a Food Tech event and I’m especially excited about our conversation because it’s a close melding of the two worlds I live in: my day job at an enterprise software company and my main hustle in the world of food.  Agrilyst is a software that allows indoor farmers to analyze data that’s pulled into sensors - everything from temperature, light, CO2 - in one, integrated platform.  This then allows them to bring more stability ...

Ep. 24: Chef Lenny Russo - the Philosopher Chef on an Open Mind, Finding Common Ground, and Choosing to Evolve

Chef Lenny Russo is a forty year veteran of the food & beverage industry, a member of the U.S. Department of State American Chef Corps, participating chef at World Expo Milan 2015, author of "Heartland: Farm Forward Dishes of the Great Midwest", founder and owner of the seminal Heartland Restaurant in St Paul, MN, six time James Beard Award finalist nominee for Best Chef Midwest, and is currently the Executive Chef at The Commodore Bar & Restaurant in St. Paul, MN. Chef Lenny's name has be...

Ep. 23: Lina Goh & John Ng of Zen Box Izakaya - An Accountant and an Architect on the Wisdom of Ramen, Being an Underdog, and Internet Romance

Lina Goh and John Ng, who run Zen Box Izakaya, the only Japanese-style pub of its kind in Minnesota, met many years ago in an online chat room long before Tinder was but a twinkle in many a lonely single’s eye.  A long-distance romance blossomed into a move from San Francisco to Minnesota where they opened Zen Box Japanese Eatery, a quick lunch service spot in the iconic Minneapolis Skyway.  At the time, they specialized in Bento boxes and have since shifted their focus towards traditional i...

Ep. 22: AC Boral - Pop-up Chef on Finding Family, Identity, and Self-Care

Chef AC Boral (Long Beach, CA) is the creator of the RICE & SHINE Pop-up Brunch Series.  Previously a graphic designer, AC began hosting his popular brunches on the West Coast featuring Brunch classics with a Filipino-American flair as a way of introducing guests to the feelings and flavors he grew up with.   From RICE & SHINE (Filipino-American Brunch Party) to Naks Tacos (exploring the culinary connection of the Philippines and Mexico) to concept menus like a Wu Tang Clan tribute dinner, A...

Ep. 21: Jabber Al-Bihani - “Activist” Engineer and Dinner Host on Healing Divisions, Refugee Stories, and Doing You

Our guest is Jabber Al-Bihani who started his journey as an engineer and during a trip to Barcelona, took part in a commonplace but nevertheless transformational experience of breaking bread with complete strangers. He’s sought to recreate that experience since then through Komeeda (based on the Spanish word for “Food"), where he gathers people of varying backgrounds to share stories and food at pop-up dinners at local restaurants. The particular dinner where I met Jabber was part of a serie...

Ep. 20: Seth Syberg - Coconut Jerky Maker, Programmer, and All-Around Dilettante On the Programmer's Brain, Launching New Products, Working in the Philippines, and Accidental Entrepreneurship

OH SNAP!  We just hit our TWENTIETH episode!  Didn’t think we’d make it this far?  Well neither did we!  To the hundreds of you who have been downloading our episodes, thank you so much for tuning in.  We hope that these episodes are at the very least, educational, and hopefully, as inspirational to you as they were to us.  This week’s episode highlights the many things that characterize Hidden Apron: tangents and twisting paths, serendipity and “success”, and not entirely being sure where...

Ep. 19: Doha Salem & James Anunciacion - Ramadan Special on Dietetics, Rituals, and Compassionate Eating

This episode is a very special, timely, and quite unique one as rather than talking about the consumption of food, we’ll do a full 180 and talk about the abstinence from it! Many of you might be aware that we are nearing the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, and so we are joined not by one, but TWO guests! First, we have Doha Salem, a clinical dietitian currently with North Memorial Medical Ctr., MN. She’ll cover many oft-overlooked parts of Ramadan specifically around the ...

Ep. 18: Aileen Suzara (Pt. 2) - Farmer, Collaborator, & Chef on Resistance, Decolonizing Food, & Dirty Socks

If this is the first time you’re tuning in, you might want to check out the previous episode as this is part two of a two-part series with the ever-impressive Aileen Suzara, farmer, writer, collaborator, educator, and natural chef. Aileen has been recognized many times for her work not only in addressing some of the most pressing food issues affecting us today but also for strengthening relationships in her community in the process. She founded Sariwa - which means “fresh” in Tagalog - to ga...

Ep. 17: Aileen Suzara (Pt. 1) - Eco-Educator, Writer, and Chef on A Tangential Life, the Microwave Generation, and Farming Nuns

Our guest for this two-part series is Aileen Suzara. Aileen is an eco-educator, writer, and natural chef who’s dabbled in everything from Pre-Med, to Environmental Work, to Food and founded Sariwa Kitchen (Sariwa = “fresh” in Tagalog), which gathers community and celebrates vibrant Filipino cuisine through pop-ups, catering, and workshops. Aileen’s backstory is wonderfully “random” being born in the Mojave Desert, spending time in the Big Island of Hawai’i, and now in California eating, in h...

Ep. 16: Justin Garrido - Social Entrepreneur on Just Doing It, Giving Back, and Why Good Ideas Fail

Justin Garrido is the Co-Founder and CEO of Social Products, which sources organic food products from Philippine cooperative smallholder farmer partners that empower rural farmers, women, and indigenous peoples with a more sustainable way to eradicate poverty. Justin began his journey down the road of social entrepreneurship where his interest was piqued after volunteering at a soup kitchen while still working as a director of purchasing for Aldi, a german supermarket chain. Justin made th...

Ep. 15: Isang Smith - Perpetual Runner, Recovery Expert, Self-Professed Coffee Addict

Isang Smith is a Licensed Massage Therapist, multi-sport athlete and coach from running (she’s won the Silver for the 800 m. and Gold for the 1500 m. during the Philippine National Open in 2015), Muay Thai, strength training, and all around badass.  She earned a BA in Psychology from Columbia University where she also competed in their Division 1 Track & Field Team.   Her interest in Integrative Medicine came immediately after Massage Therapy and Acupuncture resolved a troublesome calf inj...

Ep. 14: Sharwin Tee - the Curious Chef on Exploration, Asking "Why", and the Murderer Known as Truth

Chef Sharwin Tee is the chef and host of Curiosity Got the Chef, The Philippines’ Lifestyle Network’s first locally-produced cooking show. The show features Sharwin traveling to international and domestic locations in order to find new ingredients, techniques and inspirations for new dishes. It’s also in its sixth season, making it the longest running Filipino cooking show on cable television broadcast all over the world. Sharwin graduated from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Van...

Ep. 13: Arun Motilall - Chief Smile Maker and Caribbean Goods Purveyor on the Little Things and Why You Shouldn't "Grow" Your Business

Arun Motillal is an entrepreneur who helps run his family business, Galaxy Foods in Richfield, MN which has been operating for the last 28 years. They serve about 60,000 families a year and sell everything West Indian/Indo-Caribbean from actual food (jerk seasoning, ginger beer, fresh meats, etc.) to lifestyle products and religious items. Prior to that, Arun worked for Securian Financial Group as a Field Marketer for seven years and Target as a Business Process Consultant for another three-...

Ep. 12: Amy Besa - Culinary Philosopher and Restaurant Vet on Trying, Avoiding Jadedness, and the Right Way to Cook Filipino Food

Amy Besa is a writer, speaker, and veteran restaurateur. Together with her husband Romy, she has led her restaurants - Cendrillon in the mid-90s and Purple Yam today - into critical acclaim long before Filipino food became the latest "food trend". Her book, Memories of Philippine Kitchens, was the first Filipino cookbook I've read and along with her many posts on social media, formed the basis for a lot of what I know about Filipino food today. In this inspiring and heartfelt conversatio...

Ep. 11: The Hidden Apron Method - An (Un)original Approach to Cooking Like Your Life Depended On It

It's been a minute since I've done a solo commentary (other people are more awesome!) so switching things up a bit this time around. I recently spoke at my day job about my work around food: why people should cook and how we can start cooking. I cover the things I've done to make cooking easier, more fun, and more effective personally and during our Hidden Apron dinners. A lot of the ideas here are not original at all but I think many of them often get overlooked for flashier "cooking show" ...

Ep. 10: Josh Reisner - Master Chef Junior and 13-Year Old Philosopher on Finding Opportunities and Why We Need to Stop Underestimating Kids

Most people know Josh as the long-haired wunderkind who captured hearts while competing as a finalist on Season 2 of Master Chef Junior. What most people are unaware of is Josh's near-obsessive love for food and wisdom that's beyond his years. Gracing us with his presence on our 10th episode, Josh shares with us how he found opportunities to chase his dreams, his unique approach to cooking and eating food, why we all need to cook, and why adults' perceptions of kids are the very thing keep...

Ep. 9: Eric Sannerud - Young Hops Farmer, Speaker, Food Systems Designer on the Need for Young Farmers, Education, and Beer

Eric is a fourth-generation back-to-the-land farmer. Eric grows hops under his company Mighty Axe Hops and is selling to top breweries in Minnesota from Fulton Beer, Day Block Brewing, and more. Inspired by the ideas of educators/farmers Eduard Lindeman & Wendell Berry, he designed a first of its kind cooking and food systems course and contributed to a Food Systems Major, among the first in the country while he was studying at the University of MN. During these experiences at University, ...

Ep. 8: Hillary Reeves - Pro Blogger & Marketeer on Singing Cheeseburgers and Data-Driven Grocery Shopping

We're back in business and sharing this conversation that's been years in the making! I first reached out to Hillary back when I was looking to start my own blog and we've just recently re-connected to talk about her experiences both in blogging and her current day hustle as Chicory's Marketing Manager. It's a double whammy of an episode as we cover the basics of blogging - what are the biggest drivers of "success" (it's the little things!), and some things to consider before you enter the...

Ep. 7: Chelsey White, Accountant, Marathon Runner, Instagram Queen of Crazy Baking

I met Chelsey during a happy hour full of us run-of-the-mill accountants but it was clear she was anything but ordinary. Starting out with little more than a blog, Instagram account, and her tiny New York kitchen, she now fields dozens of orders for her insane specialty cakes, has thousands of Instagram followers, and has been featured on Food Network's Snapchat account. Aside from a day job and baking, Chelsey somehow manages to find the time (and energy) to train and compete in half marath...

Ep. 6: Ayesha Vera-Yu - On Grocery Shopping, the Importance of Education, and Staying Sane (Pt. 2 of 2)

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Ayesha Vera-Yu, social entrepreneur and nerd farmer. Check out our first episode that covers her forays into organic farming but if you don't mind jumping into the middle of the action, listen on! We talk about: - what to consider when buying "organic" - the poverty mindset and why education is key to lifting rural farmers out of poverty - a more equitable, compassionate, and healthy way to shop/cook/eat - staying centered and sane while doing emotion...

Ep. 5: Ayesha Vera-Yu - Investment Banker Turned Rogue Farmer & Social Entrepreneur on Rethinking Rural Farming, Eradicating Poverty, and Behavioral Modification (Pt. 1 of 2)

Ep. 4: How to Save the World Through Food & Culture: Just Food Conference 2016 Recap

This the first of our Commentary Episodes which we'll alternate releases with our usual interviews. Our hope is that through these shorter, commute-friendly episodes, we can bring the latest news in the food world to you without you having to sift through the deluge out there. After all, information overload is just as big, if not bigger, a problem than the lack thereof! For this first one, I'm sharing my experiences at the Just Food Conference which covered a range of topics aimed at findi...

Ep. 3: Lola Rosa's MN - Family-Fueled Catering Company on Balancing Responsibilities, Asking for Help, and Becoming A Surprise Hit in the Minnesotan Food Scene

Lola Rosa’s MN is comprised of two sets of brothers - Mike & Erick Ervas + Ryan & Randy Limbag - who also happen to be cousins to each other who decided to get into the catering/pop-up food scene shortly after their lola (grandmother) passed away. Almost overnight, they were slingin’ their fusion Filipino street food (think chicken adobo baos, pork belly “Cebuanos” [a twist on Cubanos]) at large-scale events and was just recently named as one of the most surprising things that happened in th...

Ep. 2: Joanne Boston - Social Media Maven and Community Organizer on Cultivating Conversations, the Filipino Food Movement, and Gathering an Instagram Following

Joanne Boston is a born connector of people especially when it involves food. She started out like most bloggers covering her own dining adventures but moved on to banding people together and providing chefs with the necessary market to test out the menus they’ve always wanted to cook. She’s helped organize massive food festivals in the Bay Area and is now the force behind the Filipino Food Movement and Savor Filipino Instagram accounts which have grown exponentially over a short period of t...

Ep. 1: The Gypsy Chef Yana Gilbuena on Cross-Country Pop-up Dinners, Transitioning from Day Jobs, Bare Bones Cooking, and Creativity

My first guest on the show was one of my earliest collaborators and really stretches the boundaries of what a “moveable feast” means. Yana Gilbuena, who calls herself a “gypsy chef” of sorts, completed 50 pop-up dinners in all 50 states within a year. A task that most would consider completely insane since at times she didn’t even know where she would be sleeping at night. Through her critically-acclaimed “SALO Series”, she’s now bringing regional Filipino cuisine around the world. We cover...

Ep. 0: We the Chefs

This is the first episode for Hidden Apron Radio and is the result of many attempts to try and tell the rich stories that people have shared with us since we've begun our food-filled journey. Rather than attempting to summarize it into the written word, we wanted to let them speak directly to you via this podcast. You'll get the chance to hear from a broad range of people: grizzled veterans, caterers, bloggers, farmers, restaurateurs, and regular home cooks. They'll cover everything from qui...