Keep It Quirky podcast artwork

Keep It Quirky podcast

75 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 38 ratings

In the Keep It Quirky podcast, Katie Quinn talks to creators living their dreams and navigating success and failure along the way. Katie Q is a food & travel video creator, popular YouTuber and cookbook author. Passion begets passion, so let's do this!

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Episodes

Doing Yoga While Pregnant Saved My Sanity, with Jessica Weiss of Wild Heart Yoga

May 05, 2022 21:30 - 28 minutes - 39.5 MB

In this episode, my all-time favorite yoga teacher Jessica Weiss tells us how she handled maternity leave and new parenthood as a creative freelancer. We also talk about her prenatal yoga series, which has been an absolutely life saver for me during my pregnancy!! My favorite take away from this conversation is: TAKE YOUR TIME. That's a mantra to remember -- especially as a new mom -- even when life is a whirlwind around you and you feel the pressure to resume your career ASAP. To see Jes...

Putting My Dad In The Hotseat

June 18, 2021 18:58 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MB

I’ve wanted to have this person on for years. Spoiler: it’s my dad. But I’m not just having him on because he’s my dad, I invited him to be a guest because he has inspired me and my path in life -- has inspired me, and inspires me to this day! There are endless facets to his enjoyment and dedeication to his chosen work, but also for living his passions, for connecting with other humans, and adding positivity to the world. If you’d be even 5% as inspired by him as I am, this episode is a wor...

This author’s dream illustrator, Jessie Kanelos Weiner

April 27, 2021 17:30 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MB

Jessie Kanelos Weiner is an author and illustrator -- and she was the illustrator for my book, which publishes today, "Cheese, Wine, and Bread!" Her illustrations are absolutely incredible, and I'm excited to have her on the show. In this episode, we talk about how she landed on illustration as an art form, her side hustles, and telling stories with her paintbrush. She says, ""The work that speaks most to people is personal work," and I adore the way she defines keeping it quirky: Having t...

Teaching Normal People about Wine, with Caroline Conner

March 25, 2021 17:00 - 30 minutes - 41.4 MB

Caroline Conner is an American entrepreneur living in Lyon, France. She is the woman behind Wine Dine Caroline — a company all about enjoying wine and learning about it in the most accessible way. She’s just the kind of wine lover I want to have as a friend because she doesn’t stand for snobbery, but her knowledge of wine — everything from the science specifics to historical background — is incredible. She has her WSET diploma, over 12 years of experience in the industry, and is currently pu...

This is Why Puglia, Italy is So Special, with Anna Maggio

February 24, 2021 09:45 - 29 minutes - 41.2 MB

Anna Maggio is the author of the cookbook "Under the Olive Tree: Memories and Flavours of Puglia." (Gourmand World Book award Winner 2020!) Anna is an Italian-born and bred woman who has lived in London since her early twenties, but has been a proud proponent of Puglia, the southern Italian region when she spent her childhood. In this episode, I talk with Anna about some of the ingredients and recipes in her cookbook -- all of which are very simple and accessible -- and we talk about the co...

She’s a Professional Pasta Eater (with Sophie Minchilli)

January 12, 2021 11:25 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MB

Hi everyone! I start this episode with some big news: I've moved to Italy! And in the spirit of that move, I'd like to introduce you to someone who knows Italy like the back of her hand, adores it, and will make you want to eat pasta straight away. Sophie Minchilli was raised in Rome, Italy, to an Italian father and American mother (you may know of her mom -- author Elizabeth Minchilli, @eminchilli) and she is passionate about sharing Italian culture. In this conversation, we have a fun, nu...

How a Childhood Nomad Became a Foodie, with Jenny Linford

October 10, 2020 14:12 - 25 minutes - 35.5 MB

Jenny Linford is the food writer behind the massively popular Food Lover's London guides, Great British Cheeses, and many more drool-worthy books. Her most recent book is an absolute joy -- The Missing Ingredient: The Curious Role of Time in Food and Flavor. She currently lives in London, but has lived in Italy, Singapore (where her mother is from), Trinidad, and Ghana. In this episode we talk about the affect travel during the early years of her life has had on not only how she sees food ...

This Woman Has the Single Coolest Career Path, with Cree LeFavour

September 25, 2020 10:57 - 46 minutes - 63.9 MB

Author Cree LeFavour has the kind of writing career many creatives (ahem, myself included) dream of. She's authored four cookbooks (and has ghostwritten countless others), an acclaimed memoir, and most recently -- a novel! She has such an intuitive relationship with her creativity, and it was an absolute delight to talk with her about her path, and the sparks that have led the work she’s done. In this episode, we start by talking about her new novel, "Private Means," which is a fascinating...

Launching an Album in a Pandemic, with Brian Quinn

September 03, 2020 15:25 - 43 minutes - 59.9 MB

Today's guest is Brian Quinn, a professional musician (the creator of this podcast's theme song!), and, yes, he's my brother. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, one of the preeminent music schools in the USA. Since then, he has worked as a professional musician, calling Chicago, IL his base. In this conversation we talk about everything from what it's like to be a professional, performing musician during this time of Covid-19, to discussing whether or not it's a good ide...

Pivot Toward Your Passion, with Hana Asbrink

August 12, 2020 13:44 - 51 minutes - 70.2 MB

Hana Asbrink is the Executive Editor at Chowhound, and has an impressive resume that includes everything from being a senior editor at Food52 to working in the kitchen at Michelin-starred chef Jean-George’s ABC Kitchen restaurant in Manhattan. She also has her Masters in Journalism and attended the French Culinary Institute.  From behind a desk to behind the cutting board, from working for startups to major outlets and dappling in the freelance game (where she founded Pantry Confidential), ...

Explore the Interconnectedness of Food, with Photographer Patricia Niven

August 03, 2020 17:24 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MB

Patricia Niven is a photographer who specializes in food, the people who grow it, cook it, and eat it -- and the interconnectedness therein. In this episode, we talk about how to find your creative "thing" (following your interests each step of the way), and also pushing yourself to continue reaching for new things (she does a 90-day checkin with herself, introspecting on what she's accomplished and what new pursuits she will start action on in the following 90 days). She arrived in London ...

I Want This Guy's Creative Drive, with Julian George

July 27, 2020 21:33 - 59 minutes - 82.1 MB

Julian George epitomizes the term “creative entrepreneur.” He runs a creative house, Made by Humans, and the company Chef Signatures, which includes videography, photography, and representation for chefs. Julian describes his background -- being raised in Southeast London primarily by his mother, an immigrant to England from Sierra Leone, and how he was on the lawyer path until his early twenties, when he became curious in media production.  He started out at IMG Studios, followed by an in-...

The "Accidental Entrepreneur” Path, with Patrice Poltzer

July 17, 2020 10:47 - 1 hour - 89.4 MB

Patrice Poltzer is the founder of Patrice Poltzer Creative, a boutique video production company, and she also runs successful video storytelling bootcamps and teaches masterclasses on similar topics.  As a self-described “late bloomer,” Patrice shares her story with us, in which she has consistently taken risks, and each risk (whether it ‘succeeded’ or ‘failed’) catapulted her into the next phase of her career. “Get comfortable taking risks,” she says. She also talks about how an element o...

My Favorite YouTuber is a High School Dropout, with Jen Phanomrat

July 06, 2020 17:52 - 56 minutes - 78.2 MB

Jen Phanomrat is an on-camera food personality -- one half of the food & lifestyle video company Just Eat Life. You may recognize Jen from her work with Tastemade, including her hit show Just Jen. She also won an episode on Food Network's Chopped! (She and I competed against each other on that episode ... and she totally deserved that win!) Jen's a dear friend of mine, and I've wanted her have her on the podcast for so long. I'm thrilled to bring you all this conversation because there are ...

Traveling Solo as a Woman of Color, with Oneika Raymond (2017)

June 26, 2020 16:26 - 34 minutes - 47 MB

Oneika Raymond is the woman behind “Oneika the Traveller” -- the blog and Instagram platform -- and she’s also a video host personality and international speaker. This episode was originally posted in 2017 when Oneika and I had just finished shooting a video series together in the USA. It was episode #2 of this podcast!! I LOVE this episode, and am reposting it to give it new life now, as it is just as relevant right now as it was then. If you enjoy this podcast, you will LOVE this episode....

Why The World Needs Conflict Transformation, with Kirby Broadnax

June 11, 2020 14:39 - 59 minutes - 81.9 MB

Kirby Broadnax has years of experience as a mediator, conflict coach, community-builder and facilitator. She has her Masters degree in Conflict Transformation -- which is a field of study similar to Conflict Resolution, but is a bit more all-encompassing and holistic in solving the issues at hand.  Kirby is one of my dearest friends, we go way back, and over the years she has opened my eyes on many occasions by sharing her experiences as a black woman in America. It sounds trite to say, but...

Why Bangladeshi Food Isn’t Just “Indian Food” - with Dina Begum

May 29, 2020 14:20 - 25 minutes - 35.1 MB

Dina Begum is a British Bangladeshi cook and writer. She’s the author of “The Brick Lane” cookbook, a member of the Guild of Food Writers, and she’s hosted Bangladeshi pop ups at Darjeeling Express, as part of their #WomenInFood series.  In this episode, we talk about how she found her groove in the food world and the events that led up to her being one of the foremost spokespeople for Bangladeshi cuisine. “This is my time to cook my way out of grief,” she says. We also talk about the impor...

You've Never Thought of Cheese Like This, with Ned Palmer

May 22, 2020 13:04 - 32 minutes - 44.2 MB

Ned Palmer is author of the book A Cheesemonger’s History of the British Isles, and he's the man behind The Cheese Tasting Company. Ned describes himself as a freelance cheesemonger; his passion for cheese is only equalled with his passion for jazz, philosophy, and theater--which are all fields he has also worked in! The convergence of these things led to a very interesting conversation about cheese, which looks at the foodstuff in ways you've probably never considered! Ned is fascinating, ...

The BEST Choc Chip Cookies (and Life Lessons from Baking), with Ravneet Gill

May 15, 2020 11:23 - 33 minutes - 46.6 MB

Ravneet Gill is a London pastry chef who is behind the wildly popular pop-up Puff Bakery (with her partner Nicola Lamb), she started the technology company CounterTalk to be a community for people in the hospitality industry, and just released a cookbook called "The Pastry Chef's Guide." She's worked as pastry chef in restaurants as impressive as Michelin-starred St. John Restaurant ... the head chef there, Fergus Henderson has said that she's not only incredibly talented, but is exception...

Being a Part of Something Bigger, with Susan Quinn

May 08, 2020 15:00 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MB

I've wanted to have my mom as a guest on the podcast ever since I first had the idea to do it, and I'm thrilled to say that today's the day!! My mom, Susan Quinn, is so many amazing things rolled into one. She's just retired from a very successful career as an optometrist (yes, she's the original Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman!), but also throws herself into organizations to better our world. She is a passionate gardener and bread baker, and I knew we'd have a fun conversation for all of you to b...

What are the World Cheese Awards? (It's as Epic as It Sounds!)

December 11, 2019 08:48 - 13 minutes - 19 MB

This year in October, I was invited to be a judge for the World Cheese Awards! (Yes, it was as epic as it sounds.) This podcast episode is a recap of my experiences there. The World Cheese Awards are put on my the Guild of Fine Food, and they're in a new country each year. This past year it was in Bergamo, Italy, and 3,800 cheeses were tasted! I talk with Mary Quicke, of Quicke's Cheddar, and she describes why she developed the professional cheese qualification in the UK, the Academy of Ch...

Polly Russell's World of Curiosity & the British Library’s Food Season

December 01, 2019 10:52 - 1 hour - 78.7 MB

Polly Russell is a food historian and curates the Food Season at the British Library, an annual series of events. In her role as curator of Contemporary Politics and Public Life at the British Library, she curates a variety of events, but all of her work looks at the world through the lens of food. She has a PhD in Food! (Her doctorate looked at food and the politics of identity in post-war Britain.) She writes a fantastic column for the Financial Times called “The History Cook,” and has pre...

There’s a Wine for Every Occasion, with WSET’s Lydia Harrison

November 13, 2019 15:43 - 40 minutes - 55.1 MB

"Go for the weird and wonderful," Lydia Harrison told me, and it just may be the best wine advice I've ever heard! Lydia is a Master of Wine -- the incredibly rigorous qualification that less then 400 people have worldwide. She's also a teacher at the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, WSET, and she taught me when I took my Level 2 Awards. In this episode, I give you sense of what it's like taking a certification course at WSET (thanks to my seat mate Tom for chatting for the pod, too!), and...

Starting a Food Business in France, with Jessica Hammer

October 30, 2019 11:12 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MB

Jessica Hammer founded the company Taste of Toulouse, which gives walking food tours in English in the city center of Toulouse, France. As an American, she and her husband moved to France a couple years ago and she has hit the ground running ever since.  We talk about what it was like starting a business in another (non-English-speaking) country, and resources she tapped to make that transition as smooth as possible. We also talk about mental health and emotional intelligence as an entrepre...

An Englishwoman in China, with Fuchsia Dunlop

October 16, 2019 09:11 - 33 minutes - 46.1 MB

It’s the 50th episode of the Keep It Quirky podcast! Woohoo! I can't think of a better guest to celebrate the big 5-0... Fuchsia Dunlop is one of my culinary and literary heroes. Her memoir, Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China is one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read -- and the fact that it’s full of tantalizing food descriptions and recipes is the cherry on top! The new edition of it has a foreword from the fabulous Bee Wilson (a British food writer and ...

All Cultures Are an Evolution, with Italy Expert Katie Parla

August 14, 2019 11:00 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MB

Katie Parla is a Rome-based food and beverage author/writer/food journalist/cookbook author and guide. She also cohosts a fantastic podcast, GOLA, with a woman named Danielle and they deep-dive into everything food & drink in Italy. Katie recently released her newest cookbook, “Food of the Italian South,” in which she tells us how those southern regions of Italy differ in personality (and food!) from the rest of the country. We discuss the role language plays in her life and career (she’s f...

Make That Anxiety Work For You, with Rebekah Peppler

July 31, 2019 18:17 - 34 minutes - 47.2 MB

Rebekah Peppler is a James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author (of "Apéritif: Cocktail Hour the French Way), food stylist, recipe tester and all around badass. She splits her time between Paris, LA and NYC and is currently working on a second cookbook, "À Table." She also wrote an article for the New York Times about the Aperol Spritz that blew up the internet, called "The Aperol Spritz Is Not a Good Drink." We talk in her Paris apartment about the fantastical and clichéd things that real...

Yoga & Creativity, with Mollie McClelland Morris

June 27, 2019 12:15 - 34 minutes - 47.3 MB

This episode is not all about yoga -- but it is with one of my favorite yoga teachers in London, Mollie McClelland Morris. We use yoga as a jumping off point to understand the creative life and more happily move through -- and create in -- this world. We talk about being incremental about change, following threads of interest, "movement snacks" and the act of creation. I'm sure this conversation will give you a lot to think about and hopefully some tips to enjoy each day a bit more. Thanks...

The Fuss About Natural Wine & the Cheesy Decisions Behind Cheddar

June 12, 2019 07:00 - 31 minutes - 43 MB

I start this episode with some BIG NEWS! I'm writing a book!! (HarperCollins William Morrow will publish it in spring of 2021!) I give a quick breakdown of what it's about, and how it relates to today's guests.... First up, I talked with the founder of Natural Born Wine, Oli and Sam. They began their wine importing company three years ago, a career shift for both of them (they came from a writing background). I love their story of how they got into this path, which is unexpected and delight...

On Investing In Yourself, with Frankie Celenza

May 22, 2019 17:22 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MB

Frankie Celenza is a video personality and cook, with a hugely successful Tastemade show called Struggle Meals. In this episode we talk about how his career evolved from studying music production in college (where he would cook Italian meals in his dorm and sell plates to his classmates), to producing/hosting/shooting/editing a food television show for his local New York television station … to being one of the most recognized faces in the digital food space. We talk about finding momentum ...

Make Your Voice Heard, with the founders of Domino Sound

May 08, 2019 12:01 - 44 minutes - 60.8 MB

Alexandra -- who goes by Alex -- DiPalma and Kenya Anderson founded Domino Sound, a podcast production company that puts its values front and center: elevating the voice of, and working with, queer people and people of color. In this conversation, we get into how the company began -- and the "jumping off the edge" to make it happen. It was a really fun conversation, we just immediately clicked. It was such a joy to get to know Alex and Kenya. I hope from this episode you’ll get some tips of...

Define Passion for Yourself, with Mike Greenfield

April 26, 2019 15:22 - 44 minutes - 60.5 MB

Mike Greenfield is a passionate cook, teacher, on-camera host and filmmaker. He's one half of the Brothers Green Eats duo; what began as a little YouTube channel with his brother Josh, the show now has 1.3 million subscribers and has had major spin-offs, such as a series on MTV International. A decade into this career, Mike continues to find inspiration in teaching people how to be self-sufficient in the kitchen, and loves deep-diving into things like sourdough bread baking and making kombu...

On Being Career Amorphous, with Michael Harlan Turkell

April 10, 2019 11:30 - 34 minutes - 46.8 MB

Michael Harlan Turkell is the author of the travelogue cookbook "Acid Trip." He has also co-written and photographed many cookbooks, most recently "The Offal Good Cookbook" (with chef and coauthor Chris Cosentino). He is an adjunct professor at New York University, teaching food photography AND he puts on Japanese sumo-inspired events called SUMO STEW. As if that's not a full enough plate, he’s also a podcaster with Food Seen, Modernist Breadcrumbs (both on Heritage Radio Network) and Food 5...

The Women We Learn From, with Anastasia Miari of Grand Dishes

March 20, 2019 09:22 - 35 minutes - 48.7 MB

Anastasia Miari is a writer, with a Guild of Food Writers award under her belt, and she’s also one half of the team behind the incredible project and soon-to-be cookbook called Grand Dishes, which features stories of and recipes from grandmothers all around the world. (Iska Lupton is the other half of Grand Dishes.) I snagged Anastasia when she was swinging through London from her current home in Athens, Greece. Aside from her epic Grand Dishes project -- which is starting a #grannymovement...

All Creatives Experience This, with Liz Schaffer

March 13, 2019 12:08 - 33 minutes - 46.3 MB

Liz Schaffer founded Lodestars Anthology indie travel magazine 5 years ago. Australian-born Liz moved to London to be a writer 8 years ago and ended up starting her own publication and thereby making a space for other writers and photographers to explore and express. In this episode, Liz and I discuss the realities of creative life and tackle what imposter syndrome really is, revealing it for the ways it can work to our advantage. Her honesty and curiosity is infectious -- I loved this chat...

Storytelling Around the World, with Rachel Rudwall and Roamaroo

March 06, 2019 18:09 - 52 minutes - 72.6 MB

My guests in this episode roam the world for their careers; sharing stories around the globe with their audiences. They have "the dream job," but there are also some challenges. We dig into the pros and the cons, all of it. Rachel Rudwall is an Emmy-nominated storyteller and adventurer, having living in 3 countries and travelled to over 70 nations. Collette and Scott Stohler are a husband and wife team, not just in their travels but in their business, Roamaroo, which shares stories of fun ...

The Importance of Creativity in Building a Brand, with Pippa Murray of Pip & Nut

February 27, 2019 14:59 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MB

Today’s guest is Pippa Murray who, 5 years ago, founded Pip & Nut, which is “arguably the brand that kicked off the nut butter revolution” in the UK [The Independent]. Pippa began her career in the creative arts! In her early twenties, she was working as a theater producer when she started her nut butter side hustle -- making various peanut and almond butters at home and selling them at a local market. Pippa shares how rewarding it was to start this business and also how her brand has deve...

The World's Best Cheese + Farmhouse Cheese 101 with Dane Hopkins

February 20, 2019 17:59 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MB

Dane Hopkins is the Dairy Director at Lynher Dairies, the lauded cheese producer in West England, Cornwall. Lynher Dairies makes the cheese that was Supreme Champion at the World Cheese Awards in 2017, an alpine-style cheese called Kern. Another cheese they make is Cornish Yarg (wrapped in nettle leaves!!), which is also a multiple award-winning product and is a beloved representation of their special corner of the world. They also make a great cheese called Stithians. Lynher Dairies is a f...

Let Your Curiosity Lead You with Lana Citron, author of "Edible Pleasures"

February 13, 2019 08:06 - 34 minutes - 48 MB

My guest today, Lana Citron, is an Irish author, scriptwriter, poet, teacher (and sometimes stand-up comic!). Her most recent book was just released, “Edible Pleasures: a Textbook of Aphrodisiacs," so what better time to talk with her than on the eve of Valentine’s Day? We begin by talking about the fascinating universal experience of aphrodisiacs, which appears in every society worldwide, “The relationship between food and sexual desire goes back to time immemorial,” she says. (Although ki...

If You Can Eat, You Can Cook with Jeremy Pang, chef/founder of School of Wok

February 06, 2019 17:46 - 43 minutes - 59.2 MB

Jeremy Pang is the chef and co-founder of School of Wok, London’s only cookery school for Chinese cuisine. Jeremy grew up in London and was initially on track to a career in biochemical engineering. *record scratch* He career path then took a few different twists and turns before he enrolled in culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu and then started School of Wok, at the time a mobile cookery school. That was a decade ago, and now School of Wok not only has established a brick-and-mortar cookery ...

On the Constant Pursuit of Creativity with Rachel Khoo

January 30, 2019 09:34 - 49 minutes - 68 MB

Rachel Khoo does so many creative endeavors: cookbooks, travel TV shows, cooking TV shows, running a lifestyle magazine...just to name a few of them. Most recently, she released her 6th cookbook -- “The Little Swedish Kitchen.” She first hit the international media scene with her BBC show The Little Paris Kitchen and cookbook of the same name, and has since then expanded her brand to include discovery and inspiration worldwide. As you’ll hear her talk about, she describes her big passion as...

Storytelling for Business & The Truth About Almonds with Jordyn Gatti, founder of Better Almond Butter -

January 23, 2019 17:01 - 40 minutes - 55.7 MB

Jordyn Gatti started his business, Better Almond Butter, to affect change in the food industry; he makes a statement with the kind of almonds he uses, how they're treated and how they're packaged (no plastic!). So how did Jordyn get into this? He never went to college and decided to be a musician...then went into filmmaking (that’s how I met him years ago)...and then, a couple years ago, started Better Almond Butter and it's been making splashes in the food industry and gaining followers. H...

How To Grab Life By the Balls with Sam Conniff Allende [unedited]

January 16, 2019 19:09 - 44 minutes

Sam Conniff Allende is a speaker and social entrepreneur who has made major waves in England and around the world with his company Livity, “a transformation engine” for young people. Among his accolades, he’s been awarded recognition from the Queen (!), and has just recently authored a best-selling book, “Be More Pirate.” We talk about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship -- Sam tests me with his checklist for a healthy balance as an entrepreneur. (It’s a list you want to take note of if yo...

On Living In the Moment (No Planning Required) with Chetna Makan

January 09, 2019 16:50 - 43 minutes

Happy New Year and welcome to Season 2 of the Keep It Quirky podcast! Most podcasts this time are year are helping you plan out your ideal year, your ideal career, your ideal life, right?! Well, this episode's guest has a different theory.... I’m thrilled to kick off Season 2 with Chetna Makan, who captured everyone's heart and rose to stardom from her appearance on The Great British Bake Off ('The Great British Baking Show' in the US). If you know Chetna from the show, you'll be surprised to...

On Piecing Together a Rockstar Career, Petit à Petit with Lindsey Tramuta

October 17, 2018 21:05 - 39 minutes

Any francophiles out there?! I recorded today's episode when I recently visited Paris and I'm thrilled to have Lindsey Tramuta on the pod - she's the author of the hugely successful book "The New Paris," published last year. She describes her path, from young American gal infatuated with the French language, to hustling to find work in Paris, and the behind-the-scenes of getting a book published. [She also gives us the exclusive scoop on her NEW book, which will come out in 2020!!] She's also...

From Venezuela to Voice Overs & The Importance of Trial and Error with Alejandro Toro

October 11, 2018 15:54 - 32 minutes - 45.2 MB

Alejandro Toro was born and raised in Venezuela and moved to America to follow his dreams and see what he could make of himself. Less than a decade later, he is a successful voiceover artist living in LA, a food personality (thanks to a popular stint on MasterChef), and an influencer with a purpose: to educate people about what's going on in his home country. In this episode, he and I talk about more than just his path to where he is now, we also talk about the routines in his life that cente...

Here & There: Starting a Jerky Company On Both Sides of the Pond - SlantShack & Ember Snacks

October 04, 2018 12:11 - 24 minutes - 33.5 MB

What's it like to start an artisanal beef jerky in the United States a decade ago? What's it like to start a similar company in the United Kingdom today? I talk with two driven entrepreneurs who are making waves in the "protein snack" industry on both sides of the pond. David Koretz, CEO of SlantShack - based in NYC, talks about the unusual start of his company a decade ago, when the US artisan food scene was in its nascent stages and SlantShack made a big splash. He talks about how the compa...

Staying On Brand & the Power of Nostalgia with Pooja Bavishi of Malai Ice Cream

September 26, 2018 12:13 - 30 minutes

Pooja Bavishi is the founder of Malai Ice Cream, which has been called “a taste of India in a cone.” (via Thrillist) Before starting Malai, Pooja worked in Fair and Affordable Housing and then got her Masters in Urban Planning. She then pivoted and went to business school, which set in motion her dream of owning a dessert business. In this episode, Pooja and I talk about the importance of determining a strong brand off the bat - and how to do that - as well as acknowledging and incorporating ...

On Channeling Your Ideas Into Delicious Success with Dan Pashman of ‘The Sporkful’

September 20, 2018 15:05 - 37 minutes

Today’s guest is Dan Pashman, creator and host of the popular podcast “The Sporkful.” He also hosts live events and has a series with the Cooking Channel called "You’re Eating It Wrong" and a book called "Eat More Better: How to Make Every Bite More Delicious." In this episode, we talk about how to channel your ideas, the best way to build trust with your audience, and tackling taboo topics. I loved this conversation with Dan - I hope you enjoy it, too! "The Sporkful represented my last-ditch...

From Picky Eater to Food Genius with Kristen Miglore of Food52

September 12, 2018 14:20 - 38 minutes

Kristen Miglore is the Creative Director of Food52, a popular food and e-commerce website in the U.S. She's also the author of the just-released cookbook "Genius Desserts," a follow-up to her IACP award-winning, New York Times best-selling cookbook "Genius Recipes." Both books grew out of her beloved column on Food52, Genius Recipes. For the column, she finds the recipes that will become staples in your kitchen: either sharing the dishes that an entire generation knows and loves, or discoveri...