Why Food?

Join Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with husband-and-wife pastry chef duo Miro & Shilpa Uskokovic. They met as students at The Culinary Institute of America, and when NYC restaurants closed because of COVID-19 restrictions, they launched Extra Helpings, a community micro kitchen from their home in Queens. We'll talk about the state of NYC's restaurant scene, entrepreneurship and pivoting during during a pandemic.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Why Food? by becoming a member!Why Food? is Powered by  Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Loren Cardeli, Founder and President of A Growing Culture, an organization that promotes ecological agriculture across the globe. Loren believes the key to fixing our food system lies in giving farmers a prominent seat at the table–a seat that is currently threatened by the industrialization of agriculture. Through his work at AGC, Loren promotes farmer-led research, innovation, and knowledge sharing, helping farmers throughout the world create sustainable, self-driving futures. AGC is now working to expand the impact of this process of documentation and information exchange by creating the Library for Food Sovereignty (LFS)–an online platform for agrarian intellectual exchange that seeks to collectivize innovation and democratize farmer-led research. AGC’s goal is to create a living repository for and by farmers who will use their collective knowledge to reinvent our food systems, facilitating virtual connections to previously unreachable peers across the globe.

Join  Ethan for a conversation with Auria Abraham, founder of Auria's Malaysian Kitchen. Auria was born and raised in the small town of Seremban, Malaysia where she grew up surrounded by multi-ethnic culinary inspiration and cuisine, a cornerstone of Malaysian culture. In the 22 years that she has been in the US, alongside an impressive career in music production for TV commercials. In 2013, Auria began working towards making authentic Malaysian food available to the American public. She launched Auria's Malaysian Kitchen with one product: Hot Chili Sambal, a condiment made with fresh red chilies that accompanies many Malaysian meals and amplifies all types of cuisine. Since, her product line has grown to include Lime Leaf Sambal, Pandan Kaya, and Salted Caramel Kaya and has been praised by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Brooklyn Magazine and Gothamist among others. Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen is also recognized as a Fancy Food Fellow, Martha Stewart American Made semi fi

Join cohosts Vallery and Ethan for a catch-up with former Why Food? cohost Jenny Dorsey. Jenny is a professional chef, author and speaker specializing in multi-platform storytelling fusing food with social good. She leads a nonprofit community organization named Studio ATAO and runs her own culinary consulting business. Jenny is a former management consultant and Columbia MBA who decided to completely pivot her career and pursue the world of food; she worked at various Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC and SF as well as corporate food R&D before finding her voice in food as a form of social activism.In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential su

Join co-hosts Vallery and Ethan for a very special conversation with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. Born and raised in Brownsville, Borough President Adams was drawn to a career in public service from an early age and had a 22-year career in the NYPD, rising to the rank of Captain. While in the NYPD, Adams was a leader of his fellow Black police officers and an outspoken critic of police violence. In 2016, while serving his first term as Brooklyn Borough President, Adams was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, having lost vision in one eye and experienced significant nerve damage. Against the advice of his doctors, he decided to use a plant-based diet to treat his diabetes and was able to reverse the diagnosis in just a few months. Since then, Adams has been a vocal advocate of plant-based eating and food-as-medicine, and has implemented healthy eating programs across the borough.In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away

Join Vallery & Ethan for a conversation with Auzerais Bellamy, pastry chef and founder of Blondery. Auzerais is classically trained pastry chef, the former pastry sous-chef at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery. She trained at Per Se and Daniel in New York and The French Laundry in Napa Valley before launching Blondery, her seasonal blondie collection. Blondery is a nod to her experience in fine-dining and her modest beginnings as a home baker.In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential support to keep our mics on. We've got some fresh new thank you gifts available, like our limited edition bandanas.Keep Why Food? on the air: become an HRN Member toda

Join cohosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Jennifer Crawford. Jennifer has been cooking non-stop their whole life, especially since getting sober in early 2018 and subsequently winning MasterChef Canada in 2019. They're a desk jockey turned food writer, chef, aspiring pro wrestler, and moon mist ice cream enthusiast. In their My Queer Kitchen online show and column with Xtra Magazine, they focus on the intersections of food, feelings, identity and courage.In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential support to keep our mics on. We've got some fresh new thank you gifts available, like our limited edition bandanas.Keep Why Food? on the air: b

Join cohosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Adrian Miller, aka The Soul Food Scholar. He's a recovering lawyer and former special advisor to President Bill Clinton, who changed careers to pursue his interests in African heritage food (especially soul food), barbecue, the intersection of faith and food, and presidential foodways. He is the James Beard Award-winning author of Soul Food  and The President's Kitchen Cabinet.In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential support to keep our mics on. We've got some fresh new thank you gifts available, like our limited edition bandanas.Keep Why Food? on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heri

Join cohosts Ethan & Vallery for a conversation with Gaïana Joseph and Allegra Massaro, co-founders of Fuel the People, an organization in NYC and DC guided by the belief that food is the fuel for the revolution. They work to provide nourishment to protestors on the front lines, support local Black and POC-owned restaurants and businesses, and donate to local organizations who work tirelessly to support Black liberation. Allegra is a Philadelphia native currently living in Washington, DC. She’s a Bryn Mawr College alumna with a degree in Urban Planning & Development. A recovering financier, she now works in business ethics and conflicts management at an international law firm and is in the midst of the JD/MBA application process. Her quote to live by is, “Radical simply means ‘grasping things at the root.'" She is passionate about building community and ensuring that in the fight for justice and liberation, we never forget that joy is also a form of resistance. Gaïana Joseph is a New York native with

Join cohosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Jesse Szewczyk, food writer and author of the cookbook Tasty Pride! We'll discuss his career in food media, his thoughts on the ongoing shifts in the industry and the complicated history of Queer advocacy and allyship in the larger struggle for equality.Image courtesy of Taylor MillerIn March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work stepping away from our little recording studio, but we know that you rely on HRN to share resources and important stories from the world of food each week. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but right now HRN is asking for your help. Every dollar that listeners give to HRN provides essential support to keep our mics on. We've got some fresh new thank you gifts available, like our limited edition bandanas.Keep Why Food? on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate.  Why Food? is powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at https:/

Join cohosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Rochelle Oliver, founder and editor of IslandAndSpice.com, an online magazine about food, culture and the Caribbean.HRN will be donating 10% of our membership drive proceeds from now until June 15 to the Philando Castile Relief Foundation. Visit heritageradionetwork.org/donate to make your gift.Why Food? is powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the days after George Floyd’s death, cohosts Vallery and Ethan sit down for a conversation about the Black Lives Matter movement, the role of food businesses in making change, and opportunities for anti-racist education and accountability. As black squares cover our social media feeds and corporations release statements virtue signaling their alignment with activists, Vallery and Ethan ruminate on what meaningful change should look like and what trends are falling short. They discuss the importance of protest, the value in self-reflection, and why food businesses and media organizations hold a unique responsibility to be equitable and inclusive.Why Food?  is powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Stephen Satterfield, cofounder of Whetstone Magazine. A self-proclaimed "origin forager, Stephen is a food writer, multimedia producer, podcast host (Point of Origin on iHeartRadio), and a sommelier in recovery.Why Food  is powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join co-hosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Zaid and Haifa Kurdieh, owners of Norwich Meadows Farms. We'll discuss the long road to starting their farm, how they've grown (literally and figuratively) a market for rare and special vegetables, and how they've pivoted since COVID-19 shut down NY's restaurant industry.Why Food?  is powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Vallery & Ethan for a conversation with Steve Sando, founder of Rancho Gordo. Steve's career has spanned radio, writing and restaurants before he found his way to launching Rancho Gordo. His business has a cult following and changed the way that Americans think about beans.Image courtesy of Steve Sando.Why Food  is powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ethan & Vallery for a conversation with Simran Bindra, co-founder of Kokoa Kamili. Kokoa Kamili, based in Tanzania, is one of the world's best cacao companies, emphasising ethical sourcing and exceptional beans. They supply many of the US' most highly regarded chocolate makers, including Dandelion and Raaka.Why Food  is powered by Simplecast.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join co-hosts Ethan and Vallery for a conversation with Laurie Woolever, food writer and editor. For nearly a decade, Laurie was the right-hand to author, TV host and producer Anthony Bourdain, with whom she co-authored the cookbook Appetites. She co-hosts a podcast, Carbface for Radio, with Chris Thornton, will publish World Travel: An Irreverent Guide, a book co-authored with Bourdain, in fall 2020, and is currently at work on an oral biography of his life.Why Food  is powered by Simplecast.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join co-hosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with the baker Bryan Ford (recorded pre-coronavirus, but so relevant today!) Bryan shares his story of leaving accounting to become a baker, incorporating his roots and family background into his breads, and some of the challenges of becoming a professional baker.Why Food? is powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alexander Smalls is a James Beard Award winning chef, author, and raconteur, and the visionary co-owner of renowned restaurants Minton’s and The Cecil, which was named “Best New Restaurant in America” by Esquire in 2014. His new book,"Meals, Music and Muses: Recipes From My African American Kitchen" was published in February 2020 from Flatiron Books. Smalls is also a world-renowned opera singer and the winner of both a Grammy Award and a Tony Award for the cast recording of Porgy and Bess, by George Gershwin, with the Houston Grand Opera.Why Food  is powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join cohosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Ori Zohar and...Ethan Frisch! Cofounders and Co-CEOs of Burlap & Barrel, the country's first and only comprehensive single origin spice company. Ori's career has taken him from advertising, to founding a Silicon Valley mortgage startup, to Burlap & Barrel, and Ethan's career path has gone from restaurant kitchens to the mountains of Afghanistan. We'll talk about how they launched Burlap & Barrel, their unique sourcing model and the challenges of building a food business in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.Image courtesy of Burlap & BarrelWhy Food?  is powered by Simplecast.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.