Kitchen Confession Podcast

What do MTV Awards, antiquing, and tea infused chocolate have in common? They were all topics savagely cut from recent episodes by our editor and co-producer, Matt Agnew. He shares those deleted scenes and more on our Cut for Time feature.

Alexa Jovanovich is a fashion designer and the creator of Aille Design. Her brand puts a big statement in the hands of blind and low vision shoppers with pieces that artfully display descriptive and uplifting phrases in braille bead-work. And, while Alexa claims not to be a culinary virtuoso, she shares an indulgent use of fine Niagara ice wine plus some of her favourite Chicago eats!

Nancy Kee was an early adopter of the sourdough craze, already nurturing a mother dough before the bored bakers of 2020 wandered into the kitchen. She took a baking class and learned that plastic was the worst way to store her new artisan loaves so she created the Keeki Bag; a linen drawstring bag with a beeswax lining that keeps the crumb soft and fresh for days longer. Nancy launched Keeki Co to share her invention with the masses when she noticed the hobby spike in popularity during the pandemic.

Dr. Nate Wood is a resident physician, health media expert and trained chef. This jack-of-all-trades shares how savoury daydreams drove him to sneak off to culinary school in the midst of his medical training. Plus, Nate tells us how his cooking technique changed after developing anosmia.

A business born of a late night craving, Opal Rowe's Stush Patties aims to give the Jamaican favourite a gourmet glow up. With real, natural ingredients and options for everyone, Opal hopes to push out of Toronto's multicultural city center and make her patties a well know Canadian classic.

Did you know writing a cookbook can take upwards of two years? With nine books of her own and more on the way; Canada's baking sweetheart, Anna Olson, talks about sparking creativity, weathering the brutal honesty of children, and learning to trust collaborators at every stage. Plus, Anna answers all your baking questions from choosing salted vs unsalted butter to saving an over-beaten whipped cream.

After a disappointing shopping trip to one of Vancouver's most 'premium' grocers, Janna Bishop noticed a glaring gap in the familiar farm to table movement. Her father-in-law, a Canadian grain farmer, pointed out that some of the store's bougie offerings would only nab a cattle feed classification on the international commodities market. So, Janna left a career in clothing design and teamed up with foodie friend Shira McDermott to launch Flourist; a company that sources whole grains and legumes from Canadian farmers and connect home cooks and bakers to real, traceable, premium ingredients.

It's time for another catch up with show producers Mary and Matt who are back to spill on all their autumn kitchen action. Dry brine experiments, vegetarian thanksgiving, and a special holiday teaser. Plus, what on earth is 'cowboy dinner'?

That's right, Rita DeMontis is back, and this week we dive into her personal food journey! She shares how she got started in the kitchen, learning to cook from her mom and how not to grill from her dad; some memorable meals; and reconnecting with her roots during an impromptu adventure in Sardinia. This episode is all about how food, the great equalizer, connects us all.

Award winning lifestyle and food editor, Rita DeMontis shares her predictions of drastic change for the food industry post-pandemic. She thinks we'll see a shrinking fine dining scene and resurgence of Mom & Pop shops; but most importantly, a re-imagining in the middle, where young chefs and waitstaff no longer tolerate the all-to-common abuse in hospitality. And, we hear how Rita got her start writing for The Toronto Sun and stories of the incredible people she's met over 45 years in media.

Between work, school, sports, and clubs, figuring out what to put on the table is enough to make anyone want to curl into a ball. Registered Dietitian and lifestyle blogger, Tori Wesszer returns to the show to tell us about Fraiche Table, her answer to the dreaded question "what's for dinner?". Plus, we talk about raising kids to keep healthy habits without villainizing junk food.

TV cooking expert and taste-maker, Vijaya Selvaraju, is all about sparking excitement in the kitchen and connecting with people who love food! She enjoys long strolls down the grocery aisle with her husband as they scour stores for new and exciting ingredients to try! Vijaya pulls back the curtain on food media production and tells us how Tik Tok is making waves in the industry.

Celebrity chef, restaurateur, TV host, and author Roger Mooking has done it all! At home, Roger's kitchen is his playground, never cooking the same dish twice. He shares a little about his many experiments, including grilled grapes! Plus, despite industry challenges, business owners should get ready for a big boom, as Chef Mooking forecasts an enthusiastic return to the food scene post-pandemic.

Stuck in the city in the midst of a pandemic, working full-time from home with a toddler, Rachel Bies says, "It felt like jail. You make the best of it but it was time for a change." So, Rachel got her driver's licence, bought a truck and moved her family and Holistic Nutrition practice from downtown Toronto to beautiful, spacious Prince Edward County. She tells us about her adventure raising a "runner," learning to rely on neighbours, and discovering a new terroir east of the big city.

Cheese Master Afrim Pristine says cheese is a humble, noble ingredient with staggering variety. At his shop, Cheese Boutique in Toronto, you can find more than six hundred types to suit any palate! We chat with Afrim about the art of cheese making and some upcoming trends in the industry - including some mouth-watering plant based options.

What's going on in the kitchens behind Kitchen Confession? We flip the script for another catch up episode with the producers of the show, Mary and Matt!

Landscape designer, author and pro gardener Carson Arthur joins us for a mid-season checkup on our gardens. We talk plant maintenance, harvesting tips and everything you need to know to give your garden a jump start next spring. Carson also shares what he's learned about sous-vide cooking and his favourite new spice combo.

Mary Oliveira arrived in 2014 with a crazy new concept for Canadian chocolate lovers. With just four basic ingredients, her hand rolled Brazilian brigadeiro became a totally new, "magical" experience for Torontonians. Mary tells us the origin story of brigadeiro and a few milestones from her journey building a business in Canada.

It's been three years since we met Matt Basile, founder of Fidel Gastro's, at the Mac and Cheese festival in Milton, ON. In just a few years, he's transformed his pop up food company into a widely recognized catering brand. We catch up with Matt and talk pandemic problem solving from the past year. He shares how he navigated shutdowns and redirected his energy after selling his restaurant just months before COVID-19 struck.

AMI's Jennie Bovard says her penchant for baking is as much about the mental escape as for the sweet-tooth payoff. She shares her signature corn bread recipe with us, plus a few "food fumbles" from an upcoming episode of her podcast, Low Vision Moments.