BFF with the Chef

Today, I'm interviewing Chef Angela Michelle, the founder and chef owner behind the cooking education company Culinary Kisses. Chef Angela was a fashion model for 25 years before she traded in her stiletto heels for chef whites, driven by her passion for cooking that was nurtured since she was six years old. Chef Angela decided to start her company, which focuses on offering a wide range of culinary services geared to expand and explore her clients' culinary horizons. She offers a variety of culinary services to include online cooking classes, meal planning, and theme cooking parties. In addition to running her business, Chef Angela is also a published author, the host of a cooking and travel show, a culinary curriculum writer, a verified chef on Cozy Meal, and she's certified in plant-based nutrition by Cornell University.   Find Chef Angela Michelle: Website Cookbook – From the Catwalk to the Kitchen Online Cooking Course Newsletter Facebook Page Facebook Group Instagram YouTube   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

  Today, I'm chatting with Becky Striepe, a vegan food writer, cookbook author, and by the time this airs, podcast host. Becky has been a vegan since 2006 and has been developing simple vegan recipes since 2008. At her blog, Glue and Glitter, you'll find easy vegan comfort food recipes that don't sacrifice flavor along with tips for making eating vegan deliciously easy. Like me, Becky is a gadget cooking queen and she plays all types from the Instant Pot to the air fryer to help her cook delicious plant-based meals that anyone can enjoy. Becky has also written two vegan cookbooks, 40 Days of Green Smoothies and Bowls, both of which can be found on her blog. Her podcast, Talkin' Tofu, is scheduled to launch in July 2020.   Find Becky: Website Talkin' Tofu Podcast Cookbooks – 40 Days of Green Smoothies and Bowls! Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube   Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Shepherd's Pie   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm excited to interview Chef Joel Gamoran, one of the nation's most well-known sustainability focused chefs and the host of A&E's hit series Scraps. In addition to his television show, Joel also previously served as the Head National Chef for Sur La Table  and makes monthly appearances on NBC's Today Show. Joel's book, Cooking Scrappy, shows students, viewers, and readers around the world how to turn food scraps into delicious meals. And Joel continues to find new ways to inspire home cooks with the start of his latest show called Stretched. Chef Joel is a graduate of both the Culinary Institute of America and the Culinary Institute of Florence.  He and his wife, Angelina live in Seattle with their baby Jenna.   Find Chef Joel: Website Cooking Scrappy: 100 Recipes to Help You Stop Wasting Food, Save Money, and Love What You Eat Scraps: Parts Uneaten TV Show Instagram Faceboo Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Carrot Top Pesto Broccoli Rabe & Sausage Top Frittata Mushroom Stem Risotto Banana Bread Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm excited to interview Jason Logsdon, the brains behind Amazing Food Made Easy, one of the largest sous vide and modernist cooking blogs on the internet and of course, Makin' Bacon, a website dedicated to helping food bloggers succeed in the business. Jason is also a bestselling author who has published 14 cookbooks that have sold more than 60,000 copies, including the bestselling Modernist Cooking Made Easy: Sous Vide, and the official Instant Pot Sous Vide Cookbook.  He's a frequent speaker at the Everything Food Conference and he's the president of the International Sous Vide Association.   Find Jason: Amazing Food Made Easy Website Amazing Food Made Easy Facebook Page Exploring Sous Vide Facebook Group Makin' Bacon Website Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube   Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Glaze   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

This week, I'm interviewing Daina Falk, the founder of Hungry Fan, a food website that is dedicated to helping sports fans have a great time and eat well while doing it. Having been an avid sports fan her entire life, Daina decided to create a platform for tailgaters, home gaters, sports bar goers, and sporting event attendees of the world that focuses on food and entertaining. Daina can often be seen hosting events, TV shows, and segments on game day dishes and treats. She's appeared on shows such as Late Night with Seth Meyers and the Today Show. And she's hosted Toughest Tailgate, which highlights NFL tailgating traditions on CBS Sports as well as participated in celebrity chef appearances for teams such as the New York Giants and Yankees.  Daina is also the bestselling author of The Hungry Fan's Game Day Cookbook, which can be found on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.   Find Daina: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube Vimeo   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm excited to interview the incredible Nicole Tingwall, the talented chef and food stylist behind the blog and food styling account Windy City Dinner Fairy. Nicole gained a passion for cooking at an early age and as a graduate of the Culinary Hospitality Institute of Chicago, she served in many roles in the food industry, from the front of the house to pastry chef, to chef instructor, all of which have helped her hone her skills and prepare her for current role. Despite being a jack of all trades, Nicole ultimately fell in love with food styling. She started her company in 2010 and she hasn't looked back. Nicole credits her time from operating in intensely demanding environment of high-end restaurants for preparing her for the time constraints and unexpected occurrences that can arise during a food photo shoot.  Nicole has styled for top food brands including  All Clad, T-Fal, Protein Bar & Kitchen, Safe+ Fair, as well as many others.   Find Nicole: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm chatting with Brandi Wharton, the creator behind the blog Inspired Fresh Life. Brandi is a former high school English teacher who left the field to head into bartending, inspired by her love of cooking. She started her blog in 2016 and hasn't looked back. Brandi's blog focuses on easy, healthy recipes, many which fit into either the Whole 30 regimen or the gluten free lifestyle. And while she mostly focuses on health, Brandi also knows that it's good to indulge once in a while, and she provides recipes for that too. Brandi's blog is a tribute to her love of gathering friends and family together and sharing good times. And while she can't do that at the moment, she hopes her recipes will be an inspiration to everyone out there that is staying inside and cooking. Find Brandi: Website Facebook Instagram Pinterest Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Chicken Enchilada Casserole Smoked Chuck Roast with Garlic Sage Butter Easy Champagne Vinaigrette (or Marinade) Grilled Peaches with Coconut Whipped Cream Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm interviewing Chef Josh Walbolt, a chef whose most recent position was at Eleven Madison Park. Chef Josh started his illustrious culinary career in high school where he was a two time Minnesota state champion in a culinary arts competition called ProStart, a competition that is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. After winning at state, Chef Josh went on to compete at the national level, which cemented his determination to become a professional chef. After high school, Chef Josh honed his skills through a wide variety of experiences around the country, and has done everything from being a Chef de Cuisine, a catering company owner, a competitor in cooking battles against James Beard and Michelin starred chefs to mentoring future chefs in the very program that jumpstarted his career. He's also been a nominee for the Rising Star Chef award by the Charlie's Award, an annual event that celebrates the exceptional contributions of the Twin Cities area's restaurant and food service industry.   Find Chef Josh: YouTube Facebook Instagram   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm interviewing Chef Tony Maddog Maggert, a 23-year military veteran who decided to become a chef after he retired from the Army. Chef Maddog began his  culinary journey in the US Marine Corps after he got put on extra duty in the kitchen galley. During that time, he fell in love with the work and decided to stay for an extra five months. Chef Maddog ultimately received a commission in the US Air Force, but transferred to the Army to finish out his military career. Chef Maddog served three tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, during which he suffered from a flesh-eating bacteria that ultimately took his leg. Despite being an amputee, he remained on active duty until his retirement. After his military service, he attended the Institute of Culinary Education in New York and graduated in 2019, making him the first amputee to go through the program. He's currently working on his YouTube channel, where he's making videos to teach others how to cook.   Find Chef Maddog: YouTube Facebook Pinterest Twitter Instagram   Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Potato Chip Fried Chicken   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm chatting with Kellie and Aaron Johnsen, the founders of Experience Winefulness, a company that focuses on helping others experience the joy of learning about wine by focusing on mindfulness and positive mental health. Kellie is a trained marriage and relationship counselor by day, and Aaron is a retired United States Marine. They started the company in 2018 after Kellie found that through her practice, people were using wine for self-medication and were not fully appreciating the joy that wine knowledge could bring. Kellie wanted to create a new mantra for wine was not for sadness, but instead could be used to generate joy and that wine could be enjoyed and appreciated, but a healthy mental attitude. Kellie and Aaron are currently living on the beautiful shores of North Shore Hawaii, where they are running their company.   Find Aaron and Kellie: Website Facebook   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm chatting with Lola Osinkolu, the writer and voice behind Chef Lola's Kitchen, a blog and YouTube channel that focuses on easy, family-friendly meals and recipes with an African influence. Lola was born and raised in Nigeria, where her passion for cooking started at a very young age. She cooked her first family meal at the age of eight and has cooked for most of her young life. Although Lola obtained a degree in geology and mineral science, she chose to follow her passion by instead first working in restaurants before moving into blogging. Lola now works on creating delicious recipes and teaching people how to do the same in the comfort of their home. Lola is also a self-taught baker, which she attributes to her grandmother's influence.   Find Chef Lola: Website YouTube Facebook Instagram Pinterest   Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Coconut Fried Rice with Extra Veggies African Puff Puff Donuts African Sausage Rolls African Style Pancakes African Stew Jollof Rice

Today I'm interviewing Chef Rocky Dunnam, the Executive Chef for the Missouri University Healthcare System in Columbia, Missouri. Chef Rocky began his culinary career at the Le Cordon Bleu and has worked for more than 10 years in the hospitality industry. Chef Rocky has competed in the American Culinary Federation Chef of the Year Central Regional Salon. He's also won several awards and competitions in his career, including the Battle of the Area Chefs Championship at Restaurant Roundup Best Tasting, Most Authentic and Best Theme, and the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction and Gala, and has twice received the Amarillo Visitor Council's Prime Service award. Chef Rocky is also a former competitor on Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen.   Find Chef Rocky:   Website Facebook Instagram Twitter   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Aloha friends and foodies, and welcome to season five. The first guest of this season is Joe Gatto, a private chef who hosts the culinary TV series From Scratch, currently debuting on Pluto TV. Bringing his passion for scratch cooking, big personality and knowledge of film, Joe has created a truly unique cooking show from making his own charcoal, hand forging knives to milking cows to make butter and cheese, Joe goes all out to show you just how far he's willing to go to make everything from scratch. When he's not filming. Joe can be found hosting major food events in and around Boston, including Boston Magazine's The Cue. Joe is also the author of Seriously from Scratch, a cookbook that you guessed it, teaches you how to make a variety of recipes from the very basics. You can find Joe's cookbook now on Amazon or wherever fine cookbooks are sold.   Find Chef Joe:   Joe Gatto's From Scratch on Pluto TV Facebook Instagram Chef Joe's Cookbook – Seriously From Scratch   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm interviewing Jessica Gavin, the incredibly accomplished blogger behind JessicaGavin.com, a food blog and website that focuses on the science behind cooking. Jessica is a certified culinary scientist and a certified food scientist with a passion for helping home cooks get a good dinner on the table. Jessica worked full time in research and development as a nutrition formulation scientist for 12 years and has been blogging for over seven years. Additionally, she's earned an associates degree in culinary arts, has two foodie kids, James and Olivia, published her first cookbook, Easy Culinary Science for Better Cooking, and launched a recipe app. She recently quit her job to become a full time food media entrepreneur.   Find Jessica: Website Book - Easy Culinary Science for Better Cooking: Recipes for Everyday Meals Made Easier, Faster and More Delicious Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter   Recipes Mentioned on the Show Grandma's Famous Italian Meatballs How to Reverse Sear a Steak Homemade Pancakes   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm interviewing Belqui, the blogger behind Belqui's Twist, a food blog that focuses on Latin fusion comfort food with a twist. Belqui started her food blog just over a year ago, but has been an avid home cook for 10 years. Cooking was a way for her to keep herself upbeat through the harrowing journey of working through her son's autism diagnosis. She credits cooking with helping her to cope with that difficult time and decided that after many years of pouring her heart into her recipes, she would share them with the world. A former New Yorker, Belqui now lives with her family in Arizona where she maintains her blog and YouTube channel.   Find Belqui: Website YouTube Facebook Instagram Pinterest   Recipes Mentioned on the Show Dominican Pernil (Pulled Pork) Dominican Sazón (All Purpose Seasoning) Dominican Rice and Beans Cuban Wontons and Egg Rolls Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm interviewing Amanda Kanashiro, the blogger behind Eat at Our Table, a food blog dedicated to helping others live a gluten free lifestyle. Several years ago, Amanda was diagnosed with celiac disease, which requires a strict gluten free diet. While she was heartbroken over the food she could no longer eat, Amanda decided that she would start a blog to share all the dishes that she was learning to recreate gluten-free, especially the Peruvian dishes from her husband's family. Since then, Amanda's family and her blog have grown together. She now works full time as a food blogger and has discovered through blogging a community of friends and fellow autoimmune patients that view her blog as a resource. For Amanda, she hopes that her blog provides people with great recipes, but also information that helps them confidently live gluten-free without feeling like they're missing out.   Find Amanda: Website Email Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest   Recipes Mentioned in the Show Peruvian Beef Stew – Seco de Res Peruvian Arroz con Pollo Aji Amarillo – Hot Yellow Pepper Paste Huancaina Sauce   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm interviewing Chef Ed Harris, winner of Food Network's Chopped Turbo Powered season four and Iron Chef International. He's also appeared as a chef on 24-hour Restaurant Battle, which his team won. Chef Ed began his culinary education at the Art Institute of New York City. For more than 20 years, he's been heavily involved in several aspects of the food industry from Saucier all the way up to Executive Chef. This eclectic background has allowed him to currently work as a consultant chef where he plays an active role in the planning, supervision, and creative aspects involved in the food industry.   Find Chef Ed: Website Chef Ed's Spices – Faye's Flavor Enhancers Facebook Twitter Instagram Recipes Mentioned in the Show Metem (Metemgee – Guyanese Stew) Duff (Guyanese Steamed Dumplings)  

Today I'm interviewing Chef Tristan B. Jones, an American chef, who currently lives in Prague. Tristan grew up on a small farm in Texas, cooking game meat that he hunted as a child. He also grew up in the kitchen, cooking family meals with his mother. It was that curiosity of food that inspired him to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando, Florida. From there, he's traveled around the world to work in restaurant kitchens, where he could hone his culinary skill. He's cooked for presidents, dignitaries, celebrities, and he's also cooked on three continents as a chef. In 2019, he decided to write a book about his life experience in a raw memoir called Blood, Bones and Blisters: A Culinary Rant, currently available on Amazon.   Find Chef Tristan: Facebook Blood, Bones and Blisters: A Culinary Rant on Amazon   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm interviewing Chef Joshua Tango, a chef who spent nearly 10 months working at the French Laundry. Josh is originally from Los Angeles, but he left the city to join the United States Marine Corps where he served four years in the infantry. After his time in service, Josh decided he wanted to cook professionally, so he took a job at the first restaurant that would hire him as a self-trained cook. Josh worked his way up through the restaurant business around the country for five years until he got the offer to work at the French Laundry. Currently, Chef Josh works at the Charter Oak Restaurant in Napa Valley.   Find Chef Joshua: Instagram The Charter Oak Restaurant   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today I'm interviewing Chef Darnell Ferguson, AKA Super Chef. Originally from Ohio, Darnell's love of cooking started from adolescence and would continue on as he graduated from Sullivan University in Kentucky with a degree in the Culinary Arts. However, after taking a wrong turn along his journey, Darnell found himself on a self-destructive path, leaving him homeless, in and out of jail and unemployed for nearly a year. But thanks to Darnell's faith, he used that time to reflect on his past and to reassess his life's purpose. With relentless drive and a new found spirit Darnell's best and brightest decision was to bring high end fine dining to short order cooking in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2012, Darnell began a series of popup restaurants serving breakfast within existing restaurants that served only lunch and dinner. This innovative approach led Darnell to open his first Super Chef's restaurant in 2015, and despite a series of setbacks, Darnell has continued to grow the Super Chefs brand into three restaurants. But more importantly, he's grown it into a community where cooking has become a positive and creative outlet for his employees, which include teens, young adults, and those in need. Chef Darnell is also known for winning the Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge hosted by Giada DeLaurentis on the Food Network in 2018. He's also appeared on the Today Show, the Rachael Ray Show, Guy Fieri's Guy's Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay on the Food Network, Cheap Eats on the Cooking Channel, and has cooked for Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and can be credited with creating the cooking style Urban Eclectic. Find Chef Darnell: Instagram Facebook SuperChefs website Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram