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© Lisa Sands
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Conversation for food and drink enthusiasts that starts where the pretty Instagram picture ends. Hosted by Lisa Sands, a Cleveland-based local food advocate and food and travel writer. CLE Foodcast serves up a deep dive into the local food ecosystem with developing food biz news, interesting interviews, and plenty of recommendations for must-try food experiences.
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When we think of restaurants our minds tend to go right to the food on our plates, but they are important ecosystems that contribute so much more. Restaurant owners Karen Small and Jillian (Jill) Davis created restaurants that became our favorites—Flying Fig in Ohio City, and Toast, in the Gordon Square district.
Less talked about are how these successful destinations spurred neighborhood growth around them, contributed to tourism, and put Cleveland on the culinary map.
Their joint venture, Pearl Street Wine Market and Cafe closed unexpectedly earlier this year prompting introspection about the last few, very hard years. Karen still owns the very successful Juneberry Table, but prioritizes time to be with family and travel. Jill practices law and is focused on spending time with the people who matter most.
The theme of this episode? Life happens. Good friends help.
This episode is presented in partnership with Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish.
Rosie Galaz is a long way from her birthplace of Chile, but she's keeps her distant family close in photos on the walls of her restaurant Pachamama Kitchen and Garden. Rosie and partner Chef Will Norris present tapas, wines and cocktails that reflect a mix of culinary influences infused with fresh, clean produce of the season, much of it grown on their own three farm sites.
Pachamama (Andean for "Earth Mother") is the embodiment of Rosie herself—warm, welcoming, and fixed on growth and renewal. The restaurant feels intimate and special, without any element of fuss or pretension, and is perfect for intimate conversations or a vibrant group gathering. The design includes natural elements and thoughtful accents that nod to her heritage.
In this conversation you'll hear how the birth of Pachamama connected Rosie to her South American agricultural roots, her journey from Chile to Cleveland by way of many other cities during her culinary career, and the example and legacy she wants to be for other young women, and for her own son.
Cleveland's West Side Market opened to great fanfare in 1912 and is still an important shopping destination for locals and tourists. Passion for the market remains strong among northeast Ohio residents and a new city administration that seems to understand the significance of the place. It's on the National Register of Historic Places and one of the top tourist stops in the city. More than a century old, the West Side Market has held up remarkably well but at this critical moment it must adapt and renovate to protect its relevance and secure its future.
My guests include Crystal Montgomery, a historic preservation specialist for the City of Cleveland and authors Laura Taxel and Marilou Suszko, who wrote Cleveland's West Side Market: 100 Years and Still Cooking, released on the occasion of the market's 100th anniversary.
This episode was recorded live at the Cleveland History Center as part of the In the Market Speaker Series, a program of community conversations made possible by community partners and the PNC Foundation. The topic of this program was the history and architecture of the West Side Market and we cover the physical structure of the building itself, the history of the neighborhood, market vendors over time, and some of the civic and cultural dynamics that were behind the creation of the iconic public marketplace that stands today.
This episode is presented by Chef Douglas Katz and the Katz group of restaurants and City Fresh.
Laura Gabbert found purpose during the Covid 19 pandemic creating her documentary Food and Country. In collaboration with renowned food writer and critic Ruth Reichl, Gabbert created a film that depicts the early days of the pandemic as told through people on the front lines of local food. From farmers and ranchers in rural America, to fine dining restaurateurs in urban settings, to small minority-owned businesses that are the epicenters of their communities, everyone had to forge a new path to survive. Gabbert even spent time in Ohio with Lee and Bob Jones of The Chef's Garden in Milan, Ohio (about an hour west of Cleveland).
The film shares many emotional, personal stories and interviews delivered via Zoom, and beautiful, inspiring visuals from across America that depict the resilience, ingenuity and hope of food producers. While the pandemic is in the rear view mirror for most of us, it will take you back to that time and remind you just how far we've come since.
Laura was in town for the Cleveland International Film Festival and her film is now available to watch as part of the CIFF47 Streams program. For details, visit
clevelandfilm.org.
This episode is presented with support from Chef Douglas Katz and Tomato Monster Heirlooms.
Inspired by the humble Friday fish fry of the Lenten season, I started thinking about the fish on my plate our Great Lake, and the future of seafood. With costs of everything going up, we're making tough choices to feed ourselves and our families. Some local chefs have participated in the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Blue Ribbon Task Force, and I wanted to know more. Executive Chef Matthew Beaudin is a chef and advocate working at the renowned aquarium who merges culinary passion with innovation and creativity to preserve our bountiful seafood choices for future generations.
In this episode we talk about the Seafood Watch program and rating system, why chefs can be leaders in the sustainability movement, and how we can make intentional choices that are better for our oceans. Your haddock, cod and other white fish is probably doing just fine but it is still the right time to expand our own palates to other species of fish that are plentiful and take a break on those that are struggling to repopulate or keep up with global demand.
This podcast is supported by Chef Douglas Katz and the Katz group of restaurants and Tomato Monster Heirlooms.
This is a different episode than I usually make. But, given that we will soon have an influx of visitors for the Cleveland International Film Festival and many other fantastic things happening here in the coming months, I decided to make an episode that highlights some of my favorite things...and those of some other Clevelanders in the hospitality biz.
I was inspired to create this episode after creating my own "staycation" with the help of the Kimpton Schofield Hotel. I spent a dreamy 24 hours in downtown and saw the city in a new light. In this episode we meet some of the Kimpton team and hear about the hotel, restaurant and what they like to do when they're not taking care of guests. You'll hear from Illinois native Lindsay Smith, owner of Flight, a great little corner wine bar in Gordon Square, and Chef Doug Katz who grew up here and liked it SO much...he stayed. (Lucky for us!)
So whether you are a local who doesn't get out as much as you might like, a visitor here for the first or fifth time, or someone thinking about making Cleveland your home, there is something for you here.
Share with someone who might like this episode...it's the neighborly thing to do!
JB Douglas describes foraging as one of the most accessible and natural things we can do...but it is also fraught with overtones of land access, politics an racial and environmental justice. Not to mention, you have to know what you're doing!
JB is the VP of Culinary and Community for Foraged, this very cool online marketplace for foraged, wild and unusual foods. An avid forager himself, JB proudly identifies as a "queer forager and food maker," and and he's a current student in the sustainable food systems program at the Culinary Institute of America. He's masterful at creating recipes with wild foods and he loves sharing ways we can all introduce the practice into our lives.
We talk about products on Foraged.com and the history of foraging, and he also helps us understand the importance of how wild foods, and access to nature in general can help communities be healthier in a myriad of ways. Check out the website, it's fascinating!
*Food access for everyone is important to me, and if you would like to learn more about the Greater Cleveland Food Bank during the Harvest for Hunger campaign, please visit greaterclevelandfoodbank.org.
This episode is made possible from Chef Douglas Katz and the Katz group of restaurants. I'm grateful for a partnership with the Cleveland International Film Festival to promote food-related films and other important work at this year's festival, March 22-April 1.
Bette Lou Higgins doesn't get downtown as much as she used to. But I forgive her, because she's a treasure trove of knowledge about the past...especially the iconic, unique and sometimes very odd restaurants that existed years ago,
She explores dozens of them in her book Lost Restaurants of Downtown Cleveland (available at many local book stores and Amazon) and the interesting thing is, she ONLY covered Public Square to Playhouse Square. In the early 1900's there were more than 2000 cafes and restaurants in the city limits. Some were little dinettes or holes-in-the-wall, and others were opulent and extravagantly themed.
I enjoyed taking a trip into Cleveland's past and I think you will too. If you want to know more, grab the book. And, she just shared that she'll be working on another edition as well.
We hear Bette Lou's own memories of places like the original "Chef Boyardee" restaurant, wee hear about a place with live monkeys and a bear, and a "beef dungeon." I am also surprised that I have been to three of the locations in her book. I guess I am almost a native Cleveland now!
Looking in from the outside, it seems that chefs and food professionals have an uphill battle when it comes to relationships. Late nights, erratic schedules and stress don't make for the best foundation for marriage and family. But sometimes, with lots of perseverance, understanding and effort, things just work.
I sat down with Chef Lloyd Foust, who just joined the team of Salt, to open Poppy in Larchmere, and his wife Rachel Ventura, the proud creator/owner of FrankieLynn Hot Dogs, to hear how they make it work. The couple met while working together at The Black Pig and now they're married with two sons. Over a couple of glasses of wine at Old Brooklyn haunt, Opal on Pearl, we find out what makes their marriage work. The truth is, all you need to do is sit with them for 15 minutes, and you know the answer.
I hope you enjoy this "Valentine's Day Episode" as much I did when I made it.
Thank you Chef Douglas Katz and Real Food Remedy for partnering on this episode.
Carlos Ramos was a tea fan long before he purchased The Tea Lab a few years ago. He's become somewhat of a self-taught expert on the beverage, its origins and how to select teas that appeal to individual tastes and needs.
So many of us here in Ohio start the day with coffee, but globally tea reigns...second only to water. There is an incredible amount of variety in tea, which is essentially a beverage made by pouring hot water (often of a specific temperature) over the leaves of a particular type of leaf. But the ceremony and ritual around it varies depending on where you enjoy it.
We talk to Carlos about what he carries in The Tea Lab and how teas can be enjoyed in different ways, for different reasons. We hear about the five types of teas, blending for various tastes or health impacts, and how to brew a good cup of tea.
This episode is presented with support from Chef Douglas Katz and Ohio Wines.
Karis Tzeng is a VP of Planning at Midtown Cleveland where she works on many projects for the district including the stewardship of AsiaTown. If you think of AsiaTown as a place to "get take out" you are missing so much...from an array of Pan-Asian foods spanning multiple cuisines and cultures, to art and history, and distinct traditions that arrived with each wave of immigration.
We talk about the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated for roughly two weeks. It's the Year of the Rabbit, signifying fertility, luck and creativity. If you went down to Asia Plaza for the start of the festival you saw lots of little kids in rabbit ears, ladies dressed in beautiful red clothing, and maybe you saw the Kwan Family do their Lion Dances. Most Asian cultures celebrate the Lunar New Year, but with differing customs and foods. Fortunately, Cleveland's AsiaTown reflects that diversity, which is part of its uniqueness.
Aldous Lau is the owner of Ball Ball Waffle, a Hong Kong Street Food that you will want to try. He shares a bit of his story and then makes me my first waffle!
This episode is presented by Real Food Remedy (formerly Perfectly Imperfect Produce) and The Katz Group of Restaurants,
Boom's Pizza's slogan is "Born of Hard Times." Truer words were never spoken when it comes to the 18 months or so following March 2020. While most of us moved on as fast as we could rip off our masks, the restaurant industry and its people suffered a collective PTSD that, for some, remains today.
Episode 9 featured a version of Ben Bebenroth that was exhausted, disillusioned and unsure of the future. Fast forward to now, and Ben is collaborating with pal and fellow chef Jonathan Bennett (of Moxie and Red fame) to build a food enterrprise that feels good and tastes (damn) good. In this episode, you hear why their collaboration works as they tell the story of Boom's Pizza, a neighborhood pizza shop named for Ben's grandpa. In it you will also hear their commitment to build the life they owe themselves and their families as well as a business that can scale reasonably and be a great place to work.
This episode is presented by the Katz Group of Restaurants and Real Food Remedy.
For the first episode of 2023 I sit down with Dillon Stewart, editor of Cleveland Magazine, to look ahead at a rapidly changing food and drink scene. Food news is coming fast and furious—with no shortage of new spots from fine dining, to kosher BBQ, an Asian food hall and sophisticated cocktail bars. If you aren't following and subscribing to Cleveland Magazine you're missing out on lots of food, entertainment, sports and politics news that you need to know!
We recorded this episode at Wolf Pack Chorus, a new venture in an former Little Italy hot spot. And, we talked to Chef Chris Wolf and his wife Katie who are making a calculated decision to stray from Italian cuisine and bring a more global menu to WPC as well as live music, themed events and other features to set them apart from the pack.
This episode is supported by Chef Douglas Katz and the Katz Group of Restaurants and Real Food Remedy.
If you don't look for it, you might miss the sprawling complex called The Fieldhouse, positioned behind the old Phantasy Nightclub building in Lakewood. If you are not in the LQBTQ+ community, chances are you don't even know about it.
I had the chance to speak with two women who each have distinct roles in the success of this evolving queer gathering space. Chelsea Huizing (known also as Ox, for her physical stamina and can-do attitude that's housed in a very petite frame), leads the food and beverage operations and Margaret Harper Jenkins manages media relations and oversees arts and culture projects.
Both women found their way to Studio West 117 after years of professional challenges—primarily an inability to feel accepted for who they are and how they wanted to present to the world. The gathering place has created restaurants, meeting places, classrooms and sports programs for people who don't feel welcome in traditional settings but who embrace each other's expressions of diversity and uniqueness.
Future phases include an expansion of personal services, retail, and even a hotel. For now, the anchors of Studio West 117 are three food concepts, including Trellis, Lakewood's only rooftop patio bar, and a flexible space that can be used for all kinds of social programming and outreach.
Ahhh, uploading this one felt really good. Pat Bennett joins me to co-host this gargantuan episode which is actually quite fun and, dare I say, helpful. We are hosted by Destiny Burns at CLE Urban Winery, and she also makes an appearance to talk about her business and the fantastic community of local merchants on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.
This one's for all of you who have yet to write a single Christmas card or venture out into the abyss of retail. One thing IS going for us though...the entire month has felt like late March and I am not complaining...that is until I start getting excited about the holidays and long for, maybe, three days of a dreamy snowfall. As for the "anxiety-inducing part" that's all on me. The end of the year was busier than I imagined, in very good ways, and putting out a project that means so much to me can be, um, stressful. You all keep me going and I thank you for your support all year.
We cover a lot of ground here but the most important thing is that we are shouting out our local growers, makers and merchants—as many as we can—in a manner that, I truly hope, is enjoyable to you as you do errands, walk your dog, or cook your Sunday sauce.
Extra special supporters of this episode are: Ohio Wines, Farmer Jones Farm/The Chef's Garden, Gingham Market and Chef Douglas Katz.
Farmer Jimmy Myers and his wife Casondra run Front 9 Farm in Lodi. I see Jimmy often at the Countryside Farmers Market where his stand is a frequent stop for me. I interviewed Jimmy at the market's annual Squash Showcase...a day when vendors bring lots of varieties for shoppers to purchase. They grow 40 herbaceous vegetables, 30 different types of herbs and 25 fruiting crops and they raise broiler chickens, egg-laying chickens, and turkeys.
We tend to think about the "main" squashes at this time of year...pumpkin and butternut and, perhaps, acorn. But there really are so many types of squash and we dive into a few of them in this episode. Squash also has an interesting history and it was critical to indigenous populations here in the Americas for eating and other uses.
I'll be sharing some images of squashes on the CLE Foodcast Instagram! Follow me there for more details and pics of my food adventures and, hopefully, some useful information for all you local food enthusiasts!
Sometimes we meet people that we are inexplicably drawn to, for one reason or another. For me, Michael Killik is one of those people.
Killik quotes Chuck D from Public Enemy, sometimes speaks in colorful language (you've been warned) and has the word "Juggernaut" tattooed on his belly. But he's also a dad of four daughters, a doting grandfather, a proud veteran, and a mid-life entrepreneur.
Michael makes Killik Hot Sauce that is fermented and naturally low in sodium (an important part of the story). He discovered a love for hot sauce while stationed in Abilene, Texas. But he didn't pursue a business until many years later after living life hard and nearly losing his life - twice.
There are several over-arching messages in this episode. You'll come to your own conclusions, but I am reminded of the following simple, yet profound thoughts. Life is short. It's never too late. And you can't judge a book by its cover.
This episode is sponsored by Douglas Katz and the Katz group of restaurants, Cooking' Genie, and Ohio Wines.
We recorded this important conversation live from PurpleBrown Farm Store in Peninsula. Last year, farmer Sasha Miller opened her store to sell products from her own farm, located in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and those of many other local farms and makers. On the occasion of the store's 1-year anniversary, CLE Foodcast convened three female farmers to discuss the local food ecosystem, what the life of a small Ohio farmer is really like, and how we all win when local agriculture thrives.
My guests: Sasha Miller of PurpleBrown Farm and Farm Store, Lizette Barton of Barton Farms and Gardens and Alexis Dragovich of Mud Run Farm. Each came to farming differently, but they share the same values, goals and hopes for a healthy, sustainable future for our planet.
In this conversation we dig deep into their daily lives and practices, issues around quality and price, the things they do to foster a healthy local food web and how we can help them to be successful (while eating better and closer to the land).
This episode is supported by Chef Douglas Katz, Cookin' Genie and the Kimpton Schofield Hotel.
When you hear the word "Candyman" do you think of the Sammy Davis Junior hit from the 70's OR that freakishly scary horror movie set in Chicago? Hey, it's a fair question!
Well, it's probably better if you think of the guy who owns the LARGEST candy store in North America, and probably, the world. And that's Tom Scheiman of the B.A. Sweetie Company. He bought the original small company 40 years ago and has also purchased iconic brands like Humphrey, Campbell's and, most recently, Olympia to grow and preserve Cleveland's candy and confection history.
While candy is in the spotlight Halloween through Easter, Sweetie's massive complex is an all-year destination with an ice cream parlor and a miniature golf course...not to mention just about every kind of candy you could desire...from Jelly Belly beans to Pez to Zagnuts (which have been made since 1930 by Hershey's.) Sours, gummies...I even saw something called Toxic Waste which is "hazardously sour."
Enjoy this Halloween-timed episode and take the fam to Tom's place and let everyone run wild...including yourself.
This episode is supported by the Kimpton Schofield Hotel, Chef Douglas Katz and Cookin' Genie.
Cocktails are having a moment...and the more complex and crafted the better. We're so lucky to have some excellent bars and craft bartenders in Northeast Ohio.
Tim Harnett is one of them. He has a particular area of expertise—he's a Tiki Ambassador for Tiki Underground, now located in Cuyahoga Falls, and an author of No Beard or Bowtie Required, Cocktails for the Craft-Curious.
Tiki has an interesting history, influenced by the rum runners, prohibition and even wartime. Some aspects of it are viewed as controversial. Tim has a lot of respect for the cultures that inspired the creation of the tiki bar. He shares tiki origins, how he got hooked and gives us some ideas of all things contained in those super strong drinks. You'll want to check this place out for sure!
This episode is sponsored by Chef Douglas Katz, The Kimpton Schofield Hotel, and Cookin' Genie.
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