The Food Lens Podcast
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Join Co-hosts Molly Ford, Co-Founder of The Food Lens, & Catherine Smart, Co-Founder of notjust.co as they look past the plate, chatting with chefs, tastemakers and restaurant industry insiders. They’ll be digging into business, passion projects, and food trends to see what’s shaping the New England restaurant scene. This season no tasty topic is off limits: from peeling back the politics of sustainable seafood, to farming data on customers, to high-end cannabis cuisine. We’re curious. We’re hungry. And we know you are too.
46 Episodes
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Matt Jennings knows a thing or two about self-care. Back in 2016 the chef and owner of critically acclaimed Townsman drastically changed his lifestyle; he lost 160 pounds, stopped drinking, and started using his platform to bring health and wellness to the restaurant world. We caught up with Matt from his current home in Vermont where he is launching new food projects, seeking solace in the natural world, and surviving 2020 by staying committed to strategies like journaling and prioritizing sleep... and we’re taking notes.
Looking to stock up on wine for the holiday season? Check out our sponsor, 90+ Cellars! This Boston-based wine company travels the world to bring you great wines, at affordable prices. Head to NINETYPLUSCELLARS.COM to shop their Reserve Collection for bottles in that $15-$20 sweet spot, or step up your wine-gifting game with something from their new Collector Series. While you’re browsing, check out their quarterly wine club (you’ve earned wine shopping from your couch this year!), and get 10% off your order with promo code THEFOODLENS at checkout.
A monthly subscription of artisan cheese? Yes please! Locals Jenn and Matt Mason of Curds & Co. started this incredible subscription, which comes with 3 cheeses, 3 specialty food pairings, a themed Spotify playlist, a Curdcast podcast, and a wine pairing card. Gift someone a subscription, and share the experience. Head to CURDBOX.COM and use code FOODLENS at checkout to receive $10 off your first order.
Our theme music is "Tropical Pop," by OSIANRECORDS.
Producer and co-host of Dining Playbook Jenny Johnson manages to gracefully juggle TV and radio jobs with family life, all while pursuing studies in Ayurveda - a practice she started exploring after managing a health crisis with her young daughter. We dive into how the pandemic has reset priorities, why she’s so inspired by the hospitality community, and how we can all help local non-profits in this time of tremendous need.
Stay tuned at the end of the episode to hear from Jared Sadoian, General Manager at Craigie on Main. This is the third in a series of short conversations with folks in the hospitality industry about how their jobs and lives have been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
Looking to stock up on wine for the holiday season? Check out our sponsor, 90+ Cellars! This Boston-based wine company travels the world to bring you great wines, at affordable prices. Head to NINETYPLUSCELLARS.COM to shop their Reserve Collection for bottles in that $15-$20 sweet spot, or step up your wine-gifting game with something from their new Collector Series. While you’re browsing, check out their quarterly wine club (you’ve earned wine shopping from your couch this year!), and get 10% off your order with promo code THEFOODLENS at checkout.
A monthly subscription of artisan cheese? Yes please! Locals Jenn and Matt Mason of Curds & Co. started this incredible subscription, which comes with 3 cheeses, 3 specialty food pairings, a themed Spotify playlist, a Curdcast podcast, and a wine pairing card. Gift someone a subscription, and share the experience. Head to CURDBOX.COM and use code FOODLENS at checkout to receive $10 off your first order.
Music in this episode includes "Teamwork," by Scott Holmes. Our theme is "Tropical Pop," by OSIANRECORDS.
Boston-based baker and blogger Sarah Crawford explains how she built her casual blog Broma Bakery into a successful business. We dig into the evolution of food sites, the “3 waves of blogging,” and why vulnerability is more important than ever. Plus, she’s got tips for holiday baking, and making your food photos pop on Instagram.
Click HERE for her bourbon pecan pie recipe to take your Thanksgiving to the next level!
Stay tuned at the end of the episode to hear from Bartender and Event Manager Garvey Salomon from Parlor Sports and Trina’s Starlite Lounge in Somerville. This is the second in a series of short conversations with folks in the hospitality industry about how their jobs and lives have been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
Looking to stock up on wine for the holiday season? Check out our sponsor, 90+ Cellars! This Boston-based wine company travels the world to bring you great wines, at affordable prices. Head to NINETYPLUSCELLARS.COM to shop their Reserve Collection for bottles in that $15-$20 sweet spot, or step up your wine-gifting game with something from their new Collector Series. While you’re browsing, check out their quarterly wine club (you’ve earned wine shopping from your couch this year!), and get 10% off your order with promo code THEFOODLENS at checkout.
A monthly subscription of artisan cheese? Yes please! Locals Jenn and Matt Mason of Curds & Co. started this incredible subscription, which comes with 3 cheeses, 3 specialty food pairings, a themed Spotify playlist, a Curdcast podcast, and a wine pairing card. Gift someone a subscription, and share the experience. Head to CURDBOX.COM and use code FOODLENS at checkout to receive $10 off your first order.
Music in this episode includes "Teamwork," by Scott Holmes. Our theme is "Tropical Pop," by OSIANRECORDS.
Before coronavirus, meals at Tanám were shared among strangers at one 10-seat table; a setup that clearly wasn’t going to work when they reopened this fall. We chatted with chef-owner Ellie Tiglao about how she and her colleagues are reimagining the small restaurant in Somerville, what exactly she means by the term “narrative cuisine,” and what’s at the heart of Filipino food.
Looking to stock up on wine for the holiday season? Check out our sponsor, 90+ Cellars! This Boston-based wine company travels the world to bring you great wines, at affordable prices. Head to NINETYPLUSCELLARS.COM to shop their Reserve Collection for bottles in that $15-$20 sweet spot, or step up your wine-gifting game with something from their new Collector Series. While you’re browsing, check out their quarterly wine club (you’ve earned wine shopping from your couch this year!), and get 10% off your order with promo code THEFOODLENS at checkout.
A monthly subscription of artisan cheese? Yes please! Locals Jenn and Matt Mason of Curds & Co. started this incredible subscription, which comes with 3 cheeses, 3 specialty food pairings, a themed Spotify playlist, a Curdcast podcast, and a wine pairing card. Gift someone a subscription, and share the experience. Head to CURDBOX.COM and use code FOODLENS at checkout to receive $10 off your first order.
Music in this episode includes "Teamwork," by Scott Holmes. Our theme is "Tropical Pop," by OSIANRECORDS.
At a time when so many restaurants are struggling, it’s great to hear from a business that has bounced back - despite facing so many challenges. Find out how staying in start-up mode helped Sarah Murphy figure out how to re-open Vinal Bakery, why a sense of humor gets her team through, and of course, what breakfast treats we should be ordering to keep us all going this fall.
One of our favorite spots, Celeste in Union Square, is offering TFL listeners 10% off all takeout orders! Whether you want to get cozy with their famous Peruvian creamy chicken stew, or pretend you are on a warm and sunny vacation with a fresh ceviche, Celeste has you covered, just use code TFL10 at checkout! www.celesteunionsquare.com
Everyone in the Boston restaurant industry seems to have something nice to say about Josh Childs, the beloved bartender-turned-restaurant-owner behind Trina’s Starlite Lounge, Audubon Boston, The Paddle Inn, and Parlor Sports, which pandemic-pivoted to Trina’s Snack Shack. We talk with Josh about the nostalgia he’s serving up at the snack shack, why transparency with his team is key, and how he’s thinking about getting through this winter.
One of our favorite spots, Celeste in Union Square, is offering TFL listeners 10% off all takeout orders! Whether you want to get cozy with their famous Peruvian creamy chicken stew, or pretend you are on a warm and sunny vacation with a fresh ceviche, Celeste has you covered, just use code TFL10 at checkout! www.celesteunionsquare.com
After spending much of his childhood in a refugee camp in Kenya, Yahya Noor, of Tawakal Halal Cafe in East Boston, has a perspective that has proved useful in navigating the COVID-19 crisis. In this episode, we hear from him about his unique experience as a refugee and Somali-American, the food he serves at his family-run restaurant, and why he thinks community is the key to resilience.
One of our favorite spots, Celeste in Union Square, is offering TFL listeners 10% off all takeout orders! Whether you want to get cozy with their famous Peruvian creamy chicken stew, or pretend you are on a warm and sunny vacation with a fresh ceviche, Celeste has you covered, just use code TFL10 at checkout! www.celesteunionsquare.com
Mo El Zein is guiding his restaurant Moona, through the pandemic like everyone else. But as a Lebanese-American, he’s also working to help with relief efforts in his home city of Beirut, where much of his family still lives. Mohamad gathered industry friends to create the Beirut Box, where participating restaurants craft special menu items inspired by Lebanese cuisine that diners can order knowing 100% of the proceeds go to organizations on the ground in Lebanon. Head to www.beirutbox.org to learn more.
Life Alive Organic Cafe has meals plans! Whether you’ve been eating too much heavy takeout in quarantine, or are just getting tired of cooking for yourself, hit the reset button with one of their customizable meal plans. Choose from a mix and match menu of nourishing soups, fresh salads, and even dessert! Get 15% off your order with the code TFL15 at checkout. https://lifealive.myshopify.com/
Evan Harrison managed a successful pandemic pivot — turning neighborhood bistro Cafe Du Pays into a local grocery store. He’s been working alongside his wife, Heather, who is also a partner in their restaurant group, and their new baby Louie. Evan shares how the Covid-19 crisis has put sharp focus on what has been broken about the restaurant industry for a long time, and how he stays optimistic, and focused on making change in the industry, all while managing multiple restaurants, and a growing family.
Life Alive Organic Cafe has meals plans! Whether you’ve been eating too much heavy takeout in quarantine, or are just getting tired of cooking for yourself, hit the reset button with one of their customizable meal plans. Choose from a mix and match menu of nourishing soups, fresh salads, and even dessert! Get 15% off your order with the code TFL15 at checkout. https://lifealive.myshopify.com/
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
The Brooklyn-based, chef-driven ice cream company OddFellows expanded to Boston with their Chestnut Hill location not long before the pandemic struck. We caught up with Co-Founder and CEO Mohan Kumar about why his wife’s pregnancy cravings spawned a huge career change, how OddFellows is collaborating with Boston chefs, and what it’s been like to ride out a pandemic in Boston and NYC.
Life Alive Organic Cafe has meals plans! Whether you’ve been eating too much heavy takeout in quarantine, or are just getting tired of cooking for yourself, hit the reset button with one of their customizable meal plans. Choose from a mix and match menu of nourishing soups, fresh salads, and even dessert! Get 15% off your order with the code TFL15 at checkout. https://lifealive.myshopify.com/
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
Bessie King and Tony Maws share the work of Massachusetts Restaurants United, a coalition of independent restaurant professionals who are advocating on behalf of an industry in crisis. We talk about what the organization aims to accomplish, what they want from the legislature, and why keeping restaurants afloat is vital to the Massachusetts economy.
Life Alive Organic Cafe has meals plans! Whether you’ve been eating too much heavy takeout in quarantine, or are just getting tired of cooking for yourself, hit the reset button with one of their customizable meal plans. Choose from a mix and match menu of nourishing soups, fresh salads, and even dessert! Get 15% off your order with the code TFL15 at checkout. https://lifealive.myshopify.com/
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
Peter Ungár knew from the start that his 20 personTasting Counter wouldn’t be pivoting to take out. Instead, Peter and his wife Ginhee decided to launch TC at home, an interactive dining experience where guests pick up meal-kit boxes, and enjoy cooking, plating, and eating together on Zoom. We chat about how Peter and his wife Ginhee pull it off every week, how they are looking to grow TC at home, and what it’s been like to reopen for dining in.
Life Alive Organic Cafe has meals plans! Whether you’ve been eating too much heavy takeout in quarantine, or are just getting tired of cooking for yourself, hit the reset button with one of their customizable meal plans. Choose from a mix and match menu of nourishing soups, fresh salads, and even dessert! Get 15% off your order with the code TFL15 at checkout. https://lifealive.myshopify.com/
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
After more than a decade at the helm, Geo Lambert decided to make the move from his food truck to brick and mortar with his M&M BBQ business inside Dorchester Brewing. Little did he know that shortly after settling in, the Covid-19 crisis would strike. We caught up with him to hear about how the business has evolved, the silver-lining of the shutdown, and what makes his Alabama/Carolina mash-up BBQ so special.
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
Row to Go is Here! At their flagship restaurant in Fort Point, Boston and their Portsmouth, NH location. Pick up New England classics like the Warm Buttered Lobster Roll, Clam Chowder, or fried clams and oysters. Order online at row34.com and use promo code TFL15 for 15% off your order.
On her podcast, The Dish I Miss, NBC's digital content producer Shira Stoll asks Boston area chefs about the food they miss making for their community, and how they are coping during the Covid-19 crisis. A recent transplant from New York, we chat about what it’s like to learn about the Boston restaurant scene from her apartment, and what she’s discovered in the process. Check out The Dish I Miss HERE.
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
Row to Go is Here! At their flagship restaurant in Fort Point, Boston and their Portsmouth, NH location. Pick up New England classics like the Warm Buttered Lobster Roll, Clam Chowder, or fried clams and oysters. Order online at row34.com and use promo code TFL15 for 15% off your order.
Restaurants are allowed to re-open for outdoor dining, and Andy Husbands, owner of The Smoke Shop BBQ, is here to fill us in on what the the last couple of months have looked like, how it feels to finally have waitstaff and diners back on the scene, and his plan to forge ahead.
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
Row to Go is Here! At their flagship restaurant in Fort Point, Boston and their Portsmouth, NH location. Pick up New England classics like the Warm Buttered Lobster Roll, Clam Chowder, or fried clams and oysters. Order online at row34.com and use promo code TFL15 for 15% off your order.
This episode consists of two interviews with Douglass Williams, chef-owner of Mida in the South End. In the first half, we check in with him following the nation’s response to the killing of George Floyd and how he has felt the reverberations as a Black chef and business owner in Boston. In the second half, we return to our original interview, recorded prior to the national protests. We talk about his recent accolade of being named one of America’s Best New Chefs by Food & Wine magazine, how he is coping with COVID-19 and feeding his community in times of crisis.
The Food Lens stands against racism. We want to help amplify the voices of the Black community in Boston and provide more exposure to Black-owned restaurants. We're listening, we're learning, we're donating, we're changing. Click HERE for a link that we are exploring for further education about anti-racism. For a list of Black-owned restaurants in the Greater Boston Area that you can support, click HERE. We know we can do better.
Since the Coronavirus halted her busy wine bar in its tracks, Lauren Friel has reshaped Rebel Rebel into a wine-retail business — one with online tastings and classes that have over-flowed Zoom rooms, and allowed her to hire back staff. Here’s how you can log in to the natural wine community, and why, more than ever, she wants you to vote.
You guys, we’ve got hand sanitizer! Our friends at the personal care brand Curie — makers of aluminum-free deodorant that actually works, and smells amazing — now offer hand sanitizer, in fresh scents like Grapefruit Cassis and Orange Neroli. The best part? It moisturizes your hands, which is about the best form of self-care we can think of at the moment. Use promo code TFL20 at checkout or just follow this link: https://curiebod.com/discount/TFL
Row to Go is Here! At their flagship restaurant in Fort Point, Boston and their Portsmouth, NH location. Pick up New England classics like the Warm Buttered Lobster Roll, Clam Chowder, or fried clams and oysters. Order online at row34.com and use promo code TFL15 for 15% off your order.
Will Gilson was supposed to be launching several new concepts this year - while those plans may be on hold for the moment, he’s diversifying his offerings at Puritan & Co. and forging a way forward with technology, takeout, and a team eager to get (safely) back to work.
Looking for cooking inspiration? Will hooked us up with some easy (and delicious) recipes to help get through quarantine!
–Spiced Grilled Zucchini Tacos with Cabbage Slaw & Chipotle Crema
–Cod Chowder with Crispy Potatoes and Applewood Bacon
–Corn and Tomato “Mason Jar” Salad
–Roast Beef “3-Way” Slider Burgers
Aaron Cohen couldn’t have imagined how his scoop shop would be transformed by the Covid-19 crisis. He went from serving up scoops to the neighborhood, to solving the logistical challenges of socially distanced pint pickup, and running a popular merch store. The Somerville entrepreneur shares how he’s thinking about technology, marketing, and community connection.
Owner of Highland Kitchen and Highland Fried, Mark Romano says having his usually bustling restaurants come to a screeching halt feels a bit like when a Nascar driver hops off the track to drive home in his Subaru, at 35 miles per hour. The shutdown has been jarring, to say the least. Romano talks about getting his staff on unemployment, hopping back behind the line to launch takeout, and thinking about how busy bars will function when it’s time to reopen.
Six weeks ago Tracy Chang didn’t expect to be spearheading a program serving 20,000 meals to frontline hospital workers — but that’s exactly what the chef-owner of Pagu (and new mother of a 4-month-old baby) is doing with the Off Their Plate initiative. Tracy shares her experience with transforming Pagu, how the organization is setting safety guidelines for foodservice during the COVID-19 crisis, and how she’s trying to plan for the future.
Pammy’s was never supposed to get into the takeout game, but these days owners Pam and Chris Willis are running a successful to-go operation, despite enormous challenges. Pam shares what it’s like to homeschool her kids while reinventing her business, and how she keeps up self-care during the COVID-19 crisis.
The chef and partner of Toro, Coppa, and Little Donkey talks about how he’s managing the Covid-19 crisis here in Boston, and at his restaurants across the globe in Bangkok and Dubai. We also get an update on his work with Off Their Plate, putting some of his restaurant staff back to work feeding front line healthcare workers, and what it’s like to be a Newlywed during the lockdown.
The chef-owner of Blue Dragon and host of Simply Ming on PBS says he’s “cried 8,000 gallons of tears” for the economically vulnerable staff he’s had to lay-off. But over the last couple of weeks, in partnership with the Lee Initiative, he’s turned his restaurant into a food bank for restaurant workers.
How do you turn a passion project into a full-time career? Just ask Brian Samuels, Director of Photography for The Food Lens. We sat down with Brian to hear what it was like to start his site A Thought For Food during blogging’s heyday, and how he went from taking pictures of his plates for fun, to becoming one of Boston’s most well-known, and loved (yes we’re biased!) food photographers. Don’t worry, we made sure to get some advice for upping your Instagram game in the process.
In light of everyone being stuck at home due to Covid-19, we also asked Brian to share one of his best pantry-staple meals from the blog - Pasta Puttanesca. Click HERE for the recipe!
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
When Lovin’ Spoonfuls Founder Ashley Stanley discovered how much good food was being thrown out at big grocery stores, she started by loading up her car, and carrying it to a local shelter. 10 years later, the non-profit rescues 75,000 pounds of food every week. We talk to Ashley about how she got into the business of bringing food to people who need it most, what makes her non-profit unique, and the personal challenges that led her to change her life, and help so many others in the process.
During the current coronavirus outbreak, communities served by Lovin’ Spoonfuls need our help more than ever. To donate, please go to https://lovin-spoonfuls.networkforgood.com/projects/9629-lovin-spoonfuls.
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
Whether you want to learn how to bake a better brioche, or build a successful business, you’re going to want to grab a pen to take notes while you tune in. The baker/restaurant-owner/author shares how she went from a consulting gig as a recent Harvard grad, to scrappily figuring out her first Flour, to running 8 bakeries and 1 restaurant, while writing best-selling cookbooks, and creating a work culture where no one wants to leave.
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
How many people dream of quitting their desk jobs to start a successful craft-brewery? How many people actually take the plunge? We sat down with Night Shift co-founders Michael Oxton and Rob Burns to find out how they turned late night homebrew sessions in their apartment into a fast-growing craft beverage and distribution business.
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
How do you get a job cooking on TV? According to Elle Simone, by saying yes to all manner of crazy experiences life serves up. Chef Simone shares the story of her winding path, from aspiring academic and social worker, to food stylist and on-air talent at America’s Test Kitchen. Elle gives us a peek behind the curtain of food TV production, talks about starting She Chef to empower women of color in the industry, and shares a couple of big, brand new projects she’s working on. Keep up!
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
After running away to the islands, and popping up around Portsmouth, Gary Kim is back in his hometown with his new restaurant Mr. Kim’s. In this episode we talk about what hangs in the balance of new and old Portsmouth, wanderlust, finding your food voice, and why he has no fear of “fusion.”
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
Ever wonder what it would be like to grow up in a glamorous NYC hotel? Or down on the farm? Pam, the gregarious, fashionable front of the house, and her husband Chris the creative but exacting chef, create the Alchemy that is Pammy’s in Inman Square, Cambridge. Exciting, yet approachable, this elevated Italian-American spot is a reflection of the couple who run the show. We dig into “Pam-ily” dynamics, the unsung beauty of fresh flour, and the emotional pay-off of running a neighborhood restaurant.
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
The husband wife duo behind The Urban Grape in Boston’s South End are all about making wine culture more accessible: They take the pretension out of wine talk by making everyone who walks into their store feel welcome. They classify bottles “progressively,” in a unique system that prioritizes finding wine you’ll love. They champion small producers. We chat with the couple about work and family life, running a woman/black-owned wine shop, and why trends won’t dictate what’s on the shelf at UG.
Don't miss our upcoming Galentine's Day Party at OAK Long Bar + Kitchen on February 13th from 6-9PM. Join us for a night of sipping, snacking, and sweets to celebrate the ladies – all while supporting Women’s Lunch Place, a local charity that helps homeless women. For more information, click HERE. We hope to see you there!
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
The hospitality business is in Kathy Sidell’s blood. The restaurateur’s father, banker and restaurant backer Jack Sidell, and her sister, Stephanie, of Stephanie’s on Newbury, both inspired her to get in to the game. In this episode, we chat about her career as a female restaurateur, the genesis of Saltie Girl, her new potato chip venture, and the importance of not taking no for an answer.
Don't miss our upcoming Galentine's Day Party at OAK Long Bar + Kitchen on February 13th from 6-9PM. Join us for a night of sipping, snacking, and sweets to celebrate the ladies – all while supporting Women’s Lunch Place, a local charity that helps homeless women. For more information, click HERE. We hope to see you there!
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
When friends say, “You should open a restaurant!” just because you throw a great dinner party, they are usually wrong. Not in the case of JuanMa Calderón & Maria Rondeau whose Somerville restaurant Celeste started as a supper in club in their Cambridge home. We sat down with the couple to hear how a filmmaker and an architect with no prior experience in the industry opened one of the hottest spots in town, and how they plan to keep the party going.
*NOTE (26:53): The duo's newest concept in Vermont is slated to open in Spring 2020.
Don't miss our upcoming Galentine's Day Party at OAK Long Bar + Kitchen on February 13th from 6-9PM. Join us for a night of sipping, snacking, and sweets to celebrate the ladies – all while supporting Women’s Lunch Place, a local charity that helps homeless women. For more information, click HERE. We hope to see you there!
Weeknight dinner stress is cancelled! Catherine's company, not just co., helps you get a healthy, delicious meal done fast with their modern pantry staples, plus easy recipes for you on those evenings you aren't hitting the Boston restaurant scene. Use code TFL20 to receive 20% off your order.
Thank you to our season two sponsors, Winestyr and Image Unlimited Communications.
Molly & Catherine are back for seconds, and we hope you’ll join! In season 2 of The Food Lens Podcast, the co-hosts sit down with a fresh batch of Boston restaurant industry insiders to talk food, family, business, and travel. Want to know what’s up with the tinned fish trend? Who grinds their own flour and comes out in defense of “meat glue”? How to cut through the BS when buying wine? Well, you’ll just have to tune in to find out.
Molly Ford and Sarah Jesup founded The Food Lens back in 2016 and have been heading up efforts to curate Boston’s best online dining and drinking resource ever since. Molly (a San Diego native) and Sarah (originally from Vermont) met at Boston University in 2008 while pursuing degrees in journalism and hospitality, respectively. The pair then spent time eating their way around the globe, always searching for the best hidden gems, from taquerias in Mexico to shawarma spots in Istanbul. Their “restaurant bible”—a Google doc chronicling top meals eaten at home and abroad—was the blueprint for what would later become TFL. They still love to travel, but call Boston home: Molly lives in Fenway with her boyfriend, while Sarah and her husband live in Beacon Hill with their three dogs. They both enjoy working out and eating out, in pretty equal measure
In this bonus episode, Catherine sits down with co-founders and BFFs Molly and Sarah to tell TFL’s origin story, and reveal what goes in to curating guides to the best food and drink in Boston.
We are coming to you live from Boston Magazine's Taste 2019, the annual event celebrating this year’s Top 50 restaurant list, featuring dishes from some of Boston’s best chefs! We manage to steal Chef Owners Karen Akunowicz and Tony Maws from their food stations for a double interview. We talk about the fast casual approach that both have successfully pulled off. Along the way, they share the history of their beloved sit down restaurants; Fox and the Knife (Karen) and Craigie on Main (Tony).
Our second interview of the evening features Scott Kearnan, food editor of Boston Magazine. Scott weighs in restaurant trends, the state of food media, and of course, lets us in on the process of picking Boston’s best restaurants for their annual November issue.
2What, exactly, is a feminist wine bar? And what about it makes a seat at Rebel Rebel — Lauren Friel’s pocket-sized bar in Bow Market — one of the most coveted spots to imbibe in Greater Boston? On our first episode, we get personal with Lauren: about her choice to share so much of herself with her online following, how her business sense and activism intersect, and what goes in (and is left out) of a good bottle of natural wine.
Meet Co-hosts Molly Ford, Co-Founder of The Food Lens, & Catherine Smart, Co-Founder of notjust.co as well as guest Lauren Friel, owner of Rebel Rebel.
The Food Lens Podcast is coming soon! You know to turn to The Food Lens for the best restaurants, bars, and events in Boston...and now we’re looking past the plate and connecting with some of our favorite chefs and tastemakers in studio. On each episode, Co-hosts Molly Ford, Co-Founder of The Food Lens, & Catherine Smart, Co-Founder of notjust.co chat with restaurant industry insiders — digging into business, passion projects, and food trends to see what’s shaping the New England restaurant scene.
No tasty topic is off limits: from peeling back the politics of sustainable seafood, to farming data on customers, to high-end cannabis cuisine. We’re curious. We’re hungry. And we know you are too, so join us.
New episodes every other week!
Tiffani Faison compares working in restaurant kitchens to playing “the weirdest sport on earth”. If the popular and critical success of her ever-expanding Big Heart Hospitality Group is any indication, it’s fair to say she’s winning. With the opening of Sweet Cheeks in 2011 and Tiger Mama in 2015, followed by the bar Fool's Errand in 2018 and the upscale Italian-American spot Orfano in 2019, she's played a major role in transforming the Fenway neighborhood into a dining destination. Faison didn’t grow up tugging on a grandmother’s apron strings, she got a peek at the chaos of kitchen life working as a busser for Todd English, and felt an inexplicable tug to jump into the game. We talk about getting crushed learning to cook on the line, how she ended up in sports bar-filled Fenway, and why declining to open her “Look at me I’m a Big Deal Chef,” restaurant was the best decision ever.
Irene Li isn’t afraid to talk about privilege (especially her own), share her profit and loss statements with every employee, or disclose how difficult it can be to run a successful restaurant. Li is a chef and restaurateur who walks the talk. Hearing how she and her team are working to make careers at Mei Mei as sustainable as the food, is downright inspiring. We’ve always loved Mei Mei for their addictively delicious take on Chinese-American food; now we can’t get enough of Li’s unique perspective on the business of hospitality.
Juan Pedrosa knows that with food, and hospitality, it’s all about how you make people feel. From after-hours family meal at a the Greek pizza place where he started his career (as a pre-teen), to wowing guests with “Viper Chops” and flaming cocktails at Yvonne’s, Pedrosa puts in the work, to share the love. Hear the surprisingly heart-warming story of how he got fired, what went in to reimagining Locke-Ober as Yvonne’s, and a behind the scenes take on building out COJE’s newest hot spot, Mariel.
These two. How do they keep the magic alive in kitchens like Coppa, Toro, and Little Donkey? We ask Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette to dish on their partnership, and try to figure out the alchemy that produces our favorite hamburguesas, sopressatta pizzas, and porron parties. Spoiler alert: it’s a unique combo of brutal honesty, respect for creativity, a shared love of breakfast..and a dash of improv.
Cannabis cuisine has come a long way from pot-butter brownies. On this week’s episode we chat with producers of the invite-only marijuana supper club, Dinner at Mary’s. Sam takes her experience of producing high-end (no pun intended) events, and works with chef Nick to give guests an elevated dining experience, enhanced with weed. We touch on changing regulations, pairing pot with food — just like you would with wine — and infusing the plant in everything from salad dressing to dessert.
Turns out, “failing fast” isn’t just for Silicon Valley types. Chef Gilson has plenty of wins on his record, but the chef of Puritan & Company is quick to own up to his mistakes, and learn from them. As Will is about to embark on his most ambitious restaurant project yet, we sat down to talk about food delivery on demand, ghost restaurants, and how getting good at collecting and interpreting data is the best way to survive in a challenging restaurant ecosystem.
The guy behind the kitchens at Row 34 and Island Creek Oyster Bar obviously makes a mean lobster roll (are you camp butter or mayo?), and no one puts together a better plate of oysters...but Chef Jeremy Sewall is a bonafide expert on New England seafood, and has the experience, and family lineage, to back it up. Find out what fish we should be eating this second (seasonality isn’t just for tomatoes, people) and why Jeremy thinks the term “sustainable seafood” is kind of a cop out.
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