Radio Cherry Bombe

Everybody who meets Jessie Sheehan wants to be her friend. She’s a brilliant Brooklyn-based baker, mom, and runner who makes some of the best treats you’ve ever tasted. (Have you tried her chocolate rugelach? Then you know what we’re talking about.) Jessie’s newest cookbook, The Vintage Baker, is out now and it’s a celebration of the vintage recipe pamphlets she has collected over the years. Jessie didn’t set out to be a baker. She ditched her career as a lawyer and talked her way into a job at Baked, the influential bakery in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and never looked back. Tune in to hear about her new book, her career pivot, and even her best exercise advice (hint–it involves coffee!). Thank you to today’s sponsors: Le Cordon Bleu, the legendary culinary school. Visit cordonbleu.edu. Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Eggs. To get your coupon, head to vitalfarms.com/cherrybombe Ancestry. Starting August 10th, you can get 40 percent off. Visit ancestry.com/cherry. Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

She started cooking at the age of 17 and now runs her own restaurant empire in one of the most competitive markets in the country. Traci Des Jardins joins us to talk about her illustrious career and how things are going at her–count them–seven spots in San Francisco: Jardiniere, Mijita Cocina Mexicana, Public House, The Commissary, Arguello, TRANSIT, and School Night. Traci has been cooking for decades, but she loves what’s new and next, and fills us in on her sweet collab with ice cream phenom Salt & Straw and the reason she’s serving the plant-based Impossible Burger at Jardiniere, which turned 20 last year. Traci also gives us her state of the industry as far as women are concerned and her thoughts on the #MeToo movement. One of her takeaways: Let’s give more attention to the people in this business doing the right thing. Thank you to Le Cordon Bleu and Bob’s Red Mill for supporting this episode of Radio Cherry Bombe! Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

Christine Barone and Daina Trout represent a new kind of CEO: one who cares about the bottom line as much as she does her customers’ well-being. Christine is the CEO of True Food Kitchen, a “conscious casual” restaurant chain featuring a menu of tasty, healthy fare based on Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory food pyramid. Oprah Winfrey recently invested in the fast-growing company, which today includes 23 restaurants in 10 states. Christine, a former Starbucks executive, joins us to talk about True Food Kitchen’s growth plans, her customer-centric approach, and why long to-do lists are counterproductive. Daina, meanwhile, is the ceo and co-founder of Health-Ade. She shares the story of her company and how it went from a boot-strapped beverage sold at a single farmers’ market to a nationally-distributed product with a devoted customer base. Daina explains why kombucha is so awesome and shares lessons learned from the early days when she and the co-founders quit their days jobs, maxed out their credit cards, and found themselves at the helm of a phenomenon. Thank you to Le Cordon Bleu and Bob’s Red Mill for supporting Radio Cherry Bombe. Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

They’re the daughters of immigrants and the daughters of chefs. So it’s no surprise that Maiko Kyogoku and Emily Yuen got into the restaurant business. These two women are the team behind Bessou, one of the most charming restaurants in New York City. Maiko, whose family had a Japanese restaurant on the Upper West Side for 30 years, is the owner, and Emily, who hails from Vancouver, is the executive chef. Maiko chose the name Bessou because it means home away from home, which describes the atmosphere she wanted to create by serving creative Japanese comfort food in a soothing, minimalist space. Maiko’s mother, who was a passionate home cook, is the guiding spirit of the restaurant, having taught Maiko about Japanese cuisine and customs. Maiko and Emily stop by Radio Cherry Bombe to talk about how they met, how they collaborate, and what the most popular items are at Bessou. Thank you to Le Cordon Bleu for supporting our show. Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

Jen Pelka wanted to open a Champagne bar in San Francisco, but first she needed to raise $650,000. So she came up with a unique investment strategy: organize an all-female investment group. Thirty-three women wound up taking part and The Riddler Champagne Bar opened its doors last year. Hear how Jen went about finding her investors and what advice she has if you’re looking to fund your next project or big idea. When Jen’s not sparkling things up at The Riddler, she’s taking care of business at Magnum PR, her full service communications and marketing company based in San Francisco. She previously worked at OpenTable, Tumblr, Gilt Taste, and Restaurant Daniel. Thank you to Le Cordon Bleu and Bob’s Red Mill for supporting Radio Cherry Bombe! Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

Laurel Gallucci wasn’t going to let an autoimmune disease hold her back when it came to baked goods. She was on a restrictive diet and decided to start experimenting with ingredients like almond flour, coconut oil, and maple syrup. She shared a chocolate cake creation with her friend Claire Thomas of the blog Kitchy Kitchen and the two decided to launch Sweet Laurel, a specialty bakery and blog. Today, they’re working on their first location and just launched their first cookbook, which features their most popular recipes, including one for The Chocolate Cake That Changed Everything. Tune in to hear their sweet story. Thank you to Le Cordon Bleu for sponsoring today’s show. Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

So many of us are still grappling with the loss of Anthony Bourdain, writer, TV star, and globetrotter. He touched so many lives as he showcased the world and its humanity through the lens of food. Helen Rosner, contributing writer at The New Yorker, shares her experience interviewing him over the years and explains what inspired the title of her article, "Anthony Bourdain and the Power of Telling the Truth." Cha McCoy, wine professional and tourism consultant, tells us why she admired Bourdain and what we can learn from his approach to travel. And Chef Preeti Mistry of Navi Kitchen in Oakland recalls being on his show Parts Unknown and how his open-mindedness and curiosity will be missed. Joining us for the first half of the show is Vanessa Palazio, owner and culinary director of Chicha Cafetin and Cocktails, a new Nicaraguan restaurant in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Thank you to Le Cordon Bleu and Bob's Red Mill for supporting Radio Cherry Bombe. From Helen's New Yorker story: “Remember when you asked me if I was a feminist, and I was afraid to say yes?” he said, in that growling, companionable voice. “Write this down: I’m a fuckin’ feminist.” Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

The most iconic voice in food radio, Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosted The Splendid Table for 21 years, bringing us conversations with everyone from Anthony Bourdain and Julia Child to listeners who would call in for advice about baking, Thanksgiving turkeys, farmers market ingredients, and more. Lynne shares her journey from Jersey girl to public radio personality, and explains how her best-selling cookbook about Northern Italy was the basis for her popular program. "When there's genius in the kitchen... it just sweeps me away," she said. Thank you to Le Cordon Bleu and Bob's Red Mill for sponsoring this episode of Radio Cherry Bombe. Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

Imagine having to stay on top of the entire New York City food scene? That's only part of Nikita Richardson's job as a staff writer at New York Magazine's Grub Street. Nikita also has to track the trends and issues shaping the food world as a whole. She's tackled such subjects as why there are so few black restaurant critics to empowering immigrant restaurant workers with English language classes. Host Kerry Diamond talks to Nikita about these issues and more, and finds out her favorite places to eat and drink in NYC. Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

Edna Lewis changed the perception of Southern food and remains one of the most influential American chefs ever. A new book, Edna Lewis: At The Table With An American Original, celebrates her life and contributions through essays written by important figures on the Southern food scene, including Chefs Mashama Bailey and Vivian Howard. Three friends of Cherry Bombe gathered at the recent Charleston Wine & Food Festival to discuss Edna Lewis and her impact: Edna Lewis editor Sara B. Franklin; author Klancy Miller; and author and professor Jessica B. Harris. Tune in and find out why this American icon is more relevant than ever. Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast