One Woman Kitchen: Recent Episodes
Rozanne Gold
In the vast culinary landscape we share, we’re all carving out a place for ourselves. Each of us in our own special way is a One Woman Kitchen. Come into the kitchen of Rozanne Gold, one of the most prominent women-in-food, to discover and learn from the rising female stars illuminating the culinary cosmos.
Phyllis Grant may not yet be a household name, but she will be. She is a pastry chef, a food writer, and the author of an acclaimed new book "Everything is Under Control - A Memoir with Recipes". It's not easy to promote a book in the middle of a pandemic, but this book satisfies every inch of our souls with it's authenticity and candor about cooking and motherhood, and with mouth-watering recipes anyone can make. Phyllis is a wildly popular presence on Instagram at @dashandbella, where you can see her cooking, philosophizing, and sharing personal stories from her gracious kitchen in Berkeley, CA. Phyllis joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her story, including how her rigorous training in modern dance led to a life in four-star kitchens, how motherhood became a major turning point in both wondrous and difficult ways, how Phylls' unique, poetic, and spare writing style has everyone talking, how her Jammy Tomato-Anchovy Sauce became a genius recipe, and why Ruth Reichl calls her recipes "completely irresistible."
Ruth Reichl has been a game-changer in the world of food since the 1970's, when she was part of a cooks' collective in Berkeley, CA. From there she created an almost legendary career as Food Editor of The LA Times, as Restaurant Critic of The NY Times, and as Editor in Chief of Gourmet Magazine. Ruth is a beloved author, memoirist, winner of several James Beard Awards, and everything about her approach to food has been unique and inspiring. She is a thought-leader and food advocate, but ultimately she is a storyteller who cares as deeply about the people who grow our food as the people who cook it. Ruth joins author and chef Rozanne Gold, in the first remote recording for "One Woman Kitchen", to share her inspiring and endearing story. Ruth shares how she first honed her skills as a chef at only 7 years old, about how writing a cookbook at age 21 was her way through the kitchen door, how fearlessness and happiness served as her most important strength, and how nothing mattered more to her than cooking dinner for her husband and son.
Pastry chef, food writer, television personality, and cookbook author Klancy Miller has entered the culinary landscape with formidable skill and grace. She had no idea that the food world was where her passions would be realized. But, after college, Klancy went to Paris to the Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School where a whole new world opened in an almost magical way. Coming up you'll hear what it was like to cook, live, and study in France, what it means to work in a Michelin-starred restaurant as the only woman on the pastry line, how cool it is to cook for yourself and then to write a book about it ("Cooking Solo: The Fun of Cooking for Yourself"), and about a remarkable new project called "For the Culture", a glossy magazine featuring remarkable Black women in the world of food, wine and hospitality. Klancy shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
In the time of the COVID-19 crisis, we are highlighting the extraordinary women in the food world who are running "essential businesses." One such woman is Niki Russ Federman, co-owner of the legendary Russ & Daughters. Although Niki has always shown her customers and employees extraordinary love and care, these efforts have been ramped up so many of her employees can no longer work. Niki struggles every day to negotiate new challenges. This year, Russ & Daughters will host their Sixth Annual Passover Seder live on Zoom on Thursday, April 9th, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. The proceeds of the event (featuring Rabbi Andy Bachman, the Russ family, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall and more) will go directly to support Russ & Daughters employees. Recommended donation is $20. There will be hundreds of people from all over the country joining in. We are re-broadcasting Niki's inspiring story to coincide with the upcoming holidays. (link to OWK) For more info about the seder, to to: https://bit.ly/rdsederfundraiser or info@russanddaughters.com.
Times have changed. And that is also true for "One Woman Kitchen." As we move from Rozanne's "studio kitchen" to her actual Brooklyn kitchen, we are taking this opportunity to re-publish an episode with Chef Nuhma Tuazon who is now on the "front lines" of feeding people. We am in awe of what she is doing and how she figured out how to cook and serve her clients while taking personal care of her employees and making sure everyone is safe and healthy. It is no small task. It is monumental. Rozanne spoke to her this morning about what is means to be truly "essential" during this COVID-19 pandemic. This week's show begins with a personal intro from Rozanne. We know you will enjoy listening to Nuhma's inspiring story for the first, or second!, time. Please take good care. https://nuhmanyc.com You could have never predicted that a journey that started in a family business of waffles and comfort food would end up in a world of high end food and dining. But that’s exactly where Nuhma Tuazon is. This Philippine-born chef, who is French-trained by top masters, created and owns a prestigious, boutique, NY catering company NUHMA NY—and has become on of NY’s highly respected caterers (both on the ground — and in the air). She’s an entrepreneur who’s entirely self made, and who comes from a joyful family wherein everyone was involved with food. Nuhma share her story and a legacy recipe with author and chef Rozanne Gold, and prepares an incredible dessert that seems as if it sits on a cloud. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Claudia Fleming is one of the most beloved pastry chefs in America. She gained international acclaim as the pastry chef at the three-starred Gramercy Tavern along with Chef Tom Colicchio. Credited with blending sweet and with savory in her remarkable desserts with chocolate caramel tarts with sea salt among her most famous. Her book "The Last Course: The Desserts of The Gramercy Tavern" became a cult classic and was published to great fanfare. Claudia is also a winner of the coveted James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef Award .
Reading Nancy Silverton's book changed her life, and how to make the perfect caramel. Claudia shares her story of going from ballerina to superstar pastry chef with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
Florence Fabricant is without a doubt one of America's most important and prolific journalists. As a Food and Wine Writer for The New York Times for decades, she's considered an authority on all things food, including new products, trends, chefs, and restaurants. She is a powerhouse. Florence is also the author of 13 cookbooks, including her newest "The Lady's Village Improvement Society Cookbook". During the summers you can find her in East Hampton, where she conducts the popular program at Guild Hall called "Stirring the Pot"; she interviews the biggest names in the food world. Florence shares her journey with author and chef Rozanne Gold, who (despite knowing Florence for 40 years) did not know the stories in this interview. Funny, engaging, delightful.
Theodora Stephan, affectionately known as Theo, is the creator and owner of one of California's most important olive oil producers, Global Gardens. Just celebrating her 22nd harvest, Theo is a grower and entrepreneur whose presence, both online and off, sources mighty as the olive trees she has planted - and there are thousands of them. Recently named the California Olive Oil Guru by the Los Angeles Times, Theo's farm stand in aptly named Los Olivos in Santa Barbara County is where she writes cookbooks, teaches and educates the public about best agricultural practices. Theo grew up in Ohio, spoke Greek, ate Spanakopita and decided she would one day move to California. And she did! Theo joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her journey, including what it takes to produce 2,000 gallons of olive oil each year; what it's like to fulfill a dream of having a farm stand in California after a successful urban advertising career in the Midwest; how it is possible to deep fry using olive oil if the oil is of great quality with a high smoking point; and, how a childhood taste test determined the rest of her life.
Just four years ago, Rachel Simons and two friends co-founded Seed + Mill, specializing in artisanal halva, tahini, and other sesame treats in their Chelsea Market store in New York City. Rachel shares an extraordinary story about turning a passion into a thriving women-owned, brick and mortar business and a successful online business too. It is the only company in the USA solely dedicated to sesame seeds and sesame seed products. Rachel shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including: what it's like to start a business in New York as a mom and as an immigrant; about Rachel’s perspective on the peaks and valleys of a startup business; how Rachel’s career as a lawyer, working in Tel Aviv, London and Hong Kong, led her to working in food in New York; what it's like to start a business from scratch as a mom, and an immigrant; and the powerful statement that makeup Maven Bobbi Brown made about the health benefits of tahini. Plus, an on-mic halva tasting!
Cheryl Smith is the embodiment of soul food and Earth mother. She’s the owner and chef of one of Brooklyn's most beloved restaurants, Cheryl’s Global Soul, and she's a caterer, a singer, a photographer, and a TV personality on the Food Network. Cheryl's idea of soul food is as the ultimate comfort that touches your soul. There’s no cuisine that doesn’t have a soul food, and Cheryl has made sure New Yorkers and tourists alike get the real thing, the right way, with a touch of — well—soul. Cheryl shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including how Cheryl's success and fame started from peddling sandwiches around town; what it's like to be a woman, and a woman of color in the food industry, always having to prove yourself; how its OK to cook soul food from all over the world if you do your homework to keep it authentic; how she became an inadvertent Food Network TV star; and, the force of support from women who believe in Cheryl even more than she believed in herself.
On One Woman Kitchen we explore the vital option that food has deep historic and emotional resonance. And no one understands this better than Darra Goldstein., award-winning author, culinary scholar, Russian Literature Professor, and Founding Editor of one of the food world's most noteworthy magazines, Gastronomica, The Journal of Food and Culture. Together, we celebrate together the publication of Darra's newest book Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore, and share her remarkable journey to the far northern corners of Russia, to a land of culinary riches and extraordinary history. Darra shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including how rugelach and cabbage rolls inspired an unimagined career path, how geography and history shape a country's culinary traditions, and how food can be a tool of peace building. And, how often do we get to talk about Horseradish Vodka and Twenty-Minute Pickles, and see buckthorn berries the color of the sun?
Mariana Velasquez is one of the world's foremost food stylists, who has masterminded shoots for a dazzling array of clients---from Michelle Obama at the White House to Lin Manuel Miranda's new movie "In The Heights". Her exquisite aesthetics are apparent in everything she touches, from editorial and advertising clients to a wide range of cookbooks, including Rozanne Gold's own book, "Radically Simple". You can almost taste her food just by looking at it. Raised in Bogota, Mariana left home when she was only 18 to pursue her dream of a life in New York and making a name for herself in the food world. Mariana joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her journey and how food styling creates a narrative without worlds, what it's like to take a job that may contradict your own moral compass, about Mariana's own cookbooks, and her line of stylish fashion-statement aprons that everyone will want to have. This is Mariana's beautifully engaging and exquisitely styled story.
Naturally, we talk a lot about food on One Woman Kitchen. But something that goes with great culinary experiences is, of course, a wonderful selection of well-matched cocktails and wine. The value of a skilled sommelier cannot be overstated, and Julie Van Zant, Beverage Director at Oceans, New York's fantastic and globally inspired seafood restaurant, is one. She brings her considerable knowledge and expertise literally to the table. Julie shares her journey with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including how Julie’s background as a dancer has inspired a kind of choreography in her work; how the wine world is attracting great women to work as sommeliers, wine masters, and buyers; a look at how interest in orange wine, saki, sherry, and wine from lesser known places is growing; the power and prestige of building a 550 bottle wine list; and how it is possible that pregnant women make the best sommeliers, even if they don't drink.
Sara Moulton is one of the food world’s most beloved chefs, authors and personalities, with a career spanning 4 decades and boasting more than 1,500 television episodes, as well as a tenure as executive chef for Gourmet Magazine. Not to mention "Cooking Live" on the Food Network, "Sara’s Weeknight Meals", and "Milk Street Radio". Sara shared her journey with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including her quite unusual path to culinary school which culminated from which she graduated graduating second in her class; about her decision to choose children over the restaurant business; her unique relationship with none other than Julia Child; and why she credits her mother, her great study habits, and a love of soup as keys to her unparalleled success. This is Sara’s fantastic story.
Korsha Wilson is an up-and-coming food writer and storyteller, as well as an advocate for equity and political change in the industry. From devouring her first food magazine at 10 years old to learning about the world of food through her mother's love of restaurants, Korsha’s destiny was obvious. She writes for impressive publications, about a wide range of topics. She also hosts the Heritage Radio Network show “A Hungry Society”. Korsha shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including why some of Korsha’s best and most inclusive experiences have been in restaurant pop ups; how her grandmothers from different parts of the world influenced her love and knowledge of food; Korsha’s mandate for self reliance; the importance to Korsha, as a woman of color, of diversity in restaurant leadership; and, the web of women who have inspired her.
We revisit this episode of One Woman Kitchen as an homage to Nasim Alikhani, the chef and owner of the acclaimed Persian restaurant Sofreh, in Brooklyn. Nasim recently returns from Tehran visiting family and friends, says she has never seen her people in such despair, that these were truly the darkest of times. Nasim, who has lived through the revolution, the war between Iran and Iraq, the cultural revolution, and so much more, reminds us in this beautiful and poignant story that one woman's journey can illuminate a shared humanity. In this episode, originally aired May 29, 2019, Nasim connects us to happier times, and the beauty of Iran's culture through its food ways. Thank you, Nasim, for sharing your story then -- and now.
This might sound like a movie pitch:
A young woman leaves Iran after a revolution, comes to America to start a new life, becomes a mother, who was always cooking and more than 35 years later—with no professional training and against all odds, opens an acclaimed restaurant in New York at age 59, becoming the driver of a trendy new cuisine in Manhattan.
For now, it’s not a movie. It’s the life of Nasim Alikhani, founder of Sofreh. Nasim joins Chef Rozanne Gold.
If you think of the perfect blend of generosity and philanthropy in the food world, one woman you should think of is Ann Ogden Gaffney. This chef and award winning cookbook author is also founder of the extraordinary nonprofit Cook for Your Life which brings the worlds of culinary and nutrition together. Classes and recipes (in both English and Spanish) help more than 150,000 people monthly, in a variety of communities, nourish themselves with style and grace. Ann joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share how two cancer diagnoses transformed Ann from fashion industry star to a force of advocacy in food and wellness; why the idea of a one woman kitchen connects so strongly for her; and, how a minestrone soup her grandmother made (which she calls "jungle soup") informs almost everything she does. This is her inspiring story.
When Patricia Williams retired from her glamorous career as an accomplished professional ballerina at just age 30, she had no clear plan for what was next. So, she created one. She wanted to cook, and soon enough found herself in one kitchen after another, and eventually as executive chef of the four star Quilted Giraffe and ultimately other trendy New York restaurants. She’ll tell you she never got paid as much as the men she worked with, but she’s stayed true to herself in an industry dominated by men. There are very few people with the resume Patricia has accomplished, and she embodies everything there is to love about women chefs. Her process in constructing menus and meals is ironically like watching a great dancer perform. Patricia shares her amazing story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including about her creation of lazy duck; why she has had friendships with so many great jazz musicians; why after moving from Texas to New York, she never went back; and a glimpse into her unique pop-up dining concept Ten Chairs that was created ahead of its time and is still going strong 12 years later.
It's the holidays, and what better gift than this very special conversation with the incomparable and celebrated public television host, chef, restaurateur, mother, grandmother, philanthropist, and one of the women author and chef Rozanne Gold admires most in the food world — Lidia Bastianich ? Lidia Is also the winner of seven James Beard Awards, has been the chef for events at the UN, and has published 13 cookbooks. In addition to celebrating the holidays, Rozanne is here to celebrate the publication of Lidia's newest book Felidia: Recipes From My Flagship Restaurant. The book, which she wrote with her chef and her daughter, documents the tastes and spirit of the three star restaurant Felidia, considered one of the great Italian restaurants in America. In this conversation, Lidia shares with Rozanne her journey as a refugee from Italy to an ambassador of her culture and the ultimate teacher of her country's cuisine. This is Lidia’s incredible, inspiring, and delicious story. Happy Holidays!
Niki Russ Federman is an extraordinary ambassador for one of New York City’s most legendary food stores, Russ & Daughters. In part, that’s because she’s actually a fourth regeneration "Russ daughter". She, with her cousin Josh, runs the original store, now in its 105th year. And they are the curators of two Russ & Daughters restaurants, and the fabulous new Russ & Daughters bakery and take out shop in Brooklyn’s sprawling Navy Yard. Niki’s success is also thanks to a strong work ethic, creative strategy, and a commitment to balancing tradition with innovation. Within the NY food community Niki is already one its most prolific entrepreneurs. Niki shares with author and chef Rozanne Gold how Russ & Daughters began, how their bagels continue to share more than a century of history, and why Niki initially walked away -- then returned and never looked back. This is Niki’s inspiring, and very delicious, story.
Lauren Deen is a storyteller, innovator, NY Times best-selling cookbook author, and one of the food industry's most successful TV producers -- with four Emmy Awards to her name. She’s worked with luminaries from Martha Stewart to Bobby Flay, and created numerous TV shows, including the hit "The Next Food Network Star". Her richly textured career has been built around giving others a chance to shine. And she’s done all this as a self supporting single mother of two teens. With warmth, humor, and a generous heart, she’ll tell you it’s grit that’s got her through. This is Lauren’s really cool story.
Danielle Hartog is a remarkable young woman whom author and chef Rozanne Gold first met when she was 11 years old— reading a Japanese cookbook on the floor of the Kitchen Arts and Letters Bookstore. Rozanne knew immediately Danielle had a passion for, and future in, food. Today at 25 Danielle is the chef and co-owner of Newbrook Kitchen and Artisan Market, an acclaimed cafe in Westport, CT, specializing in the paleo diet — and simply delicious food. From her bone broth bar, to wildly imaginative dishes and exquisite plating, Danielle has already become a chef to watch and created a conversation and community of food lovers. This is both Danielle’s story, and the most charming restaurant story Rozanne has ever heard.
Mei Chau’s first passion was to be an artist. She set out from her small Malaysian fishing village to experience New York’s art world head on. After waitressing in Chinese restaurants to support her way through art school, she and her French husband combined forces, and cultures, to open a French-Malaysian Bistro in Tribeca. And, although Mei never let go of her artist’s dream, one of her greatest creations might just be her newest restaurant, the remarkable Aux de Spice — another French-Malaysian Bistro where the food is Asian, the vibe is French, and the menu is like a trip round the world. Mei calls it the greatest job —people come to say hi, they eat, and they pay her. Mei shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including why being a Kung Fu Master matters in the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant; how Mei has insisted on an all-woman kitchen, and why she prefers her staff be diamonds in the rough; about spice vs. spicy; and, the dish that promises ten thousand flavors.
For anyone whose had a creative dream, Natalie Eve Garrett tells us how to make it happen. A dream dinner party inspired this writer, now editor, to create her just published book: Eat Joy - Stories and Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers. Natalie joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her story and how food is a way into the heart of a story; how dark times can be healed through food; why food can be a metaphor for loss, healing, and homecoming; and how brownies to congee to applesauce cake can be the stuff that memories are made of.
Leiti Hsu is a joy to know, and blast to spend time with. A contributor to Forbes Women, Leiti lives at the intersection of food and travel, and believes in the power of storytelling. Originally from Taiwan, she shares a poignant memory about beef noodle soup, her mother's death, and what it means to fight for yourself. She is the ultimate connector of people, recipes, chefs, and their stories, and believes that everyone has their own brand of cool that's scalable. Her own very cool company, Journy, makes travel more magical than it has ever been before. Leiti is an ambassador of millennial style, risk taking, and verve. She shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
Ellie Krieger brings joy to the world of food and everything she cooks, and strikes a great balance between healthy and delicious. She is a rockstar NY Times Bestselling author of seven cookbooks, is also a TV host ---and registered dietitian nutritionist to boot. She has a brand new cookware that accompanies her latest cookbook: Whole In One. Ellie shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including how she believes the key to well being is the balance, not elimination, of ingredients, and how a slice of melon at her grandmother’s table played an important role in inspiring a love of food, family, and ritual.
Liz Neumark is the creator and owner of Great Performances, the largest independent female owned catering company in America. Yet, Liz’s heart is most deeply involved in the mission of nourishing the world, one child at a time, and strengthening communities through food activism and education. Liz has educated thousands of school children about the goodness of agriculture, her gardens, and where food comes from. She was named one of the most powerful women in NY by Crains Business, and celebrates the 40th anniversary of her own business this year. From feeding her chickens freshly popped corn, to "growing lasagna" on her farm, she has truly innovative ideas about life. Liz shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
With the variety of ways she's worked ing the food industry, there's a special thread that runs through the many roles Elizabeth Weinstein has held -- from assistant to the famous cookbook author and founder of La Varenne, Anne Willan, to the creative food mind as a produce maven at Melissa's Produce. As early as childhood, she has a special appreciation for nature's bounty, especially for the things we eat. And -- even a romantic connection to trees. Elizabeth shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
Charlotte Robertson Is a force to reckon with. She's the Director of Operations for Chef José Andrés' ThinkFoodGroup, and she runs all the restaurants at Mercado Little Spain at New York's Hudson Yards. She knows that restaurants evolve every single day, and to Charlotte, passion, compassion, and empathy are really important ingredients in a restaurant's success. Charlotte has lived all over the world, grew up in Japan, and all of this has helped her love the industry as few others do. She joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her story.
Leah Koenig believes that the stories around food are as important as the recipe themselves. She has become the mother of modern Jewish cooking, about which she is the author of six notable books. Her most recent, The Jewish Cookbook, features more than 400 recipes from a round the world, each connected to a fascinating story. She a culinary scholar thanks to her combination education in environmental studies and religion. And, Leah believes that the power of food is ultimately about how it allows a moment of connection between cultures. Leah shares her story with author and chef Rozanne Gold, including how agriculture connects deeply to to jewish traditions; wonderful recipes such as spinach walnut pate, and the importance of chicken rendered schmaltz; and -- what make chicken soup great.
Rita Jammet has led an exotic and charmed life as the co-owner of the acclaimed La Caravelle restaurant for 20 years, as the proprietor of La Caravelle Champagnes / Wines, and as the mother of three accomplished sons (one of whom is the cofounder of Sweet Green). Rita has been an inspiration and role model for women in hospitality for decades. It’s frankly no surprise she’s now known as the Chief Bubble Officer of her company, and if New York were to have an ambassador of hospitality, Rita Jammet would be it. As well, she was "knighted" on June 17, 2019 by Madame Anne-Claire Legendre, the French Consul General in New York in the Ordre du Merite Agricole for her outstanding contribution to French Agriculture, Gastronomy, Champagne, and wine. This prestigious award was created in 1883 and is second in importance only to the Legion of Honour. Rita joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her story.
Einat Admony is exceptional in every way, and one of the country's most beloved chefs. Many know Einat from television, winning Chopped, becoming one of the most memorable and ultimately a judge. She's the author of two cookbooks. her newest being the recent Shuk: From Market to Table, the Heart of Israeli Home Cooking which she wrote with her friend, food writer Janna Gur. She is the owner of Balaboosta, Taim, and the new Kish-Kash restaurant in New York. She knows that to love someone is to cook for them. She is the ultimate balaboosta, which means many different things; to Einat, it means when someone is hungry, she must feed them. Einat joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her inspiring story.
One of the world’s great party planners, Marcy Blum, started as one of the first women chefs at the Culinary Institute of America in the 1970s. She created the niche of the "wedding planner" and is now an icon in an industry she helped invent. Funny and vivacious, Marcy was recently featured in the New York Times and shares her inspiring story with author and chef (and long-time friend) Rozanne Gold. She is the author of the best-selling "Weddings for Dummies" and continues to create high-profile events around the world.
Photo credit: Dennis Kwan
Clare de Boer, rising star chef, one of the most acclaimed young women cooking in restaurants today, and a wonderful writer is a chef and an owner of New York City restaurant King along with her colleagues and co-owners Jess Shadbolt (co-chef) and Annie Shi. She joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her story, talk nourishment, and explore what it means to become a mother.
Nothing makes Chef Lucile Plaza happier than food that is perfect -- perfectly sourced and perfectly cooked. Lucile grew up in Paris, and knew she wanted to be a chef since 10 years of age. At 17 she apprenticed in some of France's greatest restaurants included the revered Taillevent Paris. Now she is the Executive Chef of the acclaimed New York restaurant Le coq Rico, and everyone is raving about her food. She believes there is a certain feminine mystique in her food, but she also that her stubbornness and being a great team player hold key to her success. Lucile joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share her journey and insights.
If you've ever thought of changing careers, you'll appreciate Nicky Chang's story. She went from being a successful international architect to following her passion and joining the Junzi Restaurant Group as the Head of Strategy and Design. She was so lonely for her homeland in Northern China, missing her food and family, she found a compatible group of young thought leaders inspired by their Chinese culinary heritage, and joined to share it with the world. Nicky joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to tell her story.
If you haven’t heard of Shelley Boris, you’ve been missing out on one of the most thoughtful and creative women in the food industry. She’s the executive chef of the Garrison Institute (where she even cooked for the Dalai Lama), she’s the author of Fresh Cooking, the owner of Fresh Company (a prestigious Hudson Valley caterer), and she’s now the owner of the fabulous new restaurant Dolly’s in Garrison, NY. As both an artist and chef, she exemplifies how a delicious recipe of grit and determination can open doors, and keep them open. Shelley shares her story and legacy recipe, and a cooking tip with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
Lisa Gross is changing the world — one remarkable meal at a time. And, in just five years, more than 5,000 people have experienced the many cuisines offered by The League of Kitchens, a culinary community and social enterprise of women from around the world who will welcome you into their homes and teach you their family recipes. She’s created jobs and given purpose to the lives of many immigrant women, and she’s an extraordinary culinary ambassador. Lisa joins chef and author Rozanne Gold to share her journey and what's next.
The wok.
If you want to know about this versatile kitchen must, one of the most important go-to experts is Grace Young, otherwise known as "The Stir-Fry Guru", and the "Poet Laureate of the Wok". She was the test kitchen director and director of food photography for 40 of the Time Life’s Series cookbooks And has won 5 IACP Awards and a James Beard Award. Her newest video addresses wok anxiety. And—one of her main missions? To demystify the art of stir-frying. Grace joins author and chef Rozanne Gold and shares why the amount off rice you have in your kitchen could matter more than you think, why the patina of the wok is so important, and how you prepare a brand new wok for use, why her first book "The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen" proved to be far more than a cookbook, and her legacy recipe for Sandpot Stir-Fried Chicken Rice
Here’s a trendy food concept that people are eating—and drinking —up. Cake and cocktails. And it doesn't stop there. Meet Allison Kave - Queen of baked goods and booze, Co-owner of Butter and Scotch, a hit Brooklyn eatery that’s all rage for activists and feminists alike, prize winning pie designer and maker, author of First Prize Pies and cowriter of the Butter and Scotch Cookbook. She joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share why the artistry of her food and drink shouldn’t surprise you (given to other titles she’s claimed: art historian and gallerist), creating a business model combining feminism, activism and community building with great food and warm hospitality, and her recipe for what might be the most remarkable pie crust ever made.
Here’s a trendy food concept that people are eating—and drinking —up. Cake and cocktails. And it doesn't stop there. Meet Allison Kave - Queen of baked goods and booze, Co-owner of Butter and Scotch, a hit Brooklyn eatery that’s all rage for activists and feminists alike, prize winning pie designer and maker, author of First Prize Pies and cowriter of the Butter and Scotch Cookbook. She joins author and chef Rozanne Gold to share why the artistry of her food and drink shouldn’t surprise you (given to other titles she’s claimed: art historian and gallerist), creating a business model combining feminism, activism and community building with great food and warm hospitality, and her recipe for what might be the most remarkable pie crust ever made.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You could have never predicted that a journey that started in a family business of waffles and comfort food would end up in a world of high end food and dining.
But that’s exactly where Nuhma Tuazon is. This Philippine-born chef, who is French-trained by top masters, created and owns a prestigious, boutique, NY catering company NUHMA NY—and has become on of NY’s highly respected caterers (both on the ground — and in the air). She’s an entrepreneur who’s entirely self made, and who comes from a joyful family wherein everyone was involved with food. Nuhma share her story and a legacy recipe with author and chef Rozanne Gold, and prepares an incredible dessert that seems as if it sits on a cloud.
Food isn’t just something to eat. Turns out it’s also — something to read.
That’s why Valerie Stivers, Writer and Columnist for the very respected publication The Paris Review with a popular column called "Eat your Words" — which approaches classic literature through its food——is able to cook up so many recipes drawn from the works of myriad writers. Valerie shares her story and insights with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
In this episode:
- A rare kind of conversation on using food as a lens to reading a classic literature in a new way.
- Valerie shares how you don’t have to have expertise in the culinary world to use it as a key for unlocking deeper mysteries about the human condition
- How food is present well beyond the table, and widely seen in classic literature
- How food can be a lens into storytelling and characters
- And a look at how religion and food can be provocative lenses into cultures and value systems
We know at least one thing about Rashmi Uday Singh — she had looked at food at least 39 different ways. In a addition to a career spanning from working for India's "IRS" to producing health advocacy media to her role as an international food critic and TV star — she’s also written 39 books about food! She’s even a recipient of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award! Rashmi shares her remarkable journey and insights with author and chef Rozanne Gold
In this episode:
- Her Knighthood from the French Government thanks to one of her most successful book
- That time she admonished Chef Gordon Ramsey for his food choices might be affecting his notorious mood
- Her search fr the best vegetarian dishes in the finest restaurants around the world
- Why she likens herself to Christopher Columbus and his many discoveries
- How the identity of a foodie or gourmet has moved away from the elite
- How the passion for something as universal as food can lead to a career of celebrity, glamour and opportunity
Barbara Sibley is one of earliest authorities and advocates for authentic regional Mexican food in America, and collector of traditional, rare and ancient Mexican recipes. She’s also the owner of the wildly popular New York City restaurant La Palapa, along with an accompanying taqueria, and a consultant on another; the author of a cookbook on Mexican small plates, an artist and poet, and an executive chef for one of the most important women’s fundraising events in New York. And all of this might have started with her earliest roots in Mexico City, when she created her very first recipe -- at just six years old. Barbara shares her inspiring story with author and chef Rozanne Gold.
Anita Lo isn’t just one of most acclaimed women chefs in America — from competing on Top Chef Masters, to winning Iron Chef America, to cooking In The White House for the Chinese President and The Obama’s, and even maintaining her restaurant’s Michelin star for a whopping nine years! She’s also one of the most modest. Anita joins chef and author Rozanne Gold to talk cooking, restauranting, and Anita's books.
In this episode:
- How love of literature and French morphed into a world of resturant kitchens for Anita
- Why Anita writes in her new book that cooking for one person —yourself — can be an act of self love
- How travel and appreciation of all cuisines led to her own trend-setting signature style and even an award winning restaurant
- And how Anita’s positive can do attitude has kept her moving forward, in the face of everything from recipe fails to a disasterous restaurant fire
It was special getting to talk with Julia Turshen. And not just because, for her, food is mostly about connection—and poetry.
This celebrated and best-selling cookbook author knew what she wanted to do from a very young age, and that certainty has led her such recognitions as being named on of the 100 greatest home cooks of all time. Julia joins chef and author Rozanne Gold.
In this episode:
- Simple food can create a connection point between communities
- A journey though her awards winning cookbooks that have become a staple in countless kitchens
- The significance of “keep calm and cook on”
- Why Julia might just be the “captain of leftovers”
Photo credit Neal Santos
Here’s something that we should all be thinking about - being one’s authentic self. One's interaction could make every difference and even open a new opportunity.
A former Maitre D' or "anchor" at the iconic Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City, Taylor Delk joins chef and author Rozanne Gold to share the unusual story of how they met and discuss perseverance and being determined, passionate dedication and working hard in the food business, how parents can each impact you differently, and the idea of embodying the concept of hospitality.
The intersection of passion and commitment...
Naz Riahi, founder of Bitten, has created a conversation around innovation and food, and is the author of the upcoming memoir "Bad at Love." An immigrant from Tehran, she has created a platform for influencers within the food world. Naz joins chef and author Rozanne Gold to talk about emerging food trends and tech, about what it's like to leave your homeland, the past and future of women in the industry and the whether the sisterhood is all it is cracked up to be, the emerging food scene in the U.S. of Persian food, how food drives compelling memories, and why McDonalds can be a metaphor for the feeling of safety and comfort.
June Hersh is an everything bagel. She embodies it all -- as a renowned home cook and acclaimed food writer. The merits of "doing well, then doing good" -- are front and center for June -- She’s the author, of three books, a sought-after speaker, and food archivist who will be the first one to agree that she does not have an “inside voice” As a food writer and cookbook author, she’s been using "food stories" to help Holocaust survivors, and writing books with a “charitable flavor.” She gets around, and you may have even seen her mesmerizing a crowd at a book reading, or even lighting up your TV on QVC. June joins chef and author Rozanne Gold in the MouthMedia Network studio.
In this episode:
- Why June says she doesn’t have an inside voice and how it connects too life in culinary world
- June’s Book “Recipes Remembered “ about recipes during the holocaust, and how it came to be
- How mine’s voice symbolizes one’s essence
- Why June’s email address has to do with motherhood
- “Let’s Do Good”
- Why, when you want to write a cookbook, finding your passion is the first thing
- June’s “guardian angel”
- Starting at a happy place, talking about family instead of the war
- The steps to make a cookbook and why you need a literary agent
- June’s second book as more of a photography book
- Why the next recipe book wasn’t as heartfelt
- Writing about a global history of yogurt - and how June started her book without her heart in it, over time it has become personal, and loving how foods connect people
- Clean labeling and transparency, local sourcing
- Connection - find what makes you happy
- Connecting a project with your own personal history can help it resonate with many people
- Recipes and their evolution, and what they tell about the evolution of women
- The way to make matzo balls
- Leaving out one ingredient when passing along family recipes to protect them
- Guilty pleasures - fried chicken, and Duck à l'orange, a bag of red licorice
- Matzo Meatcakes - a legacy recipe
- Eat well, do good
This might sound like a movie pitch:
A young woman leaves Iran after a revolution, comes to America to start a new life, becomes a mother, who was always cooking and more than 35 years later—with no professional training and against all odds, opens an acclaimed restaurant in New York at age 59, becoming the driver of a trendy new cuisine in Manhattan.
For now, it’s not a movie. It’s the life of Nasim Alikhani, founder of Sofreh. Nasim joins Chef Rozanne Gold in the MouthMedia Network studio.
In this episode:
- How from the minute it opened , her restaurant has has been pretty much impossible to get into
- How its popularity is as much a product of Nasim's particular brand of hospitality as of the delicious food
- The importance placed on entertaining guests in Iran
- How Nasim almost didn’t make it through to to the restaurant’s opening day
- Her strong vision of every aspect of the restaurant and why it makes the guests feel transported
- How Nasim's deep spirituality has permeated her business
- The way a touching poem from her father has meant everything
- The importance off Nasim's acute sense of smell
- Typical Iranian food, always tea, eating a lot
- Why Nasim didn’t want restaurant to look like a typical one
- Why an open kitchen, and bright, inviting atmosphere, smells
- An extension of home and parties
- A lot of care and time in these dishes
- The difference her solid prep team makes
- Timing. And rhythm, a prepaid service
- The challenges of opening her first restaurant age of 59
- Always preparing for a restaurant in her mind
- Barberries
- The value of a beautifully well done rice as a satisfying meal
- The risk of starting down the restaurant journey or carrying the burden of not following through
- Iranian vs. American women in food, and in general
- The legacy of tiny meatballs
- Giving everything you can
When you consider women to watch in the world of food, one must be Priya Krishna, a once want-to- be diplomat turned food detective. She is a contributor to the NY Times, Bon Appetit, The New Yorker, and the book “Indian-ish.”
She offers a new spin on the Indian-American kitchen, her journey to an extraordinary story about an immigrant family, thoughts on nourishment, about nabbing a coveted job at an early age, why discipline and hard work are crucial ingredients, her efforts to not give into imposter syndrome, and why being a food writer is not as easy or glamorous as it seems. Priya joins Chef Rozanne Gold in the MouthMedia Network studio.
In this episode:
- Rozanne on meeting Priya at a birthday for 99-year-old female culinary icon Cecelia Chang
- How food traditions are passed down orally in India, not generally written down or cookbooks
- Her mother doing innovative things, integrating Indian tastes into many dishes
- Priya's exciting new book "Indian-ish"
- And Indian version of a grilled cheese sandwich
- The incomparable "Chonk" (tempered spices, can be fried in oil)
- The issue of recipe theft
- Writing for the NYTimes, New Yorker, and more
- Priya on starting as a writer using food from school dining hall
- Why Priya thought she would become a diplomat
- Culinary diplomacy?
- Writing and what makes Priya valuable
- Identity as a home cook, writer, recipe developer, hard worker, methodical
- The issue of "imposter syndrome"
- Insecurities and strengths
- The importance of determination and of writing great emails
- The concept of nourishments -- and a taste of Rozanne’s cake
- The joys, flavor, and benefits of turmeric
Anyone who knows pastry knows not everyone can make pastry. Very few can make it well. And just a select group of very special culinary craftspeople do it at a very high level. One of those people is Jessica Craig, Pastry Chef for prominent L’Artusi in New York. Her star is rising fast, and she’s even been featured in Essence Magazine, and the Michelin Guide.
She’s also one of the very few women of color working in the kitchens of fine dining restaurants in America. It’s no wonder she accepts the challenge of succeeding as a role model, and has plans to build a bit of an empire. Jessica joins Chef Rozanne Gold in the MouthMedia Network studio.
- Incorporating her Jamaican background in what she does
- The use ion allspice, ginger, hibiscus
- Some history of Italian-inspired L'Artusi, and Marietta the 18 year old cook who had a lot to do with the taste of those recipes
- How Jessica goes about conceiving recipe ideas
- Intergenerational sharing
- NYC vs. other places and judgement
- When someone believed in Jessica as a chef
- Growing up as one of eleven children
- Really appreciating genuine Jamaican food
- How an ice cream truck and an encouraging uncle inspired a pastry career
- Why there may be better paths to success in the food world than going to culinary school
- Wanting to learn sugar and chocolate work
- The state of women in the culinary world, and how her restaurant is pretty diverse
- Acting as a role model despite not liking the spotlight
- An Essence article about Jessica, and an article in the New York Times about her and her family
- Why it matters that her great grandmother was a butcher
- A recipe for business
- Legacy recipe vs. life recipe
- The recipe that reflects her heritage she would love to pout on the menu (but can’t)
- Creating power that’s not taboo
Nothing is interesting unless it’s personal.
That's according to pastry chef, dessert innovator, and culinary influencer Stephanie Nass, also known as “Chefanie”. And she should know, having developed a culinary brand that’s also a personal brand, and carved out a fast-rising career at the intersection of food, fashion, and lifestyle.
In this episode: Creating an innovative product and new identity, in today’s food world How an unexpected and crazy idea can build a brand (her cookies actually match what she’s wearing) How creativity crosses disciplines What she learned about art Her strong connection to her mother’s kitchen The dichotomy of women’s roles and how they are still looked at for nourishment And—could it actually be OK for women to return to the kitchen—and love it?