The Connected Table Live

Veteran hospitality industry educator & consultant, Fred Mayo, PhD, author of "Modern American Manners," discusses the nuances of proper etiquette, whether dining out or attending a private dinner, from being an attentive host to a gracious guest. Dr. Mayo has held academic positions in hospitality at both New York University and Culinary Institute of America. Hospitality industry maven Randi Wein...

Cooking teacher Letizia Matiacci is Founder of Alla Madonna dell Piatto," ("Our Lady of the Plate'), a farmhouse in Umbria, Italy where she teaches cooking classes for small groups of lucky visitors. Her cookbook is "A Kitchen with a View." Canadian born professional cook and journalist Michael-Ann Rowe, aka "The Fishionista," is committed to helping you "put your best fish forward" teaching peopl...

Late winter is maple syrup season with freezing nights and thawing days being optimal weather for collecting the tree sap. Michael Cobb, CEO of Crown Maple Syrup, produced at Madava Farms in New York's Hudson Valley, explains how pure maple syrup is made and the different grades. Patrick Rue, one of 8 Master Cicerones® in the world, is founder of The Bruery and Bruery Terreux in Orange County, CA,...

Two Napa vintners changed careers to follow their passion. Former public health nurse and passionate gardener, Julie Johnson is owner/winemaker of Tres Sabores Vineyards ("3 Tastes") in Rutherford. The certified organic winery produces estate grown wines, pomegranates, olives and lemons. Former tech executive turned grape grower and a passionate equestrian, Barry Waitte runs Tamber Bey Vineyards,...

95% of Napa Valley's vintners are family-owned. Janet and John Trefethen oversee Trefethen Family Vineyards, an historic property acquired by John's parents in 1968 and launched as the family's namesake winery in 1973. Daughter Hailey has worked on renovation of the winery's historic 1886 building. Bill Phelps & son Will, Joseph Phelps Vineyards (est. 1973), discuss the legacy of Founder Joseph Ph...

Karen Hoskin is co-founder of Montanya Distillers, a Green America certified craft rum distillery located in Crested Butte, CO. She's a catalyst in promoting sustainability, diversity and equal opportunities in the distilled spirits industry. An in-demand wine adviser and educator, Marika Vida is Wine Director at The Ritz-Carlton Central Park in NYC where she created the "Phenomenal Femmes" dinner...

Sonoma Spotlight! Chef Dustin Valette and brother, Aaron Garzini, opened Valette restaurant in Healdsburg in 2015. A CIA grad and longtime resident of the area, Dustin is passionate about showcasing Sonoma County farmers and purveyors and discusses his menu. Winemaker Katie Madigan has worked at St. Francis Winery for 14 years, starting as an intern and working her way up the ranks to oversee prod...

Chef Floyd Cardoz has redefined modern Indian cooking in both the USA and India. Owner of Paowalla in New York City and Bombay Canteen in Mumbai, Floyd came to prominence as Executive Chef/Partner at Tabla restaurant. He's author of "Flavorwalla" and "One Spice, Two Spice." Recognized as "America's doyenne of sparking wine," Eileen Crane is CEO/Founding Winemaker at Domaine Carneros in Napa Valley...

Vintner Carolyn Wente is a 4th generation member of California's Wente Vineyards, the nation's oldest continually family run winery. Based in Livermore Valley with additional vineyards in Monterey's Arroyo Seco, Wente is recognized for its wine making heritage and its prolific Wente Chardonnay clone varietal. Journalist, author, writing coach Antonia Allegra created symposiums for professional foo...

Virginie Saverys is owner of Avignonesi Winery, located in Montepulciano in southern Tuscany. Her 8 vineyards focus on organic farming and produce elegant Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines from 100% Sangiovese and two 100-point scoring Vin Santo wines. Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio has run award winning Valentino Ristorante in Santa Monica for over 40 years. He discusses his passion for Italian wi...

A veteran of more than 30 vintages, Pat Henderson is Chief Winemaker at Kenwood Vineyards, Sonoma, where his focus is small-lot winemaking. He discusses Kenwood's Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, historic Jack London Ranch and sustainability. Sommelier David Lynch has worked at renowned restaurants, Babbo (NYC) and Quince (San Francisco). With Joe Bastianich he wrote, "VINO Italiano," an essentia...

Award winning wines from southeast Australia: Sparky Marquis is Founder of iconic Mollydooker Wines (Aussie for "left-hander"). Located in McLaren Vale, Mollydooker produces wines with a WOW factor and concentrated, velvety fruit. The second Australian to become a Master of Wine, Kym Milne is Chief Winemaker at Bird in Hand, named after the former gold mines in the Adelaide Hills where the winery...

Tom Sietsema has been Food Critic at the Washington Post since 2000, and now, four Presidential administrations. He dishes on dining in the nation's capital, where to eat next, restaurant neighborhoods to check out, and the role of the critic. With a pedigree earned in some of the nation's most renowned restaurants (e.g., TAO, Tavern on the Green, La Cote Basque, Quilted Giraffe, Veritas) Chef Sam...

James Beard Award winning radio host and culinary expert Jennifer English discusses the enduring popularity of radio, her show Fong on Food, the growth of online food games like Kitchen Craze, and why tea production, like fine wine, starts with terroir. Food writer and culinary historian, Joanna Pruess, discusses the role our nation's "Founding Mothers," Martha Washington, Abigail Adams and Dolley...

Dr. Timothy Harlan is Executive Director for Tulane University's Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, an innovative program that teaches hands-on cooking skills and nutrition to medical students and health care practitioners as well as the local community. Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini shot to fame working at Cafe Boulud, Restaurant Daniel and Jean Georges. The globetrotting motorcyclist has found...

Restaurant critics John Mariani and Michael Bauer have each covered dining in America for over 30 years and share their top picks and trends. John reported on restaurants for Esquire Magazine for 35 years, currently publishes Virtual Gourmet Newsletter and has written many books including "How Italian Food Conquered the World." Longtime restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, Michael Ba...

An owner of highly acclaimed NYC restaurants, The Cecil Harlem and Minton's, Restaurateur/Chef/Singer Alexander Smalls is considered the creator of southern revival cooking and is a scholar of the African culinary diaspora. Chef/Pastry Chef/Artist/Activist Elizabeth Falkner wowed customers at her San Francisco restaurants, Citizen Cake and Orson, has consulted on many other restaurants and is a st...

Architect-turned-vintner Elena Walch restored the vineyards at her husband, Werner Walch's family property, Castel Ringberg, in Italy's Alto Adige and turned it into one of the top wine estates in the region. Daughters Karoline and Julia now work with their mother. Award winning author, wine writer and lecturer, Mark Oldman, believes you can drink richly without spending extravagantly. He shares t...

The Brennans of New Orleans are America's dining dynasty and ambassadors of great hospitality and food. Matriarch Ella Brennan, age 91, and daughter Ti Adelaide Martin, discuss the book and documentary, "Miss Ella's of Commander's Palace" and share stories about family, community and the restaurant business. Diagnosed at age 27 with type 2 diabetes Chef Franklin Becker changed his diet. It changed...

Alice Paillard's ancestors have been growers in Champagne since 1704. In 1981 her father, Bruno Paillard, broke with tradition to found his own Champagne house to produce wines known for their complex blending and longer aging. Alice now works with Bruno as Co Director. Cooking was always a passion for fashion executive, Ann Ogden Gaffney, but after surviving two bouts of cancer it became a missio...

Paulette Satur started Satur Farms on Long Island's North Fork in 1997 after a career in wine. Today, with her husband, Chef Eberhard Muller, she oversee farms in New York and Florida which produce sustainably grown lettuces, herbs and other vegetables sold to discerning chefs and consumers. Food Historian Paula Johnson curates culinary exhibitions at Smithsonian's National Museum of American Hist...

Faouzi Issa is winemaker at Lebanon's oldest commercial winery, Domaine des Tourelles (est. 1868) located in the Bakaa Valley. Faouzi's family acquired the winery in the late 1990s. He joined as winemaker after studying enology in France and working at Chateaux Margaux in Bordeaux. Faouzi takes a natural approach to making wines. Sommelier Taylor Parsons of Republique Los Angeles discusses the win...

Rajat Parr made a name for himself as Wine Director at Michael Mina Group in San Francisco including Fifth Floor Restaurant and RN74. He's added "vintner" to his resume as an owner in Seven Springs Vineyard in Oregon and Sandhi and Domaine de la Côte, both in Santa Rita Hills. Baking expert, Washington Post food columnist and award winning cookbook author, Dorie Greenspan, discusses her passion fo...

Conflict Cuisine and Conscious Cuisine show how food politics and policy impact communities and nations. Dr. Johanna Mendelson Forman, Senior Adviser, the Stimson Center & Adjunct Professor, American Univ. School of International Service, teaches "Conflict Cuisine®: An Introduction to War and Peace Around the Dinner Table." Washington DC Chef Nora Pouillon opened the nation's first certified organ...

Blaine Ashley is Founder of New York Champagne Week, Spirit of Cava, Fun with Franciacorta and Prosecco Pop Up, all designed to educate people on drinking bubbles. A 2016 Wine Enthusiast "40 Under 40," Blaine's own Champagne label is Bulle de Reve. Gian Annibale Rossi de Medelana oversees the vast and historic Castello del Terricio in Italy's Maremma where both indigenous and international grape v...