The Perfect Bite

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Chef Logan Neisel , the creative force behind North Coast Culinary Group — known for his innovative Prologue Dinner Series pop-ups and private dining experiences in Cleveland. Logan’s approach to food blends fine-dining precision with personal storytelling, drawing on history, culture, and art to craft meals that are as though...

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Chef Zubair Mohajir , the creative force behind Lilac Tiger , Coach House , Mirra , and Sarima Café —four of Chicago’s most inventive and culture-forward restaurants. Zubair’s journey is anything but traditional. Born in Chennai, India, and raised in the Chicago suburbs, he went from a career in finance to the kitchens of Jean...

When Mark and Gail Elvidge’s son Tanner had a life-threatening reaction to peanuts, they knew they had to make a change. What started as a way to keep their family safe became Vermont Nut Free Chocolates , a pioneering allergen-friendly confectionery brand founded in 1998. In this inspiring episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Mark Elvidge , co-founder of Vermont Nut Fre...

What if dinner could be fresh, delicious, and stress-free—without hours in the kitchen? In this episode of The Perfect Bite podcast, host Sarah Perkins sits down with David Rabie , co-founder and CEO of Tovala , the smart steam-powered countertop oven and meal service that reimagined home cooking. From humble prototypes to being named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things , Tovala has grown into a nation...

What happens when you mix hometown pride, bold flavors, and decades of CPG experience? You get Local Style Potato Chips, Chicago’s favorite foods reimagined in snackable form. This week on The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Laura Gardner , founder of Local Style, to talk about her journey from Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo to launching a startup that has Chicago buzzing. Laura...

Food is heritage, healing, and storytelling — and in her new cookbook Dal Chawal , Sapna Punjabi brings all of that to life. In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Sapna Punjabi — registered dietitian, culinary educator, and founder of beSPICED— to talk about her journey from Mumbai to Texas, how Ayurveda shapes her philosophy of food, and the inspiration behind he...

I was so honored to join Colleen Silk on Hospitality Bites! You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and Captivate . Read more about our chat below: In this episode of Hospitality Bites, host Colleen Silk sits down with Sarah Perkins, Cherry Bombe member, founder of Perkins Creative Consulting, and host of The Perfect Bite podcast. Sarah shares her...

What do food, sports, and determination have in common? For Chef Dan Jacobs (DanDan, EsterEv, James Beard-recognized Top Chef alum) and Chicago pizza and media entrepreneur Billy Zureikat ( Tripping Billy ), they’re the foundation of friendship, creativity, and their new podcast Over the Line . In this episode of The Perfect Bite podcast, host Sarah Perkins dives into Dan and Billy’s incredible st...

What if restaurants could understand every guest and their personal preferences across reservations, private dining, e-commerce, and events — all in one place? That’s the vision behind Panso, the 360 degree hospitality CRM platform founded by Britney Ziegler. On this episode of The Perfect Bite podcast, I sit down with Britney to talk about her journey from working alongside celebrity chefs and fo...

What does it really take to get a cookbook published today? I sat down with Sally Ekus , lead of and senior literary agent at The Ekus Group (now a division of JVNLA), to explore the intersection of food, publishing, and entrepreneurship . Sally has spent over 16 years representing cookbook authors, chefs, food writers, and culinary thought leaders , helping them bring their unique stories and rec...

From a five-time James Beard Award nominee to a tech co-founder reshaping hospitality, Matt Jennings has worn many hats — chef, restaurateur, author, and now tech entrepreneur with MAJC.ai . In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Matt to trace his journey from his early days in New England kitchens to running celebrated restaurants like Farmstead and Townsman, and...

“Honest cuisine”: That’s probably my favorite phrase now for seasonal or farm-to-table cooking. Thanks to Chef Chaz Lindsay, you can have the most honest, delicious Italian-Mississippi cuisine at Pulito Osteria . Chef Chaz Lindsay went from the high-pressure kitchens of Eleven Madison Park and Colicchio & Sons/Craft to building a soulful, seasonal osteria in Jackson, Mississippi . In this epis...

You’ve had cold brew coffee, but have you heard of cold brew chai? Sinwise Farms founder Joshua Chemparathy has created the first canned cold brew chai and gorgeous canned coffee, all with single origin tea, coffee, and spices from his family’s farm in Kerala, South India.  It’s hard to believe Josh and I have known each other for about 15 years now, thanks to being in the same co-ed business...

On this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Belinda Kelly and Venice Cunningham , the sister duo behind the Simple Goodness Sisters , authors of the new cocktail recipe book Drink Your Garden . Belinda and Venice share how they went from corporate jobs in tech to creating the world’s first cocktail farm , launching a mobile bar business, and building a thriving CPG bran...

What do you get when you mix Michelin-starred training with playful storytelling, rubber duckies, and dry ice? For Chef Donald Young , the answer is Duck Sel —Chicago’s most whimsical private dining and popup experience. In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins dives into Don’s journey: from growing up with a plain palate in the Midwest to training under iconic French chefs (like R...

On this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Chef D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick , the duo behind Soul & Smoke, one of Chicago’s most beloved barbecue brands. From staging at Moto under Chef Homaro Cantu to running underground dinners, private catering, and eventually pivoting during the pandemic to launch Soul & Smoke, D’Andre and Heather share their remarka...

Calling all wine lovers!  This is our first episode with a winemaker extraordinaire. On this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Janie Brooks Heuck , Managing Director of Brooks Wine , located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and named one of the Top 50 Wineries in the World . Janie shares how she unexpectedly stepped into the wine industry after her brother Jimmy’s p...

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Paula Haines , CEO of Freedom a la Cart, a Columbus-based café, catering business, and nonprofit that helps survivors of human trafficking rebuild their lives through food and workforce development. Paula shares how her journey from entrepreneurship and marketing led her to lead an organization that blends purpose and business...

Have you ever tried Nam Prik Pao? It’s maybe one of the greatest condiments EVER! In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins talks with Palita Sriratana , the founder of Pink Salt Kitchens and the creator behind the cult-favorite Thai chili jam Nam Prik Pao . Palita’s journey is anything but ordinary. From growing up in Bloomington, Illinois, learning family recipes alongside her gra...

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Chef BJ Lieberman , the award-winning restaurateur behind Chapman’s Eat Market , Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge , and Metsi’s Wood-Fired Italian — three of Columbus’s most beloved culinary concepts. BJ shares how he transitioned from graphic design to culinary arts, his time earning Michelin stars at Rose’s Luxury and Little Pearl...

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Franco Fubini , founder and CEO of Natoora , the global produce company redefining how we grow, source, and eat food. For over 20 years, Franco has been leading a quiet food revolution — rebuilding supply chains to prioritize flavor, transparency, and seasonality . His new book, In Search of the Perfect Peach , is both a memoi...

 In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Lauren Culley , cofounder and owner of Fox in the Snow Café , one of Columbus, Ohio’s most beloved third-space gathering spots. Known for its overflowing pastry cases, warm hospitality, and that legendary egg sandwich, Fox in the Snow has grown from a converted garage into a citywide institution with four (and counting) locat...

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins sits down with Christine Cikowski , co-founder and co-owner of Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Sunday Dinner Club, two Chicago dining institutions rooted in comfort, community, and care. Christine shares her unexpected journey from music business graduate to culinary entrepreneur, and how she built one of Chicago’s most iconic neighborhood re...

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins chats with Brett Brohl , Managing Partner of Bread & Butter Ventures , a seed-stage venture fund based in Minnesota investing in the future of food, agriculture, and health tech. Brett’s story is one of transformation—from serial entrepreneur and startup founder to one of the most active early-stage investors in the Midwest. He shares ho...

In this episode of The Perfect Bite , host Sarah Perkins talks with Alana Bralsford and Eve Williamson , the London-based co-founders of Served App, an innovative platform helping restaurants become more transparent about food allergens and dietary information. What started as an engineering project at Imperial College London quickly became a mission to make dining safer, easier, and more inclusiv...