CLE Foodcast

Farmer Jimmy Myers and his wife Casondra run Front 9 Farm in Lodi. I see Jimmy often at the Countryside Farmers Market where his stand is a frequent stop for me. I interviewed Jimmy at the market's annual Squash Showcase...a day when vendors bring lots of varieties for shoppers to purchase.  They grow 40 herbaceous vegetables, 30 different types of herbs and 25 fruiting crops and they raise b...

Sometimes we meet people that we are inexplicably drawn to, for one reason or another. For me, Michael Killik is one of those people. Killik quotes Chuck D from Public Enemy, sometimes speaks in colorful language (you've been warned) and has the word "Juggernaut" tattooed on his belly. But he's also a dad of four daughters, a doting grandfather, a proud veteran, and a mid-life entrepreneur. ...

We recorded this important conversation live from PurpleBrown Farm Store in Peninsula. Last year, farmer Sasha Miller opened her store to sell products from her own farm, located in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and those of many other local farms and makers.  On the occasion of the store's 1-year anniversary, CLE Foodcast convened three female farmers to discuss the local food ecosystem,...

When you hear the word "Candyman" do you think of the Sammy Davis Junior hit from the 70's OR that freakishly scary horror movie set in Chicago? Hey, it's a fair question!  Well, it's probably better if you think of the guy who owns the LARGEST candy store in North America, and probably, the world. And that's Tom Scheiman of the B.A. Sweetie Company. He bought the original small company 40 ye...

Cocktails are having a moment...and the more complex and crafted the better. We're so lucky to have some excellent bars and craft bartenders in Northeast Ohio.  Tim Harnett is one of them. He has a particular area of expertise—he's a Tiki Ambassador for Tiki Underground , now located in Cuyahoga Falls, and an author of No Beard or Bowtie Required, Cocktails for the Craft-Curious. Tiki has an...

While the pandemic limped towards a final end, a quiet transformation was happening on East 4th street. Andrew Watts and Vinnie Cimino were reimagining the look and feel of the  iconic address on East 4th Street—the one formerly occupied by the legendary Lola, the flagship owned by Michael Symon.  Coming out of a pandemic to start a restaurant is hard...perhaps harder when you are steppi...

Heather Doeberling and Emily Moes have been friends since the Dick's Last Resort Days (man, remember that place?) and they combined their powers for good to create Boss Chick'N Beer, a fried chicken (and more) joint that happens to cater really well to vegans and gluten-free eaters. Fresh off their Scene Magazine Best Of Cleveland win for BEST WINGS, you can hear the story of how these magical win...

You either know the pawpaw or you respond with "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" The hard-to-find native Ohio fruit isn't common at all, and that's kind of sad! Pawpaws ripen quickly once picked (or once they fall hard to the ground) and have a very short shelf life making it impossible to get them to a typical grocery store. My guest Chris Chmiel knows more about them than just about anyone! Pa...

Carasai Ihentuge has opened Yum Village to bring the flavors and foods of his homeland to us. An Afro-Caribbean fusion restaurant, Yum Village blends West African foods, particularly from Nigeria, with favorites from the Caribbean.  Carasai attended John Carroll University and is attracted to the vibrant environment of college towns, so an opportunity to open a restaurant on the diverse campu...

Mark Trapp isn't as well-known as his draft horses Doc and Dan and he's OK with that. On the surface, he's a quiet guy. But Mark has a lot to say about his approach to farming which is responsive to the current moment and also an homage to the old way of doing things. Mark's farm is in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and he lives there with his wife Emily and three children.  This engineer-...

"Food is a basic human right and in a country like ours everyone could, and should, have access to it." Kristin Warzocha is the CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank which has some huge developments happening in the next calendar year, including a move to a brand new, massive distribution center this fall. The needs of our community are great, and increasing, and Kristin shares how the food bank...

The moment you meet Steve Baker you know he was born to teach. He's the COO and lead educator at Spice Field Kitchen, the nonprofit arm of Spice Hospitality Group, the innovative company that brought us memorable and engaging concepts including Spice in Gordon Square, Keep The Change Kitchen, Plated Landscape dinners and, coming soon, Boom's Pizza.  Owner Ben Bebenroth and his family live on...

Terry Tarantino loves tomatoes, cooking for people, and Cleveland.   He's been running his Little Italy hotspot for 33 years and in that time he's seen the neighborhood change more than once.  We talk about his love of the city, Italy and why he walks around his restaurant serving pasta out of a bowl. His tomato salad is legendary. His cacio e pepe is a favorite among loyal customer...

A few years ago Vishu Nath was leading the kitchen at Urban Farmer, a restaurant concept at the snazzy new Westin Downtown Cleveland that was known for its local sourcing, quality steaks, to-die-for charcuterie and a killer brunch. Now, he leads the food service operations for Delaware North at Progressive Field where he's focused on providing variety and quality to 10,000 guests or more each game...

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 50! I talk with Judy Orr James, author of the new book Akron Recipes, History and Traditions from Sauerkraut Balls to Sweet Potato Pie. Judy worked in the local history and genealogy department of the Akron Summit County Library for years and she also loves local food. Using her specialized research skills, Judy traced the origins of some of Akron's popular and beloved...

Thanks to my sponsor Haymaker Farmers' Market , I am taking the show on the road to some places outside of Cuyahoga County. I spent a morning at this wonderful market—going strong for 30 years in the vibrant, welcoming, local-food-loving community of Kent, Ohio. In this episode I talk to Lizette Royer Barton of Barton Farms and Gardens (also the board president) about the longevity of the market a...

I am taking you on my journey as I discover artisan, small-batch hard cider. Before this episode I would have told you how m much I dislike hard cider. But so many people told me I just had to try a locally-made cider, specifically those made by Madd Vodraska at Bent Ladder Cider in Doylestown. I was really impressed with the cider, but also Matt's dedication. I sampled a few varieties and checked...

Ismail Samad has returned home with a vision to reimagine the possibilities of his hometown, East Cleveland. He's cooked for the economic elite of Martha's Vineyard, featured in Bon Appetit (May, 2022), and launched several successful enterprises that reflect is passion for activism, equity and sustainability. Through his nonprofit organization, Loiter , he's creating new opportunities for economi...

We live in a fantastic food town, so you've likely seen that many of our local chefs—Bruell, Umansky, Small and Vedaa to name a few—have been nominated for James Beard Awards.  A few of them, Michael Symon and Jonathan Sawyer even won the coveted Best Chef-Great Lakes (though neither are still personally working out of the city). What are these awards? Who was James Beard? And what does winni...

Chef Todd Whitman is a graduate of the Edwins Culinary Leadership Institute, a place where formerly incarcerated people can find a second chance through the culinary arts. Now, as executive chef at the French fine dining restaurant Serenite in Medina, he leads other men and women through a similar program in partnership with the Recovery Center of Medina County. Todd is candid about his experience...

I was unfamiliar with the Taino people and culture before Twisted Taino came on the scene. But I am sure glad I made the inquiry because now I have a mofongo obsession, and there is so much more to discover. This cuisine blends foods of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, Colombia and even has some African food origins. It's delicious, flavorful and full of brightness and it will transport you to warmer p...

Being a farmer isn't for the faint of heart—or anyone who wants to get lots of sleep or take vacations. The farm life never really stops and the work doesn't end. Like other food businesses, the pandemic also affected farms that supply restaurants and local  markets, requiring shifts in thinking and process to stay afloat. Kristyn and Kevin started as a sheep dairy so they could produce their...

Doug Trattner fell into food writing after a short career as a public defender and never imagined being the go-to guy for food news in Northeast Ohio. He's covered food for most major Ohio outlets, but is best known for being the super sleuth of restaurant news for Cleveland Scene and a collaborator on seven cookbooks with Chef Michael Symon. I loved talking about his unconventional start and refl...

Let's face it, you probably have loads of spices and seasonings around your kitchen and pantry. And, the bad news is...you are probably not treating them well at all. We ALL make the mistake of keeping spices too long, not using them to their fullest potential, and maybe taking shortcuts when we buy them.  Adun Spice Co. founder Ramat Wiley is an expert on flavors and all things spices. She l...

It was really special to sit down with Melissa Khoury, owner of Saucisson, almost five years to the day they opened their doors. To add to the fun, it is my 40th podcast episode, so we felt very celebratory! After founding the business with partner Penny Barend Tagliarina and making Cleveland craft food history as "The Lady Butchers" Penny wanted to be back in a kitchen and has moved on to greener...