Heritage Radio Network On Tour

Though widely consumed throughout the world, lamb is a largely under-appreciated meat in the U.S. “I think there are too many Americans who have just had bad lamb,” says farmer Craig Rogers of Border Springs Farm in Virginia, one of three experts on the subject who spoke with Kat Johnson at a workshop entitled Lamb Breakdown at the 8th Annual Chefs Collaborative Summit. “One of the most fun things...

As of Tuesday, October 10th at around 6pm EST there are over a dozen wildfires raging throughout Northern California. The fires are concentrated in the wine and agricultural centers of the state in Napa and Sonoma Counties, where 12% of the state’s grapes are grown. On this episode we are providing up to date information on the impact this disaster is having on the residents of this region and how...

On this episode of HRN On Tour, Kat doesn't have to travel far to get a taste of the international! She heads over the East River to the James Beard House to catch up with two of Atlanta’s best chefs: Matthew Basford of the rustically elegant Canoe, and Nick Leahy of Saltyard, whose aesthetic leans toward modern and sleek. Matt and Nick teamed up on their menu, titled "Town and Country," which ref...

Nat Bradford is a father of five, farmer, and landscape architect in Seneca, South Carolina. As a farmer he maintains the breedline of their 170 year old family heirloom, the Bradford watermelon. He sits down with Kat Johnson to explain the history, legends, and comeback story of the Bradford. Nat and his wife, Bette, started Watermelons for Water in 2013, a philanthropic cause funded by all the p...

For a closer look at what it took to plan and execute Slow Food Nations, Kat sits down with Slow Food USA Board Member, Julie Shaffer. Julie is also the liaison to the Network of Governors. She shares her thoughts on the weekend, our host city of Denver, and gives a shout out to all of the chefs and delegates from the South who came to represent the region. Julie grew up in rural Ohio gardening an...

Rusty Bowers is a bona-fide Meat Magician. He’s the owner of Pine Street Market in the Avondale Estates neighborhood of Atlanta. If you visit his website, you’ll be greeted with the giant words, “Know Your Butcher.” As Atlanta’s only whole animal butcher, Rusty aims to bridge the gaps between both farmers and butchers and butchers and customers. Kat sits down with Rusty to talk about how a trip to...

Forget olive oil. Clay Oliver is cold-pressing some of the most exciting new oils – and he’s doing it in an unlikely place: rural Georgia. You can roughly place The Oliver Farm on a map by dropping a pin halfway between Atlanta and Jacksonville, FL. As Clay puts it, “The oil business came about from an idea several years ago when fuel prices soared and the American economy faltered. There was a lo...

John Cox is the Chef and Partner at The Bear and Star, a new restaurant in Los Olivos. The Bear and Star takes its name from the two states Cox has called home, Texas and California, celebrating refined ranch cuisine paired with California’s bounty. The restaurant is intrinsically intertwined with the 714 acre Fess Parker Home Ranch seven miles away, where the Wagyu cattle herd are raised and fini...

One of the highlights at the inaugural Slow Food Nations was the History of BBQ dinner that showcased The Tradition of South Carolina Whole Hog Barbecue – arguably the slowest food that exists. Attendees got a glimpse into the rural South of the past while eating South Carolina Whole Hog BBQ prepared by sought-after pitmaster Dr. Howard Conyers. After the pig was pulled from heat, but before the d...

Professor Angela Harris of UC Davis School of Law joins longtime civil rights activist, farmer and Terra Madre delegate Jim Embry in an exploration of the history of American agriculture as a site of citizenship and racialization. Angela Harris’ essay, “(Re)Integrating Spaces: The Color of Farming,” in the Savannah Law Review outlines structural inequities underlying farm ownership in the United S...

The gluten intolerance of our stomachs has given rise to innumerable chemical replacements for commodity wheat. Can this demand also generate interest in heritage staple grains, like millet, teff and buckwheat? In Praise of Ancient Grains chats with panel Glenn Roberts, Chris Bianco, Chad Robertson, and Steve Jones to educate us on the thousands of varieties of ancient grains and how we can not on...

The American identity has never remained constant or uncontested, and the same goes for our food. Mitchell Davis, Executive Vice President of the James Beard Foundation, leads a discussion with chefs who are bringing immigrant cuisines to the forefront of the American restaurant scene. Representing the frictions yet “beautiful tapestry” that explicates both the diversity and complexities of Americ...

Located two miles north of Uptown Charlotte, Haberdish’s chef Jeff and badass lady-mixologist Colleen dish on their famed fried chicken, the medicinal benefits of farm-apothecary cocktails, restaurant-family culture, logistics of glassware, the new summer menu, and the future of Charlotte dining. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pri...

Agave-crazed Lou Bank, of S.A.C.R.E.D. Agave, preaches the mezcal gospel: stop drinking mezcal in cocktails; start drinking it straight. Discovering a gluten intolerance drove Lou to seek out other spirits, and since discovering mezcal, he hasn’t looked back. Lou discusses the difference between tequila and mezcal, what to look for when tasting, drinking from clay versus plastic cups, and more. Se...

Chef Luca Annunziata of Luca | Modern Italian Kitchen (formerly Passion8) began his culinary career under his mother’s tutelage where he grew up in Naples, Italy. Signora Filomena was a tremendous influence on her young son whose passion for cooking was evident early on. Food was the vehicle that would lead him to later travel the world and discover his own unique cooking style. He is known for hi...

Bob Peters, the mastermind behind Ritz Carlton’s Punch Room bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, sits down with Caity and Kat to talk mixology and gardening. He praises Charlotte’s growing urban agriculture scene, supported by the Piedmont Culinary Guild, which connects Charlotte chefs with local farmers. Bob manages a rooftop garden of tropical fruits, vegetables, and herbs-- even harvesting honey f...

What would Wolfgang do? Chef Stephen Schmitt’s motto merges his culinary training with his commitment to hometown, Charlotte. Despite bearing the name of an internationally renowned chef, WP Kitchen & Bar is committed to celebrating the local community and providing their guests the opportunity to try new ingredients and dishes that they may not have yet at home. This is what motivates Chef Sc...

Caity and Kat sit down with Chef Shai Fargian, the Israel-born, self-taught chef of Yafo Kitchen in Charlotte, North Carolina. His dynamic restaurant features Mediterranean dishes with strong Middle-Eastern influences. Yafo’s Kitchen may be considered a fast-casual establishment, but Shai and his staff do everything but cut corners. Everything served at Yafo Kitchen is made on-site daily, though t...

Considering the inspired plates leaving Chef Blake Hartwick’s kitchen, it’s only fitting Bonterra Dining & Wine Room is housed in what used to be a Methodist Church. In delivering a truly spiritual experience, Chef Hartwick’s inspired take on Southern Cuisine celebrates fresh, local flavors, allowing both the farmers he sources ingredients from, and the changing seasons to define what winds up...

Chef Chris Coleman’s respect and love for hometown Charlotte is clear when perusing Stoke’s locally-focused menu. Stoke’s mesmerizing open floor plan distracts from their immediate surroundings--a hotel lobby in Uptown Charlotte's Marriott City Center--instead encouraging diners to gather communally around the 600-degree wood oven. What ensues is an intimate and engaging experience; the food is ru...

The day before things kicked off at the Good Food Mercantile at Union Market in Washington D.C., the festivities began with Good Food USA's Small Business Breakfast Panel: Tips & tricks on starting, scaling, and surviving your venture. Introduced by Sarah Weiner, Executive Director of the Good Food Foundation, the panel was moderated by Ezekiel Emanuel. Emanuel is an oncologist, bioethicist, a...

The crafters and products at the Good Food Mercantile are the cream of the crop in terms of sustainability, innovation, and quality. At the end of their day in D.C., Caity and Jack chat with producers of salt, fine oils, cheese and gelato, and a panel of chocolate makers who agree that being part of the Good Food Awards means being in good company! Sarah Hartman of Harper Macaw, Alak Vasa of Eleme...

After starting the day with cocktails, Caity and Jack are ready for a few snacks. Thankfully, the Good Food Mercantile is chock-full of delicious, interesting, and downright good things to eat. Samy K (who also happens to be a radio personality) introduces the HRN team to the world of vegan cracklins, and talks about what it means to be at the "Healthy Angels Unicorns Mercantile." After that, the...

What's the best way to start a day at the Good Food Mercantile at Union Market in Washington, D.C.? With a cocktail segment, of course! Caity teamed up with Producer at Large Jack Inslee and Allison Hamlin to check out the hottest products on the D.C. cocktail scene. First up, Tory Pratt of True Syrups & Garnishes talks about the excitement around craft booze and how her products are encouragi...

For our final broadcast from Charleston Wine + Food, Jimmy Carbone sits down with Robert Stehling of The Hominy Grill for a rousing round of trivia! We bring up two audience members to try their hand at answering questions about Charleston, Southern food and drink, and Southern food personalities for a chance to win Heritage Radio Network koozies and potholders. Robert shares some stories of cooki...