Kitchen Confidante Podcast

Molly Chester and her filmmaker husband, John, left the urban jungle of LA to purchase and rehabilitate a neglected piece of land northwest of the city into a lush, biodynamic farm. They shared the inspiring process, along with the struggles and its success, in the award-winning documentary, The Biggest Little Farm. Apricot Lane Farms has since expanded to 234 thriving acres, where they continue t...

Vicky Bennison is the creator of the immensely popular - and endearing - Pasta Grannies. What began in 2014 as a channel on YouTube filming grandmothers making pasta by hand in their Italian kitchens has since grown to a following of over 2 million over social media, and her first book, Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook, which was the recipient of a James Beard Award. She is back with a second...

Sarah Koszyk is a Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutritionist based in San Francisco, specializing in sports nutrition, weight management, and digestive and skin health. In her private practice, she works with clients all over the world, which includes everyone from tech firm CEOs and employees to families and professional elite athletes. Sarah is also the co-founder and formulator of MIJA, a w...

Mary Ann Esposito is the creator and host of the nationally televised PBS series Ciao Italia and the author of numerous cookbooks, including her most recent, Ciao Italia, Plant, Harvest, Cook! In her latest book, Mary Ann shares tips for anyone interested in growing their vegetables and cooking them Italian style. Join us on this episode, where we chat about Ciao Italia’s longevity as the longest-...

Molly Gilbert is a sheet pan queen! The creator of the site Dunk & Crumble, Molly is a professionally trained pastry chef, with culinary and pastry training from the French Culinary Institute and experience as a private chef, a chocolatier, and the SAVEUR Magazine test kitchen. Her first two books - One Pan & Done and Sheet Pan Suppers - embrace simple meals that go from oven to table. She...

Bri Beaudoin is the creator of the food blog, Evergreen Kitchen, where she shares delicious, crowd-pleasing vegetarian recipes. As a recipe developer, certified holistic nutritionist, and food stylist, Bri runs Evergreen Kitchen with her husband, Anguel Dimov - sharing the food that inspires them in Vancouver, British Columbia. In this interview, we chat about Bri’s first cookbook, Evergreen Kitch...

In this episode, I am on location in Santa Paula, California at the Calavo Growers headquarters, where I had the unique opportunity to learn firsthand how the Calavo family of growers has been providing us with avocados for nearly 100 years! In addition to my very personal tour of the groves, processing plant, and ripening facilities, I sat down with Calavo CEO, Brian Kocher, to learn all about ho...

Join me in welcoming my son, Carsten, into the studio, for the 2022 #AskMeAnything episode! We pick up where we left off from last year’s Ask Me Anything episode with my daughter, and tackle your questions from Instagram! Technically it was an #AskUsAnything episode! We chat about all the topics you are curious about, from staying young (!?), raising a competitive cyclist, my son’s favorite food m...

We welcome back award-winning, international food and travel writer Sylvie Bigar to the show to chat about her recently released memoir, Cassoulet Confessions, Food, France, Family, and the Stew That Saved My Soul. In this episode, Sylvie talks to host Liren Baker about how cassoulet has become a beloved dish in France, how she immersed herself in Carcassonne with her mentor and cassoulet master,...

Episode Notes Tara Bench is a veteran in the food publishing and magazine industry, and a trained chef. She has over 20 years of experience, with prominent roles as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Food Director at the Ladies’ Home Journal, and is also known for her site, Tara Teaspoon. She is celebrating the release of her new book, Delicious Gatherings: Recipes to Celebrate Together. In...

Chef Ariel Fox is best known as the winner of Hell’s Kitchen in season 18 and as a guest judge on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay. Off-screen, she is the Regional Vice President of Culinary for Landry’s at Dos Caminos and Del Friscos. She recently released her latest book: Spice Kitchen: Healthy Latin and Caribbean Cuisine. In this episode, Chef Ariel shares all about her worldly culinary upbringin...

Episode Notes If anyone can get even the staunchest doubter excited about veggies, leave it to Australian food writer, broadcaster, and television host, Alice Zaslavsky. Alice is the resident Culinary Correspondent on ABC News Breakfast, the host of ABC Radio Sunday Drive and numerous Australian food shows, and the writer of the best-selling and award-winning cookbook, In Praise of Veg: The Ultima...

Episode Notes Since 2012, Nicole Cardone and Deborah Gorman have been on a mission to give sorbet the respect it deserves. As the cofounders of SorBabes, they’re out to revolutionize the way we think of sorbet with their bold flavors and creamy sorbet bars! In this episode, Nicole and Deborah share what makes SorBabes such a unique frozen treat, the inspiration behind their flavors, and their wisd...

Episode Notes Vedika Luthra is the creator of the food blog and popular YouTube channel, Hot Chocolate Hits. Born in India, Vedika was raised in Poland and later moved to the Netherlands where she pursues postgraduate studies in law. Vedika’s first cookbook, 52 Weeks, 52 Sweets: Elegant Recipes for all Occasions, was released last year and offers tasty treats every week of the year! In this episod...

Episode Notes In this episode, we peel the curtain on the world of food blogging with Christine Pittman of the site Cook the Story. With over 2 million monthly readers, Cook the Story is one of the top-ranked food blogs in the world. Christine doesn’t stop there, however! She manages another site, The Cookful, and is also busy as the host of two podcasts – Time Management Insider (TMI) and Recipe...

Episode Notes In this episode, host Liren Baker talks with Genevieve Ko, the Deputy Editor for the New York Times Food section and NYT Cooking, about their newest recipe series, Learn to Cook (and ❤️ It) in 10 Easy Dishes. These beginner recipes are aimed at novice cooks to help them gain confidence in the kitchen - but are recipes that cooks of all abilities will appreciate. This episode is for y...

Episode Notes Born and raised in Rome to an Italian father and American mother, Sophie Minchilli’s love for Italy stems from the country’s beauty, its delicious food, and the people who make it special. Sophie shares what she calls the “real Italy” running food tours that takes her clients behind the scenes and into the homes of locals. In this episode, we chat about Sophie’s first book, The Sweet...

Episode Notes In this episode, host Liren Baker chats with Vasanti Bhadkamkar-Balan of the blog Signature Concoctions. Originally from Pune, a major city in the western part of India, Vasanti is now based in the San Francisco Bay Area. By day, she works in business intelligence and analysis, while using her culinary school training in her work on Signature Concoctions as a cooking instructor, and...

Episode Notes Join host Liren Baker on location for a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at Eataly Silicon Valley, which is opening at Westfield Valley Fair on June 16th! The newest location is the 9th to open in North America and joins over 40 Eataly stores worldwide. Bay Area Italian food lovers can now explore 3 floors of delicious food, with its two restaurants, five production laboratories, over 10...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker chats with Kimberly Sorensen of Triple Delight Blueberries, a 6th generation California family farm. Kim and her husband, Mark, established Triple Delight Blueberries in 1997 in California’s San Joaquin Valley. They were one of the first families to farm blueberries in the Central Valley, and now bring fresh blueberries to kitchens and many of the top restaurants thr...

Episode Notes Hannah Sunderani is the creator of the blog Two Spoons, where she shares plant-based recipes for everyone from new cooks and veggie-shy eaters to vegan foodies. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Hannah spent four years in France, and in her debut cookbook, The Two Spoons Cookbook, she shares over 100 French-inspired vegan dishes. Host Liren Baker chats with Hannah about what led he...

Episode Notes Chris Drew overseas Ocean Mist Farms, the largest grower of artichokes in the United States. With family farming roots dating back nearly a century, Ocean Mist Farms was founded in Castroville, California near the Monterey coast and is now known as the Artichoke Capital of the World. Chris and host Liren Baker chatted about all things artichokes, including Ocean Mist's farming histor...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker talks to Chef Ji Hye Kim, the chef and managing partner of the restaurant Miss Kim, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Chef Ji Hye has had the distinct honor of being recognized as a Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2021 as well as a James Beard Semifinalist in 2020 in 2022. In this episode, Chef Ji Hye talks about her journey as a chef, the inspiration behind her restaur...

In this episode, Liren Baker chats with Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo! Dubbed the Martha Stewart of Paleo by The New York Times, Michelle started her blog in 2010 to chronicle her culinary adventures following a switch to a Paleo approach to nutrition. Nom Nom Paleo (and Michelle) has grown to win multiple awards, including Best Food Blog by Saveur Magazine. Michelle’s first cookbook garnered a Ja...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker chats with Iva Chen, the Director of Business Development and Marketing of Lady Luck Gourmet, which owns and operates Goldilocks at San Francisco International Airport. Goldilocks Bakeshop has been a go-to since 1966 for delicious cakes, baked goods, and Filipino cuisine for Filipinos and Filipino Americans. Since the first store opened in Makati, Manila, there are n...