Kitchen Confidante Podcast

Host Liren Baker chats with award-winning international food and travel writer Sylvie Bigar. A regular contributer to The Washington Post, Sylvie’s work has also been seen in The New York Times, Travel and Leisure, Departures, and more. She has also written many books, including her work with Chef Daniel Boulud as co-author of Daniel, My French Cuisine. Her memoir, Cassoulet Confessions, will be r...

Episode Notes If you love sweets, you’re in for a treat! Host Liren Baker chats breads, pastries, and coffee with David Lazaro and Emileen Yen, the respective Director of Marketing and Cake Product Manager at 85°C Bakery Cafe. Founded in Taiwan in 2003, 85°C celebrated its launch in the U.S. when it opened its Irvine, California store in 2008. Since then, the franchise has grown to over 1,000 loca...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker talks with Lisa Steele Dash of Fresh Eggs Daily. Based in Maine, Lisa has been sharing advice to the backyard chicken keeping community for over a decade as an author, 5th generation chicken keeper, Master Gardener and “coop-to-kitchen” cook. She recently published The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook: Over 100 Fabulous Recipes to Use Eggs in Unexpected Ways, and her award...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker talks with Toni Dash of the site Boulder Locavore, as well as the newly launched Make It Skinny Please! Based in Boulder, Colorado, Toni had been developing recipes for over two decades, when she recognized a need for quality gluten-free recipes for her family. Her site Boulder Locavore has been a resource for both conventional and gluten-free recipes, and with her n...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker talks with Nik Sharma, the molecular biologist turned food writer and photographer behind the award winning blog, The Brown Table, and author of Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food, which was a finalist for James Beard Foundation and IACP awards. They chat about Nik’s journey from Mumbai to the United States, his transition from the lab to the kitchen, and his second...

Host Liren Baker talks with Raquel Royers of the wine blog, Watch Me Sip. Based in the beautiful Napa Valley, Raquel not only lives in wine country, but works in the industry, splitting her time as a marketing consultant at Creative Sip Marketing and on her blog. As a certified Specialist of Wine and Spirits, Raquel is an amazing resource for wine lovers and travelers to various wine regions - and...

Host Liren Baker talks with Chef James Houghton, the Director of Culinary at Trinchero Family Estates - one of the leading producers in Napa Valley with over 50 wine and spirit brands in their portfolio, where he creates incredible culinary experiences and serves as the winery’s ambassador. They chat about his journey as a chef to the Napa Valley, understanding food and wine pairings, and what kee...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker talks with David Tamarkin , the Editorial Director at King Arthur Baking Company, about the recently updated and revised version of the Essential Cookie Companion Cookbook, and how this edition improves upon the beloved cookie resource. If you’re a cookie lover (and who isn’t?) or are looking for baking inspiration for cookie season, this episode is for you! Learn mo...

Episode Notes Host Liren Baker talks with Ned and Ariel Fulmer from the wildly popular YouTube channel, The Try Guys, about their newly released book, The Date Night Cookbook, food as a love language, and their tips for couples in all stages of their relationship! Learn more about Ned and Ariel and The Date Night Cookbook at  https://www.datenightcookbook.com/

Host Liren Baker talks with Kristin “Baker Bettie” Hoffman, creator of the popular Baker Bettie website and YouTube channel, about her new cookbook, the Baker Bettie’s Better Baking Book, where she distills the techniques and methods she has honed as a trained chef and baking educator into making baking approachable and fun for everyone! Learn more about Kristin Hoffman at https://bakerbettie.com...

Host Liren Baker talks with Margie Bruner, the creator of Glory Kitchen, a purveyor of nut & spice mixes, who also has nearly 30 years of expertise as an interior designer and homebuilder. They chat about the power of spices, as well as the keys to good kitchen design. Learn more about Margie Bruner at https:// https://glorykitchen.com/ .

Host Liren Baker talks with pastry chef Zoë François about her journey from a childhood with wholesome foods in a Vermont commune to the world of sugar, as she now stars in her own cooking show, Zoë Bakes on the Magnolia Network. Learn more about Zoë François at https://zoebakes.com/ .

Host Liren Baker talks with Neil Dejkraisak of Jasberry Rice and co-founder of Siam Organic, a company that he and business partner Palmmy Wong created as when he learned that despite his native Thailand’s position as the world’s largest exporter of rice, its farmers are among the poorest in world. Starting with Jasberry Rice, they have found a way to help over 2500 farmers grow out of poverty, on...

Host Liren Baker talks with Rebecca White of the food site A Pleasant Little Kitchen and author of the newly released The Ultimate 5 Ingredient Cookbook: Whole Food Flavorful Meals Made Simple. Rebecca shares the inspiration behind her recipes and her secret to cooking flavorful food with minimal ingredients. Learn more about Rebecca White at https://apleasantlittlekitchen.com/ .

Host Liren Baker talks with James Beard award-winning food and wine writer Carolyn Jung about the rich food culture in the Bay Area, and appreciating the food communities that inspire her to write for the top publications in the country, as well as her books "San Francisco Chef's Table'' and "East Bay Cooks.” Find Carolyn Jung on Instagram at @food_gal_carolyn.

Host Liren Baker talks with award-winning magazine editor and prolific author Dorothy Kalins about her culinary journey, from founding Saveur Magazine to the numerous and remarkable food experiences that led her to write her newest book, The Kitchen Whisperers: Cooking with the Wisdom of Our Friends. Find Dorothy Kalins on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dkalins/ and The Kitchen Whisperers...

It's fig season! In this minisode, Liren shares One Quick Tip for how to pick the perfect fig, how to store figs, and her favorite ways to enjoy this delicious fruit!

Host Liren Baker talks with Melody Lorenzo, also known as the Pinay Pie Lady, of Sweet Condesa, a San Francisco Bay Area based bakery that specializes in Filipino- and Latin-inspired desserts. Melody’s Bay Area Filipino Pies have taken social media by storm, featuring tropical flavors such as ube, guava, and calamansi in their signature pies, scones, and more! Learn more about Melody Lorenzo at ht...

Host Liren Baker talks with Amy Atherton of the food blog Amy’s Healthy Baking and author of author of Healthier Chocolate Treats: Breakfasts, Snacks & Desserts for Every Chocoholic. Based in California, Amy teaches bakers of all abilities how to satisfy their sweet tooth with healthy and yummy treats. Learn more about Amy Atherton at https://amyshealthybaking.com .

Host Liren Baker talks with Beth Lee of the food blog OMG! Yummy and author of the newly released The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook: 50 Traditional Recipes for Every Occasion. Beth shares Jewish, Hawaiian, Korean and Middle Eastern recipes from her multicultural San Francisco kitchen. Learn more about Beth Lee at https://omgyummy.com .

Host Liren Baker welcomes her daughter, Caeli, into the studio, to answer your #AskMeAnything questions from Instagram! We tackle all the things you are curious about, from what I did prior to blogging, what's on my bucket list, my favorite props for food photography, and who is my favorite child!

Host Liren Baker talks with Amaka Azuka of Sugar Hammock and Sugar Hammock Studios. Originally from London, Amaka is now immersed in the food and restaurant-world of Paris, and shares the wealth of knowledge of photography that she has learned over the years on her site and on Instagram. Learn more about Amaka at https://www.sugarhammock.com . Find Amaka Azuka on Instagram at @sugarhammock.

Host Liren Baker talks with Liz Della Croce of the Lemon Bowl. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Liz has been sharing delicious recipes since 2010, and has been inspiring readers with her weight loss journey, her family’s Lebanese recipes and flavors from around the world, and travel. She is also the founder of the Passion to Profit Podcast, where she promotes entrepreneurship. Learn more about Liz...

Host Liren Baker talks with Daniel Nicholson of NadaMoo! - the delicious dairy-free, organic ice cream company that has been serving up the creamiest scoops since 2005. Daniel took the reins as CEO and President in 2011 and has guided the company through the explosive growth of the dairy-free ice cream industry while ensuring sustainability and deliciousness in every pint. Learn more about NadaMoo...

Host Liren Baker talks with Nick Brown of Rincon Tropics. Located in the coastal foothill mountains of Carpinteria, California, this 35 year old family farm grows avocados, passion fruit, cherimoya, and more — and prides themselves on producing “no frills good fruit,” without the use of sprays or pesticides, shipping seasonal produce right to your doorstep. Learn more about Rincon Tropics at https...