Loading Dock Talks with Chef Preeti Mistry

In this episode, Chef Preeti Mistry talks with Chef Tu David Phu live on the podcast stage at the first-ever Cookbook Fest in Napa, California. Tu is the author of the forthcoming cookbook 'Memory of Taste,' that is a "tribute to the enduring spirit of my matriarchs, the rich heritage of Vietnamese cuisine, food insecurity, and the stories that food can tell."  In this podcast, Tu and Preeti discu...

In this episode, Chef Preeti talks with Chef Debra VanTrece about her recipe for Baby Back Ribs with Sweet Tea BBQ Sauce. Chef Deborah shares her family's rich barbecue traditions and roots in Kansas City and how they influenced the development of her rib recipe (including the potentially controversial addition of sweet tea). Deborah recounts her pivot from a flight attendant to a chef and the pre...

In this episode, Preeti talks with Chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval, the duo behind Masala y Maíz and Marigold in Mexico City. The chefs share their unique culinary backgrounds and the melding of their heritages — Mexican, South Asian, and East African — into their cuisine. They discuss the process behind their lamb barbacoa recipe, a melding of Norma's Mexican family tradition with Saqib's Sou...

In this episode, Preeti engages in a flavorful discussion with British Jamaican chef, food journalist, and friend, Jacqui Sinclair, also known as the Juicy Chef. They first discuss the recipe Jacqui shared with them, which is Lorna's Cottage Pie, originally made by Jacqui's mother. The recipe is a combination of Jamaican flavors with the British classic. Jumping off from there they delve into the...

In this episode, Preeti dives into the heart of food's nostalgic power with guest Telly Justice, chef and owner of HAGS in New York City. The conversation centers around Telly's family's old-fashioned cream pie recipe—a simple, yet emotionally charged dish that ties back to her German-American heritage and childhood memories. Telly's journey from a non-culinary family background to receiving the 2...

In this episode of Loading Dock Talks, Chef Preeti Mistry hosts Fernay McPherson, the chef-owner of Minnie Bell's Soul Movement, a fast, casual fried chicken restaurant in Emeryville, California, and soon to be in the Fillmore District of San Francisco. Fernay shares her journey starting Minnie Bell's in the historic Fillmore district, a place she aims to honor and return to with her business in e...

In this episode Chef Preeti interviews Leah Scurto, owner of Pizza Leah in Sonoma County, who shares her journey growing up in restaurants and her love for the craft of pizza making. Leah shares her mother Viola's picadillo recipe that she grew up eating, and the stories behind the beloved family dish. The pair also discuss the importance of intentionality in making a great pizza. During the conve...

In this episode, Hetal tells Preeti about her family recipe for seero, a sweet semolina pudding made with ghee and toasted nuts. Through the recipe, how she grew up learning to cook and garden with her family while living in a house with a constant rotation of family members immigrating from Gujrat. Hetal also shares her opinions on authenticity in cooking and her complicated relationship to the t...

In this episode, Chef Rahanna Bisseret Martinez shares more about her family recipe for Shrimp & Grits, one that she made for 40 people at a staff meal while interning at the age of 16. The conversation dives into Rahanna's thoughts on the role of family recipes in her cooking and the transition from home cooking to fine dining. She also shares her thoughts on the role of a chef in society and the...

In this episode, Reem tells Preeti about Sayadiyah, a rice and fish dish packed with flavorful caramelized onions and spices. Through the story of how Reem developed her take on Sayadiyah for her books, Arabiyya, they discuss the connection between food and the Israeli occupation of Palestine, highlighting the impact of severing people from their land and culture; their personal experiences with c...

The new season of Loading Dock Talks is coming on January 18th.  This season, Chef Preeti asked some of their chef friends to send them a recipe, whether it was a family recipe or something they grew up eating. They wanted to see a recipe that meant something to the guests. Preeti cooked these recipes so that they could dig into the ingredients, techniques, and stories behind them. This season on...

Preeti and Devita talk about growing up in an empowering black space, why she founded FoodLab Detroit coming out of the economic crisis of 2008, and the favorite dish that she will never be able to eat again, breakfast at her grandma’s house.    For more from Devita: Instagram: @devita_davison Twitter: @DevitaDavison   FoodLab Detroit Website   |    Instagram   |    More About You can find Preeti:...

Preeti’s guest this week is Vinny Eng, celebrated sommelier and community activist. Their conversation revolves around safety; feeling safe as immigrants in the U.S., feeling unsafe as queer folks in college, and creating a truly hospitable restaurant by prioritizing the safety of your staff.    For more from Vinny: Instagram: @engvinny Twitter: @vinnyeng   Safer Together SF Bay Area Website   |  ...

Preeti and Chef Mavis-Jay talk about discovering their chefiness as kids doctoring up boxed mac and cheese, why they decided to go to culinary school at CIA at Hyde Park, and how they left fine dining restaurants to work in restaurant industry activism.   For more from Mavis-Jay: Instagram: @chefmavisjay Twitter: @ChefMavisJay Drive Change Website   |    Instagram   |    Twitter   |    Facebook Yo...

Preeti’s guest this week is Chef Jenny Dorsey - chef and founder of the community think tank, Studio ATAO. Jenny talks about growing up questioning bias in the system, creating real change in the restaurant industry, and Preeti & Jenny debate the merits of Morton’s Coarse versus Diamond Crystal kosher salt.  For more from Jenny: Instagram: @chefjennydorsey Twitter: @chefjennydorsey Studio ATAO Web...

Preeti talks with Brenda Buenviaje - chef and owner of Brenda’s French Soul Food and Brenda’s Meat & Three in the Bay Area - about growing up fishing, foraging, and cooking in Louisiana, starting her career in restaurants as a lesbian in the south, and navigating the spotlight as “The Brenda.”    For more from Brenda: Instagram: @chefbuenviaje YouTube Channel: Cook Like Brenda   Brenda’s Restauran...

Preeti talks with Ashtin Berry - bartender, hospitality activist, and equity educator & consultant - about being raised empowered to speak her truth, chef heroes, and white saviorism in the hospitality industry.   For more from Ashtin: Instagram: @thecollectress Twitter: @AshtinBerry Radical Xchange Website   |    Instagram   |    Twitter You can find Preeti: Twitter   |    Instagram   |   W ebsit...

Preeti talks with Zoe Adjonyoh - chef, activist, and author - about connecting to her ancestral Ghanaian roots and building community through food, being a queer black woman in the industry, and about some of her favorite West African spices and ingredients. For more from Zoe: Her website Her spices (and other fun things) Her cookbook Twitter: @ZoeAdjonyoh Instagram: @zoeadjonyoh @ghanakitchen Bla...

Preeti talks with Nick Cho - Tik Tok star Your Korean Dad and co-owner of Wrecking Ball Coffee in San Francisco - about how he approaches tough conversations with sympathy, fighting for justice, and his favorite tacos from Taco Bell.    For more from Nick: Your Korean Dad YouTube Your Korean Dad TikTok Twitter: @NickCho Instagram: @nickcho_ Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters: Website   |    Instagram  ...

Preeti talks with Asha Gomez - chef, activist and cookbook author - about her childhood growing up between India and the U.S., finding her voice in activism and policy work, and of course pani puri!   For more from Asha: Her website Her culinary experiences: Third Space Her cookbooks: My Two Souths & I Cook in Color The organization CARE   You can find Preeti: Twitter @chefpmistry Instagram @chefp...

Introducing Loading Dock Talks, a podcast hosted by Chef Preeti Mistry. Each week, Chef Preeti talks to their favorite food folks about their lives, food and social justice, and they do a little shit-talking too. Subscribe to Preeti's Substack to get behind-the-scenes content, to cook the recipes, and to get extended versions of the interviews.  Loading Dock Talks is produced by Preeti Mistry and...