Not From Concentrate

Courtney E. Smith joins Catherine Smart to talk about Ravenous, the new worker-owned food and culture publication founded by former Eater writers after a layoff. Courtney shares how the team built an independent media company from scratch, why they’re choosing subscriber support over VC money and branded content, and what it means to cover food, labor, restaurants, and culture with stronger ethics...

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with Zachary Baum, co-owner of Bow Market in Somerville, about what it takes to build a place where small businesses can take root. They discuss how Bow Market transformed from an old carport into a vibrant courtyard of independent food, retail, art, and service businesses; why a true sense of place cannot simply be scaled or replicate...

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with freelance baker Mackenzie Innis about the artistry, logistics, and emotional weight behind her beautiful seasonal cakes. Mackenzie shares how she moved from fine dining pastry kitchens to building Ceres, a freelance baking business rooted in local ingredients, florals, seasonality, and deeply personal celebrations. She talks about trans...

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with Alex Fuentes, Head Chef of Special Projects at SingleThread Farm–Restaurant–Inn in Healdsburg, California. SingleThread is known for its three-Michelin-starred restaurant, five-room inn, and deeply integrated farm led by Kyle and Katina Connaughton. But this conversation goes beyond the fantasy of wine country fine dining. Catherine and...

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart sits down with cookbook author, photographer, and artist Jerrelle Guy to talk about her beautiful new cookbook, We Fancy. Jerrelle first burst onto the food scene with her acclaimed debut cookbook, Black Girl Baking, but success came with a cost. In this conversation, she shares how burnout, creative pressure, and the constant pursuit of “more” le...

Food writer, recipe developer, and longtime meal-planning expert Meghan Splawn joins Catherine Smart to talk about the emotional, practical, and very real work of getting a food budget under control. After realizing her family had spent more than $32,000 in a year on groceries, dining out, coffee, Costco runs, and food in general, Meghan began publicly documenting her effort to cut that spending i...

When Indian food is on the menu at Catherine Smart’s house, it usually means ordering dosa, saag paneer, and cauliflower Manchurian from a favorite local spot. But why do so many of us love eating Indian food while feeling intimidated to cook it at home? This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine is joined by Auyon and Jyoti Mukharji, the son-mother duo behind Heartland Masala, for a warm, funny...

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with cookbook author, photographer, and recipe developer Alana Kysar about the rich, comforting world of local Hawaii food — and how she transformed some of Hawaii’s most beloved flavors into vegetable-forward recipes in her new cookbook, Aloha Veggies. Catherine and Alana dive into the cultural influences that shape Hawaii’s culinary identi...

This week on Not From Concentrate , Catherine sits down with chef Spencer Horovitz , a 2025 James Beard semifinalist and the founder of Hadeem, a beloved California-Jewish Cuisine concept that's been popping up in San Francisco.  But this episode goes far beyond food. Spencer speaks candidly about living and working with ADHD in the high-pressure world of professional kitchens: the burnout, shame,...

In this episode, Catherine sits down with journalist and author of Bread and War Felicity Spector to talk about the role of food in one of the most difficult places on earth right now: war-torn Ukraine. Since 2022, Felicity has been traveling to Ukraine to support grassroots food initiatives—from mobile bakeries feeding frontline communities to chefs creating restaurant-quality meals for soldiers....

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with cookbook author and food writer Anna Ansari, whose new book, Silk Roads, explores the rich, interconnected cuisines stretching from East Asia to the Middle East. Anna’s path to food writing was anything but linear. She started as an international trade and customs attorney in New York before moving to the UK and finding her way into rec...

In this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with food photographer Nina Gallant about what actually goes into building a beautiful food image — from lighting and composition to creative direction, storytelling, and the invisible work behind every shot. Nina pulls back the curtain on the world of food photography: what a food photographer really does beyond taking beautiful pictu...

In this week’s episode, Catherine chats with Ashley Moore , food stylist and senior editor at America’s Test Kitchen , about building a creative career with ADHD—and why the way your brain works might actually be your biggest advantage. Ashley takes us behind the scenes of life at ATK, from fast-paced photo shoots to the precision and organization required to make every recipe (and image) just rig...

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with baker, cookbook author, bread connoisseur, and Great American Baking Show winner Martin Sorge. Growing up in the Midwest, Martin learned how to find the best sweet corn at farm stands from his mom: by peeling back the husk and taking a bite right from the ear. Even with a food-rich upbringing, his path did not lead straight to a culinar...

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart sits down with her longtime mentor Sheryl Julian — her former professor in Boston University’s Gastronomy Program and her editor at The Boston Globe. Like any great editor, Sheryl is not shy with a red pen. She and Catherine talk about what it takes to give useful feedback, how writers actually get better, and why becoming a remarkable writer most...

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Tenaya Darlington (aka Madame Fromage) shares her cheese journey — from working at a community newspaper in Wisconsin, teaching university English in Philadelphia, to becoming a cheese educator, blogger, and cookbook author. From Belgium to France to Switzerland, Tenaya discusses her cheese-centered travel and how they’ve formed her love and passion for che...

 Today we talk with Rebecca Eisenberg, content creator author of the Practical Kitchen blog, and the forthcoming “Small-Batch Breads” cookbook . In addition being a baker,  Rebecca  is an ADHDer and she shares strategies for thriving in the kitchen and managing her busy brain. Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entre...

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Sally Ekus shares her journey from growing up in a culinary publicity household to becoming a successful literary agent herself, despite studying social work during college. Sally talks about how getting into improv comedy has helped to shape her professional life as a publisher, particularly in redefining her relationship with fear and failure. As a true p...

Bake the cookies that make people ask for the recipe. On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart sits down with creator Mallory Oniki of The Palatable Life and author of The Cookie Club Cookbook to talk about the cookies that shaped our childhoods, the science behind better baking, and why homemade cookies have a way of bringing people together. From nostalgic grocery store sugar coo...

What if cooking felt less like a performance and more like play? In this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart sits down with chef, pop-up creator, and food writer Zoë Komarin to talk about finding more joy, curiosity, and ease in the kitchen. Zoë shares how letting go of perfection can make cooking more creative, why mistakes often lead to the best meals, and the mindset shifts that he...

Building a community starts with being willing to make the ask. On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart sits down with Aaron Cohen, owner of Gracie’s Ice Cream, musician, event organizer, and longtime community builder, to talk about creativity, entrepreneurship, and why the strongest communities are built by people who show up. Aaron shares lessons from launching businesses, orga...

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with Clare Langan about her wide-ranging career in food — from working as a private chef to producing culinary content behind the scenes. Clare shares what it really takes to create beautiful, functional food experiences, whether she’s cooking for clients, producing a shoot, hosting a dinner party, or collaborating on a cookbook. She a...

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart interviews Georgia Freedman about her new cookbook, 'Snacking Dinners.' They discuss the evolution of cooking styles, the importance of pantry essentials, and the creative process behind developing recipes that cater to both personal and family needs. n this conversation, Georgia shares her insights on the evolving landscape of cooking and r...

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart interviews queer and nonbinary pastry chef Justin Burke, who discusses his book “Potluck Desserts,” which aims to celebrate the queer and trans community through the lens of food. The discussion explores the significance of potlucks in queer history, personal stories of community building, and the intersection of food, identity, and classism...

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart interviews Kamaal Jarrett, founder of Hillside Harvest island-inspired sauces, who shares his journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship in the food industry. He discusses the challenges and joys of launching a Caribbean-inspired sauce brand, the importance of representing diverse Caribbean flavors, and the personal experiences that sha...