Sweet'N Up with Jeff Spencer

Johnny Kraszewski is the Captain and Founder of Armada Brewing Company located in East Haven, Connecticut. It all began when a passion for craft beer and fantasy adventure stories collided on a kitchen stove top while founder John Kraszewski was living in Chicago, IL. Armed with a journal of beer recipes and an epic story to tell John moved back to his home state of Connecticut and launched Armada...

Jeff Taibe & Steph Sweeney are the owners of Taproot in Bethel, CT. Taibe previously served as the Executive Chef of Kawa Ni (Westport), a Japanese izakaya serving globally inspired small plates and ramen, and Oak and Almond (Norwalk), a New American restaurant featuring farm-to-table wood-fired fare. Prior to bringing his simple and seasonal cooking style to Connecticut’s burgeoning restaurant sc...

*Episode #45* (I said 44, oops! Lol) Matt Stanczak is a partner of GOOD OLD DAYS PIZZERIA AND COCKTAIL DEN that opened in December 2020 in the basement of Marygolds on Main here in Newtown, Ct. Pizza aficionados know him well as the former owner of Stanziato’s in Danbury, which he opened in 2009 and sold in 2015.  After selling his business in 2015 Stanczak worked as a consultant, but was intrigue...

Katherine Hansen is the owner of Newtown Salt Spa here in Newtown, Connecticut! Originally with a background in forensics and crime scene investigation, she changed paths when her husband relocated for his job. Katherine traveled with her mom often and one of their trips took them to Poland where they toured the Salt Mines. While there she noticed how much better she felt - from cleared sinuses to...

Rob Scheer is the founder of Comfort Cases and an outspoken advocate for youth in foster care. His interview with Upworthy went viral in February 2017 garnering more than 100 million views, and he was later featured on Ellen and The Today Show. He was given a trash bag to pack his belongings, as he entered his first foster home at the age of 12. When he aged out of the system at 18, he became home...

Erik Ofgang is an award-winning writer, musician, and magician whose work has appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers throughout the country, including the Associated Press, the Hartford Courant and Connecticut Magazine, where he was a senior writer. His debut book, Buzzed: Beers, Booze & Coffee Brews, Where to Enjoy the Best Craft Beverages in New England, was released in 2016. He teaches...

Chef Carlos Perez is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York & currently the executive chef of @ The Corner in Litchfield, Connecticut. Throughout his career, Chef Perez has pursued his love of food in restaurants across Connecticut and in Manhattan. His cuisine is described as sustainable farm-to-table cooking paired with modern influence, playing off flavors both sweet and savory...

Sean Scanlon is an American politician who has served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 98th district since 2015. The 98th district encompasses the shore towns of Branford & Guilford. He currently serves on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, the Public Health Committee, and is co-chair of the Insurance and Real Estate committee. We had a great conversation diving in...

Gayle & Steve are the owners of Phinney’s Newtown, two passionate food and hospitality professionals who met at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a restaurant and agricultural center in New York’s Westchester County. Stephen went to culinary school and cooked professionally in NYC at Del Posto, while Gayle studied environmental science and food systems at Boston University. Stephen is a native of Newtown,...

Noah Elhert is one half of the award winning photography company based out of Guilford, CT - Tiny Human Photography, as well as an award winning cyclist, writer and director, but he is also the founder of Discover Your Path Tour which was founded by Noah who was a part of the foster care system to inspire and help at risk youth across the country who had a similar upbringing to Noah’s. Through she...

Taylor Jean O’Brien started in the Mayor’s office in 2016 working for former Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton after graduating from Syracuse University. She was recently named to Fairfield County Business Journal’s 2021 40 under Forty list and was the Executive Producer of the infamous, Live @ 5!  We had a great conversation diving into Taylor’s background with the City of Danbury, what it was like sta...

Andy Sachs is one of the country’s top-producing real estate professionals with the Around Town Real Estate Team, now a part of Keller Williams, and you might have seen his billboards around Fairfield County as you drive around. We had a really great conversation diving into Andy’s background prior to entering real estate, how COVID-19 has affected the real estate market, what trends he has notice...

Jozy Franco is one of the top sales engineers at SWEETWATER the worlds leading music technology and instrument retailer. Jozy's clients include some of the biggest musicians and bands in the music industry today - such as Marc Rebillet, Flying Lotus, Erik Prdyz, We Came As Romans, After the Burial, Motionless in White, The Iron Maidens, Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper), and Volumes to name a few. We ha...

John Boccuzzi, Jr. is the co-founder of BD Provisions, a bulk food store here in Connecticut with locations in Newtown, Fairfield and recently New Milford. Johns full-time job is the North American head of sales for Information Services Group (ISG), based in Stamford, but at night his job is BD Provisions. BD Provisions opened in November 2018 Freshly roasting coffees from all over the world and c...

Gary Crone Better known as Gary Fiveboys is the Former Bar Manager at Tribeca Grill, a 20 year Industry veteran selling to some of the top restaurants and Lounges in NYC. He has Traveled to Napa, Amsterdam and Mexico to visit wineries and distilleries to gain first hand production knowledge he is the owner of the AntBar.com, a master of mixology, and you can find him now bartending at Barnwood Gri...

Eileen Bradshaw is the founder & owner of the infamous and wonderful Facebook Group: Newtown Eats.  Newtown Eats was launched in March of 2020 right as the Covid-19 lockdown took affect. Eileen saw that local restaurants in Newtown & surrounding towns were going to experience tough times so she thought how can I help? What can I do to support? Hence Newtown Eats was born now massing over 4k member...

Kevin P. Lembo is a Democratic elected official, currently the Connecticut State Comptroller, the statewide elected official responsible for reporting on state finances, administering health care plans for public employees and retirees, and paying the state's bills. He first took office on January 5, 2011

Neviana Zhgaba is the owner of a brand new vineyard located in the Sandy Hook area of Newtown, Connecticut called Aquila's Nest Vineyards!  Neviana and her husband Ardian have always enjoyed the outdoors while also visiting local vineyards and when they came across a stunning 46 acre property off Exit 11 on I-84 in Fairfield County they knew they found the right place. In what seemed like a short...

Erica Sullivan is the owner of Castle Hill Chocolates right here in Newtown, CT which is home to some of the best chocolates Ive ever had and that the state has to offer. Since opening in early 2016, Castle Hill Chocolate is a proud member of the Connecticut Chocolate Trail, has been featured on the cover of Connecticut Magazine, the coveted Holiday Gift guides for both Connecticut Magazine and Un...

Clark & Kate Neugold are the Owners of The Foundry Kitchen & Tavern in downtown Sandy Hook, CT a hot destination in Fairfield County’s booming restaurant scene, but they are also the owners of the soon to open restaurant on Main Street in Newtown called Marygolds on Main - previously the Inn at Newtown so of course I wanted to speak to them not only about The Foundry, but about the new venture, es...

Vincent Cappelletti is the owner of Lucas Local Oyster Bar & Wood-fired Cookery in Newtown, CT and the owner of CENTRICO in Bethel, CT two amazing destinations for not only the food and the vibe, but the amazing staff and team. We had a really great conversation diving into Vince’s start as a restauranteur which is now spanning 38 years, his past endeavors, the renovation and opening of Lucas Loca...

What started as quietly thinking about relaxing at the end of the day with an IPA quickly flourished from pining over the success of other craft breweries to the reality of creating floor plans and refining beer recipes. Reverie Brewing Company’s vision is to create and promote high-quality great tasting beer for beer-lovers to enjoy. We strive to be a positive and honest partner to the community...

Chris Ciskey is the general manager and owner of Yankee Wine & Spirits in Newtown, CT a major destination for craft beer enthusiasts not only in Connecticut, but across many states. He began working in the liquor industry for Yankee Discount Wine in the Spring of 2007 as a sales associate and became a manager from 2011 to 2014 before becoming owner.

Michael Luzzi's interviews with American poets, writers, actors, and leaders in the business community have appeared The New York Times, The Daily News, USA Today, Playbill, Nautilus Magazine, Goodlife Magazine and many regional New England publications. He teaches English and his film-as-literature course, “Learning about Life Through Film” part time at Workspace Education, an innovative private...

Michelle McCabe is a democratic candidate running for the 28th Senate District here in Connecticut. which includes Fairfield, Newtown, Easton and sections of Weston and Westport. She is the Director of the Center for Food Equity and Economic Development (FEED) with the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. Michelle lives in Fairfield with her 3 boys. Michelle has spent her career taking on so...