The Connected Table Live

Chef Amanda Cohen placed vegetables front and center on the plate when everyone else was pushing them to the sides. She's owner of New York Times 2-star rated "all vegetable" restaurant, Dirt Candy, 86 Allen St., NYC. Dirt Candy is adored equally by vegetarians and meat eaters for its creative and flavorful vegetable dishes. Amanda was the first vegetarian chef to compete on "Iron Chef." Dirt Cand...

Anito Lo, chef/owner of Annisa restaurant in New York City, has earned numerous accolades for her contemporary American menu and a wine list dedicated to women vintners. A first generation Chinese-American, Anita received her culinary education at Ecole Ritz-Escoffier, Paris, and worked with Chefs Guy Savoy, Michel Rostang and David Waltuck. She's author of "Cooking Without Borders," is a TV "Iron...

Max McCalman turned his passion for cheese into a successful profession becoming a Maitre Fromager and sought after educator, consultant and writer on cheese. Author of 4 acclaimed books, Max developed the much lauded cheese presentation at New York's Picholine restaurant, at Artisinal Bistro (where he has recently returned) and Artisinal Cheese Center. He serves as guest educator for Cheese Journ...

Master Baker and social rights advocate, Jessamyn Rodriguez, is Founder/CEO of East Harlem's Hot Bread Kitchen a nonprofit baking enterprise that trains low-income minority women through Bakers in Training. HBK Incubates fosters small food and beverage businesses. She's author of The "Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook." We talk southern food with chef and food Writer Virginia Willis, author of 5 cookbook...

Wellness advocate, yoga instructor and rock musician Gabriel Heymann has created Smart Beer, New York State's first 100% certified beer. Smart beer is a crisp blend of herbs and spices (think orange peel and licorice). New Orleans Bartenders Chris Hannah of French 75 at Arnaud's restaurant, and T. Cole Newton of Twelve Mile Limit, discuss the history of the Toddy and Tales of the Toddy, a conviviu...

Antonio Rallo is fifth generation family member and co-CEO with sister Josè of Donnafugata wine estates in Sicily. Donnafuguta (means "women in flight") produces wines of esteemed character in three areas: Contessa Entellina, Marsala and Pantelleria. Roberta Morrell served as President/CEO of Morrell & Company fine wine retailers and auction house for 30 years and now is the company's Global Ambas...

Dining enthusiasts will put Bolivia on their culinary travel bucket list after listening to Chef Kamilla Seidler at Gustu Restaurant in La Paz. Gustu is committed to using 100% Bolivian products in its sophisticated menu that showcases Kamilla's training in her native Denmark and work at top restaurants in Europe. Karen MacNeil is truly the "poet of the grape." This multi-award winning wine journa...

Caroline de Roussy de Sales is proprietor of Chateau de la Chaize in Brouilly, one of the most historic estates in the Beaujolais region, known for its resplendent gardens and sustainably tended vineyards with 50% of the vines older than 50 years. Popular speaker and sommelier turned successful wine retailer (first with Best Cellars and now Best Bottles), Joshua Wesson is known for debunking tradi...

Hervé Dechamps is only the 7th Cellarmaster and Chef de Cave in the 200 year-old history of Champagne Perrier-Jouët. The venerable champagne house and its splendorous Art Nouveau design Maison Belle Epoque represent luxury and enduring quality with a Champagne that is food-friendly and classic. Author of 14 cookbooks including Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking, Nathalie Dupree shares her time-...

Stefano Chiarlo and father Michele oversee Michele Chiarlo vineyards, producers of renowned Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera wines in Piemonte, Italy. Senior Chiarlo led the way to modernize Italy's Barolo wines. At age 16 Cara Stadler made a 10 year plan to be a successful chef and restaurateur. In her 20s she opened Tao-Yuan restaurant in Brunswick, ME and Bao Bao Dumpling Bar in Portland and has...

Chef Roberto Santibañez is owner of 3 Fonda restaurants in New York City and author of "Truly Mexican," Rosa's New Mexican Table" and "Tacos, Tortas and Tamales." He discusses regional dishes of Mexico. Vintner Michael Mondavi co-founded Robert Mondavi Winery with his father in 1966, serving as President, CEO and Chairman. He established Folio Fine Wine Partners in 2004 focusing on quality wines f...

Saveur magazine Editor-in-Chief Adam Sachs is a multi-award winning food journalist who oversees print and digital magazines that transport readers through its inspiring culinary travel and cultural articles and recipes. The November issue puts a spicy twist on the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Wine maker Susana Balbo has been called "The Queen of Torrontes" and "Argentina's Evita of Wine." She d...

Chef Graham Elliot co hosts FOX TV's MasterChef series and owns Graham Elliot Bistro in Chicago. The former punk rock musician turned Michelin star chef has written his first cookbook, "Cooking Like a Master Chef." Named 2015 Wine Enthusiast Innovator of the Year, Aurelio Montes has spent a lifetime raising the bar for Chilean wines, most notably his iconic Bordeaux style blend, Montes Alpha M. (V...

The province of Umbria is known as the green heart of Italy and its only landlocked region. The food is hearty and the wines exceptional. Livia Colantonio owns Castello delle Regine, a 1,000 acre estate producing world class wines and olive oil, and a herd of prized Chianina cows to supply her estate's restaurant. Since 1850 Urbani has been the #1 name in truffles, today supplying 70% of the world...

Thomas (Tom) Matthews, longtime Executive Editor of #1 rated wine magazine, Wine Spectator, discusses the process his team takes to taste and rate 20,000 wines a year and compile the annual Top 100 Wines. As lead reporter on Spain, Tom discusses his latest Spanish Wine Report. One of Spain's greatest winemakers, Alvaro Palacios shares his spiritual side to making world renowned wines in Priorat (L...

A show for culinary travelers! Chef Joanne Weir has traveled the world teaching, writing and hosting her PBS television shows. Her 18th and latest book, Kitchen Gypsy (Oxmoor House), is her culinary memoir. Joanne is owner of the Mexican hotspot, Copita, in Sausalito, CA. Dave Eckert is producer/host of "Culinary Travels with Dave Eckert," airing on AWE-TV and Delta Air Lines inflight. Dave discus...

Jacques Pépin is an Emmy Award and James Beard Award-winning host of 14 cooking show series on PBS-TV and author of more than a dozen acclaimed books. His newest book and TV show are Jacques "Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen." He turns 80 in 2015 and shows no signs of slowing down, appearing with daughter and co-chef, Claudine Pépin, at food events around the USA, plus many birthday celebrations....

Jacques Pépin is an Emmy Award and James Beard Award-winning host of 14 cooking show series on PBS-TV and author of more than a dozen acclaimed books. His newest book and TV show are Jacques "Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen." He turns 80 in 2015 and shows no signs of slowing down, appearing with daughter and co-chef, Claudine Pépin, at food events around the USA, plus many birthday celebrations....

When NBC's Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford need a wine expert they turn to Leslie Sbrocco. Leslie travels the globe to speak and write about wine and hosts the Emmy Award winning PBS/KQED TV series, Check, Please! Bay Area. As CEO/Editor-in-Chief of Starchefs.com, Antoinette Bruno provides food and beverage industry professionals a business networking community, a collaborative environment to sha...

After 30 years running New York City's beloved Capsouto Fères restaurant with his mother and two brothers, Jacques Capsouto, at age 68, decided to reinvent his life from restaurateur to vintner. His Cȏtes de Galilée Villages wines are produced in Israel using native varietals from Southern France. Javier Galarreta is founder of ARAEX/Spanish Fine Wines, comprised of 12 independent Spanish wineries...

Pam Starr is owner, manager and winemaker at Crocker and Starr Winery in St. Helena where she makes highly coveted Bordeaux style wines. We discuss her affinity for Cabernet Franc and her unique style of Sauvignon Blanc. David Ransom shares insights from his recent visit to Sicily with Mezzacorona, owner of Stemmari Wines, Sicily's indigenous varietals and local dishes. This show is broadcast live...

The town of Tequila in Mexico's state of Jalisco is where tequila is made from 100% pure blue Weber agave plants. In "How the Gringos Stole Tequila," Chantal Martineau takes us to the source of tequila: how its made and how big business and tequila's booming popularity create opportunities and challenges. Filmmaker/author Aileen Bordman, takes us to the French village of Giverny, to artist Claude...

Giovanni Bonmartini Fini's family has been making wines in Italy's Trentino/Alto Adige region since 1497. Barone Fini wines are known for their elegant DOC Pinot Grigio and Merlot. Ralph Brennan, a third generation member of a the Brennan family, discusses the New Orleans restaurant industry 10 years after Hurricane Katrina and 5 years after the BP oil spill. Founder of Ralph Brennan Restaurant Gr...

Chef/Restaurateur/Author Pierre Thiam takes us on a culinary journey to his native Senegal, whose cuisine is rich in traditions and big bold flavors. His beautiful book, "Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl," offers popular Senegalese dishes, including ingredients to stock your pantry and where to source. We discuss Senegalese super fruits, ancient grains and red palm oi...

Carolyn O'Neil is a Registered Dietitian, award winning former CNN TV food/nutrition journalist and Atlanta Journal-Constitution food columnist whose healthy message is "The More You Know, The More You Can Eat." She's author of "Slim Down South: Eating Well in the Land of Biscuits and Bacon" and "The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous." Carolyn shares her tricks to slim down the southern di...