With Bowl and Spoon

Season 4, Episode 32 This week on With Bowl and Spoon , Shelly talks with Marcus Wyatt of Windy Bridges Brew about how a love of beer, community, and learning led him to start brewing his own. Marcus shares how growing up in Chicago and now calling Pittsburgh home inspired the name Windy Bridges, bringing together the Windy City and the City of Bridges. His brewing story began at an after-work hap...

This week on With Bowl and Spoon , Shelly sits down with Helena Shorter Alston, founder of Kia Vida Superfoods—a woman whose life has been steeped in food from the very beginning. Born into a family rooted in cooking, farming, and restaurant ownership, Helena was said to be cooking by age two! By 23 she had opened her first restaurant in the Poconos, driven by a simple belief that healthy food sho...

🎧 Season 4, Episode 30 This week on With Bowl and Spoon , I’m joined by Sarah Kaminski, founder of Best Ever Granola — a small-batch, vegan and gluten-free granola sweetened only with pure maple syrup. Before launching her granola business, Sarah worked as a health coach and created a recipe for her clients that eventually became the heart of her brand. A turning point in Sarah’s journey came aft...

🎧 Season 4, Episode 29: Building Community Through Shared Kitchens This week on With Bowl and Spoon , I talk with Irwin Mendelssohn, whose path—from Pennsylvania to Florida and later to major cities like Chicago, L.A., New York, and beyond—has been shaped by curiosity, creativity, and a love of food. Irwin and his brother have long focused on renovating historic buildings, but opening a shared-us...

🎧 Season 4, Episode 28 This week on With Bowl and Spoon , I sit down with Selena Orkwis — whose path has taken her from kitchen tables and punk shows to new cities and cultures, all guided by a love of food and connection. Selena grew up just outside D.C. in a home where everyone was welcome and vegetables took center stage, thanks to her mom’s Moosewood like meals. After spending some time in Pi...

🍩 Season 4, Episode 27 This week on With Bowl and Spoon , I talk with Dexter Edwards , the creative mind behind Phat Bagel —joined by partners Anna Carley and Tom Hermanowski who round out the team with systems, operations, and finance know-how. Together, they’ve built something that just clicks. Phat Bagel started small with late-night dough sessions and makeshift “car fridges”—and has grown int...

James Longenecker came to Pittsburgh from Florida to train for the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge—and, thanks to what I call a “Pittsburgh agent,” she never left. After a short stint doing sales for Who Cooks for You Farm, she landed her current role as the City’s Farmers Market Manager, where she’s bringing new life and coordination to markets across the city. James grew up in Tampa, the daughter...

Season 4, Episode 25 Content warning: This episode includes honest talk about the realities of chicken ownership, including loss, illness, and death. I met Attorney Jody Noble Choder back in 2008 when she asked me about keeping chickens. And the rest is history. A devoted Martha Stewart fan, Jody was drawn to the idea of having her own chickens because it fit perfectly with her love of home, garde...

Season 4, Episode 24 Today’s interview wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I showed up at Today’s Organic Market ready to meet Carrie — someone I’d heard described as a powerhouse for local farms, food businesses, and community. But when I arrived at 9 a.m., Carrie wasn’t there. Instead, Cassandra and Larissa greeted me with bright energy and open stories — and I had to pivot fast. I came expectin...

In this episode of With Bowl and Spoon , Shelly sits down with Jessica Wilson Graves, founder of Una Biologicals , a Pittsburgh-based botanical beauty and wellness company creating all-natural, plant-based bath and body care. Jess shares how her journey as a plant geek, organic farmer, and mom with sensitive skin grew into a thriving business rooted in community. From pop-ups and farmers markets t...

Season 4, Episode 21 – Jamie Moore, Eat’n Park Hospitality Group Jamie Moore’s food journey started back in Greensburg in 1979, making omelets for neighbors after church. From homemade pasta to Italian classics, his passion followed him into the Navy, where he ran the galley, joined the fire brigade, and served during the first Gulf War. Four years at sea brought him face-to-face with global flavo...

Season 4, Episode 21 Sandi Kern is the founder of Desire to Be Well Juicery, and an integrative health practitioner whose story starts in the suburbs of Maryland, winds through years of chronic inflammation, and lands in a barn-turned-juice-bar in Washington County, Pennsylvania. When I first met Sandi, I was struck by her energy. She’s warm, funny, a little sassy, and full of passion—not just for...

Season 4, Episode 20 What if your big idea started with a borrowed credit card, a Paco Jet, and a dream? In this sweet and satisfying episode, I sit down with Chad Townsend , co-founder of Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream , to hear how he and his wife Lauren turned a chef’s side hustle into one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved ice cream brands. Chad shares how his journey from fine dining kitchens to ice c...

🎙️ Season 4, Episode 19 – Rich Patti, Kali Vita Fresca This week on With Bowl and Spoon , I sat down with Rich Patti, chef and founder of Kali Vita Fresca —a Mediterranean-inspired meal prep business born from a personal health wake-up call and rooted in the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean diet. The name itself is a nod to the diverse languages and cultures of that region, and the food he cre...

Two people meet in rehab. Fall in love. Make pickles. Launch a food truck. Open a sandwich shop. Raise a family. Build a community.  In this episode, I sit down with Madi Donaldson and Joe Bardakos , the co-owners of The Brinery in Sharpsburg that’s serving up scratch-made sandwiches, homemade pickles and kraut, house dressings and sauces, and a lot of heart. Their journey to brick-and-mortar star...

What happens when two Pittsburgh food podcasters finally sit down for lunch? A little spice, a lot of laughter, and some deep conversation about what it really takes to make a podcast — from equipment quirks to sponsorship struggles to storytelling philosophies. In this episode, I share a meal with Doug Heilman of The Pittsburgh Dish and talk shop: podcasting styles, listener habits, and why we bo...

In this episode, I’m joined by Julian Figaretti and HongChing Cheung, the co-founders of Healthy HeartBeets , a Pittsburgh-based startup offering a nutritious beet powder blend made with hemp and chia seeds. The two share the story of how their paths crossed and how a shared passion for health and food innovation evolved into a full-fledged business. Julian reflects on his early ventures into food...

In this episode, I talk with Lauren Marzullo, owner of Roots to Petals—a florist and plant shop specializing in unique, locally grown flowers. Lauren tells me about Pittsburgh’s surprising number of year-round flower farms, the challenges of growing, and how flowers help create a welcoming atmosphere. The conversation covers climate change, pests, pop-up flower buffets, and why flowers are an esse...

In this episode, retired Pittsburgh Public Schools teacher Kim Flurry shares how a personal health issue inspired her to start AKLW Bone Broth . Drawing from her family's deep food traditions and her years in the classroom, Kim talks about transforming her home cooking into a business—starting with a crock pot and steadily scaling up. She discusses how bone broth became a daily staple in her w...

In this episode of With Bowl and Spoon , I chat with Dr. Nadia Sundlass, an integrative dermatologist with Forefront Dermatology. We dive into the fascinating connection between the gut microbiome and our skin, how fermented foods play a role, and why modern dermatology is expanding to include holistic practices like herbalism and Ayurvedic medicine. We also touch on the impact of microplastics, a...

After 25+ years as a mechanical engineer at Westinghouse, a career shift led Jayashree to start teaching Indian cuisine, inspired by friends who raved about her meals. What began as a challenge—her first class was far from perfect—has grown into Popping Mustard Seeds , where she offers cooking classes, meal kits, and private lessons. Jayashree’s journey took her from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India to...

Ron Gaydos, Cooperative Development Director at the Keystone Development Center, has been instrumental in developing cooperatives across various sectors. He aims to create a more equitable and sustainable food system by connecting local producers and empowering urban farmers. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Ron developed a strong connection to nature and community, which influences his work. He believes...

Meet Teaira Collins, a mom of five, including Judah, who has Down syndrome. In this episode, she shares her inspiring journey of navigating unique parenting challenges, especially with food. In addition to developmental delays, people with Down syndrome don't know when they're full, so Teaira taught Judah sign language and healthy eating habits. The whole family got involved, learning to c...

Everyone thought Eric was a picky kid when it came to food. Little did they know he just had high standards! Eric’s culinary journey evolved from take-out at the bus stop, to culinary school, P.F. Changs, to IronBorn Pizza and now his own venture into dumplings. He tells us about his “most interesting” dumpling - the Nashville chicken dumpling - and how to make duck sauce at home. - - https://pitt...

In this podcast episode, Chef Keith Butler and Dietitian Judy Dodd discuss their work with Chef's Outreach Association, a non-profit that goes beyond cooking classes to focus on mindful eating, food selection, and cultural appropriateness. Chef Keith shares his personal journey with Type 1 diabetes and how adjusting his diet transformed his health, while Judy reflects on her extensive career and p...