Radio Cherry Bombe

“Food became more and more a revolutionary tool, opposed to what I just put in my body,” says activist Qiana Mickie, the special projects consultant for Just Food, the New York City-based pioneering food justice organization focused on community-driven solutions to inequities in the system. Qiana, who was most recently executive director of the organization, views food as a driver of enterprise, innovation, and equity, and she’s made it her mission to empower community members of color to lead these charges in the food community. Qiana joins Chef Tiffani Rozier, the host of the Afros + Knives podcast, to discuss the thinking behind her leadership transition, building safe and constructive workplaces for people of color—especially women, and ways in which white supremacy can impact the food justice space. You can find Qiana on Instagram @ragamickie. Host Tiffani Rozier can be found at @cheftiffanirozier and @afrosandknives. Be sure to subscribe to and support Afros + Knives wherever you listen to podcasts! Tha

“I’ve been incredibly surprised by where my career has taken me,” says Amanda Cohen, chef/owner of the vegetable-focused Dirt Candy restaurant in New York City. “I never would have expected it would take me to Congress.” Earlier this week, Amanda testified before the Small Business Committee of the House of Representatives on behalf of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. Amanda is part of the leadership of the IRC, which is  working to get Congress to pass the $120-billion Independent Restaurant Revitalization Fund. We talk to Amanda about her work on behalf of the 500,000 independent restaurants and 11 million restaurant workers in the U.S., as well as the steps she’s taking to keep her own restaurant alive. She also updates us on Lekka Burger, the Tribeca fast-casual spot she’s involved with, her thoughts on food media, and why she’s not moving back to her native Canada any time soon. Thank you to the folks at Breyer’s CarbSmart and Sonos for supporting today’s show. Also, tune in to find out why Brooklyn

“I have for a very long time seen that the world was unjust,” said Ianne Fields Stewart, actor, activist, and founder of The Okra Project. “To me, the solutions seem simple.” Ianne, a Black queer nonbinary transfeminine New York-based storyteller, wanted to do something about Black Trans People experiencing a lack of community, family, and food insecurity. The result was The Okra Project, a collective that pays Black Trans chefs to make home-cooked, healthy, and culturally-specific meals. “The joy of looking at someone who’s cooking a meal for you, who’s chosen you, and to see a piece of yourself in them—there is nothing more beautiful and powerful,” said Ianne. The Okra Project has expanded to include cooking classes, grocery funds, and more, and Ianne’s big goal for the group is to one day have a brick-and-mortar location for its community. Ianne joins Chef Tiffani Rozier, the host of the Afros + Knives podcast, for a special edition of her show on Radio Cherry Bombe. All month long, Chef Tiffani will be sp

Award-winning pastry chefs around the country have been furloughed or let go from their positions as restaurants struggle to deal with the ramifications of the coronavirus. “It doesn’t matter if you won a James Beard Award. It doesn’t matter if you are the most visible figure on a restaurant staff,” says Natasha Pickowicz. “At the end of the day, I think pastry in restaurants and fine dining restaurants is at a critical juncture.” Natasha, one of the most celebrated and visible pastry chefs in New York City and well-known for spearheading an annual Planned Parenthood bake sale, lost her job and has been busy processing and responding to the shifting realities around her. She and host Kerry Diamond talk about her two new initiatives, The Bake Sale Project resource-sharing platform, and the Never Ending Taste pop-up at Superiority Burger in NYC this weekend, as well as the success of the Bakers Against Racism project. Thank you to the folks at Breyer’s CarbSmart and Sonos for supporting today’s show. Plus, stic

Welcome to the first episode of the Afros + Knives mini-series on Radio Cherry Bombe, hosted by Chef Tiffani Rozier. Afros + Knives is a weekly podcast and media platform created by Tiffani that features Black women who work and lead in food, beverage, hospitality, food justice, and food media. “I launched Afros + Knives because I wanted to hear the stories of women who worked in food and look like me,” said Tiffani. “Over the past 15 years, I had always noted the absence of their voices.”For the next four weeks, Tiffani will be talking to women at the intersection of food and social justice. Her first guest is Jocelyn Jackson, the creative force behind Justus Kitchen, an initiative dedicated to creating love and liberation over shared meals, and co-founder of People’s Kitchen Collective, the Oakland-based organization nourishing souls, feeding minds, and fueling a movement. Tune in to hear about Jocelyn’s organizations and the work they’re doing, her time in West Africa, and more.Be sure to check out Afros +

Catina Smith was looking to create a sisterhood of Black chefs in Baltimore when she had the idea to launch a calendar to raise money and awareness. The photographer came up with the name and a movement was born. Today, Just Call Me Chef is a close-knit group that highlights and uplifts Black women chefs through professional networking, mentorship, and more. We sat down with JCMC founder Cat to hear about her plans for expanding nationally, her vision for a “historic” Just Call Me Chef conference in 2021, and what’s next for her life and career. Cat’s worked in “every crevice of culinary,” as she describes it, and she’s about to give birth to her third child! Listen for ways that you can help Just Call Me Chef achieve its goals and mission. Visit justcallmechef.co for merch and donation options and to be notified of the upcoming membership enrollment.Thank you to the folks at Breyers CarbSmart and Sonos Move for supporting today’s show. You folks are the Bombe!Stick around to hear why Tracey Tisdale-Richardso

Top Chef recently crowned Melissa King the winner of Season 17 after an epic showdown in Italy. As a returning finalist from Season 12, Melissa competed among the fiercest group of All Stars yet. She snagged both the $250,000 prize and the Fan Favorite award. It was a powerful moment for Melissa, a freelance chef and proud representative of both the LGBTQ+ and Asian-American communities. Melissa joins us to talk about her win, how she’s changed in the six years between her two Top Chef appearances, and how she’s building her business with intention and community in mind. We also talk about those small-batch sauces of hers that sold out in literally two minutes.Thank you to Breyers CarbSmart for supporting this episode.Plus, tune in to hear why Akua Kyerematen Nettey, the founder and CEO of Berry Bissap, thinks her mentor and food biz wiz Allison Ball is The Bombe!Photo by Nicole Weingart/Bravo

The restaurant industry almost broke Pastry Chef Paola Velez during the early days of her career, but her passion, drive, and sense of self worth have won out time and time again. Over the past two weeks, Paola, on furlough from her job at Kith/Kin in Washington, D.C., has channeled her energy and optimism into a project called Bakers Against Racism. This humble bake sale, founded by Paola, Pastry Chef Willa Pelini, and Chef Rob Rubba, was meant to give professional and home bakers a way to join the fight for Black lives, but it has exploded into a global phenomenon, with chapters around the world and sales underway on five continents, 17 countries, and more than 41 states. Tune in to hear about Paola’s life and career, and how both have turned her into a passionate activist who uses baked goods as a vehicle for protest. Stay tuned to hear why Auria Abraham, founder of Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen, thinks chef Airis Johnson is the Bombe.

Today, we’re celebrating Cha McCoy, Cherry Bombe’s new Beverage Director. We’re dipping into the archives for Cha’s two appearances on Radio Cherry Bombe. First, you’ll hear her powerful talk from our 2019 Jubilee conference, titled “I Am More Than Moscato,” which covers discrimination in the hospitality and beverage industry. For the second half of the show, we’re revisiting her 2018 Radio Cherry Bombe appearance, which was our number one show of that year. Cha was named to the Cherry Bombe 100 and the Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 for her work creating accessible tasting room experiences, The Communion, and she is the founder of the grassroots project, United We Taste, which brings together beverage professionals from around the world. Cha has made it her mission to make the wine world a more inclusive and diverse place, and to celebrate a variety of producers, products, and regions. We’re so thrilled to have Cha join our team, and we hope you are too. Cheers to Cha.Thank you to the folks at Breyer’s Carb Sma

We’re not airing an episode of Radio Cherry Bombe today. Instead, we’d like you to take the time you spend listening to our show and seek out new voices, in particular food podcasts by Black women. Some suggestions: Afros + Knives by Tiffani Rozier, The Food Truck Scholar by Ariel Smith, the Pro Food Maker Podcast by Mercedes Gosby, A Hungry Society by Korsha Wilson, and Dinner for One by Sutanya Dacres. There are many, many others and we’ll be seeking them out and listening as well. If you know of other Black female-fueled food podcasts, please share them on social media and tag Cherry Bombe so we can learn and share as well.

“I know that when I go back to ‘working normally,’ I will not live the same way that I used to,” said Kristen Kish, reflecting on the past few months. “I’ve learned an incredible amount… just by being still.” Kristen is the winner of Top Chef Season 10, author of Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques, and the executive chef at Arlo Grey in The Line Hotel in Austin, Texas. Radio Cherry Bombe host Kerry Diamond caught up with her to hear how she’s doing, what she’s cooking up, and her takeaways on Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, as both come to a close. Thank you to Breyers CarbSmart for supporting this episode. And find out why singer-songwriter, event producer, and hospitality professional Hillary Capps thinks Nicole Jardim, author of Fix Your Period, is the Bombe.

Marissa Mullen loves cheese plates so much that she quit her job with Stephen Colbert and dedicated herself to sharing her enthusiasm for all things fromage with the world. Her brand new book, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, was just published and it shows how you can create a gorgeous cheese plate or board using Marissa’s Cheese By Numbers method. Marissa chats with host Kerry Diamond about her crazy journey, getting rejected by 20 cookbook publishers and dropped by her agent, and finding her place in the community of cheesemongers, cheesemakers, and cheese lovers. Tune in and maybe a cheese plate will save your life too. Thank you to the wines of Rioja and Cypress Grove cheese for supporting this episode of Radio Cherry Bombe. Plus, tune in to find out why Sarah Hendrix, co-founder of Lady & Larder Cheese Shop in Los Angeles, thinks Helen Johannesen, the owner of Helen’s Wine Shop in LA, is the Bombe!Photo courtesy of Nico Schinco

“Being in the present has totally changed so much of my perspective,” says Jocelyn Delk Adams, founder of the Grandbaby Cakes blog and author of the cookbook Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories and several e-cookbooks. The busy entrepreneur has stayed focused through the current crisis by reminding herself what she’s thankful for, taking care of her young daughter, and tending to the business she started as a hobby back in 2012. Today, Jocelyn is known for her luscious layer cakes, foolproof poundcakes, and other updated comfort food classics, but it’s her business acumen as much as her baking ability that has kept her at the top of the blogging game. Plus, hear why Alexis Siemens, a New Jersey-based brand strategist specializing in tea, food, and beverage, thinks that Chloe Grigri, co-owner of The Good King Tavern and Le Caveau Wine Bar in Philadelphia, is the Bombe! Thank you to the Wines of Rioja and Breyers for supporting today’s episode. You folks are the Bombe!

“When I see these perfect pantries, I’m like… ‘This isn’t how real people live,’” laughs Deb Perelman. “This is a real-life overstuffed kitchen.” Deb is the cook, writer, and photographer behind the much-loved Smitten Kitchen blog and the two companion cookbooks. Tune in to hear what this down-to-earth personality is up to and why she’s loving things cooked low and slow right now, from sweet potatoes to broccoli, why she’s not baking sourdough bread, and why you can never go wrong with Rice Krispie Treats (especially when they’re made with browned butter). Plus, Chicago-based vegan chef Sam Spoll tells us why she thinks Tanya Lozano, founder of Healthy Hood Chicago, is the Bombe! Thank you to our sponsors for supporting today’s episode: The wines of Rioja and, our newest sponsor, Red Clay Hot Sauce. You folks are the Bombe!

“If you don’t see representation of someone who looks like you, it’s difficult to see yourself in that position,” said Emma Walker, the master blender responsible for Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker and a panelist at the Craftswomen event hosted by the spirits powerhouse Diageo earlier this year to celebrate the makers behind some of the world’s best spirits. We’re bringing you the panel, recorded live at the High Line Hotel in NYC earlier this year, as a special episode of Radio Cherry Bombe. The other spirits superstars you’ll hear from: Eboni Major, a whiskey blender and food scientist at Bulleit Frontier Whiskey; United States Bartenders Guild 2019 Bartender of the year Katie Renshaw; and Lynnette Marrero, co-founder of the Speed Rack bartending competition and a MasterClass instructor. Don’t miss this conversation about community, collaboration, and visibility. Thank you to Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker for supporting our show. And find out why Bombesquad member Meaghan Dorman, bar director for Dear Irvi

Meet Amanda Nguyen, the owner and baker behind Butter&, the San Francisco bakery that’s become famous for its Quarantine Cakes. Amanda came up with the idea for these mini cakes decorated with a PSA out of necessity. Her custom cake business relied on weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations, and all of her orders were canceled almost overnight due to the COVID-19 crisis. Tune in to hear how Amanda went from Facebook data analyst to bakery owner and why ethical employment has been such a big issue for her, even pre-coronavirus.Thank you to the Wines of Rioja for supporting Radio Cherry Bombe.And listen to the end to discover why Emily Carter of Imperfect Foods in San Francisco thinks Dana Gunders of ReFED is the Bombe. Photo by Andriya Rances

Karen Akunowicz, the chef/owner of Fox & the Knife in Boston and a James Beard award winner, has been dealing with a lot of highs and lows as of late. She’s a contestant on the current season of Top Chef All-Stars, but at the same time, was forced to furlough most of her restaurant team due to the current crisis. Karen quickly pivoted to takeout and delivery and has focused her offerings on homemade pasta and sauces, pantry items, “Spritz Kits,” and the most craveworthy hits from the Fox & the Knife menu. “I just thought that if I didn’t try, that I might look back and say, ‘Did I try my very hardest to keep us afloat, to keep going, to keep serving our community, to take care of our team?’” Be sure to tune in.Thank you to the Wines of Rioja for supporting this episode. Plus, Johanna Albertsson of Krupa Consulting tells us why she thinks photographer Andrea Czarnota is the Bombe. 

When you support restaurants with takeout or pickup, are you putting restaurant workers at risk? Tejal Rao, the California restaurant critic for The New York Times, asked this question in a recent column and it struck a chord with many of her readers. Tejal calls in from Los Angeles to talk about this issue, as well as what it means to be a restaurant critic during a global pandemic.Thank you to Ecole Ducasse and the Wines of Rioja for supporting our show. Find out why recipe developer Alexis deBoschnek in Los Angeles thinks Chowhound executive editor Hana Asbrink in New York City is the Bombe.

It’s a double dose of Ruth Reichl! We dipped into the Cherry Bombe Jubilee archive to bring you two great moments with the legendary editor and author. First up, Ruth reads from her most recent book, Save Me The Plums, a memoir of her time at the helm of Gourmet Magazine. In the second half of the show, Ruth talks to Chef Ruth Rogers of the iconic River Cafe in London, as well as head chef Sian Owen, from one of Jubilee’s keynote conversations. Plus, find out why Kristin Nelson of the Ardent Homesteader in Arden, New York, thinks Karen Washington from Rise & Root Farm is the Bombe!Thank you to Ecole Ducasse culinary school and the wines of Rioja for supporting our show.

On today’s show, we’re celebrating some of our friends in the chef community and airing a panel from our Jubilee Seattle conference with Chef Rachel Yang, Chef Renee Erickson, and Chef Makani Howell. These pillars in the restaurant community talk about leadership and navigating an ever-changing city. Chef Angie Mar of The Beatrice Inn in New York City and author of the new cookbook Butcher + Beast (and who happens to be a Seattle native!), moderated the panel, and Lara Hamilton, owner of the community cookbook store Book Larder, introduces everyone. Thank you to the Wines of Rioja for supporting today’s show. And thank you to our newest sponsor, Ecole Ducasse.