Communal Table

Food & Wine has led the conversation around food, drinks, and hospitality in America and around the world since 1978. Tinfoil Swans continues that legacy with a new series of intimate, informative, surprising, and uplifting interviews with the biggest names in the culinary industry, sharing never-before-heard stories about the successes, struggles, and fork-in-the-road moments that made them who they are today. Each week, you'll hear from icons and innovators like Guy Fieri, David Chang, Mashama Bailey, and Maneet Chauhan, going deep on their formative experiences, the dishes and meals that made them, their joys, doubts and dreams, and what's still on the menu for them. Tune in for a feast that'll feed your brain and soul — and plenty of wisdom and quotable morsels to savor later. For more info visit: foodandwine.com/tinfoilswanspodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're living in a golden age of Preeti Mistry and the world is so much more delicious for it. The Juhu Beach Club chef, cookbook author, speaker, and podcaster (among other things) can currently be seen teaching kids and puppets alike about the marvelous universe of herbs and spices on the Netflix show Waffles and Mochi; heard on their new podcast Loading Dock Talks in conversation with food and justice activists; read on their super feisty and smart social media feeds; and channeled via their vibrant and joyful recipes and spice blends. Mistry joined Communal Table from amid the California redwoods to talk about thoughtful representation, who gets to be called a chef, how to monetize talent, and why joy is so essential. Preeti's Site https://www.preetimistry.com/ Twitter https://twitter.com/chefpmistry Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefpmistry/ Waffles and Mochi https://www.wafflesandmochi.org/ More about Preeti's spice blends https://www.foodandwine.com/seasonings/spices/chef-spice-blends Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Listen to these great podcasts: Loading Dock Talks: https://loading-dock-talks.simplecast.com/ Copper & Heat: https://www.copperandheat.com/ Afros & Knives: https://www.afrosandknives.com/ Home Cooking: https://homecooking.show/ Extra Spicy: https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/podcasts/extra-spicy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to calling out cruddy behavior, chef Sam Fore has never been afraid to speak her mind. Growing up as a first-generation Sri Lankan American in North Carolina, she had a supportive community (and a mom who always warned her about how her mouth would get her in trouble—not that she listened) but outside of it, she began to question why the rules and standards were different for her than for her white peers. Fore's sense of justice and fearlessness has only strengthened over the years, and she joined Communal Table for a lively and frank discussion about growing up brown in the South, why it's important to question your preconceived notions, accidentally becoming a chef, and standing up for vulnerable people. Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites http://www.tuktuklex.com/ Follow Sam on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tuktuklex/ The LEE Initiative https://www.leeinitiative.org/ Sam on Medium https://heated.medium.com/no-appetit-tuktuk-a3e708cb7427 Roasted Tomato Curry Pie https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roasted-curry-tomato-pie This Spicy Mango Pork Noodle Dinner Comes Together in Just One Skillet https://www.foodandwine.com/fwcooks/spicy-mango-pork-noodles-samantha-fore These Tempered Curry-Ginger Sweet Potatoes Are Perfect for Fall https://www.foodandwine.com/cooking-techniques/fw-cooks-samantha-fore-tempered-curry-ginger-sweet-potatoes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When city planner and architect Adrian Lipscombe visited a cafe in La Crosse, Wisconsin for a business meeting, little did she know she'd end up moving her family up all the way from Austin, Texas, running the cafe herself, and revitalizing a whole section of the city. And if running a restaurant during a pandemic isn't a full-time-plus job, Lipscombe also developed an initiative—40 Acres and a Mule—to preserve, research and celebrate Black foodways and support Black land ownership, makes hundreds of free meals for families in need, and got certified as a sake expert. Lipscombe took time from her busy schedule to talk about all of that, as well as what's going on in her native Texas (spoiler alert: plenty), what farmers are up against, and how she ended up with 40 avocado plants in her home. Uptowne Cafe https://uptownecafe.com/ This Juneteenth, Chef Adrian Lipscombe Aims to Preserve Black Foodways https://www.foodandwine.com/news/adrian-lipscombe-40-acres-mule-juneteenth The 40 Acres and a Mule Project https://www.gofundme.com/f/forty-acres-project Follow Adrian on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adie_eats/ The Food & Wine Pro Guide to Mental Health and Sobriety Resources https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro/the-food-wine-pro-guide-to-mental-health-and-sobriety Texas Restaurants, Bars to Reopen at Full Capacity; Workers Not Yet Eligible for Vaccine https://www.foodandwine.com/news/texas-restaurants-bars-to-reopen-at-full-capacity Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The day after Vinny Eng was named as one of Food & Wine's 2019 Somms of the Year, he said his thank yous for the accolade, then promptly announced that he was stepping away from the industry for a while to work on a political campaign. For those who know Vinny, this wasn't a surprise, because the industry veteran has always made it his business to act with intention, infusing every act of hospitality with an eye toward making the world a more equitable place. He joined Communal Table to talk about the COVID relief efforts he's working on for SF New Deal, explain what community organizing and mutual aid actually are, how he sees restaurants' role in a more equitable future, and what's feeding his soul throughout. SF New Deal https://sfnewdeal.org/ Sommelier Vinny Eng’s California Winemaker Roll Call https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/sommelier-year-2019-vinny-eng We Should All Be Empathetic to Restaurant Workers, Especially Now https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro/empathy-for-restaurant-workers Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Claudette Zepeda was at her most stressed-out, as she puts it, "my neck went away." Her shoulders were in a permanent state of hunch and she'd been advised at a new job to bring her "knives and anti-anxiety medication." But she learned along the way to advocate for herself, for people who'd always been marginalized in the world of food, and for the Mexican dishes that generations of her family held dear. The Top Chef alum and executive chef of the Alila Marea Beach Resort joined Food & Wine for a conversation about breaking bad patterns, communing with her ancestors, being completely humbled by her teenagers, and mentoring the next generation of chefs. Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about Claudette https://chefclaudettezepeda.com/ Follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/claudetteazepeda/ Mother, Militant, Empath, Hard-Ass https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/claudette-zepedas-tijuana Make Claudette's birria tacos https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/birria-tacos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

January is a particularly cruel month. The days are short, the holidays past, and hey—we're still living in a freaking pandemic. But we've all got to find joy where we can, and this comes in the form of the recipes and stories we're running this month, celebrating the particular pleasure of sopping up stews and soups with bread, making perfect flank steak (and other things) under the broiler, and getting as much citrus into your life as physically possible. Plus: We're adding something pretty special to the end of the episodes from here on out, so be prepared to get blissed. Food & Wine Pro: https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Get the Recipes: https://www.foodandwine.com/holidays-events/recipes-make-in-january Citrus Is My Therapist: https://www.foodandwine.com/fruits/growing-citrus-trees-indoors Remembering Lulu Peyraud, a Quiet Legend in the World of French Food and Wine: https://www.foodandwine.com/news/remembering-lulu-peyraud Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A year ago, Kiki Aranita was in Hong Kong for a cousin's wedding when she heard the first rumblings about a virus that was highly contagious and beginning to spread. There's no way she could have known that just months later, she'd have to shut down her much-loved Philadelphia restaurant Poi Dog because of its impact. It was an agonizing decision, but the multi-talented chef, writer, and artist is finding purpose in the pivot with a line of condiments that are based in her Hawaii heritage, making objects that soothe her soul, and finding new ways to keep the Poi Dog dream alive and thriving. She joined Communal Table for an in-depth conversation about the practical, financial, emotional, and intellectual work it takes to be a chef in an age of unrest. How It Feels to Close Your Restaurant for Good https://www.foodandwine.com/news/how-to-close-your-restaurant-permanently-kiki-aranita-poi-dog-coronavirus Buy Kiki's Sauces at Gotham Grove https://gothamgrove.com/pages/poi-dog Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1999, Food & Wine named Rocco DiSpirito as one of its Best New Chefs—a vote of confidence in the future of a brilliant young cook who earned the esteem of his peers as well as a rabid fanbase of diners captivated by the handsome fella who quickly became a staple of the gossip pages. Just a few years later at the height of his fame, DiSpirito walked away from the restaurant world, leaving colleagues and fans scratching their heads and spinning theories. DiSpirito shared his story with Food & Wine last year after returning to the restaurant world, opening up about his physical and emotional struggles, and taking care of his mother in the years before her death. A lot has changed in the months since the article came out, so we got on the phone with DiSpirito for a very frank and open conversation about the importance of mental health care (and how to get it), weathering loss and change, and feeling like a chef again even if circumstances are keeping you out of a restaurant kitchen right now. Learn more about Rocco https://roccodispirito.com/ Where'd You Go, Rocco DiSpirito? https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/rocco-dispirito-standard-grill Keto Comfort Food https://www.amazon.com/Keto-Comfort-Food-Diet-Pounds/dp/1984825216/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=fwpodcastroccoketocookbook1220-20&linkId=0a7887496506e23e6fbcf22777df3442&language=en_US The Food & Wine Guide to Mental Health and Sobriety https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro/the-food-wine-pro-guide-to-mental-health-and-sobriety Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The holidays this year will look a lot different. With COVID-19 still raging across the country, celebrations will be smaller, sometimes huddled around a Zoom screen or FaceTime, but there are still things to celebrate. In a special episode of Communal Table, Food & Wine's Senior Food Editor Mary-Frances Heck, Food Editor Josh Miller, Associate Food Editor Kelsey Youngman, and longtime (we're talking since 1982!) Test Kitchen Deity David McCann gather around a virtual table to talk through the stars, sides, and sweets in the November issue, and share their best advice for any crises that may arise. Get all of the recipes in the episode: https://www.foodandwine.com/monthly/november-2020 Read The One Dish https://www.foodandwine.com/holidays-events/thanksgiving/the-one-dish Follow David on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thisoldchef/ Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In what feels like a different lifetime, The Final Table star and vaunted chef Timothy Hollingsworth sat down in the Food & Wine studio to talk about his path from dishwasher to chef de cuisine at The French Laundry to striking out on his own as a restaurateur (Otium LA, CJ Boyd's, and Freeplay LA)—as well as using food to connect with a parent who has dementia. So much has shifted since then as a result of the pandemic, but while circumstances may be vastly different, some lessons remain the same: work hard, learn your craft, listen to your gut, and take time out to connect with your loved ones because things can change in an instant. Learn more about Timothy Hollingsworth https://www.timothyhollingsworth.com/ Food & Wine Pro https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In July 2019, which seems like a lifetime ago, beverage pros from around the world converged on New Orleans for the annual Tales of the Cocktail conference—an annual event highlighting and celebrating the best of bar culture past, present, and future. Veteran bartenders Dale DeGroff and Julie Reiner have had something to do with every step of that, and together are a walking library of modern bar culture. As DeGroff's classic book is being reissued some 18 years after its original publishing date, it seemed like a perfect time to revisit Food & Wine's conversation with these two cocktail icons—recorded in a room at the Royal Sonesta—on the topics of the late '90s and early '00s cocktail boom, what it truly means to choose a life in hospitality, and how bartenders can stick around for the long haul. Learn more about Dale: http://www.kingcocktail.com/ Follow Julie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixtressnyc/ Buy The New Craft of the Cocktail: https://www.amazon.com/New-Craft-Cocktail-Everything-Mixologist/dp/1984823574/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=fwdaledegroffbook0920-20&linkId=6ff393d0bd6d33ae27ae6f5399b35756&language=en_US Attend Tales of the Cocktail: https://talesofthecocktail.org Food & Wine Pro: https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When COVID-19 sent the hospitality industry into a tailspin, Eric Rivera had already charted a course to the next destination. His restaurant, Addo, has always been a venue for innovations both cultural and culinary, so a sudden shutdown of indoor dining was a chance to explore new ways of serving their customers and their community. First items on the menu: caring for the wellbeing of workers, and making sure the most vulnerable people are fed. Rivera joined Food & Wine from Seattle to talk about how he structured Addo like a business rather than a restaurant, offering a mail-order alternative to Goya products, and what a more equitable and sustainable industry might look like. Follow Eric on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericriveracooks Learn more about Eric and Addo: https://www.ericriveracooks.com/ Order spices, hot sauces and pantry staples: https://www.ericriveracooks.com/pantry Buy a plant: https://www.ericriveracooks.com/plant-shop Food & Wine Pro: https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices