469 episodes
NC F&B Podcast North Carolina Food & Beverage
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- Arts
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4.6 • 107 Ratings
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Hospitality industry veterans, Max Trujillo and Matthew Weiss, get behind the scenes of North Carolina's burgeoning food and beverage culture. Hear from local chefs, Sommelier's, distillers, farmers, brewers and the whole lot of them in the NC F&B podcast.
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What You Don't Know About Italian Food, with Sysco's Chef Bennett DePew
Chef Bennett Depew, Director of Italian for Sysco of the Carolinas. The discussion covers the rising popularity of Italian cuisine in America, particularly in the Carolinas, and the evolution of Italian cooking from traditional dishes to novel ingredients like 'nduja and Taleggio cheese. Chef Bennett shares insights on how the Italian segment of the restaurant industry uniquely thrived during the pandemic due to the travel-friendly nature of Italian cuisine. They delve into how restaurants can maintain profitability amidst changing trends like gluten-free diets and the use of technology to streamline operations. The conversation also touches on the importance of work-life balance in the restaurant industry, the role of Cisco in supporting local businesses, and the benefits of utilizing technology and local sourcing to improve restaurant operations and menu offerings.
00:00 Welcome to the North Carolina Food and Beverage Podcast
00:49 Introducing Chef Bennett Depew: A Deep Dive into Italian Cuisine
01:13 The Evolution and Resilience of Italian Food in America
04:57 The Art and Zen of Pasta Making
10:32 Navigating the Business Side: From Chef to Cisco Specialist
16:40 The Journey to the 'Dark Side': Transitioning from Chef to Sales
22:45 Reflecting on the First Day and Sales Experiences
22:56 The Evolution of Work-Life Balance in the Restaurant Industry
24:02 Improving Quality of Life for Restaurant Workers
25:45 The Impact of Minimum Wage Laws on the Restaurant Industry
27:55 Rethinking Tipping and Sales Commissions in Restaurants
29:17 Leveraging Technology for Restaurant Efficiency
33:35 Exploring Italian Cooking Trends and Ingredients
39:10 The Significance of Local Sourcing and Cisco's Role
42:13 Big Business Supporting Small: A New Era of Convenience
On the mic this week:
@trujillo.media
@weisswine
Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod
Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod
Support our Sponsors:
Welcome SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!!
Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here -
What's Next for Top Chef Contestant Manny Barella
We chat with Chef Manny Barella, visiting from Denver, Colorado. Barella, a Top Chef contestant and renowned chef, discusses his culinary journey, the inspiration behind his cooking, and his excitement for participating in Bubbles and Brisket. Beyond sharing his experiences on Top Chef and his recent culinary experiments, Barella also reveals his upcoming venture in Raleigh, Jaguar Bolera, an entertainment-focused concept aiming to offer high-quality, scratch-made food. The conversation touches on Barella's diverse cooking influences, expectations for his new project, and the significance of his Top Chef fraternity.
01:41 Chef Manny's Brisket Adventures
03:07 Diving Into Top Chef: The Competition, Challenges, and Cheese Curds
10:14 Building a Brand and the Business Side of the Culinary World
11:45 Chef Manny's Top Chef Cheese Curd Challenge: A Learning Experience
18:31 From Mexico to Michelin: Chef Manny's Culinary Odyssey
26:59 Journey to a Dream Job: From Michelin Stars to Top Chef
29:00 The Birth of Jaguar Bolera: Elevating Entertainment Dining
37:37 Culinary Innovations: Blending Cultures and Flavors
41:52 Expanding Horizons: From Chef to Culinary Director
46:47 Top Chef Insights: Behind the Scenes and Future Collaborations
55:54 A New Chapter in Raleigh: Bringing Unique Dining Experiences
Be sure to follow us on Instagram at NCFBPOD and though this week is audio only, follow us on youtube at youtube.com/@ncfbpodcast
Get your tix to Bubbles & Bagels here
On the mic this week:
@trujillo.media
@weisswine
Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod
Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod
Support our Sponsors:
Welcome SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!!
Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here -
Rising to the Top with Top Chef Contestant Savannah Miller
We are joined by a newly minted contestant on Top Chef from Durham, NC Savannah Miller. Max & Matt delve into Savannah's culinary journey, from her beginnings in Southern Pines and education at the New England Culinary Institute to her roles in various restaurants, including her current role at M Tempura. The conversation highlights her early interest in pastry, her move toward a broader culinary role, and her experiences with Top Chef — including the audition process, working under the scrutiny of cameras and judges, and the challenges and opportunities that come with being on the show. Additionally, the hosts discuss their upcoming event, Bubbles and Brisket, and extend an invitation to Savannah to participate. The episode also touches on potential career paths post-Top Chef, and Savannah shares her dreams of owning a business that encompasses a restaurant, events, and a commissary kitchen on a farm.
03:06 Savannah's Journey: From Southern Pines to Top Chef 15:09 A Deep Dive into Top Chef and Savannah's Journey on the Show 25:27 The Unique Experience of Filming Top Chef in Wisconsin 29:06 The Intense World of Cooking Competitions 30:10 The Evolution of Chef Caliber on Cooking Shows 37:17 The Impact of Reality TV on Personal and Professional Life 39:21 Dreams and Aspirations Post-Top Chef 51:13 Reflecting on the Top Chef Experience and Future Opportunities Be sure to follow us on Instagram at NCFBPOD and though this week is audio only, follow us on youtube at youtube.com/@ncfbpodcast
Get your tix to Bubbles & Bagels here
On the mic this week:
@trujillo.media
@weisswine
Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod
Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod
Support our Sponsors:
Welcome SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!!
Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here -
Feast of Wilmington (Part 4 of 4)
Lastly, we have a bonus episode that features the ladies of the NC F&B Podcast, that’s right, Sarah C Weiss and Felicia Trujillo take over the microphones to show us how to do a proper interview, featuring the local and delicious Boombalattis Ice Cream owners, Kristen and Wes Bechtel.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram at NCFBPOD and though this week is audio only, follow us on youtube at youtube.com/@ncfbpodcast
Get your tix to Bubbles & Bagels here
On the mic this week:
@trujillo.media
@weisswine
Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod
Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod
Support our Sponsors:
Welcome SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!!
Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here -
Feast of Wilmington (Part 3 of 4)
Our third episode from Feast of Wilmington features the Journalistic talents of Raleigh Magazine’s Melissa Howsam and Lauren Kruchten, local podcast and great social media follow What’s Up Wilmington as well as digital creators Abbi and Bert of Dailey Dines Together
Get your tix to Bubbles & Bagels here
On the mic this week:
@trujillo.media
@weisswine
Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod
Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod
Support our Sponsors:
Welcome SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!!
Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here -
Feast of Wilmington (Part 2 of 4)
We devote this episode at Feast of Wilmington specifically to Chef Bobby Zimmerman of True Blue Butcher and Table. It's a comprehensive dive into the world of entrepreneurship, post Covid pivots and straight up Butcher-talk.
Get your tix to Bubbles & Bagels here
On the mic this week:
@trujillo.media
@weisswine
Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod
Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod
Support our Sponsors:
Welcome SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!!
Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here
Customer Reviews
Every episode makes me want to go eat there
Max and Matt do a wonderful job of showcasing all the food and restaurant talent in NC. The podcast is very well done, too, great production
Just What I Have Been Missing
I moved to the triangle from LA a couple years ago where I was really connected to the food industry and have really struggled to find that here in NC. This show gives me a sense of what I’ve been missing in how they talk inside baseball about the industry, weave connections between current and former guests, and dig deep into the stories of why people do what they do. It’s like having a local version of my favorite NPR show Good Food.
Supporting F&B Employees
Thankful. As this pod continued to grow, I saw an even greater emphasis on the people of F&B in NC. Showcasing small businesses, entrepreneurs, producers, creators, servers, bars and restaurants means not just throwing love at venues but throwing respect and care for the people in the industry- from servers, bussers, barkeeps, BOH, farmers, product entrepreneurs, etc. Let’s keep the conversations going and building greater equity, living wage pay, small business and community support ! Well done y’all!