The As Told By Podcast

More than anywhere else, our ancestral origins are found in food, and while migratory patterns and industrialization may have created a few degrees of separation, our memories help ensure that the lived experiences of those before us never really die.

To kick off Season 5, Kahja is talking to Award-Winning Writer, Bush-Holbrook Endowed Professor, and Poet Laureate of Kentucky (2021-2023) Crystal Wilkinson about her latest book, Praisesong For The Kitchen Ghosts, in which she recalls the influence of her family's matriarchs and patriarchs, and what her upbringing in the foothills of the Appalachian region and regional foodways have come to represent.

In this episode, Crystal talks with Kahja about giving voice to our ancestor's stories, the depth of ways Appalachian culture has shaped her culinary sensibility, the sacredness in communing over food as a learned process, love and grief as kitchen ingredients, and how looking back converges with the path to looking ahead.

Crystal Wilkinson

Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts

@crystalwilki

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Recorded on location at Fairmont San Francisco

In just over a week, food reviewer Keith Lee's trip to and exit from the Bay Area took us from excitement and fervor to disappoint and questions; was his perception of the Bay accurate? Why did he have so many disappointing food experiences in a region revered for its culinary breadth? And what has this revealed about the state of the food and restaurant industry and overall state of business in a city that's currently experiencing significant civic shifts?

On this episode, Kahja sat down for an impromptu chat with Charlese Banks, founder of The Town Experience, freelance journalist Brandy Collins, and journalist/editor/filmmaker Niema Jordan to unravel what this moment of reckoning for Oakland means, and where it has the ability to take us.

@thetownexperience
@story_soul_collecter
@niemajordan

Brandy Collins for Oakland Voices 

Brandy Collins for Substack

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff

It's the end of Season 4, and we're raising our glasses and celebrating with Fern Stroud, founder of Black Vines, the longest running annual Black wine festival in the country, celebrating culture, art, and Black winemakers and vintners!

This week, Kahja talks with Fern about taking the leap from a career in Silicon Valley to preeminence in the wine industry, leading a team dedicated to creating spaces of Black joy and celebration, being on your own personal journey to enjoying wine, and the value of creating community and sustainability within a Black economic ecosystem.

Black Vines

@blackvines_

Black Vines 2024 Tickets

What does it mean to build? What does it mean to serve? Whatever it means, Chef Matt Horn understood the assignment and got busy leveraging his memories of barbecue and studied the process of creating it, eventually transforming those learnings into the launch of Horn Barbecue and a career as a restauranteur that would go on to include two additional concepts; Kowbird and Matty's Old Fashioned.

This week, Kahja talks with Matt about the road from pop-ups to opening three restaurants in just over three years, curating spaces where hospitality is the main focus, the ups and downs that come with highly visible success, and honoring tradition by pushing the envelope.

If you enjoyed this episode, please contribute to the GoFundMe established to help with efforts for the Horn Barbecue Fire Restoration.

Horn Barbecue

Kowbird

Matty's Old Fashioned

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Episode recorded at StayDiff

The worlds of technology and music are converging now more than ever, and  for this season's Artist Spotlight episode, Kahja talks with Bosko Kante, Grammy award winning music producer and inventor of ElectroSpit, a revolutionized version of the talkbox technology made famous by musicians over the last 4 decades! 

On this week's episode, Bosko talks about his serendipitous path to music production, how his background in mechanical engineering helped enable design thinking to improve existing technology, finding his way through ElectroSpit to working with music legends like Stevie Wonder and Kanye West, and partnering with other artists through Hiii Wav, an incubator program focused on artist development in the areas of business, education, and the emergence of AI in the music industry.

ElectroSpit

Hiii Wav

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Episode recorded at StayDiff

Cash Rules. Guap. Skrilla. Once you get it, how do you make sure it's there for you when life starts life-ing? The last 3 years have definitely taught us to expect the unexpected, and one thing unexpected times always impacts is your pockets! This week, Kahja talks with personal finance expert Qiana Davis about how our upbringing impacts our money behaviors, getting comfortable with the B word (budgeting), understanding critical financial documents to protect yourself against the what-ifs, and how responsible money management is an act of self-care.

Qiana Davis

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff

Change is inevitable, but what happens when you wake up one day to suddenly find you've lost your livelihood? This week, Kahja talks to Bay Area writer Kendra Williams about being one of thousands impacted by the layoffs that swept the tech industry this year, meeting yourself under unexpected circumstances, holding space for grief in the process of change, and the value of owning your own time and attention.

kendravalerie.com

blacknbrownitm.com

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff
 

In a world of food influencers where everyone has a platform, the voice of actual food journalists reminds us there's more to the story of culinary culture than reels! 

In this first episode of Season 4, Kahja is talking with Dianne de Guzman, award-winning journalist and deputy editor for Eater SF covering the restaurant, bar, and pop-up scene in the East Bay about what it's like to have the dream job of food writing, striking a balance between authenticity and grace when reporting on a dining experience, the positives and negatives of food content creation, and the contributions restaurants make toward shaping the culture of the Bay Area.

Wanna keep up with between episodes? Follow Kahja on IG at @kahja_vs_kahja and @heykayinthebay

Episode recorded at Stay Diff

A lot can change in a year and a half, and the last time we talked to MarQuita was way back at the beginning of Season 1, right as she was about to start her full time entrepreneur journey. Since then, as the founder and owner of That's My Jam Company, MarQuita's been busy positioning her low sugar, pectin-free jams as an exciting, artisan alternative to the norm, taking you well beyond just toast and biscuits!

In this last episode of Season 3, Kahja catches up with MarQuita about life after quitting her 9-5, the myth of preparedness as a business strategy, the evolving landscape of friendships when life is changing,  why centering people's experience is key to being effective, and the pride of having a business that honors tradition.

That's My Jam Company

@thatsmyjamcompany

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff

With Oakland’s food scene growing, it seems like there’s a new restaurant opening all the time, but not all are as anticipated as the opening of Burdell later this year! Led by Chef Geoff Davis, Burdell has been building a reputation that pays nostalgic homage to the culture of Black American food. With pop-up dinners that invite diners to linger over homey plates of food that simultaneously bear the mark of a classically-trained chef, Burdell is here to help us remember that food is more than just a meal, but a celebration of what and who has come before us.

In this episode, Kahja and Chef Geoff talk about balancing modernity with honoring food traditions, the significance of exposing children to culinary experiences early on, the importance of the Black migration and misnomers about the healthiness of soul food, and bucking trends to maintain your true identity.

@burdell_oak

Chef Geoff Davis

Resy contributions

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff

We might be halfway through Black History Month, but we couldn’t let this month go by without acknowledging all of the great things happening in Oakland! As a lead up to the Black Joy Parade on February 26th, it's only right to highlight some amazing events that’ll be taking place at one of Oakland’s favorite new eateries, Town Fare Cafe, led by Executive Chef Michele McQueen!

Known and loved for both her soul food staples and twists on the classics, Chef Michele has raised the bar at Oakland Museum of California for what people can expect from a museum cafe! Building on her following from her days as owner of Gussie’s Chicken and Waffles in the Fillmore District in San Francisco, she’s created a menu of eclectic yet familiar dishes delivered in an environment casual enough for a quick lunch stop, yet sophisticated enough for Sunday brunch!

In this episode, Chef Michele talks with Kahja about what being in the hospitality industry really means, holding true to the classics while still taking creative license, leaving the door open for those coming behind you, and what it takes to be in business as a restaurateur.

And next week is an amazing opportunity to celebrate Black History Month with a 4 day celebration, Feeding The Culture, taking place at Town Fare! Events will include:

-Thurs, Feb 23rd: A Seat At The Table - a curated 7 course dining experience to feed your soul!

-Fri, Feb 24th: Shrimp & Grits Taste-off featuring 7 of Oakland’s top chefs going head-to-head!

-Sat, Feb 25th: Culture Raises Us - a panel discussion on being empowered stewards of culture

-Sun, Feb 26: Sunday Soul Jazz Brunch - a soulful buffet-style brunch you can enjoy before heading to the Black Joy Parade!

Chef Michele McQueen

Town Fare

Oakland Museum of California

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff

In a world that rewards keeping it moving and pushing forward, SoLauren is providing the soundtrack to remembering. And as the landscape of music began to change in the early 2000s, Lauren Adams got busy honing her craft as a singer/songwriter/keyboardist, bringing together her musical upbringing and love for the culture. As a solo artist, she's been featured on projects that are bringing new light to Bay Area hip-hop culture, and as a member of the group Sol Development, SoLauren has not only been part of creating music with soulful, spiritual roots, but was also part of the Emmy-award winning short film Dear Beloved, a music and storytelling collaboration with BE-IMAGINATIVE, centering the stories of mothers impacted by gun violence. 

On this episode, SoLauren talks with Kahja about paying dues and putting in the work in her early days as a musician, serendipitous meetings that turned into lifelong family, moving beyond herself in order to show up in service through her gift, and stepping into who she's always wanted to be.

SoLauren

Sol Development

@solauren

Dear Beloved

BE-IMAGINATIVE

When The Waters Get Deep Documentary

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff

The pandemic gave life to so many brilliant businesses, and Rize Up Bakery definitely seized the moment! With the entire Bay Area sheltered in place, owner and founder Azikiwee Anderson got busy turning a passion project into one of the most recognizable new businesses in San Francisco, cranking out inventive and creatively flavored loaves of sourdough bread!

In this week's episode Azikiwee reflects on humble beginnings, centering representation in areas where it's rarely seen, and what it takes to scale a  business at the speed of sound!

Rize Up Bakery

@rizeupbakery

Interested in investing opportunities with Rize Up Bakery?

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Episode recorded at Stay Diff

It’s not easy to be a paper chaser, to have your block on fire, or to make something out of nothing, but Court Smith of Courtsmith and Nana Kofi Nti of 510Media both have done exactly that! 

Harnessing the energy of growing up in the evolving landscape of hood culture in Oakland, they each followed their passions and turned lemons into the quintessential lemonade stand, not only operating successful businesses that employ other Black creators across a variety of disciplines, but as leaders of HOPE Academy, a behavioral science-based course for emerging entrepreneurs.

Leading up to the start of a new session of HOPE, Kahja chats with Court and Nana about humble beginnings, the weight of public success and failure, the unique challenges facing Black entrepreneurs, and why true success in business is a group effort.

Sign up for this year's session of Hope Academy starting January 18th!

CourtSmith

510Media

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Episode recorded at StayDiff

Journalism connects people to the experiences of others, but in the landscape of social media and citizen reporting, the actual business of storytelling is a job for those who truly love the art! 

In this first episode of Season 3, Kahja talks to Niema Jordan and Brandy Collins about ethics in media, the responsibility of having a platform, centering human stories, and making space for success in your hometown.

Niema Jordan

@niemajordan

Come hear Niema as a speaker at TedX Berkeley 2023!

Bree Wayy

Brandy Collins

@story_soul_collector

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Episode recorded at StayDiff

Forever, forever-ever, forever-ever??? In this last episode of Season 2, Kahja talks with Bay Area musicians Kate Lamont and Rian Robinson about their individual experiences being married and divorced, how they've each grown in the aftermath, and their current perspectives on what it takes to have a shot at lasting love.

@katelamontsings

@rianjrobinson

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Life is life-ing this week, so we called in a friend to chop it up with! This week, Kahja chats with Season 1 listener fave Anthony Petty of The CSC Gym about a mixed bag of topics, including cancel culture, stress management, and adjusting to the temporary loss of an empty nester lifestyle!

@thecscgym

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From his work as a solo artist to his collaborative contributions as a member of Grand Nationxl, Mani Draper is redefining what it means to be a modern day rapper, one album at a time. This week, he takes a break from engineering the recording of The As Told By Podcast to sit in the interviewee's seat, and shares his upbringing in the hip-hop and R&B culture of the 90s, the bright side of cultural displacement, the responsibility of having love in his life, and the road to becoming one of the Bay Area's most loved and respected artists/producers.

@manidraper

@grandnationxl

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Starting a business and immigrating to a new country is no easy feat, but in just over 5 years, Lilian Duran has managed to do both! As the founder of one of the Bay Area's newest pop-ups, Clandestina Cocina, Lilian's Cuban heritage is on full display through her menu of traditional dishes, and in this week's episode, we talk about the experience of immigrating in the current societal landscape, and the process of turning a creative passion into an entrepreneurial path!

@clandestinacocinaberkeley

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A good bowl of gumbo is a mix of various things that come together to make something great, and in keeping with that theme, this week, Mr. Gumbo his self reflects on his culinary origins, navigating the grind of a rapidly growing business, bringing back a sense of community around Sunday dinner, and giving his self permission to enjoy the accolades of having one of the newest and most exciting pop-up in the Bay!

Gumbo Social

@gumbosocial

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