tasting table

Alison Spiegel, Digital Editor of Christopher Kimball's Milk Street talks us through her experience in food media spanning Huffington Post, Tasting Table, Food & Wine and now Milk Street. The discussion focused on what editors look for in pitches and what it takes to get a piece assigned. From there, we discuss her approach to editing stories and maintaining a writer’s voice throughout the process. A digitally native editor, we cover what her thoughts on digital storytelling vs. print and what the future holds.

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Michael Landgarten, owner of the historic Bob's Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine, joins HRN Executive Director Caity Moseman Wadler in studio to chat shellfish, sustainability, and their upcoming expansion to a second location in Portland, ME. The Bob's Clam Hut team is in town to compete in Tasting Table's Lobster Rumble.

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This week, Kat Kinsman, Senior Food and Drink Editor at Extra Crispy, former Editor at Tasting Table, and founding editor of CNN’s Eatocracy, discusses her book, Hi, Anxiety, which attempts to eliminate the stigma around mental health issues among members of the food industry. Kat explains how from a young age she offered to feed people in order to combat her loneliness. She discusses her own anxiety as well as her commitment to providing helpful resources and facilitating conversations about mental health within the food community.

Kat has been a professional food writer for ten years, and recently, because of her job at Extra Crispy, has become one of the foremost experts on breakfast foods. In this episode she discusses her love for the perfect egg and piece of toast. She also mentions some of her favorite breakfast spots around the country, which range from restaurants to drive-throughs to 24-hour diners. Kat’s advice to budding food writers is to focus on a specific niche within the industry, as well as to be honest and personal on social media platforms.

Gender imbalance in media coverage and awards recognition... maternity leave in the hospitality business ... sexual harassment. A number of topics have been heating up around women in the pro kitchen recently, thanks to a confluence of current events and think-pieces that gained industry traction. We get into all of it with guests Emma Bengtsson (executive chef of Aquavit), Alina Martell (pastry chef of Ai Fiori and Vaucluse), Karen Palmer (executive editor of Tasting Table), and Cindy Pawlcyn (of Mustards Grill and Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen). Co-hosting with Jimmy and Andrew this week is Heritage Radio Network's executive director Erin Fairbanks, herself a former professional cook.

Geek out with Tasting Table’s Best of Food + Tech, the month-long focus on everything in the culinary – cyber space. In-studio guest Karen Palmer, Editorial Director at Tasting Table, talks about digital media on digital tech, how restaurants are cyber-stalking their customers (to give them better service of course) and best in apps.

What does it take to run a successful PR campaign for a food professional? How has the music industry changed over time for live performers? What are Greg & Darin Bresnitz up to for their 32nd birthday? Find out on a jam-packed episode of Snacky Tunes. Food guests Marcus and Shannon from Bullfrog & Baum share the ins and outs of food publicity and Richard Jenkins, father of previous music guest Cassandra Jenkins, plays a few live songs and talks about the tradition of music that runs deep in his family. This program was sponsored by Tekserve.

“You don’t choose the restaurant industry, the restaurant industry chooses you. [14:00]

–Shannon Mulcahy of Bullfrog & Baum on Snacky Tunes

Today is a very special food-and-drink-only episode of Snacky Tunes. Darin and Greg Bresnitz are joined in the studio by Naomi Pomeroy of Beast in Portland, Oregon. Tune in to hear about Beast’s history in the Alberta Arts District, Portland’s affinity for farm-to-table cooking, and its fixed menu in a sea of vegetarians and vegans. Naomi discusses what two tribute dishes she would make for the people who taught her how to cook- her mother and grandmother. Also in the studio is Lesley Townsend, founder and organizer of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. Tune in to hear about this year’s event and all of the surprising collaborations with technology, theater, and music. This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

“Portland is a really natural place for farm-to-table food because the farms are really close to the city”

“This is a fixed menu, and there’s going to be meat.” — Naomi Pomeroy on Snacky Tunes

“The whole point of setting up the festival in this way is to have as many different entities become a part of it, and host their own events.” — Lesley Townsend on Snacky Tunes