tech bites

Following Tech Bites tradition, the penultimate episode of the year is always a look back. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks about the new minimum wage law for app-based delivery drivers and the recent court victory for drivers with returning guests Ligia Guallpa, executive director of the Worker’s Justice Project (WJP) and Josh Wood, delivery driver and one of the leaders of Los Deliveristas Unidos (LDU), the workers collective driving the change.

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On Tech Bites, the penultimate episode of the year is always a look back. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks about 2021 with returning guest Rachael Nemeth, co-founder, and CEO of Opus Training, a mobile-first learning platform that delivers chat-based micro-training to address the 80% of the workforce that does not sit at a desk with a computer. In a business where the immediacy of information is critical to success, Opus Training has a unique perspective on how the hospitality industry is navigating the ongoing challenges of doing business in the current pandemic economy.

Photo Courtesy of Jesse Whiles.

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On this holiday episode of Tech Bites, we’ll look at paying it forward to building better communities with Studio ATAO’s The Neighborhood’s Table. Host Jenifer Leuzzi talks with Edric Huang, Head of Programming at Studio ATAO, about combating gentrification through intentional hospitality and their current fundraising project. Make it a real black Friday this year and keep your favorite non-profit organization out of the red. Check out these episodes of Tech Bites to discover some new organizations we talked with this year: 245 The Forge, 235 The Barrio Fridge, 232 With Warm Welcome, 220 Spicy Green Book, and 217 Toast Ale.

Photo Courtesy of Kyung Ji Chyun.

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In 2021, a year-and-a-half into the global Covid-19 pandemic, restaurant, food, and grocery delivery has never been more popular, nor more essential to people’s daily lives and the survival of the restaurant industry. Third-party delivery apps have dominated the space, dictating policies and payments for both home consumers and restaurants. Companies looking to take back control of their delivery are creating their own platforms.

On this episode, host Jenifer Leuzzi talks with Jeremy Wladis, owner of the multi-unit Restaurant Group in NYC, who created the delivery platform WestSideEasts with a community cohort of students, tech people, and restaurants. This is episode three, of a three-part series that examines the current ecosystem of apps, restaurants, delivery workers, and consumers, seeking to shine a light on the real-world costs of delivery and convenience.

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In 2021, a year and a half into the global Covid-19 pandemic, restaurant, food, and grocery delivery has never been more popular, nor more essential to people’s daily lives and the survival of the restaurant industry. Third-party delivery apps have dominated the space, dictating policies and payments for both home consumers and restaurants. Delivery workers created Los Deliveristas Unidos in 2020, demanding a living wage, essential protection from theft, violence, wage theft, and safety hazards. On this episode, host Jenifer Leuzzi talks with Glendy Tsitouras, worker’s rights organizer at the Worker’s Justice Project (WJP), and Juan Carlos Huerta, delivery driver and member of Los Deliveristas Unidos. This is episode two, of a three-part series that examines the current ecosystem of apps, restaurants, delivery workers, and consumers, seeking to shine a light on the real-world costs of delivery and convenience.

Photo Courtesy of Sammy Escalante.

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In 2021, a year and a half into the global Covid-19 pandemic, restaurant, food, and grocery delivery has never been more popular, nor more essential to people’s daily lives and the survival of the restaurant industry. Third-party delivery apps have dominated the space, dictating policies and payments for both home consumers and restaurants. On this episode, host Jenifer Leuzzi talks with Claire Brown, senior staff writer at The Counter, and Elaine Russel, who manages the grocery-tech focused Albertson's fund at Greycroft, about how the third-party apps really work and who is profiting. This is episode one of a three-part series that examines the current ecosystem of apps, restaurants, delivery workers, and consumers, seeking to shine a light on the real-world costs of delivery and convenience.

Photo Courtesy of Erik Mclean.

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What’s the most important thing to teach kids about food? Maybe it’s not just flavors and cooking, but using food as a passport to learning about the world and the people in it. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Sarah Thomas, co-founder and chief imaginator of Kalamata’s Kitchen, the children’s digital platform that chronicles the food adventures of young Kalamata and her best friend Al Dente. They encourage kids to try new things, bringing about an appetite for empathy, inclusiveness, and community. This episode of Tech Bites is made possible by the generosity of Roberta’s Pizza.

Photo Courtesy of Chancelor Humphrey.

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If you live in New York City, how far would you have to go to get to a neighborhood farm selling freshly harvested greens? Turns out, you just need to get to Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with returning guest Rob Laing, CEO and Founder of Farm.One. Started in 2016, Farm.One grows rare herbs, edible flowers, microgreens, and other exotic produce year-round and pesticide-free, using hydroponics and LED lighting. Since 2020, the company now delivers freshly-harvested greens to New York subscribers by bike, all packaged in reusable containers. This episode of Tech Bites is made possible by the generosity of Garden Cult.

Photo Courtesy of Farm.One.

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Would you guess that the Brooklyn navy yard is the location of the world’s first commercially viable urban rooftop vineyard? With the help of Finger Lakes industry leaders and Cornell University, Rooftop Reds has developed a custom urban planter system. 42 of these planters cover the 14,800 square-foot rooftop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Devin Shomaker, founder and managing partner of Rooftop Reds, about the recent installation of solar panels, community summer pop-up events, and urban vines. Episode 239 of Tech Bites is made possible by the generosity of Sombra, the award-winning, organic mezcal.

Photo Courtesy of Rooftop Reds.

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Although it has been growing in popularity since its launch in 2017, Substack’s eNewsetter paid-subscription platform really took off during the pandemic. There are currently 500,000 paid subscribers generating some $17 million in revenue that goes directly to the editors/writers/journalists who produce the content and manage their own subscription lists and payments. Marquee names in tech, politics, and business journalism have migrated away from traditional media to create their own Substack offerings. But how will this trend impact food media, which is ripe for disruption? Guest host Mitchell Davis talks with veteran journalist/award-winning author Emily Nunn, whose Department of Salad Substack newsletter has generated a considerable buzz in and out of bowls across the nation and around the world. Episode 237 is made possible by the generous support of JUST Egg.

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Can we use technology to build a healthier food system? And what exactly do we mean by healthier? Is that defined by environmental issues, fair and legal labor practices, or wholesome foods that are good for human bodies? The FoodNiche® Tech Summit this May brings together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, policy-makers, and scientists to try and answer these questions. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with FoodNiche® Tech Summit Executive Director Julia Olayanju, and Ethan Soloviev, Chief Innovation Officer of HowGood. Episode 236 of Tech Bites is made possible by the generosity of JUST Egg.

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The Barrio Fridge in East Harlem, New York, was started during the pandemic summer of 2020 by best friends Darrielle Carter and Seantell Campbell, who wanted to serve their community with free food during a time of crisis. Today there are two fridges, and two brand new apps: one for Apple and one for Android. On this episode of Tech BItes, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Darrielle Carter about how to start a community fridge, and how app technology helps them manage the fridge, volunteers, and grow their 501(c)3 non-profit. Episode 235 is made possible by the generosity of Wisconsin Cheese.

Photo Courtesy of Barrio Fridge Inc.

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In 2019 Americans consumed 31.4 pounds of tomatoes per person, with sales topping $3 billion, and imports accounting for more than $2 billion. That’s why new ag-tech company AppHarvest is growing tomatoes in a 30-acre indoor facility in Appalachia. By targeting the popular vegetable and producing it at scale, the company hopes to change not only how, but where things are grown. On this episode, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with returning guest David Lee, president of AppHarvest, about robots, creating terroir, and a new vision of farming. Tech Bites Episode 233 is made possible by the generosity of Forever Cheese.

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With Warm Welcome started in 2019 as a podcast with the intention to bring together the Asian American restaurant community. Today it is a digital media platform with a magazine, pop-ups, merchandise, and events on Clubhouse. On this episode, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Arnold Byun, founder of With Warm Welcome, about how the mission and community of WWW have evolved to meet the challenges of the moment. Tech Bites Episode 232 is made possible by the generosity of JUST Egg.

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For the past year, we’ve produced more than thirty episodes of Tech Bites remotely, focusing on the innovations of the food, tech, and restaurant communities during the Coronavirus pandemic. On this episode, host Jennifer Leuzzi connects remotely via Zencastr with past guests to look back at the year that changed our lives. Deepti Sharma, Founder and CEO of Food to Eat and Bikky, shares how her businesses and political activism have evolved. Eliza Loehr, Executive Director of the Food Education Fund, talks about the re-opening of the Food and Finance High School in New York City, and the outlook of students preparing to break into a struggling restaurant industry. Tech Bites Episode 231 is made possible by the generosity of JUST Egg.

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In today’s pandemic marketplace, restaurants have to create new revenue streams outside of an in-person dining experience in order to survive. How does a restaurant translate its real-life hospitality into something online and virtual? On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with video designer and director of photography, David Bengali, sommelier, Belinda Chang, and Kristin Madden, Vice President of Bowen & Company, about how to build a successful virtual hospitality event and online business. Tech Bites Episode 230 is made possible by the generosity of JUST Egg.

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In 1902 the first US automat restaurant opened in Philadelphia. It took nickels and dispensed classics like pie and sandwiches. Fast-forward to Jersey City in 2021 for the next-gen Automat Kitchen. This one still serves American classics like chicken pot pie, but has been upgraded with made-to-order food and completely contactless service. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Automat Kitchen’s owner, Joe Scutellaro, and consulting chef, Quirino Silva, about how this old concept is the perfect idea for modern times.

Photo Courtesy of Michael Tulipan, MST Creative PR.

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Taste the future of food today! On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with a panel of people innovating food products, like sausage, bread, and eggs, for a healthier and more equitable table. Joining the discussion: Cara Nicoletti, Founder and CEO of Seemore Meats & Veggies, William Schumacher, Founder of Uprising Foods, and Nate Park, Director of Product Development at JUST Egg.

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In March 2020 when Los Angles closed as a result of COVID-19, the Geffen Playhouse launched the Geffen Stayhouse. Bollywood Kitchen is the latest show in a new lineup of live, virtual, and interactive productions. The production is a live version of Sri Rao’s cookbook of the same name that shares the story of his parents immigrating to America, their culinary traditions, and the joy that Bollywood musicals brought to his whole family. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Sri Rao and David Bengali about turning a cookbook into a live-streaming culinary event with people cooking along at home.

Photo Courtesy of Hartman Benzon Media.

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Can you successfully translate an in-person wine tasting to online? How many people would log-on to a live Twitter feed on Wine Tasting 101? Answer: 1.4-million people. On this episode of Tech Bites, host Jennifer Leuzzi talks with Chicago-based sommelier Belinda Chang about how she built a successful, global business producing virtual wine and hospitality experiences. She shares her pro tips on how to create the best virtual experience. Tech Bites Episode 226 is made possible by the generosity of Dashible.

Photo Courtesy of Studio 8H Productions.

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