This episode is a special collaboration with UH Seidman Cancer Center. Thanks to Five Star Sensation for the opportunity to highlight this important event and its mission.

Five Star Sensation, a food-focused fundraiser supporting UH Seidman Cancer Center, will take place Saturday, June 28, (2025) uniting chefs and vintners from across the country to lend their talents and time to raise critical funds for cancer research and patient care.

This episode features three local participants: Host Chef Vinnie Cimino of Cordelia, Douglas Katz of Edgewater Hospitality (Zhug, Amba, Kiln) and Venoy Rogers of Certified Angus Beef, who shares his story as a current Seidman Cancer Center patient.

I also speak with Dr. Theodoros (Ted) Teknos, president and scientific director of UH Seidman Cancer Center, about the incredible advances attributed our region's only comprehensive cancer center. UH Seidman offers cancer patients the most advanced technology available, dedicated and skilled clinicians, and participation in hundreds of clinical trials.

I find that chefs, and members of the restaurant community as a whole, are some of the most generous people. Please check out this list of Five Star Sensation participants and support them locally or on your travels.

Since its inception in 1987 Five Star Sensation has raised more than $23 million for UH Seidman Cancer Center. For more information on this event, visit UHGIving.org.

This year Malley's Chocolates celebrates 90 years as Cleveland's homegrown candy company and I sat down with Mike Malley, a third-generation family member to talk about this iconic and beloved brand.

Started by his grandparents, Malley's is a celebrated part of Cleveland culture. We talked about growing up in a candy-making family (so fun, right?) and review some memories about family life, the business over time, and get some sweet scoops on your favorite Malley's treats.

In early 2023, Chris and Katie Wolf opened Wolf Pack Chorus, a bold, beautiful restaurant in the Little Italy neighborhood of Cleveland. It was intentionally different from the red sauce and meatball spots along Murray Hill, with a diverse menu and an upscale ambiance. After the struggle of the pandemic, it was kind of a celebration and a sign that things were back to normal and "finer dining" was here to stay. It was a "must dine" spot on all the lists for 2023.

Two years in, the story changed. Chris had to make the difficult decision to close. It's all top easy for all of us on the outside to speculate and comment, which is why I asked Chris to share the story from his perspective. He talks about some of the hard decisions and how he faced the eventual reality of a closure and the ending of a long-held dream.

This episode is presented with support from Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish, at the West Side Market.

This is a story of two locally-grown kids who met, fell in love, started a family, and embarked on the project of their lives.

Jimmy and Kimberly McCune Gibson are building The Hive at Honey Hill, an incredibly ambitious destination spot in Geauga County.

Owners of the successful Hungry Bee Catery, the two culinary pros wanted something more for their community. Inspired by their love and appreciation for Ohio and Chip and Joanna Gaines of the Magnolia brand, the couple is transforming an old theatre complex into a lifestyle center of food, goods, music and gathering space opening in late 2026.

We talk about the inspiration behind their big dream project their Ohio roots, and their commitment to put their family first as well as everything we can look forward to enjoying at The Hive at Honey Hill.

Thanks to Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish for supporting this episode.

It's about the time of year I am ready to go all crazy on spring vegetables (a "rumspringa" of sorts) so I grabbed my friend Farmer Lee Jones from The Chef's Garden and Farmer Jones Farm to learn more about some of the lesser-known springtime veggies and to catch up on what's new at the Erie County regenerative farm he runs with his brother Bob.

In the episode we talk about vegetables, soil health, food as preventative medicine, and hear about some upcoming public events and activities at the market and farm.

The CLE Foodcast is supported Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish.

If we look hard enough, or far back enough, we are all connected to an immigrant story. Businessman and restaurant owner Andrew Revy drew upon his Hungarian roots to name his successful Lakewood brewery and restaurant, Immigrant Son Brewery. In this episode we talk about how our upbringing and family stories inform and drive us to create and share what we love. In a few weeks ISB will have a sister restaurant called Sofia's Kitchen and Bar (named for his daughter) that will expand on the warm hospitality and good food for which he is known. We talk about award-winning beer, collaborations with other locals, Hungarian food, and the importance of a gathering place open to all.

This episode is made possible with support from Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish, two of my "pod partners" and businesses I respect and patronize.

Some of the best modern Chinese food in Cleveland is found in a silver retro diner car in Cleveland Heights where Liu Fang and husband Carl Setzer have found a home for Abundance Culinary.

Moving here just as the pandemic started to rage in the US, Fang found comfort cooking dumplings and other foods that felt familiar to her. After finding her footing through pop-ups at Larder and relishing the abundance of local, fresh ingredients, meats, herbs, spices and other resources, she eventually built out an exciting and evolving menu so big that she needed her own place.

Her pre-America story is largely unknown. From working the coal mine industry to running China's largest craft brewery, she shares her incredible journey in this episode.

This episode is supported by Kate's Fish and Edgewater Hospitality.

Matt Fish approached the literal zenith of a restaurant career with his concept Melt Bar and Grilled. With 14 stores at its peak, discussions for more, featured tv segments on The Food Network, Melt became one of the "must see" attractions in Cleveland, holding court with the Rock Hall and the West Side Market.

And then, over the course of a few years, fueled by changing tastes, a pandemic fallout, labor shortages, and wave after wave of economic challenges, it all ended in December 2024.

In this episode, Matt painstakingly chronicles the events, and decisions he had to make to stay afloat and preserve the brand. As you will hear, Matt is starting to look forward and he's thinking about future projects, and also how he can use this experience to help others.

This episode, and the CLE Foodcast, is presented with support from Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish.

When we think of restaurants our minds tend to go right to the food on our plates, but they are important ecosystems that contribute so much more. Restaurant owners Karen Small and Jillian (Jill) Davis created restaurants that became our favorites—Flying Fig in Ohio City, and Toast, in the Gordon Square district.

Less talked about are how these successful destinations spurred neighborhood growth around them, contributed to tourism, and put Cleveland on the culinary map.

Their joint venture, Pearl Street Wine Market and Cafe closed unexpectedly earlier this year prompting introspection about the last few, very hard years. Karen still owns the very successful Juneberry Table, but prioritizes time to be with family and travel. Jill practices law and is focused on spending time with the people who matter most.

The theme of this episode? Life happens. Good friends help.

This episode is presented in partnership with Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish.

Friends don't let friends drink bad booze. And that's the premise behind River Roots Barrel Co, an intimate tasting room and storehouse of curated spirits, including some of the best whiskey, bourbon and rye you'll find in the US. Inspired by a love for whiskey and seeing the need for a high-quality Midwest brand, the group set out on a journey to find the best spirits in the world to satisfy any whiskey enthusiast’s palate.

River Roots bottles and sells exceptional "orphan barrel" spirits— largely higher proof, single barrel statement products from big name, familiar producers that will surprise and delight casual drinkers and collectors alike.

This episode is presented with support from Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish.

As October 31 approaches the majority of us are evaluating if we have enough candy for trick or treaters and planning the perfect pumpkin carve. Those of Mexican origin, here in the US and throughout Latin countries, are gearing up for Dia de los Muertos, a celebration that honors the deceased and welcomes them back home for a few special days each year.

Veronica Tomaschek remains connected to her Mexican heritage and celebrates Day of the Dead with her family and has participated in the annual Die de los Muertos event in Gordon Square, presented by Cleveland Public Theatre and Dia de Muertos Ohio, which will be held on Nov. 2 this year (in 2024). Day of the Dead celebrations include an elaborate procession, costumed and painted figures representing La Catrina, sugar skulls, colorful decorations and music.

In this episode Veronica shares her traditions including creating a memorial ofrenda (altar) and the foods that are part of the celebration.

This episode is presented with support from Edgewater Hospitality and Kate's Fish.

Turns out, seasoned restaurant owners still get a case of the nerves before they open a new place. That's just one of the many things I learned talking to Chef Douglas Katz and Edgewater Hospitality business partner Todd Thompson as they get ready to open Kiln, the third restaurant for the team.

Kiln will slide into a highly desirable spot in the Van Aken District as a modern American bistro with European, and even global influences, adding another layer to their delicious restaurant cake that includes highly-regarded spots Zhug and Amba.

In this episode we get the "nuts and bolts" of the restaurant—the environment, decor and food. But we also talk about the ideation and development process, their teamwork, and the pressure from reviews (professional and otherwise) and how it can affect mental health.

Those who are restaurant biz wonks like myself will have their curiosity satiated about all that behind-the-scenes stuff we don't think about as we sit before a plate of food. And, be sure to listen to the end to hear a fantastic story about a famous rock group that dined at Amba recently.

This episode is supported by Kate's Fish and thanks to Chef Douglas Katz for being a sponsor of the CLE Foodcast (and also totally worthy of an interview!)

Prohibition was a dark time for alcohol drinkers but a lack of booze fueled innovation in the beverage category. And that, friends, is where NORKA's story began.

In this episode, entrepreneur Michael Considine tells a great story of how he went down an Akron history rabbit-hole to learn about the city's signature soda that was produced from 1924 through 1962. Without ever tasting the original NORKA, using knowledge gleaned from records and family members of the original producer, Michael recreated the soft drink and even improved it to appeal to today's modern palates.

NORKA is currently available in four flavors and is sold as far away as Australia. We also learn how the brand has the potential to expand to other flavors and product lines.

This episode is presented with support from Kate's Fish at the West Side Market and Chef Douglas Katz.

Clean up on Aisle 112! That's 112 years of the historic, beloved and hopeful West Side Market. This iconic structure, and the human ecosystem within its walls, have survived plenty of turmoil—from the Great Depression to wartime, a global pandemic and a beleaguered city bureaucracy.

Rosemary Mudry became the Executive Director of the Cleveland Public Market Corporation about six months ago. Tasked with taking the West Side Market into the future with a newly created nonprofit management structure, she and her small team are calmly and carefully making changes that improve the shopping experience, fortifying the 100+ year-old infrastructure, and addressing the concerns and needs of around 70 independent vendors.

In this episode we get an idea of the short- and long-term priorities for the market, how the new nonprofit structure supports growth and change, and what the upcoming holiday season might look like for regular customers and visiting tourists.

This episode was made possible with support from Ohio City Inc. and the Ohio City Street Festival.

It's hard not to sit across from Flora Grk (pronounced "Gerk") and be uplifted and inspired...not to mention, you might wonder if you've ever worked as hard as she has.

Flora opened Tita Flora's, last year in Independence, Ohio, a place that is definitely NOT a hotbed of mixed cultural cuisines. She's serving up filipino staples in this small, homey spot that will have some similarities to other Asian foods you might have had. Listen to this episode to find out about the ingredients and flavor profiles that are hallmarks of Filipino food, how Tita Flora's came to be (and almost didn't happen), and how Flora's tenacity drove her to fulfill a dream.

Thank you, listeners and supporters for three years and 100 episodes, and building a lovely community of people who cherish local food, and the people who grow, cook and share it., and thanks to Bill Conners, my sound engineer through it all.

The American dream looks a lot like this. A young man from Ghana arrives to the US to attend Hiram College. Misses home. Duplicates a family recipe that goes back six generations. Becomes an entrepreneur with a product in Ohio grocery stores.

Nana Kwamena Takyi-Micah is that guy and Ghana Supreme Sauce is something we can all grab from the international foods aisle at the grocery store. His company is Micah Specialty Foods.

I know you will enjoy this unlikely story and along the way you will be learn a little about the African continent and the food differences therein. If you are an entrepreneur, you'll be inspired by Nana Kwamena's determination. All of us who appreciate the flavors of cultures different than our own will be reminded that the world is big and there is much to learn and discover.

This episode was made possible by All Cleveland Coffee, locally roasted whole bean coffee that gives back to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank with every bag.

Rocco DiSpirto has been on the food scene for more than 20 years...in fact, you will usually see his name preceded by "Celebrity Chef" and I guess that's true. But I enjoyed a fun and meaningful conversation with Rocco, an easygoing, friendly approachable guy (but I was still nervous!) who just published his 15th cookbook, Everyday Delicious. We talked about food, life, how the business has changed, and how his recipes and books have evolved with him and his interests before he stepped into a spotlight at a special dinner for Cooper's Hawk Wine Club Members (I was invited as a guest).

Also appearing at the dinner is Chef Matt McMillin, Chief Culinary Officer and head of food and beverage for Cooper's Hawk and he might have my dream job! In addition to planning menus and developing the direction of the growing restaurant's culinary offerings he can be found leading wine club members on trips to places like Tuscany and Croatia, and making appearances at dinners around the country like this one here in Cleveland.

Food brings people together and that's the reason for this double "BOGO" episode that was made possible by Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants! Thank you, Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants for the opportunity.

I wanted to call this episode Ice Ice Baby, but I was concerned that many of my listeners would not get the reference. If you DO get the reference you are truly among my people,

This episode is presented in partnership with the Ashtabula County Visitors Bureau and it is all about Ohio's Grand River Valley, a premier wine-making region. We're talking ice wine, a variety of wine that allows for creativity and that appeals to all types of wine drinkers. Ice wine is the focal point of the Grand River Valley Ice Wine Festival which is happening all through March. Seven locations on the "ice wine trail" offer pairings and difference experiences for the ice-wine-curious.

In this episode I speak to two winemakers and you'll learn how ice wine is grown, harvested and produced, and you will get a taste of what awaits you in the nearby Grand River Valley. (For more Ashtabula information, try episode 88).

Thanks to Chef Douglas Katz for being a supporter of the CLE Foodcast and to the Ashtabula County Visitors Bureau for the collaboration.

Put down your Timbits, and head to one of Banter's two locations for a pile of poutine! Banter recently reopened in Gordon Square and the combination bottle shop, sausage haus and poutinerie is the place to be for hearty fare inspired by the Quebecois (sometimes called the less dignified-sounding "Quebeckers."

Plenty of research went into Banter, which also has a second take out shop at the Van Aken District. Owner Matt Stipe wants you to think about the poutine, which takes some liberties from the traditional brown gravy and curds variety, but he also takes great pride in being a wine and beer shop, with curated selections he chose himself.

Trust me on this, the fries alone are worth the visit. But, considering that you can top them in a myriad of ways, with squeaky Ohio-made cheese curds, well you've got something close to paradise, friends.

This episode is presented with support from Chef Douglas Katz. Partners include the Cleveland International Film Festival, April 3-13, 2024, and the Ashtabula County Visitors Bureau.

After roughly 10 years associated with Saucisson, the artisan butcher shop she built with former partner Penny Tagliarina, Melissa Khoury knew the time had come to walk away. Earning and plenty of local and national notoriety, including coverage in Food and Wine and Oprah's magazine, and the chance to "Beat Bobby Flay," the little Slavic Village butcher shop that could DID IT ALL.

Penny left to pursue a career in hospitality in Arizona and Mel continued to run the shop, hoping for a Slavic Village revitalization that still hasn't arrived. After facing, and surviving, other life-changing things like a pandemic, a health scare, and turning 40, Melissa decided to close Saucisson at the end of 2023.

I am truly honored to have heard her story and to bring it to you.

This episode is presented with support from Chef Douglas Katz and the Ashtabula County Visitors Bureau.