110. A Recipe or Not
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans. Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast, today is episode 110 and we are extra feisty. Sorry moms! Melissa and Steve are talking about favorite recipes, what we do or don't use, how we come up with recipes, favorite cookbooks, and so much more. We go way off the rails in some spots, and hopefully it's entertaining because we sure had a great time. Sometimes a recipe is just a guideline, and sometimes you really have to follow it-- for the science! Find the pod anywhere fine pods are carried, and thanks for watching us on YouTube! For the love of Pete please don't forget...
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109. School's In
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans! School may be letting out across the country, and certainly the graduations are going to be in full swing- but today on The Food For ThoughtCast, school is very much in. Steve and Melissa are taking a ( not comprehensive in any way) look at school lunches. What are your favorites? What would you burn in a raging pile of remorse and lighter fluid? What do school lunches look like around the world? Warm up your most special frozen fish stick and get ready for some square pizza, because it's time for Episode 109 and you don't wanna be tardy. Thanks so much for listening and...
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108. Phillip Foss- A Guest Ep!
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans, welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast! Melissa and Steve are honored (and Steve is so excited!!!) to talk to Chef Phillip Foss today. Chef Phillip is not only one of Steve's culinary idols, he's also got one heck of a story pioneering his way through the food world. He is currently at El Ideas in Chicago- an incredible restaurant that hopes to flip the script on fine dining. From their home page: Paying homage to Chicago’s elevated train system, EL ideas is an abbreviation for ‘elevated ideas in dining’. With the mantra of ‘redefining fine dining’, EL is...
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107. Angelo Carotenuto- A Guest Ep!
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For Thoughtcast! It's time for Episode 107. We are honored to be joined today by Angelo Carotenuto from LivTours. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to learn how to cook authentic Italian food from somebody's Nonna right in her own kitchen? Today's guest tells us all about the real deal Italian food, how to find the best food travel opportunities for you, and why food is so important when learning about a new culture. We had an amazing time talking to Angelo. He has an incredible perspective and insight into food and customized tours and...
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106. What Melissa Ate in Disney
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans! Have you ever wondered about the snacks and meals available in Walt Disney World? Us too, apparently! It's time for a travel recap. Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- you're just in time for episode 106. Thanks so much for listening! Stephen patiently tolerates this as Melissa drones on and on and on about her magical trip to Disney World. We're talking hot dogs, corn dogs, sammiches, waffles, shakshuka, hotel breakfasts, snacks on the go, All- You- Care -To- Enjoy BBQ with a Toy Story theme, the folly of caramel apples, what to do when you're just too full,...
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105. Aloha Oe Guey
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- today is a travel recap episode. Melissa and Stephen catch up with each other and then discuss the most amazing things they ate. He just visited Hawaii recently and had an incredible culinary journey. There was tuna poke , sushi, amazing donuts, fruit, and all sorts of drinks. With a food landscape as beautiful as the actual landscape, I really enjoyed hearing all about it and I can't wait to go someday. Thanks so much for listening. You know that we travel to eat, and we eat to thrive so these episodes are a ton of fun to record...
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104. Aaron Shapiro- A Guest Ep!
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans! Today we are talking to Aaron Shapiro of Grillicious. Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast. Melissa and Stephen are celebrating 104 episodes today, and we are chatting about what it takes to make an idea a reality. Aaron tells us the story of Grillicious. From the evolution of an idea about not only how to flavor the grill, but also to help keep it nonstick- all the way to flavored spritzes for crafting beverages with less waste. We really enjoyed talking to Aaron, and we know you'll enjoy this episode! Head to and use the promo code FoodFans20 to get 20% off and free...
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103. Shawn Walchef- A Guest Ep!
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Today we have the honor of talking to Shawn Walchef, the owner and founder of Cali BBQ restaurants and Cali BBQ Media. It's time for Episode 103 of The Food For ThoughtCast; welcome back! Steve and Melissa want to know what California BBQ looks like , and how the whole thing started, and Shawn challenges us to go find our whales for this podcast (surprise and hint: it happens!). We talk about how dreams come to be, and the power of storytelling in relation to food. Shawn is an incredible visionary and entrepreneur with a gift for helping us restaurant and hospitality folk realize our full...
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102. Veeda Bybee- A Guest Ep!
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Hey there food fans! It's time for Episode 102 of The Food For ThoughtCast! Today Steve and Melissa are talking to Veeda Bybee, an accomplished author of both fiction and nonfiction and a food enthusiast - not to mention the mastermind behind the cookbook A Few of My Favorite Things: Recipes Inspired by Family Friendly Musicals. We talk about the stories to be told through our families and the way food experiences help us learn and grow. We talk about culinary heritage and the way that food shapes us and unites us. We really enjoyed learning from Veeda, and hearing about her journey from...
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101. Dennis Turcinovic- A Guest Ep!
The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef
Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- We are excited to be joined today for Episode 101 by Dennis Turcinovic of Delmonico's, Tucci, and Boogie Lab USA. Yes THAT Delmonico's, in Manhattan! Delmonico's is credited with being the first restaurant in America to offer individual dishes à la carte, rather than a set menu, a concept that revolutionized the dining experience. We talk about the food heritage and incredible restaurant legacy in Dennis' family, the importance of simple, quality sourdough bread, and the incredible dishes and history that make up the Delmonico's story. We are briefly...
info_outlineMelissa and Steve are reminiscing about birthday meals past, present, and future today! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast. It's Episode 81! We kick things off by hearing about the amazing meal that Steve recently made for his lovely better half's birthday. We ponder the many ways to cook chuck ribs, how to make friends without salad, and how to make people feel special on their birthday. What is your ultimate birthday meal? Thanks for listening and don't forget to watch us on YouTube!