John Ferrando was born and raised in the Bay Area specifically in Pacifica and San Francisco, CA. John is 100% Italian half Sicilian and half Genovese. I met John when we worked as police officers for the San Francisco Police Department. John learned a lot about cooking from his Grandmother and Father who is a retired San Francisco Firefighter. John has also traveled to Italy frequently to cook along side his cousins. Food was a common conversation especially when it came to cooking for our colleagues and talking about all the restaurants in the City. After retiring from department, with no formal training; John worked as a chef running the kitchen for the first responder service network & working closely with the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California. When opportunity knocked, John took a chance to go to Costa Rica and open his own restaurant: John’s Place at Jaco beach, where he spent two years cooking some of his Italian favorites, local cuisine, and summer specials.John has since sold the restaurant and is now seeking his next venture. A couple things are in the works, and he will be announcing them very soon. I look forward to seeing what John comes up with.Thank you to Nick’s at Rockaway Beach restaurant for hosting this podcast. https://nicksrestaurant.net/Support the show

Howard Bulka was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Howard studied economics in college in San Francisco but suddenly realized he hadn’t found his calling until a friend suggested he become a chef. With that in mind, Howie sought out the knowledge to begin his new career choice by going door to door talking to hotels and restaurant chefs for their advice. Howie soon was hired to start cooking pastry in downtown San Francisco and the rest is history. Howie spent the next forty years cooking, managing and consulting with and for some of the best chefs and restaurants in the world. After restaurant consulting for over ten years, Howie finally decided to open his own restaurant with a concept of having simple ingredients and great food. Howie first worked in Menlo Park with opening Marche restaurant and then moved on to open Howie’s Artisan Pizza in 2009 at Town & Country Village Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California. Voted Best Pizza, by readers of Palo Alto Weekly, Howie’s Pizza continues to offer a truly artisan experience. Chef Howard Bulka is in pursuit of a perfect pie and the proof is on the plate. Howie’s is a much-loved neighborhood Italian restaurant, offering a diverse menu of pizza, handmade pasta, appetizers, big fresh salads and a well selected list of beer and wine.On the podcast Chef Bulka recalls his incredible culinary journey, helps us understand the restaurant business , new and old ideas, hard work pays off, local favorites and his depiction of what delicious offerings are available at the restaurant. Howie’s Artisan Pizzahttps://www.howiesartisanpizza.comShow Notes https://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-28Support the show

Paul Arihara was born in Japan and moved to California at age 5. Paul was orphaned at 8years old and institutionalized till he was 25. Paul has worked in the hospitality industry for over 34 years starting at McDonald’s at the age of 15 in San Diego,CA. Paul only completed the 9th grade and was homeless at 18 shortly after being released from incarceration. Paul’s worked in almost every position from dishwasher to bartender. Working in restaurants from fast food, Chinese buffets, seafood, sushi, American, breweries and to steakhouses! After being released from Federal Correctional Facility he moved to New York City in 2000 and got his first server and bartending job at Houlihan’s in the Empire State Building. Paul has worked all over the USA in NYC, Miami, Hawaii, San Diego, Sacramento, Tallahassee, Key West, Half Moon Bay & San Francisco.Together with Paul’s wife and daughter they are @ Daafambam on TikTok and Instagram. Paul and his family have created some really cool videos on social media for everyone to enjoy! Paul is a father/husband also working his way to be on stage for motivational speaking and stand up comedy.On the podcast we go over how the hospitality industry changed Paul’s life forever, the food vlogging process, old and new trends, highlighting favorite food spots , mental resilience/health & constantly educating yourself everyday just to name a few things! @Daafambamhttps://www.tiktok.com/@daafambam?lang=enShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-27Support the show

Joey Camacho is the owner and managing partner of Konjoe Burger Bar. Born in Saipan and raised on Guam with a diverse Japanese/Chamorro and multi-ethnic background. Konjoe currently has four locations in the cities of Los Altos at State Street Market, Santa Clara at Levi’s Stadium , SAP Center and another cloud kitchen both in San Jose, California.  Joey brings his vast knowledge from working in finance to culinary school and cooking in kitchens in Hawaii, Guam and California. I’ve always wanted to talk to Joey since I tasted his delicious food at the former location where it all started at San Pedro Square Market in San Jose.  We go over the history of Konjoe, growing up in a melting pot of cultures, trying new food, all things Japan and of course his latest offerings, advice and recommendations.  Konjoe Burger Bar https://www.konjoe.comShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-26Support the show

Wyatt Fields is the owner and pitmaster of Breakwater BBQ in El Granada, California .After five jam packed years of full-service, catering for weddings, and some of the biggest tech companies in the Bay Area and everything in between, Wyatt decided to take the next step in his journey and open a small store front in the coastal town of El Granada, California right before the start of the global pandemic of 2020. Located right where the Princeton Harbor Jetty meets the Coast Highway, hence the name Breakwater.  It’s a special location to Wyatt  where he went to elementary school , formed lifelong friendships, and stood up on his first wave. Wyatt brings his own craft of traditional style of Texas and Carolina smoked barbecue to his hometown, which has always been his goal. I really enjoyed catching up with Wyatt on location and enjoyed talking to him about his origins and all things barbecue!Breakwater Barbecuehttps://www.breakwaterbbq.comShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-25Support the show

Nirvana Soul is a San Jose-based coffee company bringing exciting flavor, bold inspiration, and undeniable joy to Silicon Valley and beyond. Founded by sisters and best friends, Jeronica Macey and Be’Anka Ashaolu, Nirvana Soul’s mission is to bring people together using the power of coffee and tea.Jeronica & Be’AnkaWe’re Jeronica and Be’Anka. Sisters, best friends, and co-founders of Nirvana Soul. Since we were little girls, coffee has held a special, calming place in our hearts. For as long as we can remember, we’ve dreamed of creating a space that feeds our souls and makes people happy.Nirvana Soul’s mission is to bring people together through the power of coffee and tea. We’re focused on delivering you the greatest possible experience, while making San Jose one of the most exceptional places to indulge.Dapo AshaoluDap is the CFO & COO of Nirvana Soul Coffee Purveyors. Dap is also a self-taught Chef who is also known as the Waffle Master! This podcast was recorded on location at Nirvana Soul Coffee’s first location in the SOFA district in Downtown San Jose, CA. Nirvana Soul is a family business through and through. I was fortunate enough to sit down and talk with Dap and his wife Be'Anka about their origins with food growing up, the history of Nirvana Soul and everything that they offer from coffee, tea and waffles.  At the time of the release of this podcast, they are currently working on a third location soon to be at San Jose State University inside the Dr Martin Luther King Library! Nirvana Soul Coffee Purveyorshttps://www.nirvanasoulcoffee.com/Support the show

Tracy Desmond was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois. Tracy has been working in the hospitality and tech industry. But it all started with a visit to a kombucha bar on the Hawaiian island of Maui. The kombucha was light & refreshing. There was also a sense of connection and community that created a very special experience. That feeling stuck with Tracy and she knew she wanted to create something like that back home.Tracy started to make kombucha in her home kitchen and experimented with various flavor combinations. Tracy eventually moved into a commercial kitchen. This gave her space to develop additional flavors and to brew larger batches to make kombucha available at farmers’ markets, cafes, breweries and other local businesses. And that is how Cruz Kombucha came to be. Cruz Kombucha a small family business. We enjoy creating interesting and delicious kombucha flavor combinations, sharing information about the benefits of kombucha, and combining that with opportunities for community and connection.Tracy has paired her background in the hospitality industry and experience building and scaling several large organizations to develop a unique approach to creating and operating a functional health beverage business.Tracy talks to us about starting her own business, process of making Kombucha, what it is, the health benefits, tools of the trade, different flavor profiles , local businesses and favorite restaurants and that you should try it!Thank you to the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce for their hospitality & allowing us to record this podcast. Cruz Kombuchahttps://www.cruzkombucha.comShow Notes https://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-23Support the show

Loren Poncia was born and raised in Tomales, CA. Loren follows in the footsteps of his parents, Al and Cathie Poncia, as the 4th generation of his family to steward their land. A graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with a major in Dairy Science and Ag Business, Loren always dreamed of coming back to the ranch to pursue his passion in agriculture. Loren oversees the entire ranching operation, and spends countless hours carefully studying genetics with the goal of raising grass-fed and finished beef that is tender, well-marbled, and tastes just as good as, if not better than, grain finished meat. Podcast was recorded on location in their “Schoolhouse” AirBnb that is available to rent. Appreciate Loren sharing his story and explaining to us about regenerative farming and the arduous process it takes to make quality beef, pork and lamb.Stemple Creek Ranchhttps://stemplecreek.com Show Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-22Support the show

Born and raised in Boston, Adrian started working in kitchens as a young teenager. Adrian is the CEO/Co-Founder of Four Star Seafood and Provisions based in San Francisco, CA. After cooking his way through the Boston area, and a obtaining degree in Philosophy from Brandeis University, Adrian’s taste for adventure led him to cook in San Francisco, New York, London, Israel, France and Tokyo before he landed back in San Francisco as the chef at One Market Restaurant. In this role, he received top accolades from the San Francisco Chronicle before becoming the culinary director at Lark Creek Restaurant Group. While eating gorgeous seafood in Half Moon Bay with Ismael Macias, the two wondered why they weren’t getting such high quality seafood in San Francisco. And thus, Four Star was born. With close ties to chefs in San Francisco, Adrian and Ismael began buying fish at the pier and selling it to restaurants, quickly finding a loyal fan base with the help of their pristine, freshly caught sardines. They’ve since grown out of their space on Pier 45 and have expanded their offerings to include provisions. We podcasted on location in San Francisco, CA where we talked about his worldly culinary career, seafood pro tips, providing fresh ingredients chef to chef, Billingsgate, interesting provisions offered and future endeavors.  As Four Star continues to grow, Adrian revels in the challenges and fun of expanding the business.Four Star Seafood & Provisionshttps://www.fourstarseafood.comSupport the show

Chef Guillaume Bienaimé was born and raised in Paris, France and moved to the U.S. at an early age but traveled back to France every summer. Guillaume was learning French cooking techniques from his “quintessential French grandmother” who cooked all the time and family meals were a great influence. Guillaume was not only interested in cooking from his family. Guillaume's first cooking job was in a small Pennsylvania pizza restaurant. Guillaume enjoys every aspect of hospitality. After making the switch to fine dining, he knew he wanted to make it a full time career. Growing up and spending a lot of time in France always gave him an edge in cooking French Cuisine. Guillaume graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a degree in Foodservice Management.Guillaume was an intern at the now-closed Marché in Menlo Park California and was hired as a sous chef there after graduating from college. Bienaimé moved up the ranks to executive chef before leaving to open Portola Kitchen. Guillaume found the space that would become Zola shortly after leaving Portola Kitchen, and he opened the downtown Palo Alto French restaurant in the fall of 2014. Bar Zola recently opened last year. We also talk about Guillaume’s preparation , strategy and experience on the Food Network: Alex vs. America (French) where Guillaume he won the entire show against Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and donating his proceeds to Chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. Special thanks to Geoffroy Raby of Cuisinett (Episode 009) and Lars Smith of State of Mind Pub (episode 0018) who were both previous guests on the podcasts and friends of Guillaume. Great to see all of these gentlemen creating great food and experiences for the community to enjoy. Go visit Zola + Bar Zola for great food and drinks!https://www.zolapaloalto.comShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-20Support the show

MACBBQ. Established in the California Bay Area in 2014 as a competition barbecue team. Chris, John, Nick, Bruce, Gary and Dominic are all featured on this podcast. Chris is the founding member and collaborator of the entire team with a passion for learning barbecue and using his background in science to establish a measured approach. John backs him up also with his technical experience and provides a sense of humor, excellent videography and a deep understanding of what it takes to cook serious barbecue. Andy Thompson is also one of the original founding members who currently resides in Austin Texas still mastering barbecue on his Moberg smoker where the guys go visit every year. Along the way since 2014, other members have been added to the team. Nick, Bruce , Gary and Dominic share their experiences with their cultures and working as a team with MACBBQ and how it has made an impact on their lives. I was fortunate to work with MACBBQ, PapaWagyu, Team Trex and TsarNicolai at Cochon 555’s Heritage Fire Tour in Napa 2022 where as a team, we won the Heritage Hero award. Amazing barbecue but even better people. It was an honor to sit down with these guys and look forward to more cooking and future events! MACBBQ on Instargram:https://www.instagram.com/macbbqShow Notes: https://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-19Support the show

Lars Smith was born and raised in Palo Alto, CA part of a 3rd generation family in the Bay Area. This podcast was recorded on location at the State of Mind Slice House, their second location, which coincidentally Lars lived and grew up with down the street. Lars got into food early especially from both of his Grandmothers' cooking who provided an inspiration.  Despite not receiving any formal culinary training, Lars worked his way up from making pizzas to managing numerous pizzeria locations with Pizza My Heart. Learning under the tutelage of Leah Scurto who now owns Pizza Leah in Windsor, CA. Before deciding to open a pizzeria of his own, Lars made the US Pizza Team after winning a competition for World’s Best Non-Traditional Pizza at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Traveling and competing to Italy has impacted his life and cooking in so many ways. Lars and his wife Cristina have gone on to win and place in numerous elite level pizza competitions locally and internationally. Lars won the Non-Traditional Pizza category at the 2017 International Pizza Expo and has placed 5th in the World in Italy for his alla Pala Roman-Style pizza.  Additional competitions include the World Pizza Championships, Real California Cheese Pizza Contest and the US Virtual Pizza Cup. Lars and his family pour their heart into State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria. From delicious fermented pizza dough to all the great classic and seasonal combos , dedicated unique pizza pies and sourcing local ingredients. State of Mind provides a great vibe from an arcade, local brews, sports and kid friendly environment. Lars says come on by, celebrate their State of Mind and try a seasonal pizza! State of Mind Public House & Pizzeriahttps://www.stateofmindpublichouse.com/State of Mind Slice Househttps://www.stateofmindslicehouse.comSupport the show

Christine Sebastian is the owner of Treatbot Karaoke Ice Cream Truck along with her husband Ryan. Also they are founders of a food truck gathering and consulting firm called Moveable Co.  Christine and I know each other from attending the City College of San Francisco’s Hotel & Restaurant Program together. Christine talks about her process of working at a traveling catering company, her Filipino upbringing and culture along with family dishes and the struggles to get where they are today.  We recorded the podcast on location in their new business "O’Brien's Candy Shop and Ice Cream Parlor" which they are taking over; inside the old Pacific Hotel in History Park in San Jose, CA. We go over ice cream flavor creations and Christine gives us some of her South Bay favorite local eats. I get a little emotional on this one because at the end we discuss pursuing your dreams despite all odds and starting from scratch. Treatbot Karaoke Ice Cream https://treatbot.comShow Notes https://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-17Support the show

A builder and storyteller, my guest today is Timothy Koide. Tim was born in Berkeley, CA of Japanese and Caucasian descent. Tim’s great grandparents immigrated from Japan and settled in the Bay Area. At a very young age, Tim’s family moved to the East Coast and he spent the majority of his childhood there, but would spend parts of his summers back in California. Tim later embarked on a very impactful Mission with his Church to Tokyo, Japan for two years, spending time in the towns of Hachioji and Kichijoji which allowed him to dive into his rich Japanese heritage. Tim has worked as a Japanese language instructor, spent time working in the policy world in Washington, DC, and has spent the last decade plus in the Bay Area founding and advising startups and helping to run corporate innovation units for Fortune 500 companies primarily in the food, ag, and retail tech worlds. Tim is currently the CEO of Seisuke Knife, which is one of the largest retailers of high-end traditionally crafted Japanese culinary knives in the world. Tim and I dive into many of the classic restaurants in the USA and how we connected through an amazing event put on by Seisuke Knife, Japan's youngest Master Bladesmith Yu Kurosaki and first-generation Vietnamese-American Chef Tu David Phu. We also discuss how sharing a single meal/event is one of the best ways to connect with people. Seisuke Knifehttps://www.seisukeknife.comShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-16Support the show

Guy Crims, or “Guy the Butcher,” as he’s generally known, is a veteran of the butcher business and a legend in the world of Japanese Wagyu. In 2017 alone, Crims was responsible for bringing 4.3 metric tons of Wagyu beef into the U.S.  Crims, a California native, became fascinated with the butcher business when he was 14 after reading The Jungle, Upton Sinclair’s novel depicting the American meatpacking industry in early 20th century. His first job was at a family-owned butcher shop in Pacifica. Crims followed the original owner to a butchery in San Francisco, where he continued to hone his craft. In college, Crims studied architecture, not food—although the two passions merged when he worked on a slaughterhouse design project that advocated for the humane treatment of livestock. He continued to blend both roles as a managing partner at Pape Meat Company and most currently, as a managing partner of One Henry Adams, which includes the Niku Steakhouse and The Butcher Shop by Niku.In 2017, Crims was invited to tour Japan with the Japanese Wagyu Beef Committee—the only non-chef included on the tour. There, Crims met Omakase Restaurant Group co-owner Jackson Yu. Chef Yu enthusiastically introduced Crims to his business partner Kash Feng, who was in the early planning stages of a Wagyu-focused butcher shop and restaurant concept slated for a space at One Henry Adams. As plans started to coalesce, Feng tapped Crims as the master butcher for both the restaurant and butcher shop concepts.As the master butcher for the neighboring Niku Steakhouse, Crims will work side by side with Executive Chef Dustin Falcon to ensure quality and consistency for the restaurant’s meat program.Recorded on location at Niku Steakhouse in San Francisco,CA. Thank you to Guy and the Omakase Group. https://www.nikubutchershop.comShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-15Support the show

Ben grew up in in the small town of Perkinsville along the Connecticut River in the state of Vermont.  With a French background and Ben's family based out of New Hampshire and New Orleans he saw many different great dishes such as crawfish boils and fresh shellfish. Ben started early in the culinary world by working in a small NY and Sicilian style pizzeria  in Vermont at the age of 14. Progressing through other pizza restaurant opening Ben started working at a more upscale French Polynesia restaurant called Tilley's Cafe  and later moved to San Francisco working at Bar Bambino learning under Top Chef Alum Chef Elizabeth Binder.On a whim, Ben took an opportunity to work abroad and booked a one way ticket to Italy. Ben spent some time in Italy and Spain working in different locations and living with families throughout the countries. Ben learned how to make fresh pasta and so much much more.  Ben talks about how he was treated like family and the amazing connections with food.After returning to the States, Ben was offered an another opportunity to take on owning his own butcher shoo along with his business partner. Hence Gambrel & Co. Craft Butchery in Redwood City,CA was born in 2015. Not only does Ben provide the community on the Peninsula great meat and poultry , he offers some of his favorites he makes in house like crepinettes, duck confit, bolognese and many different sausages. Go visit Ben and get some delicious goods! Gambrel & Co. https://www.gambrelandco.com/Show Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-14Support the show

Esa Yonn-Brown was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. Raised in a family of passionate cooks that were an early part of the slow food movement and used as many fresh ingredients as possible in their meals. Esa has been working in the restaurant industry since she was sixteen years old. Esa and I know each other from attending the same class at the City College of San Francisco’s Hotel & Restaurant Program . That’s also where Esa met her husband Josh Perez, who is currently the Chef De Cuisine at Foreign Cinema in San Francisco. Esa spent many years trying different businesses and in that process she kept thinking about her mother’s great pie recipe. Esa spent time perfecting her mother’s recipe and eventually began making pies professionally on her own. After some trials, different jobs, giving birth to her daughter, Esa and Josh founded Butter Love Bakeshop in the Outer Richmond District of San Francisco, CA. Esa brings an array of different delicious baked items at her shop but also simultaneously continuing to support her community by providing groceries to the those in need and various charities. Esa also gives advice about being a business woman and knowing your worth. Go visit Butter Love Bakeshop! http://www.butterlovebakeshop.comShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.comSupport the show

Ken was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Ken grew up in a family of great cooks which stoked his passion for food. Traveling abroad and cooking professionally in Australia furthered his knowledge and repertoire. After returning to the states, Ken simultaneously went to culinary school and worked at Zuni Cafe under Judy Rogers in San Francisco working through all the ranks of the kitchen to Chef de Cuisine. With all that experience, Ken moved on to open his own place, Turner’s Kitchen, in the heart of the Mission District of San Francisco not far from the iconic Dolores Park. I met Ken when he first opened, (formerly Clare’s Deli) and have been enjoying all his delicious concoctions ever since. We recorded this podcast on location inside Turner’s Kitchen. From the daily specials, to the “Robin Leach” which includes caviar, my personal favorite the Cubano, Ken is constantly pouring his expertise and inspiration from the local farmer’s market into great food for you. Be sure to listen for great advice at the end and go visit Turner’s Kitchen!Turner’s Kitchen SF http://www.turnerskitchensf.comSupport the show

Born and raised in Petaluma California in Sonoma County; Joe Costarella comes from an all Italian Neapolitan and Sicilian family.  With heavy roots also in San Francisco, Joe grew going to the city for the family business and dinners. Joe also spent a lot of time in the outdoors hunting and fishing which exposed him to great variety of food by his family especially his La Nonna and Mother’s great cooking. Joe Costarella currently manages the family wholesale seafood business, along with his Mother and Father Bob who started Costarella Seafoods in 1991. I recorded this podcast on location at their Pier 45 San Francisco facility. Costarella Seafoods serves the Bay Area from Fort Bragg to Monterey providing everything from from sustainable fresh fish, shellfish, oysters, their own smoked fish styles, caviar, and many local boats, domestic, international items. Joe’s roots started in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf where his Grandfather was a commercial fisherman on a Fellucca sailboat. Joe provides a great guide on eating seafood, fishing stories, Alaskan King Crab, Sunday sauce, details about his favorite local restaurants, tools, and what is currently provided from Costarella Seafoods. Costarella Seafoodshttp://www.costarellaseafoods.comShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-11Support the show

Andy Moeckel aka the “ Flip Flop Guy” known for his delicious wild game cooking style and family marinade recipe. Andy is an accomplished hunter/fisherman & was born and raised in West Marin, California. After a troubled youth, Andy turned his life around and began sharing his Grandfather’s cooking when it was passed down to him by his father on his 25th birthday. Andy’s Grandfather Al Giddings was a Fish & Game warden, WWII Veteran and responsible for adopting the Portuguese sheep rancher “flip flop” style of cooking with venison and crafting a delicious marinade recipe. On location in Sonoma at West Coast Archery’s Last Chance Broadhead Shoot, Andy introduced me to the venison flip flop before we recorded the podcast. I was fortunate to try Axis deer from Maui, which I had heard so many great things about. Tasted absolutely fantastic and it's some of the best meat I’ve ever had! We go in great detail how Andy cooks this way and where he has been sharing this way of cooking for twelve years. It’s now taking him all over the country to share this experience with everyone. Honored to catch up with Andy for this podcast and experience the Flip Flop. Andy also tells us about his favorite Marin County and USA restaurants.  Be sure to listen at the end for some well spoken life advice. Can’t wait to see Andy again and cook with him next time. If you get a chance to see Andy doing the flip flop, it’s a must! The Flip Flop Guyhttps://www.theflipflopguy.coShow Noteshttps://www.foodoriginspodcast.com/podcast-episode-10Support the show