Behind the Counter with the Food Czar

Heidi Blum

Behind the Counter with the Food Czar explores the stories of people who create community through their work and passion. Each episode features conversations with restaurant owners, influencers, charity leaders, and others making an impact in their neighborhoods. From building businesses to giving back, guests share their personal journeys, challenges, and successes. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a community supporter, or just someone who loves hearing inspiring stories, this podcast offers meaningful conversations about connection, resilience, and the power of people coming together. read less

Our Editor's Take

Behind the Counter with the Food Czar is a podcast exploring food's cultural impact. Heidi Blum believes that food is more than what people eat and how it energizes them. A particular taste or smell can transport someone back to a moment in time in an instant. Food brings people and communities together.

In her podcast, Blum wishes to speak to those who make food and provide sustenance. The host interviews restaurant owners, chefs, and others from the food industry. They discuss their favorite cuisines, what made them want to enter the field, and more. The people who come as guests on this show are all from businesses local to Livingston, New Jersey. However, their life experiences are universal and relatable.

The podcast host is a Livingston native and a mom of three children. Blum has been working as a personal trainer since 2012. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, the host decided to change her career focus. Blum saw how restaurants in her community struggled and had to shut down.

To help the businesses stay afloat, she decided to create videos on Facebook. She interviewed the owners, presented the menus, and informed people about opening hours. These videos became popular thanks to her humor and wit and helped support the local community. They were so successful that the town nicknamed Blum the "Food Czar."

With her program, Blum continues to highlight local food-related businesses. In each episode, she interviews people from a different establishment. She asks her guests about the place's history and how it's changed over the years. The interviewees reveal how challenging and rewarding the food industry can get. There are conversations about unusual career paths and the legacy of a family business. Most of all, Blum explores how restaurants empower local communities and vice versa.

New episodes of Behind the Counter with the Food Czar often come out twice a month.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

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