BFF with the Chef

On this special bonus episode, I interview Chef Léa Piel, a French chef raised in the South of France. Chef Léa originally started her professional life by going to med school, but after deciding to follow her passion, she switched to culinary school and has not looked back. Chef Léa started her culinary career at Fera, the esteemed restaurant of the five-star hotel, Claridges. There she honed her skills. Afterward, she received a tremendous opportunity to return to Paris to work with famed pastry chef, Chef Stephane Glacier. Léa is vegetarian and gluten-free, and her diet has influenced how she cooks. Lea currently works as a private chef, a venture she started after COVID hit, where she decided to bring the joy of a restaurant-quality meal safely to people’s homes.

Today, I'm interviewing Chef Angela Michelle, the founder and chef owner behind the cooking education company Culinary Kisses. Chef Angela was a fashion model for 25 years before she traded in her stiletto heels for chef whites, driven by her passion for cooking that was nurtured since she was six years old. Chef Angela decided to start her company, which focuses on offering a wide range of culinary services geared to expand and explore her clients' culinary horizons. She offers a variety of culinary services to include online cooking classes, meal planning, and theme cooking parties. In addition to running her business, Chef Angela is also a published author, the host of a cooking and travel show, a culinary curriculum writer, a verified chef on Cozy Meal, and she's certified in plant-based nutrition by Cornell University.   Find Chef Angela Michelle: Website Cookbook – From the Catwalk to the Kitchen Online Cooking Course Newsletter Facebook Page Facebook Group Instagram YouTube   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

  Today, I'm chatting with Becky Striepe, a vegan food writer, cookbook author, and by the time this airs, podcast host. Becky has been a vegan since 2006 and has been developing simple vegan recipes since 2008. At her blog, Glue and Glitter, you'll find easy vegan comfort food recipes that don't sacrifice flavor along with tips for making eating vegan deliciously easy. Like me, Becky is a gadget cooking queen and she plays all types from the Instant Pot to the air fryer to help her cook delicious plant-based meals that anyone can enjoy. Becky has also written two vegan cookbooks, 40 Days of Green Smoothies and Bowls, both of which can be found on her blog. Her podcast, Talkin' Tofu, is scheduled to launch in July 2020.   Find Becky: Website Talkin’ Tofu Podcast Cookbooks – 40 Days of Green Smoothies and Bowls! Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube   Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Shepherd’s Pie   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm excited to interview Chef Joel Gamoran, one of the nation's most well-known sustainability focused chefs and the host of A&E's hit series Scraps. In addition to his television show, Joel also previously served as the Head National Chef for Sur La Table  and makes monthly appearances on NBC's Today Show. Joel's book, Cooking Scrappy, shows students, viewers, and readers around the world how to turn food scraps into delicious meals. And Joel continues to find new ways to inspire home cooks with the start of his latest show called Stretched. Chef Joel is a graduate of both the Culinary Institute of America and the Culinary Institute of Florence.  He and his wife, Angelina live in Seattle with their baby Jenna.   Find Chef Joel: Website Cooking Scrappy: 100 Recipes to Help You Stop Wasting Food, Save Money, and Love What You Eat Scraps: Parts Uneaten TV Show Instagram Faceboo Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Carrot Top Pesto Broccoli Rabe & Sausage Top Frittata Mushroom Stem Risotto Banana Bread Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm excited to interview Jason Logsdon, the brains behind Amazing Food Made Easy, one of the largest sous vide and modernist cooking blogs on the internet and of course, Makin’ Bacon, a website dedicated to helping food bloggers succeed in the business. Jason is also a bestselling author who has published 14 cookbooks that have sold more than 60,000 copies, including the bestselling Modernist Cooking Made Easy: Sous Vide, and the official Instant Pot Sous Vide Cookbook.  He's a frequent speaker at the Everything Food Conference and he's the president of the International Sous Vide Association.   Find Jason: Amazing Food Made Easy Website Amazing Food Made Easy Facebook Page Exploring Sous Vide Facebook Group Makin’ Bacon Website Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube   Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Glaze   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

This week, I'm interviewing Daina Falk, the founder of Hungry Fan, a food website that is dedicated to helping sports fans have a great time and eat well while doing it. Having been an avid sports fan her entire life, Daina decided to create a platform for tailgaters, home gaters, sports bar goers, and sporting event attendees of the world that focuses on food and entertaining. Daina can often be seen hosting events, TV shows, and segments on game day dishes and treats. She's appeared on shows such as Late Night with Seth Meyers and the Today Show. And she's hosted Toughest Tailgate, which highlights NFL tailgating traditions on CBS Sports as well as participated in celebrity chef appearances for teams such as the New York Giants and Yankees.  Daina is also the bestselling author of The Hungry Fan's Game Day Cookbook, which can be found on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.   Find Daina: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube Vimeo   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm excited to interview the incredible Nicole Tingwall, the talented chef and food stylist behind the blog and food styling account Windy City Dinner Fairy. Nicole gained a passion for cooking at an early age and as a graduate of the Culinary Hospitality Institute of Chicago, she served in many roles in the food industry, from the front of the house to pastry chef, to chef instructor, all of which have helped her hone her skills and prepare her for current role. Despite being a jack of all trades, Nicole ultimately fell in love with food styling. She started her company in 2010 and she hasn't looked back. Nicole credits her time from operating in intensely demanding environment of high-end restaurants for preparing her for the time constraints and unexpected occurrences that can arise during a food photo shoot.  Nicole has styled for top food brands including  All Clad, T-Fal, Protein Bar & Kitchen, Safe+ Fair, as well as many others.   Find Nicole: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm chatting with Brandi Wharton, the creator behind the blog Inspired Fresh Life. Brandi is a former high school English teacher who left the field to head into bartending, inspired by her love of cooking. She started her blog in 2016 and hasn't looked back. Brandi's blog focuses on easy, healthy recipes, many which fit into either the Whole 30 regimen or the gluten free lifestyle. And while she mostly focuses on health, Brandi also knows that it's good to indulge once in a while, and she provides recipes for that too. Brandi's blog is a tribute to her love of gathering friends and family together and sharing good times. And while she can't do that at the moment, she hopes her recipes will be an inspiration to everyone out there that is staying inside and cooking. Find Brandi: Website Facebook Instagram Pinterest Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Chicken Enchilada Casserole Smoked Chuck Roast with Garlic Sage Butter Easy Champagne Vinaigrette (or Marinade) Grilled Peaches with Coconut Whipped Cream Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm interviewing Chef Josh Walbolt, a chef whose most recent position was at Eleven Madison Park. Chef Josh started his illustrious culinary career in high school where he was a two time Minnesota state champion in a culinary arts competition called ProStart, a competition that is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. After winning at state, Chef Josh went on to compete at the national level, which cemented his determination to become a professional chef. After high school, Chef Josh honed his skills through a wide variety of experiences around the country, and has done everything from being a Chef de Cuisine, a catering company owner, a competitor in cooking battles against James Beard and Michelin starred chefs to mentoring future chefs in the very program that jumpstarted his career. He's also been a nominee for the Rising Star Chef award by the Charlie's Award, an annual event that celebrates the exceptional contributions of the Twin Cities area's restaurant and food service industry.   Find Chef Josh: YouTube Facebook Instagram   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram

Today, I'm interviewing Chef Tony Maddog Maggert, a 23-year military veteran who decided to become a chef after he retired from the Army. Chef Maddog began his  culinary journey in the US Marine Corps after he got put on extra duty in the kitchen galley. During that time, he fell in love with the work and decided to stay for an extra five months. Chef Maddog ultimately received a commission in the US Air Force, but transferred to the Army to finish out his military career. Chef Maddog served three tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, during which he suffered from a flesh-eating bacteria that ultimately took his leg. Despite being an amputee, he remained on active duty until his retirement. After his military service, he attended the Institute of Culinary Education in New York and graduated in 2019, making him the first amputee to go through the program. He's currently working on his YouTube channel, where he's making videos to teach others how to cook.   Find Chef Maddog: YouTube Facebook Pinterest Twitter Instagram   Recipes Mentioned in this Episode Potato Chip Fried Chicken   Come Visit BFF with the Chef: The BFF with the Chef Website Twitter Facebook Instagram