What happens when the brain that fuels your ambition and creativity is also the one constantly pulling you in twelve directions? Chef and restaurateur Will Gilson, whose Cambridge Street Hospitality Group now includes eight concepts, talks with Catherine about thriving under pressure, self-sabotaging deadlines, and why the chaos of a restaurant kitchen can feel strangely comfortable to an ADHD brain. He shares how seasonal depression led him to seek out projects with a clear beginning, middle, and end—and why learning to delegate was essential as his business grew. Will gets practical about assessing his bandwidth, deciding what truly needs his attention, building a team he trusts, and using technology to keep multiple restaurants connected without having to be everywhere at once. He and Catherine also talk about unfinished projects, the temptation to say yes to everything, the dangerous ways restaurant workers have traditionally tried to “turn off,” and why sometimes you need to physically leave your environment to rest. They also dig into what failure can teach you, how Will transformed the debt and emotional baggage of his first restaurant into lessons for the next one, and why travel is still essential to his creativity. If you’re trying to build an ambitious life without letting your busy brain run the entire show, this episode is for you.

What if learning to cook could help us get better at starting tasks, managing time, working through frustration, and asking for help? Sophie Mortner is an educator, learning designer, executive functioning coach, and the creator of Nibblings, a collection of recipes designed to help kids cook independently. She joins Catherine to explain why the kitchen is such a powerful place to build skills that extend far beyond cooking. They talk about breaking intimidating tasks into manageable first steps, developing time awareness, helping kids become more independent in the kitchen, and why parents may need to step back and let things get a little messy. Sophie also shares practical strategies that can help adults with ADHD navigate task avoidance and calm kitchen chaos. Find Sophie’s recipes at nibblingscooking.com

In this solo episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart shares a personal essay about ADHD masking, embarrassment, and the effort of trying to seem easygoing, capable, and “normal.” She reflects on how sensitivity, people-pleasing, and a strong social radar can be exhausting—but can also make us thoughtful friends, generous hosts, and deeply caring people. This is a personal reflection on understanding old patterns with more compassion and learning when it might be okay to let your guard down. Read the essay at catherinesmart.substack.com. Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains about ADHD creativity, cooking, and finding more joy in and out of the kitchen.

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with chef and cookbook author Ham El-Waylly about the surprising journey that led him from fine dining back to the food that first shaped him. Raised between Egyptian, Bolivian, and Qatari cultures before building a career in New York restaurants, Ham shares how the sudden loss of his mother caused him to distance himself from the recipes he grew up with—and how reopening her handwritten recipe notebook during the pandemic helped him reconnect with his family, his creativity, and himself. They talk about: How home cooking became part of healing after grief 90s Nostalgia and how it shaped this book Making global flavors feel approachable for everyday cooks Balancing restaurant life, parenthood, and feeding a family ADHD, creativity, routines, and learning to work with a busy brain Why comfort food is about memory as much as ingredients Ham also shares recipes from Hello, Home Cooking, including his Cinnamon Pita Crunch, cheesy tapioca garlic buns, and toasted spaghetti with black beans.

Courtney E. Smith joins Catherine Smart to talk about Ravenous, the new worker-owned food and culture publication founded by former Eater writers after a layoff. Courtney shares how the team built an independent media company from scratch, why they’re choosing subscriber support over VC money and branded content, and what it means to cover food, labor, restaurants, and culture with stronger ethics and sharper opinions. She and Catherine also talk about what’s missing from today’s food media landscape, the challenge of writing about local restaurants for a national audience, the business learning curve for creatives, and why shared values matter when you’re building something with other people. For listeners interested in ADHD creativity, this conversation digs into the messy, energizing process of making something new with limited resources, strong opinions, and a lot of moving parts. And because Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains, Catherine and Courtney also explore how food media shapes the way we think about restaurants, cooking, labor, and culture. Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entrepreneur with ADHD. Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and food lovers about sparking creativity, calming chaos, and finding joy in (and out) of the kitchen + subscribe to the Not From Concentrate newsletter on Substack

On this episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with Zachary Baum, co-owner of Bow Market in Somerville, about what it takes to build a place where small businesses can take root. They discuss how Bow Market transformed from an old carport into a vibrant courtyard of independent food, retail, art, and service businesses; why a true sense of place cannot simply be scaled or replicated; and how small restaurants and makers navigate the realities of rent, regulation, labor, and limited capacity. Catherine and Zachary also talk about the importance of proximity, flexibility, and human relationships in building sustainable businesses, plus why consumers have a role to play in supporting the local places they want to exist. Not From Concentrate is distributed by PRX and produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller. We'd love your feedback! Take the NFC community poll HERE Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entrepreneur with ADHD. Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and food lovers about sparking creativity, calming chaos, and finding joy in (and out) of the kitchen + subscribe to the Not From Concentrate newsletter on Substack

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with freelance baker Mackenzie Innis about the artistry, logistics, and emotional weight behind her beautiful seasonal cakes. Mackenzie shares how she moved from fine dining pastry kitchens to building Ceres, a freelance baking business rooted in local ingredients, florals, seasonality, and deeply personal celebrations. She talks about translating clients’ food memories into wedding cakes, sourcing from New England farms, growing flowers in Somerville, and finding inspiration in bakeries, gardens, mythology, and community. Catherine and Mackenzie also get into the less-glamorous but essential parts of creative solopreneurship: email, bookkeeping, client communication, systems, structure, and managing a busy brain while running a business. For listeners interested in ADHD creativity, this conversation is about what it really takes to turn beauty, skill, and intuition into a sustainable creative practice. And because Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains, they also talk about ADHD cooking, calming kitchen chaos, slowing down, edible flowers, Boston-area bakeries, wedding cake etiquette, and why cake can still matter in complicated times. Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entrepreneur with ADHD. Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and food lovers about sparking creativity, calming chaos, and finding joy in (and out) of the kitchen + subscribe to the Not From Concentrate newsletter on Substack

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks with Alex Fuentes, Head Chef of Special Projects at SingleThread Farm–Restaurant–Inn in Healdsburg, California. SingleThread is known for its three-Michelin-starred restaurant, five-room inn, and deeply integrated farm led by Kyle and Katina Connaughton. But this conversation goes beyond the fantasy of wine country fine dining. Catherine and Alex talk about what it means to cook at the highest level without recreating the toxic kitchen culture that has shaped so much of fine dining’s past. They also dig into the practical lessons home cooks can take from SingleThread’s philosophy: reducing food waste, preserving seasonal produce, cooking with what is local and abundant, and using Japanese ideas like kaizen — continual improvement — to build more confidence in the kitchen. For listeners interested in ADHD cooking, this episode offers a calmer, more flexible way to think about high-level technique: less perfection, more awareness, repetition, and creative problem-solving. Alex also shares what inspires his work, why collaboration matters, and how to calm kitchen chaos when your brain is moving faster than your hands. This food podcast conversation explores creativity, sustainability, seasonality, and the idea of a more compassionate kitchen — from Michelin-level restaurants to everyday home cooking. In this episode: What makes SingleThread’s farm, restaurant, and inn so unique How fine dining can move forward from toxic kitchen culture The idea of a “compassionate kitchen” Food waste, preservation, and creative constraints What home cooks can learn from Michelin-level kitchens Why seasonality and locality still matter Japanese influences at SingleThread, including kaizen and ichigo ichie ADHD creativity, collaboration, and calming chaos in the kitchen Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entrepreneur with ADHD.  Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and food lovers about sparking creativity, calming chaos, and finding joy in (and out) of the kitchen + subscribe to the Not From Concentrate newsletter on Substack

This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart sits down with cookbook author, photographer, and artist Jerrelle Guy to talk about her beautiful new cookbook, We Fancy. Jerrelle first burst onto the food scene with her acclaimed debut cookbook, Black Girl Baking, but success came with a cost. In this conversation, she shares how burnout, creative pressure, and the constant pursuit of “more” led her to rethink not just the way she cooked, but the way she lived. Catherine and Jerrelle talk about slowing down, making everyday meals feel special, and using food as a form of artistic expression. They also get into the reality of writing cookbooks, the philosophy behind We Fancy, motherhood, intuition, and the lesson that “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” For listeners interested in ADHD creativity, this conversation is a reminder that creativity does not always come from doing more. Sometimes it comes from paying attention, simplifying, and giving yourself room to notice what is already in front of you. They also dive into Jerrelle’s favorite recipes, including her famous Wednesday Sauce, tiramisu cheesecake, and the simple garnishes that helped inspire an entire cookbook. This food podcast episode is for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, creatively drained, or disconnected from the joy of cooking. It offers a gentler way to think about ADHD cooking, creativity, abundance, and finding beauty in the small rituals of everyday meals. Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entrepreneur with ADHD. Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and food lovers about sparking creativity, calming chaos, and finding joy in (and out) of the kitchen + subscribe to the Not From Concentrate newsletter on Substack

Food writer, recipe developer, and longtime meal-planning expert Meghan Splawn joins Catherine Smart to talk about the emotional, practical, and very real work of getting a food budget under control. After realizing her family had spent more than $32,000 in a year on groceries, dining out, coffee, Costco runs, and food in general, Meghan began publicly documenting her effort to cut that spending in half. In this conversation, she shares why tracking is the first step, how food spending can get tangled up with shame and identity, and why budgeting does not have to mean giving up good food. Catherine and Meghan talk about impulse grocery buys, ADHD-friendly systems, low- and no-spend weeks, freezer meals, and meal planning without perfectionism. They also get into the joy of using up what you already have, the “sludge of shame,” unidentified frozen objects, pantry roulette, and why a plate of frozen dumplings and edamame can sometimes save the whole week. For listeners interested in ADHD cooking, this episode offers a calmer, more realistic way to think about food spending, meal planning, and feeding yourself or your family without shame. It is also a conversation about ADHD creativity: how constraints, leftovers, freezer finds, and imperfect systems can become the starting point for better meals. This food podcast episode is for anyone who loves food, feels overwhelmed by food spending, or wants a more sustainable way to cook at home. In this episode: Why tracking your food spending comes before setting a budget How money and food shame show up in the kitchen Meghan’s food budget diary and weekly tracking system Low-spend and no-spend week strategies Meal planning for people who hate meal planning ADHD-friendly fridge, freezer, and pantry systems Budget-friendly emergency meals to keep on hand How to spend less without taking the joy out of food Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entrepreneur with ADHD. Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and food lovers about sparking creativity, calming chaos, and finding joy in (and out) of the kitchen + subscribe to the Not From Concentrate newsletter on Substack