
Today’s guest is Rhoda Magbitang, winner of “Top Chef” Season 23 and executive chef of CanoeHouse at the Mauna Lani Auberge Collection resort on Hawaii’s Big Island. Rhoda joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about her “Top Chef” journey, from getting cast to her Last Chance Kitchen redemption to winning it all with a deeply personal Filipino finale menu.
They discuss Rhoda’s remarkable path from the Philippines to California at age 17, her time cooking in some of L.A.’s top kitchens, and how she found her way to Hawaii. Plus, Rhoda talks about the special dinners she’s cooking in New York City and what’s happening at CanoeHouse.
Follow Rhoda on Instagram
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Olivia Tiedemann at Cherry Bombe House
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Tickets to the Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival Feast Summit
Aug 19
45 min

Today’s guest is Mariana Velásquez, the celebrated food stylist, author, and entertaining expert behind the cookbooks “Colombiana” and “Revel.” Mariana joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about summer produce, beans, kitchen essentials, why she’s Team Galette, and her summer hosting tips. Spoiler alert: Don’t run out of ice.
Today’s show is presented by Miele.
Make Mariana’s Pomelo Sea Bass Aguachile with Corn Tostadas
Check out Mariana’s Miele video
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletter at cherrybombe.substack.com
Follow Mariana on Instagram
Follow Kerry on Instagram
Aug 17
47 min

Today’s guest is cookbook author, recipe developer, Substack superstar, Cherry Bombe cover star, and mom of four Caroline Chambers. She joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about “Make It Fast,” the second book in her “What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking” series.
They chat about her wildly popular Substack (and how that platform’s evolving), her paper towel-free household (which includes four boys), her love of recipe feedback, how Ina taught her how to cook when she couldn’t afford culinary school, and her spirited mom, aka Crash.
Join Caro and Kerry on her cookbook tour in Washington, D.C.
Make Caroline’s Lasagna-Vibes Turkey Zucchini Skillet
Thank you to Little Spoon for supporting our show. Listeners get 30% off their first order at littlespoon.com/CHERRY.
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletter at cherrybombe.substack.com
Follow Caroline on Instagram
Follow Kerry on Instagram
Aug 10
54 min

Today’s guests are Chef Mehreen (Reenie) Karim and up-and-coming media mogul Alice Ma. The two join host Kerry Diamond to talk about “Picky Eaters,” the new social media food competition show hosted by Reenie and produced by Mad Realities, the modern media company co-founded by Alice.
They discuss the making of the show, how they snagged guests like Padma Lakshmi, Reenie’s experience on Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef,” and how Alice (and friends) almost bought a copy of the U.S. Constitution.
Cherry Bombe’s Farmers & Makers weekend
Order the Cherry Bombe Game Changers issue
Become an Official Bombesquad Member
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Follow Alice on Instagram
Follow Reenie on Instagram
Follow Kerry on Instagram
Aug 3
38 min

It’s the final episode of Jubilee in July! This special series features conversations from our annual Cherry Bombe Jubilee, held this past April at The Glass House in New York City.
We’re closing with the keynote conversation between Nara Smith and Sophia Roe, introduced by Ella Quittner. Sophia chats with Nara about her debut cookbook “Homemade” (out on October 13th), her unique video style, her love of fashion, motherhood, and more.
Then, we’ll hear a solo talk from Karen Akunowicz, award-winning chef and owner of Fox & The Knife and Bar Volpe in Boston. Karen shares her powerful story of showing her daughter what it means for a woman to take up space with strength and intention.
Thank you to Whole Foods Market and Airbnb Experiences for supporting our show.
Click here for more information on Cherry Bombe’s Farmers & Makers event.
Click here to order The Game Changers issue of Cherry Bombe magazine.
Click here for more information on Cherry Bombe memberships.
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletters at cherrybombe.substack.com
More on Nara: Instagram, pre-order the "Homemade" cookbook
More on Sophia: Instagram, website
More on Ella: Instagram, "Obsessed With The Best" cookbook
More on Karen: Instagram, "Crave" cookbook
More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series
Jul 29
38 min

It’s Jubilee in July! This special series features conversations from our annual Cherry Bombe Jubilee, held this past April at The Glass House in New York City.
Today, we’re sharing a Jubilee keynote conversation on the legacy of Edna Lewis, the legendary chef and author many regard as the godmother of American farm-to-table cooking. This year marks the 50th anniversary of her landmark book, “The Taste of Country Cooking,” which celebrates local ingredients, seasonality, and Southern traditions.
Culinary historian and author Toni Tipton-Martin joins Edna’s niece Nina Williams-Mbengue for a conversation with Chef and podcaster Adrienne Cheatham. They are introduced by Chef Adé Carrena of iLéWA Foods.
Then, we’ll hear a solo talk from Mariana Velásquez, author of the cookbooks “Revel” and “Colombiana.” Mariana shares the deeply personal story of finishing “Revel” as her marriage ended, and how rewriting the book helped her rediscover her voice and the joy of gathering around the table.
Thank you to American Express and Resy for supporting our show. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers – not of Resy – and do not constitute professional advice.
Click here for tickets and more information on Cherry Bombe’s Farmers & Makers event.
Click here to order The Game Changers issue of Cherry Bombe magazine.
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletters at cherrybombe.substack.com
More on Toni: Instagram, "The Taste of Country Cooking" 50th Anniversary Edition
More on Nina: Instagram, The Edna Lewis Foundation
More on Adrienne: Instagram, The Chef’s Cut
More on Adé: Instagram, iLéWA Foods
More on Mariana: Instagram, "Revel"
More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series
Jul 27
28 min

It’s Jubilee in July! This special series features conversations from our annual Cherry Bombe Jubilee, held this past April at The Glass House in New York City.
Today, we’re sharing Kerry Diamond’s keynote conversation with Rita Sodi and Jody Williams, the acclaimed chefs, restaurateurs, and partners behind some of New York City’s most beloved restaurants, including Via Carota, Buvette, I Sodi, The Commerce Inn, and Bar Pisellino. The conversation is introduced by Deanna Ting, managing editor of Resy’s editorial team.
Rita and Jody join Kerry to talk about their favorite produce, the beauty of simplicity, and how their different cooking styles complement each other. They also discuss their self-taught paths to the kitchen, how they met, their culinary partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and their Via Carota Craft Cocktails line.
Then, we’ll hear a Jubilee solo talk from Zahra Tangorra, chef and author of the memoir “Extra Sauce.” Zahra shares what “extra sauce” means to her: pleasure, survival, big swings, messy joy, and living with as much flavor as possible.
Thank you to Veuve Clicquot and Airbnb Experiences for supporting our show.
Click here for tickets and more information on Cherry Bombe’s Farmers & Makers event.
Click here to order The Game Changers issue of Cherry Bombe magazine.
Click here for more information on Cherry Bombe memberships.
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletters at cherrybombe.substack.com
More on Deanna: Instagram, website
More on Rita and Jody: Via Carota, I Sodi, The Commerce Inn, Buvette, Bar Pisellino
More on Zahra: Instagram, "Extra Sauce" cookbook
More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series
Jul 20
38 min

Today we’re kicking off Jubilee in July, a special series featuring conversations from our annual Cherry Bombe Jubilee, which was held this past April at The Glass House in New York City. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some of the wisdom, stories, and inspiration from the Jubilee stage.
First up is Jenny Nguyen, founder of The Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon—the world’s first sports bar dedicated entirely to women’s sports. Jenny sits down with Adrianna and Olivia Maher, sisters and co-hosts of the “House of Maher” podcast, to talk about the origin story of The Sports Bra, the power of creating spaces where girls and women feel seen, and why small changes can make a big impact.
Then, we’ll hear a solo talk from Ifrah Ahmed, chef, writer, founder of the Somali culinary pop-up Milk and Myrrh, and author of the cookbook “Soomaaliya.” Ifrah shares her journey from Mogadishu to Seattle to New York, how her mother’s cooking helped preserve her connection to Somali culture, and why documenting recipes and family histories matters now more than ever.
Thank you to Airbnb Experiences for supporting our show.
Click here to order The Game Changers issue of Cherry Bombe magazine.
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletters at cherrybombe.substack.com
More on Jenny: Instagram, The Sports Bra, invest in The Sports Bra
More on Olivia: Instagram, House of Maher podcast
More on Adrianna: Instagram
More on Ifrah: Instagram, “Soomaaliya” cookbook
More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series
Jul 13
27 min

Today’s guest is Alex Snodgrass, the blogger, bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and mom behind The Defined Dish. Alex is also the founder of SideDish, a line of sauces and vinaigrettes.
Alex joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about her fourth cookbook, “Everyday Eats,” out this August; what it takes to build a CPG brand today; the challenges facing food bloggers in the AI era; and how The Defined Dish came to be and what the Whole30 program had to do with it.
They also discuss Alex’s recipe North Star–“Can I make this on a Wednesday night?”--and why Ina is such a big inspiration to her.
Click here for Alex’s Brothy Saffron and Lemon Fish Over Rice recipe from “Everyday Eats.”
Thank you to Whole Foods Market for supporting our show. Click here for more information on our Supper Club Series.
Click here to order The Game Changers issue of Cherry Bombe magazine.
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletters at cherrybombe.substack.com
More on Alex: Instagram, The Defined Dish, SideDish, "Everyday Eats" cookbook
More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series
Jul 8
49 min

Today’s guest is Lois Freedman, one of the most powerful women in the restaurant industry. Lois is co-CEO of the Jean-Georges restaurant group, the company led by world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten that includes more than 50 restaurants in 12 countries and more than 1,000 employees. This year marks Lois’s 40th anniversary of working with Jean-Georges.
Amazingly, this is Lois’s very first podcast. She’s been very low-key throughout her career, but fortunately for us, agreed to come on the show and talk about her remarkable career.
She and host Kerry Diamond discuss Lois’ time as a chef, her move to front-of-house and what that unlocked, her love of to-do lists, why Jean-Georges calls her Madame No, plus advice for opening restaurants and keeping them open. You will learn a lot from Lois, whether you work in hospitality or another industry.
This episode was recorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.
Click here for the 2026 Cherry Bombe Power List
Thank you to American Express and Resy for supporting our show. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers – not of Resy – and do not constitute professional advice.
Thank you to Veuve Clicquot for supporting our show.
Thank you to S. Pellegrino for supporting our show. Learn more and follow the 2026–2027 competition at sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com.
Click here to order The Game Changers issue of Cherry Bombe magazine.
Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletters at cherrybombe.substack.com
More on Lois: LinkedIn, Jean-Georges restaurants
More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series
Jul 6
42 min
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