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TOP Talk

Making Tea Fun

Billy Dietz has found his true calling as a Tea Development Specialist at DavidsTea (Yes, this is a real job. Tune in to find out more about how he got on that train!). He gives us a thorough, but never boring, overview of the main varieites, steeping times, and my favorite of all, how to incorporate teas into other cooking recipes.

Hospitality: The Heart of the Industry

Luke Mathot, Corporate Director of Food and Beverage for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in the Americas, grew up in the hotel business. From a young age he found great joy in entertaining family and friends. Hear how Luke worked his way up from the bottom and what it takes to make the best guest experience possible.

Pazzo for Semolina Pasta!

Even as a child Leah was obsessed with the Italian culture. It's no surprise she met and married one. Her love of pasta drove her all over Italy to learn the art of pasta-making so that she could create her own line of high quality, small batch, low -temperature dried, organic semolina pasta. Tune into this episode of Top Talk to learn all about the temperment of pasta - making.

Fun with the Founders of Foodstirs!

Do you love creating special memories with your family, but don't love all of the mess? Three savvy ladies (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Galit Laibow, Gia Russo) decided to make it easier on us (as well as artificial flavor - free) by creating a pre-measured baking kit with a recipe of your choosing. Tune into this episode of Top Talk to hear how this dynamic trio went for it and where they are headed.

McConnells for National Ice Cream Month!

Hear all about why McConnell's is THE best on the shelf when it comes to your ice cream indulgences this summer. Owner, Michael Palmer, tells us all about the rich history of McConnell's and the process of making every little ingredient from scratch at the original dairy in Santa Barbara.

Queen of Poke: Dakota Weiss

Ever wondered how these cool food concepts come to life? Chef Dakota Weiss shares the organic unfolding story of how she and her team created Sweetfin Poke, a casual concept that serves various combinations of poke bowls. But wait! There's more! She has a line of crazy flavored popcorn called Pop Parlor and if that wasn't enough she has another restaurant called Estrella where they are hosting a wine pairing event this Sunday, June 26th with Onx Wines. Get in on the fun, people!

A Chat with Sherry Villanueva: Santa Barbara's Restaurant Queen

At the age of 50, Sherry Villanueva took a leap into the restaurant world. No small feat. Since day 1 she has been applying her background knowledge in consumer research to give the patrons exactly the experience they desire and it's working. Tune into this episode of TOP Talk to learn how to turn your visions into a reality!

Salo Series: Filipino Food Goes International

Yana Gilbuena is a Philippines native from the nation's 7,107- island archipelago. Devastated and helpless from the aftermath of the typhoon, she started a pop - up cooking traditional kamayan feasts over all 50 of the United States in an effort to fundraise and give back to her homeland. She named the pop - up "Salo Series" after the Filipino word for party, "salo." Tune into this episode of Top Talk to hear this fearless story and to find out where in the world to join the next salo!

The (Real) Big Night

Remember that Stanley Tucci movie, Big Night? Well, the story of Valentino (restaurant) is the real live version. The tale of a real Italian from Italy on a quest to serve real Italian food in the 1970s in Los Angeles. Tune into this episode of Top Talk to learn how Piero Salvaggio came to the United States as a bus boy and how he overcame all of the hurdles of creating and sustaining a successful restaurant for 40 years and building an internationally renowned wine list.

Middle Eastern Cuisine on the Rise

These two gals both named Sarah, affectionately called "Squara" by friends, are the brazen duo from Brooklyn who have ventured out west to open restaurants. And they've done just that. Their first location is a falafel stand called "Madcapra" in Grand Central Market serving authentic falafel, lots of pickled goodies, and seriously delicious beverages. They are in the midst of opening a full service restaurant with Jon and Vinny of Animal, Son of a Gun, Trois Mec, and Jon and Vinny's. Tune into this episode of TOP Talk for some real talk with some fiercly talented boss ladies who don't take themselves too seriously.