Film noir virtuoso, mixologist and writer Eddie Muller sets the stage for his lifelong passion of storytelling and cultural conversations. The San Francisco-born renaissance man reflects on changes the city has experienced before his eyes, from a blue collar small town to an art-inspired explosion of creativity. He reveals his and his wife’s secret to finding the perfect eatery and their favorite cocktail bar. Eddie opens up about the film that sparked his love for film noir and compelled him to explore the shadowy genre. He explains the important impact European filmmakers had on Hollywood when they emigrated to the states, defining the crucial themes and timeless qualities of the distinct genre. He covers interesting truths about the world’s eagerness for a darker, more relatable genre and how it has influenced different countries and generations. Eddie shares the significant role cocktails and lounges have in society and film, revealing a few personal stories about strangers turned close friends over drinks. The former bartender and forever mixologist opens up about his inspiration, intent and process of creating his cocktail book. He teases the self-invented and film inspired cocktails readers can find in his book along with insightful stories about their origin films’ writers, movie treatment and main characters. Then Eddie reveals his biggest pet peeve and the wrong way to order a drink. He shares his favorite recipe, go-to theater snack and best writing advice. Finally, he rates his cooking skills and unpacks his “death house meal” with delicious drink pairings.

Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/eddie-muller-on-california-cocktails-and-contemporary-film-noir

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James Beard Award-nominee, chef and cookbook author Lee Anne Wong introduces listeners to her restaurant, Koko Head Cafe. She shares what inspired her to launch the concept in Tokyo and Honolulu and the destinations’ appeal. The New York native spills unique challenges and advantages that come with running businesses in Hawaii and Japan. Then, she reflects on her unexpected family reunion while filming Top Chef on the island. She spills the personal reason she relocated and favorite moments from her 20+ years of experience competing on television. The proud mom shares valuable lessons she teaches her son while watching her shows together and favorite dishes to make with him. Determined to positively impact the environment, Lee Anne explains the key to filling her menus with locally sourced ingredients and the power of fresh food produced by humans who live and work in the area. She addresses ecological issues that importing ingredients cause and the lingering economic impact of the pandemic on her industry, offering an insightful take on inflated prices. She reveals her favorite local foods, goals for her guests’ experience and the reason she does it all. Post-Covid, numbed taste buds and concerning news from her doctor, Lee Anne shares how her diet has recently changed and what she’d put on her menu to have a perfect day of food.

Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/lee-anne-wong-on-her-hyper-local-approach-to-hawaiian-cuisine

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Learn More About Guy’s Ranch Kitchen: https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/guys-ranch-kitchen  

Critically-acclaimed pastry chef Paola Velez shares the interesting story of her opera scholarship and the moment she knew she wanted to dive into baking full-time. Paola talks about her many accolades over the years and shares her biggest fear when it comes to success. She shares the story behind creating the world’s largest bake sale and why social justice initiatives, like Bakers Against Racism, are so vital to her. Paola shares the process of developing her first cookbook and how it encompasses her Dominican heritage and Latin American influences. She describes what it means to be a Millenial Chef Aunty and why she is excited about this generation of chefs and bakers in the industry. Paola reveals the flavor combinations she is experimenting with and what it was like to work with Zooey Deschanel on her show, “What am I Eating?”. 

Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/paola-velez-bakes-up-dominican-sweets-social-justice

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Learn More About Bakers Against Racism: https://www.bakersagainstracism.com/