Family Meal

Some times you just need to find a fantastic happy hour after a long day. My guests today are the dynamic duo of cocktails and eats! Meet the women of L.A. Happy ! Their show on Hideout.tv is a social media sensation and defines what happyhour is all about. Sit back and listen to all the work they are doing for women in the food media industry and then go watch an episode...or all of them. It’s a blast! Tune in at 1pm and 9pm eastern to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio

Family Meal dives right back into the fire, I mean kitchen with Chef Gizzy Rawlins of Gizzy Rawlins catering and meal prep. She is so much more then a contestant on Hell's Kitchen. The experience taught her about herself and the challenges of being in the limelight. Gizzy’s new business connects all the dots on her journey from her Dad’s garden to the simplicity of Italian, classic French technique, and healthy eating. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm eastern to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

Chef Racheal Elizabeth Browning the owner and pastry maestro behind the crazy successful May's Parlor. Talks the difference between a croissant and a crescent roll...seriously debated topic. Soapbox aside, her stories of the importance of local ingredients, artisan methods and the family dinner table are inspiring. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm eastern to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

There are stories you hear about perseverance and overcoming adversity...then there are stories that need to be movies. This is one of those! I was introduced to my guest today by Chef Letty Alvarez of LA Sweetz and Food Network fame. She said I had to have Chef Ikay Suuctugu on the show. You will not believe her story going from Turkey to the Matador Room in Miami. Especially how she had her friend stand in for the phone interview because she knew zero english. Finding her home in the one place she swore to her Mom she’d never be, the kitchen. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm eastern to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio

I can not tell you how excited I am to have this man in the show today! This #familymeal is going to show you the side of Country that you never knew was there. He’s part of so much and growing every day. From his company DC Hub, to Pulse Rally and beyond. Country’s motivation comes from his son and he’s passion comes from his mantra, “Family over Everything!”. This has to be one of my favorite shows ever. Can’t wait to try some of his Mom’s coffee. Wait till you hear how YouTube changed his career path. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

BBQ is on the menu today on Family Meal! Christina Fitzgerald talks about her journey from classically trainer French Chef to Pitmaster and how the two disciplines pair beautifully together. Get a glimpse behind the scenes of competition BBQ as Christina shares stories from around the world as BBQ grows internationally. Her restaurants, Sugar Fire Smoke House, are just the tip of the iceberg as she paces the way for women in BBQ and Food Media. This Food Network Star has an amazing story on her way to success! Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

Today on Family Meal, I get to talk about food and family with Chef Mia Castro! Mia’s stories about Discover Puerto Rico culture and cuisine come from her Grandmother’s kitchen and are exactly what this show is about. Not to mention her experiences on Foodnetwork Chopped and Gordon Ramsay’s Hell's Kitchen. I apparently now need to try one of her favorite restaurants in NYC, Superiority Burger next time I’m there. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

People talk about diving into the deep end of the pool and taking a huge leap...well my guest today on Family Meal, Katie Dixon, did just that AND more! An alum of both MasterChef and Next Food Network Star, Chef Katie Dixon , has skyrocketed from cooking fresh lunches for 200 kids a day to traveling the country as a celebrity Chef. Her story is as unique as it is inspiring! This was all just the beginning. Katie is up to so much more with her restaurant, the Bird House Cafe and a cookbook on the way. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

There are so many amazing people working hard to showcase the talented, passion driven Chefs in the food industry. My guest on Family Meal today is one of those people. A best selling author has taken his success and creativity in the financial industry and channeled them into bringing people together through food. Jimmy Slagle of Kitchen Conquered is connecting people with their favorite reality TV Chefs in exciting new ways. You’ll be blown away with the music and motorcycle pairings as well! Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

Pitmaster Shane D joins me today on Family Meal! We talk all things BBQ and stories from the road. Shane Draper is a rockstar in the world of Q and travels with the awesome show Bama-Q in addition to being a spokesperson for Grilla Grills and avid food sport competitor. Wait till you hear about what happened when he showed up to a BBQ competition and a team had no meat! It’s a great story! Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

Today on Family Meal, Chef Turon Cummings talks about being thrown into cooking by circumstance and finding the career of his life! Whether it’s the new food truck Soul Kantina, competing with Culinary Fight Club, helping to launch Bo Jackson's Signature Foods burgers or being sponsored by Bull Outdoor Products, Inc., Turon is still true to bringing people together through food! All this and his work with Fight2Feed! He is surely one to watch!

Today on Family Meal on iHeartRadio, my guest is a local media personality on the coastal Virginia show, Coast Live every morning! Cheryl Nelson is a meteorologist and always in the weather know with her trusty NOAA weather radio! She has also launched an all new business, @preparewithcher! Wait to you hear about her travels as a Gluten Free Vegan. You won’t believe what she has to pack to be ready for new cultures and foods! Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio

Today on Family Meal, I have the privilege to introduce you to Chef Ariel Contreras-Fox who actually turned down one of the biggest prizes in Food TV on her way to building and amazing career in New York City! And even more exciting is that she is writing children’s book with her Mom about family meals and bringing people together through food! This Hell's Kitchen winner is so much more then just a reality TV star, she is a Chef on a mission doing great things!Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

Today is the day! I teased that Andy and I were working on something special and here it is! It’s a very special show with not one guest but two and you’ll hear about how Family Meal started. My special guests are two of Foodnetwork biggest names. Chefs Alex Guarnaschelli and Maneet Chauhan!! These were the very first interviews I recorded for my iHeartRadio show on the Spoony Radio station. You won’t want to miss this one! Special thanks to the Mohegan Sun for hosting us. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm

Today is the day! I’m thrilled to have my friend and Culinary Superstar Chef Jay D. Ducote on Family Meal. Jay Ducote is a true example of the diversity that a career and life in food presents today. As a media personality with Food Network, his radio show Bite and Booze, product line JAYD’S, and his restaurant Gov't Taco he is a man on a mission. At the center of it all, Jay stays true to himself and his roots. His food and career were shaped tailgating at LSU Football and in Texas. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

Today on Family Meal, listen as Chef Levatino Harris went with plan C, becoming a Chef, lead him to finding his passion and home in the kitchen. “You don’t have to become where you’re from”. He has become a voice of change to so many and an inspiration through his personal story. Not to mention, almost being beamed up by William Shatner of Star Trek fame on Food Network Cutthroat Kitchen with Alton Brown. Listen in to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio at 1pm and 9pm eastern then on all your favorite podcast sites thanks to Thomas Creek Digital Media!

Today on Family Meal listen how a Mother’s nudge changed the path of her daughter which led to not being on Hell's Kitchen not once, but twice! Not to mention two top finishes! Chef Heather Williams shares stories of food and family with us on iHeartRadio, the Spoony Radio station, at 1pm and 9pm eastern. Family Meal is produced by Thomas Creek Digital Media.

Today on Family Meal, I have a very unique show for you. Food truly is part of everything we do and the StarFire Festival is no different. I think it’s extremely important to support local businesses and bring a community together in the process. Listen to creators Mike Mahgerefteh and Ej Toudt talk about what to expect at this eclectic and all inclusive event. You won’t want to miss this one. Shout outs to Jarrell Williams of Nomarama, Ian Patrick Hock of Codex_VA, and of course Pendulum Fine Meats. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio

I’m so excited about today’s Family Meal! Ever since I started the show I’ve wanted to have this stellar Chef on the program. She’s a multi time award winning Chef, both AAA and Forbes 5 diamond and star recipient several years in a row. One of only 30 in the world with both. But most important is her desire to give her diners a truly magic and whimsical experience with a side of giggles. You’ll love meeting Chef Kristin Butterworth of Lautrec Restaurant inside the beautiful Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Pennsylvania. Tune in at 1pm and 9pm to Spoony Radio on iHeartRadio.

Today and Family Meal, you’ll love hearing about the passionate and successful Chef Letty Alvarez of LA Sweetz! Her journey to live her life to the fullest by opening a bakery is inspiring! Not to mention lead her to being a rockstar on Foodnetwork and so much more!!! You won’t want to miss this one at 1pm and 9pm eastern on Spoony Radio heard on iHeartRadio.