THE FOOD SEEN – Details, episodes & analysis

On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Andrew Scrivani, our only 3x guest (Ep1, Ep238, and this one), has become one of the most recognized food photographers in the field today. From his work for the New York Times, to numerous cookbooks and ad campaigns, Scrivani now adds author to repertory, with his tell-all handbook to the biz: “That Photo Makes Me Hungry”. Step-by-step tips which include: seeing the light, composing the shot, telling a story, and making a living by turning passion into profit.

The holiday season is all about food and community. There’s no better time to show your support for food radio by becoming a member! Lend your voice and help HRN continue to spreading the message of equitable, sustainable, and delicious food – together, we can change minds and build a better food system. Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate  today to become a crucial part of the HRN community.

Photo Courtesy of Countryman Press

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On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Nick Muncy is a pastry chef who’s dreams of being an artist was never lost on him. After a culinary arts degree, and stints in Healdsburg, CA, at Cyrus, under the patron saint of panettone Roy Shvartzapel, Muncy spent time with Matt Tinder at Saison, before joining Coi with Daniel Patterson, which earned him a James Beard semi-finalist nod. But Muncy had to step away from the sugar to satiate his sweet tooth, starting TOOTHACHE Magazine, for all those pastry chefs out there looking inspiration. Funnily enough, after focusing on publishing, and releasing five saccharine issues, Muncy’s back to the kitchen, now the executive pastry chef of Michelin-starred Michael Mina in San Francisco.

Photo Courtesy of Toothache Magazine

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On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Ivan Orkin is a lifelong gaijin (outsider), or is he? A Long Islander with Jewish roots, found his place/people in Tokyo, became a ramen master, moved himself and his restaurant back to New York City, and still sometimes feels like a foreigner. Well, The Gaijin Cookbook, co-authored with Chris Ying, aims to address all that, and make you “Eat More Japanese”, and be “Open To Anything” in the way the Japanese really are. From teriyaki to sukiyaki, okonomiyaki to temaki parties, Orkin hopes to bring his brand of “gaijin cuisine” to prominence, from his home to yours.

Photo Courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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On today's episode of THE FOOD SEEN, husband and wife team, Alex McCrery & Jenny Goodman, met in New Orleans, one working BOH, the other FOH at Commanders Palace. After a short-run restaurant in Brooklyn, Goodman decided to earn her MBA before the two started another business. That's how Tilit, a chefware company, was born. Coats, aprons, pants, and more, Tilit provides the right materials for a new era of chefs: wax cloth, military grade adjustable straps, pit vents and Sharpie pen slots, all in hopes to update the outmoded model of kitchen uniforms, giving personality to an industry that surely has one.

On today's episode of THE FOOD SEEN, we travel through the food world with John Sconzo (docsconz.com). If you've been to any chef's event (e.g. StarChefs, Madrid Fusion, Bocuse D'Or) you've probably met the guy behind the lens, who's dined at half of the World's Fifty Best Restaurants, and who's affectionately know as "Doc". Sconzo grew up in Brooklyn, NY, eschewing foods like onions, mushrooms and cheese, the turning point, an online forum in 2003 called eGullet, and an opinionated, but not self-important, a community of foodies. This gave Sconzo the culinary voice he was longing to have. Though he's really an anesthesiologist, hence "Doc", food has always been his medicine. Now he takes groups of adventurous eaters to New Orleans, New York City, Italy and Barcelona, for intimate insider tours with renowned chefs like Massimo Bottura and Albert Adria. Check out www.docsconztravel.com for more of Doc's culinary travels, and to join in on the food fun!

On today's episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Thomas Kelly was obsessed with cooking during his teenage days in Minneapolis, not a place known for either it's Mexican or barbecue, but you wouldn't know that by the deep and complex flavors found at Mexicue, his ode to the best of qualities of both cuisines. What started as a food truck now has two, soon to be three, brick & mortar "quick casual" locations as Kelly calls them, where ticket times are under 5 minutes, and entrees rarely fall outside the $10-$15 range. Aside from serving up brisket tacos and Jamburritos (a burrito stuffed with Mexican chorizo and, you guessed it, jambalaya), Kelly also runs The Chili Lab, a website that showcases the diverse flavors of chili peppers from around the world from deep and earthy dried guajillos from Mexico to herbal and citrusy piri piri from Africa, proving you don't have to fire up the grill just to heat things up!

On today's episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Gerardo Gonzalez, son of Mexican parents from Jalisco, grew up in San Diego, California with the shining sun and bright ideas about what food should look like. In his own personal style, Gonzalez blends California cuisine and his Mexican heritage, to present a creative and vibrant menu at Lalo in Chinatown, NYC. Housed in the once famed Winnie's karaoke bar, the exterior stays unchanged, but inside you'll find newly furnished mango-colored banquets and wood light fixtures, enlivening a 1970's vibe. After gaining much Cal-Mex notoriety at El Rey Coffee Bar & Luncheonette for his designer avocado toast, and vegan chicharrones, Lalo is much more "hippie Chicano" as Gonzalez puts it, heralding complex molé sauces (found in a Brown Goddess Cucumber Salad with brown molé vinaigrette, and a Green Molé Bulgarian Feta dish) and their deep dark almost-burnt flavors, as well as bright, and dark, color palate/palette plates like Stuffed Squid with Chorizo & Hibiscus to "Black Bean" Dip & Chips, which dyes white cannellini beans jet black with squid ink. If you just want a more traditional approach, of course there's Carnitas, but I implore you to take a journey across this global-minded menu, which even finds influence as close as it's Ashkenazi neighbors at Russ & Daughters (Toasted Kasha Salad with puffed grains, raw crimini and caramelized onion agrodolce). What Lalo (Gerardo's nickname) does best, is be himself, as you must see for yourself at Lalo.

On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, and just in time for the Year of the Rooster, Chinese food authority Fuchsia Dunlop walks us through New York City’s monolithic Chinatown, relative to the offerings from her hometown London. What once was a Cantonese stronghold, the cuisine perceived as “Chinese food” in our cities, is now as diverse as the country (of China) itself. In her latest book, Land of Fish & Rice, she explores the region of Jiangnan, best known for the upstart metropolis of Shanghai, which in no way represents the historic gastronomy of the area. There’s “red-braising”, “drunken” dishes made with Shaoxing wine, and “su cai hun zuo” better known as vegetarian ingredients cooked meatily (e.g. smoked tofu slivers), and sweet & sour West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce. The foods are often referred to as “qing dan”, which translates to English as misnomers, “bland” or “insipid”, when in reality they conjure up delicate soothing flavors that calm the spirits, very healthy and balanced, or “feel good” comfort food. We promise, you’ll think of Chinese takeout differently from now on.

On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, we find comfort in sourdough pancakes and pie with Ron Silver of Bubby’s, a quintessential American restaurant in Tribeca, NYC. An artist in his own, Silver began his business in 1990, with 10K and 2 days of planning. Over the past 25 years, he’s kept true to the Bubby’s ethos, and found inspiration from all walks of life. Silver used to bike past The Met en route to work in the Meat Packing district, and one day serendipitously stopped at The Met, where tribal art from Papua New Guinea and self portraits from Austrian Egon Schiele spoke to him, as did James Beard, assembling a sounding board of influences that directed him on how to best serve society. Silver’s latest adventure has been in the world of weed edibles, where his business Relevant Innovations, focuses on THC infused sweeteners, that taste better than a spoonful of sugar, and provide the comforts of what America should stand for.

With our first 2017 episode of THE FOOD SEEN, we light the wick at one end with KeapBK.com (candles). Stephen Tracy and Harry Doullmet analyzing data for big brands at Google, eventually becoming roommates on Keap St. in Brooklyn. With their research, they saw companies like Everlane, Warby Parker, Casper, and Misen, cut out middleman, manufacture product themselves, and sell their singular products on simple website, well, that and a needlessly expensive candle industry which burns over 2 billion dollars a year of non-eco friendly materials! Coconut wax from California and scents that evoke the Greenmarket, Waves, Hot Springs and Wood Cabin, reminiscent of herbs, aromatics, fresh warm sea salt air, natural spa-water being poured over therapeutic hot rocks, and hikes over fall leaves past smoldering campfires; there are food memories associated with these smells, from beach picnics during the last days of summer to the founders European upbringings (e.g. British toast and tea, Parisian Tarte aux Maroilles, and meals of all-local mozzarella di bufala), that may suggest we first eat with our nose.