In Episodes 4 and 5 of Season 2 of The Art of Spooning Podcast, Michael and Jack talk with James Montejano and Evan Cruz about the “traditional” organization of professional kitchens into “Brigades” and its relevance — if any — today. Audio for part 1 (Episode 4) of “The Brigade Marches On” is  now available at […]

Last month — on November 14 — I had the opportunity to participate in two panels as part of the inaugural San Diego Food Tank Summit. I moderated the second of the two:  “Farming for a Better Food System.” The footage of that panel is below (it starts at about 1:37).  I’d love to hear your […]

In Episodes 34 and 35 of The Art of Spooning podcast, Michael and Sheen discuss the legacy of the late, great Cafe Japengo with two of its many prominent alumni: Chefs Davin Waite and Anthony Pascale. Audio for Part 1 is available  at the following links:  iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-spooning/id1306979997?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-34-the-long-legacy-of-cafe-japengo-part-1 RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheArtOfSpooning Audio for Part 2 is available  at the following […]

In Episode 32 – Zorro Blanco y Zorro Negro do the Valle Food & Wine Fest, Part 1 — Michael and Sheen talk with Fernando Gaxiola and Andrew Spurgin about the Valle Food & Wine Fest and more.  It’s now available at the following links. iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-spooning/id1306979997?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-32-zorro-blanco-y-zorro-negro-do-the-valle-food-wine-fest-part-1 RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheArtOfSpooning

In Episodes 30 and 31 of The Art of Spooning Podcast — El Sabor de “Sabor de Baja“ — Michael and Sheen talk with Chef Bo Bendana Sein, founder of the Sabor de Baja Festival in Rosarito Beach and Mad Hungry Woman blogger (and serial Sabor de Baja judge), Anita Lau. The audio for Episode 31 (Episode […]

In Episodes 20 and 21 of The Art of Spooning podcast — Seven Days in the Valle de Guadalupe…all in Two Half Hours — Michael and Sheen discuss the Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California and the new cuisine of Baja with W. Scott Koenig and Drew M. Deckman *   *   * The audio for Episode 20 […]

In Episode 19 of THE ART OF SPOONING Podcast — What’s The Difference Between The Taj Mahal And Teotihuacan? — Michael and Sheen discuss the parallels between Mexican and Indian cuisines with Isabel Cruz of Isabel’s Cantina in Pacific Beach and Saransh Oberoi of Masala Street in La Jolla. For the Audio: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-spooning/id1306979997?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-19-whats-the-difference-between-the-taj-mahal-and-teotihuacan-part-2 RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheArtOfSpooning The […]

Here is the second part of “The Men of Meat,” Michael and Sheen’s discussion with San Diego’s reigning kings of pork and beef – Hanis Cavin and Daniel Barron. The Podcast audio is now available at the following links: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-spooning/id1306979997?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-17-the-men-of-meat-part-2 RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheArtOfSpooning The video version of the BOTH Episodes 16 and 17 is available here:  The video […]

In Episode 16, Part I of “The Mean of Meat,” Michael and Sheen talk to San Diego’s reigning kings of pork and beef – Hanis Cavin and Daniel Barron – about all things carnivorous.The episode is now available at the following links: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-spooning/id1306979997?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-16-the-men-of-meat-part-1 RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheArtOfSpooning

Episode 14 – Poke And Ceviche: Dishes Or Concepts, Part 1 is now available at the following links: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-spooning/id1306979997?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-14-poke-and-ceviche-dishes-or-concepts-part-1 RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheArtOfSpooning Let us know what you think!

Luke Girling’s got a farm. Coral Fodor Strong’s got a table or two. Who better for Michael and Sheen to ask about the past, present and future of the Farm-to-Table movement than these two? Episode 12 – The Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow of Farm-to-Table, Part 1 is now available at the following links: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-spooning/id1306979997?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-12-the-yesterday-today-tomorrow-of-farm-to-table RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheArtOfSpooning […]

Tommy Gomes is San Diego’s longtime fishmonger and Frankie Terzoli runs Fishmonger’s Market & Seafood Bar. So what does it actually mean to be a “fishmonger.” It — and many other questions — are ones Michael and Sheen explore on Episodes 8 and 9 of The Art of Spooning Podcast. Episode 8 – A Fishmonger’s […]

It’s the return of Mercy Baron as Michael and Sheen interview the Kansas City Master BBQ Judge and grill master Billy Joyce, a soon-to-be BBQ Competition circuit contestant. The fun starts tomorrow on Facebook Live on (for now) my Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/michael.gardiner.790 Come be a part of the show!

They say that “Spooning Leads to Forking” and they may be right. But The Foodie Whisperer and I have a different take on the fine Art of Spooning and bring it to you weekly by delving into the corners – bright and dark – of today’s food scene from the business of food to the […]

Mercy and Michael interview D.J. Tangalin of Bivouac Ciderworks and Anthony Sinsay of Jsix about the rich history of Filipino cuisine, the consensus “America’s Next Big Food Trend.” Check out our 14th episode at: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-forked-up/id1221543146?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-14-the-impending-pinoying-of-ethnic-cuisine-in-america FeedBurner: http://feeds.feedburner.com/allForkedUp

Mercy and Michael interview Jeff Rossman of Terra, Bunz and the California Restaurant Association and Trish Watlington of The Red Door and San Diego Farm-to-Fork Week all about Restaurant Week and the Farm-to-Fork Week. The audio is now available at the following links: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-forked-up/id1221543146?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-13-farm-to-fork-restaurant-week FeedBurner: http://feeds.feedburner.com/allForkedUp The video is available at the following link: YouTube:  https://youtu.be/AY4wM4GovLU

Here is the video from the eleventh ALL FORKED UP PODCAST.  Mercy and Michael interview Jayne Battle, the mastermind behind Jayne’s Gastropub, and MasterChef semi-finalist Nick Nappi of Bar One about gastropubs, sports bars and what they mean in today’s San Diego food scene. See the Episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/fsq6K6AwazY  

Mercy and Michael interview Ruth Henricks of Special Delivery and Karl Prohaska of Kitchens for Good about the world of cooking for charities. Check it out at these links: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-forked-up/id1221543146?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-9-cooking-up-some-good RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/allForkedUp Make sure to check out:  http://www.BaronsBBQBeat/com.

Mercy and Michael interview Terryl Gavre and Matt Gordon what happens after asking the question:  “So you wanna open a restaurant?”  For the answers tune in from one of the following links: SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/episode-8-so-you-wanna-open-a-restaurant RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/allforkedup iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-forked-up/id1221543146?mt=2

  Where Have All The Line Cooks Gone? That’s the question Mercy and Michael ask as they interview Chefs Phillip Ian Esteban and Mia Sailing about the difficulty of finding qualified, willing candidates for Back-of-the-House positions in the San Diego restaurant market. iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-forked-up/id1221543146?mt=2 RSS: http://specialtyproducenetwork.azurewebsites.net/episode-07-where-have-all-the-line-cooks-gone/ SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-46485143/where-have-all-the-line-cooks-gone Make sure to check out:  http://www.BaronsBBQBeat/com.