Amaris spoke with Dave Welsh, the owner behind Mile Bar and South Jersey Running Company. He joined us to introduce all of you to the newest addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors: The newly-opened multi-dining concept with a bar, Poppy Taco, Chicken Joint, and Local Standards under one roof called Reunion Hall in NJ!

Another fresh offering for the dining scene is from Chef Rob Miskell and his new concept, SauceBoy! Chef Miskell marries a family favorite--scratch-made pastas with sauces (eh-hem...or shall we say, gravy). You can find him online to order your next meal, or feel free to reach out to him if you're looking to have your next get together catered!

Lastly, we spoke with Nick Beam, one of the co-owners behind Phat Jawns. The name says it all...they combine Philly foodie favorites that are large and in charge, with some rather interesting and turn them into hunger-inducing creations--until you satisfy your hunger by taking a big bite!

We began with a round-table discussion with Executive Director of Community Design Collaborative (CDC) Tya Winn, Kiersten Hanna from KLYR Rum, and Kris Parsons of Kris Parsons PR regarding CDC's Leverage Event happening June 18th, 2024 at The Center for Design Philadelphia from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.

The Leverage Award Reception themed “Our Home, Our Neighborhoods”, will highlight several schematic design projects led by the Community Design Collaborative from neighborhoods across Philadelphia. And Kris Parsons proudly discussed the details on what guests can look forward to dining on during the event! local Chefs, Attendees can also sample the signature cocktail for the event: The Developer's Daiquiri from KLYR. KLYR's representative, Kiersten Hanna joined us to highlight their new rum which is redefining the industry with its new distilling process. You can also look forward to meeting Cherri Gregg, WHYY Anchor and Afternoon Co-host for Studio 2 Podcast will Emcee the event. Also look for Philly Current (PC) Magazine, and your favorite host, Amaris Pollock from Food, Farm and Chefs Podcast! And for anyone interested in sponsorship and ticket opportunities, they are available at https://cdesignc.org/events/leverage-2024.

We continued our show by celebrating Mother's Day, and highlighting two amazing mother's who went to great lengths to focus on the health and well-being of their families and friends by starting businesses to offer nutrient-dense foods.
Hillary Stecher and her husband grew up in farming households, and both shared a passion to continue that tradition with their own growing family. So, when their son refused to eat chicken because of its texture, Hillary and her husband decided to enter into chicken farming. Today, they raise chickens on the family's original homestead along with vegetables, focusing on sustainability and organic practices, and offering farm-fresh proteins and produce inside The Farmer's Market...a shop on the farm that is located in Mt. Royal in NJ. The new season opening day is on May 10th, just in time for the weekend! So make plans for the whole family, as they have an engaging group of livestock for the kids to meet & feed treats to while you pick up some nutritious food to eat! Be sure to keep an eye out on their socials for any exciting news that might pop up! Visit https://farmersmarketnj.com for more information and hours of operation!

Being a mother can be exhausting, with all the energy burned from nursing to nurturing your newborn--you need to fuel your body accordingly. Of course, your loved ones help out when they can but sometimes even the best intentions might not be what an on-the-go mother needs. Victoria Lindchan experienced the need to feed herself nutrient-dense foods to help keep herself fueled after giving birth to her firstborn, and subsequently began creating nutrient-rich bone broths and stews for herself. A practice that turned into a business. Now, the mother of two offers her healthy broths, soups, and other well-balanced meals and snacks through her business, Earthside Provisions. You can find her products either online or in-person at area Farmers Markets in Philadelphia's suburbs (Weaver's Way, Headhouse, Fairmount Park, Roxboro, etc.) stay up-to-date by following her on Instagram and FaceBook or by visiting her at https://earthsideprovisions.com.

To start, I spoke with the immensely impressive Rhys Powell, who transitioned from Wall Street to Founding Red Rabbit. Red Rabbit is leading the way to provide meals which represents more culturally diverse cuisines so all students can enjoy a lunch that reflects what they would partake of at home. These meals and menus are curated by professional chefs who live and grew up within the same culture and heritage of the surrounding communities, and those meals are provided through Red Rabbit's lunch programs which are currently being offered within the Tri-State region, with plans to continue to expand. So, what does that mean to you? Tune in to find out, and share with anyone you know who is a teacher, parent, or advocate for nutritional meals for children in schools.

Speaking of schools and food...my next guest, Zach Poznan, was formerly the math teacher at Conwell Middle School in Kensington. The math teacher-turned-baker began his path to owning Brass Monkey Bread Co. during the pandemic, and after several mishaps and a fellow friend/sourdough enthusiast asked for help--Zach came to his friend's rescue while re-igniting his desire to try something new. Armed with more knowledge on how to make sourdough (and their starters), Zach raised the bar to become a sourdough aficionado. Today, Zach has since transitioned into working as the full-time owner and head baker for Brass Monkey Bread Co, and is excited to join us and share where we can carb-load when he vends at various locations throughout the year.

Lastly, we spoke with what I consider as one of the best comfort foods around. TuckedIto (pronounced, Tuck-dee-too) is owned by brothers Brendan and James Pinder, and offers several meat-based taquitos and tacos. We discussed their various options on what they offer, what their personal favorite tacos are, and the in's and out's of owning your own business. Its a lot to take in, but trust the process...and trust me...they offer tempting descriptions from their menu, as well as an abundance of advice that you may not get from anyone else in the business.