EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall

YouTube - https://youtube.com/letseatyall Show Credits:

Hosts: Andy and Marianna Chapman

Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman

Production provided by Bryan Murphy The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services.

65 - Lew Childre from Double D Oysters

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

03/29/22 • 60 min

Lew Childre’s expertise in the world of oysters budded early. An Alabama-born fisherman, he grew up fishing in muddy rivers and snacking on sea creatures. Even after becoming a full-time reliability engineer, his love for oysters and hard work led him to dive for product in the evenings and on weekends.

Lew and his best friend Doug worked serving other growers first, and learning from their wins and misses. They became experts on Lower Alabama’s Oyster game. They soon decided to apply for their own permit to grow oysters in 2013 near Dauphin Island in Alabama’s gulf coast.

Now the gulf coast’s first and largest shellfish aquaculture business, Double D Oysters has made a mighty reputation for itself around Mobile Bay by growing off-bottom oysters, supplying oyster seed (small oysters under the size of 25 mm long), and continuing to help other operations get proper gear. Their commercial oyster nursery sells to the gulf coast states, up the eastern seaboard, the Caribbean and even parts of Asia, and as the restaurant business picks up post-covid, Lew finds himself on the water daily.

What Makes a Successful Oyster Business

The aquatic environment of the south point of Sandy Bay in Alabama boasts near-ideal nutrients, thanks to the flow of the nearby Escatawpa river delta, and its perfect mingling with the briny and highly oxygenated waters of the gulf.

Lew’s company uses OysterGro grading and tracking gear in order to predict the ideal times to harvest the oysters. His ability to design and repair equipment has served as a huge advantage during this first decade of the business, and you can hear a There’s-a-Way-to-Fix-Everything conviction in his voice. We learned that he’s applied this sense of grit to more than his equipment; he’s found, and built, plenty of creative solutions on the business side too.

Ecology and Sustainability

Did you know the oyster population helps filter and clean the waters of the gulf? And, healthier water means copious fish, as a handful of savvy fishermen in the area have learned. Then there are the extra snow and blue crabs, baby shrimp, and other crops that oyster farming welcomes to the waters.

In the middle of a historic shift in the demographic of the area, with pricey homes being built all over the gulf coast, it’s reassuring to hear from a farmer who knows the area’s history and strives to farm with the long-term implications in mind.

Supply and Demand

In today’s episode, Andy asks Lew the question, “What prepared you to be a farmer?” We hear Lew’s wisdom stream out as he addresses all he’s learned over the years about protecting the growth process, material handling and supply, and the current market. Oysters are a tad more sparse right now, need is high, and yet he has to refrain from over-selling so his customers won’t be lacking later.

Nearby restaurant chefs who care about serving authentic local taste source from Lew’s company religiously. Many of the residents are loyal to the brand as well, and ask for Double D Oysters by name. They get to enjoy some of the finest tasting oysters in the world, caught straight from the waters that make up their beautiful view.

Today’s Guests

Lew Childre

Equipment designer and mechanic at Double D Oyster, Lew grew up with a family full of diverse farmers and a knack for fixing things. His current venture supplies local oysters - known for their perfectly brined taste - to restaurants and foodies all over Alabama’s sliver of the gulf coast.

Connect With Our Guests

Lew Childre

Double D Oyster

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/doubledoysters

Connect With EATYALL:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall

Show Credits:

Hosts are Andy & Marianna Chapman

Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman

Production provided by Bryan Murphy

Copywriting by Eat Ya’ll

The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services.

64 - Bales Farms - A 6th Generation Family Farm

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

03/22/22 • 69 min

Bales Farm has been in the family for six generations and counting. Owned and operated by accomplished bass player and songwriter Barry Bales, his amazing wife Aliceson, and their son Marshall, the tight-knit family farm sells grass-fed, grass-finished beef, pastured pork, pastured poultry and plenteous free-range eggs. They have been selling direct-to-consumer for a decade through farmer’s markets and shipping, but especially post-covid.

This episode touches on simple, sustainable home cooking, pivoting sales strategies during covid shut-downs, and even contains a bit of impromptu lyric rhyming. We know you’ll feel instantly welcomed onto their East Tennessee porch just like we did.

Hearing about a small farm in the smoky mountains that knows their customers by name is healing to our souls, and we love the Bales’ goal of excellence as a small farm providing healthy, local meat to their neighbors.

Processing Challenges

Bales Farm found themselves facing some sudden hurdles in 2020, and their agile shift in focus to more direct sales, along with their incredible work ethic, got them through. Now in 2022, Andy and Barry discuss the unmet demand for meat processors and how it’s affecting many small farmers. (You know it’s bad when appointments with processors are getting re-sold on Craigslist).

Despite the setbacks, which included a canceled music tour, Barry and Aliceson are grateful for a spacious place to thrive as a family even during the pandemic. They transitioned the business from selling about 75% of their product to chefs, restaurants and grocery stores, to now almost exclusively retail, which has taught them new methods and strategies.

Timeless and Savory Recipes

Aliceson’s blogs and recipes caught on like wildfire with friends and fans alike, and eventually led to a really well-made recipe book. Just like them, the recipes are all savvy, wholesome, down to earth and excellent. Aliceson found a way to explain southern-style classics in a way that even new food creators can access, combining common ingredients with generational wisdom.

Family Dynamics

Tackling things like pushing cattle as a family and running a farm as a married couple is not for the faint of heart. Barry and Aliceson share honestly about how they grew into the well-oiled machine that they obviously are now, and how it wasn’t without some stressful moments.

Today’s Guests

Barry and Aliceson Bales - www.balesfarmstn.com

The Owners of Bales Farms are stewarding land that has been in the family since 1882; their son Marshall is the 6th generation to live and farm there. They employ regenerative agriculture and boast healthy animals on healthy soil.

Connect With Our Guests

Barry Bales

www.balesfarmstn.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/balesfarms

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BalesFarmsTN

Connect With EATYALL:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall

Show Credits:

Hosted by Andy & Marianna Chapman

Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman

Production provided by Bryan Murphy

Copywriting by Easy Podcast Solutions

Connect With EATYALL:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall

La Duni Latin American Restaurant and Bakery

Show Credits:

Hosts are Andy & Marianna Chapman

Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman

Production provided by Bryan Murphy

The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services. The first firm of its kind, EATYALL uniquely builds chef communities on behalf of producer clients, leading to sustainable access to exclusive buying power and influence. Learn more at EATYALL.com.

63 - South of the Border: Talking Latin American Cuisine With Chef Dunia Borga in Mexico

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

03/15/22 • 40 min

When’s the last time you went outside of your comfort (food) zone and tried a new flavor? Meals made with care bring powerful memories not just for first-time tasters, but also for the chefs who prepare them. For chef Dunia Borga, her journey from home baker to chef of La Duni restaurant and bakery in Dallas, Texas, has been shaped by her family, along with the countries and U.S. states she has called home.

In today’s episode, Andy sits with Dunia in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, for a seaside chat about her childhood in Colombia amidst exotic fruits and her grandmother’s one-of-a-kind European recipes, and her unique path to becoming a chef via Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas. Listen in for Dunia’s story of how her dishes are infused with the people, places, and passion within her.

Latin American Flavor, By Way Of Europe

A Taste Of Slovenia in Colombia. Hear Dunia recount her childhood in Colombia, spending time in the kitchen with her grandmother, who had grown up in Slovenia and was trained by a famous nun to make delicious, heavenly recipes from scratch.

The Road More Traveled. From the fresh papaya in Colombia, to Los Angeles’ restaurants, to the highs and lows of living in Manhattan, to culinary school in Dallas, and touring pastry cafes in Europe, learn how each chapter of Dunia’s life enriched her recipes and shaped her mantra as a chef: “A little bit of me, for you.”

Savoring Food in Places New and Old. In her early days, Dunia didn’t fully appreciate the unique foods of Colombia until she had moved away. She now prefers to “eat her way through every city” she visits, in an effort to experience local flavors to the full - a lesson that’s worth the few extra pounds!

As chef of one of Dallas’ best restaurants, Dunia has kept family and memories close as she puts a bit of herself in every recipe she makes. And even during other careers and studies, her grandma’s recipes and her husband’s encouragement led her back to cooking as her first love. Catch Andy and Dunia’s full conversation in today’s episode, and keep it at Eatyall to meet more fascinating figures of the food industry.

Today’s Guests

Dunia Borga - www.laduni.com

As the Co-owner and Executive Pastry Chef of La Duni in Dallas, Texas, Dunia Borga’s family-inspired baking background, management experience, and culinary education at Dallas College El Centro has forged La Duni’s Latin American cuisine and pastries with a European flair. From Colombia to Dallas, Dunia’s award-winning pastries are made with as much love as her grandmother’s inimitable apple strudel.

Connect With Our Guests

Dunia Borga

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ladunilove

https://www.instagram.com/ladunibakingstudio

https://www.instagram.com/duniaborga

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LaDuniLove

Connect With EATYALL:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall

https://eatalabamaseafood.com

Show Credits:

Hosts are Andy & Marianna Chapman

Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman

Production provided by Bryan Murphy

Copywriting by Sean Sousa

58 - The Kings of Seafood: Chef Jim Smith and Chef Scott Simpson, previous winners of the Alabama Seafood Cook-Off | Live from EATYALL Chef Camp with Andy Chapman

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

12/14/21 • 60 min

EATYALL Chef Camp has united chefs with fishermen, shrimpers, oyster farmers, local officials, and seafood experts over their shared love of the fragrant, flavorful seafood of Alabama. And what better way to wrap up this Chef Camp series than holding court with seafood royalty, so to speak?

Today’s episode, the fourth and final installment from EATYALL Chef Camp, features two of Alabama’s best: chefs Jim Smith and Scott Simpson. After winning the Alabama Seafood Cook-off, both represented the state in The Great American Seafood Cook-Off, with Scott competing in 2021 and Jim winning it all in 2011. Hear their musings about seafood and Chef Camp, and read on for a recipe you’ll want to try for the holidays - or any day!

Seafood Rewards Beyond The Awards

The Road To Seafood Cook-Off Glory. Both chefs fell in love with seafood early on, and their stories inform not just their life’s work, but also the award-winning dishes they have served. Take a peek into their career paths before and after their cook-off competitions - from serving state governors to finding joy in training a new batch of passionate chefs.

The People And Pride Behind Alabama Seafood. Jim and Scott share their takeaways from EATYALL Chef Camp, sharing their utmost respect for the Alabaman men and women who have harvested seafood for generations, and explaining why it matters where your ingredients come from.

A Dish Served By Many Hands. As Chef Camp wraps, Jim and Scott tell Andy about the value of meeting other seafood professionals - seeing the excitement on their faces when preparing a dish from the seafood they provided. As Scott says, you’re thinking of the person behind the product; learn why that is the right mindset for restaurants and their patrons.

The future is very bright for Alabama’s seafood industry from what Jim and Scott saw and tasted at EATYALL Chef Camp. Although this episode wraps up the seafood series, here’s a parting gift for you: Jim’s recipe for oyster dressing provided below! Bring a little homegrown Alabama flavor to your holidays, and check back with EATYALL for the next great sustainable food story.

Chef Jim Smith’s Oyster Dressing Recipe

Cornbread

4 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup whole milk

1⁄4 cup melted butter, at room temperature

31⁄2 cups fresh cornmeal, sifted

1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place two 9-inch cast iron skillets in the oven. Preheating the skillets helps the bread cook evenly, develops a crust, and makes removal of the bread easier.
In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a whisk and then add the buttermilk, milk and butter. Set the wet ingredients aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt until evenly mixed. Using a rubber spatula, slowly pour and mix the wet ingredients into the dry and combine.
Carefully remove the preheated cast iron skillets from the oven and coat heavily with pan spray.
Equally divide the batter between the two pans and quickly return to the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done and let cool.

Dressing

Vegetable oil

1⁄2 pound (2 cups) Conecuh sausage, diced fine

Cajun mirepoix, diced fine (1 medium onion, 1 medium green bell pepper and 2 ribs of celery)

8 cups crumbled cornbread (The cornbread recipe above yields 12 cups.)

2 tablespoons melted fat, melted (bacon, duck, butter or shortening)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

21⁄4 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons picked fresh thyme, stems removed

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

24 shelled oysters, liquor reserved

1⁄4 cup reserved oyster liquor

Salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a medium sauté pan with vegetable oil and render the sausage under high heat until it has browned.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the Cajun mirepoix to the pan and sauté until the vegetables are translucent. Be
careful not to brown the mirepoix. Remove the mixture from the pan and let it cool.
In a large mixing bowl, place the cornbread crumbs, the cooled sausage mixture and the fat. Mix the ingredients and then add the eggs, stock, thyme and parsley while gently mixing.
Finally, add the oysters and the oyster liquor and mix, making sure to leave the oysters intact. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Coat a 12-inch cast iron skillet with nonstick spray, and evenly pour the oyster dressing batter into the skillet. Bake for 45 minutes.

Today’s Guests

Chef Jim Smith - www.thehummingbirdway.com

Currently the Founder and Executive Chef of The Hummingbird Way oyster bar in Mobile, Ala...

56 - The Andy Griffith of the South Alabama Waters: Colonel Scott Bannon / Marine Resources Division Director, The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources | Live from EATYALL Chef Camp with Andy Chapman

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

11/30/21 • 24 min

Who watches over the seafood-rich waters of South Alabama? Meet Colonel Scott Bannon, the man who polices the seas - though at EATYALL Chef Camp, the nickname “Andy Griffith” caught on for good reason: Scott knows and cares about the people who fish under his protection.

In part 2 of our 4-episode seafood series from EATYALL Chef Camp, Scott offers his unique perspective on the seafood industry: the hard work of his Marine Resources Division, the gear and grit behind fishing and shrimping, and his unforgettable first taste of seafood in the Coast Guard. Tune in and give kudos to Scott and Andy: they pulled off this episode while surrounded by freshly cooked seafood!

Protecting The Water And Wildlife of South Alabama

Colonel, Director, Seafoodie. Having served with Alabama’s Marine Resources Division since the 1990’s, Scott is in charge of every vessel across 1,300 square miles - but the community is just as important to him as his duties. Listen as he breaks down his daily tasks, and praises the enforcement officers and scientists who monitor and protect the local seafood industry.

Fishing And Shrimping 101. Scott asserts that no one works harder than the seafood industry, and it’s tough to argue. From million dollar boats and gear to spending a month or more at sea, Scott highlights the commercial fishermen who toil to process and deliver fresh seafood to your local market.

A Career At Sea. Growing up in Appalachian Kentucky, Scott had never tried seafood until he joined the Coast Guard - but after his first fish taco, he’s been hooked ever since. Hear Scott muse about his favorite seafood experiences, from enjoying oyster po boys washed down with sweet tea, to looking after the South Alabama waters and the people there who catch, eat, sell, and cook seafood.

Andy joked that he made it through a whole interview with a law enforcement officer without being cuffed! But despite his title, Scott sees his role as a calling, not a job. Soak up more of his humble outlook in today’s podcast, and watch for upcoming episodes from EATYALL Chef Camp for more of what Scott calls the greatness of South Alabama.

Today’s Guest

Scott Bannon, Marine Resources Division Director - https://www.outdooralabama.com/about-us/marine-resources-division

Since his childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, Scott Bannon has served as a policeman and conservation enforcement officer, before joining the Coast Guard and achieving the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. Since 2017, Scott has served as Director of Alabama’s Marine Resources Division - managing the professionals and resources that sustain South Alabama’s seafood industry.

Show Sponsors:

Alabama Gulf Seafood

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alseafood

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaSeafood

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism

https://www.gulfshores.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/VisitALBeaches

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GulfShoresOrangeBeachTourism

Connect With Our Guest Scott Bannon

Marine Resources Division - Alabama

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alabamamarineresources

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaMarineResourcesDivision

Connect With EATYALL:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall

https://peanutbutterlovers.com/

Show Credits:

Hosts are Andy & Marianna Chapman

Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman

Production provided by Bryan Murphy

Copywriting by Sean Sousa

The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services.

54 - What Does it Take to Grow a Jar of Peanut Butter?

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

10/19/21 • 38 min

Ever look at the food you buy and wonder how it made its way to you? From children’s lunches to candy bars, peanut butter is a must-have in many pantries - and it’s carefully cultivated and crafted with pride on its way to your taste buds.

That’s why, in this episode that concludes a two-parter about peanuts, Andy interviews chef Michael Marshall and Donald Chase of Chase Farms - a family farm in Georgia that grows peanuts in ways that enrich the environment as well as your next meal. Warning: sudden cravings for a good old PB and J may occur!

The Great Georgia Peanut Adventure, Part 2

Peanut Farming Wrap-Up. Following Andy and Michael’s visit to Chase Farms in EATYALL episode 53, they join Donald Chase to hear his story and share what they’ve learned about the process of peanuts - including why the care behind the harvest is just as important as the final product on your shelf.

A Brief History Of The Peanut. From South America to Africa to the United States, the peanut has adapted over time to become a key ingredient in everything from sandwiches to smoothies...yet as Donald explains, its usefulness actually begins on the farm.

Knowing Where Your Food Comes From. Michael cites consistency of ingredients as his greatest challenge as a chef, and why he values food producers who always offer the same high-quality ingredients. Find out how Chase Farms strives for such consistency by producing peanuts with proven methods that also benefit the environment

The “Stump A Chef And Farmer” Lightning Round. Andy quizzes Michael and Donald on the hard questions: Cats or dogs? Favorite beverage? Preferred steak? Hear their hot-take answers - including favorite snacks that may or may not involve peanuts - and the delicious wins they each want to celebrate one year from now.

While Michael and Donald represent two distinct parts of the food industry, their stories and values align across sprouting fields and menu selections. Dip some apple slices in peanut butter while you listen in, and stick to EATYALL to hear more stories of passionate people making and serving better meals.

Today’s Guests

Michael Marshall, 7 Myles Craft Dining - https://7mylescraftdining.com/

Michael Marshall is the Chef and Owner of 7 Myles Craft Dining, a cooking service that serves 3-course meals for in-home dining and special events. As a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School For Performing Arts in Pasadena, California, Michael relishes putting a modern spin on old dishes - surprising customers and expanding their tastes with restaurant-caliber dining in their home or venue.

Donald Chase, Chase Farms

Donald Chase is the Owner of Chase Farms in Macon County, Georgia, working alongside his wife and parents. Their farm grows and harvests peanuts, poultry, corn, and more, with the Chase Farms Market offering fruits and vegetables to consumers each June-July.

Show Sponsor: Peanut Butter Lovers

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peanut.butter.lovers

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/southernpeanutgrowers

Connect With EATYALL:

https://eatyall.com
Instagram - https://instagram.com/letseatyall
Facebook - https://facebook.com/letseatyall
Twitter - https://twitter.com/letseatyall
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall
YouTube - https://youtube.com/letseatyall

The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services.

53 - We’re Going Nuts for Peanuts in Georgia with Chef Michael Marshall

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

10/12/21 • 54 min

One hundred years ago, George Washington Carver saw what few others did at the time: the simple power of the peanut. Today, the little legume that could is used in hundreds of dishes - but its ability to enrich the soil with nitrogen between growing other crops make the peanut versatile and sustainable.

Those two words also describe the culinary approach of today’s guest Michael Marshall, Chef and Owner of 7 Myles Craft Dining in Fayetteville, GA. In this episode - the first in a two-part series - Andy and Michael talk sustainability and simplicity at 7 Myles and in the food industry, before paying a visit to Donald Chase at Chase Farms to discover the peanut’s many farm-to-table benefits.

The Great Georgia Peanut Adventure

7 Myles Craft Dining. When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Chef Michael Marshall seized the chance to build a business that serves Michelin-quality food in your own home. Learn about his lifelong chef’s journey from Mississippi to California to Georgia, and how the name 7 Myles pays tribute to his father.

Sustainability: Not Just A Trend. Michael explains the food industry’s shift back to using simpler, fresher ingredients, growing vegetables onsite and even breeding and releasing tuna eggs back into the ocean - all to sustain their food sources.

A Chef, A Farm, And A Peanut. As Andy says, peanuts are a bit like shrimp as Bubba describes them in Forrest Gump - they can be enjoyed in so many ways! But how do peanuts actually make it into a jar, a can, or a bag at baseball games? Andy takes Michael to Chase Farms to find out the tasty truth.

Chase Farms’ Peanut Process. Andy and Michael find 140 acres of peanut crops at Chase Farms, as Donald demonstrates firsthand how peanuts not only factor into the foods we love, but also fertilize the soil for other crops - a win-win!

The peanut is just one of many foods that introduce chefs and restaurant professionals to their local farms - but today’s episode is only half the story. Tune in today, and catch part 2 next week, as EATYALL gives you more great content on the food industry relationships that bring ethical, flavorful meals to the table.

Today’s Guests

Michael Marshall, 7 Myles Craft Dining - https://7mylescraftdining.com/

Donald Chase, Chase Farms

Show Sponsor: Peanut Butter Lovers

https://peanutbutterlovers.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peanut.butter.lovers

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/southernpeanutgrowers

Connect With EATYALL

https://eatyall.com
Instagram - https://instagram.com/letseatyall
Facebook - https://facebook.com/letseatyall
Twitter - https://twitter.com/letseatyall
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall
YouTube - https://youtube.com/letseatyall

The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and farm community with effective chef outreach services.

67 - Chef Trace Tedde-Vega

EATYALL: Chefs Go Behind the Scenes at Farms, hosted by Andy Chapman

05/17/22 • 53 min

Picture this: you’re at a restaurant called Magnolia Southern Kitchen - a sought-after southern oasis plopped in the center of California - and your plate is overflowing with spicy jambalaya. It’s so exceptional you start to hope to meet the creator and chef - this Trace person you’ve been hearing about.

You finally cross paths, and you’re expecting a “howdy,” a couple “y’all”s or maybe an “over yonder” from a food creator this brilliantly country, but to your surprise you hear... a thick British accent.

This is Trace Tedde-Vega. Born in the UK, Trace learned the art of food from her parents at their restaurant, and became a pastry expert at a young age. She later married into a southern family, and fell in love with a whole new world of foods.

She has since traveled the world with musical acts like Journey and Erykah Badhu, worked as a private chef for celebrities, and opened a southern restaurant.

On today’s episode, Andy and Trace talk culture comparisons, country classics, and her truly farm-to-table approach at Magnolia Southern Kitchen.

A British Chef serving Southern Food in the Middle of California

Trace puts Wood Colony (Modesto), California on the map - at least for us. This rural, agricultural area is known as Almond Country, and the restaurant sits between several almond farms.

Trace gets all of her pork from Long Ranch (a farm located 15 minutes from her restaurant), and a few weeks ago she served a pigs’ feet dish that would drum up fond memories for Yorkshire and Mississippi dwellers alike. She posted the dish on their Facebook page, and it sold out within an hour.

Since California is one of the most prolific food production hubs in the world, Chef Trace gets to have genuine relationships with copious individual producers. She can even make specific requests, and many come in for lunch to see who is enjoying the final product. Her restaurant only buys a couple things from distributors - making it truly farm-to-fork.

Wisdom for Young Chefs

Trace says, “I always tell young chefs: culinary school is great to learn about the basics, like learning a math equation. But it’s the people that have a willingness to be playful, to add passion and to try new things that find success. Put your heart-print on it.”

Maximizing Cuts/Meats

In an era where everyone wants to use more parts of the animal, we value Trace’s expert take on the flavor profile of different parts and cuts of beef. She teaches us about combining two or three flavors - for instance highlighting the depth of a structured part, pairing it with some gelatinous marrow, and combining those with a more common protein cut to make something new. She throws some new ideas out for less-used cuts that may have a brisket quality, a deeper flavor, or work well in a cream sauce.

It’s clear that Trace Tedde-Vega touts no exaggeration when she says, “We keep it economically viable, but also freaking delicious.”

Connect With Today’s Guest

Follow Trace Tedde-Vega’s amazing restaurant here:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/magnoliasouthernkitchen

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/magnoliasouthernkitchen

Connect With EATYALL:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/letseatyall