BFF with the Chef
by Nicole Schwegman
BFF with the Chef aims to unite a community of like-minded enthusiasts who want to cook beyond recipes, better understand ingredients and hone their techniques and culinary instincts to cook the food they really want to eat. Each week, Nicole invites a new blogger or culinary professional to her podcast for honest, candid conversations about what they're cooking, eating and the knowledge, inspiration, and experiences behind it all.
Episodes
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BONUS EPISODE: If You Have Rice, You Have A Meal – Chef Lea Piel
On this special bonus episode, I interview Chef Léa Piel, a French chef raised in the South of France. Chef Léa originally started her professional life by going to med school, but after deciding to follow her passion, she switched to culinary school and has not looked back. Chef Léa started her...
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From Fashion Model to Chef - Chef Angela Michelle of Culinary Kisses
Today, I'm interviewing Chef Angela Michelle, the founder and chef owner behind the cooking education company Culinary Kisses. Chef Angela was a fashion model for 25 years before she traded in her stiletto heels for chef whites, driven by her passion for cooking that was nurtured since she was…
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Try All the Vegan Cheeses - Becky Striepe from Glue and Glitter
Today, I'm chatting with Becky Striepe, a vegan food writer, cookbook author, and by the time this airs, podcast host. Becky has been a vegan since 2006 and has been developing simple vegan recipes since 2008. At her blog, Glue and Glitter, you'll find easy vegan comfort food recipes that don't...
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Food Scraps are Treasures to be Used - Chef Joel Gamoran from Scraps
Today, I'm excited to interview Chef Joel Gamoran, one of the nation's most well-known sustainability focused chefs and the host of A&E's hit series Scraps. In addition to his television show, Joel also previously served as the Head National Chef for Sur La Table and makes monthly appearances on...
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Sous Vide is Your Friend - Jason Logsdon of Amazing Food Made Easy
Today, I'm excited to interview Jason Logsdon, the brains behind Amazing Food Made Easy, one of the largest sous vide and modernist cooking blogs on the internet and of course, Makin' Bacon, a website dedicated to helping food bloggers succeed in the business. Jason is also a bestselling author…
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Meet the Martha Stewart of Sporting Events - Daina Falk of Hungry Fan
This week, I'm interviewing Daina Falk, the founder of Hungry Fan, a food website that is dedicated to helping sports fans have a great time and eat well while doing it. Having been an avid sports fan her entire life, Daina decided to create a platform for tailgaters, home gaters, sports bar…
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Making Food Beautiful - Nicole Tingwall of Windy City Dinner Fairy
Today, I'm excited to interview the incredible Nicole Tingwall, the talented chef and food stylist behind the blog and food styling account Windy City Dinner Fairy. Nicole gained a passion for cooking at an early age and as a graduate of the Culinary Hospitality Institute of Chicago, she served…
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Save your Veggie Scraps - Brandi Wharton of Inspired Fresh Life
Today, I'm chatting with Brandi Wharton, the creator behind the blog Inspired Fresh Life. Brandi is a former high school English teacher who left the field to head into bartending, inspired by her love of cooking. She started her blog in 2016 and hasn't looked back. Brandi's blog focuses on easy,...
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From Teen Culinary Champion to Eleven Madison Park - Chef Josh Walbolt
Today, I'm interviewing Chef Josh Walbolt, a chef whose most recent position was at Eleven Madison Park. Chef Josh started his illustrious culinary career in high school where he was a two time Minnesota state champion in a culinary arts competition called ProStart, a competition that is…
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From Army Green To Chef Whites - Chef Tony "Maddog" Maggert
Today, I'm interviewing Chef Tony Maddog Maggert, a 23-year military veteran who decided to become a chef after he retired from the Army. Chef Maddog began his culinary journey in the US Marine Corps after he got put on extra duty in the kitchen galley. During that time, he fell in love with the...
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Wine is for Joy - Aaron and Kellie Johnsen from Experience Winefulness
Today I'm chatting with Kellie and Aaron Johnsen, the founders of Experience Winefulness, a company that focuses on helping others experience the joy of learning about wine by focusing on mindfulness and positive mental health. Kellie is a trained marriage and relationship counselor by day, and...
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Nigerian Donuts are a Thing - Chef Lola Osinkolu
Today I'm chatting with Lola Osinkolu, the writer and voice behind Chef Lola's Kitchen, a blog and YouTube channel that focuses on easy, family-friendly meals and recipes with an African influence. Lola was born and raised in Nigeria, where her passion for cooking started at a very young age. She...
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Cooking for a Hospital System during the Pandemic - Chef Rocky Dunnam
Today I'm interviewing Chef Rocky Dunnam, the Executive Chef for the Missouri University Healthcare System in Columbia, Missouri. Chef Rocky began his culinary career at the Le Cordon Bleu and has worked for more than 10 years in the hospitality industry. Chef Rocky has competed in the American...
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Make Everything From Scratch - Chef Joe Gatto
Aloha friends and foodies, and welcome to season five. The first guest of this season is Joe Gatto, a private chef who hosts the culinary TV series From Scratch, currently debuting on Pluto TV. Bringing his passion for scratch cooking, big personality and knowledge of film, Joe has created a…
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Better Meals through Food Science - Jessica Gavin from JessicaGavin.com
Today I'm interviewing Jessica Gavin, the incredibly accomplished blogger behind JessicaGavin.com, a food blog and website that focuses on the science behind cooking. Jessica is a certified culinary scientist and a certified food scientist with a passion for helping home cooks get a good dinner…
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Latin Comfort Food with a Twist - Belqui Ortiz Millili from Belqui's Twist
Today I'm interviewing Belqui, the blogger behind Belqui's Twist, a food blog that focuses on Latin fusion comfort food with a twist. Belqui started her food blog just over a year ago, but has been an avid home cook for 10 years. Cooking was a way for her to keep herself upbeat through the...
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Easy Gluten-Free Living - Amanda Kanashiro from Eat at Our Table
Today I'm interviewing Amanda Kanashiro, the blogger behind Eat at Our Table, a food blog dedicated to helping others live a gluten free lifestyle. Several years ago, Amanda was diagnosed with celiac disease, which requires a strict gluten free diet. While she was heartbroken over the food she...
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Bay Leaves are Important - Chef Ed Harris
Today I'm interviewing Chef Ed Harris, winner of Food Network's Chopped Turbo Powered season four and Iron Chef International. He's also appeared as a chef on 24-hour Restaurant Battle, which his team won. Chef Ed began his culinary education at the Art Institute of New York City. For more than…
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Practice Your Technique - Chef Tristan B Jones
Today I'm interviewing Chef Tristan B. Jones, an American chef, who currently lives in Prague. Tristan grew up on a small farm in Texas, cooking game meat that he hunted as a child. He also grew up in the kitchen, cooking family meals with his mother. It was that curiosity of food that inspired…
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From the Infantry to the Line - Chef Joshua Tango
Today I'm interviewing Chef Joshua Tango, a chef who spent nearly 10 months working at the French Laundry. Josh is originally from Los Angeles, but he left the city to join the United States Marine Corps where he served four years in the infantry. After his time in service, Josh decided he wanted...
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Chefs Can Also Be Superheroes! Chef Darnell "SuperChef" Ferguson
Today I'm interviewing Chef Darnell Ferguson, AKA Super Chef. Originally from Ohio, Darnell's love of cooking started from adolescence and would continue on as he graduated from Sullivan University in Kentucky with a degree in the Culinary Arts. However, after taking a wrong turn along his…
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Chef Cristina Nishioka
Today I'm interviewing Chef Cristina Nishioka, the Honolulu based pastry chef behind the Instagram account Beyond Pastry. A graduate of baking school, Cristina started out her life as an apprentice baker, eventually working her way up at a company to become the general manager. She did this all...
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Cooking Lessons from a Chopped Champion - Chef Rashad Armstead
Today I'm interviewing Chef Rashad Armstead, a Bay area chef who has dedicated his craft to exquisite cuisines and exceptional customer service. Chef Rashad's passion for cooking started when he watched his mom prepare secret recipes, deploying her knowledge of flavor and imparting on him the...
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From Sailor to Chef - Chef Martel Stone – Executive Chef of Kith/Kin
Today I'm interviewing Chef Martel Stone, the executive sous chef of Kith and Kin in Washington, DC. Chef Martel, a native of Philadelphia, started his life journey in the Navy. After serving the nation for five years, he left the service to travel and explore the world. His love of serious…
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America's Test Kitchen is a Dream Job - Kaumudi Marathé
Today I'm interviewing Kaumudi Marathé, the cookbook author and chef behind Un-Curry, a company that is dedicated to sharing the richness of India's culinary traditions through cooking classes, catering, and popups. Originally from India. Kaumudi is a former journalist who got tired of hearing...
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You Can't Go Wrong with Ina Garten – Trent Pheifer of Store Bought Is Fine
Today I'm interviewing Trent Pheifer, the blogger behind Store Bought is Fine, a blog where he has chronicled his way cooking his way through Ina Garten's entire recipe repertoire. Trent started this project in 2015 after he got fed up with online recipes that hadn't been tested and also because…
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Get Yourself a Salt Bowl - Chef Hailley Field of HomeCooked
Today I'm interviewing Chef Hailley Field, the founder of HomeCooked, an on-demand chef service that has been in operation for more than a year. Hailley's been interested in food since she was 10 years old, when she started experimenting in the kitchen. Always up for an adventure, Hailley spent…
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Bake With What's In Season – CIA Grad and Pastry Chef Kelsey Morgan
Today, I'm interviewing Chef Kelsey Morgan, a pastry chef currently working in Honolulu, Hawaii. Originally from Sacramento, California, Kelsey originally started her life by getting a degree in theater arts. However, after college, she decided to follow her passion and attend the Culinary...
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Reverse Sear for Perfect Steak - Matt Lokay of California Grillin
Today, I'm interviewing Matt Lokay, the self-taught grill master behind a successful Instagram account, California Grillin. Matt aspires to help others make their best barbecue by teaching in person workshops on both grilling and barbecue at his home in Temecula, California, and by displaying his...
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Reduce Your Food Waste to Save the Planet - K80 Jones of the Food Heroes Podcast
Today, I'm interviewing K80 Jones, the creator of the Food Heroes Podcast. Before entering the food industry, K80 worked in wetland restorations. Seeing the change that she could make in the world and working in align with her values served as the catalyst for her own food journey, and is what…
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Eating for a Healthy Pregnancy - Traci Houston from The Gestational Diabetic
Today I'm interviewing Traci Houston from The Gestational Diabetic, a blog that focuses on helping women navigate their pregnancies in a healthy and nutritious way. Traci is an Air Force veteran who realized nine years into her career that her true passion was in food. She left the military and...
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Better Cooking through Random Ingredients - Jen Phanomrat of Just Jen
Today I'm interviewing YouTube phenom Jen Phanomrat, the co-Founder of Just Eat Life and star of Just Jen on Tastemade TV. Together with her partner, Leo Samanamud, they create food, travel, and lifestyle videos to inspire their audience's hunger for life in and out of the kitchen. Jen is a...
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Party Food Can Be Easy – Lisa Hatfield from Delicious Table
Today I'm interviewing Lisa Hatfield, the creator of Delicious Table, a food blog that is dedicated to helping home cooks by giving them every day, fresh, seasonal ingredient recipes along with holiday and party food ideas. With 25 years of professional culinary experience, Lisa is a pro at...
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Bake Every Day - Rebecca Blackwell from Of Batter and Dough
Today, I'm interviewing Rebecca Blackwell, the blogger, recipe developer, and photographer behind Of Batter and Dough, a blog that focuses on making everyday baking simple, fun, and delicious. Rebecca has been writing about and taking pictures of food since 2013 when she launched her blog. Of...
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Airfryers Are Your Friends - Tanya Harris of My Forking Life
Today I'm interviewing Tanya Harris, the creator of My Forking Life, a food blog that specializes in quick, easy and flavorful recipes. Tanya started her blog in March of 2016, while working as an assistant public defender. Her passion for cooking started when she fell in love with the cookbook....
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Make A Rough Plan for Dinner - Aneesha Gupta of Spice Cravings
Today, I'm interviewing Aneesha Gupta, the blogger behind Spice Cravings. Aneesha originally started her blog as an online recipe book for her twin teenagers, so that they could be empowered to cook for themselves. Aneesha's blog now serves as a peek inside her California kitchen where she…
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Plate Your Meals Like A Chef Marlee Brady from I Just Make Sandwiches
Today I'm interviewing Chef Marlee Brady, the blogger behind I Just Make Sandwiches. Marlee's blog focuses on helping home cooks elevate their meals to restaurant quality by teaching them chefy secrets. Marlee was classically trained in culinary school and spent nearly 10 years working in...
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Massage Your Kale - Cassie Heilbron from Cook It Real Good
Today I'm interviewing Cassie Heilbron of Cook it Real Good. Cassie's blog focuses on quick, easy, and healthy recipes with some indulgence sprinkled in between. Cassie is a self-taught cook who focuses on food that is fresh, fast, and flavorful. She cooks with every day ingredients and uses as...
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The Magical World of Herbs - Jess Madsen from The Wild Bloom Creative
This week I get the awesome opportunity to interview Jess Madsen, the incredible talent behind the blog, Wild Bloom Creative. Jess is currently a food stylist and photographer from Tacoma, Washington. When Jess isn't working on developing recipes for local brands or consulting on menus, she's…
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Asian Paleo – ChihYu Smith from I Heart Umami
Today I'm interviewing a special guest – my friend and cookbook author ChihYu Smith, who's also the creator of the popular food blog I Heart Umami. ChihYu's blog is dedicated to helping busy folks like you and I make everyday Asian-inspired Paleo Cuisine. A Whole 30 certified coach, ChihYu shares...
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How to Start an Underground Restaurant – Nguyen Tran of Starry Kitchen
Aloha friends and foodies, and welcome back. Today I'm interviewing Nguyen Tran, one half of the duo behind Starry Kitchen, a restaurant and brand that was started in Nguyen's small North Hollywood apartment. Originally, it was a way to earn some money after Thi, Nguyen's wife, lost her job in…
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Cooking Asian Inspired Cuisine - Lesli Schwartz of Asian Caucasian
Aloha friends and foodies, and welcome back. Today I'm interviewing Lesli Schwartz, the creator of Asian Caucasian, a food blog dedicated to helping the average cook create Asian inspired cuisine in their home kitchens. Lesli began her interest in Asian food in Sweden where she met a fellow expat...
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Pancakes are fun to photograph - Nick Anderson of Forkin Pancakes
Aloha friends and foodies, and welcome back. Today I'm interviewing Nick Anderson, the food photographer behind the immensely popular Instagram account forkinpancakes. Nick started his Instagram account in summer of 2016 as a way to grow his portfolio, share food photography tips, and also share...
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How To Make Great Cocktails - Elaine Benoit from Dishing with Delishes
Today, I'm interviewing Elaine Benoit, the blogger and podcaster behind Dishing with Delishes, a podcast where she dishes with other successful food bloggers to find out their tips and tricks to help others in the space reach the next level in their businesses. Dishes Delish is Elaine's second...
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Love in Every Bite - Julia of Julia Recipes
Today I'm interviewing Julia, the blogger and photographer behind Julia's Recipes, a blog that's dedicated to sharing her passion for food and her deep love of baking. Julia got started in the Summer of 2016, and she's amassed more than 10,000 followers on Instagram alone. A self-taught baker,...
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Staging at the French Laundry - Chef Ryan Peters
This week's guest is Chef Ryan Peters. A former restaurant owner and now the current sous chef at Fish nor Fowl located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania Ryan has always had a passion for the culinary arts. After graduating from culinary school he moved to...
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Five Game Changing Cooking Tips I've Learned from Guests
On this week's mini episode, Nicole shares five cooking tips that she has learned from her podcast guests. The show is on hiatus this week, but will be back March 6th with a new episode. Nicole has been using these tips since she has been interviewing guests here on the show. They've really…
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Making Gnocchi is Easy - Jo Thrasher from Jo Eats
Today, I'm chatting with Jo Thrasher from Jo Eats, a blog that chronicles her recipes and musings on daily life. Jo is a self-taught home cook who pretty much loves all things food. She's obsessed with creating, photographing and sharing beautiful and accessible recipes with her readers. And, in...
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Instant Pot is a Game Changer for Indian Food – Meeta Arora of Piping Pot Curry
This week's guest is Meeta Arora, the blogger behind Piping Pot Curry; a blog that is dedicated to showing you how to make simple and easy recipes. A former computer engineer, Meeta is now a full time blogger. Her blog primarily focuses on Indian food, but her love of global cuisine such as...
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From Blogger to Food Network Star Contestant - Amy Lauren Pottinger from Caviar and Crayons
This week's guest is Amy Lauren Pottinger, the self-taught chef, food blogger, and caterer behind Caviar and Crayons, a food blog and catering service that focuses on elevated comfort food. Amy gained national attention when she auditioned and landed a spot on season 13 of Food Network Star.…
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Topics in this show
About this show
BFF with the Chef aims to unite a community of like-minded enthusiasts who want to cook beyond recipes, better understand ingredients and hone their techniques and culinary instincts to cook the food they really want to eat. Each week, Nicole invites a new blogger or culinary professional to her podcast for honest, candid conversations about what they're cooking, eating and the knowledge, inspiration, and experiences behind it all.
Hosted by
Nicole Schwegman