What if buying land meant understanding food, flavor, and the system that feeds a region?

In Episode 1 of The Spicy Chef Podcast, Maria sits down with Abbie Steffens — hospitality queen turned realtor in the Grand Traverse Region — to talk land, agriculture, wine country, and why Traverse City is richer than most people realize.

Abbie brings her background in hospitality into real estate, helping clients see land not just as property, but as a living part of the local food system. This conversation connects real estate, farming, sustainability, and local markets — and why those things matter more than ever.

Then things get spicy. 🌶️
Maria puts Maria’s Sauce Co. to the test with a live hot sauce tasting, where Abbie gives unfiltered, honest feedback on small-batch hot sauces made for flavor — not punishment.

In this episode:

• Traverse City & the Grand Traverse Region food landscape
• Selling land through an agriculture-first lens
• Wine, farming & sustainable practices
• Hospitality experience shaping real estate decisions
• Small-batch hot sauce & honest taste-testing

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💬 Comment with your favorite moment from the episode

🔗 LINKS

🌶️ Maria’s Sauce Co.
https://mariashotsauce.com
Small-batch hot sauce with flavor that doesn’t bite your face off.

🔥 Follow Maria
https://instagram.com/mariathespicychef

🏡 Follow Abbie
https://instagram.com/abbiesteffens_realtor

🎙️ About the Show

The Spicy Chef Podcast explores food, farming, land, and the real systems behind what we eat. No fluff. No playing mild. Just honest conversations about flavor, fire, and the future of food.