Balanced Hospitality

Our first ever live recording! Mike is a wealth of knowledge and is dedicated to creating the best bowl of Ramen he and his team can in Akahoshi Ramen. Mike goes by the name “Ramen Lord” on the internet, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek name that since garnered him serious attention. He has been making ramen for 13 years, fascinated with its history, combining traditional approaches with a scientific, meticulous view of its components. From refractometers to measure soup viscosity, to specific noodle hydration percentages, no details are spared.

Prior to the shop, Mike ran a series of popups throughout Chicago to showcase his wares, though he has also conducted events in New York City, Nashville, Cincinnati, and Atlanta. The shop is his opportunity to share his craft with a broader audience in the city of Chicago.

Mike’s background is not traditional for chefs. After over a decade in marketing research, Mike quit his job to pursue opening his dream ramen shop. He has no formal restaurant training, he just loves ramen. Too chatty for his own good, you’ll usually find him in the kitchen, spreading the gospel with guests.

It’s easy to talk about philanthropy and sustainability, but Chef Edward Lee has turned those ideals into reality. A true innovator, he’s not only creating change in the restaurant industry but also leading by example—cutting non-reusable plastics in his latest concept and using his platform to drive sustainable, equitable practices. As the chef/owner of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, KY, and the culinary director for Succotash in National Harbor and DC, Chef Lee is reshaping what it means to give back while delivering extraordinary food experiences.

In 2018, Chef Lee and Lindsey Ofcacek co-founded The LEE Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to building a more diverse, compassionate, and sustainable restaurant industry. Their mission is clear: to tackle complex social issues in hospitality with heart, innovation, and a commitment to community.

Chef Lee's accolades speak for themselves—from his James Beard Foundation Award for Writing to being a six-time finalist for Best Chef: Southeast. His books, Buttermilk Graffiti and Smoke & Pickles, showcase his passion for both the culinary arts and the evolving cultural landscape of America. In 2018, Food & Wine Magazine named 610 Magnolia one of the country’s most important restaurants of the past 40 years, and the Michelin Guide DC awarded Succotash a Bib Gourmand in 2019.

Tune in to hear how Chef Lee’s vision is reshaping the food world, and how his drive for sustainability and equity is transforming the industry from the inside out.

Healthy Pour is dedicated to transforming the workplace. Founded with a mission to enhance the world's relationship with work, Healthy Pour fosters environments that prioritize well-being, productivity, and fulfillment. They believe that a healthy workplace is the cornerstone of a successful and sustainable business.

Laura Louise Green, the driving force behind Healthy Pour, is a well-being strategist, organizational psychologist, and psychotherapist. She specializes in addressing the intersection of mental health and work, with a focus on preventing burnout and toxicity by creating and restoring healthy workplaces. Her expertise empowers organizations to thrive by placing mental health at the center of their operations.

Our podcast conversation with Laura was nothing short of inspiring. Her insights left us reflecting deeply and reaching for our notepads. Laura’s perspective on well-being in the workplace is not only transformative but also a joy to learn from.

Don’t miss the opportunity to engage further! Join us on February 17th for an in-person pop-up event featuring special guest speakers and an exclusive cocktail pop-up "Naniloa" to wrap up the evening. Tickets are available now on our website!

There are few things as fun as getting to geek out with someone who shares similar interests to you. So it was a blast being able to sit down with the author of Slow Drinks and get an understanding of how his brain works. In this episode we explore what it means to have a sustainable bar program and what ingredients you'd want to have on a desert Island! Thanks for tuning in everyone!d

Danny Childs trained as an anthropologist and ethnobotanist studying the traditional medicinal uses of plants in the Amazon rainforest. Back home in Southern New Jersey, he developed and led the standard-setting beverage program at The Farm and Fisherman Tavern, a locavore restaurant in the Philadelphia suburb of Cherry Hill. His work has also led to a role on the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste committee, an IACP-nominated cocktail column, and a debut cocktail book, Slow Drinks.

A love for people and passion for spirits has served as the driving force behind Derrick C. Westbrook’s journey into the wine industry. 

Before turning 30, Westbrook became the Cellar Manager of Alinea Group’s NEXT restaurant, and the Beverage Director of the Michelin-starred, Elizabeth restaurant in Chicago. The sommelier was later recognized for his professional contributions by Wine Enthusiast magazine as a 40 Under 40 Tastemaker, becoming the first African-American in the wine industry to grace the publication’s cover.

Today, Westbrook continues to break barriers in the wine industry while bridging the gap between spirits and culture, through curated dinners and experiential wine tastings. His signature event series, Samples & Samples pairs select wines with music from various genres, creating a unique, sensory experience for attendees. Westbrook has toured nationally, bringing Samples & Samples to City Winery locations across the U.S. with multiple sold-out shows. Westbrook has also hosted private events for major brands and corporations, including a fragrance and wine pairing for Chanel, and a custom Samples & Samples experience for Hilton with critically acclaimed musician Sharon Van Etten. In an effort to combat the lack of diversity in the wine industry, he shared his story at Twitter’s “Many Shades of Wine” panel event in New York.

The beverage world is an ever-evolving industry that continues to create new challenges and opportunities. If it were not for organizations like the Veraison Project we would be trapped in the past. The focus of their project hits close to home and I hope you find this conversation as motivating as I did.

-Stevan

A vibrant and dynamic 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, passionately committed to reshaping the beverage industry. We are a collective of devoted professionals, united by a shared vision of creating an industry that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

The name ‘Veraison’ is not just a term; it’s a metaphor symbolizing our mission. In viticulture, ‘veraison’ marks the pivotal moment when grapes begin to ripen, changing color from their initial green hue to deep shades of purple or gold. It is a period of transformation, of maturation, and of potential realized. This is the change we aim to inspire within the beverage industry – a transition from mere growth to true equity, from blossoming to ripening.

Rethink Food exists to bridge the gap between food waste and food insecurity. In this episode, we discuss the unique ways in which they are changing the way we look at food and how we can help get this resource to the right people. Chef Jenner joined us to discuss how his restaurant Esme contributes to the community including its partnership with Rethink.

It was eye-opening to hear their perspectives and experiences as they have created structures for change. Food insecurity affects the daily lives of so many and we have the resources to help change that. Thank you all for supporting! Let me know what you think on Insta or Tik Tok!

The world of cocktails to often finds itself in the dull color palate of black and white. Everything is done in robotic repetition while corporate-flavored slush is forced into our unwilling hands. Luckily we have our next guests who have brought us the book 'Cocktails in Color'. I found the conversation uplifting and bright and I hope it brings a fresh perspective to you as well. Here are the details of our guests below!

Sammi Katz is a writer and bartender from New York City. She loves sharing her enthusiasm for all things cocktails and is always up for a lively debate about the appropriate garnish for a Last Word. Her work has appeared in The New York Times and The Daily Beast, and she is the creator of the blog A Girl’s Guide to Drinking Alone.

Olivia McGiff is an artist living in Brooklyn. She designs book covers by day and illustrates drinks, dogs, and loved ones by night. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Corriere della Sera’s COOK, and Lit Hub. Olivia has directed a cat circus, painted in the Greek mountains, and was once a clown in a play about Billie Jean King.

A member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, Chef Sean Sherman was born and raised in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Cooking in kitchens across the United States and Mexico for over 30 years, Chef Sean is renowned nationally and internationally in the culinary movement of Indigenous foods. His primary focus is the revitalization and evolution of Indigenous food systems throughout North America. His extensive studies on the foundations of Indigenous food systems have led to his deep understanding of what is needed to showcase Native American cuisine in today's world. In 2014, Chef Sean opened the business, The Sioux Chef, designed to provide catering and food education in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. His first book, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, received the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook for 2018 and was chosen one of the top ten cookbooks of 2017 by the LA Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Smithsonian magazine. In July 2021, Chef Sean and his partner Dana openedOwamni by The Sioux Chef, Minnesota’s first full-service Indigenous restaurant, featuring healthy Indigenous food and drinks. Owamni received the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in June 2022.

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You know Dustin Drankiewicz right? A familiar face and name to those of us in the Midwest, his professional movements these days include being an operating partner with Paper Plane Pizza & he is about to launch a management & consulting division as well as continue growing the Pizza footprint. In our episode, we talk about his life's journey and his path to sobriety.

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