What does it really mean to rethink of the ways we renourish ourselves?

On this week's Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates welcomes Susan Julia - olive oil sommelier, educator, wellness advocate, and one of the most passionate voices championing the power of exceptional extra virgin olive oil.

While most people think of olive oil as an ingredient, Susan sees it as a living, breathing expression of culture, agriculture, and health. In this conversation, she explains why truly premium olive oil deserves the same respect we give fine wine - its terroir, its craftsmanship, its chemistry, and its ability to elevate both flavor and wellbeing.

As America continues rediscovering the value of real food and intentional living, this episode explores the principles that have defined the Mediterranean lifestyle for centuries: slowing down, cooking with purpose, eating with community, moving daily, and choosing ingredients that support longevity. We’ll talk about polyphenols, heart‑healthy fats, anti‑inflammatory benefits, and why one bottle of exceptional olive oil can transform your kitchen, your wellness routine, and even your skincare.

This is more than a conversation about cooking. It’s about living deliberately, honoring tradition, and understanding how one ancient ingredient can still teach us how to care for ourselves today.

If you believe that food is medicine, and that the smallest choices can shape a healthier life, you won’t want to miss this one!

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What happens when a nation tries to ban its own spirit?

This week, Culinary Confidential's Americana Series wraps up with one of the most dramatic and flavorful chapters in American history: Prohibition.

From 1920 to 1933, the 18th Amendment outlawed the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. Instead of sobering up the country, it sparked an explosion of speakeasies, bootleggers, organized crime, and creative rebellion. Out of that era came a cocktail revolution and a whiskey culture that still defines American bars, innovation, and resilience today.

Joining Culinary Confidential once more is Noah Rothbaum - James Beard Award-winning author, whiskey historian, and Spirits Editor at Men’s Journal. One of the world’s foremost authorities on whiskey and cocktails, Noah is the author of the acclaimed new book, The Whiskey Bible, a definitive guide to the history, craft, and culture of America’s greatest spirit.

Whether you’re a history buff, a whiskey lover, a cocktail enthusiast, or simply fascinated by stories of defiance and ingenuity, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.

This is more than a conversation about drinks. It’s about rebellion, resilience, American ingenuity, and how a “dry” law forever changed the way we celebrate, create, and come together.

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For Week Three of Culinary Confidential's Americana 250 series, patriots meet cowboys! Not the football teams but rather, two icons who embody patriotism, resilience, and heritage in their own powerful ways!

Scott LoBaido is a renowned American artist, activist, and creative patriot best known for his powerful paintings and murals of the U.S. flag. Born in Staten Island, LoBaido has spent 30+ years painting thousands of renditions of Old Glory on schools, firehouses, police stations, homes, and public buildings across all 50 states. His work honors veterans, first responders, and the American spirit, often dedicated to those who serve. A vocal advocate for patriotism and national unity, LoBaido’s art blends creativity with activism, turning public spaces into bold celebrations of freedom and pride.

Kent Rollins is a legendary chuckwagon cook, cowboy, bestselling author, and storyteller from Oklahoma. With over 34 years of experience cooking outdoors over live fire for ranches across America, he preserves the authentic traditions of the Old West. Raised around cattle and ranching, Kent bought his first chuckwagon in 1993 and has since become a beloved figure through his YouTube channel, cookbooks, and appearances on Food Network shows like Chopped Grill Masters and Beat Bobby Flay. He travels the country alongside his wife Shannon to share hearty recipes, frontier wisdom, and the camaraderie of cowboy life from their cast-iron skillet.

From bold strokes of red, white, and blue to the sizzle of cast-iron skillets over open flames, this conversation dives into the people, places, and traditions that continue defining our nation. 

And it's more than just flags and food. This conversation is all about patriotism in practice, heritage with heart, and the shared values that bind us: pride, perseverance, community, and the joy of serving something bigger than ourselves.

If you believe America’s soul shines brightest through its creators, its workers, and its unwavering spirit, you won’t want to miss this one.

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In Week Two of Culinary Confidential's Americana 250 series, Christina Cates is honored to welcome Chef Robert Irvine - entrepreneur, best-selling author, veteran advocate, and one of the most respected leaders in hospitality today.

Most people know him from television, but some of his most important work happens far from the cameras. Through the Robert Irvine Foundation, he’s dedicated his life to supporting our nation’s service members, veterans, first responders, and their families, reminding us that leadership is all about showing up for others when it matters most.

As America celebrates 250 years, this conversation explores the values that have always defined our nation: service, resilience, sacrifice, grit, and the power of giving back. Christina and Robert discuss building teams, leading with purpose, supporting those who’ve worn the uniform, and why hospitality is ultimately an act of caring for people.

This is not just a conversation about food. It's one about patriotism in action, leadership with heart, and the responsibility we all share to leave our communities stronger than we found them.

If you believe the American story is still being written every day by people prioritizing service over themselves, this episode is one you definitely won't want to miss.

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Culinary Confidential's Americana 250 series kicks off on the right foot, as culinary historian Jay Reifel returns to the show with a sweeping, historically grounded exploration of the food traditions that shaped the United States as we know it today.

In “A Culinary Time Capsule: 1776–2026,” Reifel traces the evolution of American cuisine from the Revolutionary War to the present day, examining the dishes that defined early American life, the communities that forged regional flavors, and the modern forces reshaping how America eats. It’s a candid, deeply informed conversation about heritage, change, and the stories our food continues to tell.

Because when a conversation carries this much history, it becomes part of the story.

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This week, Culinary Confidential lights up the grill and dives straight into the art and heat of summer barbecue!

Brad Prose, founder of Chiles and Smoke and author of Epic BBQ Sandwiches, joins the show to break down the methods behind unforgettable barbecue: building flavor through smoke and spice, mastering heat control, using fresh ingredients to balance richness, and crafting sandwiches that turn a cookout into an event. We’ll also explore the inspiration behind his latest cookbook, a collection of inventive, crave‑worthy recipes designed to make your summer grilling unforgettable.

Prose is a live‑fire specialist known for blending bold chile peppers, global influences, and inventive techniques that push backyard barbecue far beyond the usual suspects. His work has been featured across major food platforms, and his signature style — smoky, spicy, layered, and fearless — has earned him a devoted following of home cooks and pitmasters looking to elevate their game.

Through Chiles and Smoke, Brad has built a brand rooted in creativity, precision, and the belief that great barbecue is equal parts craft and curiosity.

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Chicago, we are so back.

This week, Culinary Confidential heads back to the Windy City for a conversation with Robert Garvey and Dana Hokin, the founders of Robert's Pizza & Dough Company, the acclaimed riverfront pizzeria that’s redefined what artisan thin‑crust can be.

The husband‑and‑wife team behind one of Chicago's most celebrated pizzerias, has overseen what began as a home‑kitchen experiment into a chef‑driven restaurant that's now recognized among the Top 50 Pizzas in the USA and Top 100 in the World. Their signature “Za Dough,” a meticulously engineered sourdough‑based crust, is the product of relentless testing, fermentation discipline, and a belief that a proper slice should crack, not break.

Garvey, a New York native and certified pizzaiolo, spent decades deconstructing pizzas, turning their home into a test lab before opening their first small shop in 2016. By 2019, they expanded into their now‑iconic Streeterville location along the Ogden Slip — a neighborhood spot built for locals, regulars, and anyone who believes pizza can be both craft and culture.

Today, Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. is known for its riverfront patio, brick‑oven artistry, bold flavor profiles, and a community‑driven mission that includes partnerships with Slice Out Hunger and local nonprofits. It’s Chicago hospitality at its most intentional — and most delicious.

Yes, Chicago keeps pulling us back, and for good reason! It’s a city where tradition meets reinvention, where chefs push boundaries without losing their roots, and where a single slice can tell a whole story.

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This week on Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates travels from the ramen alleys of Tokyo to the hidden izakayas of Manhattan with Massud Ghaussy, the creator of the fast-growing TokyoManhattan platform.

Ghaussy has become a trusted bridge between Tokyo's culinary traditions and a global audience hungry to understand them. Not as trends but as living cultural practices rooted in discipline, precision, and history. His work blends travel, anthropology, and culinary storytelling, offering a rare insight into ramen culture, omakase philosophy, and the quiet rituals that define Japanese dining.

From omotenashi hospitality to the worldwide rise of Japanese food culture, this conversation goes way beyond sushi. It's one of craftsmanship, restraint, storytelling, and the deep respect that shapes every plate.

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On this week's Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates sits down with Sam Bakhshandehpour, President of Merchants at Bilt, and one of the rare executives who has shaped hospitality from every angle: luxury, lifestyle, loyalty, and the evolving business of belonging.

Sam's path cuts across the modern hospitality map, helping steer the Jose Andrés Group's global rise as CEO, and leading SBE Entertainment as President & CEO in a defining era of lifestyle, dining, and nightlife. But well before that, Sam got his start in the engine room of JPMorgan's real estate and lodging investment banking division, working at the intersection of strategy, scale, culture, and community.

This conversation looks forward. How loyalty shifts from transactions to identity, how technology rewrites the guest journey, how brands build communities that feel lived-in as opposed to manufactured, and why the next era of hospitality will reward connection, trust, and emotional intelligence as much as design and service. Sam brings clarity, candor, and a sharp read on where the industry goes from here!

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Sun-drenched mornings, linen curtains drifting in the breeze, hydrangea-lined lanes that feel like they were pulled from a film reel - that's the world Lucy Swift Lemonides has created at A Room At The Beach, the Bridgehampton hideaway redefining the concept of boutique luxury.

Lemonides has built more than a hotel. She's crafted a unique atmosphere - one that's intimate and quietly indulgent, one where every detail feels intentional, and every moment feels personal. No pretense or overproduction - just serenity, style, and that unmistakable East End ease.

Lucy breaks down why travelers are moving away from mega resorts and towards curated, human scaled escapes, and how the Hamptons have become the blueprint for this new era of elevated travel.

Sunlight, Style, and Serenity. Now that's the Hamptons: redefined.

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