Dig In Podcast

Ryan Cheney created Raaka because he knew there was a better way to make chocolate: from scratch; with traceable, high quality, single origin cacao; transparently sourced; and crafted into something uncommonly delicious. Their founding team knew this operating model didn't quite fit convention, so they built their own value based chocolate shop from the ground up. Raaka is now ten years strong in the international chocolate game. Having inked a number of major retail partnerships with the likes of Whole Foods along the way, I'd say Ryan's hunch is bearing some serious fruit. (See Ryan, I did learn that chocolate comes from a fruit!)

Aaron Cook, a native son of Perth, Australia - yea, the other coast -, landed in NYC seven years ago with coffee on the brain. Along with the founding team of the now far better known coffee bar, Bluestone Lane, he helped scale the brand from zero NYC locales to 9 in just shy of three years. Having gained the invaluable launching experience firsthand, Cook decided his bright baby blues and extra long tee shirts deserved an Aussie-inspired home of their very own - enter Three Seat Espresso in the heart of Manhattan’s East Village. Fast forward three years, Aaron (and those trademark peepers 👀) are now more than a year into his second standalone brand, Charley St., a concept hatched alongside three other Aussie “mates” with a similar passion for serving up great coffee and healthy cuisine for an on-the-go crowd.

Steve Palmer began his group of 20 restaurants in the Southeast ten years ago, and after his fifth successful opening he started worrying about how to ensure growth in a high-failure industry. “I wanted my management team to drill down on how to better identify people,” he says. The company now looks for new hires with drive, a work ethic, curiosity and a collaborative spirit. He finds it crucial that he disrupt the traditional work-hard-party-hard restaurant culture, so in 2017 he helped launch Ben’s Friends, which hosts addiction support groups for restaurant workers: “We spend every night taking care of customers,” he says. “We are just now figuring out how to take care of each other.”

The Indigo Road on Forbes Small Giants List 2019 - https://www.forbes.com/companies/the-indigo-road/?list=best-small-companies#5a72baae540b

Ben's Friends - https://www.bensfriendshope.com/

About Bell's:

Daisy, the Chef de Cuisine of Bell's, grew up in Santa Ynez Valley and moved to New York to attend The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. After school she remained in New York and had the opportunity to work at such institutions as per se, Gramercy Tavern & Chef’s Fare at Brooklyn Fare. Having met her future husband Greg Ryan, a native of son of Oregon who was also working in The Keller Group at per se during her time there, they moved back West on the journey that would ultimately lead to their 2018 decision to open the door's of their own uniquely "Franch Bistro", Bell's, in sunny Los Alamos, CA with their young son Henry in tow.

About The Kennedy:

The Kennedy aspires to maintain an infinitely evolving culture of hospitality. Through superior quality ingredients and exceptional service, they are cultivating an environment of food, drink and company that aims to enrich the lives of guests and their team. Their shared passion for meaningful and memorable dining experiences is embedded in every detail of the décor, every sip of the impeccably crafted cocktails and every bite of South Carolina's fresh, locally sourced small plates.

About Farm To People

Farm To People is the farmer's market delivered, right here in NYC! Each week they curate six different subscription-based Farm Boxes featuring the best of what's in season.  The service is like a modern CSA! You can customize your box, skip as many times as you'd like and never need to commit to a whole season! Additionally, browse an extensive selection of add-ons that you can add to your box or shop à la carte. Know where your food is coming from so you can feel good about what you're eating!

Erin Norris is quite possibly one of the hardest working, grittiest people I've had the pleasure of interviewing. After completely retrofitting the location where Grindhaus now stands in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Hurricane Sandy left the establishment in more than 3 feet of water days before their first service. Seven years, hundreds of helping hands and one driven leader later, Grindhaus stands as an ode to the beauty, creativity and authenticity that can emerge from even the darkest of hours - Let's Dig In!

In just over 18 months Nazar Hrab has gone from mixed drink enthusiast to something like the prince of NYC's cocktail crafting movement. With a range of anecdotes that nearly outshines his passion for spirits, we explore the 6 classic cocktails that have served as the basis for a world of flavor - Let's Dig In!