Feeding People

Chi Chi Okwu, Content Producer and Host of The Next Question web series, joins Amy at the table to talk about race, black and white women in friendship and how wholehearted living for everyone requires every person doing the work.

Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann shares her journey from growing up on the south side of Chicago to her decision to found Mishkan Chicago, a spiritual community "reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence.” Rabbi Lizzi also discusses the role that food—and sitting around the table with others who might be different from each other—plays in the life of the Mishkan community, as well as all of our lives.

Dominique Leach, chef and owner of Lexington Betty Smokehouse, makes her second appearance on the show and shares with Amy the challenges and joys of opening her first restaurant, her commitment to be herself, and the importance of supporting black-owned restaurants.

Cookbook author and podcast host Julia Turshen discusses the crucial role food played during the Civil Rights Movement and the Stonewall Uprising, the unifying human connection that cooking creates, and the correlation between her Jewish identity and her love of food, eating, and gathering together for meals.

Amy talks with Emily Scott, the former founding pastor of St. Lydia’s dinner church in Brooklyn and the current founding pastor of Dreams and Visions in Baltimore, on the connection between food and spirituality, centering church around the practice of the table and the beautiful nature of seeing the humanity in each other when sharing a meal.

After much reflection (and hesitation), Amy shares her journey towards embracing her identity as a home cook—how someone without formal training can still be a great cook and feed people with great love.

Amy talks with Rudy Garrett, Co-Deputy Director of Chicago Votes, on connecting her passion for food with her profession in politics. Rudy also shares her perspective on engaging at tables with people you disagree, and the simple mind shift we can make when engaging volunteers to ensure they have what they need to do their work.

Amy talks with film and television producer Abby Davis about how she’s becoming comfortable in her Korean identity, what the entertainment industry in Los Angeles highlighted for her about body image, as well as how she currently centers business meetings around meals and cares for herself through prepping meals on Sundays.

Amy talks with Chef Nicole Pederson, Director of Culinary Arts at Center on Halsted, about her passion for connecting food and community. Nicole shares how her 20 year journey as a chef—working at Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and Lula Cafe and Marcus Samuelsson’s C-House in Chicago—led her to train unemployed and under-employed people within the LGBTQ community how to cook and find work in Chicago restaurants.

Amy reflects on Season 2 of Feeding People, announces the launch of the show’s brand new Patreon page and discusses ways to help create Season 3 together.