Food & Convo

Accompanied by a glass of whiskey and a plate of soul food, Jeneé Osterheldt, Culture Columnist for The Boston Globe and creator of A Beautiful Resistance (ABR), a docuseries focused on Black joy and Black lives, sat down with Food & Convo to talk about her entry into journalism, her love of sneakers and streetwear and the importance of representation in media. 

What started off as an experiment in DTLA development, quickly turned into a unique collaborative space driven by the local creative community and world-renowned graffiti writers, muralists and artist collectives around the globe. Fresh off of a flight from Boston to LA, Food & Convo sat down with Ash Chan, originator of the The Container Yard, to talk about the evolution of this special space and the intersection of art, food, community and the blending of cultures. 

Ep.12 -  Centering his art around the human condition, Matthew Zaremba may be best known for his prolific illustrations that examine the complexities of life, but as a purveyor of streetwear he leads marketing initiatives and concepts for Bodega. His body of work ranges from graffiti and public murals to print designs and digital drawings. Shop his collection of prints, pins, t-shirts and more at https://matthewzaremba.threadless.com/ 

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Ep.11 -  Having spent the better part of the last three decades at WAAF, Boston's flagship rock radio station, Mike Hsu is a legend in Massachusetts radio. These days you can find him hosting the Morning Show on 100FM The Pike in Worcester and searching for the best Italian sandwiches he can find in what he calls the #italiangrinderodyssey

Food & Convo met up with Hsu at Palma's Bakery, an authentic Italian Deli in the Grafton Hill neighborhood in Worcester, for an education on Italian sandwiches and the difference between a sub, grinder and hero (hit us up on the Food & Convo IG and join the debate) and a conversation about the state of terrestrial radio in the age of digital music. 

Shout to Monika and the folks at Palma's Bakery for an uncontested supreme sandwich and incredible hospitality. Check them out for yourself at 3 Acton Street in Worcester. 

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Ep.10 -  Dr. Charles Steinberg, President of the Worcester Red Sox - Triple A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, has built a career out of his love for baseball. His tenure begins as an intern with his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles, and takes him on a journey through various leadership positions with the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. It was in Boston that he met his friend and mentor, Larry Lucchino- then President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox and now Chairman of the Worcester Red Sox. 

Together, Lucchino and Dr. Steinberg worked relentlessly to relocate the Pawtucket Red Sox from Rhode Island to Massachusetts and build a brand new ballpark in Central Massachusetts. Polar Park opened in May 2021 to a symphony of praise for its innovative design and thoughtful customization. 

Food & Convo sat down with Dr. Steinberg during the team's first-ever homestand. Surrounded by photos of celebrities, hall-of-famers and signed memorabilia inside his personal suite at Polar Park, Dr. Charles talks about the culture of baseball, the fan experience and the importance of food in America's Pastime. 

Dr. Steinberg also teaches Sports Communication at Emerson College, is a composer and performer (appearing briefly on the Dropkick Murphys' song, "Tessie") and had a cameo with Drew Barrymore in the Farrelly Brothers' hit film, "Fever Pitch."

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Ep.9 -  Founder and CEO of Plant Jam (Artisanal Cannabis Edibles), Cloud Creamery (Cannabis Infused Frozen Deserts) and Sacrilicious (Boston’s High-End Cannabis Dinner Series), Chef David Yusefzadeh takes us through his journey from working in a hotel kitchen (cooking for President George W. Bush when he was only 19), being a triple-major in college, studying Food Science Nutrition, Sociology and Agricultural Economics, moving to Hong Kong to work at the Mandarin Oriental in 2009 to being part of the team that opened Eataly Chicago. 

After being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in 2011 and realizing that the methods and therapies of traditional western medicine were failing him and that natural remedies such as marijuana were more effective and efficient, he embarked on a new venture in the cannabis industry. 

Informed greatly by the impact food had on his life from an early age and the importance of eating well and together as a family, David knew he wanted to create a higher-end edible experience using cannabis than what was currently available on the market. Enter Cloud Creamery.

Ep.8 -  All hail Senate President Emerita, Harriette L. Chandler, known affectionately to many as Harlee.  On this final Friday of Women's History Month, Food & Convo had the honor of talking with one of the most prolific and staunch supporters of racial equity, social justice, pay equity and women's reproductive rights in Massachusetts. The first woman from Worcester ever to be elected to the Massachusetts Senate, she also served as the 94th President of the Massachusetts Senate. 

Taking much pride in her Jewish heritage, Senator Chandler shares some of her favorite recipes and the importance of food and independent restaurants to the local culture and economy. 

We dive into sneaker culture, her friendship with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (her classmate at Wellesley College), the importance of representation in politics, being present in the moment, education and her and her husband's crusade in racial justice.  

*Interview recorded VIA zoom out of respect for COVID-19 protocols. 

Ep.7 - Leading up to Mass Beer Week (a celebration of local craft beer, March 6-13), Food & Convo caught up with David Fields, owner and managing partner of Wormtown Brewery, on location of their 3rd taproom set to open on or around March 17th.  As the brewery approaches its 11th year creating a superior class of craft beer, Dave talks about plans to expand their concept- getting into the spirits game, experimenting with different ingredients and partnering with local restaurants and chefs. A master of marketing (though he humbly credits the talent of his team), Dave talks about the DNA of the brand, the history of the moniker "Wormtown" and teaches Clyde a new word (Cicerone). 

Shout to Noah "Soggy" Sweat and his "if-by-whiskey" speech and the former Worcester IceCats.

Ep.6 - Set in the historical House of Blues in Boston, Food & Convo sat down with Aldin (Dean) Jackson, Director of Marketing at Geffen Records + Founder of Culture Hause.

Raised by a single mother and surrounded by strong women such as his aunt and grandmother in North Philadelphia, Dean talks about the impression + influence music and hip hop culture had on him from a very young age.

Escaping the violence of early 90's Philly, Dean relocates to Atlanta where his love for The Culture matures and his drive for success takes him from local street team marketing to a national music tour with Ludacris.

Known best for his ability to forecast trends and provide cultural insights, Dean has found himself in board rooms at The Coca-Cola Company + Reebok working on winning campaigns featuring the likes of Cardi B +Drake, among others. Citing Drake ("Thankful for the women I know"), Dean emphasizes, throughout the episode, the impact women have had on his life, from his mother, aunt and twin daughters to his a high school teacher and business mentor whom he considers his 'true north'.

Speaking of successful black women, shout to Fawn Weaver (owner) & Victoria Eady Butler (master blender) of Uncle Nearest Whiskey 

Enjoy episode 6 with a glass of Uncle Nearest and tell all your friends to listen, share and subscribe.

Ep.5 - Food & Convo visits with OJ Slaughter, a Boston-based photographer and visual storyteller at Dorchester Art Project (DAP), a community driven art space managed by Brain Arts Org. OJ tells us about their voyage from New Jersey to Massachusetts and how coming from a bi-racial Italian-Jewish household has shaped their outlook on the world and relationship with food. OJ recounts following and documenting the Black Lives Matter movement from rallies and protests throughout Massachusetts to the March on Washington in August. Currently, OJ is working on a documentary called "The History of Now"- the story of black people in Boston as told by black people in Boston and was recently featured alongside Food & Convo's own Che Anderson in The Boston Globe series, "A Beautiful Resistance", written and created by culture columnist Jeneé Osterheldt.

Shout out local musician Oompa for joining us, Chef Terrell Wilson for some bomb small-batch southern-pie flavored ice cream and to Miracle Seltzer from our previous podcast for the Pickle Rick seltzer!