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South + Pine American Eatery is a staple of downtown Morristown and its reputation is a direct reflection of its Head Chef, Leia Gaccione. She's appeared on Iron Chef, Chopped, and will be on Bravo's 2022 season of Top Chef! They offer their guests a seasonal menu with the freshest local ingredients, but also have certain staples that have become fan favorites.

Segment 1
Leia takes us through her background growing up in New Jersey, watching cooking shows, and eventually going to culinary school. She's worked with celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay and Carl Ruiz and has also appeared on cooking shows herself. We discuss her path through the culinary world, what it's actually like to appear on cooking shows, and how she started to develop her vision for her own restaurant. 

Today in New Jersey History: Robert Sean Leonard was born on February 28, 1969 in Westwood, New Jersey and raised in Ridgewood, New Jersey. The actor is best known for such roles as Neil Perry in "Dead Poets Society," Dr. James Wilson on the television series "House," and as Dr. Roger Kodak on the television series "Falling Skies."  

Segment 2
We discuss what went into opening her first restaurant and what it was like to navigate the beginning. We also talked about how they create their seasonal menus. Every season South + Pine creates a brand new menu, with a few fan favorites like the Polenta Fries and the burger, staying on regardless of the season. Leia describes some of her favorite ingredients to use and why summer is her favorite season! 

New Jersey Fun Fact: New Jersey does not have an official state song. Many people think it's "I'm from New Jersey" but this has never been made the official song of the state.

Segment 3
As a staple of the Morristown community, South + Pine has a great relationship with the area. Not only has the community been supportive of South + Pine over the last seven years, Leia and her team have also been supportive of other local businesses through collaborative events and healthcare workers throughout the pandemic. 

South + Pine: southandpine.com
Address: 90 South Street Morristown, NJ
Instagram: @southandpine

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