Sometimes the most powerful journeys begin with a choice — a choice that costs you everything
you’ve worked for.
My guest today knows that feeling well.
Denise Mazal grew up behind the Iron Curtain in what was then Czechoslovakia, where freedom
was limited and opportunity was tightly controlled. Denise was a talented athlete, a member of
the Czech national rowing team, with a real chance to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games in
Montreal.
But she made a remarkable decision.
In pursuit of freedom, Denise walked away from that Olympic dream — and from the country
she had always known.
Her story feels especially relevant right now. Just this week, several members of Iran’s women’s
national soccer team defected during an international tournament, choosing freedom over
returning home.
Different countries. Different generations. But the same courageous choice.
Denise took that risk decades ago. Today she shares what it was like to leave everything behind,
the courage it took to start over, and how that decision shaped the rest of her life.

📺 LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for delicious new videos every week!
https://www.youtube.com/@GoodTastewithTanji?sub_confirmation=1

🍽️ Watch full clips and featured recipes from Goodtaste with Tanji:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/recipes/

📧 Sign up for our weekly newsletter!
Stay up to date with Tanji's wine finds, featured restaurants, easy recipes, and tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/newsletter/

🕛 Watch Goodtaste with Tanji on TV
Find your local air times and channels:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/goodtaste-tv/

🎧 Listen to the Goodtaste for the Soul podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goodtaste-for-the-soul/id1790780905
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0sa7IUq4VoxEm2yRK8a8Tq

📲 Follow Goodtaste with Tanji on social media:

Instagram: @GoodtasteTV
Facebook: Goodtaste with Tanji
YouTube: @GoodTastewithTanji
Pinterest: GoodtasteTV
TikTok: @GoodtasteTV

👩‍🍳 Follow Tanji Patton personally:
Instagram: @TanjiPatton
Twitter/X: @TanjiPatton
LinkedIn: Tanji Patton

🌐 Visit us online for more wine pairings, travel, and lifestyle tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv

#GoodtasteWithTanji #TanjiPatton #TexasEats #WineFinds #FoodieLife #GoodtasteTV

Great careers rarely begin where you expect.

For Harvey P. Hartenstine, the journey started in a community college classroom — a simple beginning that would eventually lead him to a pinnacle of banking in Texas.

Along the way, he’s helped guide businesses, mentor future leaders, and play a role in the growth of the Alamo City itself. But his story is about more than banking. It’s about perseverance, recognizing opportunity, and the people who help shape our path—Harvey is very grateful to the family who made this journey possible.

In today’s episode, we talk about his unlikely path to success and his perspective on the remarkable growth happening across Texas.

📺 LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for delicious new videos every week!
https://www.youtube.com/@GoodTastewithTanji?sub_confirmation=1

🍽️ Watch full clips and featured recipes from Goodtaste with Tanji:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/recipes/

📧 Sign up for our weekly newsletter!
Stay up to date with Tanji's wine finds, featured restaurants, easy recipes, and tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/newsletter/

🕛 Watch Goodtaste with Tanji on TV
Find your local air times and channels:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/goodtaste-tv/

🎧 Listen to the Goodtaste for the Soul podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goodtaste-for-the-soul/id1790780905
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0sa7IUq4VoxEm2yRK8a8Tq

📲 Follow Goodtaste with Tanji on social media:

Instagram: @GoodtasteTV
Facebook: Goodtaste with Tanji
YouTube: @GoodTastewithTanji
Pinterest: GoodtasteTV
TikTok: @GoodtasteTV

👩‍🍳 Follow Tanji Patton personally:
Instagram: @TanjiPatton
Twitter/X: @TanjiPatton
LinkedIn: Tanji Patton

🌐 Visit us online for more wine pairings, travel, and lifestyle tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv

#GoodtasteWithTanji #TanjiPatton #TexasEats #WineFinds #FoodieLife #GoodtasteTV

I just want to take a moment and say thank you.

Because of you, Goodtaste for the Soul has reached 10,000 subscribers on YouTube. And that number means so much more to me than you probably realize.

When I started this podcast, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. It felt vulnerable. It felt personal. It felt different from anything I’ve done in my 30-plus years in television. There were moments of excitement — and moments of doubt.

But you showed up.

You watched. You listened. You commented. You shared episodes with friends. You sent messages about how a particular conversation helped you through a hard season. And little by little, this community grew.

10,000 subscribers isn’t just a milestone — it represents 10,000 people who care about meaningful conversations. About faith. About hope. About real stories from real people.

That humbles me more than I can say.

Thank you for trusting me with your time. Thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for your thoughtful comments and your grace. Thank you for walking this journey with me.

We’re just getting started — and I’m so grateful you’re here.

With all my heart,

📺 LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for delicious new videos every week!
https://www.youtube.com/@GoodTastewithTanji?sub_confirmation=1

🍽️ Watch full clips and featured recipes from Goodtaste with Tanji:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/recipes/

📧 Sign up for our weekly newsletter!
Stay up to date with Tanji's wine finds, featured restaurants, easy recipes, and tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/newsletter/

🕛 Watch Goodtaste with Tanji on TV
Find your local air times and channels:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/goodtaste-tv/

🎧 Listen to the Goodtaste for the Soul podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goodtaste-for-the-soul/id1790780905
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0sa7IUq4VoxEm2yRK8a8Tq

📲 Follow Goodtaste with Tanji on social media:

Instagram: @GoodtasteTV
Facebook: Goodtaste with Tanji
YouTube: @GoodTastewithTanji
Pinterest: GoodtasteTV
TikTok: @GoodtasteTV

👩‍🍳 Follow Tanji Patton personally:
Instagram: @TanjiPatton
Twitter/X: @TanjiPatton
LinkedIn: Tanji Patton

🌐 Visit us online for more wine pairings, travel, and lifestyle tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv

#GoodtasteWithTanji #TanjiPatton #TexasEats #WineFinds #FoodieLife #GoodtasteTV

There is breaking news in the fight against breast cancer—and it’s bringing new hope to millions of families.

A groundbreaking breast cancer vaccine is now in development, and some of the most important research is happening right here in Texas. Scientists are making remarkable progress in clinical trials, working toward a future where breast cancer could not only be treated—but potentially prevented.

Joining us is Dr. Virginia Kaklamani, one of the nation’s leading breast cancer experts, who is on the front lines of this historic work. She’s sharing what these new vaccine advancements mean, how close we truly are, and why this moment could mark a turning point in the fight against one of the most common cancers affecting women today.

This isn’t a distant possibility. It’s happening now. And it could change everything.

📺 LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for delicious new videos every week!
https://www.youtube.com/@GoodTastewithTanji?sub_confirmation=1

🍽️ Watch full clips and featured recipes from Goodtaste with Tanji:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/recipes/

📧 Sign up for our weekly newsletter!
Stay up to date with Tanji's wine finds, featured restaurants, easy recipes, and tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/newsletter/

🕛 Watch Goodtaste with Tanji on TV
Find your local air times and channels:
https://www.goodtaste.tv/goodtaste-tv/

🎧 Listen to the Goodtaste for the Soul podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goodtaste-for-the-soul/id1790780905
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0sa7IUq4VoxEm2yRK8a8Tq

📲 Follow Goodtaste with Tanji on social media:

Instagram: @GoodtasteTV
Facebook: Goodtaste with Tanji
YouTube: @GoodTastewithTanji
Pinterest: GoodtasteTV
TikTok: @GoodtasteTV

👩‍🍳 Follow Tanji Patton personally:
Instagram: @TanjiPatton
Twitter/X: @TanjiPatton
LinkedIn: Tanji Patton

🌐 Visit us online for more wine pairings, travel, and lifestyle tips:
https://www.goodtaste.tv

#GoodtasteWithTanji #TanjiPatton #TexasEats #WineFinds #FoodieLife #GoodtasteTV

There’s a sacred space here in the Texas Hill Country. It’s easy to miss — just a simple building about fifty yards from the Guadalupe River. But inside, a few quiet rooms are holding things that mean everything to someone.

Since the July 4 flood that took so many lives, thousands of personal belongings have been recovered from the river — photographs, keepsakes, pieces of everyday life. Each one tells a story. Each one belonged to someone who mattered.

In today’s episode, you’ll meet the remarkable woman who’s taken on the heavy but sacred responsibility of caring for these items — gently collecting them, restoring them, and holding them safe until they can hopefully find their way home.

It’s sacred work. And it’s heavy work. Even now, seven months later, many of these belongings remain unclaimed — family photos, a cherished set of china, and a small, tender collection of children’s items from Camp Mystic.

Whether it’s Galentine’s or Valentine’s, today’s episode is about discovering love and purpose in the most unexpected places—sometimes right when you least expect it. Our guests are New York Times bestselling authors of the Godwinks books, SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt. From a seemingly ordinary moment in the grocery store to Jelly Roll’s recent declaration of a “Godwink” at a live performance, life’s so-called coincidences often turn out to be something far more meaningful than we ever imagined. And maybe those moments aren’t coincidences at all—maybe they’re gentle reminders that God is close and actively working in our lives.  Romans 8:28

Sometimes the best stories start in the kitchen!

Today’s guest is a beautiful family with a whopper of a story. Lila Smethurst’s path to the Food Network’s Kids’ Baking Championship started not just with a love for baking, but out of necessity. When Lila was only seven years old, her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because her mother’s treatment was so intense, she couldn’t be in the kitchen—so Lila had to learn to cook.

That early spark grew into a passion, and that passion eventually led her to a national stage—bright lights, big bakes, and the courage to believe she belonged there. Lila’s story is a reminder that even in life’s most challenging moments, something beautiful can begin to rise.

An added bonus, Lila didn’t stop with her Food Network win.  She’s giving back in other ways - and right now, she needs your help.  For more info: https://pages.lls.org/svoy/stx/svoysa26/lsmethurst
photographs courtesy of Food Network

I like to think of faith as a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets! If you’re looking to stretch your faith a bit and see God with fresh, soulful eyes, you’ll really enjoy learning about breath prayers with author Margaret Feinberg. Her book, The God You Need to Know, took me on such a thoughtful journey about the Holy Spirit, especially when it comes to navigating stressful seasons of life. Margaret has a beautiful way of diving into Scripture that sparks curiosity and wonder, and she gently invites you to experience Him as personal, present, and faithful. It’s one of those conversations that just might stick with you awhile.  I am a big fan of breath prayers!

Let’s face it—everybody loves San Antonio. Wherever I travel, I hear it.

In today’s episode, candid conversation with one of the city’s true media and sports icons—and a friend who has meant a great deal to me for many years. His sportscast and television show consistently lead the ratings, but what truly keeps viewers tuning in night after night is his big heart. 

It’s on full display when he shares the impact a high school teacher has had on his life. Plus, he credits  legendary Dallas Cowboy’s coach Tom Landry for his belief in Christ, reflects  on the hypocrisy he says can sometimes follow religion, and explains how growing up as a pastor’s kid influences the way he approaches his work—and his calling.

If you love good food, do yourself a favor and get very—very—familiar with Houston’s dining scene. Every year, the Houston Chronicle releases its highly anticipated Top 100 Restaurants list, sparking lively conversation, friendly debate, and yes, a few strong opinions.

Today, we’re sitting down with Bao Ong, restaurant critic for the Houston Chronicle and the person who leads the team tasked with the very hard work of finding the best restaurants in the city. Texas is filled with incredible food destinations—San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, even Marfa—but Houston consistently sets the bar high and delivers.

We’ll talk about what it takes to make the list, which spots truly stand out, and how those coveted rankings are earned.  A road trip may be in your future.