Kitchen Chat® – Margaret McSweeney

Bourbon is a big trend, and I especially love how women are a key part of this resurgence. Bourbon Women chapters are all gaining momentum across the country. Recently, the Four Roses Bourbon Legend, Al Young joined Chef Jaime Laurita and me for a Kitchen Chat in the Middleby Residential Showroom in Chicago. We had a fun Bourbon and Bites event in the showroom and of course featured Four Roses bourbon.

The statistics are staggering. According to Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, nearly 80,000 people in Chicago are facing food and shelter instability. Michael Airhart exemplifies what one person can do to tackle a huge problem. For many years, he has cooked meals in his kitchen, has gone out into the streets, under bridges and into shelters to help feed and encourage those who are in need. What an honor it was to recently interview Michael Airhart in the Middleby Residential showroom in Chicago along with Justin Cunningham and Essence Smith of SocialWorks to discuss their collaboration with Taste for the Homeless on June 22nd. Chef Jaime Laurita and I joined Michael along with a team from SocialWorks to spend time with some of the people in Chicago who are ministered by Michael and share with them the delicious meal that Chef Jaime made for them.

Teri Turner aka No Crumbs Left is a modern day Julia Child. She is passionate and articulate about sharing her recipes and cooking tips all while making us all feel like we are in her kitchen. Recently, Teri joined Chef Jaime Laurita and me for a Kitchen Chat in the Middleby Residential showroom in Chicago to discuss her new cookbook, No Crumbs Left. How fun that some of her "crumbles" from Instagram joined us in the showroom.

International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) is "taking it to the next level" under the leadership of its new CEO, Tanya Steel. Some of the founding members of IACP include Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Nathalie Dupree and Anne Willan. Steel's impressive resume includes being Editor in Chief of both Epicurious and Gourmet, a best selling cookbook author, the award director for Julia Child Award, adjunct professor at New York University along with many other accolades. Recently, Steel joined Chef Jaime Laurita and me in the Middleby Residential showroom in New York City for a Kitchen Chat to discuss the upcoming conference in Santa Fe. She is dedicated to giving this group of culinary professionals a national voice and has created a platform of Eat, Engage and Empower for IACP.

Make late night plans for May 4th and join the delicious celebration of Iconoclast Dinner Experience (IDE) with Lezli Levene Harvell, founder and curator. Chef Jaime Laurita will be hosting this special event in the Middleby Residential Showroom in the Merchandise Mart.

Although the menu will be a surprise, several James Beard Foundation Award nominees (past and present) will be presenting this feast including : Chef Jerome Grant, Chef Gabriel Hernandez, Chef Mashama Bailey, and Chef Gregory Gourdet.

The mission of Iconoclast Dinner Experience is to broaden the culinary conversation to include the diverse voices from throughout the globe making significant contributions to food culture.

As we all know, charity begins in the kitchen. Net proceeds from the evening will benefit students at Spelman College who are from Jamaica or Sub-Saharan African countries.

Lezli Leven Harvell attended Spelman and strongly believes that her eduction there propelled her to where she is today. In addition to being a food enthusiast, she is also a pediatric dentist.

Veronica Hinke is a highly acclaimed food writer who has always loved sharing people's stories. Her first book, The Last Night on the Titanic: Unsinkable Drinking, Dining & Style poignantly features personal accounts of passengers along with the menus and recipes from this legendary ship. Veronica recently joined Chef Jaime Laurita and me in the Middleby Residential Showroom for a Kitchen Chat. As many of you know, April 15, 1912 is the day that The Titanic sank. My own personal "Titanic" occurred on April 15, 2003 when I lost my mother to her battle with leukemia. My mother was such an inspirational person who always showed such strength and grace in the most difficult of times. Veronica Hinke captures the resilience and the courage along with the memorable moments of celebration on this floating palace, known as The Titanic.

Discover the tastes of terroir and enjoy a sip of the world with Monique Huston, national director of Winebow Spirits. According to Huston, "People are hip into looking at terroir of spirits and getting a sense of the land." Just as with wine and food, the soil and weather can influence the taste of spirits. Mezcal in Tulum is one of the hottest trends these days, and Huston even provided a sample of an agave that takes 25 years to produce one bottle. It was so surprising to actually taste the terroir. Globally, most people consume whisky with soda, coconut water or green tea.

Chef Jackie Rothong is a sparkling star. Her television appearances include The Chew, Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen, Sweet Genius and Beat Bobby Flay in addition to many other shows. As the former senior culinary stylist for The Chew, Chef Jackie is now a brand ambassador and chef in the Middleby Residential Showroom in New York City. Her culinary accomplishments are very impressive, and she is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. Her nickname is Sparkles. And you can follow her on Instagram at @sparklessz.

Candace Jordan is one of Chicago's most celebrated celebrities who loves charity and chicken. Over the course of her modeling career, Candace was featured eight times on the cover of Playboy and was a "bunny" during what was considered the golden age of the magazine. Now Candace is the one who shines the spotlight on others, especially charities as a social columnist and media personality. She hosts CandidCandaceTV and writes a weekly Chicago Tribune column called Candid Candace and also a blog. She recently joined Chef Jaime Laurita and me in the Viking and La Cornue Showroom in the Merchandise Mart for a Kitchen Chat which turned into a fun Chicken Chat.

"Everything in moderation and everything in celebration." Ellie Krieger

Ellie Krieger has a passion for making healthy eating delicious. As a registered nutritionist, author of six cookbooks, host of Ellie's Real Good Food on PBS and host of the Food Network's hit show Healthy Appetite, Ellie Krieger is the leading go-to nutritionist in the media today. Recently, she had a Kitchen Chat with Chef Jaime Laurita and me in the Viking and La Cornue Showroom in New York City to discuss her latest cookbook, "Whole in One: Complete Healthy Meals in One Sheet Pan, Pot or Skillet."