Welcome to the very first episode of In Conversation With Macon Magazine. For almost 40 years, Macon Magazine has sought out a spotlight on our stories here in Central Georgia. Our team of all-local writers and photographers thinks that there are endless moments, people, and places to celebrate here. We want to celebrate you, too.

There’s a cliche that the best way to a person’s heart is their stomach – and that’s why these guests are the right note to start on for our listeners. We are about to start Dish It! A Chef challenge with a story, where our listeners can try three special culinary creations this week - March 3-9 - and vote to see which chef should win. We have our three Dish It! chefs in the studio to tell us about what shaped their journey and how they handle the heat of the kitchen.

When you vote for your favorite chef, you win some stuff from us. When you complete the challenge, you can earn a free Macon Magazine T-shirt and a year’s subscription to the magazine. Go to maconmagazine.com/vote to cast your vote. Here's the dishes - and the faces behind them:

In Conversation with Macon Magazine is produced by Susannah Cox Maddux and Julia Morrison. Jerome Gratigny is our sound engineer and Julia Morrison is our showrunner. Images used in this episode art by Jessica Whitley. To subscribe to Macon Magazine and support a spotlight on local voices, visit maconmagazine.com