The Big Food Talk

In today’s episode, I welcome two of the visionaries behind an upcoming event that people in the food and beverage industry on Long Island and points beyond will not want to miss. Geared towards supporting businesses trying to sustain and grow, especially in the wake of Covid19, today’s guests have put together an innovative, free virtual trade show that chefs, food fans and pioneering businesses will not want to miss.

Michael Tucker of the Long Island Food Council and Cynthia Colon of the Manufacturing & Technology Resource Consortium (MTRC) at Stony Brook University have partnered to develop the “Rise of the Urban Foodscape” expo, which will take place Feb. 24th from 9a-12p. Using technology that’s simple, accessible and highly interactive, they’re inviting vendors and buyers, industry experts, product promoters and anyone else connected with the food and beverage industry to gather for a networking event designed to help launch, promote and extend manufacturing ventures in Nassau or Suffolk counties, and beyond. 

RESOURCES:

· Learn more or register for the “Rise of the Urban Foodscape” expo here.

· Get to know FuzeHub and the work they do on behalf of New York State’s manufacturing industry at: https://fuzehub.com

More about Big Food Talk:

Website: www.bigfoodtalk.com

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Today I'm speaking with Christian Limberg, President of Harbor Seafood. Christian is as much of an advocate of seafood as he is of people. From the fishermen to their customers, Harbor Seafood has a built a successful and sustainable business that's grown over 4 decades. 

Head to https://bigfoodtalk.com/harbor-seafood to see their truly inspiring videos about their company, processes and employees that not only depicts the fisherman but how they hired over 100 hearing impaired employees since 2010.

Heart, Passion & Resilience

When I asked Christian about challenges his company has faced over the past 25 years since he joined Harbor Seafood he immediately talks about his staff and the people behind the work.  Most of us who are consumers take for granted how our lobster, crab or other delights of the sea make it to our restaurants and on our tables.  How many logistical nightmares had to be worked out before you could enjoy the freshest seafood you've ever had?

People who love the food business have a true passion for what they do. It's only the way to endure such trials and tribulations on a daily basis. When it comes to seafood you can't quite and you need to continuously evolve especially with the changes businesses like Harbor Seafood are facing since the pandemic. 

Christian believes everyone should take some time to work in the food business to learn life lessons you'll forever carry with you through the people and interactions you'll have. 

Protecting Our Resources

If you think about sustainable fishing practices it's not about the now, it's about the future. As Christian put it, following the protocols for sustainable fishing practices is so generations from now can enjoy the same quality and abundance of seafood we have today. Seafood is not an infinite resource and luckily there are many organizations advocating for sustainable fishing practices. Christian also points how important traceability is in the industry. 

About Harbor Seafood

Founded in 1975, and built on the core business principles of honesty, integrity and reliability. Our commitment to provide the best seafood has always been on exhibit through our customer service and extensive offering of quality shellfish, fin-fish and value added products.

In addition, understanding our stewardship to the oceans, we strive to source and deliver the highest quality seafood through efficient, environmentally safe practices.  This means keeping a firm eye on social and environmental responsibility through conscientious sourcing practices, far-reaching charity work, and dedicated care to staff at home and abroad.

Today I'd like to introduce you to Liz, the founder of Rosados Latin American Cuisine. Like many of us, Liz founder herself cooking at home more during the recent pandemic and embracing the food of her families roots. 

Fast forward to October 28th where she had an opportunity to open a popup location in the Smith Haven Mall featuring classic Puerto Rican dishes that are thoughtfully prepared including vegan options.

A Passion for Food

Liz is an architect by trade had grown up around the culinary world since her youth. Her Mom worked in the hotel and hospitality industry and when Liz became an architect her primary focus has always been hospitality. She's been involved with building restaurants, bars and night clubs throughout her career .

Liz has been fortunate enough to meet a lot of wonderful and talented chefs who instilled in her the passion for the job. Chefs do the work because they love it and Liz had that same passion when she wanted to open Rosados. 

Opening a Restaurant is Expensive

Not only is opening a restaurant on main street expensive, it comes with a lot of risks. Since the pandemic many business owners have had to shift their perspective on how they do business. Through Liz's relationships as an architect she was fortunate enough to have great relationships with owners at Smith Haven Mall. 

Liz tells us how this unique setup as a popup in the mall was able to afford her an opportunity to bring Rosado's Latin American Cuisine to a new segment of customers while mitigating some of the risks that come with opening a typical restaurant location.

The Heart of Puerto Rican Food

If you've never had Puerto Rican food, you don't know what you're missing. The flavors are unmistakable and as Liz explains, it starts with Sofrito made with fresh herbs, peppers, onions and garlic. At Rosado's they puree the Sofrito into a marinade that becomes the base of their dishes. 

What you'll also learn in this episode is the layering of flavor and time that goes into their dishes like their take on a Cuban sandwich that features slow roasted pork, cheese, pickles and ham. Check out https://bigfoodtalk.com/rosados-latin-american-cuisine for photos of my dining experience and more about their dishes. 

Calling all wine lovers for this special episode featuring Wine Club Group just in time for the holidays. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or a new to the scene, a wine club can be a great way to expand your knowledge and try new varietals. 

Listen in to this week's episode of the Big Food Talk to hear from the experts and founders of WineClubGroup.com as they tell us how their website can help you choose the perfect wine club no where you live, your taste and your budget.

The Wine Club Group is made up of 3 friends that I've known for many years through our ties in the affiliate marketing industry and attending events like Affiliate Summit. Needless to say we all grew up in that industry and spent a lot of time socializing, eating and drinking wine.  In my opinion, wine brings people together just as much as food can which is a reason why I started this podcast.

What is a Wine Club ?

Meet Tricia, Todd and Eric who started a wine club review site at wineclubgroup.com. Wine of the month clubs are a great method of learning about wine, getting exposed to new wines and enjoying your favorites.  There are a number of types of wine of the month clubs, from those offered by wineries, or wine stores, or wine vendors delivering wine to consumers throughout the country.  

The premise is you can put your love of wine on autopilot by having your favorites delivered straight to your door. Everyone likes different types of wine and using a wine review site like wineclubreview.com can really help you narrow down which direction you should go to get started.

Since alcohol shipping laws vary from state to state, they've created a “shop by state” page to see which of their favorite wine of the month clubs deliver to your state.

Wine Clubs Provide an Experience

Tricia explains how wine relates to her food experiences. She loves food but doesn't consider herself a foodie. So is it possible to simply enjoy wine without having to learn about all the nuances of the varietals, acidity, color and hints of fruit?

With a wine club you're entering a curated experience that can fit your taste. It's part of the experience of having wines chosen for you. Imagine, how many times have you gone the liquor store and stared aimlessly down the aisle not knowing what to try or if you'll like it?

Wine clubs make it possible to experience new wines or wines you're familiar with depending on how wine adventurous you are.

What are the Best Wine Clubs?

Wine, like food is subjective depending on your own preferences and tastes. Eric and Todd give us their picks for their favorite wine clubs and how each of them meets their personal tasting preferences. I can tell you that after this interview I'll be checking out Firstleaf and you may want to as well. I'll let Eric tell you why when you listen in.

Wine clubs also make a great gift. As Tricia points out, one of the perks giving a wine club gift is it seems super fancy but you can also find one on a budget. 

If you have a favorite wine club I'd love to talk with you about it so join me on Instagram to join in the conversation.

Today I'm speaking with Dianna, the founder of Breaking Bread LI, who makes charcuterie boards to bring people together. We discuss what makes the perfect charcuterie bite and its origins in France. 

A special for Big Food Talk listeners. Mention the Big Food Talk when placing your order and you'll receive $5 off from Breaking Bread on any size board this holiday season. Valid Until December 30, 2020. 

From Hobby to Local Business

Talking with Dianna, I learned about her inspiration that led her to taking her hobby and turning it into a business. After the passing of her grandmother in August, Dianna was looking for something to raise her spirits and decided to made a charcuterie board.

From a single Instagram post to having 4 orders in the first day, Breaking Bread was born only a few short weeks ago at the beginning of September 2020.  Hearing the story in its entirety made me so happy since supporting local businesses like this one is what the Big Food Talk was intended for. 

The discussion made me reminisce about the late Anthony Bourdain who knew how important food was for brining people together and breaking down barriers.

What Goes on a Charcuterie Board?

The way Dianna explains it, there's something on a charcuterie board for everyone in the room. Breaking Bread allows her customers to customize what's on their boards so you're guaranteed to get what you want.

Look out for my date night video on YouTube where I show you exactly what went on the charcuterie board Dianna made for me. It was diverse and hit all the points of salty, sweet, savory, spicy and sour. Dianna strives for diversity in every charcuterie board she makes which includes a variety of meats and cheeses. 

If you're a charcuterie board connoisseur like myself and Dianna you'll want to try a mixing things up and stacking your board ingredients into one perfect bite.

What Does Charcuterie Mean?

I was curios to hear Dianna's explanation since I had a definition already prepared courtesy of the Webstaurant Store that says, "Charcuterie is a branch of cooking involving prepared meats, such as ham, sausage, bacon, confit, or other pork products. The word originated in France, and it translates to "pork-butcher shop." While the original French translation refers to pork, modern charcuterie boards can include other types of food, such as duck, goose, chicken, cheese, toast, fruit, or other options."

For Dianna and Breaking Bread, one of her favorite meats is Italian speck and capicola which she's familiar with since her family is Italian. 

Heading into the Holidays

People have been ordering charcuterie boards as a way to entertain themselves at home during the pandemic and quarantine. It makes a great gift for birthdays and anniversary's. As we head into the holidays, having a professionally made charcuterie board can really set this years meal apart if you're hosting or if you're staying.

If you're thinking of learning the art of charcuterie you can check out the book that Dianna uses for inspiration called, This Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life.

If you really want to be a hero this holiday season, buy a charcuterie board from Breaking Bread and the book as a gift for your favorite foodie. (I hope wife reads this because I know I'd want this gift.)

Today I'm speaking with John, the founder of Hot Crispy Oil in upstate NY. Hot Crispy Oil is a startup born during the recent pandemic after their family restaurant of 45 years closed down.  Listen in to find out how this local startup is catching fire in the Northeast after only a few short months!

Join the Big Food Talk Email List for 15% off Hot Crispy Oil and more exclusive offers and giveaways. 

About Hot Crispy Oil

As John explains, "We came out pretty fast. We're COVID born, the concept, the idea, was spawned off the closure of a family restaurant going back to when things got really hairy there back in March."  They officially launched in July but have already had some great success. They are already in about 40 retailers.

In March restaurants were shutting their doors left and right and they were one of those restaurants. La Serre was a 40 year old restaurant in the Albany area that relied heavily on their banquet business. It was evident something needed to change. 

Like many of us, John had been experimenting in the kitchen during COVID which is where he came up with the concept for Hot Crispy Oil. After a few tweaks and some love from family and friends, they decided to move full steam ahead with getting the product in the jar. 

The product itself is a blended olive oil which includes a little vegetable oil due to the smoke point for frying the garlic and shallots that make up the crispy portion. The heat comes from a blend of 4 to 5 different chili peppers. 

Starting a Food Manufacturing Business During COVID

Anyone that's tried to launch a food brand knows how many hurdles there are. During a pandemic, those hurdles are only amplified. John explains it was a drawn out process, especially to get what is called a scheduled process. You can submit your product for testing at Cornell University but unfortunately they all had their offices closed!

For John, this wasn't a hobby or side-hustle. He was determined to make this work now that the restaurant was longer open. He put in the time, doing the research, grinding every day, finding out who to connect with to make Hot Crispy Oil a reality. 

If you want to hear more about how acidity affects your product testing and geek out on pH levels of food products be sure to listen in on the whole episode.

Marketing, Distribution and Expanding Production

We also discuss the customer impact and how they bring ideas for using Hot Crispy Oil to the table. Initially starting with friends and family, I ask John about his first distribution points and starting to sell online. They were able to create a buzz for the product before releasing it to the public. 

John also discusses plans for further expansion if the business continues to grow as fast as it has been.  There are some obvious hurdles that John explains about running a food manufacturing out of a restaurant. Little things like being able to accept deliveries from a supplier. 

You can find their products online, on Amazon Prime and at their 40 retail locations that you can lookup on their website at https://hotcrispyoil.com. Don't forget to join our email list for an exclusive 15% off coupon. 

Today I'm talking about everything food with my good friend Carlos, better known as NY_Hidden_Gems on Instagram. Carlos has a love of food that started at an early age with his Mom's cooking.

Listen in to our speed round for the best hidden gems on and around Long Island, plus his number 1 pick where he proposed to his fiancé earlier this year.  Or you can cheat and check out the show notes for all the answers: https://bigfoodtalk.com/hidden-gems-long-island/

About Carolos aka NY_Hidden_Gems

He doesn't consider himself a photographer but enjoys taking photos. His Instagram only started about a year ago but since the pandemic he's seen more growth because he started supporting local restaurants on Long Island while everyone was looking for the best takeout spots.

Carlos tells us all about how he got into his love of food from his Mom. They're Hispanic which has a rich food culture and his Mom cooks enough for 12 guests even if its was just him and his Dad at the table.  His Mom also brought him into the kitchen and taught him everything she knows.

I think when someone has a passion for food but also cooks, you get a true perspective on what's really happening at a restaurant when they dine out. They can see the effort that a restaurant chef is delivering on the plate.

A Memorable Dining Experience

After telling Carlos about my latest dining experience at Garden Social in East Meadow, I asked him if he has had an experience that blew hismind? Carlos has a great story to share about his proposal at his favorite spot in Long Island City. It has a great view of the water and serves up 4 star Latin Fusion that will make your mouth water. Coincidentally it's now his fiancé's favorite restaurant as well, for obvious reasons.

Speed Round Hidden Gems on Long Island

This weeks picks for best brunch is in Huntington and you gotta check out his favorite lunch spot in Northport. If you're looking for Italian you should hear where he recommends you go in Dix Hills but if you're looking for an outrageously good cocktail, you'll have to take the trip to Manhattan. To wrap things up he's taking you back to Huntington for a guava cheesecake that'll knock your socks off!

Today, I'm speaking with Tracy, the founder of A North fork Affair. Tracy embraces the entrepreneurial spirit by creating experiential events that support the North fork community. A North fork Affair creates the type of events that Tracy herself wanted to attend from farm to table dining experiences, chunky blanket making, and a new social media series. 

Win two tickets to an upcoming event with A North Fork Affair on Long Island by joining our email list.

To get things started Tracy explained that she is also the founder of a company called TK New York, a large scale event company. They produce events like the New York City Wine and Food Festival, the Women in the World Summit and the Harlem Meetup Festival with Marcus Samuelsson to name a few. A North Fork Affair started last April prior to the pandemic and she's thankful it because it actually gave her something to turn her efforts towards. Tracy believes events going forward are going to be smaller and local.

I was impressed with what Tracy had to say about the North Fork of Long Island and how well she knows the area which means she knows her customers. Her family has lived on the North Fork since the 1940s.

Creating Experiences

"I wasn't finding  an easy way to infiltrate the groups of friends that were already here. So I thought, what do I want to do? I want to do crafts. I want to sit at a long farm table out in the middle of a field and have an amazing, you know, local made meal." says Tracy

This is what A North Fork Affair is really about. Bringing people together for experiential events that let them interact and socialize. With so many of us stuck to our devices and indoors due to COVID, many people are craving ways to get out and stimulate their brain. Their first event was part of craft series that was a floral arranging class.  

While running large scale events has its challenges, you usually have teams of people coming together to make the magic. When you're a startup on the North Fork, everything falls on your shoulders. It's the little things like needing a tent to build a kitchen outside in the middle of the forest.

One of the more interesting bits is how Tracy incorporates her family's China into the dining experiences. Tune in around 14 minutes to hear all about it!

Embracing the Entrepreneurial Spirit

Tracy, like many entrepreneurs had lots to consider when the pandemic hit. Her first thought was to actually take a break which I can completely appreciate in the early days of uncertainty amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. As it became clear this outbreak wasn't going anywhere, Tracy and her team were trying to find ways to make their signature events carry on. Tracy was recruited to be on a committee with the New York city mayor's office to develop the plan of what event re-entry is going to look like.

Then came the virtual events like her popular chunky blanket class but in true entrepreneurial fashion, Tracy recognized the change in seasons and appetite for what customers wanted.  From there she started her date night series 

Restaurants on the North Fork

I can't give any spoilers here but if you want to hear Tracy's choices for her top restaurants on the North Fork tune in to the 25 minute mark where she describes her favorite new hot spot out in Orient Point. Then we head back to Greenport where she tells me about a spot for oysters she takes all of her visitors.  Every place has a water view and one of her top picks has all windows so you can view the sunset over the water.

Today I'm speaking with Anna Barzanti a Sales Associate for Polti USA. Polti USA is the latest member of the Long Island Food Council and they've developed a chemical free system that turns tap water superheated dry steam.

As you can imagine, restaurants, hotels and more could benefit from a cost effective, easy to use solution amid COVID-19 concerns to keep their customers safe.

Polti has been making professional steam cleaners for the last 40 years and the Cimex Eradictor was made with the intent of sanitization and deep cleaning in mind. 

Visit https://bigfoodtalk.com/polti-cimex-eradicator for more info and to join our mailing list.

About the Polti Cimex Eradicator:

Italian Food & Living in the United States

My conversation with Anna, who is originally from Italy, was educational and inspirational. In true foodie fashion I couldn't resist an opportunity to discuss Italian cuisine as well as Anna's experiences with food here in the United States. Having lived in the Northeast, Anna discovered local favorites such as New England Clam Chowder. 

Selfishly for me I had a chance to reminisce about my ski trip to Italy. Perks of having a wife who has family Europe! Can you imagine skiing in the Alps and being served pasta bolognese, brick oven pizza and shots of grappe for lunch? I highly recommend it!

For Restaurant Owners

If you're a restaurant owner on Long Island and would like more information about Polti please contact the team at Polti USA.

Today I'm speaking to the myth, the man, the legend, Ron Montgomery, the founder of SixJuice. Buckle up for my longest and most inspirational episode yet. I consider this one a masterclass in the food and beverage business.

If you've ever want to make a product and sell it, you won't want to miss the real talk between Ron and I. Our relationship started 3 years ago when I started Big Lou's Onion Sauce at the Kitchen Co-Op in Amityville, NY.

From the first time I met Ron we had a mutual respect for each other. He's all heart and hustle which is what made his business a success virtually overnight.

Enter our giveaway by joining our mailing list at https://bigfoodtalk.com/sixjuice/

About SixJuice 

Ron started juicing after his Mom was in recovery from Stage 4 cancer.  He was looking for a way to help her heal and discovered the benefits of juicing. All of this started with a $40 juicer in his kitchen while attending Google University to conduct his research. 

Actually, Ron ended up attended college to learn all about nutrition. So when you're buying a juice blend from SixJuice it comes backed with real knowledge and his passion for helping people be healthy. His brand image is important, it's why you won't find him sitting around drinking stuff like Redbull. (sorry Redbull, you're just not healthy)

The Business of Juicing

What's great about Ron is how real he is. Standing at over 6'5" you'd think he'd be intimidating but he's not. He's a business man. After trying his recipes on friends and family he learned how to scale the business quickly.

In this episode we dive into the numbers of it all, from having a kiosk in the mall, to pricing your product with distributors and opening a retail location. That's why this is like a masterclass in starting a food and beverage business. 

Be true to yourself no matter. It's a small world out there so always make sure you respect others in the business even if you're competitors. You never know when you'll need them.