The Perfect Bite

What does it really take to get a cookbook published today? I sat down with Sally Ekus, lead of and senior literary agent at The Ekus Group (now a division of JVNLA), to explore the intersection of food, publishing, and entrepreneurship.

Sally has spent over 16 years representing cookbook authors, chefs, food writers, and culinary thought leaders, helping them bring their unique stories and recipes to print. She shares how publishing has evolved from the days of Julia Child and Emeril Lagasse to the era of TikTok food creators, Substack writers, and BookTok trends.

• How cookbook publishing really works today—pitching, proposals, and what agents look for
• Why an author’s platform and audience matter as much as their expertise
• The role of Instagram, TikTok, newsletters, and Substack in discovering new food writers
• The shift from big book tours to digital discoverability
• Advice for chefs, restaurateurs, and food entrepreneurs who want to publish their first cookbook
• Why repurposing content (from newsletters to older podcast episodes) is key for longevity
• The importance of mentorship, patience, and persistence in publishing and entrepreneurship

Sally leads The Ekus Group, a boutique literary agency specializing in cookbooks and culinary talent. With a background in sociology, she brings a unique perspective to agenting—blending negotiation skills with deep care for authors’ stories. She also writes the popular Substack “Not So Secret Agent,” where she offers transparent insights into the publishing world.

• Follow Sally on Instagram: @sallyekus
• The Ekus Group / JVNLA: @ekusgroup, @jvnla
• Subscribe to Sally’s Substack: Not So Secret Agent

Subscribe to The Perfect Bite podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube!

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and visit our site www.theperfectbitepod.com.

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From a five-time James Beard Award nominee to a tech co-founder reshaping hospitality, Matt Jennings has worn many hats — chef, restaurateur, author, and now tech entrepreneur with MAJC.ai.

In this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Matt to trace his journey from his early days in New England kitchens to running celebrated restaurants like Farmstead and Townsman, and to now co-founding MAJC.ai — a platform designed to help restaurants recruit, retain, and develop top talent.

Matt shares:

• His path from culinary school to opening acclaimed restaurants
• Lessons learned from scaling teams and building hospitality culture
• Why the industry needs people-first technology now more than ever
• How MAJC.ai is creating a community and academy for restaurant leaders worldwide
• His advice for entrepreneurs about mentorship, failure, and staying mission-driven

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to transition from chef whites to startup life — and how hospitality can thrive with tech done right — this episode is for you.

To join the MAJC community (for free!) and learn more, head to www.majc.ai. 

You can follow MAJC on social media @majc.ai and Matt on Instagram @matthewjennings. 

Listen to MAJC’s podcasts Restaurant Ready or Serving Success anywhere you listen to podcasts, or watch the episodes on YouTube!

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and subscribe to our newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Honest cuisine”: That’s probably my favorite phrase now for seasonal or farm-to-table cooking. Thanks to Chef Chaz Lindsay, you can have the most honest, delicious Italian-Mississippi cuisine at Pulito Osteria. Chef Chaz Lindsay went from the high-pressure kitchens of Eleven Madison Park and Colicchio & Sons/Craft to building a soulful, seasonal osteria in Jackson, Mississippi. In this episode, Chaz shares how Italian simplicity, Mississippi produce, and a “people-first” culture shaped Pulito Osteria—where 90% of the vegetables come from local farms and pasta is made by hand daily.

• How a Mississippi kid fell in love with food—and why gumbo, jambalaya, and cornbread still guide his palate
• Lessons from CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and NYC fine dining: precision, sourcing, and standards
• Bringing Italy home: seasonality, transparency, and honest cuisine (North Atlantic scallops, Alabama tuna, Two Dog Farm veg)
• Opening Pulito Osteria in Bellhaven: educating guests on osteria-style menus & family-style sharing
• Building community: sourcing locally, taking care of staff, and giving back
• Aiming high: the Michelin Guide American South and what star-level focus looks like in Jackson

• Tomato season, passata & basil: why less is more
• Why guest experience starts with staff lineup & family meal
• Owning the neighborhood: Pulito, Rowan’s (Chaz’s bar), and a restored 1928 gas-station event space

You can visit Pulito Osteria and Rowan’s (Chaz’s dive bar) in Jackson, Mississippi in the Bellhaven Town Center. 

To learn more about Pulito Osteria, visit www.pulitojackson.com.

You can follow Pulito Osteria on Instagram @pulito_osteria; Chaz Lindsay at @chazzyl; and Rowan’s at @rowansjeffersonst. 

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack.

You’ve had cold brew coffee, but have you heard of cold brew chai? Sinwise Farms founder Joshua Chemparathy has created the first canned cold brew chai and gorgeous canned coffee, all with single origin tea, coffee, and spices from his family’s farm in Kerala, South India. 

It’s hard to believe Josh and I have known each other for about 15 years now, thanks to being in the same co-ed business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, at Santa Clara University. He’s always been so cool, calm, and collected, and now he has the coolest chai around! We chat through how AKPsi shaped us as we entered the real world for our careers, Josh’s family history on the farm, and how he’s reshaping a tradition to share it with a broader Western audience. In a lot of ways, Josh has gone back to his roots—honoring Indian flavors and shaping how they’re served on a more scalable level with his engineer’s brain. 

• From Kerala roots to Bay Area founder: farm memories, flavor, and first omelet
• Why cold-brew chai (and how it’s different from “chai tea”)
• Building farm-to-can supply chains: cardamom, coconut, coffee & tea
• The canning breakthrough, shelf stability, and doing R&D solo
• Rebranding Sinwise Farms → Kathas and moving from oat to coconut milk
• Wholesale growth, pricing realities, and the long game vs. “overnight success”

• Geography: Kerala 🇮🇳 → Bay Area, CA
• Retail: Specialty grocers + Whole Foods NorCal
• Product: RTD cold-brew chai & coffee, single-origin spices, small-batch

You can find Sinwise Farms products in Whole Foods stores across Northern California, Berkeley Bowl, Gus’s Market in San Francisco, and other specialty grocers across the Bay Area. 

You also can purchase Sinwise Farms and learn more about the brand’s story at www.sinwisefarms.com. 

You can follow Sinwise Farms on Instagram @sinwisefarms. 

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and sign up for our newsletter on Substack.

On this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Belinda Kelly and Venice Cunningham, the sister duo behind the Simple Goodness Sisters, authors of the new cocktail recipe book Drink Your Garden.

Belinda and Venice share how they went from corporate jobs in tech to creating the world’s first cocktail farm, launching a mobile bar business, and building a thriving CPG brand around their seasonal, farm-to-glass cocktail syrups. They discuss the inspiration behind Drink Your Garden, tips for growing your own cocktail-friendly herbs and edible flowers, and how to make elevated drinks at home without wasting ingredients.

This episode is packed with insights for food & beverage entrepreneurs, cocktail enthusiasts, and anyone curious about scaling a business that blends farming, flavor, and community.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How the Simple Goodness Sisters turned a farm and a mobile bar into a full-fledged CPG brand.
• The role of edible flowers and herbs in making cocktails truly special.
• The business challenges of launching in food & beverage—and how they navigated licensing, scaling, and distribution.
• Why Drink Your Garden is more than just a recipe book—it’s a guide to making the most of every ingredient.
• Lessons on resilience, community, and asking for help when growing a business.

About the Simple Goodness Sisters:

Belinda Kelly and Venice Cunningham founded Simple Goodness Sisters in Wilkeson, Washington, where they grow herbs and edible flowers for cocktails and produce their own line of syrups. Their Soda Shop tasting room and CPG mixers bring farm-fresh flavors to bar carts nationwide. Their book, Drink Your Garden, teaches home bartenders how to grow, mix, and sip seasonally. 

To purchase Simple Goodness Sisters syrups, join the Cocktail Farm Club, or order your own copy of Drink Your Garden, visit www.simplegoodnesssisters.com. You can also purchase Drink Your Garden at any major book retailers. 

You can visit the Simple Goodness Soda Shop in Wilkeson, Washington. 

You can follow the Simple Goodness Sisters on Instagram @simplegoodnesssisters. 

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and subscribe to the newsletter on Substack.

What do you get when you mix Michelin-starred training with playful storytelling, rubber duckies, and dry ice? For Chef Donald Young, the answer is Duck Sel—Chicago’s most whimsical private dining and popup experience.

In this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins dives into Don’s journey: from growing up with a plain palate in the Midwest to training under iconic French chefs (like Roland Liccioni), cooking in France, earning a Michelin star at an incredibly young age, and ultimately creating Duck Sel, his passion project blending high-end cuisine with a sense of fun.

Don shares the challenges of building a business out of private dinners, why resilience (and a few setbacks) shaped his career, and what it really takes to stand out as a chef in today’s food culture.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Chef Donald Young went from Culver’s to Michelin-starred kitchens
• The pivotal role mentors and French culinary training played in his career
• What it was like to earn a Michelin star as one of the youngest chefs in Chicago
• The origin of Duck Sel and how private dining experiences became his focus
• Lessons on resilience, entrepreneurship, and staying true to your culinary voice

To learn more about Duck Sel and to book tickets to the private dining experience in Chicago, you can visit www.ducksel.com. You also can book your spot at Duck Sel on Tock.

You can follow Duck Sel on Instagram @duck_sel and Donald at @donaldduckconfit.

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and subscribe to the newsletter on Substack.

On this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Chef D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick, the duo behind Soul & Smoke, one of Chicago’s most beloved barbecue brands.

From staging at Moto under Chef Homaro Cantu to running underground dinners, private catering, and eventually pivoting during the pandemic to launch Soul & Smoke, D’Andre and Heather share their remarkable journey. Today, their soulful barbecue can be found across Chicagoland, from Evanston to Soldier Field, alongside their signature sauces and rubs in stores.

They open up about the realities of building a business, growing a team of 50+, parenting while running multiple concepts, and why resilience, flexibility, and heart are key to entrepreneurial success.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How D’Andre & Heather met at Moto and trained under Chef Homaro Cantu
• The early days of underground dining and Feast & Imbibe catering
• Pivoting during the pandemic and working with World Central Kitchen
• Building Soul & Smoke into a multi-location barbecue brand
• The evolution of their menu and upcoming Evanston flagship restaurant
• Balancing family, entrepreneurship, and community impact

You can visit Soul & Smoke’s outposts throughout Chicagoland in Evanston; the Avondale neighborhood; Accenture Tower; and at Soldier Field. 

To learn more about Soul & Smoke or to purchase their sauces and rubs, head to www.soulandsmoke.com or www.hereheremarket.com.

You can follow Soul & Smoke on Instagram @soulandsmoke, along with Heather at @heatherbublick and D’Andre at @chefdandrecarter.

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and subscribe to the newsletter on Substack.

Calling all wine lovers! 

This is our first episode with a winemaker extraordinaire. On this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Janie Brooks Heuck, Managing Director of Brooks Wine, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and named one of the Top 50 Wineries in the World.

Janie shares how she unexpectedly stepped into the wine industry after her brother Jimmy’s passing and how she has carried forward his vision of biodynamic farming, authentic winemaking, and a relentless focus on Riesling. Over two decades later, Brooks has become one of the most respected wineries in the world, celebrated for its farming practices, B Corp certification, and dedication to community impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The legacy of Jimmy Brooks and the founding philosophy of Brooks Wine
• What makes Oregon's Willamette Valley unique for world-class wine production
• How biodynamic farming impacts flavor, farming practices, and sustainability
• Why Brooks produces up to 17 different Rieslings each year
• The winery’s recognition as one of the Top 50 Wineries in the World
• The importance of B Corp certification and giving back to nonprofits
• The launch of the Wine Atlas Collective, a new wine club model
• Janie’s advice for entrepreneurs: why relationships matter most

You can visit Brooks Wine in Amity, Oregon. To learn more about Brooks Wine, and to sign up for their wine club and the nationwide Wine Atlas Collective, head to www.brookswine.com.

You can follow Brooks Wine on Instagram @brookswinery and Janie @janiebrooksheuck. 

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and subscribe to the newsletter on Substack.

In this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Paula Haines, CEO of Freedom a la Cart, a Columbus-based café, catering business, and nonprofit that helps survivors of human trafficking rebuild their lives through food and workforce development.

Paula shares how her journey from entrepreneurship and marketing led her to lead an organization that blends purpose and business through a unique social enterprise model. Freedom a la Cart offers survivors a pathway to employment, housing, and long-term stability — showing how food can be a catalyst for both healing and empowerment.

They discuss how the organization was built, the challenges of combining a business with a mission, and the incredible outcomes of their work, including a 7-to-1 social return on investment validated by Stanford Business School researchers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How food became the foundation for healing and rebuilding lives
• The power of pairing entrepreneurship with social impact
• The impact of Freedom a la Cart’s workforce and housing programs
• How the organization built a sustainable model for long-term success
• The story behind Eat Up Columbus, their signature fundraising event
• Paula’s lessons in leadership, compassion, and resilience

To learn more about Freedom a la Cart, head to www.freedomalacart.org. You can visit Freedom’s cafe in Columbus at 123 E. Spring St. 

You can follow Freedom a la Cart on Instagram @freedomalacart. 

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and visit our site www.theperfectbitepod.com.

Have you ever tried Nam Prik Pao?

It’s maybe one of the greatest condiments EVER! In this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins talks with Palita Sriratana, the founder of Pink Salt Kitchens and the creator behind the cult-favorite Thai chili jam Nam Prik Pao.

Palita’s journey is anything but ordinary. From growing up in Bloomington, Illinois, learning family recipes alongside her grandmother, to walking away from a pre-med path to follow her passion for food, she’s turned creativity, culture, and persistence into one of the most exciting new brands in the Asian CPG category.

Palita shares how her pop-up dinners evolved into a thriving consumer brand, how she built Nam Prik Pao into a nationwide favorite featured on Chopped and at retailers like Fresh Thyme and Here Here Market, and why she believes in doing things slowly, authentically, and with intention.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Palita turned a small pop-up kitchen into a CPG success story
• The origin story of Nam Prik Pao and how it became a pantry essential
• Why balancing tradition and innovation is key to modern Thai cooking
• How Palita bootstrapped her brand while staying true to her heritage
• The power of storytelling, culture, and design in building a food brand
• What it means to grow a business with intention during challenging times

To learn more about Pink Salt Kitchens and Nam Prik Pao, head to www.pinksaltkitchens.com.

You can buy Nam Prik Pao and have it shipped nationwide on www.hereheremarket.com. 

You can follow Palita at @hi.palita and Pink Salt Kitchens @pinksaltkitchens on Instagram. 

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review The Perfect Bite anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and visit our site www.theperfectbitepod.com.