The Spoon Podcast

By Michael WolfTechnology

The Spoon Podcast episodes

April 01, 2025 DIY Solar, Backup Power, and the New Home Energy Stack with Pila's Cole Ashman
In this episode, Mike talks with Cole Ashman, founder and CEO of Pila Energy, about how his company is rethinking home energy with a distributed, plug-and-play battery system.

Instead of a single powerwall in the garage, Pila’s mesh battery network allows users to place smaller batteries throughout the home, appliance by appliance, to back up critical devices like refrigerators and sump pumps.

Cole shares how his experience with Tesla and Span shaped the vision for Pila, explains why whole-home battery backups are out of reach for most people, and explores how Pila is making backup power more affordable and flexible. They also dive into how upcoming policy changes—like Utah’s new legislation supporting plug-in solar and storage—could open up a new era of DIY, portable energy for renters and homeowners alike.

Cole will be joining us at the Smart Kitchen Summit, so make sure to get your ticket today at www.smartkitchensummit.com.

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26 min
March 27, 2025 How Canadian Food Brands are Dealing With the Chaos from the South
Our guest for this episode of The Spoon Podcast is Dana McCauley, CEO of the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN). Dana joins Mike to discuss the impact of recent US trade policies under the Trump administration on the Canadian food industry, highlighting the challenges and uncertainties faced by Canadian food businesses. McCauley also describes CFIN's role in supporting Canadian food companies through innovation and collaboration, and touches upon the strengths and emerging trends within Canada's food tech sector.

The Spoon is bringing back the Smart Kitchen Summit this year July 21-31st. Make sure to check out our website and get your ticket ASAP!

https://www.smartkitchensummit.com/

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24 min
March 05, 2025 How to Lead a Cult Brand Into the Future With Big Green Egg's Dan Gertsacov
This week's guest is Dan Gertsacov, CEO of Big Green Egg, who shares his journey of transitioning from leading digital strategies at global giants like Google and McDonald's to steering an iconic, community-driven cooking brand. Dan talks about his approach to taking over a brand that's only had two CEOs before him (and working with the company's founder, Ed Fisher), and how he envisions taking the company into the future (hint: it doesn't include AI-powered grills).
If you haven't checked out our growing family of podcasts, head over to The Spoon's podcast page and check them out and give them a listen!
https://thespoon.tech/podcasts/

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58 min
February 28, 2025 Uncovering Food Truths With Eric Schulze
In this episode of The Spoon Podcast, Mike sits down with Eric Schulze, scientist, former regulator, startup veteran, and now the host of Food Truths, a new show on The Spoon Podcast Network. Eric and Mike discuss the vision behind Food Truths and Eric's mission to cut through the misinformation swirling around food, nutrition, and policy.
They also dive into the current turbulence in the U.S. food system, the shifting political landscape around food additives and cultivated meat, and the regulatory headwinds facing food innovation. With his experience spanning government, academia, and industry, Eric brings a unique and pragmatic perspective to complex issues, aiming to make science accessible without the usual hype or partisanship.
During the pod, Eric also reflects on his journey—from working at the FDA to joining Upside Foods as one of its first senior hires—and how he honed his ability to communicate science clearly.
Whether you’re a food industry professional, a science enthusiast, or just someone who wants to know which banana to buy, this episode is packed with insight, candid conversation, and a glimpse into the kind of deep-dive discussions Food Truths will bring to the table.
You can subscribe to Food Truths on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit the show page here for more info: https://thespoon.tech/food-truths/

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36 min
February 23, 2025 From Simpsons Writer to Food Influencer With Bill Oakley
Bill Oakley, a writer and producer for shows like The Simpsons, discusses his unexpected career shift into becoming a food influencer and reviewer. He recounts his childhood fascination with fast food, which led to a lifelong fascination with the latest offerings at the drive-thru and grocery store. Mike and Bill discuss trends in the fast-food industry, Bill's shift towards reviewing a broader range of American foods and packaged goods, and his excitement for innovative condiments. They also talk about Bill's move into hosting ticketed dinners featuring regional cuisine, and how he beat Disney to the punch in trademarking the name "Steamed Hams" (his membership club is the Steamed Ham Society), a long-time Internet meme that originated from a script he wrote for the Simpsons.
You can find more about Bill at his website, billoakley.com and on Instagram at ThatBillOakley.

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25 min
February 21, 2025 The Story Behind Kojicon, a Global Online Event About Fermentation
In this week's episode, Mike is joined by Eric Dawson of the Yellow Farmhouse and Rich Shih, author of "Koji Alchemy". They discuss their online event, Kojicon, and the rich history and global use of koji and fermentation.

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15 min
February 13, 2025Bringing The World's Best Restaurant into the Future with Noma's Kevin Jeung
This is an episode of The Reimagining Restaurants Podcast, a podcast focused on the future of restaurants by The Spoon Podcast's Michael Wolf. You can find out where to subscribe here.
Episode Summary: In this episode of Reimagining Restaurants, host Michael Wolf sits down with Kevin Jeung, Chef of Research and Production at the legendary restaurant Noma. Kevin shares his journey from washing dishes in Toronto to helping innovate at what many consider the world’s greatest restaurant. They discuss his early culinary experiences, his time in San Sebastian, his role in Noma’s evolution, and the restaurant’s transition towards product development and global pop-ups.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Kevin’s unconventional path from university dropout to fine dining innovator.
His experiences working in renowned kitchens around the world, including Noma, Mugaritz, and Gramercy Tavern.
Why Noma is shifting from a full-time restaurant to a product and research-driven food lab.
The philosophy behind Noma’s pop-ups and how they approach new culinary landscapes.
How Noma is using fermentation and product development to bring its flavors to a broader audience.
The role of AI and technology in culinary innovation and research.
Kevin’s personal cooking habits, favorite kitchen tools, and his newfound appreciation for Cantonese cuisine.
Resources & Links:
Noma Projects
Taste Buds Membership – Join to get exclusive early-access products.
The Spoon Podcast Network – Explore other great food tech and restaurant innovation podcasts.

Subscribe & Follow: Love this episode? Make sure to subscribe to Reimagining Restaurants on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And if you enjoyed it, leave a review—it really helps!
Join the Conversation: Join our Spoon Slack to let us know what you think about this episode and get early peaks at other episodes.
Thanks for listening—stay tuned for more conversations with industry pioneers shaping the future of restaurants!

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54 min
February 05, 2025Food Scientist Adam Yee on How Podcasting Has Changed His Career
In this episode, Mike welcomes Adam Yee to discuss his journey in food tech, his extensive experience as a podcaster, and his evolving role in the industry. The conversation covers Adam’s first-time experience at CES, the origins of his My Food Job Rocks podcast, and how podcasting has shaped his career—from networking opportunities to job offers. Adam shares insights from his time as a food scientist, his role in various startups, and the founding of Sobo Foods, a company focused on innovative dumplings.

Show Outline:
Introduction
Mike and Ada catch up on CES experience
Adam's Podcasting Journey
How My Food Job Rocks started 10 years ago
The podcast’s mission: Making food jobs as exciting as tech jobs
Growth through interviews with food scientists, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders
Memorable moments, including an interview with Harold McGee
Career Journey in Food Science
Early days at a granola bar factory in Phoenix
Transition to Isagenix to develop protein bars
Founding Sobo Foods and launching dumplings
Lessons from working at Motif FoodWorks and observing the food tech boom
Podcasting as a Career Catalyst
How My Food Job Rocks led to a role at Better Meat Co.
Influence on Paul Shapiro starting his podcast
Podcasting as a powerful networking tool
The Evolution of My Food Job Rocks
Relaunching the podcast: Season 2 with a focus on deeper industry insights
Exploring underrepresented food careers (e.g., farmers, venture capitalists)
Introduction of a new segment: Dig In, focusing on specific food industry trends
Maybe Food, Maybe Tech Podcast
How it started as Crisis Meets Opportunity
Analyzing food trends through the lens of global events and technology
Example: Understanding the impact of avian flu on egg prices
Discussing alternative proteins and food system innovations
The Future of Food Media & Podcasting
The growing influence of podcasts vs. books
The potential of video content for food tech discussions
Challenges of reaching frontline workers for interviews
Where to Find Adam Yee
Best way to connect: LinkedIn
Here is the story of The Spoon Podcast Network. Find Adam's podcast and more great shows at The Spoon Podcast Network page.

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30 min
January 31, 2025The Future of Farming With Agtonomy's Tim Bucher
In this episode, Mike Wolf (The Spoon) sits down with Tim Bucher, CEO of Agtonomy, to discuss the intersection of agriculture, AI, and automation. Bucher shares his unique journey from growing up on a dairy farm to working at Silicon Valley giants like Apple, Next, WebTV, and Dell, before merging his two passions—farming and technology—to start Agtonomy.
The conversation explores:
How Bucher’s farming roots influenced his path into tech
His work with Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, and other Silicon Valley pioneers
The challenges facing modern farmers and how automation can help
What physical AI means for the future of agriculture
How Agtonomy partners with farm equipment manufacturers to accelerate autonomous solutions

We also just launched The Spoon Podcast Network! You can read about the reason behind our new network and see links to the shows here. (https://thespoon.tech/meet-the-spoon-podcast-network/)

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45 min
January 18, 2025An AI Tidal Wave at CES 2025
In this episode, Mike sits down with Raj Singh, a seasoned entrepreneur and product developer, to discuss the latest trends in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies showcased at CES. Raj shares his firsthand observations from the event, offering insights into how AI, robotics, and smart devices are shaping the future.
The Podcast Breakdown:
AI Innovations in Consumer Apps: Raj discusses his development of GPT Food Cam, an app that simplifies food calorie tracking with AI, emphasizing usability and consumer behavior.
The Role of Smart Glasses and AR: Raj highlights the evolving role of augmented reality glasses and how AR technology is positioned to revolutionize professional and consumer applications.
Physical AI and Robotics: Autonomous devices, from garbage bins to plant-watering systems, caught Raj’s attention as examples of how AI is entering everyday life.
The Next Wave of AI: Raj explains concepts like language action models (LAMs), multimodal outputs, and the path toward artificial general intelligence (AGI). He also discusses the importance of high-quality data for training AI and the role of synthetic datasets.
The Evolution of SaaS and No-Code Development: Raj delves into the debate between building custom tools internally versus using traditional SaaS products, reflecting on how no-code platforms are reshaping software development.

Whether you went to CES or not, you won't want to miss this episode to hear how AI showed up at the big tech show and to hear Raj's insights on what it all means and where he sees AI going.
Where to Find Raj Singh: LinkedIn, Linktree, and @mobileRaj on Threads, BlueSky, and Twitter.

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44 min