Travel With Meaning

Michael is the youngest Canadian / American male (dual citizen) and #265 person on record to visit all 193 UN nations. Taking him just over 6 years, (72 months) to visit all 193 countries, documenting his journey on his channel Global Degree. Michael truly earned his Global Degree as he connected with people and experienced local traditions in every country he visited. Upon completion of his Global Degree Michael gave a TED Talk in Oxford England about passport accessibility.

Hello Travel Friends! I'm connecting with you during interesting times. I hope you're all safe, healthy and staying positive. In this solo cast episode I talk about the power of travel and how it can help us all heal. Stay connected. Stay inspired. Stay Creative. Be Well. Be Safe. Be Grateful #Travelwithmeaning #poweroftravel #Travelstories

Our conversation with Chef Eric Adjepong was held in front of a live audience at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) as part of Bermuda Restaurant Weeks 2020. Chef Eric was in Bermuda to cook several meals as part of Restaurant Weeks with the highlight being the Bermuda Culture and Heritage Dinner. Chef Eric talks about the special menu he planned with local chefs from Bermy Eats featuring locally harvested foods and unique Bermuda flavors (12:22). During our talk you'll also hear Chef Eric mention his thesis that he wrote while attending the University of Westminster for his Masters. Part of the research of his thesis took him to Ghana and ultimately helped him down the path to cooking the West African cuisines that he loves. (20:42). Chef Eric has made his thesis available for the public through the Bermuda National Library. Chef Eric was a finalist on Season 16 of Bravo's Top Chef and will be returning for Top Chef Season 17 AllStars, premering March 19th on Bravo. As a first-generation Ghanaian-American born and raised in New York City, Eric sources the flavors and influences in his cooking from many of the West African dishes he grew up eating. He is passionate about introducing diners to West African cuisine and the impact its diaspora has had on South American, Latin American, Caribbean, and American food, all in his elegant, artfully plated style. Chef Eric will be opening his first restaurant On The Double at the famed D.C Food Hall Union Market in Spring 2020. Co-founder of Pinch & Plate alongside wife and decorator Janell Adjepong. Prior to launching Pinch & Plate, Eric cooked in several Michelin-starred restaurants in New York after graduating with degrees in culinary arts and nutrition from Johnson & Wales, one of the country's premiere culinary universities. He also holds a Master of Public Health in International Public Health Nutrition from the University of Westminster in London.

Founded in 1806, the Gosling's brand achieved renown almost exclusively because of its distinctive dark Bermuda rum. That soon changed when Malcolm Gosling took the reins in 2003. As the seventh Gosling to steer the Bermudian family business, Malcolm brought an abiding respect for the brand heritage to the table, but he also brought a contemporary sense of marketing, business acumen and appetite for growth. Born and raised in Paget, Bermuda, Malcolm attended Boston College and earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics, then returned to join the family business. Almost immediately he realized the considerable export potential of the locally popular Gosling's Black Seal Rum. In 1985 he became Director of Gosling's Limited where he oversaw domestic product and sales operations while also mapping a strategy for eventual entry into overseas markets. With time and perseverance, Malcolm advanced to Vice President and Managing Director of Gosling's Limited. In 2003 he finalized the formation of Gosling's Export (Bermuda) Limited where, as President, he launched his long-planned strategy to expand the family brand worldwide into new markets with new products. First step was forming Gosling-Castle Partners, Inc. in the U.S with Malcolm as President and CEO. Second step was relocating to Boston with his wife and two children where he could better focus on his aggressive plans. Since then, Malcolm has taken a series of determined steps to ensure that the Gosling's brand name and products continue to expand in popularity. Today, the brand once known in limited regions for its unique Black Seal Rum is becoming known internationally not only for its signature dark rum but for a range of products, programs, awards, and honors.

Christy and Aras Baskauskas - As individuals they've both traveled the world extensively seeing it through different lens and experiences….Christy grew up in small town in Northern California and traveled the world as a very successful model and Aras grew up in Santa Monica spent time overseas as an athlete, musician, yogi and winner of TV reality show Survivor.…..in 2013 Christy and Aras co-founded the eco-friendly clothing brand Christy Dawn (www.christydawn.com) focusing on dead stock fabric that brands no longer wanted …. They wanted to do something different, more ethical, environmentally friendly with longevity for the brand and everyone on the team….Christy Dawn has embarked on an exciting new Farm to Closet initiative in India continuing to up their game and make a difference giving back to the earth …for more information on Christy Dawn and their exciting Farm to Closet project visit www.christydawn.com/blogs/journal

Tricia Huffman, aka Your Joyologist, urges you to claim your joy and own who you are every single day via her empowering social media presence, Claim it! Podcast, youtube series, affirmation based product line, daily inspiration APP and everything she does. She is a rock and roll roadie at heart and by first career who specializes on working with those in the public eye to keep them in integrity with who they want to be in the world and for themselves.

Hunter Jones: I'm a 24-year-old professional surfer, news personality, video editor & model from Los Angeles, California. I've been fortunate enough to have been able to travel the world and surf some of the best waves on the planet and experience new cultures. From a young age, I loved being creative and found video editing and producing as a passion. My love for surfing and editing really fell hand in hand. As the former Social Media Coordinator for the WSL, I was producing content daily as well as editing global commercials & campaigns. Now as a freelance editor, I'm able to work on all different types of videos from anywhere in the world. In addition to surfing and working as a creative, I also spend a lot of time in front of the camera. I've starred in multiple commercials, acted as a stuntman, appeared on reality TV and co-host a daily surf based news show.I'm just stoked to be doing what I'm doing and meeting like-minded people who all share the same love for the ocean and making rad content."

Christina Ochoa is an actress, producer and science communicator with a particular focus on Wildlife. She is on the advisory board of OCEANA and is a board member of EARTHS OCEANS amongst others. Born and raised in Barcelona, she is the great-niece of NOBEL prize laureate Severo Ochoa an active member of MENSA. Christina graduated from Santa Isabel La Asunción in Madrid, and went on to study Oceanographic engineering at ULPGC, off the coast of Africa in the Canary Islands. She continued with advanced marine biology studies at James Cook University in Australia, where she focused on Elasmobranchii, as well as taking part in programs through the Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia in Spain. A member of the Los Angeles Committee for Science for Society, official host of the Intel Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and has collaborated with MESA since 2011. Currently, she can be seen reprising her role as Renn on the TNT show ANIMAL KINGDOM, as well as on ABC's "A Million Little Things". When she is not acting or producing with her partner Karen Gorostieta in their company QE PRODUCTIONS (Quantum Entanglement), you can usually find her working in Wildlife conservation or underwater."

From BC: I grew up in Denver, Colorado and I love anything to do with adventure, outdoors, and story telling.

I've been extremely fortunate to spend the past 11 years (since 2008) traveling the world with non-profit organizations, helping share and tell their stories through film and awareness. I've also spent that time taking hundreds of college and high school age students on trips to teach them about heart-led leadership and global community awareness.

After working with hundreds of organizations in over 60 countries and countless amounts of students and young adults I've found a few different types of projects and programs. A few being The Traveling Good, Pursuing Purpose Podcast, Mentorship Mastermind and a handful of others along the way.

My goal has always been to make an impact both locally and globally, internally and externally, small and big and couldn't have dreamt in a million years it would become a such a fun adventure where I get to bring hundreds of people around the world and locally with me to help others.

I don't want to make this a big list of things and highlights but just a quick preview and idea of who I am and whats my "why"

I do and create everything because I either couldn't find it or didn't have it growing up. Whether that being a mentor to look up or creative content to be inspired by or trips around the world to help others, or local events in communities that celebrate the Good. Each and every project has a fingerprint of my hope, my faith, my why, and my love for others.

Welcome to Episode 30 of the podcast. This is going to be a solo-cast episode. I'm honestly still amazed and beyond grateful to make it to episode 30! Huge thank you to all who have supported this endeavor and shared feedback along the way. Many more awesome podcast conversations coming up with truly extraordinary guests. This episode is actually recorded in the back on the Travellers Autobarn camper-van I was traveling in. I wanted to get out of LA on Black Friday and #Optoutside camping up the coast. My oldest nephew Howard came with me. It was a nice break for both of us. We don't get to spend much time together as he lives north of Phoenix. He's twenty-Two and very different from where I was in my life at twenty-two. He's very smart, loyal and a hard worker, not saying that wasn't me, but I had been to dozens of countries, was focused on meeting women and having crazy life experiences. Howard is a little more reserved, but he has mentioned to me several times how much he wants to travel. We talked a lot about traveling on this camping trip. I've told him since he graduated high school four years ago I would send him on a trip and pay his airfare and ground transportation, he just has to say when he's ready. In sitting around the campfire drinking a beer I asked Howard so when is the right time, he said maybe February? I said what's holding you back, he said his job. I shared with him what if I could help create an opportunity for a better job than he currently has when he returns. He loved that idea and we started working on resume together. Not sure if he will take me up on this trip in February, but I really hope so. This trip would not have been possible without my Travellers Autobarn campervan. If you follow me on social (@Schibel @Travelwithmeaning) you've seen me post about the van and Travellers Autobarn several times. What you might now know if I've had a relationship with TAB for almost ten years since my first trip to Australia. I share about how that relationship started and talk about a video I made for them during my thirty days in a station wagon driving south on the east coast of Australia. Check out the video here and don't hesitate to connect with Travellers Autobarn for a road trip adventure - make sure you use the code Travel With Meaning for a discount. Thanks for listening. See you on the open road!

Owner and Executive Chef Gio Osso captures the daily dynamism of authentic Mediterranean cooking at Virtú Honest Craft, located in Scottsdale, AZ's Bespoke Inn. Among the laidback, coastal villa-vibe of his restaurant, Osso creates a menu that changes multiple times a week, highlighting the best ingredients sourced seasonally from across the country and around the world. "I like big, bold flavors," Osso says, "but it has to be clean and crisp, involving all of the senses." To allow himself the freedom to prepare such flavorful, yet simplistic, straightforward dishes, Osso spends as much time as necessary to find the ideal product, be it seafood from Spain, cheese from Italy, or spices from Northern Africa.

Much like his dishes, the chef considers each of his employees individually to ensure a happy and productive team. "Someone might need you to be a coach, someone else might need you to be a friend," he explains. "If you give me 120%, I'll give it right back to you—I want to foster greatness." Overall, he strives to be the best teacher he can be.

"I started cooking when I was still in a highchair," Osso explains, referring to the pot his mother gave him to "stir" while she prepared meals. "It was the only way I would eat—so it was no shock to my parents when I wanted to become a chef." Although he grew up in Cliffside Park, NJ, his culinary inspiration comes from summers spent in Southern Italy on a farm in Calabria with animals, gardens, and a large family that convened every year around family recipes.

After gaining kitchen experience in New Jersey, Osso graduated from the fast-paced New York Restaurant School in 1993 at the top of his class, and cut his teeth with an externship at March under Chef Wayne Nish, in local pizzerias, and in hotel kitchens such as at the Algonquin Hotel. In 1994, John Foy's Sonoma Grill in East Rutherford, NJ plucked Osso for its sous chef, placing him alongside Chef de Cuisine Richard Lowack. Lowack served as a culinary and operational mentor to Osso, and the two went on to work together at numerous other restaurants until Osso struck out on his own as executive chef for Stamford, CT's Fio' Ristorante in 1996, and then opened his own restaurant, café, retail, and catering operation, American Gourmet, two years later in Allendale, NJ.

Osso linked up with his mentor again in 2002, when Lowack requested Osso's help in the pastry department of his new Phoenix restaurant. Soon after arriving in the desert, Osso launched Sugo Pastaria and Wine Bar, an upscale pasta-centric Italian spot. He spread his culinary influence further throughout the city by consulting on restaurants including Luc's, Oscar Taylor, Blue Note Cellars, and Spiga. After then spending two years at Scottsdale's Estate House, revamping the culinary program as executive chef, Osso's career took an unexpected turn in 2010 as he jumped at an opportunity to oversee concession operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, via HMS Host. Managing on-site operations and an off-site commissary, Osso successfully introduced 13 local concepts to the airport, substantially elevating its culinary offerings.

Virtú Honest Craft, which debuted in 2013, sprouted in Osso's mind back in 2006, while he spent a month traveling with friends throughout Southern Italy, sampling local Mediterranean cuisine. In the wake of Virtú's success, Osso opened Nico Heirloom Kitchen as a posh, sophisticated spot for seasonal West Coast-inspired Italian cuisine, in Gilbert, AZ, in 2016.

Chef Osso resides in Gilbert with his wife, Bethany, their three children, and two dogs, a German shepherd and a boxer. Away from the kitchen, the musician-at-heart loves playing his guitar as often as he can, and gets his kicks on the soccer field as well—he almost became pro, once upon a time.