Sound Bites

Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast episode 116, it's time to talk about the 90s-- but first Melissa and Steve catch up a bit, we've both eaten ribeyes lately- and we can both commiserate about the heat. Tonight we're discussing some failed, discontinued snacks from the 90s that nobody seems to remember. There are a few standouts on the list, but for the most part we can agree-- please stop trying to make a cookie a cracker. Just stay in your lane, Keebler Elves! Find u...

Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast, food fans! It's time for Episode 115- It's a little chat about salad. Not particularly extensive, but certainly always tasty talk for the day. We found a list of some of the most popular ones in North America, and gave our takes. Steve gets assigned Texas Caviar, and Melissa gives her opnion on iceberg lettuce. Don't know your Cobb Salad from your Chef Salad? Boy are you in luck! Find us in all the podcast places, and don't forget to watch along on YouTu...

Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- We've got a guest for Episode 114! Today we're talking to Chef John O'Larnic from Chef's Backyard. We tackle the perils of creating content, grilling preferences, and the fun of paying your industry dues. We had a great time hearing from John and we hope you will too. The first listener to share this content TWICE anywhere on social media and tag The Food For ThoughtCast wins a free copy of John's awesome cookbook, Flavor Formula: 25 Recipes to Turn You ...

Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast - It's time for Episode 113! After catching up a little, Melissa and Steve are taking you through the pages of a few of their cookbooks at home. We're asking each other.... What was the one recipe you bought this book for? What is your favorite part? What all have you actually cooked out of this book? Why did you buy it? Sometimes, not unlike some of our listeners I'm sure- we've purchased them for the title or the pictures-- and other times, the book has...

Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast. In Episode 112, Melissa and Steve are talking about breakup foods, first date foods, and a smattering of other off-topic rabbit trail tidbits- -you know, the usual! What do you eat when you are stressed, when you are sad? We've had an episode based on comfort food but today we want to look at this from a bit of a different angle. Do we think foods can really help change the way you feel? It's a strong resounding "maybe". We also go s...

Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast. In Episode 112, Melissa and Steve are talking about breakup foods, first date foods, and a smattering of other off-topic rabbit trail tidbits- -you know, the usual! What do you eat when you are stressed, when you are sad? We've had an episode based on comfort food but today we want to look at this from a bit of a different angle. Do we think foods can really help change the way you feel? It's a strong resounding "maybe". We also go s...

Or yes Contest? You Decide! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast, it's time for Episode 111. Today Melissa and Steve are chatting about the most outrageous restaurant eating contests. What would we do? Do we think we could win? What could possibly be worth all of the acid reflux? Hint: It's going to take more than a free T-shirt to get Steve to eat ghost peppers again. We recap Steve's recent trip to Amarillo and his steak adventure at The Big Texan. Melissa is dreaming about eating watermel...

Hey there food fans. Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast, today is episode 110 and we are extra feisty. Sorry moms! Melissa and Steve are talking about favorite recipes, what we do or don't use, how we come up with recipes, favorite cookbooks, and so much more. We go way off the rails in some spots, and hopefully it's entertaining because we sure had a great time. Sometimes a recipe is just a guideline, and sometimes you really have to follow it-- for the science! Find the pod anywhere fine...

Hey there food fans! School may be letting out across the country, and certainly the graduations are going to be in full swing- but today on The Food For ThoughtCast, school is very much in. Steve and Melissa are taking a ( not comprehensive in any way) look at school lunches. What are your favorites? What would you burn in a raging pile of remorse and lighter fluid? What do school lunches look like around the world? Warm up your most special frozen fish stick and get ready for some square pizza...

Hey there food fans, welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast! Melissa and Steve are honored (and Steve is so excited!!!) to talk to Chef Phillip Foss today. Chef Phillip is not only one of Steve's culinary idols, he's also got one heck of a story pioneering his way through the food world. He is currently at El Ideas in Chicago- an incredible restaurant that hopes to flip the script on fine dining. From their home page: Paying homage to Chicago’s elevated train system, EL ideas is an abbreviati...

Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For Thoughtcast! It's time for Episode 107. We are honored to be joined today by Angelo Carotenuto from LivTours. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to learn how to cook authentic Italian food from somebody's Nonna right in her own kitchen? Today's guest tells us all about the real deal Italian food, how to find the best food travel opportunities for you, and why food is so important when learning about a new culture. We had an amazing time...

Hey there food fans! Have you ever wondered about the snacks and meals available in Walt Disney World? Us too, apparently! It's time for a travel recap. Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- you're just in time for episode 106. Thanks so much for listening! Stephen patiently tolerates this as Melissa drones on and on and on about her magical trip to Disney World. We're talking hot dogs, corn dogs, sammiches, waffles, shakshuka, hotel breakfasts, snacks on the go, All- You- Care -To- Enjoy B...

Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- today is a travel recap episode. Melissa and Stephen catch up with each other and then discuss the most amazing things they ate. He just visited Hawaii recently and had an incredible culinary journey. There was tuna poke , sushi, amazing donuts, fruit, and all sorts of drinks. With a food landscape as beautiful as the actual landscape, I really enjoyed hearing all about it and I can't wait to go someday. Thanks so much for listening....

Hey there food fans! Today we are talking to Aaron Shapiro of Grillicious. Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast. Melissa and Stephen are celebrating 104 episodes today, and we are chatting about what it takes to make an idea a reality. Aaron tells us the story of Grillicious. From the evolution of an idea about not only how to flavor the grill, but also to help keep it nonstick- all the way to flavored spritzes for crafting beverages with less waste. We really enjoyed talking to Aaron, and w...

Today we have the honor of talking to Shawn Walchef, the owner and founder of Cali BBQ restaurants and Cali BBQ Media. It's time for Episode 103 of The Food For ThoughtCast; welcome back! Steve and Melissa want to know what California BBQ looks like , and how the whole thing started, and Shawn challenges us to go find our whales for this podcast (surprise and hint: it happens!). We talk about how dreams come to be, and the power of storytelling in relation to food. Shawn is an incredible visiona...

Hey there food fans! It's time for Episode 102 of The Food For ThoughtCast! Today Steve and Melissa are talking to Veeda Bybee, an accomplished author of both fiction and nonfiction and a food enthusiast - not to mention the mastermind behind the cookbook A Few of My Favorite Things: Recipes Inspired by Family Friendly Musicals. We talk about the stories to be told through our families and the way food experiences help us learn and grow. We talk about culinary heritage and the way that food shap...

Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- We are excited to be joined today for Episode 101 by Dennis Turcinovic of Delmonico's, Tucci, and Boogie Lab USA. Yes THAT Delmonico's, in Manhattan! Delmonico's is credited with being the first restaurant in America to offer individual dishes à la carte, rather than a set menu, a concept that revolutionized the dining experience. We talk about the food heritage and incredible restaurant legacy in Dennis' family, the importance of simple, quality sourdou...

This is it folks, we've reached 100 Episodes! The Food For ThoughtCast proudly welcomes back Chef Hawkes- the incredible culinary educator and all around food hero- the master chef of Great Britain and foodie extraordinaire, and just an amazing guy. You first met Chef Hawkes in Episode 67 and he is back to give us an update on what is happening in the world of culinary education, studying to use food as medicine, and the exciting things that can be made with MREs. We had a great time talking to ...

Welcome back to a very special episode of The Food For ThoughtCast. In Episode 99, Stephen and Melissa are talking about mental health in kitchens and the hospitality industry. We discuss what we do to cope, some of the better and worse experiences we've had in the business, and what we hope the future holds for the people in this business. We usually bring you some tasty recipe ideas or tales of where we ate on our travels, or just general food information- but none of these amazing experiences...

Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast, it's time for Episode 98 and life just got a little sweeter. Today we are talking to the Willy Wonka of The Midwest, Dan Abel! He is the Chief Chocolate Officer at Bissinger's in St. Louis, Missouri- not only is he an incredible podcast guest and natural conversationalist, this guy really knows chocolate- and he should, after all- this chocolate-making tradition has a history that dates all the way back to 1668! We ask Dan all of the burning questions- d...

Today we have the pleasure of talking to Carolyn Haeler, the Executive Baker and mastermind behind Mightylicious. Their mission is to create flavor packed, gluten-free cookies made for everyone. Melissa and Stephen dive into the chemistry of gluten-free baking and hear all about how Carolyn created the brand and the amazing products after her own experience with Celiac Disease and the sad offerings in the world of gluten-free goodies. Everybody deserves to eat delicious foods! Whether you have a...

Get ready for Season 3 , ya'll! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast. It's time for Episode 96- the culinary trends of 2025. Today Stephen and Melissa are looking at the lists that the experts compile of what is going to be big in food for the rest of 2025. We talk about flavors, sweets, savories, movements, popular snacks, and so much more. We agree with some of this stuff and end up heavily judging and even openly mocking the rest of it. Thanks for listening and for watching on YouTube.