Think about the cookware you use most, and I can almost guarantee that your skillet is at the top of the list. It’s one of those workhorse tools that’s just necessary. Maybe your skillet is nonstick, or cast iron—or if you’re lucky, maybe it’s carbon steel. And if you’re extremely lucky, maybe it’s a carbon steel pan made by Dennis Kehoe. Dennis and his wife Kasey own Kehoe Carbon Cookware, based out of their home in Los Osos. I first discovered his work on Instagram, where I completely fell...

Here’s one of the great benefits of having a podcast: at any time, you have a perfectly acceptable excuse to ask someone over to chat. And that’s exactly what I did here. Dr. Deb Donig is Assistant Professor of English Literature at Cal Poly and a Lecturer at UC Berkeley’s School of Information in the Master’s in Data Science Program. She is the co-founder of the Cal Poly Ethical Technology Initiative and the host of “Technically Human,” a podcast where she talks with major thinkers, writers,...

Shakira Miracle is the executive director of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network, an advocacy organization that seeks to close the food system loop, promoting access, equity, connection and creativity within the local food economy. Shakira drove up from Santa Barbara to share the exciting work she’s doing with the agency, and to chat about what makes networks like Santa Barbara’s so important. We also talk about Dr. David Cleveland, a previous guest on this podcast who is a respected...

In the middle of Covid, in a not-so-obvious part of San Luis Obispo, a pizza place called My Friend Mike’s opened up. In its history, the building off Broad Street had been a Lemos Feed & Pet Supply, as well as a tire shop. The windows are also mirrored so you can’t see in, but when I walked inside to pick up a couple beautiful pizzas made by Mike Radakovich and his team, I was surprised at how warm and inviting the interior is. It feels kind of like a clubhouse with excellent wood-fired...

For years, whenever I’ve driven down California Boulevard in San Luis Obispo, I’ve stared at a neon sign that reads: Hot Vegan Takeout. It’s so fun and blunt and punk rock, and it perfectly encapsulates what’s going on at Ziggy’s Vegan Takeout. In case you’ve never eaten there, this is not a hippie crunchy vegan restaurant—there’s definitely a place for those in the world, but this ain’t one of em. When you walk into Ziggy’s, you’re immediately hit by the excellent soundtrack, the menu of...

In 2014, Lynette Sonne founded FarmsteadEd, an organization whose goal is not just to get people to buy locally made products, but to see the small farms and ranches where the goods are grown and made. This is what’s called “agritourism,” and it has its spiritual home in Italy, where staying overnight on a farm and experiencing its culture up close bonds visitors to the work being done there in a special way. I had met Lynette several times in the past, and knew that FarmsteadEd had developed...

At Beerwood in Los Osos, Chef Jess Saddoff-Bauer and owner Annie Steinmann work hard to offer a family-friendly space and an elevated brewpub experience. I came to know Beerwood through gorgeous pictures of Chef Jess’s charcuterie platters, so imagine my delight when she brought one to the house for our interview! I learned a lot about her background, which includes fighting her way into sushi kitchens to learn the craft and become a well-respected sushi chef. (I suspect it also explains why...

Becoming a food writer tends to be a try-and-see-what-sticks process. Last time I checked, you can’t major in food writing in college, so most folks who want to pursue that line of work need to either make it up as they go along or attach themselves to a knowledgeable mentor. For my part, I’ve done both, and the latter I’ve done with Dianne Jacob, an award-winning food writer, cookbook author, and writing teacher based in the Bay Area. I’ve hired Dianne to help with magazine pitches and book...

Alexandra Wallace is a photographer who captures weddings, portraits, and editorial photos for a living. If you’ve ever been to the Consumed website at letsgetconsumed.com, you’ll see the generous shots she’s taken of me, too. She’s also a born creative, having helmed Coyote and Oak Magazine and associate producing the podcast Your Own Backyard about the disappearance of Kristin Smart. (Her partner, Chris Lambert, is the producer of that show, and he was on the Consumed podcast several months...

Ryan Deovlet is the winemaker behind Deovlet Wines, based out of San Luis Obispo, but with wines from the Santa Rita Hills, Happy Canyon, and other Santa Barbara County regions and vineyards. Perhaps most exciting right now is Ryan’s purchase of property off Los Osos Valley Road, formerly owned by grain farmer Larry Kandarian, who has been featured on this podcast, too. Ryan speaks about pioneering a new region, his Armenian roots, and his connection to the late, great Kobe Bryant. He also...

This is a re-release of the first Consumed Live episode featuring three powerhouse brewers on California’s Central Coast. Listen in as I talk with Matt Brynildson, brewmaster at Firestone-Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, Buellton, and Venice Beach; Max Montgomery, brewmaster at There Does Not Exist in San Luis Obispo; and Jack Dyer, founder at Topa Topa Brewing Company in Ventura. These three brought lots of fun stories, insight, and humor to the table, and I’m so glad I recorded it....

I didn’t realize it until just now, but I’ve known Michael and Sarah Cherney for years. Okay, I didn’t know-them know-them, but I definitely enjoyed their hospitality a few times at Sides’ Hardware and Shoes, the charming restaurant in Los Olivos where Michael was chef and Sarah worked front of house. The Cherneys have since started their own business called Peasant’s Feast in an iconic restaurant space in Solvang — a town known more for its aebleskivers and Christmas-all-year-round charm...

Andrea Wasko and Meaghan Gilbert are the people behind the Quick Pickle Kit, which they call “the DIY pickling kit for people on a journey” — I love that. They started the company in 1996 with a couple goals. One, they wanted to give people a healthy and stress-free way to pickle fresh produce. Andrea’s mother was a pickler and would send jars of them to Andrea as a taste of home. And secondly, they wanted to give back to their community. Philanthropy is a massive reason the Quick Pickle Kit...

Paul Filice is the president of Miner’s Ace Hardware, a collection of nine “hardware stores” across the Central Coast. I put “hardware stores” in quotes because Miner’s is so much more than a hardware store, though that’s certainly how it began. In addition to all the usual stuff — hardware, tools, paint, etc — Miner’s has a wonderful housewares section featuring Traeger grills, Yeti coolers, Ball canning systems and more that I could spend all day exploring. It also has one of the best...

I’ve shared before that a loaf of rustic bread and a bottle of olive oil are pretty much all I need to be happy (oh, and a glass of Prosecco), so imagine my delight when the general manager of Pasolivo Olive Oil, Marisa Bloch Gaytan, came over to chat and taste through their many olive oil varieties. Marisa is a level-2 olive oil sommelier and Pasolivo’s master blender, so she knows a thing or two about liquid gold. We talked about how she transitioned from the wine business to the olive oil...

Stephanie Killen is the Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner behind Sound Body Nutrition in San Luis Obispo, a service that works with women to resolve their health concerns using nutrition, lifestyle guidance and natural therapies. In addition to her training in functional nutritional therapy, she has a unique edge: a culinary school degree. Stephanie became interested in nutritional therapy when she sought help for her own severe hormonal imbalances. With her culinary experience, she...

Rusty Quirk is a chef and the owner of Linnaea’s Cafe in downtown San Luis Obispo. If you’ve spent any time in SLO since 1984, you probably remember the little cafe with the long walk to a leafy back patio with a koi pond. Linnaea’s is one of a rare breed of small, family-owned businesses in SLO that have retained their original charm for several decades. It’s a cozy, simple place where the focus falls more on fostering relationships and art than on getting esoteric with the coffee. And now...

Matt Trevisan is the winemaker and owner at Linne Calodo Winery in Paso Robles, California. Along with his wife, Maureen, he has built the Willow Creek District-winery into a really special producer of Rhone-varietal blends and Zinfandel wines. And they’ve been at it for 25 years, constantly tweaking their process and pulling at the thread of what kind of winery and business they want to be. Over those years, Matt has been especially interested in pursuing a “nature-positive” model — one that...

Annie Yu learned how to cook from her grandmother, who grew up near Canton, China. Her style of cooking included a lot of seafood, rice, and milder spices than Northern Szechuan cuisine. As the first American-born of seven siblings, Annie spent a lot of time in Chinatown in Boston, traveling to the markets with her grandmother. Today, Annie teaches Asian cooking in San Luis Obispo after many years in the world of corporate training. She shared with me her secrets for stir fry, which are...

John Quint (who pulls a JFK and also goes by Jack Quint) owns and operates Deltina Coffee Roasters, located in Oceano and, as of this summer, a location near Cal Poly on Taft Street in San Luis Obispo. As a native of Seattle and the nephew of a prominent master roaster, Jack comes by his coffee culture honestly. He started his career as a CPA specializing in international taxation, but when coffee became his true love, he made a plan to start a roastery. Why did he and his wife Jill — yes,...

Josh and Lindsey Haring own The Mountain Air, a shop in downtown San Luis Obispo that sells outdoor gear like skis, sleeping bags, and hiking shoes. And because it’s summer, and because Josh and Lindsey have been dear friends of mine for years, I thought we could talk about eating and cooking on the trail or at the campground. Camping and backpacking food and gear has come a long way since I was a kid, and I wanted to share the Harings’ expertise with you, as well as their story. The Mountain...

If you've listened to the CONSUMED podcast for any length of time, you'll be familiar with the name Chris Lambert. He has edited the show for years, but you probably know him better for his own project, the podcast Your Own Backyard, about the disappearance of Kristin Smart. (If you haven't listened to Your Own Backyard, which was the #1 podcast in the world for some time, do yourself a favor and take a week or so to binge the whole series.) With the trials of Paul Flores and Ruben Flores...

This is another between-seasons bonus episode that I produced in collaboration with At Her Table, a weeklong food festival that celebrates women. For this event on March 7, 2023, I sat down at There Does Not Exist brewery for a live recording of the Consumed podcast featuring a panel of mothers in the hospitality industry. Panelists include Shanny Covey (Luna Red, Robin’s), Feben Teffera (Ebony SLO), Brittany Gonsalves (Central Coast Tacos), and Sam Whittaker (Bing’s Bao Buns).

Sara Garofalo teaches the principles of Ayurveda and intuitive eating to clients across the country, and across the world. She’s been featured on Medium, NBC Miami, Yahoo and Voyage LA for her approach to working with clients who struggle with disordered eating habits. Sara lives in San Luis Obispo, but she grew up in Italy, near Milan, and developed an eating disorder at a young age. With her clients today, she uses those experiences (and the solutions she found to them) to heal...

Janie Willheim is the spark plug behind Lumina Wines, a producer of what she calls “small batch wines made for happy consumption.” A graduate of the Cal Poly University wine and viticulture program, by day, Janie works on the winemaking team at Desperada Wines, whose winemaker Vailia From was on the podcast back in 2019. And because Vailia is married to fellow winemaker Russell From of Herman Story Wines, Janie works a little bit for him too. Confused yet? No worries — this is an easygoing...