Episodes

  • Janie Brooks Heuck's Perfect Bite
    Jul 10 2025

    Calling all wine lovers!


    This is our first episode with a winemaker extraordinaire. I was so happy to catch up with Janie Brooks Heuck, Managing Director of Brooks Wine, to talk about how she entered the winemaking business, the importance of biodynamic farming (keeping people and our planet healthy!), and balancing a B. Corp certification with the tough realities of the wine industry. The winery’s incredible product is why Brooks has been named one of the Top 50 Wineries in the WORLD!


    I loved learning more about how special Brooks Wine is being made in the Willamette Valley in Oregon and that Riesling doesn’t have to mean too sweet to drink! Janie’s helping to spread the word about farming and making wine sustainably and responsibly—she’s even got a new wine club called Wine Atlas Collective working only with sustainable wineries around the country! Now that’s something to raise a glass to.


    Her story is one of legacy, heart, and determination—she’s as dynamic and giving as they come.


    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 visit our site www.theperfectbitepod.com.

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

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    53 mins
  • Palita Sriratana's Perfect Bite
    Jun 26 2025

    Have you ever tried Nam Prik Pao?


    It’s maybe one of the greatest condiments EVER! Palita Sriratana is the founder of Pink Salt Kitchens, making it easy to get your hands on this gorgeous Thai chili jam anywhere throughout the U.S.


    I’ve loved watching Palita and Pink Salt Kitchens grow—she truly is a testament to never giving up and pivoting to keep going. She’s making Thai food and flavors accessible to all, providing a sense of culture and care through this delectable sauce you won’t be able to stop drizzling on everything.


    Listen as Palita and I chat through her multiple iterations of Pink Salt Kitchens to reach where she is today—including a stint on Chopped last fall!


    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.

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

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    1 hr
  • BJ Lieberman's Perfect Bite
    Jun 18 2025

    When I first moved to Columbus, I was curious if I'd find any local spots that were akin to my favorite haunts in Chicago. Special, but relaxed and accessible, with absolutely fantastic food. Lo and behold, there's a Columbus chef who's doing just that, building an empire that reflects good food, good values, and good times.


    His was the name I heard over and over again: BJ Lieberman. BJ is the chef and owner behind Chapman’s Eat Market (recognized as a Top 50 restaurant in America by New York Times), Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge, and now, Metsi’s Wood-Fired Italian. BJ has taken his Michelin-starred past in Washington, DC and brought it to Columbus, making the city a bonafide foodie destination.


    We chat through his culinary and entrepreneurial journey, along with how he focuses on a sense of timelessness, honoring history and culture through each of his venues.


    You can visit Chapman’s Eat Market in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus. You can visit Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge and Metsi’s Wood-Fired Italian in the Short North neighborhood of Columbus.


    You can follow BJ Lieberman on Instagram @bjlieberman; Chapman’s Eat Market @eatchapman’s; Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge @gingerrabbitjazz; and Metsi’s Wood-Fired Italian @eatmetsis.


    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.

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

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Franco Fubini's Perfect Bite
    Jun 12 2025

    It's no secret our modern society demands convenience. And in the case of food that means what we want, when we want it—but at what cost? Today's guest is leading the flavor revolution, a call for us to go back to basics, to source the most delicious and nutritious produce.


    Franco Fubini has been working on this mission for over 20 years with his company Natoora, which focuses on global capillary food supply chains to fix our food system so we can source the best produce for ourselves and for our planet. He’s even recently written a book on it all called “In Search of the Perfect Peach.”


    I loved learning from Franco and I know you will too!


    To learn more about Natoora and sign up for its services, visit www.natoora.com/en-US.


    You can follow Natoora on Instagram @natoora and Franco Fubini @franconatoora.


    You can buy “In Search of The Perfect Peach” online and at major bookstores.


    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.

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

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    55 mins
  • Lauren Culley's Perfect Bite
    Jun 5 2025

     Here's a not-so-secret secret for you: I have a huge sweet tooth. Anytime and place that I can find a pastry that's made with love and care and safety for my food allergies is such a huge win.


    I am so lucky that when we moved to Columbus last year, I not only found a mecca of pastries, but a modern and cozy spot of community that we visit on a weekly basis: Fox in the Snow. I sat down with owner of Fox in the Snow, Lauren Culley, to chat through her journey from publishing world to pastries, meeting and falling in love with her husband during the early days of Blue Bottle (who became her co-owner!), and how they’ve built third spaces throughout Columbus that are the perfect example of great food, great people, and great vibes. Lauren and Jeff bring a strong growth and founder mentality to Fox in the Snow, and I won’t be surprised when they start expanding outside the Columbus metro area.


    You can visit Fox in the Snow at its locations throughout Columbus, including: Dublin, German Village, Italian Village, and New Albany. Visit www.foxinthesnow.com to learn more and pre-order a large order.


    You can follow Fox in the Snow on Instagram at @foxinthesnowcafe.


    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.

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

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    59 mins
  • Christine Cikowski's Perfect Bite
    May 29 2025

    Welcome back to The Perfect Bite podcast, your fusion of food and entrepreneurship. When I moved to Chicago post-graduation in the fall of 2013, I fell in love with what would become a Chicago institution before I ever tasted it: Honey Butter Fried Chicken. The name says everything you need! And then I finally ate it and really, really fell in love. HBFC is the perfect community spot, picnic basket filler, or eat on the couch staple. It's quality, comfort food made by equally quality folks.


    I had the best time chatting with co-owner Christine Cikowski about her journey of falling in love with nature’s flavors at a young age, meeting her co-owner Josh Kulp at Kendall College, and their flourishing businesses of serving the best seasonal, smile-inducing bites, from the now 20-year-old Sunday Dinner Club, to the fated Honey Butter Fried Chicken, and now supporting a former sous chef through TriBecca’s Sandwich Shop. We didn’t know it at the time, but this lovely and hilarious conversation was 12 years in the making.


    Make sure to visit Honey Butter Fried Chicken and TriBecca’s Sandwich Shop in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago. You can sign up for the Sunday Dinner Club tasting series at www.sundaydinnerclub.com.


    You can follow Honey Butter Fried chicken on Instagram at @honeybutterchi; Sunday Dinner Club @sundaydinnerchi; TriBecca’s Sandwich Shop @tribeccassandwichshop; and Christine @christinecikowski.


    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.

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

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    53 mins
  • Brett Brohl's Perfect Bite
    May 22 2025

    Welcome back to The Perfect Bite podcast, your fusion of food and entrepreneurship. Over these first few episodes of The Perfect Bite, we've chatted with founders in the food space and how they've built their brands, but today we're looking at things from a new point of view: what it's like to be an investor to build their own fund in the food, restaurant and ag tech industry. I'm so excited for us to learn from today's guest Brett Brohl, managing partner of Bread and Butter Ventures. Brett went from being a multi-time startup founder to the founder of his own investment firm!


    I really appreciate Brett and the B&B team’s perspective on how they’re investing in the food space. An undeniable fact is we all have to eat, and Brett and team are looking for founders who want to change the way we all eat for the better. It’s amazing how a combination of technology and working with Mother Earth could be our future!


    Learn more about Brett’s entrepreneurial journey to becoming an investor, what he and the B&B team look for to help advance the future of food, and some tips on how to connect with investors if you are building something yourself.


    To learn more about Bread & Butter Ventures, an early stage investment firm in the food and ag tech space, visit www.breadandbutterventures.com. You can even sign up for office hours with Brett and his team on the site!


    You can connect with Brett and learn more about Bread & Butter Ventures on LinkedIn.


    Want some entrepreneurial tips? Check out Brett’s YouTube channel, Brett’s Brain!


    I also promised in the episode I’d include these really soothing videos of pizzas getting topped by a robot by XRobotics here. Enjoy!


    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.

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

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    46 mins