The As Told By Podcast

The Business of Biscuits: As Told by Chasity Barwick of Town Biscuits (S7/E6)

Coming onto Oakland's breakfast scene with a Southern staple, Town Biscuits [https://townbiscuits.com/] is inviting people to slow down, sit down, and chow down! With their menu of mouthwatering buttermilk biscuits, owners Chasity Barwick and Will Kovach are proving the allure of classic food done right is alive and well in the Bay! This week, Kahja talks with Chas about Southern beginnings and growing up with visibility to different culinary worlds; the methodology of mass producing quality biscuits, finally settling Kahja's questions about using cheap butter, the landscape of Southern food in the Bay and the influence of regional migration, focusing on nostalgic hospitality versus the standard grab-and-go model, finding scaling support through Laney College, why food doesn't always need to be re-imagined, the breakfast gap in Oakland, the strategy of using a shared space and having true support in growing a food business, and their plans for a biscuit takeover in the Bay. Recorded on location in Oakland, CA. Town Biscuits [https://townbiscuits.com/] @townbiscuits [https://www.instagram.com/townbiscuits/] Register for the START THE PODCAST workshop on Sun, June 7th in Oakland, hosted by Kahja!  [https://bit.ly/3OYgkEb] Be sure to leave a 5 star review if you enjoyed this episode! For advertising or sponsorship opportunities, visit kayinthebay.com. [https://www.kayinthebay.com/] Wanna keep up in between episodes? Follow Kahja on IG at @heykayinthebay [https://www.instagram.com/heykayinthebay/] Intro music by Diff Works [https://www.staydiff.com/]

East Africa to East Oakland: As Told By Daniel Aderaw Yeshiwas of Cafe Colucci & Brundo Spice Company (S7/E5)

Founded in the early 90s by Fetlework Tefferi, Cafe Colucci [https://cafecolucci.com/] started with a mission to reflect Ethiopian culture, first through music and then food, making it a favorite of Oakland's restaurant scene! Led by General Manager Daniel Aderaw Yeshiwas, they're going beyond just what's on the plate, cultivating community and access, and bringing East African heirloom spices to the masses with Brundo Spice Company [https://www.brundo.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooTnwXIqz6LzsmY5Co9mqeg-6Zh3aHwno2bQ9TiWqjbVh9MvIPd], proving the impact restaurants can have far beyond their doors. This week, Kahja and Daniel talk about the history of cafes and Ethiopian food, founder Fetlework Tefferi's goal to create a gathering space for the culture, how the cuisine naturally meets a wide variety of diner needs, building the infrastructure for Brundo Spice Company from sourcing and manufacturing to employment and distribution, closing the gap between access to global ingredients and cultural know-how, a chef residency program for local culinary talent to address the nuances of access to brick and mortar formats, meeting diners' desires for authentic food and third spaces, and the duality of celebrating the joy and pain of immigrant food businesses in the current socio-political moment.  Recorded on location in Oakland, CA. Cafe Colucci [https://cafecolucci.com/] Brundo Spice Company  [https://www.brundo.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqpWNqs1xPg2k5XUQG1CVJRXYFh0HEhlpd6jKtefWS7fDB3EAra] @cafecolucci [https://www.instagram.com/cafecolucci/] @brundospices [https://www.instagram.com/brundospices/] Register for the START THE PODCAST workshop on Sun, June 7th in Oakland, hosted by Kahja!  [https://bit.ly/3OYgkEb] Be sure to leave a 5 star review if you enjoyed this episode! For advertising or sponsorship opportunities, visit kayinthebay.com. [https://www.kayinthebay.com/] Wanna keep up in between episodes? Follow Kahja on IG at @heykayinthebay [https://www.instagram.com/heykayinthebay/] Intro music by Diff Works [https://www.staydiff.com/]

Checked and Balanced: As Told By Wine Expert, Author, and Host Leslie Sbrocco (S7/E4)

With years as a respected voice in wine, a published author, and an award winner, Leslie Sbrocco [https://www.lesliesbrocco.com/] used her unique strengths and talents to connect the stories and culture of food, wine, and travel. As the host of KQED's Check, Please! Bay Area [https://www.kqed.org/checkplease], now in its 21st season, along with 100 Days, Drinks, & Destinations [https://www.100daysdrinksdishesdestinations.com/], she created her career her way, triumphing over a colon cancer diagnosis, and proving that success is possible through grace, fortitude, and the joy of living out your passions! This week, Kahja talks with Leslie about recognizing your gifts early, curiosity and willingness to learn as a strategy, how one career moment sets up the next one, being part of one of the most watched food shows in the region, the joy of merging food, wine, and travel for her own show, the current landscape of reviewing food, lessons learned through a cancer diagnosis, and the power of leveraging a positive mindset to overcome adversity. Recorded on location in Petaluma, CA. LeslieSbrocco.com [https://www.lesliesbrocco.com/] @lesliesbrocco [https://www.instagram.com/lesliesbrocco/] Check, Please! Bay Area on KQED [https://www.kqed.org/checkplease] 100 Days, Drinks, & Destinations on KQED [https://www.100daysdrinksdishesdestinations.com/] Watch Kahja on Check Please, Bay Area [https://www.kqed.org/checkplease/21645/check-please-bay-area-reviews-roasted-and-raw-street-social-kehaulanis-cafe] Support KQED [https://www.kqed.org/support/membership] Be sure to leave a 5 star review if you enjoyed this episode! For advertising or sponsorship opportunities, visit kayinthebay.com. [https://www.kayinthebay.com/] Wanna keep up in between episodes? Follow Kahja on IG at @heykayinthebay [https://www.instagram.com/heykayinthebay/] Intro music by Diff Works [https://www.staydiff.com/]

The Buzz on Beans: As Told By Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo (S7/E3)

Redefining the narrative around a pantry staple, Steve Sando went from being a home-based bean grower to the CEO & Founder of Rancho Gordo [https://www.ranchogordo.com/], expanding the market's perceptions of beans!  An alternative to the standard grocery store fare, Rancho Gordo merges the agricultural prowess of growing regions in the US and the Americas, exposing consumers to heirloom beans with varieties deeply rooted in indigeneity, simplicity, and flavor.  This week, Kahja talks with Steve about leveraging unconventionality, the actual definition of heirloom beans, experiences that unknowingly lead to your passion, building sourcing relationships based on trust and mutual benefit, ex-pat theory and the impact on regions, partnering with communities for the long haul, allowing beans to be the star of a dish, curating an informed shopping experience, challenging customer perspectives around beans from a food of resource to one of refinement, the Bean Club waiting list that's grown to 20k+ people, creating an attraction in Napa beyond wine, and why your later success just might be your best act yet.  Recorded on location in Napa, CA. RanchoGordo.com [https://www.ranchogordo.com/] @rancho_gordo [https://www.instagram.com/rancho_gordo/] Find Rancho Gordo products near you! [https://www.ranchogordo.com/apps/store-locator] Be sure to leave a 5 star review if you enjoyed this episode! For advertising or sponsorship opportunities, visit kayinthebay.com. [https://www.kayinthebay.com/] Wanna keep up in between episodes? Follow Kahja on IG at @heykayinthebay [https://www.instagram.com/heykayinthebay/] Intro music by Diff Works [https://www.staydiff.com/]

Candy Reign: As Told By Channon "Chay" Powell of Chay J's New Orleans Candies (S7/E2)

New Orleans is renowned for its marriage of culture and food from savory to sweet, and Chay J's New Orleans Candies [https://www.chayjs.com/] is helping to keep those vows intact! With an assortment of creative confections, owner Channon "Chay" Powell is honoring her family's traditions in both business and the kitchen bringing classic flavors and fun twists to her sweet New Orleans-themed treats! In this episode, Kahja talks with Channon about early exposure to being a business owner, unintentionally becoming an entrepreneur, the growing pains of growth, the implications of scaling, experiencing the Keith Lee effect, progression in business disguised as setbacks, and building a business to serve as a cultural legacy.  Recorded on location in Atlanta, GA. Watch Keith Lee's Chay J's review! [https://www.instagram.com/reels/CmB-BPCg1pq/] ChayJs.com [https://www.chayjs.com/] @chayjs [https://www.instagram.com/chayjs/] Be sure to leave a 5 star review if you enjoyed this episode! For advertising or sponsorship opportunities, visit kayinthebay.com. [https://www.kayinthebay.com/] Wanna keep up in between episodes? Follow Kahja on IG at @heykayinthebay [https://www.instagram.com/heykayinthebay/]. Intro music by Diff Works [https://www.staydiff.com/]