57 episodes

How to sharpen your knives, what drinks to serve, where your seafood comes from – WDET's Ann Delisi and James Beard-nominated Chef James Rigato are here to empower you in the kitchen and have some fun along the way. Through interviews with chefs and industry experts, Essential Cooking is a key ingredient in your culinary journey.

Ann Delisi's Essential Cooking WDET

    • Arts
    • 4.8 • 26 Ratings

How to sharpen your knives, what drinks to serve, where your seafood comes from – WDET's Ann Delisi and James Beard-nominated Chef James Rigato are here to empower you in the kitchen and have some fun along the way. Through interviews with chefs and industry experts, Essential Cooking is a key ingredient in your culinary journey.

    The Science and Misconceptions Behind Food Allergies

    The Science and Misconceptions Behind Food Allergies

    Have you ever wondered if you have a food allergy? Doctors John Deledda, M.D. and Edward Zoratti, M.D. join Ann and James to break down the findings of the latest scientific studies on food allergies, including the roles genetics and environment play in food allergies and the potential for misdiagnosis of these conditions.

    • 46 min
    Earning Trust Through Excellence with Oak & Reel's Jared Gadbaw

    Earning Trust Through Excellence with Oak & Reel's Jared Gadbaw

    Jared Gadbaw, the Michelin-starred chef-owner at Oak and Reel, sits down for a conversation with Ann and James, delving into the chapters of his culinary expedition from culinary school to New York City, and ultimately Detroit, where he started Oak & Reel. Gadbaw compares Detroit and New York's food scenes and talks about building trust and pushing the boundaries of the Midwestern palate with seafood and house made pasta.

    • 16 min
    Jon Kung's Chinese American Recipes

    Jon Kung's Chinese American Recipes

    Detroit chef and social media star Jon Kung sits down with Ann and James to discuss his new book: "KUNG FOOD: Chinese American Recipes from a Third Culture Kitchen."

    • 24 min
    The Family Business and Delicious Tradition of Fairway Packing Co.

    The Family Business and Delicious Tradition of Fairway Packing Co.

    Ann and James sit down with cousins Emmet and Gino Baratta from Fairway Packing for a conversation about their family business located in Southeast Michigan. They talk about how relationships with chefs are vital to their success, and they discuss the quality focused mindset that began with the generations before them. Tune in to learn what goes into producing and supplying quality meats, from farm to to delivery truck. And get your notepad out, because they're going to teach you a thing or two about how to perfectly prepare that nice steak you just bought.

    • 43 min
    Travel Italy Like a Chef

    Travel Italy Like a Chef

    How would a Chef approach traveling to a country renowned for its culinary excellence? In this episode, Ann sits down with her co-host, Chef James Rigatto, to discuss his recent adventures in Italy—a country that holds food in the highest regard. James shares his practical strategies for planning his trips, including booking flights, indulging in local cuisine and drinks, and finding balance after a week of indulgent dining. Get ready to be inspired as James reveals his secrets for maximizing his culinary journeys in Italy.

    • 31 min
    Pastries Without Borders with Warda Bouguettaya

    Pastries Without Borders with Warda Bouguettaya

    Warda Bouguettaya is the visionary chef behind Warda Patisserie in Midtown Detroit. Warda has achieved remarkable success in the culinary world, being named one of Food and Wine's Best Chefs in America in 2022 and receiving the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Warda’s creations are a fusion of Algerian heritage, French flair, and Chinese influences. She talks with Ann Delisi and James Rigato about her path to Detroit, the enduring influence of her mother's cooking, and the thrill of being nationally recognized and celebrated for her delectable pastries.

    • 24 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
26 Ratings

26 Ratings

Shari pink ,

Essential Cooking

What a great podcast for any interested in eating good food, cooking good food and learning about good people!

Sbgujfyicruv ,

Glad you guys are back!

Love listening to these. Always very interesting

gettysberg trip ,

Interesting. Professional. Fun. Awesome.

I have enjoyed this podcast so much. I love to cook, but was also looking to make some lifestyle changes. This series has offered a whole new perspective on how I should be thinking about food. Without sounding overdramatic, I would say they are life-changing. Thank you for your work.

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