At My Kitchen Table

Karen Shaak

Welcome to At My Kitchen Table, a conversational, interview-y podcast where I have a good yap with a guest! When I was growing up, the kitchen table was the conversation center in a lot of homes.  At my grandparents' house, friends and family alike were welcomed with connection as much as with drinks and food.  In my parents' house, that tradition continued as my siblings and I would post up and chat with my mom as she cooked or baked or tried to read a book (with much exasperation as we refused to shut up).  I found cozy similarity at my friends' homes with their parents, too. Keeping with tradition, I create a space for everyone who visits my table, where we get to share a little bit of our journeys together - roses, thorns, and stems. Interested in recording your story with me?  Email me at atmykitchentablepod@gmail.com!

  1. 3d ago

    Guest: Melia Myers

    Every once in a while, I’ll have a topic idea that I’ll float by a potential guest because it’s something I’m curious about and want new perspectives.  And sometimes the lesson I learn is that the universe doesn’t care what I want, and instead it gives me a gift. Today I welcome my niece, Melia Myers, to my kitchen table.  My goal was to have a yap about the changes in how we market colleges and the promise of jobs to kids differently now than when I went to college.  But her story is far more about college and the future from a Gen Zer who is about to enter her senior year of college amid a volatile job market and big technology disruptions. She also shares how her anxiety and depression manifested at young ages, how she loves a hot goss session, why she chose a small school not too far from home, and why you couldn’t pay her to go back and do 1st semester freshman year again. The kids may love to spill tea, but they’re still alright.  Get cozy! This week's small business spotlight is on Tiger Moth Mercantile. Find Tiger Moth on Instagram: @tigermothmercantile Order from Tiger Moth at www.tigermothmercantile.com Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 13m

  2. May 20

    Guest: Ali Collier Returns

    Teabags, pull up a seat and join me in welcoming Ali Collier back to my kitchen table!  A few of you reached out after Ali’s episode early in the year to let me know that you’d like to hear more about Mini Baja, a topic that came up randomly during our first episode.  Today, Ali obliges us and dives into the life lessons she learned from her time on RIT’s Mini Baja team.  In addition to Mini Baja, Ali chats about the dawn of Pro/E and cell phones during her college years, the challenges of being a woman in STEM, how she probably shouldn’t go back to Brazil because of her fingerprints on the gun, the direct line from Mini Baja to her corporate job out of college, and her hopes that f*****g Adam from the formula team matured. Get cozy! This week's small business spotlight is on Tiger Moth Mercantile. Find Tiger Moth on Instagram: @tigermothmercantile Order from Tiger Moth at www.tigermothmercantile.com Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 21m

  3. May 13

    Guest: Monica Cwynar

    Welcome to Wednesday, teabags!  The absolutely delightful Monica Cwynar pulls up a seat at my kitchen table to talk about her path to becoming a social worker and clinical therapist.  But that’s only the tip of the iceberg, as she highlights some of the many things she’s done in her life that make her call herself the “Forrest Gump of Pittsburgh.” Monica chats about the orgy that is this allergy season, how her activism is closely tied to social work, how she doesn’t want to (but will) be the therapist who avenges your death, and the importance of her community of strong women, starting with the women in her family. Get cozy! This week's small business spotlight is on Tiger Moth Mercantile. Find Tiger Moth on Instagram: @tigermothmercantile Order from Tiger Moth at www.tigermothmercantile.com Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 27m

  4. May 6

    Guest: Robbie Meixner

    Teabags, this episode has me locked in on all things music as I welcome Robbie Meixner to my kitchen table to shoot the shit about music and art being the throughline of life.  Robbie also talks about cool cobra drum pedals, why making art for money sucks, friendships rooted in a mutual love of ninja turtles, and how concerts are a connection of souls. During our yap, Robbie and I go back to our MTV days.  And because of MTV and my own musical throughline, I have what I call “lyric brain” which means my brain autofills song lyrics (and often movie quotes) when I hear certain phrases or combinations of words.  So when I say that we “go back” to MTV – my brain also says that I went back to Cali, to the USSR, to the high life, to the grill again, to where I once belonged, and most importantly, I recognize that I wanna go back and do it all over.  Those of you who get all that, get me.  And you’ll probably get Robbie, too. Get cozy! This week's small business spotlight is on Umber Chocolates. Find Umber Chocolates on Instagram / Threads: @umberchocolatespgh Find Umber Chocolates on Facebook: \umberchocolatespgh Order Umber Chocolates at www.umberchocolatespgh.com NOTE: My sincerest apologies to anyone whose ears are easily irritated - it was a really windy day and I live in a f*****g wind tunnel.  So for the first probably 20 minutes, I assumed the "knocking" you can hear in the background was a rattling door.  Turns out, it was the welcome sign that hangs on my door.  I removed that about halfway through the recording, and your ears can rest from that point on.  Jesus, Karen. Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 8m

  5. Apr 29

    Guest: Andrew Mandzy

    Welcome to Wednesday, Teabags!  The At My Kitchen Table team finally met the demands of Andrew Mandzy’s team (green M&Ms only) to make podcast magic happen.  Andrew joins me today to talk about what it took for a risk averse Jersey boy to leave his corporate job this year and pursue something new, and to explore his Ukrainian roots and bicultural upbringing. He also chats about other stuff – like how he became instant BFFs with my sister, having a shiner for his first presentation in a new role, his business associates Chat & Claude, and how his multilingual family confused a French waiter. I swear he’s not aloof, so pull up a seat and get cozy! This week's small business spotlight is on Umber Chocolates. Find Umber Chocolates on Instagram / Threads: @umberchocolatespgh Find Umber Chocolates on Facebook: \umberchocolatespgh Order Umber Chocolates at www.umberchocolatespgh.com Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 31m

  6. Apr 22

    Guest: Kenzie Shaak Returns

    She's back at the kitchen table (which is also technically her kitchen table, too)!  This week, Kenzie Shaak returns for what started out as a yap about over-the-top parent behaviors, but unraveled into topics like the impact of social media on player image, how parents probably do way too much for their kids, the many referees called Jerry, instituting a hell week, and four good things about a very s****y week. Welcome to Kenzie's Corner!  Get cozy! This week's small business spotlight is on Umber Chocolates. Find Umber Chocolates on Instagram / Threads: @umberchocolatespgh Find Umber Chocolates on Facebook: \umberchocolatespgh Order Umber Chocolates at www.umberchocolatespgh.com Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 15m

  7. Apr 15

    Guest: Veronica Molitor

    Welcome to today’s delicious episode where Veronica Molitor, Owner & Chief Executive Chocolatier of Umber Chocolates, pulls up a chair at my kitchen table to talk about how she started her own chocolate business, despite being the one member of her family who didn’t really care for chocolate! Veronica also chats about being from Texas but loving the snow and cold, the benefits of having the gift of gab, that box of stuff that goes in the cabinets above the fridge through every move, and how we all owe her husband Adam a big thank you for nudging her to pursue her dream job.  Get cozy! Find Umber Chocolates on Instagram / Threads: @umberchocolatespgh Find Umber Chocolates on Facebook: \umberchocolatespgh Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 23m

  8. Apr 8

    Guest: Suzy Waldo

    Teabags, I’m so excited for this week’s guest because I have so much respect for librarians.  They are, in my opinion, the final level adults in the room.  Today at my kitchen table I'm joined by Suzy Waldo, who is a librarian, among many other things. Suzy is the city kid to my suburban kid, and joins me to talk about the evolution of Pittsburgh neighborhoods, her days a bike messenger, and her path to becoming a librarian for the Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh.  She also chats about being passionate about her neighborhood and community, long distance cycling, the many times she's almost died, and setting up your grandma's iPad.  This episode could easily be titled "The Many lives (and near deaths) of Suzy Waldo" or "How I've Traumatized Small Children." Get cozy! Intro riff by Dale Lytle (concert husband). All content edited (I use that term very loosely) by Karen Shaak.

    1h 27m
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to At My Kitchen Table, a conversational, interview-y podcast where I have a good yap with a guest! When I was growing up, the kitchen table was the conversation center in a lot of homes.  At my grandparents' house, friends and family alike were welcomed with connection as much as with drinks and food.  In my parents' house, that tradition continued as my siblings and I would post up and chat with my mom as she cooked or baked or tried to read a book (with much exasperation as we refused to shut up).  I found cozy similarity at my friends' homes with their parents, too. Keeping with tradition, I create a space for everyone who visits my table, where we get to share a little bit of our journeys together - roses, thorns, and stems. Interested in recording your story with me?  Email me at atmykitchentablepod@gmail.com!

Information

  • Creator
    Karen Shaak
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 At My Kitchen Table
  • Show Website
    At My Kitchen Table