Culinary Characters Unlocked

Culinary Characters Unlocked

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FOOD
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Culinary Characters Unlocked

Emmy Winner, International Acclaimed Journalist, Executive Producer, Food & Travel Lover, and Creator of the Beloved show “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” David Page takes us deep into the world of chefs, restaurateurs, and everything “foodie” from the nationally and internationally awarded to the locally loved on Culinary Characters Unlocked. New episode every Tuesday.

2 DAYS AGO

CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED – GREGORY GOURDET - EP 17

He’s won three James Beard Awards in a row—Best Cookbook, Best Restaurant, and the 2024 award as Best Chef in the Northwest. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America, was mentored by the legendary Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and cooked various Asian cuisines before opening Kann in Portland, featuring Caribbean cuisine and spotlighting the Haitian dishes he grew up on.

38 min
NOV 12

CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED – ZIGGY GRUBER - EP 16

Born into a prominent delicatessen-owning family in New York and trained in London, where he worked at a Michelin three-star restaurant, Ziggy Gruber has become deli royalty in, of all places, Texas. His restaurant, Kenny and Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen, is among the very best in the country, serving up a massive menu of traditional deli and Jewish food, alongside his own take on American favorites such as sushi.

39 min
NOV 5

CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED – PAUL SMITH - EP 15

Classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Paul Smith won the 2024 James Beard Award as Best Chef in the Southeast for his work at his 1010 Bridge restaurant in Charleston, West Virginia. It’s the first James Beard Award ever brought home to that state, where Smith was born, then returned after cooking at a wide range of fine dining restaurants across the country. He combines traditional Appalachian cuisine with an envelope-pushing creativity.

43 min
OCT 29

CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED –MARTHA SANDERS HOOVER - EP 14

After law school and a stint as a sex crimes prosecutor, pregnant with her third child, and with no experience in the culinary business, Martha Sanders Hoover decided to open a restaurant. Now she has a dozen in and around Indianapolis. A pioneer in farm to table, with a deep commitment to employee happiness, and giving back to the community, she is a six-time James Beard semi-finalist, one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Most Innovative Women in Food & Drink,” and a force of nature.

47 min
OCT 22

CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED - CHEF JOHN SHIELDS - EP 13

Chef John Shields and his wife, Chef Karen Uri Shields, recently won a third Michelin Star for their Chicago restaurant Smyth, while their other restaurant (in the same building) the Loyalist has been cited as serving the best burger in that city. He discusses their journey together, the restaurant in a small Virginia town that put them on the map, and being mentored by both Charlie Trotter and Grant Achatz.

41 min
OCT 15

CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED - SARAH SIMINGTON - EP 12

Sarah Simington has changed breakfast forever. She invented Cap’n Crunch encrusted French toast. And Cannoli French Toast. And a host of other breakfast and brunch creations she serves up at her Blue Moon Cafe (and spin-off Blue Moon Too) in Baltimore. Born into a restaurant family, raised—as she puts it—on a diner stool, she brings a rock-n-roll attitude to the food, and the experience. You may find her behind the counter singing into a spatula to create a meal and a show.

34 min
OCT 8

CHEF DONALD YOUNG - CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED EP 11

Chicago chef Donald Young won a Michelin star before he turned thirty. Mentored by legendary chef Roland Liccioni, Young earned his chops at a variety of remarkable restaurants, including a stint at a Michelin 2-star in France. Young now stages surprise pop up dinners (diners aren’t told where they’ll be eating until shortly before the meal). He’ll even cook his superb cuisine at diners’ homes. He specializes in dry aged duck.

36 min
OCT 1

THE 2FOODTRIPPERS - CULINARY CHARACTERS UNLOCKED EP 10

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch met over bagels, discussed his obsession with cheese, and as their relationship grew, they bonded over their shared love of food and got married. Eventually, they made food their jobs, traveling the world (now from their home base in Lisbon) to taste local cuisines and write about their experiences, on their website 2foodtrippers.com and on social media. On this episode, they discuss favorite foods, favorite food cities, the differences between food in America and food elsewhere, and why they've begun to prefer mom and pop restaurants over the Michelin-starred temples of gastronomy.

39 min

TRAILER

A sneak peek at our first episode

A sneak peek at our first episode, dropping August 27th 2024 with legendary Los Angeles chef Nancy Silverton, owner of Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef, Best Baker, and Best restaurant.

S1, E1

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3 min

5

out of 5

2 Ratings

Emmy Winner, International Acclaimed Journalist, Executive Producer, Food & Travel Lover, and Creator of the Beloved show “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” David Page takes us deep into the world of chefs, restaurateurs, and everything “foodie” from the nationally and internationally awarded to the locally loved on Culinary Characters Unlocked. New episode every Tuesday.

Creator

Culinary Characters Unlocked
Years Active

2K
Episodes

18
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Culinary Characters Unlocked
Show Website

Culinary Characters Unlocked