Mark DeJoy

Fermentation gurus Michelle Pogostkin and Jaimon Westing join us to talk vinegars, misos, garums, and more. We learn about Michelle’s anthropology background, her fermentation lab internship at the legendary Copenhagen restaurant Noma, and how those experiences inspired her to start Symbiotic Cultures—their retail line of bottled/jarred koji-based ferments. We also talk about how the lessons Jaimon learned as a young, fast-rising chef inform his approach today with Amino—the monthly (-ish) dinner pop-up that balances ancient fermentation techniques with modernist cooking—and how Jaimon and Michelle met and began their partnership. (Not, it turns out, as passing ships in the night at Noma, where they both worked within months of one another!) Plus Mark and Meg lay off the workahol just long enough to get to a few great restaurants and tell you all about them. Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guest: Michelle Pogostkin (@symbiotic_cultures ) and Jaimon Westing (@amino_seattle ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #fermentation #koji #pnw #seasonal #miso #garum #shoyu #vinegar #noma #ferments #thedinnernet

Competitive barista Gray Kauffman joins us in the O.C. to drop some serious coffee science on our asses. Alongside being the new Coffee Education and Innovation Lead at @hitchcockrestaurantgroup , Gray recently competed at the U.S. Coffee Championships, and they talk about how they did in the Olympics of Coffee, their background in food science, and what it was like to travel to a coffee farm in the mountains of Colombia—the origin of the beans they used in the competition. Plus Meg and Mark are always working for the weekend, but they’re not too *weakened* to tell you about what they ate on their lunch breaks! Dig in! Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guest: Gray Kauffman (@jgraykauffman ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #coffee #specialtycoffee #pnw #seasonal #coffeeculture #espresso #uscc #unitedstatescoffeechampionships #usbaristacompetition #thedinnernet

We’re having another amaro party, this time with Gillian and Joey Diedrick, the husband-and-wife team behind local amaro producer SennzaFinne. The lovebirds tell us about their creative approach in crafting SennzaFinne’s four season-themed amari, and how their fifth amaro—Always—fits into the mix. We also talk about how far the boundaries of an amaro can be pushed while still being recognizable as an amaro, and why the Seattle area is such a hotbed for the bittersweet botanical liqueur. Plus Meg is in her auntie gardener era, Mark is in his raw scallops era, and we’re all in on bringing you the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week. Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guests: Gillian and Joey Diedrick (@sennzafinne_libations ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #amaro #smallbusiness #pnw #seasonal #localdistilleries #ballard #interbay #tastingroom #craftcocktails #thedinnernet

Yalla’s chef/owner Taylor Cheney joins us, fresh off a trip to Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Italy with her life and business partner, Matt Mitchell. We talk about how serving dishes from another culture requires one to understand much more than just recipes, and the importance of engaging with people and place. She also gives us some international travel tips and tells us what new things are simmering at Yalla. Plus Meg reps the Tacoma Night Market, Mark and Taylor rep the 1991 Bill Murray comedy What About Bob?, and we all rep the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week. Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guests: Taylor Cheney (@yallaseattle ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #arabfood #smallbusiness #saj #travel #popups #capitolhill #craftcocktails #thedinnernet

Strawberryscape of @tonnemakervalleyfarm strawbs at University District Farmers Market. The season is finally here! 🍓❤️

We’re talking tasting menus, Washington wines, and restaurant biz literacy with Aaron Tekulve, chef/owner of Surrell! Aaron tells us how he took Surrell from a pop-up to one of Seattle’s most thoughtful and intentional dining experiences, and how he paces a tasting menu so diners don’t feel like test subjects. He also shares some wisdom about how to open a restaurant—including using key resources offered by the Small Business Administration and the Washington Hospitality Association. Plus Meg concludes her cider🍏 sojourns (for now!), Mark celebrates another sojourn around the sun 🎂, and we all sojourn around the city for the current restaurant news—and best bites—of the week! Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guests: Aaron Tekulve (@surrellseattle ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #tastingmenu #smallbusiness #washingtonwine #financialliteracy #popups #craftcocktails #thedinnernet

Spice Waala’s “chief feeding officer,” and all-around mathmagician, Uttam Mukherjee joins us for a fascinating cha(a)t! Uttam explains how he crunches the numbers on kathi rolls, the availability of legit Indian food in the U.S. and Seattle, and how to try out new menu concepts at your restaurant (and when to take the L). We also learn about the ways in which he and his wife/Spice Waala co-owner, Dr. Aakanksha Sinha, support their community through cheap and free meals. Plus Meg’s got treats from working the orchard beat 🍎, Mark's still chasing that sweet ocean beat 🌊, and we all three beat feet on the street 🛣️ to bring you the freshest local restaurant news—and our most elite eats of the week. 🎧Episode link in bio!🎧 Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guests: Uttam Mukherjee (@spicewaala ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #Indianfood #Indianstreetfood #streetfood #kathirolls #chaat #craftcocktails #thedinnernet

Chef/owner Trinh Nguyen (@ramieseattle , @sucresseattle , @basarestaurant , @photnpoulsbo ) joins us for a wide-ranging conversation on Vietnamese cuisine. Learn how she went from putting her college dreams on hold, in order to run her parents’ pho shop at age 19, to finally fulfilling her passion—serving cutting-edge Viet dishes—at Ramie. Are Seattle diners ready to explore the evolution of Vietnamese food the same way they’ve embraced the evolution of Italian, Japanese, Filipino, and other international cuisines? What barriers are still in place that need to be overcome? We also talk about local seafood, as Trinh wonders why the PNW doesn’t cultivate a wider variety of native fish and shellfish. Plus Meg’s reppin’ cozy cideries, Mark’s reppin’ live music, and we all rep the local restaurant scene with the latest news—and our favorite bites—of the week. Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guests: Trinh Nguyen (@trinh_nguyenofficial ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #vietnamesefood #viet #modernvietnamese #craftcocktails #thedinnernet

The Seattle Times food writer (and friend of the pod) Jackie Varriano swings by to talk neighborhood restaurants, the difference between a food writer and a food critic, and the perils involved when writers are responsible for their own food photography. She also tells us our new favorite Mitch Hedberg joke! Plus Meg critiques the American theater, Mark loves documentaries, we list our favorite bites of the week, and we’ve got all the restaurant news that’s fit to podcast about. Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guests: Jackie Varriano (@jackievarriano ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattleeats #neighborhoodeats #SeattleTimes #Italianrestaurant #craftcocktails #thedinnernet

We’re talking Italian American comfort food with Darkalino’s owner/entrepreneur Marcus Lalario and Chef Sean Russo! Marcus and Sean tell us about how their nostalgia for the classic “red sauce joint” inspired a menu update that reclaims corporation-brutalized dishes like chicken parm and sausage and peppers. Could Darkalino’s be Seattle’s entry in the West Coast trend of new restaurants treating old-school Italian American mainstays with a sense of both craft and approachable fun? We also share our big love for Pioneer Square and discuss where it is in post-lockdown recovery. And Marcus gives us the details on the upcoming concert and event series he’s organized for Occidental Square, which he’s also restyled (unofficially!) as Brick Park. Plus we chat about Meg’s must-read story in The Stranger about the Virginia Inn lease dispute, and—of course—this week’s restaurant news and our best bites of the week. Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guests: Marcus Lalario (@marcuslalario ) and Sean Russo (chefboisean) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #Italianfood #ItalianAmerican #Italianrestaurant #craftcocktails #thedinnernet

Chef/owner Jhonny Reyes chats with us about the inaugural year of Lenox—his stellar Afro-Latin/Nuyorican restaurant in Belltown—as well as his deep Seattle roots and what it's like to appear on Food Network TV shows Alex vs. America and Chopped. We also talk about contending with the relentless economic challenges of today, discuss whether or not chefs and restaurants are overemphasizing their stories, and delve into some Belltown restaurant history. Plus Meg closes on a veterinary ordeal with her adopted alleycat, Mark closes out the week with a pig roast, and there’s way too many restaurants closing in this week’s news. Episode link in bio! Hosts: Meg van Huygen (@megvanhuygen ) and Mark DeJoy (@markiermark ) Guest: Jhonny Reyes (@lenoxwa ) Editor: Mark DeJoy Music: The Furys [PNW] feat. Meg’s dad, Roger Huycke Recorded at Oyster Cellar (@oystercellar ) and Café Hitchcock (@cafehitchcock ) in downtown Seattle’s historic Exchange Building (@theexchangeseattle ) #Seattlerestaurants #Seattlepodcast #Seattlerestaurantpodcast #Seattle #food #foodpodcast #Seattlebars #seattlecocktails #seattlepopus #nuyorican #craftcocktails #caribbeanfood #thedinnernet