After a year’s worth of writing, editing, reflecting, then editing some more, we’ve finally finished our 33rd episode, four years after we had first launched this podcast and a year after we had published our last episode. This is a long overdue reflection of sorts tying every one of our last 32 episodes. Across them all, we’ve gathered the underlying truths that not only relate to food but also the experience of being. This was the most challenging episode we’ve recorded not only because we wanted to give justice to the generous wisdom our guests have shared but because they themselves come from such varied backgrounds: farmers, tech startup founders, writers, educators, activists, and everyone in between.
In this episode, we go surface three broad themes that hold all our episodes, if not all of Hidden Apron, together:
Food is never just Food.
Our problems are real and difficult, but the fundamental solutions have always existed.
It all starts with “Why” and the stories we tell ourselves.
We also include snippets of past episodes and they’re quite a trip back in time when many of our guests, including ourselves, were in different stages in our lives. You’ll find a full listing of past episodes below if you’d like to take a deeper dive with a guest who’s whetted your appetite. Given that this is a season closer of sorts, we’d be remiss in not thanking everyone who’s been along for this side project of a side project. From being one of the thousands of downloads, to providing us with valuable feedback, to one of those who’ve shared your own stories as a guest, maraming maraming salamat!
HIGHLIGHTS & LINKS
5:00 - Food is never just Food
*7:15 - Amy Besa on the meaning of Authenticity
*9:00 - Chef Sharwin Tee on the difficulty of placing boundaries around taste
*11:45 - Cynthia Glanzberg on the universality of Tea
*15:45 - Chef Yana Gilbuena, Jabber Al-Bihani, Ayesha Vera-Yu, Chefs John Ng and Lina Goh, and Chef Lenny Russo on their non-food origins
20:00 - Our problems are real and difficult, but the fundamental solutions have always existed
*21:30 - Eric Sannerud on the plight of American farmers
*Breaking Boundaries between Communities
*25:15 - Justin Garrido on real partnership vs. a “savior mentality”
*26:15 - Chef Mary Cleaver on making a difference and “The Power of One”
*Breaking Boundaries between Ideas
*28:30 - Allison Kopf on applying her physics and solar energy background to the indoor growing industry
*31:15 - Seth Syberg on applying his programming background to his coconut jerky business
*Breaking Boundaries within the Self
*34:15 - Ayesha Vera-Yu and Rita Razalan on the challenges of behavior change in rural communities
*36:15 - Arun Motilall on Fear
*39:00 - Chef Josh Reisner on why kids don’t cook
*39:45 - Amy Besa on how to remain unjaded
*41:45 - Arun Motilall on thinking small
*44:45 - Jabber Al-Bihani on the power of food to shift perspectives
*51:30 - Aileen Suzara on not letting perfection stop you from moving forward
52:15 - It all starts with “Why” and the stories we tell ourselves
*52:30 - Chelsey White on how it only takes one win
*54:15 - Hillary Reeves on defining success
*55:30 - Chef AC Boral on loss
*57:15 - Joanne Boston on criticism and being a part of the conversation
*58:15 - Alexa Alfaro, Kristina Villavicencio, and Katrina Villavicencio on the need for support and sharing
*59:15 - Chef RG Enriquez on choosing your battles
*1:00:30 - Isang Smith, Doha Salem, and Isabel Moura on always beginning with and asking “Why?”
*1:03:15 - Dalena Benavente on Doing vs. Being
*1:03:45 - Chef Josh Reisner on finding what represents you
1:04:30 - Chef Rodelio “The Food Buddha” Aglibot on coming Home
Past Episodes:
Ep. 0: We the Chefs
Ep. 1 feat. Chef Yana Gilbuena on Cross-Country Pop-up Dinners, Transitioning from Day Jobs, Bare Bones Cooking, and Creativity
Ep. 2 feat. Joanne Boston on Social Media, Organizing Communities, and Facing Critics Confidently
Ep. 3 feat. Lola Rosa’s MN on Going Big, Asking for Help, Finding Support, and Becoming A Surprise Hit in the Minnesotan Food Scene
Ep. 4: How to Save the World / Just Food Conference 2016 Recap
Ep. 5 feat. Ayesha Vera-Yu (pt. 1) on Rethinking Rural Farming, Eradicating Poverty, and Behavioral Modification
Ep. 6 feat. Ayesha Vera-Yu (pt. 2) on Grocery Shopping, the Importance of Education, and Staying Sane
Ep. 7 feat. Chelsey White on the Serenity and Insanity of Baking
Ep. 8 feat. Hillary Reeves on Writing & Data-Driven Food
Ep. 9 feat. Eric Sannerud on the Role of the Young Farmer
Ep. 10 feat. Chef Josh Reisner on Finding Opportunities and Why We Need to Stop Underestimating Kids
Ep. 11: The Hidden Apron Method to Cooking
Ep. 12 feat. Amy Besa on Trying, Avoiding Jadedness, and the Right Way to Cook Filipino Food
Ep. 13 feat. Arun Motilall the Little Things and Why You Shouldn't "Grow" Your Business
Ep. 14 feat. Chef Sharwin Tee on Exploration, Asking "Why", and the Murderer Known as Truth
Ep. 15 feat. Isang Smith on Fueling Ambitions and Building Communities
Ep. 16 feat. Justin Garrido on Just Doing It, Giving Back, & Why Good Ideas Fail
Ep. 17 feat. Aileen Suzara (pt. 1) on a Tangential Life, the Microwave Generation, and Farming Nuns
Ep. 18 feat. Aileen Suzara (pt. 2) on Resistance, Decolonizing Food, & Dirty Socks
Ep. 19 feat. Doha Salem and James Anunciacion on Ramadan, Dietetics, Rituals, and Compassionate Eating
Ep. 20 feat. Seth Syberg on the Programmer's Brain, Launching New Products, Working in the Philippines, and Accidental Entrepreneurship
Ep. 21 feat. Jabber Al-Bihani on Healing Divisions, Refugee Stories, and Doing You
Ep. 22 feat. Chef AC Boral on Finding Family, Identity, and Self-Care
Ep. 23 feat. Chefs John Ng and Lina Goh on the Wisdom of Ramen, Being an Underdog, and Internet Romance
Ep. 24 feat. Chef Lenny Russo on Open-Mindedness, Finding Common Ground, and Choosing to Evolve
Ep. 25 feat. Allison Kopf on Focusing on the Right Things, Creating “Magical” Products, and Using Data to Feed the World
Ep. 26 feat. Chef RG Enriques on Plant-based Creativity, Lessons from the Newsroom, and Keeping Filipino Food’s Soul
Ep. 27 feat. Cynthia Glanzberg on Tea and Travel in the Time of Tribes
Ep. 28 feat. Isabel Moura on Learning Languages, the Necessity of Mistakes, and Things Lost in Translation
Ep. 29 feat. Chef Mary Cleaver on “Dirty” Food, Building Sustainable Businesses, and the Goddess of Smaller
Ep. 30 feat. Chef Rodelio Aglibot, Chef Robert Menor, and Joanne Boston on Kollaboration, Konfidence, and Filipino Kuisine
Ep. 31 feat. Alexa Alfaro, Kristina Villavicencio, and Katrina Villavicencio on Expectations from Family to Food
Ep. 32 feat. Alexa Alfaro and Dalena Benavente on Navigating “Half”-Lives with Full Faith