The Connected Table Live

The Connected Table Live

Food and beverage industry insiders Melanie Young and David Ransom connect you to leaders and legends in wine, spirits, food and hospitality as they travel the world. Hear from vintners, restaurateurs, chefs, distillers, educators, authors, farmers and more. Melanie and David are the insatiably curious culinary couple who are always in search of a great story to share with their listeners. They bring a fresh approach to spotlighting industry movers and shakers and exploring the pleasures of the palate. Connect and visit www.theconnectedtable.com Instagram@theconnectedtable Like on Facebook@connectedtable

Episodes

February 12, 2025 49 mins
Saffron Nola is the vision of husband and wife, Arvinder Vilkhu and Pardeep Vilkhu, blending Indian and New Orleans heritages and flavors into dishes that have attained high praise. Arvinder grew up in India to a family of engineers but chose a career in hospitality and moved to New Orleans in 1984.The Vilkhus cooked for friends, eventually establishing Saffron Nola Catering. They opened Saffron Nola restaurant in 2017. Their son, ...
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Gradis'Ciutta is a family-run winery in DOC Collio, a hilly region in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia known for producing exceptional terroir-driven white wines. Originally called Monsvini (Mountain of Wine), the farm dates to 1780. The Princic family started Gradis'Ciutta with five hectares in 1945 after World War II and now own close to 100. As a young boy, Robert Princic worked in the vineyards with his parents, Isidoro and Ivanka. He con...
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In his long career, Bordeaux-based oenologist, Michel Rolland, has consulted for over 150 wine estates in 14 countries, earning him the moniker, "The Flying Winemaker" He has overseen more than 50 vintages. At least 400 wine estates utilize the services of his laboratories located in France and Mendoza. Rolland discusses his work and his wineries in Argentina and South Africa.

The Connected Table is broadcast live Wednesdays at 2PM ...
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Bartholomew Broadbent, is CEO of Broadbent Selections, a fine wine importer, and owner/founder of Broadbent, whose proprietary label includes fine Port, Madeira, wines from Portugal and California. He is an authority on Port and Madeira and frequent speaker on wine. Broadbent Selections imports many fine wines including Lebanon’s Chateau Musar, South Africa’s Sadie Family Wines and Australia’s Tyrell. He discusses his life in wine ...
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Author, Educator, TV Show Host Nathalie Dupree authored 15 books on southern cooking and entertaining including "Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking." Recipient of Four James Beard Awards and numerous honors Dupree's work as an educator inspired legions of cooks. Richard Grausman founded Careers in the Culinary Arts (C-CAP) which has provided essential skills-training and career opportunities to over 370,000 students and raised $...
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Dirty sodas, freezer martinis, alcohol-free drinks, functional beverages, pistachios, kataifi, conchas, Turkish ice cream, stuffed croissants, Asian snacks and desserts, Yemeni coffee and Dubai chocolate bars. These are examples of foods and beverages we will be eating and drinking in 2025 according to the annual Trends Report jointly published by integrated marketing agencies, Carbonate Group and af&co. Candace MacDonald, cofo...
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Southern cooking in the U.S.A. is diverse and culturally rich from state to state and community to community. Cook's Country Editors, Toni Tipton-Martin, an award-winning food journalist and author, and Morgan Bolling, recipe developer, producer and cast member, Cook's Country TV discuss the intersection of southern foodways and women's empowerment and their book, "When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes with Contr...
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Sparkling wines produced in the traditional method (methode champenoise) are made around world. Champagne remains the benchmark and a protected designation. But elsewhere in France one can find crémants made in the same method with second fermentation taking place in the bottle. Italy has Franciacorta DOCG, and Spain has Cava D.O. Melanie and David discuss sparkling wines from England, Argentina, Chile, South Africa and Austria, as...
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Amid the steep vineyards of the Côte-Rôtie in the Northern Rhône Valley you will see signs bearing the name E. Guigal, a storied family producer founded in 1946 by Étienne Guigal. His son, Marcel, and grandson, Philippe Guigal have continued his legacy, overseeing production of E. Guigal wines in several Rhône Valley appellation including Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Phili...
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Felicity Carter is the founder of the Drinks Insider podcast, research and content consultancy, as well as Editorial Director of Areni Global, a fine wine think tank based in London. Previously, she was founding Executive Editor of The Drop at Pix, editorial consultant for Liv-ex, and Editor in Chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International. Carter is a versatile wine writer who tackles intricate topics with finesse, from the glo...
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November 27, 2024 50 mins
Umbria is a verdant landlocked region of hilltop villages including Montefalco, Orvieto, the monastery town of Assisi and Spoleto, home to a renowned performing arts festival. The local cuisine features grilled meats, porchetta and pasta with black truffles paired with red wines made from Sagrantino di Montefalco and Sangiovese Grosso. Livia Colantonio, co-proprietor of Castello delle Regine winery, and Olga Urbani, Urbani Tartufi,...
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Samantha Weiss and Kelly Jacques own AYU Bakehouse, a popular corner bakery in New Orleans' Marigny neighborhood. AYU is an Indonesian term for joy and a nod to Kelly's family heritage. Customers line up for AYU's flakey croissants, pillowy pastries and specialties such as muffaletta breadsticks laced with olives and salami, “shroom boom,” a mushroom-filled crusty pastry, chocolate babka knots and Boudin Boy, a hand-held pastry fil...
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Silver Oak Cellars was founded by two people on a handshake in 1972. Ray Twomey Duncan was a visionary Colorado entrepreneur who saw potential investing in California farmland to grow grapes. Justin Meyer was a winemaker and Christian Brothers member. They built a legendary wine focused solely on Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley and Napa. Ray's son, David Duncan, CEO since 2002, continues the legacy and has led expansion wi...
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Stewards of the land in Sicily since the 1600s (17 generations), the Planeta family's influence on the evolution of Sicilian wines is significant. Alessio Planeta, CEO, discusses his family’s history in Sicily, their role in focusing Sicily from bulk wine production to commercial bottling and the rediscovery and renaissance of Sicilian wines in the 21st century. Planeta has wine estates in five regions of Sicily: Menfi, Vittoria, N...
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Valeria Agosta is a family owner of Palmento Costanzo in Contrade Santo Spiritu in Sicily's Etna North region. Palmento Costanzo is a modern winery built into an 18th century stone palmento, an historic Etna winemaking structure. Valeria’s winemaker daughter, Serena, produces sublime Etna DOC wines from native Carricante bianco and Nerello Mascalese rosso sourced from specific contrade (production zones). Some vines date over 100 y...
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In 2000 Andrea Franchetti, purchased abandoned vineyards on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, an area marked by steep vineyards and vast lava fields. Franchetti focused on quality over quantity. He planted not only indigenous red Nerello Mascalese but also Chardonnay for his Passobianco and Petit Verdot and Cesanese d'Affile for his iconic Vini Franchetti red blend. Benjamin Franchetti took over leadership of Vini Franchetti and P...
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A delightful dining experience can be found in Bryan, Texas (Brazos County) thanks to Amanda and Brian Light, the husband-wife owners of Ronin Farm & Restaurant. The restaurant's seasonal menus feature what's fresh from the couple's nearby farm which hosts monthly full moon communal dinners. Of course, there's always a juicy chicken-fried Texas steak and giant burger on the menu at Ronin. The top-notch beverage program is exten...
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Born in Israel, Chef Alon Shaya's parents moved to Philadelphia when he was 4, a hard adjustment for Alon. But home economics teacher, Donna Barnett, saw Alon's potential and encouraged him to enroll in the Culinary Institute of America. Shaya's Pomegranate Hospitality Group includes Saba and Miss River (New Orleans), Safta (Denver), Silan (Bahamas), and Safta 1964 (Las Vegas). Shaya and his former teacher cofounded the Shaya Barne...
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A 2023 Mintel survey revealed nearly 4 in 10 U.S. consumers embrace a sober- curious lifestyle. So, it makes sense for restaurant and bars to provide alcohol-free cocktails on menus. It's much like creating vegetarian options on a dinner menu. Enter Hilary Sheinbaum, journalist and founder of Going Dry. Sober-curious since 2017, Hilary advises restaurants and bars on how to create alcohol-free menu offerings. She is author of "Goin...
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Born and raised in New Orleans, Chef Michael Gulotta drew inspiration from both his Sicilian great-grandmother, Gaetana, and his experience working in Liguria, for TANA Italian, his most personal restaurant concept. Chef Gulotta is also a chef-partner in two popular New Orleans Asian fusion restaurant concepts, MOPHO near City Park and Maypop in the Central Business District. Chef Gulotta discusses the inspiration and creative ener...
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