Culinary Confidential with Christina Cates

Some people make baking look beautiful. John Kanell, creator of Preppy Kitchen, New York Times bestselling author, and one of the biggest personalities in digital food, makes you believe that YOU can actually do it.

He joins the show this week to discuss how he got to this point, and highlight his newest cookbook - Preppy Kitchen: Everyday Baking.

Before the cookbooks, millions of followers, and beautifully styled cakes, John was a...

It's officially October, which means it's time to dim the lights, pull up a chair, and explore the two things making this time of year irresistible: the stories that haunt us and the treats we wait all year for.

First, Christina is joined by Jeff Belanger, one of the most fascinating voices in the world of folklore, legends, and the unexplained. An author, adventurer, podcaster, and longtime storyteller of all things strange and su...

Season 3 of Culinary Confidential is here! And what better way to kick off the season than with someone who can own and bring a unique kind of energy to the dining room.

Chef Josh Capon has the kind of energy that just can't be manufactured. He's loud, passionate, unapologetic, and underneath it is a guy who understands that the dining room matters. The food matters. The energy matters. And making someone feel like they belong at y...

Two years, 100+ episodes, countless conversations, and so many people that have helped shape Culinary Confidential along the way.

Season 2 wraps up this week, and rejoining Culinary Confidential for a recap of the season are Shaina Nestor and Tony Mangia - two people who championed this show in ways that happen in front of the microphone and far beyond it.

Shaina is constantly thinking about the show - making introductions, connect...

Honey: it's much more than just something sweet.

This week on Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates dives into the world of honey with Carla Marina Marchese - beekeeper, author, honey sommelier, and one of the leading voices in honey sensory education.

Carla founded the American Honey Tasting Society, bringing the Italian tradition of professional honey sensory analysis to the United States. She's also an accredited instructo...

What are you putting in your body and what can it actually do for you?

This week on Culinary Confidential, we’re taking that conversation to a whole new level with peptides, creatine, performance and longevity.

First, we’re diving into one of the hottest and most talked-about areas of wellness right now: peptides.

Christina is joined by Koehl Robinson, founder & CEO of Celia, a personalized long...

Hospitality is often described as an industry. But for Ryan Wagner, it's always been a discipline. One that's shaped by curiosity, precision, and the ability to make people feel anchored in a moment.

This week, we spotlight Ryan's journey through some of the most influential corners of the hospitality world. His career has taken him from the design‑driven environments of Ralph Lauren and RH to the high‑touch, detail‑obsessed cultur...

It's official. Culinary Confidential has hit 100 episodes! And to celebrate this landmark episode, Christina Cates turns to a cause with a lasting impact across the five boroughs of New York City: the battle against hunger.

To discuss this battle against hunger, Christina welcomes chef, restauranteur, and cookbook author Ivy Stark - a recognized force in Mexican cuisine and a dedicated member of City Harvest's food council.

Stark h...

What does it really mean to know an oyster?

On this week's Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates welcomes the oyster sommelier herself, Virginia Shaffer, a true authority on one of the most seductive, mysterious, and surprisingly complex foods we eat!

Ordering oysters is one thing, but knowing them? Much different story. Virginia has built a world around the shellfish: leading immersive tours and tastings through Lady Oyster, and ...

Looking for a clear view of an entire industry while it’s still shifting under your feet?

This week, Christina Cates is joined by Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor at Nation’s Restaurant News, and one of the most reliable chroniclers of American hospitality. Day after day, he speaks with chefs, operators, beverage directors, and executives that are quietly rewriting the rules of dining. His reporti...

What does it really mean to rethink of the ways we renourish ourselves?

On this week's Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates welcomes Susan Julia - olive oil sommelier, educator, wellness advocate, and one of the most passionate voices championing the power of exceptional extra virgin olive oil.

While most people think of olive oil as an ingredient, Susan sees it as a living, breathing expression of culture, agriculture, and healt...

What happens when a nation tries to ban its own spirit?

This week, Culinary Confidential's Americana Series wraps up with one of the most dramatic and flavorful chapters in American history: Prohibition.

From 1920 to 1933, the 18th Amendment outlawed the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. Instead of sobering up the country, it sparked an explosion of speakeasies, bootleggers, organized crime, and creative rebellion. ...

For Week Three of Culinary Confidential's Americana 250 series, patriots meet cowboys! Not the football teams but rather, two icons who embody patriotism, resilience, and heritage in their own powerful ways!

Scott LoBaido is a renowned American artist, activist, and creative patriot best known for his powerful paintings and murals of the U.S. flag. Born in Staten Island, LoBaido has spent 30+ years painting thousands of renditions ...

In Week Two of Culinary Confidential's Americana 250 series, Christina Cates is honored to welcome Chef Robert Irvine - entrepreneur, best-selling author, veteran advocate, and one of the most respected leaders in hospitality today.

Most people know him from television, but some of his most important work happens far from the cameras. Through the Robert Irvine Foundation, he’s dedicated his life to supporting our nation&rsquo...

Culinary Confidential's Americana 250 series kicks off on the right foot, as culinary historian Jay Reifel returns to the show with a sweeping, historically grounded exploration of the food traditions that shaped the United States as we know it today.

In “A Culinary Time Capsule: 1776–2026,” Reifel traces the evolution of American cuisine from the Revolutionary War to the present day, examining the dishes tha...

This week, Culinary Confidential lights up the grill and dives straight into the art and heat of summer barbecue!

Brad Prose, founder of Chiles and Smoke and author of Epic BBQ Sandwiches, joins the show to break down the methods behind unforgettable barbecue: building flavor through smoke and spice, mastering heat control, using fresh ingredients to balance richness, and crafting sandwiches that turn a cookout into an event. We&rs...

Chicago, we are so back.

This week, Culinary Confidential heads back to the Windy City for a conversation with Robert Garvey and Dana Hokin, the founders of Robert's Pizza & Dough Company, the acclaimed riverfront pizzeria that’s redefined what artisan thin‑crust can be.

The husband‑and‑wife team behind one of Chicago's most celebrated pizzerias, has overseen what began as a home‑kitchen experiment into a chef‑driven rest...

This week on Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates travels from the ramen alleys of Tokyo to the hidden izakayas of Manhattan with Massud Ghaussy, the creator of the fast-growing TokyoManhattan platform.

Ghaussy has become a trusted bridge between Tokyo's culinary traditions and a global audience hungry to understand them. Not as trends but as living cultural practices rooted in discipline, precision, and history. His work blends ...

On this week's Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates sits down with Sam Bakhshandehpour, President of Merchants at Bilt, and one of the rare executives who has shaped hospitality from every angle: luxury, lifestyle, loyalty, and the evolving business of belonging.

Sam's path cuts across the modern hospitality map, helping steer the Jose Andrés Group's global rise as CEO, and leading SBE Entertainment as President & CEO in...