The Pittsburgh Dish

(00:55) Kate Clemons reveals the journey of Brown Bear Bread Company, a story of passion, persistence, and finding your true calling. What began in 2020 as home baking experiments during the pandemic transformed into a church basement operation, then a full café in Mount Oliver, and finally found its perfect home in New Brighton's vibrant small-town setting.

(10:03) Their five-year-old sourdough starter (affectionatel...

What makes a truly extraordinary pizza? It's a question that Pittsburgh pizza masters Patrick Elston of Gus Franco's and Pete Tolman of Ironborn Pizza have spent years perfecting—crafting distinct styles that have earned them regional championships and devoted followings.

(00:52) Patrick's journey began with a mobile wood-fired pizza trailer in 2018, eventually establishing Gus Franco's brick-and-mortar...

What happens when a 20-year Navy veteran with a passion for global cuisine decides to trade her military uniform for an apron? Amy Knight's journey from Naval Officer to owner of Flour Power Cooking Studios reveals the unexpected parallels between naval leadership and culinary education.

(1:05) Amy has created a vibrant community space where cooking becomes a vehicle for confidence-building, memory-making, and even co...

Ever dream of eating for a living? In this mouthwatering episode, we feast on conversations with two culinary personalities who stumbled into food careers through unexpected paths.

(00:48) First, we chat with B Dylan Hollis, the vintage recipe TikTok sensation whose theatrical taste tests of bizarre historical dishes like "pork cake" have captivated millions. Dylan shares how boredom and a collection of old cookb...

(00:37) A pierogi crafted with love isn't just food—it's heritage on a plate. For Olive Visco, owner of Polska Laska in Sharpsburg, these Polish dumplings represent generations of maternal tradition transformed into a thriving business. 

Polska Laska began as pandemic pierogi pop-ups before evolving into what Olive affectionately calls her "Polish diner"—a warm, inviting space where traditional recipes ...

(01:02) What transforms our relationship with food? For Shelly Danko+Day, host of "With Bowl and Spoon" podcast, the answer lies in those pivotal moments that shape our "personal food evolution" - the turning points that fundamentally change how we approach eating, cooking, and sharing meals.

(06:52) Shelly's own journey embodies this evolution perfectly. From keeping chickens in Pittsburgh before ...

What happens when you blend Korean heritage with American upbringing and add a splash of Hawaiian influence? You get Soju, a restaurant that defies easy categorization while serving up some of Pittsburgh's most intriguing flavor combinations.

(00:37) Chef Simon Chough welcomes us into his Garfield restaurant for a candid conversation about cultural identity through food. "Soju is a direct reflection of myself and...

(00:57) Step through the door of Dagny's Eatery in Carnegie and you'll quickly discover it's not just another sandwich shop. It's an extension of owner Dagny Como herself, who creates an atmosphere so welcoming you might forget you're not actually sitting in her home kitchen.

Located on East Main Street, this cozy spot represents a brave pandemic-era pivot from banking to food entrepreneurship. Run...

(00:55) As the "head bread head," Chloe Newman's journey to co-founding Third Space Bakery reveals how sourdough bread can become a vehicle for creativity, science, and community building. Working alongside her partners Erika Bruce and Beth Taylor, Chloe has transformed her former farmer's market business Crustworthy into part of a thriving bakery in Pittsburgh's Garfield neighborhood.

(04:11) What...

(00:55) Rick Sebak occupies a special place in Pittsburgh's cultural landscape. For nearly four decades, he's crafted documentaries that capture the essence of our region, always with a keen eye for how food connects us to place and memory. "I celebrate Pittsburgh," he says simply, though his work does anything but take a simple approach to storytelling.

What makes Rick's style so compelling is his...

(01:02) Dive into the delicious world of '77 Club, Pittsburgh's rising wood-fired sensation transforming the city's food scene with Italian street food and community spirit. Founders Brittani and Dustin Boutilier share the journey that brought them from California to Pittsburgh by way of Brazil, driven by their passion for authentic cuisine and bringing people together through food.

The star of their mobile ...

What happens when foodie culture, engagements, modeling, and generations-old pierogi recipes collide? Our latest episode of The Pittsburgh Dish! 

(01:09) Rebecca Hansborough @The_41_Chew reveals a surprising truth about why she abandoned her chef school dreams and opted for Instagram food content creation. "I think I would have hated being a restaurant owner," she confesses, highlighting the unseen challenges of ...

(00:37) What does it take to transform a simple culinary skill into a social media sensation with almost 8 million followers? Ryan Peters, known across platforms as Peters Pasta, reveals the extraordinary journey that took him from professional chef to content creator powerhouse.

Ryan's path wasn't planned. After years in prestigious kitchens like Salt of the Earth and Ocean Reef Club, a casual six-second video o...

(01:08) In this episode, we explore the work of Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to transforming lives through culinary education and workforce development. With a mission focused on utilizing food as a means to bring about positive change, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh provides comprehensive training programs for those facing challenging life circumstances, including formerly incarcerated individuals and thos...

(00:53) Chef Jonathan Homer, the executive chef at Pizzaiolo Primo in Market Square, takes us on an exhilarating journey through his career and aspirations. Transitioning from a successful stint at Blue Sky, Chef Homer immerses himself in Primo's world of Neapolitan-style cuisine, celebrated for its made-to-order pastas and irresistible wood-fired pizzas. We rave about the iconic crab limon and ragu bolognese with tagliatelle,...

(00:55) What if your passion project turned into a thriving business going 18 years strong? Roxanne Easley of Roxanne’s Catering joins us to share her incredible journey from her roots in Pittsburgh to becoming a key player in the catering world. We delve into her diverse menu options, popular brunch selections like red velvet waffles and deep-fried French toast, and her educational pursuits in culinary etiquette. 

(11:31) Roxanne&a...

(00:55) Imagine walking into a kitchen filled with the irresistible aromas of homemade soups, breads, and jams, where the warmth of the environment makes you feel right at home. That's exactly the experience Jessica and Meghan have created at Batch LLC in Saxonburg, a haven for small-batch food enthusiasts. 

(14:57) With a strong focus on community over competition, these dynamic entrepreneurs have not only delighted taste buds...

(00:42) What if a beloved restaurant from your past could be brought back to life, dish by dish? Join us as we explore the captivating legacy of The Primadonna, McKees Rocks' cherished Italian eatery, with insights from former owner Joseph Costanzo Jr. and his daughter, Maria C. Palmer. Maria's book, "On the Rocks," co-authored with Ruthie Robbins, chronicles her father's extraordinary journey in the restau...

(01:14) Join Doug Heilman, as he shares a heartfelt, behind the curtain 'year in review' of The Pittsburgh Dish, with you as an essential part of our success story. 

(04:35) Plus, get ready for an enticing culinary recommendation from our friend Kanika, with the unique diner experience at the Chop Shop in Butler, where traditional American classics meet creative twists, like roasted strawberry milkshakes and duck...