March 2, 2025 • 40 mins
(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 those overcoming addiction. From catering services to cooking clinics, their hands-on approach develops essential culinary skills all while fostering a sense of community and belonging.
(07:34) Join us as we unpack the roles of guest chefs who inspire students, and the captivating stories behind the dishes and meals served. You'll discover how Community Kitchen Pittsburgh creates pathways for long-term success, and ultimately builds a powerful support network.
(30:55) Later in the show, we offer up CKPgh for their seasonal Lenten fish fry as a must-try, and also get a weeknight recipe form Jessica Brewster of Batch LLC for her bang-bang salmon bowls. Enjoy this episode's delicious mix of good work and good food.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Doug (00:01):
Welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman.
How do you create a workforcedevelopment program for the food
industry that is trulytransformational, from culinary
and inventory to butchery,baking and so much more?
We learn about the mission andmagic of Community Kitchen
(00:22):
Pittsburgh.
And looking for an easyweeknight family meal, how about
bang bang salmon?
We get a recipe from JessicaBrewster of Batch.
All that ahead, stay tuned.
We want to say a quick thankyou to all of our Instagram and
Facebook followers out there inthe social media space.
(00:44):
We just passed the 1800 mark onInstagram and over 400
followers on Facebook.
And if you're listening to usbut not following us yet on your
favorite podcast app, be sureto follow the show there.
It helps us get discovered andit allows instant downloads to
your device for the next showthat comes out.
Thanks so much for listening.
(01:05):
Now on to the show.
Thank you both so much forcoming over and for being on the
show.
Can I have you introduceyourselves and what role you've
got going on right now in theworld of food?
Jen (01:20):
I am Jen Flanagan and I am currently the executive director
and the founder of CommunityKitchen Pittsburgh.
Pam (01:27):
I'm Pamela Luu and what's my position?
We haven't made it official,Make it up and we'll roll with
it.
I'm Pamela Luu.
I do the social media and someof the marketing over at
Community Kitchen Pittsburgh.
Jen (01:38):
And some fundraising and donor development.
Pam (01:40):
Yeah, bits and bobs and things.
Doug (01:42):
Many hats, many hats, as you're wearing here in the
studio kitchen your.
CKPgh hat I would love todefine for our listeners.
If someone hasn't experiencedyour organization, can we just
give them the high level?
What is the mission and whatare you doing at Community
Kitchen Pittsburgh?
Jen (02:03):
So the mission of Community Kitchen Pittsburgh is we use
food as the foundation to changelives and improve communities.
But let me tell you how thattranslates for us.
We are, first and foremost, aworkforce development agency, so
we help people overcomingbarriers.
What that means are people thatmight be coming out of
incarceration or transitioningfrom homelessness.
They might be experiencingaddiction recovery, anything
(02:29):
that has kept them out of theworkforce.
It could also be poverty,because we know that poverty in
itself can be a barrier toemployment, and so we have a few
different workforce developmentprograms and we have centered
those into social enterprises,food-based social enterprises
that are.
We run these businesses for thesole purpose of training people
, providing transitionalemployment, helping people get
back into the workforce.
So we have a catering division,we have a food truck, we run
(02:51):
events, we have a butcherydepartment actually, and then of
course we have our communitymeals that's the other half of
our mission and we do meals fora school, food programs,
afterschools, shelters, othernonprofits.
A lot of meals go out every day, about 2,400 meals every day.
It's a lot of.
We have a lot going on betweenthe catering and the food truck
(03:12):
and the butchery and thecontract meals and all of these
things are integrated into ourtraining program so that when
people leave our program theyknow what it means to work in a
professional kitchen.
Doug (03:21):
And you all have been doing this for well over 10
years 2014.
Jen (03:25):
2013,.
We launched and our first classgraduated in 2014.
Doug (03:30):
My goodness and total head of folks that have gone through
the programs near 500.
Pam (03:35):
Did I read that Yep 500 graduates Wow.
Jen (03:37):
Yeah, powering the back of the house throughout Pittsburgh.
Doug (03:40):
Yes, how I encountered your organization.
You do these events with guestchefs as well, and you've had
some really was plant-focused,was Apteka, and it sold out.
Jessica (04:09):
And he was fantastic as well.
So good.
Pam (04:12):
We just really wanted to bring more of our supporters
that love veggies to come on inand experience the dinner and
get to know us better.
And that sold out within threedays of us releasing the tickets
to the public.
That sold out within three daysof us releasing the tickets to
the public.
Jen (04:25):
The reason we do these is that it brings professional
chefs into our kitchen.
It's an informal interview withall of our students.
It lets our students have anopportunity to work with these
amazing, amazing, creativepeople and learn a different
style of food, and it's also away for us to connect with the
community, because, obviously,doing shelter meals and school
(04:46):
meals and all of those thingsthat we do every day, people
don't see that.
And so this is a way for us toopen our doors, bring people in
that normally wouldn't be in ourspace, and the guest chef is
just such a great way to alsoconnect our clients to the food
community.
Right, we can't do our workwithout the support of chefs and
(05:07):
restaurants and employers allthe folks that make this food
industry what it is and so wereally want to connect with them
, and it's nice for them too,because so many chefs in our
community they had their ownchallenging backgrounds right so
they really are invested ingiving back and they love
working with our students forthat reason.
Pam (05:25):
It's really amazing to see.
Since I handle the socials, I'mgetting a lot of behind the
scenes, so it's been incredibleto watch the students absorb
everything that they're learningfrom the guest chef when
they're coming into prep.
When the night of the event,they just take it all in and
many times it's food they havenever tried or even like had the
(05:46):
chance to cook before, sothey're learning something
entirely new.
And then our guests come in andthey have the opportunity to
see our students in action.
They also have the chance tohear from the students, so it
gives them more of a connectionto what we're doing.
We have a supporter who startedcoming to our fish fries and
then our guest chef and she justloves coming to our guest chef
(06:07):
dinners because she loves theinteractions with the students.
Doug (06:11):
You really sparked something for me as well.
Just to call it out, this is anonprofit, and so some of these
big events where you're sellingthe tickets, this is some of the
great marketing and fundraisingthat you're doing for the
organization.
Absolutely, absolutely, yeah,great marketing and fundraising
that you're doing for theorganization.
Jen (06:23):
Absolutely, absolutely, yeah.
We actually get about 65% ofour operating budget from our
earned revenue our businesses,but the rest of it is is
donations and philanthropicsupport.
So it's really important for usto bring the community in and
and you know, listen, we lovethis industry.
We love this industryHospitality it is.
I could, I could just go on andon about what an amazing
(06:45):
industry this is and and whyhospitality is so important.
You know it's more than just Ialways tell our students in the
pre-meal the you know, themeeting right before the dinner
is that service is fillingsomeone's water glass but
hospitality is making them feelwelcome.
You know that that you'veinvited somebody into your house
and that they feel part of thefamily and that's hospitality.
And so many restauranteursthroughout our city are so good
(07:07):
at that and we just love beingable to bring that into our
space.
Doug (07:10):
I think I love that connection and I got to
experience one of those dinners,so I feel it.
I love that we got to hear fromsome of the students, as well
as the guest chef and some ofthe actual other staff chefs
that are always there and yousee everyone enjoying this meal
that's made with a thoughtfulpurpose and you know it's
exciting, as a community member,to go and enjoy that.
Jen (07:32):
It's great, yeah, and it's, it's um, and it's a different
view too of the chefs that comeinto work with us because, as
you know, having been there, wedon't have a dedicated event
space, so you're kind of in ourkitchen when you're there for
the event.
I love that part, rightImmersive, yeah, and and there's
a little bit more access to thechef, because sometimes you can
go to a restaurant and notactually see the chef and at
(07:53):
these dinners the chef comes outand interacts with the, with
the, you know, patrons and it's.
It's a lot of fun.
Pam (07:58):
Sometimes they're serving the dishes too, as you saw with
Chef Galarza.
Doug (08:01):
Yes, that was the one I was at, Chris Galarza right, yes
.
Let's tell our folks out there,if they haven't been to an
event, one of the chef dinners,what the experience is.
We're talking multi-course,beautifully plated I think we
had like five courses the nightI was there Dessert, all of it,
(08:22):
and then you also opened up thebutchery if we wanted to
purchase items.
Is that the general flow ofmost events?
Jen (08:30):
Oh yeah, definitely.
We leave it up to the guestchef.
They plan the menu, right, sothey're coming up with how many
courses they want to do.
Three, four, five is usuallysomewhere in that range.
It's up to the guest chef andthey try to come up with things
that will teach the studentssomething that they can do with
the students, right, you know?
And they, they break it down.
Sometimes they come in the daybefore if things require prep,
(08:52):
um, and they work with ourstudents, and so basically, the
chefs are coming in ahead oftime working with our students,
kind of in a class, right, um,and an applied class, because
they're in the kitchen, they'remaking things, or they'll give
our chefs a list of what theyneed to have prepped, and then
our chefs will follow theirrecipes and do it ahead of time.
So things are teed up when thechef comes in and then they work
(09:13):
with the students.
They played everything.
It's it's really nice, it's a,it's a really great opportunity
for our students who get to workagain with these amazing chefs
that they wouldn't normally haveaccess to.
And we always tell studentsthis is how you expand your
professional networks, right, somake sure you introduce
yourself, have thoseconversations and typically we
do get.
If these chefs have openings atrestaurants.
(09:35):
We often open up that hiringpipeline through these guest
chefs because they come in andthey realize how talented our
students are Of course.
Doug (09:43):
I can't imagine a better learning experience.
You're learning all of theseculinary skills new ingredients,
new ways to prepare but you'realso learning these social
skills, not only with the chefthat's coming in and that the
networking profession thatyou're saying, but also with the
guests that are coming to enjoythe meals.
So there's so much that they'retaking away from that one
(10:03):
experience.
Jen (10:04):
Absolutely, absolutely yes.
Pam (10:11):
Definitely, so you get everything's kind of planned out
for us on when we're going totalk and between the courses, of
course we give the chef thechance to speak to our guests
and talk about what they'reserving up, and then our
butchery side gets to talk for alittle bit too, because that is
a huge part of what we're doinghere and being able to offer
these locally sourced, ethicallyfarmed meats to the general
public.
(10:31):
That is cut in-house by ourbutchery team and our students,
because that's anotherexperience for them.
It's just awesome just to seehow many people get very excited
about meat season.
I'm a meat eater so I get veryexcited about it.
But it is pretty awesome to seewhat we have in our meat
freezer available, because wewant people to know that we do
(10:53):
have that.
It's accessible.
It's right in Hazelwood.
They can place it where theycan come pick up.
They can pick it up during anevent.
Doug (11:01):
Butchery is it a little bit newer in your program it is.
Jen (11:04):
It's a few years old.
We actually we got the ideaduring COVID because, if you
remember, supply chains were aproblem during.
Covid and actually our grocerystores in the region were having
trouble getting retail cutsbecause they didn't have enough
trained butchers.
It was interesting they weresending all of the primals to
very limited number of storesbecause those are the only
(11:24):
places that had butchers and soI was on a call actually with
Pittsburgh it was a zoom callPittsburgh food policy council
and, um, now our butcher partnerfrom unified fields was also on
the call and we startedchatting as you do.
Uh, you know, and we weretalking about it.
You know we should start atraining program.
We should teach this this kindof dying craft.
Doug (11:45):
It is a lost art.
It's a lost art.
I would love to take a butcheryprogram.
Jen (11:47):
Absolutely right.
So we got some grants and nowwe actually have a grant through
the USDA to get a full grant ofinspection, which is great.
So we're working on that, butwe make our own sausage, we do
all of our own retail cuts,we're sourcing everything
locally, so these are localproducers.
It's a really nice program andit's such a great opportunity
(12:08):
for our students Even if theydon't go into butchery just
learning that meat cutting andlearning where things come from.
Jessica (12:13):
Right.
Jen (12:13):
Right, you get a T-bone.
Where is that?
Where is that?
On the cow, right?
It's really neat.
A lot of just talking about thedifference between big ag
versus small producers and thewhole idea about humane
processing and what that meansactual, you know, on the farm.
Doug (12:32):
It's a really great program, it's so much farther
beyond just a culinary program.
It is.
Jen (12:38):
Yeah, we really try to look at all aspects of the industry
and like how can we connect toit?
I will tell you, I firmlybelieve and I know everyone at
CKP believes this that theregional food industry really
can be a platform for economicopportunity for a lot of people
and we just need to help peopleget into it.
There's just so from from thefarm all the way through the
(12:59):
restaurant, the suppliers.
There's so many careers in thisindustry and it's a huge part
of our regional economy.
So we want to kind of tap intoall the different places that we
can tap in and try to connectour local producers all the way
through to the restaurant.
Doug (13:13):
I couldn't agree more with the folks that I meet on this
podcast.
I keep learning a little bitmore about this little niche or
this little business, and I'mlike I had no idea that these
things existed beyond butchery.
Are there any other like subprograms?
I thought I maybe readsomething about baking.
Jen (13:32):
Yes, we actually partnered with Chatham and they developed
a baking course for us, which isreally cool.
So we have a couple of morein-depth programs.
We have apprenticeship tracks,so these are registered
apprenticeships through the PADepartment of Labor.
They are 2000 hour programs.
Our core program is a threemonth program.
It's really designed to getsomebody into employment quickly
(13:53):
.
But our apprenticeship programsare a year long and we have one
in baking and we just gotapproved for butchery, and we
have one in inventory control,because we actually move a
considerable amount of inventoryin and out of our building
every day.
Yes, and then of courseculinary, but the baking track
is something that we can go alittle bit more in-depth on.
We have a really nicecurriculum, like I said, that
(14:14):
Chatham helped us design.
Doug (14:16):
And Jen, earlier you mentioned all of the different
things that the organizationdoes.
I just want to circle back to acouple others.
You do catering and you do afood truck.
Are those sort of in their ownspheres, or do people hire the
catering and also maybe hire thefood truck too?
Jen (14:33):
All of the above.
All of the above, yes.
So again, we run thesebusinesses for the purpose of
training and transitionalemployment and exposing people
to different parts of theindustry, right?
So we have a lot of clientsthat come in with a dream to run
their own food truck, so wethought, you know, we should
have one so that you can see ifyou really want to work on a
(14:54):
food truck because it's hard,it's hard work.
Right and it's.
It's a long hours and it'sdifficult to work in a small
space like that, and so it'sbeen great because we can expose
people and sometimes they loveit and sometimes they say you
know, it's not for me, but it'salso a way for us to get our
message out there, our missionout there, into places that
we're not usually at.
Jessica (15:15):
Right.
Jen (15:16):
Same with catering.
You know people will hire us.
We do.
You know lots of meetings andcocktail parties and all the
different kinds of okay, we'veactually catered weddings in the
past, um, but again peoplemight come to us for the
catering and then discover thefact that we have this whole
mission behind it.
And for the same reason, withthe food trucks, so many of our
clients they want to run theirown food.
(15:37):
You know their dream is to havea catering company.
So let's show you what thatmeans, from from the beginning,
all the way to set up, dealingwith the customers, all of that.
It's again.
It's another way to exposepeople.
And you know a really nicestory we had.
We were doing a catering at thecounty DHS office department of
human services and the studentthat was setting it up said that
(15:58):
she'd never been in thatbuilding other than as a client
visiting different socialservice offices, and this was
the first time that she had sucha sense of pride going in there
to set up a catering kind of onthe other side.
Doug (16:11):
Yeah.
Jen (16:11):
So it's an interesting.
You don't realize that youdon't think about that, but you
can kind of really changesomebody's perspective just
based on that, it's neat.
Doug (16:18):
It is amazing.
I just keep thinking the facetsof experience and learning
through all of these differentthings.
It I would say it's holistic,but it's beyond that.
I think it's it's justmultidimensional and showing
these folks all of thesedifferent possibilities.
Jen (16:32):
And I'm glad you said holistic also because we do a
lot of behind the sceneswraparound services.
Everyone sees the culinarytraining that's obviously front
and center, but we help peoplewith all the other things that
might prevent them from securinga job or keeping a job Right.
So, that might look like helpingyou get your first apartment.
That might look like getting adriver's license.
(16:53):
You know whatever that takeslots of referrals to services
that you might need just to justto help you get stable.
Our goal is to try to get youto a stable place so that you
can maintain that position right.
Doug (17:08):
So there's a lot behind the scenes that we will never
see at that dinner, for instance, right Mm-hmm.
Jen (17:14):
This is Jen Flanagan.
This is Pamela Liu.
Pam (17:17):
And you're listening to the .
Doug (17:19):
Pittsburgh Dish.
I do want to pivot.
I want to maybe take a stepback.
Jen, you said you were thefounder, right?
We're going sort of rewindingthe clock 14 years ago.
Jen (17:31):
It hasn't been that long.
Doug (17:33):
How did it all get started ?
Can you tell me a little bitabout that story?
Jen (17:37):
So I'll try to do this quickly.
But the origin story is that Iwas actually in New York City, I
was in marketing for apublishing firm and 9-11
happened and that, as it did fora lot of people, it was a left
turn for me.
I decided that I was going toquit my job and I wanted to get
into nonprofits.
So I decided to join AmeriCorpsVista, which is a little bit
(18:05):
like the Domestic Peace Corps.
I was placed in Pittsburgh andI got into nonprofits here and
through that work I learnedabout this model, so I call it
the mothership.
They're start in Seattle and DCCentral Kitchen in Washington
DC they kind of launched thismodel of food services and
training and community meals.
So I started a programunderneath another nonprofit
following the model and I didthat for a while and then that
(18:26):
nonprofit got acquired by andthey closed all their meal
programs and then, in a reallynice turn of events, a lot of
the donors and funders that hadfunded that project came to me
and said it wasn't over, you gotto start this again as a
separate 501 C three.
So I launched it again in 2013as a separate standalone 501 C
(18:46):
three.
But you know for me, a lot ofreasons wanting to start this
and why I'm so into this model,but it's trying to address
social problems through themarket right People?
There's institutional foodneeds, and if you're using those
meals as a basis for training,it's going to be better food,
because you have to make thingsfrom scratch in order to train.
(19:08):
There are people who need goodjobs and there are employers who
need good people, and so havinga model that marries all these
things just makes so much senseto me.
Doug (19:17):
Yes, so you've been in Pittsburgh for over a decade.
Jen (19:21):
Yes, yeah, 2002,.
I moved here.
Doug (19:22):
This is a permanent kind of thing.
Jen (19:24):
It is yeah, I guess, so we're glad to have you.
Doug (19:26):
We love what you're doing.
Where did you grow up?
Jen (19:29):
All over the place.
I was born in Chicago and I'velived in LA and Seattle and
Baltimore all over the country.
But I went to Penn State andsort of kind of back in
Pennsylvania.
But Pittsburgh is a reallygreat town.
When I first moved here thefood scene was not what it is
now.
You know, big burrito group waskind of the primary non-chain
(19:52):
Right and it's just exploded inthe last decade.
It's been fun to watch.
Doug (19:56):
We do food really well we do food really well.
Jen (19:58):
We do food really well and it's a great community.
It's such a supportivecommunity.
It feels like I don't know howeasy it is to launch things like
this in other cities, but hereit's just been such tremendous
support from the industry.
It's been great.
Doug (20:11):
I want to ask you one more question then, Pam.
I want to ask about you too.
Jen, you know, you have thishuge passion project.
Now that is all about food.
Did you grow up in a sort of alifestyle where food was
important?
Jen (20:24):
Well, I will say that I had a little bit of a.
You know I will just put thisout there my mother was an
addict and I experienced whatthat is like to grow up in that
house, right, and you know I cansay happily she's.
She's sober and clean and wehave a great relationship now.
But it was it was a little bitof a tough childhood and I
(20:46):
realized that part of what mademy brothers and I come through
it is that we had a very greatfamily network.
Right, we had grandparents, wehad other people in our lives
that helped us, and a lot ofpeople don't have that.
So part of my wanting to startthis was the idea that we become
family for some of these peopleand we become that safety net
(21:09):
and just it's so important tohave that right.
But food, I mean people cometogether around food and our
family was no exception.
It's like it's a comfort.
It is a comfort, it's acelebration.
You know one story again about9-11,.
You know, after the planes hitwe couldn't get off the island
of Manhattan right Because theyshut down all the bridges and
tunnels and public transit.
(21:31):
So all the bars and restaurantsjust opened up and everybody
wandered in and they were justfeeding people.
Pam (21:38):
Yeah.
Jen (21:39):
And it was such a gift and it was just this moment of
gratitude.
And I remember, when theyfinally opened the bridges and
we were walking across theBrooklyn bridge cause we all had
to walk home there was a groupof Hasidic Jews just handing out
Kool-Aid and snacks.
And again, food, right.
And again it was just such a itwas.
I will never forget that it was.
(22:00):
It was just this moment ofgrace, and food plays that role.
Right, you think about whatever.
If you're celebrating, if youare experiencing tragedy, if you
are just getting together withfriends, people come together
around the table, around thetable, and that is true for all
walks of life.
Right, I could go on about thistoo, because I'm very
(22:22):
passionate about how food bringspeople together.
Doug (22:24):
I couldn't agree more, and thank you so much for sharing
all of that, anne.
What about you?
I would love to know, first off, how long you've been with CKP
doing all those things you'redoing right now.
Pam (22:35):
Oh my gosh Since mid-May.
Doug (22:37):
Okay, so it's newer.
Jen (22:38):
Yeah, yeah, definitely she's been around us for a while
.
Pam (22:42):
I've been associated with CKP since about 2017.
Jen (22:47):
She's no stranger to CKP, yeah.
Pam (22:49):
My fiance was actually a chef instructor at.
Ckp, and so I was coming aroundvolunteering to take photos at
guest chef dinners or when Icould come into town, because I
lived in State College at thetime.
So that's how I landed kind ofin Jen's radar, because I was
moving to Pittsburgh finally andlooking for a job, I was
(23:11):
leaving another nonprofit and itwas like something is open, we
can give it a try.
And so, yeah, we all have aState College connection?
Doug (23:18):
We do, we can give it a try, and so yeah, we all have a
state college connection.
Pam (23:20):
We do, we do.
I also went there for nutrition.
Doug (23:22):
Did you grow up in Pennsylvania?
I did.
Pam (23:25):
Born and raised in Lancaster County.
Okay, southern Lancaster County.
All right and then statecollege from like 1994 till 2024
.
Doug (23:35):
And I'll ask you the same question I asked Jen what about
food in your early life and now?
Pam (23:45):
What role has that played for you?
Well, my parents are immigrantsfrom Vietnam.
So growing up in SouthernLancaster County, how it was in
our household it was a lot ofVietnamese but also mixed in
with a lot of American dishes.
Because we were trying to, ourfamily was trying to acclimate.
Our parents wanted us to blendin as well as you know, as best
as we could.
So, um, it's always food withsome way of of anything Like.
(24:06):
For me, food is one of thethings that I love.
Getting together with myfriends, I love getting to.
You know, my fiance is a chef,so and that's exactly, and
that's one of the best ways forme to like get comfortable
around people.
I just like to sit down andhave a meal with them.
Doug (24:20):
Well, that's, me.
Pam (24:21):
Yeah, exactly.
So, um, um, we didn't have ahuge Vietnamese uh community
growing up in Southern LancasterCounty which is, you know, not
very Vietnamese, very hard tofind that kind of connection.
Um, and so I always felt like alittle bit of an outsider.
But trying to blend in with thekids around me is like the
(24:43):
little girl who was not white,it was very.
It was a very awkward time as achild and then growing up, like
now, my, my food is verydifferent, like from what it
used to be.
Just I could.
I can still sit down and have abox of macaroni and cheese, and
I'm very happy with that, ortry something a little fancier,
like I say my adult taste budsmight enjoy, but, um, yeah, like
(25:07):
my, my food.
You know, instagram is.
Did you eat yet which?
is a very common thing to hearfrom a vietnamese parent.
Even if they are fighting withyou and are mad at you, they
will still feed you.
That's just how it is.
You walk in, did you eat yet?
No, if you still say yes,they're still going to feed you.
My mom has yelled at me, beenyelling at me while cooking
(25:30):
something for me.
So yeah, food is just, it's justone of those things.
I like I said, it just bringspeople together and that's how
we met, that's how you know likeour network of people have met.
And just to see, like justgoing back to CKP itself, like
because I do the socials, Icapture a lot of the behind the
(25:51):
scenes and it's amazing to seeGive me a minute.
Sure, I get very emotional.
You need a minute.
Sure, I get very emotional.
You need a tissue.
No, Okay, no, just to see likea pride.
Jessica (26:07):
Mm-hmm.
Jen (26:09):
Give me a minute.
Well, I will say, you know,just today I was in a meeting
and the chef brought up somecookies for us to try and like.
Okay, you know, they're amazing, these key lime shortbread
cookies, right.
But the guy who came up withthe recipe, you know, he went
through our program.
He has overcome a long periodof addiction.
We hired him.
(26:31):
He's now our in-house baker andhe's now getting to kind of
explore this really creativeside of himself and he's part of
this family and he has, youknow, knock on wood, he's kicked
his addiction and so now hiscreativity is like, you know,
he's just so proud of coming upwith new recipes.
And then his next thing is likeokay, now I have to teach
(26:52):
students how to do this, andit's just, it's cool to see it's
this, it's this kind of payingit forward constantly.
Pam (26:58):
And he's actually going to be participating in the Good
taste Pittsburgh Bake It eventin March.
Doug (27:04):
And this is your in-house baker at Community Kitchen
Pittsburgh.
And what's his name?
Pam (27:08):
Oh, his name is Joe Joint.
Doug (27:10):
Okay, and so Joe is doing things.
Pam (27:11):
Oh, he's amazing.
I just want to shine aspotlight on him because he
deserves to be seen and forpeople to taste what he has
created, because it's it justmakes you happy.
But yeah, like just to see thepride of the students when, when
they learn something, whensomething clicks in their head
that they've.
Like with chef Don, one of ourchef instructors instructors
(27:33):
he's now known by Desarae asclaw daddy because he teaches
the claw grip and I have a videopost of it, of him showing and
it just clicks in their heads oflike how to hold just how to
hold a knife.
Yes, how to cut exactly and thenwatching them during guest chef
as they're learning a new wayto plate something and there's
(27:54):
take so much pride in cleaningthat plate up, getting that
plate ready before it getspresented, that before they
present it to the guests they'rethey're so excited to share
what they have learned withpeople and to see their growth.
Like we have a student, I did astudent spotlight with her and
she came into the program.
She learned about it throughthe welfare program and she
(28:17):
started her own catering.
I think on this, before shecame into the program she was
just learning everything shecould, absorbed Everything she
could.
Got on the radar of one of ourother graduates who's Jeff Missy
got on her radar and is veryexcited to be working with chef
Missy now at PPS doing thecatering and she's like I see
her social posts and she's everyday is grateful to be getting
(28:41):
up, going into work and workingunder Chef Missy and doing the
catering that she's doing sothat way she can take it to her
own business down the line shementioned a woman, Chef Missy.
Jen (28:52):
So she was a client through our program.
She graduated, she's asuperstar, right, but she's now
hiring our graduates and that isthat is happening more
frequently where we are nowputting people out that we
become managers themselves, andnow they are hiring our
graduates, and that's what wewant to see for this industry.
It's putting people intopositions of authority where
(29:13):
they're changing what theirkitchen looks like, right, and
all these different kitchens,and so that's the success story
is that they're reaching backand hiring people.
It's pretty cool.
Doug (29:24):
I just love.
Probably there's countlessstories we could be talking
about so many and the turn onfor me is that emotional
awakening that you're describingwith some of these moments,
with these folks, that pride,that feeling as part of
something, but also that brainturning on for all of that
creativity.
I just don't think there's anybetter thing you could do in
(29:46):
this training program.
Jen (29:48):
You know, I will sum it up by saying food jobs matter.
They do.
Food jobs matter.
I mean, it obviously can justbe a stepping stone for you if
that's what you need right now,but it can be a career, and I
cannot say that enough, thatthere are some just such
creative people in this industrydoing really amazing things and
caring about the food andcaring about service and caring
(30:09):
about hospitality service andcaring about hospitality.
And you know, I think we sawthat in COVID where all of a
sudden we noticed that thesepeople working restaurants and
we all of a sudden cared aboutthem a lot because they were our
connection to community.
You know, the differentneighborhoods really suffer when
those restaurants and barsclosed, right.
And so I, you know, we want tokeep that energy going where
(30:30):
people acknowledge how importantthis industry is and that food
jobs matter, right At everylevel.
And the great thing about theindustry too, is that there's a
job for every skill level andyou can move up by virtue of
showing up right.
You don't need an advanceddegree.
You can be reliable and open tolearning and you will progress
in this industry.
Doug (30:51):
Thank you for that.
I want to take us forward.
We've talked so much aboutwhat's been going on.
I'd love to hear a little bitmore about what's on the horizon
this year.
We're in early 2025.
Are there any events, moments,new things happening that you
are excited about?
Any new goals?
Pam (31:10):
Oh man.
Jen (31:11):
So many things.
We're moving, we're moving, weyes.
Doug (31:14):
Physical location yes.
Jen (31:16):
We have, um, we've outgrown our our spot in.
We love the Hazelwood community, we love it, but we have
outgrown that building and itwasn't really designed for what
we're doing in that building,such as our inventories on the
third floor with a passengerelevator, and, um we're we're
literally transporting halfanimals up the passenger
elevator so it's not designedfor that.
(31:38):
So we have a fabulous new spacein the Hill District, in the
uptown area of the Hill District, on Jumonville, and it's all on
one floor.
It's got loading docks, it'sgot all the things that we need.
So it'll be a bigger locationand as part of that location, we
will be opening a small Snapretailer, so a little grocery
market that accepts Snap.
And you know, obviously ourbutchery program will have our
(31:59):
full grant of inspection.
We're working through that.
But for the new space, so youknow, more programming space to
do what we do and accommodatemore people and more community
programs.
So that's really exciting.
We're looking at making thathappen toward the end of the
summer, you know, summer 2025.
We are hosting the CatalystKitchens National Summit.
So Catalyst Kitchens is ournational network of programs,
(32:22):
just like ours.
I think there's now 108 of usaround the country and they are
all exciting.
Part is, I know many people haveheard of the chef Jacques Pepin
and he is celebrating his 90thbirthday and so his foundation
does these.
They're doing 90 dinners aroundthe country to raise money for
(32:44):
the foundation.
He's actually hosting one ofthose 90 here in Pittsburgh at
the summit and donating themoney to.
We're going to split it betweenus and Catalyst Kitchens, so
it's going to be a fabulous galaevent with featured chefs, our
own people as well as chefs fromthe Pittsburgh area and
probably one or two nationalchefs coming in for that.
So that's all happening inAugust.
Wow, I don't know, pam, did Imiss?
Pam (33:06):
anything, I feel like we're up to a lot.
That's a lot, yeah, that's alot.
We're very, very excited.
Doug (33:11):
All right.
Well, let's do this.
I think hopefully we'vemotivated a lot of our folks
here to want to learn more aboutCommunity Kitchen Pittsburgh.
If folks want to find moreinformation, where should they
go?
And, Pam, since you do thesocials, I'm going to ask you.
Pam (33:24):
Okay, well, we're at our website ckpghorg.
We're also on Instagram andFacebook as Community Kitchen
PGH.
We also on Instagram andFacebook as community kitchen
PGH.
We're on Tik TOK as C K dot PGH.
We're also.
We also have a YouTube channel.
Jen (33:42):
It's kind of lonely.
Pam (33:42):
So please come follow us over there.
Um, and we're on LinkedIn, uh,so I think that's all of them.
Jen (33:46):
We're on basically all of the socials and Pam does a
fabulous monthly newsletter thattells you what we're doing,
what we're up to, what's comingup, and so if you want to sign
up for that.
Doug (33:57):
It's a really great way to stay in touch with what we're
up to.
Pam (33:59):
I'm signed up for it and I love it.
So thank you.
You know, and sometimes theinsiders get their first dibs on
things.
Doug (34:02):
Right yeah, especially if a meal sells out, absolutely
Okay.
Jen (34:06):
Oh, and I should mention too, um, our fish fry.
Yes, fish fry is coming out.
I mean, I might be biased, butI think we have the best fish
fry in Pittsburgh, Um, at leastone of the best.
All right and um, it isobviously a Lenten fish fry,
traditional Lenten fish fry.
All seven Fridays during Lentwe will be doing our traditional
menu.
You know it's it's and cod weare, haddock, we are, we are, uh
(34:35):
, you know, hand batteredhaddock and uh, with all the the
usual fixings and it's a.
It's a really fun time.
We our beer partner for thatevent is hazel grove brewing.
They will be on site for, uh,you know, selling their beers
and we have the girl scoutsselling their cookies.
So it's a real community.
Uh, you know, come together andhave some fun.
Pam (34:49):
It couldn't be better the fish fry and then the bake it
event too.
Doug (34:52):
oh, that's right, Bake It event is coming up in March and
that is hosted by Goodt astePittsburgh, so we'll see more
deets from them.
Pam (34:57):
Yep, yep.
Doug (34:59):
All right, Jen, Pam, we're coming towards the end of our
time.
I have one more question forboth of you to answer.
The name of the show is ThePittsburgh Dish.
What's the best dish you'veeaten this past week?
Jen (35:13):
All what's the best dish you've eaten this past week?
All right, I'm going to be alittle self-serving here.
I made this really nice Africanpeanut soup and it was one of
those times where you're like, Ifeel like cooking something.
These nights have been so cold,right, we're below zero.
Doug (35:27):
We're recording today it's negative seven outside.
Jen (35:31):
And I thought I don't want to go out to the store.
What do I have?
And I thought I don't want togo out to the store.
What do I have?
And I actually had all theassembled ingredients and it was
just.
It was just lovely and warm andI wanted to actually bring it
into our chefs and say we shouldmake this at the kitchen
because it's something that youknow.
it's like a pantry thing that ifyou have all the staples, you
can throw a soup together reallyeasily, and so that was my
(35:54):
favorite.
Doug (35:55):
African peanut soup.
I might have to get that recipe.
It was delicious, pam.
Pam (36:00):
Okay, I made it last week my Vietnamese Thit Koh.
It's that braised pork bellywith the pork belly from our
butchery.
Cause I always have a stash inmy freezer.
Doug (36:12):
Can you describe that dish a little bit more?
The Thit Koh?
It's braised pork belly, soit's like a caramelized sauce.
Pam (36:18):
The pork belly just becomes melt in your mouth.
Amazing, just serve it overrice with a soft boiled egg, so
that cooks, that braises withthe belly, so it like gets that
caramelized color.
That's one of my childhoodcomfort meals.
My mom didn't even tell me itwas belly when I was growing up.
(36:38):
She just said pork.
So I was cooking it with thewrong pork until I realized it
was belly.
I never looked back because,like, all I had was belly.
But she didn't tell me it waspork belly because she didn't
know the english word for that.
She just called it pork and itis one of my favorite things to
make, because I don't need arecipe, I just make it because
it's like I think it smellsright, it looks right, kind of
(37:00):
thing.
Doug (37:00):
The best way to cook.
Pam (37:01):
Yeah, because moms never give you the recipe anyway.
No, but that, yeah, that's.
I can eat that.
I can make a big thing of itand eat it for a week straight.
That's one of those dishes.
Doug (37:12):
Well, those both sound like the best bites we could
have this week.
Thank you both.
Thank you and once again,Jennifer Flanagan, Pamela Luu.
Thank you both so much forbeing on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Jen (37:23):
Thank you so much for having us.
This was a lot of fun.
Doug (37:27):
For our weekly recommend.
We're going to go back toCommunity Kitchen Pittsburgh and
that Lenten fish fry that Jenmentioned.
Going to go back to CommunityKitchen Pittsburgh and that
Lenten fish fry that Jenmentioned.
Hopefully you'll add it to thelist of your favorite spots
during the season.
Up next, looking for an easyweeknight meal, we have one that
is bang bang good.
Hey everybody, we're joinedwith Jessica Brewster, one of
(37:47):
the owners of Batch LLC up inSaxonburg.
Jessica, I was wondering, Iknow last time we talked you say
you just like to cook big,especially at the store.
You know big batches of soup orbread or whatever.
But I was wondering, whenyou're at home and you're maybe
doing something on a smallerscale, do you have a dish or a
recipe that you like to do a lotfor home cooking?
Jessica (38:10):
Yeah, my daughter and my husband absolutely love it.
I make a bang- bang or pow- powor whatever you want to call it
salmon and we make like bowlsout of it.
So it's a real simple sauce.
It has mayonnaise and srirachaand maybe some soy sauce I'm
trying to think off the top ofmy head but you coat chunks of
salmon and you put them on aroasting rack and you put them
in the oven.
So that it like caramelizes andcrisps up the outside and then
(38:33):
to the bowls, it's just steamedrice and typically broccoli, and
then we do an extra drizzle oflike yum, yum sauce or the
Kewpie mayo, you know, over top.
So it's just simple and easyand it's something I can make in
like less than 20 minutes,because we don't close the shop
until six, so by the time I gethome it's a nice thing to just
whip up real quick and it soundsdelicious.
Doug (38:55):
It's really good.
Yeah, I think it's always sucha trick.
I mean salmon's great, but youknow you don't want to dry it
out.
Are you cubing up the salmonfirst, Like when you roll it in
the sauce?
Jessica (39:05):
Yep, it's like you know inch chunks, and, yeah, just
coat them real quick.
And a rack is essential, though, because I've tried to do it on
a pan and they get foggy.
Doug (39:14):
They don't get crispy all around.
Yep, having that baking rackgets the air circulating all
around it, and so you have moresurface area, because it's
already cut too.
Oh, that sounds so good.
It's really good.
Yeah, thank you so much forsharing that recipe and thanks
for being on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Jessica (39:28):
Thanks for having us.
Doug (39:30):
Jessica Brewster, along with Megan Pohl, are the owners
of Batch LLC, based in Saxenburg.
You should give them a visitand give them a follow on
Instagram at Batch LLC.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us.
Just visit our website atwwwpittsburghdishcom and look
for our share a recipe form.
(39:52):
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
You can find links to thoseoptions at the bottom of our
show description, and if youwant to follow my own food
adventures, you can find me onsocial media at Doug Cooking.
That's our show for this week.
Thanks again to all of ourguests and contributors and to
(40:13):
Kevin Selecki of CarnegieAccordion Company for providing
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
Stay tuned.
Jen (40:24):
This is Jen Flanagan.
This is Pamela Luu.
Pam (40:27):
And you're listening to the Pittsburgh Dish.
Jen (40:30):
We'll try that again.
That was great.
Doug (40:36):
And the mail's here.
Welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman.
How do you create a workforcedevelopment program for the food
industry that is trulytransformational, from culinary
and inventory to butchery,baking and so much more?
We learn about the mission andmagic of Community Kitchen
(00:22):
Pittsburgh.
And looking for an easyweeknight family meal, how about
bang bang salmon?
We get a recipe from JessicaBrewster of Batch.
All that ahead, stay tuned.
We want to say a quick thankyou to all of our Instagram and
Facebook followers out there inthe social media space.
(00:44):
We just passed the 1800 mark onInstagram and over 400
followers on Facebook.
And if you're listening to usbut not following us yet on your
favorite podcast app, be sureto follow the show there.
It helps us get discovered andit allows instant downloads to
your device for the next showthat comes out.
Thanks so much for listening.
(01:05):
Now on to the show.
Thank you both so much forcoming over and for being on the
show.
Can I have you introduceyourselves and what role you've
got going on right now in theworld of food?
Jen (01:20):
I am Jen Flanagan and I am currently the executive director
and the founder of CommunityKitchen Pittsburgh.
Pam (01:27):
I'm Pamela Luu and what's my position?
We haven't made it official,Make it up and we'll roll with
it.
I'm Pamela Luu.
I do the social media and someof the marketing over at
Community Kitchen Pittsburgh.
Jen (01:38):
And some fundraising and donor development.
Pam (01:40):
Yeah, bits and bobs and things.
Doug (01:42):
Many hats, many hats, as you're wearing here in the
studio kitchen your.
CKPgh hat I would love todefine for our listeners.
If someone hasn't experiencedyour organization, can we just
give them the high level?
What is the mission and whatare you doing at Community
Kitchen Pittsburgh?
Jen (02:03):
So the mission of Community Kitchen Pittsburgh is we use
food as the foundation to changelives and improve communities.
But let me tell you how thattranslates for us.
We are, first and foremost, aworkforce development agency, so
we help people overcomingbarriers.
What that means are people thatmight be coming out of
incarceration or transitioningfrom homelessness.
They might be experiencingaddiction recovery, anything
(02:29):
that has kept them out of theworkforce.
It could also be poverty,because we know that poverty in
itself can be a barrier toemployment, and so we have a few
different workforce developmentprograms and we have centered
those into social enterprises,food-based social enterprises
that are.
We run these businesses for thesole purpose of training people
, providing transitionalemployment, helping people get
back into the workforce.
So we have a catering division,we have a food truck, we run
(02:51):
events, we have a butcherydepartment actually, and then of
course we have our communitymeals that's the other half of
our mission and we do meals fora school, food programs,
afterschools, shelters, othernonprofits.
A lot of meals go out every day, about 2,400 meals every day.
It's a lot of.
We have a lot going on betweenthe catering and the food truck
(03:12):
and the butchery and thecontract meals and all of these
things are integrated into ourtraining program so that when
people leave our program theyknow what it means to work in a
professional kitchen.
Doug (03:21):
And you all have been doing this for well over 10
years 2014.
Jen (03:25):
2013,.
We launched and our first classgraduated in 2014.
Doug (03:30):
My goodness and total head of folks that have gone through
the programs near 500.
Pam (03:35):
Did I read that Yep 500 graduates Wow.
Jen (03:37):
Yeah, powering the back of the house throughout Pittsburgh.
Doug (03:40):
Yes, how I encountered your organization.
You do these events with guestchefs as well, and you've had
some really was plant-focused,was Apteka, and it sold out.
Jessica (04:09):
And he was fantastic as well.
So good.
Pam (04:12):
We just really wanted to bring more of our supporters
that love veggies to come on inand experience the dinner and
get to know us better.
And that sold out within threedays of us releasing the tickets
to the public.
That sold out within three daysof us releasing the tickets to
the public.
Jen (04:25):
The reason we do these is that it brings professional
chefs into our kitchen.
It's an informal interview withall of our students.
It lets our students have anopportunity to work with these
amazing, amazing, creativepeople and learn a different
style of food, and it's also away for us to connect with the
community, because, obviously,doing shelter meals and school
(04:46):
meals and all of those thingsthat we do every day, people
don't see that.
And so this is a way for us toopen our doors, bring people in
that normally wouldn't be in ourspace, and the guest chef is
just such a great way to alsoconnect our clients to the food
community.
Right, we can't do our workwithout the support of chefs and
(05:07):
restaurants and employers allthe folks that make this food
industry what it is and so wereally want to connect with them
, and it's nice for them too,because so many chefs in our
community they had their ownchallenging backgrounds right so
they really are invested ingiving back and they love
working with our students forthat reason.
Pam (05:25):
It's really amazing to see.
Since I handle the socials, I'mgetting a lot of behind the
scenes, so it's been incredibleto watch the students absorb
everything that they're learningfrom the guest chef when
they're coming into prep.
When the night of the event,they just take it all in and
many times it's food they havenever tried or even like had the
(05:46):
chance to cook before, sothey're learning something
entirely new.
And then our guests come in andthey have the opportunity to
see our students in action.
They also have the chance tohear from the students, so it
gives them more of a connectionto what we're doing.
We have a supporter who startedcoming to our fish fries and
then our guest chef and she justloves coming to our guest chef
(06:07):
dinners because she loves theinteractions with the students.
Doug (06:11):
You really sparked something for me as well.
Just to call it out, this is anonprofit, and so some of these
big events where you're sellingthe tickets, this is some of the
great marketing and fundraisingthat you're doing for the
organization.
Absolutely, absolutely, yeah,great marketing and fundraising
that you're doing for theorganization.
Jen (06:23):
Absolutely, absolutely, yeah.
We actually get about 65% ofour operating budget from our
earned revenue our businesses,but the rest of it is is
donations and philanthropicsupport.
So it's really important for usto bring the community in and
and you know, listen, we lovethis industry.
We love this industryHospitality it is.
I could, I could just go on andon about what an amazing
(06:45):
industry this is and and whyhospitality is so important.
You know it's more than just Ialways tell our students in the
pre-meal the you know, themeeting right before the dinner
is that service is fillingsomeone's water glass but
hospitality is making them feelwelcome.
You know that that you'veinvited somebody into your house
and that they feel part of thefamily and that's hospitality.
And so many restauranteursthroughout our city are so good
(07:07):
at that and we just love beingable to bring that into our
space.
Doug (07:10):
I think I love that connection and I got to
experience one of those dinners,so I feel it.
I love that we got to hear fromsome of the students, as well
as the guest chef and some ofthe actual other staff chefs
that are always there and yousee everyone enjoying this meal
that's made with a thoughtfulpurpose and you know it's
exciting, as a community member,to go and enjoy that.
Jen (07:32):
It's great, yeah, and it's, it's um, and it's a different
view too of the chefs that comeinto work with us because, as
you know, having been there, wedon't have a dedicated event
space, so you're kind of in ourkitchen when you're there for
the event.
I love that part, rightImmersive, yeah, and and there's
a little bit more access to thechef, because sometimes you can
go to a restaurant and notactually see the chef and at
(07:53):
these dinners the chef comes outand interacts with the, with
the, you know, patrons and it's.
It's a lot of fun.
Pam (07:58):
Sometimes they're serving the dishes too, as you saw with
Chef Galarza.
Doug (08:01):
Yes, that was the one I was at, Chris Galarza right, yes
.
Let's tell our folks out there,if they haven't been to an
event, one of the chef dinners,what the experience is.
We're talking multi-course,beautifully plated I think we
had like five courses the nightI was there Dessert, all of it,
(08:22):
and then you also opened up thebutchery if we wanted to
purchase items.
Is that the general flow ofmost events?
Jen (08:30):
Oh yeah, definitely.
We leave it up to the guestchef.
They plan the menu, right, sothey're coming up with how many
courses they want to do.
Three, four, five is usuallysomewhere in that range.
It's up to the guest chef andthey try to come up with things
that will teach the studentssomething that they can do with
the students, right, you know?
And they, they break it down.
Sometimes they come in the daybefore if things require prep,
(08:52):
um, and they work with ourstudents, and so basically, the
chefs are coming in ahead oftime working with our students,
kind of in a class, right, um,and an applied class, because
they're in the kitchen, they'remaking things, or they'll give
our chefs a list of what theyneed to have prepped, and then
our chefs will follow theirrecipes and do it ahead of time.
So things are teed up when thechef comes in and then they work
(09:13):
with the students.
They played everything.
It's it's really nice, it's a,it's a really great opportunity
for our students who get to workagain with these amazing chefs
that they wouldn't normally haveaccess to.
And we always tell studentsthis is how you expand your
professional networks, right, somake sure you introduce
yourself, have thoseconversations and typically we
do get.
If these chefs have openings atrestaurants.
(09:35):
We often open up that hiringpipeline through these guest
chefs because they come in andthey realize how talented our
students are Of course.
Doug (09:43):
I can't imagine a better learning experience.
You're learning all of theseculinary skills new ingredients,
new ways to prepare but you'realso learning these social
skills, not only with the chefthat's coming in and that the
networking profession thatyou're saying, but also with the
guests that are coming to enjoythe meals.
So there's so much that they'retaking away from that one
(10:03):
experience.
Jen (10:04):
Absolutely, absolutely yes.
Pam (10:11):
Definitely, so you get everything's kind of planned out
for us on when we're going totalk and between the courses, of
course we give the chef thechance to speak to our guests
and talk about what they'reserving up, and then our
butchery side gets to talk for alittle bit too, because that is
a huge part of what we're doinghere and being able to offer
these locally sourced, ethicallyfarmed meats to the general
public.
(10:31):
That is cut in-house by ourbutchery team and our students,
because that's anotherexperience for them.
It's just awesome just to seehow many people get very excited
about meat season.
I'm a meat eater so I get veryexcited about it.
But it is pretty awesome to seewhat we have in our meat
freezer available, because wewant people to know that we do
(10:53):
have that.
It's accessible.
It's right in Hazelwood.
They can place it where theycan come pick up.
They can pick it up during anevent.
Doug (11:01):
Butchery is it a little bit newer in your program it is.
Jen (11:04):
It's a few years old.
We actually we got the ideaduring COVID because, if you
remember, supply chains were aproblem during.
Covid and actually our grocerystores in the region were having
trouble getting retail cutsbecause they didn't have enough
trained butchers.
It was interesting they weresending all of the primals to
very limited number of storesbecause those are the only
(11:24):
places that had butchers and soI was on a call actually with
Pittsburgh it was a zoom callPittsburgh food policy council
and, um, now our butcher partnerfrom unified fields was also on
the call and we startedchatting as you do.
Uh, you know, and we weretalking about it.
You know we should start atraining program.
We should teach this this kindof dying craft.
Doug (11:45):
It is a lost art.
It's a lost art.
I would love to take a butcheryprogram.
Jen (11:47):
Absolutely right.
So we got some grants and nowwe actually have a grant through
the USDA to get a full grant ofinspection, which is great.
So we're working on that, butwe make our own sausage, we do
all of our own retail cuts,we're sourcing everything
locally, so these are localproducers.
It's a really nice program andit's such a great opportunity
(12:08):
for our students Even if theydon't go into butchery just
learning that meat cutting andlearning where things come from.
Jessica (12:13):
Right.
Jen (12:13):
Right, you get a T-bone.
Where is that?
Where is that?
On the cow, right?
It's really neat.
A lot of just talking about thedifference between big ag
versus small producers and thewhole idea about humane
processing and what that meansactual, you know, on the farm.
Doug (12:32):
It's a really great program, it's so much farther
beyond just a culinary program.
It is.
Jen (12:38):
Yeah, we really try to look at all aspects of the industry
and like how can we connect toit?
I will tell you, I firmlybelieve and I know everyone at
CKP believes this that theregional food industry really
can be a platform for economicopportunity for a lot of people
and we just need to help peopleget into it.
There's just so from from thefarm all the way through the
(12:59):
restaurant, the suppliers.
There's so many careers in thisindustry and it's a huge part
of our regional economy.
So we want to kind of tap intoall the different places that we
can tap in and try to connectour local producers all the way
through to the restaurant.
Doug (13:13):
I couldn't agree more with the folks that I meet on this
podcast.
I keep learning a little bitmore about this little niche or
this little business, and I'mlike I had no idea that these
things existed beyond butchery.
Are there any other like subprograms?
I thought I maybe readsomething about baking.
Jen (13:32):
Yes, we actually partnered with Chatham and they developed
a baking course for us, which isreally cool.
So we have a couple of morein-depth programs.
We have apprenticeship tracks,so these are registered
apprenticeships through the PADepartment of Labor.
They are 2000 hour programs.
Our core program is a threemonth program.
It's really designed to getsomebody into employment quickly
(13:53):
.
But our apprenticeship programsare a year long and we have one
in baking and we just gotapproved for butchery, and we
have one in inventory control,because we actually move a
considerable amount of inventoryin and out of our building
every day.
Yes, and then of courseculinary, but the baking track
is something that we can go alittle bit more in-depth on.
We have a really nicecurriculum, like I said, that
(14:14):
Chatham helped us design.
Doug (14:16):
And Jen, earlier you mentioned all of the different
things that the organizationdoes.
I just want to circle back to acouple others.
You do catering and you do afood truck.
Are those sort of in their ownspheres, or do people hire the
catering and also maybe hire thefood truck too?
Jen (14:33):
All of the above.
All of the above, yes.
So again, we run thesebusinesses for the purpose of
training and transitionalemployment and exposing people
to different parts of theindustry, right?
So we have a lot of clientsthat come in with a dream to run
their own food truck, so wethought, you know, we should
have one so that you can see ifyou really want to work on a
(14:54):
food truck because it's hard,it's hard work.
Right and it's.
It's a long hours and it'sdifficult to work in a small
space like that, and so it'sbeen great because we can expose
people and sometimes they loveit and sometimes they say you
know, it's not for me, but it'salso a way for us to get our
message out there, our missionout there, into places that
we're not usually at.
Jessica (15:15):
Right.
Jen (15:16):
Same with catering.
You know people will hire us.
We do.
You know lots of meetings andcocktail parties and all the
different kinds of okay, we'veactually catered weddings in the
past, um, but again peoplemight come to us for the
catering and then discover thefact that we have this whole
mission behind it.
And for the same reason, withthe food trucks, so many of our
clients they want to run theirown food.
(15:37):
You know their dream is to havea catering company.
So let's show you what thatmeans, from from the beginning,
all the way to set up, dealingwith the customers, all of that.
It's again.
It's another way to exposepeople.
And you know a really nicestory we had.
We were doing a catering at thecounty DHS office department of
human services and the studentthat was setting it up said that
(15:58):
she'd never been in thatbuilding other than as a client
visiting different socialservice offices, and this was
the first time that she had sucha sense of pride going in there
to set up a catering kind of onthe other side.
Doug (16:11):
Yeah.
Jen (16:11):
So it's an interesting.
You don't realize that youdon't think about that, but you
can kind of really changesomebody's perspective just
based on that, it's neat.
Doug (16:18):
It is amazing.
I just keep thinking the facetsof experience and learning
through all of these differentthings.
It I would say it's holistic,but it's beyond that.
I think it's it's justmultidimensional and showing
these folks all of thesedifferent possibilities.
Jen (16:32):
And I'm glad you said holistic also because we do a
lot of behind the sceneswraparound services.
Everyone sees the culinarytraining that's obviously front
and center, but we help peoplewith all the other things that
might prevent them from securinga job or keeping a job Right.
So, that might look like helpingyou get your first apartment.
That might look like getting adriver's license.
(16:53):
You know whatever that takeslots of referrals to services
that you might need just to justto help you get stable.
Our goal is to try to get youto a stable place so that you
can maintain that position right.
Doug (17:08):
So there's a lot behind the scenes that we will never
see at that dinner, for instance, right Mm-hmm.
Jen (17:14):
This is Jen Flanagan.
This is Pamela Liu.
Pam (17:17):
And you're listening to the .
Doug (17:19):
Pittsburgh Dish.
I do want to pivot.
I want to maybe take a stepback.
Jen, you said you were thefounder, right?
We're going sort of rewindingthe clock 14 years ago.
Jen (17:31):
It hasn't been that long.
Doug (17:33):
How did it all get started ?
Can you tell me a little bitabout that story?
Jen (17:37):
So I'll try to do this quickly.
But the origin story is that Iwas actually in New York City, I
was in marketing for apublishing firm and 9-11
happened and that, as it did fora lot of people, it was a left
turn for me.
I decided that I was going toquit my job and I wanted to get
into nonprofits.
So I decided to join AmeriCorpsVista, which is a little bit
(18:05):
like the Domestic Peace Corps.
I was placed in Pittsburgh andI got into nonprofits here and
through that work I learnedabout this model, so I call it
the mothership.
They're start in Seattle and DCCentral Kitchen in Washington
DC they kind of launched thismodel of food services and
training and community meals.
So I started a programunderneath another nonprofit
following the model and I didthat for a while and then that
(18:26):
nonprofit got acquired by andthey closed all their meal
programs and then, in a reallynice turn of events, a lot of
the donors and funders that hadfunded that project came to me
and said it wasn't over, you gotto start this again as a
separate 501 C three.
So I launched it again in 2013as a separate standalone 501 C
(18:46):
three.
But you know for me, a lot ofreasons wanting to start this
and why I'm so into this model,but it's trying to address
social problems through themarket right People?
There's institutional foodneeds, and if you're using those
meals as a basis for training,it's going to be better food,
because you have to make thingsfrom scratch in order to train.
(19:08):
There are people who need goodjobs and there are employers who
need good people, and so havinga model that marries all these
things just makes so much senseto me.
Doug (19:17):
Yes, so you've been in Pittsburgh for over a decade.
Jen (19:21):
Yes, yeah, 2002,.
I moved here.
Doug (19:22):
This is a permanent kind of thing.
Jen (19:24):
It is yeah, I guess, so we're glad to have you.
Doug (19:26):
We love what you're doing.
Where did you grow up?
Jen (19:29):
All over the place.
I was born in Chicago and I'velived in LA and Seattle and
Baltimore all over the country.
But I went to Penn State andsort of kind of back in
Pennsylvania.
But Pittsburgh is a reallygreat town.
When I first moved here thefood scene was not what it is
now.
You know, big burrito group waskind of the primary non-chain
(19:52):
Right and it's just exploded inthe last decade.
It's been fun to watch.
Doug (19:56):
We do food really well we do food really well.
Jen (19:58):
We do food really well and it's a great community.
It's such a supportivecommunity.
It feels like I don't know howeasy it is to launch things like
this in other cities, but hereit's just been such tremendous
support from the industry.
It's been great.
Doug (20:11):
I want to ask you one more question then, Pam.
I want to ask about you too.
Jen, you know, you have thishuge passion project.
Now that is all about food.
Did you grow up in a sort of alifestyle where food was
important?
Jen (20:24):
Well, I will say that I had a little bit of a.
You know I will just put thisout there my mother was an
addict and I experienced whatthat is like to grow up in that
house, right, and you know I cansay happily she's.
She's sober and clean and wehave a great relationship now.
But it was it was a little bitof a tough childhood and I
(20:46):
realized that part of what mademy brothers and I come through
it is that we had a very greatfamily network.
Right, we had grandparents, wehad other people in our lives
that helped us, and a lot ofpeople don't have that.
So part of my wanting to startthis was the idea that we become
family for some of these peopleand we become that safety net
(21:09):
and just it's so important tohave that right.
But food, I mean people cometogether around food and our
family was no exception.
It's like it's a comfort.
It is a comfort, it's acelebration.
You know one story again about9-11,.
You know, after the planes hitwe couldn't get off the island
of Manhattan right Because theyshut down all the bridges and
tunnels and public transit.
(21:31):
So all the bars and restaurantsjust opened up and everybody
wandered in and they were justfeeding people.
Pam (21:38):
Yeah.
Jen (21:39):
And it was such a gift and it was just this moment of
gratitude.
And I remember, when theyfinally opened the bridges and
we were walking across theBrooklyn bridge cause we all had
to walk home there was a groupof Hasidic Jews just handing out
Kool-Aid and snacks.
And again, food, right.
And again it was just such a itwas.
I will never forget that it was.
(22:00):
It was just this moment ofgrace, and food plays that role.
Right, you think about whatever.
If you're celebrating, if youare experiencing tragedy, if you
are just getting together withfriends, people come together
around the table, around thetable, and that is true for all
walks of life.
Right, I could go on about thistoo, because I'm very
(22:22):
passionate about how food bringspeople together.
Doug (22:24):
I couldn't agree more, and thank you so much for sharing
all of that, anne.
What about you?
I would love to know, first off, how long you've been with CKP
doing all those things you'redoing right now.
Pam (22:35):
Oh my gosh Since mid-May.
Doug (22:37):
Okay, so it's newer.
Jen (22:38):
Yeah, yeah, definitely she's been around us for a while
.
Pam (22:42):
I've been associated with CKP since about 2017.
Jen (22:47):
She's no stranger to CKP, yeah.
Pam (22:49):
My fiance was actually a chef instructor at.
Ckp, and so I was coming aroundvolunteering to take photos at
guest chef dinners or when Icould come into town, because I
lived in State College at thetime.
So that's how I landed kind ofin Jen's radar, because I was
moving to Pittsburgh finally andlooking for a job, I was
(23:11):
leaving another nonprofit and itwas like something is open, we
can give it a try.
And so, yeah, we all have aState College connection?
Doug (23:18):
We do, we can give it a try, and so yeah, we all have a
state college connection.
Pam (23:20):
We do, we do.
I also went there for nutrition.
Doug (23:22):
Did you grow up in Pennsylvania?
I did.
Pam (23:25):
Born and raised in Lancaster County.
Okay, southern Lancaster County.
All right and then statecollege from like 1994 till 2024
.
Doug (23:35):
And I'll ask you the same question I asked Jen what about
food in your early life and now?
Pam (23:45):
What role has that played for you?
Well, my parents are immigrantsfrom Vietnam.
So growing up in SouthernLancaster County, how it was in
our household it was a lot ofVietnamese but also mixed in
with a lot of American dishes.
Because we were trying to, ourfamily was trying to acclimate.
Our parents wanted us to blendin as well as you know, as best
as we could.
So, um, it's always food withsome way of of anything Like.
(24:06):
For me, food is one of thethings that I love.
Getting together with myfriends, I love getting to.
You know, my fiance is a chef,so and that's exactly, and
that's one of the best ways forme to like get comfortable
around people.
I just like to sit down andhave a meal with them.
Doug (24:20):
Well, that's, me.
Pam (24:21):
Yeah, exactly.
So, um, um, we didn't have ahuge Vietnamese uh community
growing up in Southern LancasterCounty which is, you know, not
very Vietnamese, very hard tofind that kind of connection.
Um, and so I always felt like alittle bit of an outsider.
But trying to blend in with thekids around me is like the
(24:43):
little girl who was not white,it was very.
It was a very awkward time as achild and then growing up, like
now, my, my food is verydifferent, like from what it
used to be.
Just I could.
I can still sit down and have abox of macaroni and cheese, and
I'm very happy with that, ortry something a little fancier,
like I say my adult taste budsmight enjoy, but, um, yeah, like
(25:07):
my, my food.
You know, instagram is.
Did you eat yet which?
is a very common thing to hearfrom a vietnamese parent.
Even if they are fighting withyou and are mad at you, they
will still feed you.
That's just how it is.
You walk in, did you eat yet?
No, if you still say yes,they're still going to feed you.
My mom has yelled at me, beenyelling at me while cooking
(25:30):
something for me.
So yeah, food is just, it's justone of those things.
I like I said, it just bringspeople together and that's how
we met, that's how you know likeour network of people have met.
And just to see, like justgoing back to CKP itself, like
because I do the socials, Icapture a lot of the behind the
(25:51):
scenes and it's amazing to seeGive me a minute.
Sure, I get very emotional.
You need a minute.
Sure, I get very emotional.
You need a tissue.
No, Okay, no, just to see likea pride.
Jessica (26:07):
Mm-hmm.
Jen (26:09):
Give me a minute.
Well, I will say, you know,just today I was in a meeting
and the chef brought up somecookies for us to try and like.
Okay, you know, they're amazing, these key lime shortbread
cookies, right.
But the guy who came up withthe recipe, you know, he went
through our program.
He has overcome a long periodof addiction.
We hired him.
(26:31):
He's now our in-house baker andhe's now getting to kind of
explore this really creativeside of himself and he's part of
this family and he has, youknow, knock on wood, he's kicked
his addiction and so now hiscreativity is like, you know,
he's just so proud of coming upwith new recipes.
And then his next thing is likeokay, now I have to teach
(26:52):
students how to do this, andit's just, it's cool to see it's
this, it's this kind of payingit forward constantly.
Pam (26:58):
And he's actually going to be participating in the Good
taste Pittsburgh Bake It eventin March.
Doug (27:04):
And this is your in-house baker at Community Kitchen
Pittsburgh.
And what's his name?
Pam (27:08):
Oh, his name is Joe Joint.
Doug (27:10):
Okay, and so Joe is doing things.
Pam (27:11):
Oh, he's amazing.
I just want to shine aspotlight on him because he
deserves to be seen and forpeople to taste what he has
created, because it's it justmakes you happy.
But yeah, like just to see thepride of the students when, when
they learn something, whensomething clicks in their head
that they've.
Like with chef Don, one of ourchef instructors instructors
(27:33):
he's now known by Desarae asclaw daddy because he teaches
the claw grip and I have a videopost of it, of him showing and
it just clicks in their heads oflike how to hold just how to
hold a knife.
Yes, how to cut exactly and thenwatching them during guest chef
as they're learning a new wayto plate something and there's
(27:54):
take so much pride in cleaningthat plate up, getting that
plate ready before it getspresented, that before they
present it to the guests they'rethey're so excited to share
what they have learned withpeople and to see their growth.
Like we have a student, I did astudent spotlight with her and
she came into the program.
She learned about it throughthe welfare program and she
(28:17):
started her own catering.
I think on this, before shecame into the program she was
just learning everything shecould, absorbed Everything she
could.
Got on the radar of one of ourother graduates who's Jeff Missy
got on her radar and is veryexcited to be working with chef
Missy now at PPS doing thecatering and she's like I see
her social posts and she's everyday is grateful to be getting
(28:41):
up, going into work and workingunder Chef Missy and doing the
catering that she's doing sothat way she can take it to her
own business down the line shementioned a woman, Chef Missy.
Jen (28:52):
So she was a client through our program.
She graduated, she's asuperstar, right, but she's now
hiring our graduates and that isthat is happening more
frequently where we are nowputting people out that we
become managers themselves, andnow they are hiring our
graduates, and that's what wewant to see for this industry.
It's putting people intopositions of authority where
(29:13):
they're changing what theirkitchen looks like, right, and
all these different kitchens,and so that's the success story
is that they're reaching backand hiring people.
It's pretty cool.
Doug (29:24):
I just love.
Probably there's countlessstories we could be talking
about so many and the turn onfor me is that emotional
awakening that you're describingwith some of these moments,
with these folks, that pride,that feeling as part of
something, but also that brainturning on for all of that
creativity.
I just don't think there's anybetter thing you could do in
(29:46):
this training program.
Jen (29:48):
You know, I will sum it up by saying food jobs matter.
They do.
Food jobs matter.
I mean, it obviously can justbe a stepping stone for you if
that's what you need right now,but it can be a career, and I
cannot say that enough, thatthere are some just such
creative people in this industrydoing really amazing things and
caring about the food andcaring about service and caring
(30:09):
about hospitality service andcaring about hospitality.
And you know, I think we sawthat in COVID where all of a
sudden we noticed that thesepeople working restaurants and
we all of a sudden cared aboutthem a lot because they were our
connection to community.
You know, the differentneighborhoods really suffer when
those restaurants and barsclosed, right.
And so I, you know, we want tokeep that energy going where
(30:30):
people acknowledge how importantthis industry is and that food
jobs matter, right At everylevel.
And the great thing about theindustry too, is that there's a
job for every skill level andyou can move up by virtue of
showing up right.
You don't need an advanceddegree.
You can be reliable and open tolearning and you will progress
in this industry.
Doug (30:51):
Thank you for that.
I want to take us forward.
We've talked so much aboutwhat's been going on.
I'd love to hear a little bitmore about what's on the horizon
this year.
We're in early 2025.
Are there any events, moments,new things happening that you
are excited about?
Any new goals?
Pam (31:10):
Oh man.
Jen (31:11):
So many things.
We're moving, we're moving, weyes.
Doug (31:14):
Physical location yes.
Jen (31:16):
We have, um, we've outgrown our our spot in.
We love the Hazelwood community, we love it, but we have
outgrown that building and itwasn't really designed for what
we're doing in that building,such as our inventories on the
third floor with a passengerelevator, and, um we're we're
literally transporting halfanimals up the passenger
elevator so it's not designedfor that.
(31:38):
So we have a fabulous new spacein the Hill District, in the
uptown area of the Hill District, on Jumonville, and it's all on
one floor.
It's got loading docks, it'sgot all the things that we need.
So it'll be a bigger locationand as part of that location, we
will be opening a small Snapretailer, so a little grocery
market that accepts Snap.
And you know, obviously ourbutchery program will have our
(31:59):
full grant of inspection.
We're working through that.
But for the new space, so youknow, more programming space to
do what we do and accommodatemore people and more community
programs.
So that's really exciting.
We're looking at making thathappen toward the end of the
summer, you know, summer 2025.
We are hosting the CatalystKitchens National Summit.
So Catalyst Kitchens is ournational network of programs,
(32:22):
just like ours.
I think there's now 108 of usaround the country and they are
all exciting.
Part is, I know many people haveheard of the chef Jacques Pepin
and he is celebrating his 90thbirthday and so his foundation
does these.
They're doing 90 dinners aroundthe country to raise money for
(32:44):
the foundation.
He's actually hosting one ofthose 90 here in Pittsburgh at
the summit and donating themoney to.
We're going to split it betweenus and Catalyst Kitchens, so
it's going to be a fabulous galaevent with featured chefs, our
own people as well as chefs fromthe Pittsburgh area and
probably one or two nationalchefs coming in for that.
So that's all happening inAugust.
Wow, I don't know, pam, did Imiss?
Pam (33:06):
anything, I feel like we're up to a lot.
That's a lot, yeah, that's alot.
We're very, very excited.
Doug (33:11):
All right.
Well, let's do this.
I think hopefully we'vemotivated a lot of our folks
here to want to learn more aboutCommunity Kitchen Pittsburgh.
If folks want to find moreinformation, where should they
go?
And, Pam, since you do thesocials, I'm going to ask you.
Pam (33:24):
Okay, well, we're at our website ckpghorg.
We're also on Instagram andFacebook as Community Kitchen
PGH.
We also on Instagram andFacebook as community kitchen
PGH.
We're on Tik TOK as C K dot PGH.
We're also.
We also have a YouTube channel.
Jen (33:42):
It's kind of lonely.
Pam (33:42):
So please come follow us over there.
Um, and we're on LinkedIn, uh,so I think that's all of them.
Jen (33:46):
We're on basically all of the socials and Pam does a
fabulous monthly newsletter thattells you what we're doing,
what we're up to, what's comingup, and so if you want to sign
up for that.
Doug (33:57):
It's a really great way to stay in touch with what we're
up to.
Pam (33:59):
I'm signed up for it and I love it.
So thank you.
You know, and sometimes theinsiders get their first dibs on
things.
Doug (34:02):
Right yeah, especially if a meal sells out, absolutely
Okay.
Jen (34:06):
Oh, and I should mention too, um, our fish fry.
Yes, fish fry is coming out.
I mean, I might be biased, butI think we have the best fish
fry in Pittsburgh, Um, at leastone of the best.
All right and um, it isobviously a Lenten fish fry,
traditional Lenten fish fry.
All seven Fridays during Lentwe will be doing our traditional
menu.
You know it's it's and cod weare, haddock, we are, we are, uh
(34:35):
, you know, hand batteredhaddock and uh, with all the the
usual fixings and it's a.
It's a really fun time.
We our beer partner for thatevent is hazel grove brewing.
They will be on site for, uh,you know, selling their beers
and we have the girl scoutsselling their cookies.
So it's a real community.
Uh, you know, come together andhave some fun.
Pam (34:49):
It couldn't be better the fish fry and then the bake it
event too.
Doug (34:52):
oh, that's right, Bake It event is coming up in March and
that is hosted by Goodt astePittsburgh, so we'll see more
deets from them.
Pam (34:57):
Yep, yep.
Doug (34:59):
All right, Jen, Pam, we're coming towards the end of our
time.
I have one more question forboth of you to answer.
The name of the show is ThePittsburgh Dish.
What's the best dish you'veeaten this past week?
Jen (35:13):
All what's the best dish you've eaten this past week?
All right, I'm going to be alittle self-serving here.
I made this really nice Africanpeanut soup and it was one of
those times where you're like, Ifeel like cooking something.
These nights have been so cold,right, we're below zero.
Doug (35:27):
We're recording today it's negative seven outside.
Jen (35:31):
And I thought I don't want to go out to the store.
What do I have?
And I thought I don't want togo out to the store.
What do I have?
And I actually had all theassembled ingredients and it was
just.
It was just lovely and warm andI wanted to actually bring it
into our chefs and say we shouldmake this at the kitchen
because it's something that youknow.
it's like a pantry thing that ifyou have all the staples, you
can throw a soup together reallyeasily, and so that was my
(35:54):
favorite.
Doug (35:55):
African peanut soup.
I might have to get that recipe.
It was delicious, pam.
Pam (36:00):
Okay, I made it last week my Vietnamese Thit Koh.
It's that braised pork bellywith the pork belly from our
butchery.
Cause I always have a stash inmy freezer.
Doug (36:12):
Can you describe that dish a little bit more?
The Thit Koh?
It's braised pork belly, soit's like a caramelized sauce.
Pam (36:18):
The pork belly just becomes melt in your mouth.
Amazing, just serve it overrice with a soft boiled egg, so
that cooks, that braises withthe belly, so it like gets that
caramelized color.
That's one of my childhoodcomfort meals.
My mom didn't even tell me itwas belly when I was growing up.
(36:38):
She just said pork.
So I was cooking it with thewrong pork until I realized it
was belly.
I never looked back because,like, all I had was belly.
But she didn't tell me it waspork belly because she didn't
know the english word for that.
She just called it pork and itis one of my favorite things to
make, because I don't need arecipe, I just make it because
it's like I think it smellsright, it looks right, kind of
(37:00):
thing.
Doug (37:00):
The best way to cook.
Pam (37:01):
Yeah, because moms never give you the recipe anyway.
No, but that, yeah, that's.
I can eat that.
I can make a big thing of itand eat it for a week straight.
That's one of those dishes.
Doug (37:12):
Well, those both sound like the best bites we could
have this week.
Thank you both.
Thank you and once again,Jennifer Flanagan, Pamela Luu.
Thank you both so much forbeing on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Jen (37:23):
Thank you so much for having us.
This was a lot of fun.
Doug (37:27):
For our weekly recommend.
We're going to go back toCommunity Kitchen Pittsburgh and
that Lenten fish fry that Jenmentioned.
Going to go back to CommunityKitchen Pittsburgh and that
Lenten fish fry that Jenmentioned.
Hopefully you'll add it to thelist of your favorite spots
during the season.
Up next, looking for an easyweeknight meal, we have one that
is bang bang good.
Hey everybody, we're joinedwith Jessica Brewster, one of
(37:47):
the owners of Batch LLC up inSaxonburg.
Jessica, I was wondering, Iknow last time we talked you say
you just like to cook big,especially at the store.
You know big batches of soup orbread or whatever.
But I was wondering, whenyou're at home and you're maybe
doing something on a smallerscale, do you have a dish or a
recipe that you like to do a lotfor home cooking?
Jessica (38:10):
Yeah, my daughter and my husband absolutely love it.
I make a bang- bang or pow- powor whatever you want to call it
salmon and we make like bowlsout of it.
So it's a real simple sauce.
It has mayonnaise and srirachaand maybe some soy sauce I'm
trying to think off the top ofmy head but you coat chunks of
salmon and you put them on aroasting rack and you put them
in the oven.
So that it like caramelizes andcrisps up the outside and then
(38:33):
to the bowls, it's just steamedrice and typically broccoli, and
then we do an extra drizzle oflike yum, yum sauce or the
Kewpie mayo, you know, over top.
So it's just simple and easyand it's something I can make in
like less than 20 minutes,because we don't close the shop
until six, so by the time I gethome it's a nice thing to just
whip up real quick and it soundsdelicious.
Doug (38:55):
It's really good.
Yeah, I think it's always sucha trick.
I mean salmon's great, but youknow you don't want to dry it
out.
Are you cubing up the salmonfirst, Like when you roll it in
the sauce?
Jessica (39:05):
Yep, it's like you know inch chunks, and, yeah, just
coat them real quick.
And a rack is essential, though, because I've tried to do it on
a pan and they get foggy.
Doug (39:14):
They don't get crispy all around.
Yep, having that baking rackgets the air circulating all
around it, and so you have moresurface area, because it's
already cut too.
Oh, that sounds so good.
It's really good.
Yeah, thank you so much forsharing that recipe and thanks
for being on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Jessica (39:28):
Thanks for having us.
Doug (39:30):
Jessica Brewster, along with Megan Pohl, are the owners
of Batch LLC, based in Saxenburg.
You should give them a visitand give them a follow on
Instagram at Batch LLC.
Do you have a recipe?
Share it with us.
Just visit our website atwwwpittsburghdishcom and look
for our share a recipe form.
(39:52):
If you enjoyed the show,consider buying us a coffee for
this episode or supporting theshow monthly.
You can find links to thoseoptions at the bottom of our
show description, and if youwant to follow my own food
adventures, you can find me onsocial media at Doug Cooking.
That's our show for this week.
Thanks again to all of ourguests and contributors and to
(40:13):
Kevin Selecki of CarnegieAccordion Company for providing
the music to our show.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
Stay tuned.
Jen (40:24):
This is Jen Flanagan.
This is Pamela Luu.
Pam (40:27):
And you're listening to the Pittsburgh Dish.
Jen (40:30):
We'll try that again.
That was great.
Doug (40:36):
And the mail's here.
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