Introducing the Not From Concentrate Podcast
A Food Podcast for Busy Brains.
Hi Friends!
I’m thrilled to share what I’ve been working on for the last 6 months, a new podcast for food lovers with busy brains.
It’s a weekly interview show where I chat with chefs, authors, experts and creators to hear how they tap into culinary creativity, and tackle challenges in the kitchen. My hope is these conversations leave you feeling inspired and a little hungry, and that you learn practical ways to keep your food life fresh, nourishing, and fun.
I’ve always wanted this newsletter to include good stuff from other chefs and creators, in addition to my own work, so I’m adding a weekly send that will have bonus content, recipes, and more, as a companion to each episode.
Ok, so that’s the polished announcement part.
Now for the part where I try not to cry, or bore you, and I spill my guts.
This has been one of the hardest, most exciting projects I’ve ever worked on, and I’ve been feeling a little bit freezy/nervous about announcing, and launching it.
If you’ve been following along, you know this isn’t my first attempt at audio. I fell in love with the medium the first time I stepped into the recording booth for Milk Street Radio at WGBH, almost a decade ago. I was crucified in the Facebook comment section for my “horrible vocal fry”, but I was undeterred, researching techniques to calm it down, while trying to be nice to myself and my voice. We all have to start somewhere, right?
During my time at Milk Street I had the chance to go to Staten Island to report on a restaurant run by Nonnas. I covered Nepali mo mo making, and a 24-hour candy store in the East Village that’s been run by a gentleman named Ray since 1974. And I got to answer reader cooking questions, and squabble with Chris Kimball about recipes. An actual dream job.
I also had an amazing run with Molly Ford, co-hosting The Food Lens Podcast. I did throw up on an Amtrak to NYC for a photoshoot because of morning sickness, and the launch party happened when I was 4 weeks postpartum, but I had the best time through all of it, a thoroughly joyful, and educational experience.
Molly and I interviewed so many incredible chefs and business owners in Boston, and beyond. We hosted live events, we championed the New England restaurant scene, and when the pandemic shut us down, I called restaurant owners from my closet to hear how they were making it through. Their stories have stuck with me, and I think about them a lot when work feels hard.
After an almost 5 year break from podcasting, I took a couple of scrappy swings on my own, interviewing cooks, food entrepreneurs, and gardeners in my kitchen, and then at the PRX Garage…but after a few episodes, I couldn’t fight the feeling that I wanted give this project the attention and resources it deserved.
So I put down the headphones, tapped my cookbook advance for investment, and started thinking about building an in-home studio and hiring some very smart people to help me.
The most difficult part of the last 6 months has not been the hard work, it’s been practicing patience. Something I absolutely couldn’t have done without the gentle insistence and support of Kevin O’Connell who heads up audio and video production on the NFC podcast. I originally met Kevin at the PRX Garage back in my Food Lens days. He is a talented musician, producer, and editor who has led production teams at shows like The Mel Robbins Podcast and Ten Percent Happier. When he agreed to come on board I knew I had the opportunity to make the kind of show I dreamt of.
But of course, turning dreams into reality is not without challenges. And taking on this project on the heels of shutting down not just co. (the sauce startup I co-founded and ran for 7 years) meant two things: I felt like I finally had the business chops I needed to make this work, AND I had the crushing fear of another “failure”. The pressure, if self-imposed, felt intense.
It took me several months, and many conversations with friends, family, and advisors, to turn down the volume on my newly minted “business-brain” enough to let my creative self come out to play. I felt blocked, and knew in my heart that without creative freedom and energy, there could be no show worth listening to (or watching! We’re on YouTube too, guys).
Through some combination of dog walks, and notes app scribbles, and hot baths, and beers with Artie, and listening to shows I love (Working it Out with Mike Birbiglia, and A Good Hang, with Amy Poehler, to name just a couple), the ideas, and the production of the podcast, started to flow.
After years of learning from so many great teachers, I’m producing and hosting a real show, with an incredible team.
Yay! Yikes! AHHH!
While the Not From Concentrate Podcast is, and will always be, a work in progress, I’m thrilled to share the first weekly episode with you starting November 18th!
I’m still figuring out how much of it is practical cooking/food advice, and how much is using food as a gateway to all kinds of interesting topics and people, and how much of the ADHD of it all to include. I’ll be looking to your feedback and requests, to help refine the format over time.
And now, I’m going to ask for help (again).
Please follow the show! On YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen/watch. I know writing reviews is a pain in the butt, but it really helps, so I’d love for you to review the show once you’ve listened. I promise, I read every one.
Share an episode with a busy-brained friend. There is no marketing budget for a labor of love like this (not yet!) and word of mouth is how we will find our audience. People with busy brains who love food are out there, please help me find them.
If you made it all the way here, wow, thank you! If you had told me a year ago I’d be writing my first cookbook, and releasing a podcast with an A+ team, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’m so grateful (and tired, and over-caffeinated, and I had to test a blondie recipe 6 times to get it right, and it almost broke me) but truly, I cant’ believe my good fortune, and I’m so thankful for your support.
Hugs + happy listening!
-C
Congrats, this is so cool!
👏👏👏Looking forward to this😃!