Climate & Cuisine Podcast

Discover how vegan directory founder Kiana Melvin is transforming how people find plant-based restaurants, vegan businesses, and cruelty-free brands across America.

In this episode of Climate and Cuisine, host Jane DeMarines (Executive Director of Climate Diet) sits down with Kiana Melvin, the 26-year-old CEO and founder of Plant Plate Map — a nationwide vegan directory with over 1,700 listings, including 1,500+ vegan restaur...

In this episode, we sit down with Michele Cuffe, author of Health Revival, to discuss the revolutionary concept of "Muscle-Centric Medicine" and why building muscle is the ultimate key to aging with vitality. Michelle reveals her "Big 6" pillars of health that can help you reconnect with your DNA and reverse the effects of modern lifestyle diseases.  

If you’ve been looking for a realistic way to manage menopause, improv...

Plant-based diet expert Glen Merzer discusses why doctors need nutrition training and how food choices impact climate change. Author of "Food is Climate" and co-author of "Moving Medicine Forward" with Dr. Michael Klaper.

🌱 What You'll Learn: - Why medical schools don't teach nutrition to doctors - How plant-based diets reverse chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease - The connection between animal agriculture, methane em...

Are we treating the root cause of chronic illness, or just handing out more pills? In this eye-opening interview, we sit down with Dr. Michael Klaper, a medical pioneer with over 50 years of experience, to uncover the undeniable power of a whole-food, plant-based diet.

Dr. Klaper breaks down how we can actively reverse conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes simply by changing what we put on our plat...

If you’re searching for plant-based fitness, vegan longevity, or how to build muscle after 50, this episode is a must-watch.

In this powerful and deeply human conversation on the Climate and Cuisine Podcast, we sit down with bestselling author and plant-based fitness coach Maxime Sigouin, whose journey spans farm life, bodybuilding, elite modeling, caregiving through cancer, and helping thousands reclaim their health.

This ep...

What if one of the most powerful climate actions was already on your plate?

In this episode of Climate & Cuisine, host Jane DeMarines sits down with Addison Chantz, Associate Executive Director of the Farm Animal Rights Movement, for an honest and hopeful conversation about how everyday food choices impact the climate, our health, and the future of our planet.

From navigating holiday indulgences to building sustainable, plant-f...

How can local leadership and food choices accelerate real climate solutions?

In this episode of Climate & Cuisine, hosted by Jane DeMarines, we’re joined by Sarah Kogel-Smucker, Montgomery County’s Climate Change Officer, to explore how communities can lead the fight against climate change—starting with policy, resilience planning, and what’s on our plates.

🌍 In this conversation, we discuss:

How Montgo...

In this thoughtful and timely episode of Climate & Cuisine, host Jane DeMarines sits down with restaurateur, caterer, and musician-turned-entrepreneur Michael Jantz-Moon for an honest conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the climate power of plant-based food.

Michael shares the behind-the-scenes realities of navigating economic disruption in the Washington, DC area—from widespread job losses and neighborhood re...

In this inspiring episode of Climate & Cuisine, host Jane DeMarines sits down with filmmaker, journalist, and vegan advocate Ray Kowalchuk to explore the powerful intersection of food, film, and climate action.

Ray shares his journey from film student to Executive Director of the International Vegan Film Festival, which began in 2018 and has since grown into a global, multi-day celebration around World Vegan Day. Together, Jane...

In this episode of the Climate & Cuisine Podcast, host Jane DeMarines sits down with filmmaker, YouTube creator, and long-time vegan activist Chris Cooney, best known for his viral brand The Vegan Zombie and his new feature film, Vegan Zombies A44.

Chris shares the fascinating journey that led him from an unfulfilling day job to creating a zombie-themed vegan cooking show, a bestselling cookbook published in multiple languages,...

In this powerful episode of Climate & Cuisine, host Jane DeMarines sits down with award-winning journalist and bestselling author Michael Grunwald, whose latest book We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate exposes one of the biggest truths about climate change—our food system is at the center of it all.

Grunwald shares compelling insights from his book, built around the groundbreaking...

How do we turn facts into feelings—and data into action? In this compelling episode, host Jane DeMarines sits down with Dr. Garrett M. Broad, Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Rowan University and Provost’s Fellow for Sustainability, to explore the art and science of environmental communication.

Together, they dive deep into how stories shape sustainability movements, why emotional connection is essential ...

In this inspiring episode of Climate & Cuisine, host Jane DeMarines sits down with Saurabh Dalal, a lifelong ethical vegan, physicist, and environmental advocate, to explore how shifting to a plant-based lifestyle can transform our planet’s future.

Saurabh shares his journey from multi-generational vegetarian roots to becoming vegan in 1991 — a decision grounded in compassion and science. Together, Jane and Saurabh ...

At one time, Chuck Carroll — now known as The Weight Loss Champion — weighed 420 pounds on a 5’5” frame, consuming nearly 10,000 calories of fast food every day. With a 66-inch waist and a 6XL shirt, he was on a path toward an early grave. But after confronting his food addiction, Chuck turned his life around — losing over 270 pounds and keeping it off for more than 15 years through the power of a plan...

Are the “healthy” foods in your pantry secretly fueling your inflammation? 🧐 In this eye-opening episode, author and nutrition expert Cyd Notter — age 70 and thriving — breaks down the hidden truths behind refined sugars, food labels, and how what we eat every day silently shapes our health.

Discover: 🍭 The shocking reasons refined sugar triggers inflammation in your gut and brain. 🥣 How to read nutrition ...

Are the “healthy” foods in your pantry secretly fueling your inflammation? 🧐 In this eye-opening episode, author and nutrition expert Cyd Notter — age 70 and thriving — breaks down the hidden truths behind refined sugars, food labels, and how what we eat every day silently shapes our health.

Discover: 🍭 The shocking reasons refined sugar triggers inflammation in your gut and brain. 🥣 How to read nutrition ...

What happens when a single conversation changes the course of your life — your health, your family, and even the planet? In this powerful and heartwarming episode, Erin DeMarines and Jane DeMarines share their vegan origin story, the health breakthroughs that inspired them, and the creation of their podcast Climate & Cuisine under the nonprofit Climate Diet.

🔥 You’ll discover:

* How Erin’s triathlon coach spa...

From Texas cattle rancher’s wife to vegan activist, Renee King Sonnen—known worldwide as The Rowdy Girl—shares her extraordinary journey of courage, compassion, and transformation. 🌱🐄

In this powerful episode of Climate & Cuisine, hosted by Jane DeMarinis, discover: ✨ How Renee went from ranch life to rescuing her husband’s entire cattle herd. ✨ The shocking Halloween moment that turned her vegan overn...

What’s the real cost of the food on your plate? In this powerful episode of Climate and Cuisine, Jane DeMarinis, Executive Director of Climate Diet, speaks with Labor Justice Advocate, Chair of Climate Diet and Workplace Fairness Executive Director Edgar Ndjatou about the hidden human toll of climate change—especially on farmworkers and outdoor laborers.

🌡️ As temperatures soar and extreme heat becomes the new normal, ...