The Pittsburgh Dish

Your summer plans are booked, the grill is hot, and somehow the simple question “what should we bring?” ignites stress. We sit down with Janet Loughran, aka Chef Life Hacks, to share the kind of real-world grilling tips, picnic hacks, and beach-day fixes that make you feel like you planned everything on purpose, even if you didn't. 

We talk charcoal grilling and an unexpectedly effective way to clean grill g...

A chef’s career can start early, or it can ignite the moment someone finally tells you, “You can do this.” Chef Jackie Page joins us to share the real story behind her Pittsburgh food journey, from years in restaurants to returning to culinary school at 47 with her sister’s help and belief. 

We dig into what Jackie is known for in Pittsburgh catering and private chef work, including shrimp and gr...

What happens when a chef builds an entire menu where vegetables are the main event, and then commits to it night after night, season after season? Chef-owner Mike Godlewski joins us from EYV Restaurant (Eat Your Veggies) to explain how vegetables become the star of the plate through classical technique, fearless creativity, and a clear point of view he calls “the steakhouse of vegetables.”

Mike breaks down the th...

The wedding cookie table is one of Pittsburgh’s most joyful food traditions.  We sit down with Laura McGone, founder of The Wedding Cookie Table Community, to talk about how a simple Facebook page started in 2015 as research for a documentary, and grew into a network of bakers preserving family recipes, cultural identity, and the “cradle to grave” role cookies play in our lives.

Laura challenges the co...

We're joined by Jia (you may know them as @JiaAnimalSelfies), a Pittsburgh creator with roots in Chengdu, Sichuan, and a deep love for the kind of food that doesn’t apologize for being specific. Jia shares their family’s path from China to Pittsburgh, including stories shaped by the Cultural Revolution, immigration, and the restaurant work that helped make education possible. 

We talk about what “secre...

We sit down with Mike Ambeliotis of Mediterra Bakehouse and Mediterra Cafe to talk about what it really takes to grow a family business without losing the craft, the standards, or the relationships that built it in the first place. A local bakery that still sells at Pittsburgh farmers markets is also baking bread for Whole Foods across the country, and that tension is what makes this conversation so good.

We go upstream to the ingre...

A condiment that’s hard to categorize is usually the one worth chasing, and the Sizzle Sauce fits that bill. We talk with creator and owner Zack Mazur about a Pittsburgh-made sauce that starts with sweet barbecue vibes, shifts into a savory comfort-food depth, and then tags you with heat at the very end. 

Zack walks us through the real behind-the-scenes journey of building a small food business: the first batch ma...

Episode 100 hits a little different, because the best parts of Pittsburgh food culture aren’t just pierogi, pepperoni rolls, and perfect cookie tables. It’s the way people use food to find each other, support each other, and build something that lasts. 

We're joined by Shayla Penn, who returns to the table to share what’s happened since her early appearance on the show, and it’s a lot: hosting cooking de...

We meet up with Caleb of @cravingswithcaleb to talk about how food and coffee content works, why some recommendations instantly feel trustworthy, and what it’s like building a community around everyday spots you can actually visit. We get into his “coffee since childhood” backstory, his current daily documenting, and why consistency matters more than chasing the perfect viral moment.

Then we swap notes on w...

We sit down with Nick, founder and head baker of Inside Out Cookie, to unpack the double meaning behind the name, what makes these big filled cookies different from anything you grab at the grocery store, and why in-person events and festivals became a turning point.

Nick walks us through flavor development and the realities of small-batch baking at scale, including why Dubai Chocolate became the breakout best seller, and ho...

Fermentation is happening all around you, and once you understand it, your kitchen gets bigger. We sit down with Trevor Ring and Jess Canose of Community Cultures to unpack what fermentation actually is and why it matters beyond trendy jars on a countertop. 

We also get specific about what Community Cultures makes and teaches. Trevor shares how live cultured sodas built on water kefir (tibicos) become a way to spotlight...

Food can be fun, but it can also be a funding engine, and Pittsburgh’s NFL Draft week is about to prove it. We sit down with Ann Marie Krautheim, CEO of GENYOUth, to unpack how Taste Of The Draft turns a night of great bites, Steelers pride, and live entertainment into real support for kids who need breakfast to start the school day ready to learn. If you care about Pittsburgh, school meals, or smarter ways to fight food inse...

What do you do when the thing you built suddenly stops working and you still need to pay the bills? We talk with Sarah Kaminsky, founder of Best Ever Granola, about turning a pandemic pivot into a fast-growing food brand that’s now stocked by more than 100 retailers across 10 states.

Sarah breaks down what makes her small batch granola different in a crowded aisle: gluten-free and vegan recipes with intentionally low s...

A food truck can look like the dream until you’re double-frying fries in a tiny kitchen, guessing crowds at breweries, and trying to pay every bill on time. Rob and Al of Robal's Food Truck walk me through what it really takes to turn a long-running idea into a local success story, and why “working for ourselves” is the point even when it gets stressful. 

We get into the food first because their menu i...

We sit down with Ken of Point State Fork to trace the roots of a lovingly curated feed that blends Pittsburgh eats, travel snapshots, and bakes that carry a personal legacy. From a dried sourdough starter gifted by Third Space Bakery to Earl Grey scones with rose glaze, Ken shows how documenting meals can honor a partner’s creative spirit while lifting up local businesses that make a neighborhood feel like home.

We wid...

We sit down with Chef Missy Terrell to trace her arc from a pandemic-era kitchen table to Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, a training program that unlocked professional technique, industry mentors, and a calling to serve. Her story is raw and generous, from turning “apple butter” into Tug Butter, and transforming that love into a catering brand and a toolkit for her autistic son to thrive.

Missy shares how real ingr...

Craving Indian cooking without the sprawling spice cabinet or the burn? We sit down with Priya and Glenn of Anar Gourmet Foods to unpack how they took a grandmother’s eight-hour curry powder and built it into clear, reliable seasoning kits you can cook on a Tuesday night. Think authentic South Indian flavor, simplified steps, and heat you control—not bland shortcuts.

Then we head across town for a sweet curveball. Ana An...

What happens when homestyle Chinese comfort meets classical technique and a crash course in high-stakes private dining? We sit down with Chef Ken, owner of KCZ Cuisine to find out how family recipes, a quarter-life pivot, and a relentless focus on hospitality has shaped one of Pittsburgh’s most sought-after private chef services.

We dive into the dishes that define Ken's style: tomato and egg stir-fry that never leaves a famil...

A 155-year-old bar in Market Square doesn’t survive by chasing trends; it survives by knowing exactly who it is. We sit with owner Jen Grippo of Pittsburgh’s Original Oyster House and dig into the choices that keep a landmark alive: a no-frills tavern seafood identity, house-made sauces with stories, and a jumbo fish sandwich that defines comfort. 

Market Square’s reconstruction for the 2026 NFL Draft ...