Food Origins Podcast

Food Origins Podcast

With my passion and experience with food, I talk to people about their origin stories. What they ate growing up, their culture, favorite foods, recipes, family traditions, awesome tools, best & worst restaurant experiences in the world and of course; their current projects, advice & businesses. Food connects us all, so let’s learn more about it together.

Episodes

October 24, 2025 68 mins

Toby Roberts is a restaurateur at heart with over two decades in the hospitality industry. He started Thaan while serving as President of the acclaimed Pok Pok, and kept the flame alive while launching James Beard–recognized restaurants Gado Gado and Oma’s Hideaway.

Across all of his ventures, Toby has championed hospitality, human connection, and creating unforgettable experiences around the table. That same perspective fuels his w...

Mark as Played

In this episode of the Food Origins Podcast, host David Sands sits down with Salvador Delgado, founder of Sonoran Honey Co. in Blythe, California.

Salvador shares his journey growing up around bees, learning the craft of beekeeping from his father, and building a company rooted in honesty and purity. We dive deep into the art of honey making, the hard realities of beekeeping, and expose the misconceptions and “dirty side” of the hon...

Mark as Played

Arn’s BBQ is more than just a food trailer in Whitefish, Montana—it’s a taste of true Central Texas barbecue in the heart of Big Sky Country. Founded by Arn and Leigha Mendez, the couple took their Houston roots and passion for low-and-slow smoked meats and built something special in northwest Montana.

From the very beginning, Arn’s goal was to keep it real: post oak wood imported from Texas, brisket smoked to perfection, ...

Mark as Played

Brandon Dearden is a passionate and driven executive chef with over 20 years of experience in fine dining and luxury hospitality. Known for his relentless work ethic and dedication to his craft, Brandon has built a career defined by discipline, creativity, and a true love for hospitality.

Throughout his career, Brandon has held leadership positions in award-winning restaurants and luxury hotels, including Saison Hospitality Group, W...

Mark as Played

Javier Contreras is the CEO of Rancho El 17, a regenerative cattle ranch in Sonora, Mexico. Carrying forward the vision of Mr. Zambrano, Javier is helping reshape the ranch into a model of sustainable practices, ethical cattle raising, and premium beef production.

Blending tradition with innovation, Javier is deeply committed to honoring the legacy of the land while looking ahead to the future of ranching. We were introduced through...

Mark as Played

In this episode of the Food Origins Podcast, I sit down with my friend Russell Savage, founder and pitmaster of Pico's BBQ. Russell’s culinary journey started in the kitchen long before he ever lit a smoker — attending Johnson & Wales University and training under acclaimed chef Guillaume Bienaime (a fellow podcast guest EP. 20).

From fine dining to fire and smoke, Russell later spent nearly five years in Texas, learning th...

Mark as Played

In this episode, we sit down with Master Butcher Noriaki Numamoto, a true craftsman in the world of wagyu and whole animal butchery. With decades of experience across Japan and the U.S., Noriaki has become a leading figure in the art of Japanese-style meat preparation — known for his precision, philosophy, and deep respect for the animal.

This special conversation was recorded on-site at Niku Butcher Shop in San Francisco, with Mark...

Mark as Played

Meet Nico Lechuga and his wife Lauren, the founders of Señor Lechuga Hot Sauce out of Brooklyn, NY. What started as a small-batch passion project turned into a bold brand with serious fire—earning collabs with Joe Rogan, Hot Ones, Half Face Blades, Café Unido, Huckberry, Cosmo/GQ gift guides and so much more.

Unable to find a clean hot sauce that delivered maximum heat without compromising flavor, Nico began crafting his own blends ...

Mark as Played

Nate Kouhana is a former Green Beret turned entrepreneur. He brings the same discipline, resilience, and commitment to excellence from his military service into the world of premium meat snacks. As the founder of Anthem Snacks, a veteran-owned company, Nate is dedicated to crafting high-quality, protein-packed snacks that fuel adventure and honor the spirit of service.  

With a deep love for the outdoors, Nate and his wife made thei...

Mark as Played

Ranga’s journey is one of adventure, passion, and resilience. From his upbringing across Sri Lanka, Oman, England, Southern California, and Montana to his deep connection with fishing, foraging, and open-fire cooking, he has always embraced the outdoors as both a lifestyle and a calling. Now a private chef, he curates immersive fishing and cooking experiences, blending his love for nature with his culinary craft.  

Now a private che...

Mark as Played

With a CrossFit Games championship title and eight consecutive appearances at the highest level of competition, Jason Khalipa’s record speaks for itself. His lifelong dedication to training hard and his relentless pursuit of excellence have propelled him to success—not just in fitness, but in business and life.  

As the author of “As Many Reps as Possible’”, founder of NC Fit gyms, Train Hard Fitness programming, and the Train Hard ...

Mark as Played

Jared began his love for the culinary experience in his grandmother's kitchen. Jared attended the California Culinary Academy and started his externship with Wolfang Puck and has been working for him for over 20 years along with his mentor Erick Klein . At 17 years old he started working at Spago in Palo Alto and from there he went on to work at several locations including Las Vegas and becoming the Executive Chef in Colorado....

Mark as Played
February 10, 2025 58 mins

Taku Kondo, a sushi chef with a passion for outdoor cooking, brings the art of cooking in nature’s kitchen to your ears. From grilling over campfires to creating gourmet meals in the wild, Taku shares his knowledge, tips, and stories about food, adventure, and the joy of cooking outdoors. An amazing fisherman, Taku has caught or foraged for halibut, salmon, crab, uni, wild mushrooms, and so much more. The best part is the dishes Ta...

Mark as Played

Greg Putnam, President of Little Belt Cattle Co., is a former Navy SEAL and now a rancher in Montana. His transition from elite military service to cattle ranching is both inspiring and unique. After serving in the Navy as a SEAL, Greg sought a new chapter in life that aligned with his values of hard work, discipline, and connection to the land.


Greg co founded Little Belt Cattle Co. with his partner Tim Sheehy, where they oper...

Mark as Played

Mike Glover is the CEO and founder of FieldCraft Survival, a leading company dedicated to teaching practical skills for everyday survival, self-reliance, and preparedness. With an extensive background as a former U.S. Army Green Beret and a seasoned survival expert, Mike has dedicated his life to training individuals, families, and organizations to stay safe in challenging environments.

In this episode, I’m honored to have my friend...

Mark as Played

Tim Freeman is a highly respected Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Sergio Silva and Eddie Bravo. With a deep passion for grappling and innovation, Tim has made a significant impact on the martial arts community as the host of his own Inside BJJ podcast and co-host of Grappling Hour. Tim has become a prominent voice in the martial arts community, sharing stories and insights that resonate with practitioners around the world. In ...

Mark as Played

Danny Bolton, known as "The Boarman," is a skilled outdoorsman, expert hunter, and passionate conservationist featured on MeatEater. With years of experience tracking and harvesting wild hogs, Danny has earned his reputation as one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated boar hunters in the field. His expertise goes beyond the hunt—he’s a storyteller, advocate for ethical hunting practices, and a champion of the connectio...

Mark as Played

The Cross O Ranch was established in 1890 and has seen 6 generations live in the same house at the same location. It is nestled in the second deepest canyon in the continental United States and the beauty and views are absolutely breathtaking. Despite its harsh terrain, it is home to some of the best land to raise and harvest cattle. 

In late 2016, the Cross O Ranch had to make a big shift. After the death of current owner and 4th g...

Mark as Played

Firecracker Farm is family owned and operated in Palm City, Florida. From planting, growing, and harvesting their peppers, to developing, designing, and producing products, it’s all done one small batch at a time. It’s a handcrafted operation that handles with the care and enthusiasm that only a family business can.

Alex Bonamarte is the founder of Firecracker Farm, known for creating unique, hot pepper-infused salts that bring a fi...

Mark as Played

Mark Melnick was born in Tokyo, Japan of Japanese and Polish/Ukrainian descent . At an early age, Mark learned the struggles of managing a business because his parents owned an export company. After graduating high school Mark came to the United States and studied business and accounting. A turn of events caused Mark to change careers and take a job as a beef exporter. It was an exciting time and a growing business. The beef trade ...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    Ruthie's Table 4

    For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.