The Dylan Gemelli Podcast

Episode #84: Featuring James Barry, Founder of Pluck!
Date: January 23, 2026
Host: Dylan Gemelli
Guest: James Barry (Chef, Founder of Pluck, Host of Everyday Ancestral Podcast)

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode explores ancestral health and nutrition, focusing on the critical role of nutrient-dense foods—especially organ meats—in modern wellness. Dylan Gemelli hosts chef and entrepreneur James Barry, who shares his unique mission to reintroduce organ meats into everyday diets via his functional seasoning, Pluck. The discussion covers nutritional myths, ancestral eating, overcoming food stigmas, and practical, sustainable steps for healthier eating.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Journeys & Health Paradigms

• Authenticity & Value in Health Advice (03:38)
  • Both Dylan and James emphasize seeking “authenticity, integrity, accountability and, and true value” in the overwhelming health information space.
  • Quote – James Barry [04:14]:
    “I’m looking for authenticity, integrity, accountability and, and true value. Like just, just transparent value.”
• Life Experiences that Influence Health Choices
  • James shares a pivotal story: a painful kidney stone episode and a doctor's advice (“What have you been eating and drinking?”) led to his understanding of the food-health connection (07:23).
  • Dylan underscores that diet is foundational—more significant than supplements or training—for health and physique (08:04).
  • Quote – Dylan Gemelli [08:04]:
    “You cannot outwork a bad diet. You just can’t do it... Diet’s everything. It really is.”

2. Ancestral Foundations & Diet Myths

• Modern Diet Confusion vs. Ancestral Wisdom
  • James notes humans are unique among species in looking to “someone else to tell us what to eat”—reflecting a loss of innate nutritional knowledge—because of modern food marketing and broken systems (11:38–12:00).
• The Superiority of Organ Meats
  • James identifies organ meats, especially liver, as “the most nutrient dense food,” topping charts for vitamins and minerals (13:20).
  • Quote – James Barry [13:29]:
    “Liver is the only one that checks off every single box. The other ones might have some of something, but none of something else.”
  • Stigma surrounding organ meats is seen as partly cultural, partly based on misconceptions about taste, texture, and mortality (14:02).
  • Cooking tips: Liver tastes best raw or barely cooked (“cook it when it’s still pink”), and salt should go on fat, not the meat, to retain juiciness ([14:26]–[15:41]).

3. The Innovation Behind Pluck & Organ Meat Accessibility

• Making Organ Meats Accessible and Desirable

  • Pluck is described as a “dry pâté” seasoning: a blend of freeze-dried, powdered organ meats (liver, heart, kidney, spleen, pancreas) with organic spices—making nutrient-dense eating as simple as salting your food (16:00–18:00).
  • The mission: Normalize organ meats, make nutrition effortless, pass down habits to future generations at the dinner table (19:56–20:12).
  • Quote – James Barry [19:57]:
    “That’s really good. What is that? Oh, well, that’s something that’s giving you, like, these vitamins. And it’s this ancestral thing.”
  • Microdosing organ meat nutrients via condiments enhances sustainability and palatability (21:58).

• Nutrition Profile & Practical Tips

  • Pluck delivers about 17% organ meat per serving—4x the blend found in most “ancestral blends” (21:57).
  • Eating whole animals—“nose to tail”—is emphasized as true ancestral nutrition, offering a range of nutrients humans historically thrived on (22:56–23:33).

4. Cultural and Health Impact of Modern Food Systems

• Industrial Food Waste & Environmental/Ethical Disconnect
  • James reveals up to 50% of the animal is often discarded in slaughterhouses—an ecological and ethical loss (40:32).
• Problems with “Healthy” Processed Foods
  • The duo criticizes “natural” foods filled with unnecessary, unhealthy additives and marketing tactics that mask true nutritional value ([37:39]–[38:20]).
  • Quote – Dylan Gemelli [38:20]:
    “I might as well just go get the Jif and enjoy myself… What’s the difference?”
• Simplicity & Fearmongering in Nutrition
  • Overcomplication and fear-based nutrition messages cause paralysis or disinterest; both advocate rational, simplified approaches focused on “real food” (39:05).
  • Quote – Dylan Gemelli [39:22]:
    “We need rational explanation. Okay? And when you can just be rational and just go, look, this is what it is, you know?”

5. Fats, Cholesterol, and Modern Myths

• Personal Experiences with High-Fat Diets
  • Dylan shares improvements in physique, blood work, and overall well-being after increasing fat intake and embracing animal products (47:13–48:39).
  • Common fears around fat and cholesterol are challenged—emphasizing context, nutrient density, and avoiding fear driven by the statin industry (48:57).

6. Palate Development, Texture, and Culinary Psychology

• Texture vs. Flavor in Food Preference
  • James, as a chef, points out most people are “texture hounds” more than flavor chasers, explaining how to make unpopular foods (e.g., Brussels sprouts) desirable by adjusting texture (44:47–46:08).
• Microdosing & Sustainable Habit Formation
  • Habit change and picky eating can be addressed by “microdosing” new flavors and foods, focusing on frequency and sustainability, not intensity ([54:08]–[54:38]).

7. Fermentation, Digestion, and the 'How' of Eating

• Fermented Foods and Ancestral Preparation
  • Both speakers detail the value of “the how”—food preparation and digestion (fermentation, culturing vegetables)—to increase nutrient bioavailability and fix gut health (49:43–51:15).
• Listening to Your Body
  • Regular bowel health, satiety, and energy are highlighted as simple, powerful feedback mechanisms for optimal nutrition (49:03–49:22, 48:11).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We are the only species in the world that looks to someone else to tell us what to eat.”
  James Barry [11:38]
• “Liver is the only nutrient-dense food that checks off every box.”
  James Barry [13:29]
• “You cannot outwork a bad diet. It’s everything.”
  Dylan Gemelli [08:04]
• “This body wasn’t developed to be swallowing these nutrients. We lose a communication pathway when we swallow things.”
  James Barry [23:33]
• “Eat the whole animal… We’ve never meant to isolate things. Humans are opportunistic.”
  James Barry [43:29]
• On Shark Tank:
  James Barry [58:34]:
  “This is bigger than me. This is a movement. This nose-to-tail movement, bringing people back to like, we gotta listen to our bodies and eat as Mother Nature intended.”

Shark Tank Experience (Business Insights)

[55:07–60:00]

• James shares behind-the-scenes insights: Only a portion of filmed segments are aired, so pitches must be compelling both in content and entertainment value.
• He reflects on initially passing on Shark Tank then recognizing the importance of using a platform for the “nose to tail” movement, not just for personal business gain.
• James attributes his eventual appearance to a mission-driven shift and “divine timing,” helping to expose more people to ancestral health concepts.

Practical Takeaways & Calls to Action

• Focus on Foundations: Diet, sleep, movement, and stress management are non-negotiable, ancestral pillars of health.
• Simplify Nutrition: Seek real, whole, functional foods, and question dietary dogma or fearmongering.
• Nutrient Density: Organ meats, especially via convenient options like Pluck, can fill critical nutrient gaps for modern eaters.
• Palate Expansion: Gradually introduce new flavors and textures—“microdose” for sustainability.
• Listen to Your Body: Physical feedback (digestion, energy, skin, mood) is a better guide than external diet rules.
• Find Pluck:
  • Discount Code: Use “GEMELLI” at eatpluck.com for 20% off.
  • Socials: @EatPluck, @ChefJamesBarry

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction and James’s Backstory: 00:17–05:15
• Diet vs. Supplements in Health: 08:04–09:51
• Foundations & Ancestral Eating: 11:38–14:26
• Development of Pluck: 16:00–19:56
• Microdosing, Palate, and Passing Down Habits: 19:56–21:58
• Organ Meat Nutrition & Myths: 21:57–26:53
• Cholesterol, Fats, & Modern Health Myths: 47:13–49:03
• Fermented Foods & the “How” of Eating: 49:43–51:15
• Food Waste & Animal Respect Issues: 40:32–43:29
• Shark Tank Experience: 55:07–60:00

Conclusion

This episode provides a thoughtful, practical, and authentic discussion on ancestral health, breaking down nutritional stigmas, the power of organ meats, and the “how” of sustainable dietary change. James Barry’s entrepreneurial journey with Pluck exemplifies making ancestral wisdom modern, simple, and accessible. Dylan and James offer not just nutritional facts, but actionable, paradigm-shifting guidance for anyone seeking lasting well-being.

For more, follow Dylan Gemelli’s and James Barry’s work, and visit eatpluck.com (code: GEMELLI).