Food, Media, and the Modern Chef, Alexandria Ebron, Chef Jason F. Lynn

Summary

Walk-In Talk Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Walk-In Talk Podcast
Episode: Food, Media, and the Modern Chef
Host: Carl Fiadini
Guests: Alexandria Ebron (Brand Manager, The Zest & Classical WSMR), Chef Jason F. Lynn (Cooking Edge Studio, Del Webb Mineola)
Date: March 20, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode, host Carl Fiadini explores the intersection of food, media, and contemporary chef culture. Together with Alexandria Ebron and returning guest Chef Jason F. Lynn, the conversation delves into how storytelling, visual presentation, and media are fundamentally transforming the food world—from the way chefs brand themselves and their dishes, to how media shapes local dining scenes, and what really matters to today's diners.

The discussion covers field experiences from food shows, the social impact of food content, balancing aesthetics and taste, and the evolving pressures faced by chefs and creators. There’s warmth, humor, and an emphasis on the community and humanity at the heart of hospitality.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The NY Restaurant Show & Culinary Demos (02:07–07:54)

• Carl reflects on the energy and scale of the New York Restaurant Show, underscoring the importance of in-person industry events.
• Chef Jason details two featured dishes, focusing on presentation, taste, and inspiration from company branding:
  • Silky Chicken: Unique black-skinned, white-meat bird (reminiscent of "a Pomeranian"), paired with sweet potato puree, black currant reduction, wasabi cream, scallion nest, charred cauliflower, and bok choy. The dish’s colors mirrored the branding of his management company.

    “I did it kind of in honor of a triad association management, who I work directly for, as it has the purple in their logo, the yellow in their logo, and the black.” – Jason (07:29)

  • Pork Shanks: Seared pork, honey roasted brussels sprouts, fingerling potato and pepper hash, port wine demi, and crispy shallot. Designed for upcoming restaurant View 232.

2. The Power of Food in Media (08:24–13:29)

• Alexandria discusses her journey from food blogger to Zest podcast/influencer, crediting real-world experiences and digital journalism training.
• The trio swaps stories of their New York pizza pilgrimages, lauding iconic slices and neighborhood spots.

  “You gotta go to Linda Street. He got me a shirt from Linda street, so I wear it all the time. … Another place ... is called Cuts and Slices. … Their pizza was so good. And the slices are huge.” – Alexandria (09:44)

• Reflection on how media—especially video and social—shapes perceptions, drives enthusiasm, and inspires personal journeys through food.

3. Finding a Voice & Shaping Local Narratives (13:34–20:22)

• Alexandria’s path: From exploring Tampa’s independent restaurants for personal enjoyment to influencing the city’s food culture through content and relationships.

  “The food scene in Tampa ... it’s the way it is ... low key because of me, because I’m writing about these restaurants and chefs and all this stuff and building relationships for myself.” – Alexandria (16:53)

• Carl and Alexandria note that media coverage (podcasts, blogs, social content) helps restaurateurs, chefs, and new concepts get discovered, alongside traditional investments.

4. Food as Community & Exploration (20:22–25:10)

• Discussion of Tampa’s expanding culinary scene, increased diversity, and the value of supporting local restaurants over national chains.
• The panel highlights how food serves as both a window into community and a catalyst for new connections.

  “Food is fun. Food is community. … I always try to find the fun in it.” – Alexandria (20:22)

5. Food & Visual Media: What Hits and Why? (25:10–29:57)

• Food and cameras: Alexandria argues people want to see what they’re about to eat, and there’s huge creative potential in visual storytelling.
• Carl presses on what makes content “hit.” Alexandria prioritizes human interest, unique backgrounds, and authenticity—citing vegan baker Gabby Bakes and rapper-turned-food-entrepreneur Tom G as compelling local examples.

  “Maybe, like the human interest part of it, definitely, if you have a cool story.” – Alexandria (27:22)

6. Chefs and Content Creation: The New Reality (31:49–34:30)

• Chef Jason shares the challenges and necessity of mastering food photography and social media—highlighting generational shifts and the need for constant adaptation.

  “I had to keep up with the times...as a young aspiring chef ... you have to sell yourself…And the Instagrams...is a way to sell yourself. So I had to do it.” – Jason (31:49)

• The mutual respect among guests centers on the amount of behind-the-scenes work and the exhaustion in creating ‘cheffy’ content.

7. Plating vs. Taste: Which Matters More? (39:59–41:29)

• Chef Jason admits chefs today often wrestle with visual presentation as much as taste—a shift partly driven by Instagram and food content culture.

  “We can get so ... removed from, ‘does it taste good?’ ... Everybody’s worried about the look.” – Jason (35:16)

• Alexandria emphasizes taste as primary for her, but acknowledges, “You can have the most flavorful, best, delicious ... but if it looks like slop on a plate, they’re going to scroll on by and not make it in the door.” (40:33)

8. Industry Pressures: Are We Asking Too Much of Chefs? (42:41–47:09)

• Carl and Alexandria discuss “Noma” and the pressures on restaurants to innovate, impress, and survive.
• Chef Jason gives a candid account of the toll on chefs, from tight profit margins and post-COVID staffing challenges to responsive (and sometimes volatile) public criticism.

  “I played restaurant for three years. I broke even. I paid my landlord. I paid everybody except me.” – Jason (45:50)

• The group notes the difference between large chains and the struggles of "mom and pop" establishments.

9. What Deserves More (or Less) Coverage? (47:09–51:50)

• Chef Jason and Alexandria call for greater emphasis on community, humanism, and real stories—and less obsession with chef celebrity or ultra-high-end concepts.

  “If you said, Jason, you could have a dream restaurant ... would it be, like, a Noma? ... Or could I have, like, a restaurant feeding, like, homeless people? I’d rather do that.” – Jason (47:31)

• The panel agrees the most meaningful moments in food happen through sharing, community, and serving others, not just in chasing trends.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Branding Through Food
  "All right, so you brought. You actually brought company branding into the plate."
  — Carl Fiadini (07:46)
  "Exactly."
  — Chef Jason F. Lynn

• On the Value of Local Food Coverage
  “The food scene in Tampa ... it’s the way it is ... low key because of me…”
  — Alexandria Ebron (16:53)

• On Food as Community
  "Food is fun. Food is community. ... I always try to find the fun in it."
  — Alexandria Ebron (20:22)

• On the Chef's Dilemma with Presentation
  “We can get so ... removed from, ‘does it taste good?’ ... Everybody’s worried about the look.”
  — Jason F. Lynn (35:16)

• On Humanism in Hospitality
  “I want some more of that because I, I really believe we feed people. Remember, it’s energy and it is love. ... I'd rather serve the people struggling.”
  — Jason F. Lynn (47:31)

• On Real Impact vs. Perception
  “You can have the most flavorful, best, delicious ... but if it looks like slop on a plate, they’re going to scroll on by and not make it in the door.”
  — Carl Fiadini (40:33)

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Important Timestamps

• NY Restaurant Show Recap: 00:00–02:07
• Silky Chicken & Branding Dishes: 02:23–07:54
• Alexandria’s Media Journey: 13:34–20:22
• Tampa Food Scene & Restaurant Memories: 20:22–25:10
• Food & Social Media/Cameras: 25:10–29:57
• Chef Jason’s Social Media Evolution: 31:49–34:30
• Plating vs. Flavor: 39:59–41:29
• Industry Demands & Pressures: 42:41–47:09
• Coverage Needs in Food Media: 47:09–51:50

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Where to Find the Guests

• Alexandria Ebron:

  • Instagram/TikTok: @alicat
  • The Zest: @thezestpodcast (Facebook & Instagram)
  • Blog: thefrugalistalife.com
  • YouTube: The Frugalista Life

• Chef Jason F. Lynn:

  • Instagram: @chefjaylynn

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Tone & Style

The episode is candid and down-to-earth, balancing industry expertise with humor and warmth. The hosts and guests share honest reflections, practical advice, and a clear passion for food as more than just sustenance—it’s story, art, labor, and love.

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Takeaways

• Media—especially social and visual—now permeates all layers of the food world, impacting how chefs, brands, and stories are shared and consumed.
• There is ongoing tension between the necessity of “curated food” and the authenticity of food that simply tastes good.
• Community, humanity, and the shared experience of food deserve more coverage and focus—beyond the glitter of chef stardom or viral content.
• The pressures on chefs and independent restaurants are ever-increasing; balancing economics, artistry, and customer expectations is more complicated than ever.

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For more raw, real, and inspiring stories from the food world, follow @walkandtalkshow and stay tuned to the Walk-In Talk Podcast.

Transcript

[A]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. Last week, we were in Manhattan three days at the New York Restaurant Show. Moving, shooting, talking to chefs, brands, operators, people from every corner of this industry. You feel it when they're there. The pace, the ideas, the energy. It reminds you how big this business really is. I want to take a second to thank the team that was on the ground. Chef Bouch Rivera, Chef Michael Calantes, Jordan Will, and of course, the restaurant events team who put the whole thing together. We missed having John there, and that one was felt. And being in that environment reinforces something we've been talking about a lot lately. Food doesn't just live on the plate anymore. It lives in media, on camera, on social, in podcasts, in the way stories are told and shared. That's where we're living again today. Our featured guest is Alexandria Ebron, brand manager for the Zest and classical wsmr, part of the NPR ecosystem at WUSF and the University of South Florida. Alexandria built her voice through writing, content, and real world experience. And now she helps shape how food stories are seen across the state. Cooking Edge Studio is Chef Jason F. Lin, a returning guest to Walk and Talk. He's a friend. Jason is currently a Del Webb Mineola. Building within a system while still pushing his identity as a chef and navigating the reality that today, food and media are tied together, whether you like it or not. So today's conversation sits right where we've been the last few weeks. Food and media, craft and content. What gets made and what gets seen. Let's get into it. Chef, welcome back.

[B]

I'm glad to be here.

[A]

How was fun? It was fun today, wasn't it? Had a good time?

[B]

Yeah. It's always fun.

[A]

Is it, though? Yeah. Okay. All right. Hey, listen, man, I don't want any trouble with you.

[B]

No. I try to come more often, but you always tell me to go away.

[A]

I gotta keep you on the short leash, man. You know what I mean?

[B]

I know.

[A]

Yeah, I got you. So listen, you did some cool stuff today. I want to start with the chicken. Talk about this chicken. I've never seen that before. For a minute, I thought we had that on the program prior, but upon research, no.

[B]

Yeah. Silky chicken. It's a beautiful chicken. It's white and fluffy. Kind of like a Pomeranian. I hate to kind of compare it to that, but the beak is black, the feet are black. Everything is dark dark about it. And it's like stronger obviously than like even like the thigh meat of like a traditional chicken we would eat here in the States, so.

[A]

Well, the meat was an off color, so it's not. It doesn't look like dark meat.

[B]

Yeah, it's. It's almost like. It's almost like the meat is kind of white, but then the skin is black. But then it kind of has like a frog leg hue to it, which is kind of weird to say.

[A]

So it definitely tastes like chicken, but it's not dialed in as chicken. Yeah, I don't, and in fact, I don't. I don't have a good description for that. But it was really delicious. Yeah, so that's my description. It was delicious.

[B]

Yeah, it is kind of hard to describe, but like you said, but the meat is really tender too. Even though it's. The meat's really soft and tender. And that was a small chicken, so it didn't, you know, get all tough and old.

[A]

What were the equilibrium for that?

[B]

You know, we did the sweet potato puree just because I'm obviously balancing out some of the. The chicken can be kind of. What's the word I'm looking for? Not bitter, but it can have some kind of bite to it. And then the black currant reduction. Thinking of like the world of duck, you know, you do raspberries a lot. So I'm kind of sticking with that darkness. And the black currant and that reduction. Wasabi cream. Add some heat. The scallion nest a little bit like fresh bite. And the cauliflower and the bok choy were kind of the clean vegetable that were just charred.

[A]

The claw.

[B]

The claw. I forget the name of the. The restaurant. So there's a, there's a chef that fried the thigh and leg and left the claw on. And I think it's almost like Michelin level. It's like a high end restaurant where the. And so the claw would be hanging out the side of the sandwich. And you can Google this. I forget the name of the chef.

[A]

And so anyway, listen, the, the photography on this particular bird with the claw. We were all a little skeptical at first, but you know what? It came out really cool. Yeah, right?

[B]

Yeah, I just wanted a little kind of creeper vibe. I know that sounds strange. Food shouldn't be creepy. Even you said, hey, it kind of has like a Halloween ish thing going On.

[A]

I would. That would have been the dish for Halloween, just in its natural form without getting, you know, cartoony or whatever. But it was a really cool, interesting dish, and it's something new, so I'm glad you brought it.

[B]

And dish number two is the pork shanks, which you saw in the video that I. I seared off in the pan. And then that had the honey roasted brussels sprouts, because obviously brussels sprouts like some sweetness for balance. Fingerling potato and pepper hash for a quick pickup, because we're going to be selling that at BU232, the restaurant I'm currently overseeing. And then the port wine demi and dehydrated crispy shallot brings in that crunch.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Well done. These are delicious dishes. And I think the photography came out good. Hopefully my videography is going to hold the weight next to Mr. Hernandez. Hey, man, we missed you in New York, buddy. I mean, we did have a blast. I'm going to say it physically beat the hell out of me, but I'm going to tell you, it was a blast. It was just five days of. Of New York pizza is what it was. Yeah, I did gain a lot of weight. Yeah, thanks. Yeah, it's true. So the New York restaurant show was pretty, pretty dope, I have to tell you. The whole thing was really great. Busy, packed, Obviously, we're going to be in California and then Florida. You have to make it to the Florida show.

[B]

It sounds like a plan.

[A]

Yeah. Especially it's in Orlando. Right.

[B]

I got no excuses.

[A]

There aren't any excuses.

[B]

It's right there.

[A]

Yeah. And you have to be participate in our cinematic antics, if you will.

[B]

Yeah, sounds good. I can hand out hors d', oeuvres, you know, whatever. Omelet station.

[A]

Yeah, we'll put you in it. We'll take the chef coat off, we'll put you in a tuxedo, and you'll be good to go. Penguin suit and you're all right. Yeah, no, keep the Converse, though. Wear the Converse. Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Oh, look good.

[A]

Oh, and if you can get some tattoos before then.

[B]

Yeah. And again, some gauges.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

You have some tweezers and I'll be good. The car or bigger tweezers?

[A]

Bigger tweezers.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm off my apron.

[A]

That's so bad. All right. We're all seeing the vision.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. Excellent. All right, enough with you. You did good today, man. It's been a while. I know. You know what? It was a long time coming, and the. The week was right. Yeah.

[B]

We worked out timing because with the restaurant I'm at, we're building, designing, it's not open yet. So I'm not stuck on a line where I can come hang out with you.

[A]

Correct. I mean, I know that's what you'd want to do, and I don't blame you.

[B]

No, It's a lot of fun.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This is great.

[C]

This is what we do.

[B]

Oh. Can I say one thing?

[A]

No.

[B]

And regarding the soy silky chicken dish, I did it kind of in honor of a triad association management, who I work directly for, as it has the purple in their logo, the yellow in their logo, and the black. So that's why I went with those colors. I still brought in some green to help it pop, but that was my goal.

[A]

All right, so you brought. You actually brought company branding into the plate. Exactly. All right, brilliant. Without further ado.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Alexandria, welcome to the program.

[C]

Thanks for having me.

[A]

No, thank you for having me on your show.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Because that's really a title. This went down. So now here you are. It's full circle. We had d' Aalia a couple weeks ago.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Yep, yep. And that was a terrific, terrific episode. I gotta check the numbers, but I think that one hit pretty hard.

[C]

Oh, awesome.

[A]

Yeah, I'll check before we. Before we split.

[C]

Okay. Yeah.

[A]

So welcome.

[C]

Thank you. Thanks for having me.

[A]

Did you have fun today, too?

[C]

I did, and the food was actually really good.

[A]

It was. We were all unsure. I mean, I'm going to tell you, we were all unsure. We saw what was going on, and we're like, oh, God, John. Yeah. Like, what you didn't see, Jason, is the three of us were all looking at each other like, what the hell is this?

[B]

They had the black chicken, right? Yeah.

[A]

There was the chicken. It was like, sell these purees. Purees everywhere. All right, Alex, you know, we just got back from New York a few days ago. It was nonstop. It was literally standing room only for the same. Yeah, it was crazy. When you look at a show like that and, you know, coming from a social media perspective, what stands out to you is it. Is it the food? Is it the people? Is it the stories and the brands, the manufacturers? What do you think?

[C]

I think, for one, it's the people. Because if I'm looking at your videos and, like, oh, my God, that is a lot of people. And kind of thinking about, like, work conferences that I've had to go to, and you're just walking around, there's like, a bajillion people, and they're all there for the same reason. So that part I was like, wow, that's a lot of people. Obviously the food. I've only been in New York once And that was 20, 23, I think it was. And the food in New York is really good. My husband went last year. I think it was to visit a friend and he did like a, an unofficial pizza tour. He went to. You gotta go to Linda Street. He got me a shirt from Linda street, so I wear it all the time. Yeah, he went to Scar's and he really enjoyed it. But another place that I usually recommend to people, they do go to New York. It's called Cuts and Slices. It's a black owned pizza, pizza brand pizza business. And they have different locations. Like we went to the one in Brooklyn and it's like a small space. Probably like the size of this room. Probably the size of this room. But their pizza was so good. And the slices are huge. Like we got three slices. It was like, I remember one was oxtail and we went to a park that was like across the street from it and we shared the slices. And it's like y' all can really just eat pizza, whatever you want. You don't have to like order it, you know. Most of the pizza places, I swear, have been there since like the early 1900s probably. But like just the food in New York and all the food videos that I've seen, I'm just like, I have to get back to New York. I have to.

[A]

The whole trip for us, we were there for five days and it was nothing but random pizza stops. One of them was Scar's. Okay. And that was legit. That was probably the best pizza I've had in a very, very ever. Except for L and B Pizza Spaghetti Gardens in Brooklyn. In Bensonhurst, which I think they just got bought out. That was like a 85 year old company. Yeah. And I think recently, maybe a year ago, you know, it's under new ownership now.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

But other than that place.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Scars was phenomenal. Fant. Yeah, man. So good.

[C]

I have to make them take me there next time. It's worth it. It's worth it.

[A]

And you know what's funny about. Yeah. Like, like New York's funny place. It's hard, it's almost hard to find a sit down restaurant. They're there, obviously.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But when you're walking and you're doing your thing, it's literally you're walking into like a, you know, 10 by 15 size space.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And they're just pumping food out. You take it and you go, you know, you Go home with it. I gotta tell you, we walked. I looked at my Apple watch in the steps, and there was like, 30,000 steps or. In what day? Yeah, we walked 35 miles in a day.

[C]

I think one of the days that we were there, we walked nine miles. At least I walked nine miles. I think he walked more. Because what he does is I think that morning he got up and went to. I think this, probably this day, he got up and went to Dominique Ansell for little, you know, pastries and baked goods. So his. His steps were probably way more than mine, but I looked at mine that day, and I was like, I really walk nine miles. Like, that's. That's crazy.

[A]

And it happens fast. I have to. So, pooch, I let we land. Support for Walk and Talk Media comes from Metro Food Service Solutions, trusted by kitchens that need storage and workflow that actually does the job. Learn [e-mail] Uber to the Airbnb. We link up, and he's like, let's just go walk. We got, like, three hours to spare. I'm like, okay, sure, no problem. I don't know. I think we walked for eight hours is what it really would have felt like. And I was destroyed for the rest of the trip. Now for all the walking I did, you would think, well, you know, buddy lost a couple of pounds or something. No, no, no, no, no, man. That didn't happen. It didn't happen, and it was the opposite effect. Damn you, New York pizza.

[C]

Yeah, we can blame the pizza.

[A]

You didn't actually come up through a traditional media pipeline.

[C]

No.

[A]

You found yourself, you know, with the blogging and creative loafing. You were there for a little while, and then you landed at the Zest. When did food stop being something you covered and started becoming something of your own? Lane?

[C]

That's a good question.

[A]

I don't mess around over here.

[C]

No, obviously, I would say. I would say, in a sense, I still do cover it, because sometimes the content that I make for myself, I'll use it for the zest. So, for example, a couple weeks ago, I was in Jacksonville for. They have a race called the Gate River Run. And so my family and I, when I was a kid, we used to do it every year. Like, there's pictures of me and my cousins with our little numbers on, running their little. The mile that they have for the kids. And so this is the first time that we've done it all together in a very, very long time. So obviously, we went to Jacksonville. We ate our way through Jacksonville. So, like, I have the Video edited. I decided to, you know, put the finishing touches on it. But something like that I'll use for myself and for the Zest, if it's on Instagram. And I'm sure everybody knows this feature, you can just add whoever you want as a collaborator, and it'll show up on everybody's feeds. So obviously my feed and the Zest feed, so I do that all the time. And I think last week I was at the Sugar Factory, so I'm still covering food socially. Not necessarily, like, writing about it like I used to, but it's still there. How did I carve my own lane?

[A]

Oh, my God.

[C]

I guess doing it, doing it in the way that I was doing it in a way that suited me the best. It wasn't something. It was something that just kind of like, landed in my lap, basically. So I'm from Orlando. I'm living in Tampa. This is maybe like 2013. So at this time, me and my husband, who's my boyfriend at the time, I was like, you know, like, let's just start exploring different restaurants in the area. Because the way our work schedules were set up, the only days that we really had together was Wednesday. So every Wednesday we would go try a new place. And it's always funny when Facebook Memories shows you the different things I will say my food photos during this time were horrible. They were not great at all. But it's always a reminder of what where I started. So I was like, well, I want to try different places. So that way when my family comes from Orlando, I can take them somewhere that isn't a chain restaurant. Like, I want to take them somewhere that they probably haven't eaten in Orlando or don't have in Orlando. So then that kind of trailed off to me having a little, what I call a quarter life crisis at 25 and then going to grad school, because I was like, okay, well, I'm going to go to school. I'm going to go. I'm going to go back to school for my master's, and this is what I'm going to study. So I got my master's in digital journalism, and I have a certificate in food writing and photography. Because I'm like, okay, we're doing this food stuff. I want to look more legit. Like, I want to. I want to learn the thing. So doing that. Started interning at creative loafing in 2016. Right? No, that's a lot. 2017. I'm sorry. May 2017, I started interning, and then my editor at the time, she was like, hey, do you want to stay on and just, like, freelance for us? I was like, yeah, sure. Like, okay. I'm glad you guys enjoyed me enough to keep me on. So I did that from 2017 until, like, 2023. And sometimes I have to sit back and just look at everything that I've written, and I'm like, I did this, like, the food scene in Tampa. Like, it's the way it is. Like, low key because of me, because I'm writing about these restaurants and chefs and all this stuff and building relationships for myself because a lot of the restaurant owners I'm still cool with. I'm always in their DMs and on their socials.

[A]

But building up a catalog is pretty amazing.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

When I look back and I see what we've done here, John, with the photography, the podcast and, you know, now, you know, video and whatnot, it's pretty amazing.

[C]

It is.

[A]

You know, and the truth is. And it's not. I don't know if it's low key or not, but at the end of the day, you know, people like you, people like us, we're shaping narrative. Obviously, it's the restaurateur, it's the chef. It's. It's that. Because, you know, they're the ones putting the money in and building these restaurants and doing all of that part. Right. But in terms of, like, how you're found. Yeah, it comes in. In this form. It comes in the form of, you know, podcasting and social media and people taking, you know, photos and. And putting too much contrast and everything, you know, in it. So, you know, in the end with me. That's me, by the way. Yeah, yeah, that was me. I learned lessons.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, I was, you know, John beat. Beat me up pretty well every time I would post them. What are you doing?

[C]

What's your photos like? Crazy. What do you know?

[A]

Well, his photos are crazy. Me, you know, I don't. Anyway, so you work in food with media, you work in music with media. Which one do you like better? And what is it that pulled you into those two. Those two categories?

[C]

So, like I said, I do enjoy. I enjoy them both. But the zest is like my baby. Like, I, you know, I get real possessive over it. Like, oh, you can't do this. It's mine. But I do enjoy classical music. And it's funny because, like, as I've been working in classical music, it's very interesting because a lot of the songs that I hear, I recognize them from commercials or I think one time I was listening to a song, I was like, I think that was in the movie Fantasia, which I might date myself, but I think I still have the VHS of Fantasia from when I was a kid in my house somewhere. But, yeah, like, you recognize these songs, and it's like, oh, my God, they're everywhere. They're not just, like, you know, being played in somebody's house. Like, they are actually being used. As far as food,

[A]

Walk and Talk Media is proudly supported by Rack Porcelain usa, creating durable, beautifully designed tableware for chefs and hospitality professionals. Learn more@rack porcelain.com so what got me

[C]

into food was, like, I was saying before, I just kind of want to explore Tampa and find out what restaurants were in the area. And, you know, no, no, hate to change. I love chains. But, you know, eating somewhere that's local is, to me, is really cool because you kind of get to know the city a little bit. Kind of get to know the people a little bit. And actually, I did my grad school project on restaurants in Seminole Heights. So this is 2018, and I went to, I don't know, Bajillion. I went to several restaurants doing this video by myself. So food is fun. Food is community. You know, you sit at the table with your. With your family, with your friends. You know, you might go out for a little cocktail or whatever with your. With your friends. But I always try to find the fun in it. And also, I will say it has enhanced my palette a little bit. Last year, I was telling my husband, I was like, I want to try more Asian foods. Like, it might have started as, like, a random craving for, like, orange chicken or something, but it's like, I want to try more Asian foods. And the funny thing is, once I said that to him, I started getting. I started getting the invitations to, like, Asian restaurants and stuff like that. Oh, look at me manifesting.

[A]

But.

[C]

And we were just at. If you're in Tampa, you know, the Lucky Tigre is very good. They do Filipino food. We were just there yesterday, and I was talking to the owner, Julie, and I was like, hey, you know, this is who I am. She. She remembered me because our.

[A]

We.

[C]

We talked a few months ago. And so, you know, we're both excited about talking about food. And so she's telling me restaurants. I'm looking at maps, the map app, seeing where they are, and, you know, I was only there to get breakfast, but I was like, let me. Let me tell her who I am, because we've talked before, and she probably doesn't remember me, but just from that now it's like, yeah, this is where she goes, you know, Da, da, da, da, da. So stuff like that, it always keeps working in food, you know, fun and fresh.

[A]

Lucky tiger. Mm. I went there maybe a month ago, so good. It is Lee Wilson from Creative Loafing. We met there with Ray.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

And from Creative Loafing.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And, you know, that's kind of where we started talking about what some things we might do together. Right. The food was freaking awesome. Yeah. And it's a tiny little joint. It's a small little place. It's kind of like a. It's actually New York esque.

[C]

Yeah, those restaurants are.

[A]

Yeah, they really. It really was. But the food is right on. It looks like a real chefy chef kind of place. To independent chef. You're not acf, Chef. I'm looking at you, Chef Jason.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But at the end of the day, real great place. And I recommend it. If you're. If you hear me, if you're hearing my voice. And you're in Tampa. Yeah. Go there.

[C]

Yeah. And even Chef Julie, she was so with the Buccaneers, they have this chef series where every season they kind of have a, a team of chefs, and their. Their food will be featured during the home games. And so Chef Julie was one of them. So that's kind of a testament to a, Tampa, and B, what kind of food scene we have where it's like, here we are, you know, showcasing this Filipino food alongside, you know, Chef Renee from. Oh, my God, Renee. Renee's from. From Renee's, you know, crew sellers and different. Different places. So the food scene, I will say the food scene in Tampa is super diverse, which I really enjoy.

[A]

It's come a long way. I moved up here in 2016.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

And it is completely different. The landscape, the food. Culinary scene is absolutely different than it was, you know, 10 years ago.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, when I was in college, the only restaurants I knew were the ones that were on Fowler by campus. And, you know, it was a lot of fast food. Or like I was saying sometimes I remember, like, the Panda Express House on Fowler. I remember going there in college and.

[A]

For that orange chicken.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, for the orange chicken. And it's still. It's still there. It's still kicking. The Chipotle that's on Fowler used to go there all the time. And it's. I don't know, it's just. It's just funny to see some of the same restaurants that I frequented as. As a little college student, but also there is a little food scene happening on Fowler. On Fletcher, especially over in Tempa Terrace. So especially if you're a college student with a car, you can explore just a little bit more than what's near the campus.

[A]

Well, all of that to circle back to what we've been leaning into lately, which is how food and media are living together. And it lives together, like, intimately. It's very close. Why does food and cameras work so well together, in your opinion?

[C]

How do food and cameras. I think, well, okay, maybe sometimes people want to know what they're eating. You know, you see a dish's name, you're like, what does that look like? And you get to see it. But also, I think there is probably a heightened increase in food. Honestly, there's so many, like, food creators who. Content creators, from the people who cook to the people like me who just, you know, go to the restaurants and. And all that stuff. But obviously, people love food, and there's so many different cuisines and so many ways to make a dish. You know, it's always cool to see, you know, maybe Chef Jason's take on pork shanks versus this other person. They might barbecue theirs. You might. I don't know if you can do that. You might fry yours. But it's always cool to see how. How different dishes can be interpreted or innovated.

[A]

From your viewpoint, what actually makes a food story hit? Not theory, but what actually works?

[C]

That's a good question. I'm not sure. What work do you mean? Like, what would make something go viral?

[A]

You have all of these different types of food content. Right. You have serious stuff. You know, you have, like, industry in the kitchen. How to. You have parody. Yeah. You know, food comedy. And there's just. I don't know, there's probably two dozen different types of food. Content creators.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But the truth is, no matter who's producing that, whether it's, you know, comedic or serious, cinematic, the story has to hit.

[C]

Right.

[A]

What stories are you going after?

[C]

Okay, so for this. Because that's primarily who I look for, people for the show, I feel like a. Maybe, like the human interest part of it, definitely, if you have a cool story.

[A]

So what's a cool story for you?

[C]

What's a cool story for me?

[A]

Well,

[C]

a lot of the people. I won't say a lot of the people, but there's some people on there who I would want on the show, and I've engaged with their content. Like, there's. There's one woman, she's a baker. I've eaten her food plenty of times, and I was like, oh, My God, we have to get you on the show. She makes like vegan gluten free baked goods, like cookies and donuts and stuff like that. I'm, I'm neither one of those, but I will gladly spend $60 on your, on your cookies and whatnot, because they're, they're that good. And what I think is, you know, we've, we've talked about on the show before where, like, the vegan food landscape is different. I feel like I'm rambling right now, but I got it.

[A]

Who is it?

[C]

Who? Oh, I'm sorry, I want to know who. You want to know who it is? Her name.

[A]

Wait, what? Nobody but the audience does not see is that as she's talking and building up the anticipation, you're just like, I'm staring, like in. I'm through her, like in her eyes. Through her. And I'm waiting and I'm kind of like with my hand egging her on. Like, the hell is it?

[C]

Her name is Gabby Bakes and she has a little storefront in Seminole Heights. And she'll do. It's not a storefront where you can just go up and buy stuff. She'll have different drops. I think she's taking a step back for a little bit just to kind of like breathe a little bit. But she'll do drops and her, her stuff will sell out immediately. Like, if you don't buy the stuff right when you get the text, you're. You're screwed. But people like her because I'm like, okay, well, you know, I feel like there's still the sentiment that, you know, vegan food isn't that great, but it's like, no, like, I will, I will eat all of your cookies and your desserts. Another person is another person. I've been interested in having the show. He's a local rapper. His name was Tom G. I was listening to his stuff probably when I was in high school in Orlando, thinking I'm cool, because it's like, oh, I listen to Tampa music. They don't have that here. But he owns. It's like a little food truck. It's called Snack Trap. So it's like, okay, cool. Well, here's the story. We have this local rapper turned, like, you know, entrepreneur, restaurant tour, if you want to say that. So, you know, stuff like that.

[B]

That's cool.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Or we've had it. He's doing a good job or what?

[C]

No, yeah, he is. He is. And his, his truck is not far from my house, so I see it a lot. So Stuff like that.

[A]

Or do you know, John, if back in the late 80s and early 90s, if we were going to open a food truck, it would have been loaded with like 2,000 watts worth of amps, 15s, 12s, you know, horns, the whole thing, man. Push, you know, maybe the Kenwood or a plane. I'm just saying, that's the kind of life we led.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Back in the day.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I got two subwoofers in my car right now.

[C]

You guys should start.

[B]

I got 212s in my Buick Encore.

[A]

I thought I heard you pulling up.

[B]

Oh, yeah, that was me.

[A]

Thought I heard you.

[B]

I'm, you know, dirty south kind of guy. Sorry.

[A]

Oh, yeah, I, I had you for that.

[B]

I really did. No, east coast, west coast, yeah.

[A]

All right.

[B]

That's still a thing.

[A]

I don't think it is. I don't think it is.

[B]

No. Everybody other mumbling. What is it called? I don't know.

[A]

It's my kids mumble a lot. Support for Walk and Talk media comes from Crab Island Seafood Dip. Creating chef driven crab dips made with real seafood and bold flavor. Learn [e-mail] Jason, you've been on the show before and you know, we've been talking a lot the last two weeks leading up to today and you mentioned something about you realized that you had to flip a switch and you had to learn how to shoot your food. You had to learn how to. Because you already know how to cook your food, you know how to plate your food. And I know that you're, you're the guy that says you're always forever the student, so you're forever learning. And I, and I respect that. But then you said, you know what, I'm not a kid and I have to keep up with the times. What did you do?

[B]

I had to keep up with the times. I mean, so I'm at that funny age, you know, born at 79, I'm 47 now. And I saw all of that social media kind of creeping on me and I was like, I don't get it or why am I going to do it? But like I said earlier in my intro, like, I literally had a GoDaddy website with like 20 cheesy photos on it. I'm talking like bad looking, bad lighting, everything was bad. And then when you start seeing the, the entrepreneurialism behind it, right? We, you know, as a young aspiring chef or you're a young cook, you have to sell yourself, right? Gotta sell the food, you gotta sell yourself. And the Instagrams and the Twitters and all the stuff I'm still learning about is a way to sell yourself. So I had to do it. It wasn't like, am I going to do it?

[C]

Right.

[A]

I had to do it.

[B]

And then now I have a 1200 photos on Instagram, right. I got a whole 500 followers. I'm blowing up, right? Instagram famous.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I got a lot of beautiful photos. Like, I look at some people's Instagram accounts and they're like kind of a joke.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I'm like, this Guy's got like 10 million followers. And like, look at all of my work.

[A]

I know.

[C]

I've spent hours, years curating your.

[B]

Curating my artistry.

[A]

Well, just so you know. And I. And obviously I'm. I'm one of your 500 followers. Okay. So I know the work you do.

[B]

You were like three, I think, probably.

[A]

I mean, here's, here's the deal. You put out really great food. It looks great and it also tastes great. Like you, you know what you're doing. I try you, with the effort you're putting into all of your plating, your photography, the things that you're doing, you have to learn like the mechanics of the eng. Of the Internet, of the social media of things. And that's, I think, where you're, I think that's maybe where you might be.

[B]

Yeah, I'm floundering.

[A]

Maybe. And I don't want to say floundering. That's real strong. At the end of the day, there's a, there's a, there's a flow. Right. And you have to tap into that flow 100%. And there's ways to do that. Right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But in terms of you being in this industry for as long as you have, and it kind, I don't want to say coming full circle, but you're, you know, you, you're bringing the now into your life.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Into your culinary Life.

[B]

Oh, yeah. 100.

[A]

Yeah. And I respect that because honestly, this guy's got more, he's got more like curated put together photo shoots.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Than most people I've seen out there.

[B]

It's. I mean, what we did today, it's exhausting. It's hard work, like coming in here and having to get together, setting. Like what you guys do is like extremism of what I do, my home. But I do it in my own kind of little weird way.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I have my lighting set up, I have my stuff, the things that I do. And I mean, I'll spend An entire day I'll spend, you know, 50 sometimes doing a hundred dollars at Publix. Right. Come home, make one plate of food I don't want to eat after playing with it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's, it's a trip.

[A]

So when somebody says food extremism. Yeah, yeah, that's us.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

John.

[B]

I'm like, well, and I'm going to call myself out because sometimes and what I do struggle with when I'm just going to be straight here with Instagram is I think it's easy for me to get removed from. Does it taste good? I came in here joking with you about that. Like, hey, this is photography food. And you were calling me out saying, oh, it better taste good. And I respect you for that. And I don't want to go down like the AI rabbit hole too much. But I've had people say, like, hey, your food is this AI.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I just, like in the past six months, because AI is becoming a point of topic. I'm like, it's almost like a compliment. Like, wow, does it look like it's, you know, cheated and fake and AI. But like you, you held me to that. And that's what you do in this show, that the food's gotta look good, of course, the plating's gotta be beautiful, but the food's gotta taste good.

[C]

Sound.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, you never know who's gonna be in studio. I mean, Alex is not a joke. I mean, it's. Yeah, she's the truth. Listen, Zest, npr, the whole thing. And you know, it's a big. It's a big deal.

[B]

It's a part of the circle of life, of culinary arts. Right. You got the chef, she got the podcasters, you got the people that are writing about. Like you said, the whole point of the show today is talking about that. The circle of kind of we all

[A]

scratch each other's Del Webb miniola. You're building inside a system. You're not just doing your own thing. So you have to balance. You have to balance creativity. And also you got to make money for these people. Oh, of course. Right. How do you build that structure?

[B]

So just to give a little background, a 55 plus community where we have this beautiful. It's called the Vista Club. It's a beautiful amenity clubhouse that has the restaurant aspect called view 232. So, you know, very upscale, casual, but yet upscale. And it's, you know, 55 plus communities, not what it was 20 years ago. We're not talking like Golden Girls, right? Remember Golden Girls? You Know everybody was already like kind of older looking. Now we're talking about very youthful 55 year old people. And it's my job to take care of them food wise. And I get the. And I'm in though I call the romantic period. You know, where like I already have all the Metro shelving in there, which I love. There was so much Metro shelving. I thought of you immediately and I'm like, look at all this stuff. It's every, it's in every walk in, it's in dry storage. It's in like the hallways behind the bars. Metro, Metro, Metro. I was like, geez, man, I loved,

[A]

I love the sound of it.

[B]

Well, you know how you. They got, I don't know what the system's called where you just pop the racks up, you run them through the dish machine instead of letting them, the old metal ones just rust in the walk in and fall into food, you know, the rust particles. But it's so. It's that romantic period. I call it opening. Buying the smaller, getting everything together, planning the menu, keeping the residents happening in the neighborhood.

[A]

John, I can't believe that we're part of that youthful. Get those close to that youthful.55.

[B]

I can get you in with one of the sales reps, you know, maybe get you a discount.

[A]

You know, I'm, I'm looking for senior discounts now. I mean that's really. I. Oh my God. It's horrible to say these things. It really is terrible. Oh my goodness. Back when I was your boy, back in 1993. So on top of all of these things that you're doing at the new gig, you have to still think about how this food looks because like you just said, this isn't your father's Oldsmobile. This is, this is something else. You still have to have the sexy food. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And you're interested. Here's the good part. Because truthfully, we're talking about Gen Xers, right? That's the age group that's moving into this 55 age. Whatever I got, we're cool. We're just cool. We're easygoing, we want things really smooth and just to be quiet about it, but the truth is we want to look pretty. You know, we, we, we've taken our lashes, man. And you know what? Like, we just want what's nice now. So it's guys and gals like you that are going out there hustling up the good dishes, making it cost effective and yes, pretty.

[B]

Wait, what'd you say? Cost effective? It has to Be cost effective.

[A]

Has to be.

[B]

Yeah. So I think a lot of chefs struggle with that. You know, that's like. I mean, that's a whole other topic, but that's what I'm doing right now. I'm costing everything. How's the food gonna look? Even learning the clientele, or I should say the residents as they're coming into the clubhouse I'm working in, in this romantic period, I call it, of setting up.

[A]

So I have to think that there's chefs out there today, and I don't know what bracket, age bracket wise. I'm just saying I know there's chefs out there today that are wrestling with how their food looks, you know, on social media, as much or more than what it tastes like. Yeah, agreed.

[B]

No, I. No, I mean, 100%. And that's kind of why I went there a little bit about that, where like. Like an amazing bowl of chili, right? Think about the chili as it was made. Maybe you let it sit overnight in the fridge, and next day heat it up, and it's even better. Like, those flavor profiles really come alive in Alamanuk cooking. Sometimes we can get so kind of. I'm by myself. I gotta hear this. Is. What are the colors? What are the accoutrements? How much stuff am I gonna pack on the plate?

[A]

Right.

[B]

That's where I still come from. Trying to pack too much on the plate. And does it even marry? Sometimes we get a little too, you know, crazy sometimes.

[A]

Alex, the way it looks is super important. The way it tastes also, obviously super important. You heard the question with Chef Jason. Where does it land?

[C]

For me, I think it's how it tastes.

[A]

It has to be, right?

[C]

It has to be, because it, you know, it can look good and that tastes good. But I think ultimately people care more about what it tastes like because, like, yeah, again, you can see the picture of. You can see it with your eyes and be kind of like, maybe not. But that's my point.

[A]

If you're. If you're scrolling socials or you're. Or on one of the food apps or whatever. This session of Walk and Talk media is made possible by Citrus America, delivering fresh Florida citrus and juice solutions to food service professionals nationwide. Learn [e-mail] you can have the most flavorful, best delicious, but if it looks like slopping a plate, they're going to scroll on by and not make it in the door. Right? I mean, so, yes, I agree with both of you. I think flavor is where it's at. But you know what equally as important is how it looks, because I think if you're scrolling and you hit some, you know, ugly duckling dish, you just. You're never gonna go. You're not gonna go there. Right.

[C]

But if I see it and I'm like, that looks good, like, my interest is piqued a little bit more. So then I really want to see, okay, it looks good. And does it taste good?

[B]

And does it look like what you're seeing? Yeah.

[C]

Does it look like what I'm seeing? Because who wants to be deceived? No one wants to be deceived when they're coming in looking for, like, whatever dish they're they're interested in.

[A]

So, yeah, I know in my life today, with what we're doing with Walk and Talk media and the whole thing, I have to be in. It has to be engaging visually for me to want to go to that place, period. And if it's not, I'll get around to it.

[C]

Yeah. Like, there's no sense of urgency.

[A]

I haven't 100% of that.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It is that. And before I go too far into this, actually, we're very far into this. But, man, I just want to say, like, Restaurant Events llc, Glenn, Paul, Andrea, Stephen, the gang, all Amy, all the people over there who make that show go, thank you. Because the fact that we're participating and doing the things we're doing with the group at their trade shows, New York Restaurant show, the California Restaurant Show, Florida Restaurant show, and the Pizza tomorrow Summit, freaking awesome. And I just want to put that out there as a big thank you for that.

[C]

Yep.

[A]

Shout out to the big shout outs. Alex, you've seen what's been going on in the news with noma, and, you know, not just how, like, that bomb that dropped there, but the food industry, it's a hard industry. It's hard to stay in business. It's hard to stay on the cusp or the forefront, if you will, of food and make money. Are. Are we the public? Do you think we're asking too much from chefs and the restaurant industry at large?

[C]

Hmm. That's a good question, because I'm thinking about myself. I'm like, you know, what. What am I asking chefs, you know, necessarily for when it comes to food? I think. I guess thinking about it as a consumer, I don't want to say, like, the public's duty, but, like, I think there's always going to be a piece of criticism in whatever that the chef does. Right. So, you know, you get a plate of food, and it's not necessarily to your liking. You don't mean it in a. In a rude, but just like, hey, if you do a little bit more of this or a little bit more of that, then you know, your.

[B]

Your.

[C]

Your dish will probably be fine. Ultimately, I think if the chef or restaurateur or whoever is over the restaurant, at the end of the day, you want to make money and you want to make your customers happy. So it's best if you do listen to the customers or listen to the public and what they say. Obviously, some people probably just say, like, some crazy stuff. For example, my husband used to work at a barbecue place, and I don't think it's open anymore, but it was owned by a family member of his, and they did great work. Because at my old job, it was funny because a couple of my co workers had been there and they enjoyed the food and used to always say, robert, he's my husband, used to always say they would get all these accolades and all this praise for their collard greens. But then you would have one person who would say, oh, your collard greens are too spicy. And it's like. Do you listen to that? It's like, not necessarily. Like, no, you don't listen to that because, like, if the majority of people are enjoying. I know that was a crazy.

[B]

No, I like the mocking because that's what I sound like.

[C]

All right.

[B]

You know, like one guy a thousand people love and one person.

[C]

Yeah. So it's like, if you have all these people who love it, and then you have, like, this one person, like, you know, you know, change it. Like, I'm not going to listen to that.

[A]

But no, I think you. I think you take it into consideration out of respect. Right. And then just put that. Put that one under the rug.

[B]

Yeah. If it.

[C]

If it makes. If it makes sense, you know, either you change it or you don't. But sometimes people just have weird requests, I guess.

[A]

Chef, are we asking too much of you guys? Yes.

[B]

Yes. With the margins we have. What's that thing called? Covid knocked out, like, 75% of people that wanted to work in gigeons. Too much. I mean, think about. So it's supposed to be a business first, right? We want to make money, or we hope to make money. Right. We think we're going to make money. I owned a restaurant for three years.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

A little deli named after my late father. I played restaurant for three years. I broke even.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I paid my landlord. I paid everybody except me. And it's part of what I didn't know what I was doing. The town was still growing. It's a combination of things and me not raising my prices. Right. So there's a bunch of stuff that came together in that. But it's like, it's endless work. I mean, you're lucky to get that 7 to 10% of the dollar. And then the Yelp was kind of big when I opened my restaurant. So I'm now and down back then to the Yelpers and having to keep them happy. Bags of cookies out the door, not trying to get any bad reviews. Social media was, like, starting to kind of come around more than.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Back in the day.

[C]

People get crazy on me.

[B]

Yeah. Yelp would almost be like. They would almost kind of blackmail you into using them. And if you didn't, they were kind of, like, giving you. There's a whole Yelp thing anyway. So I was scared of Yelp. I was scared of my customers.

[A]

Keep everybody happy.

[B]

Right. Miserable. So, yeah, like, it's not easy. This is. But this is why the chain restaurants reign supreme, because they have a thousand locations. 30 can be failing. Some are doing good, but mom and Pops, like, my hat's off to any. And today, I don't even know how they do it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Privately owned.

[C]

I mean, for me, I'm like, guys, it's $4. Like, I just think about the food costs and everything.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I was like, oh, God, everything's gonna go up except wages.

[B]

So. Yes. Asking too much. We gotta make sure we document that.

[A]

This question is for both of you. What part of the food world deserves more real coverage at this moment? And what part is getting way too much attention?

[C]

That's a good question. Who isn't being. Do they not know who they're not?

[B]

I mean, I have, like, an answer, but it might not be the one they want or what. I. I'd like to see more humanism in it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, if you said, Jason, like, you could have a dream restaurant right now, would it be, like, a Noma?

[C]

Right.

[B]

Would it be, like, could I go for Michelin? Or could I have, like, a restaurant feeding, like, homeless people? I'd rather do that. I. I said that earlier. Like, I've worked in a soup kitchen volunteering, and I've. I've served Barack Obama.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Be honest. I'd rather serve the people struggling. Because there's. I think there's a sense of that. The humanism, like you said earlier, even in stories, or. I'd like to see that. You know, I think there's this, like, bon jovi has a restaurant, I think. Yeah, right. We're talking about Bon Jovi earlier.

[C]

He does have a restaurant.

[B]

He feeds people. And I don't know, I just, I guess I want some more of that because I, I really believe we feed people. Remember, it's energy and it's, it is love. Not to sound cheesy, you know, grandma

[A]

fed you because she loves you.

[B]

Yeah, that's like humanism. I love the Michelin.

[A]

I love the hoity toity. I've chased it for years.

[B]

Right. But like, let's, I don't know, take care of people more with food. I don't know.

[C]

No, yeah, I think that's a good thing.

[B]

But like, I just sit here and said, you're all wanting too much and the margins are too tight. I need a billionaire. Any billionaires out there want to sponsor me? Good.

[C]

Oh my God.

[B]

Food truck. I already got. It's called breaking Bread. I already got my proposal.

[C]

Yeah. But no, I think, I think that was a good response. I think, I don't know. I think once the community aspect is increased, then, you know, eating.

[A]

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[C]

less, less stressful to some people.

[B]

Well, even what she said earlier with like, so everything now Covid turned into like dying. What's it called? Oh, what's all the home delivery companies I don't use. Everybody's getting food delivered to their house. It is about sense of community. Like you said in Tampa, people are getting to know like, think about the old days. We'd go to restaurants. You kind of like know people. You think about like Cheers. Yeah, he was Norm, he was an alcoholic. But Norm came in, everybody went, norm. Showing my age. I'm gonna Google what's Cheers?

[A]

Everybody just tuned out.

[B]

No, everybody just changed the channel. But we need that. Like, let's go to restaurants. Right. Because when you look at what's going on, young people aren't getting motorcycles, young people aren't getting driver's license, young people aren't going to restaurants as much. So we're losing some of that community.

[A]

Yeah. So, yeah. Here's the thing as you wrap up here, what you said, Jason, I wasn't expecting that answer, and I 100% agree with that line of thinking. If there's anything that I would want to do right now is to be in a position where I can just go feed people.

[B]

Wouldn't that be cool?

[A]

Yes. And not just, well, everybody, Rolls Royce to no shoes. I just want to be able to

[B]

feed, because that's like, the best feeling.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And, you know, we've all had, I think, that story where we've given somebody that was needing, and it's just. It's like a Christmas when you give more and then you get. It's always that better feeling.

[C]

Yeah. Like, I have, you know, the homeless people who are like, you know, begging at a red light or something. Like, you know, if I had a bag of chips in my car from, you know, getting a sandwich or something, it's like, I only need the chips. So, like, I'll just, you know, I'll give them do the person. Because it's like, you definitely need this more than I do. And it kind of. Kind of makes me feel feel good because it's like, I don't know. Like, they definitely don't know when their next meal is coming. And just to be able to, you know, give them the opportunity to have a meal or to have some sort of nourishment in their stomach before. Yeah, before they can actually eat.

[A]

Like, it.

[B]

Why say we all just do those? Just go open a restaurant.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Feed the homeless.

[A]

Well, here's the thing, and I know that with John and I, at some point, that is going to happen. Not necessarily a restaurant, but there's going to be feeding of people that's coming. All right, listen, everybody was awesome here today. Chef, like, what you. You cooked up some really great stuff. Alex, I'm thrilled that you made it here. And I think we had a really great day today.

[C]

Yeah, it was fun.

[A]

How do people find you?

[C]

Okay, you can find me on Instagram and. And Tik Tok at Alicat. If you are old enough, you can understand the aristocats reference there. You can follow the Zest at the Zest podcast. That's Facebook and Instagram. You can also follow my blog, the frugalista life.com follow me on YouTube at the frugalista life. And yeah, make sure you, like, subscribe. Follow all the things Jason all right.

[B]

Chef Jay Lynn on Instagram. Chef Jay Lynn on Instagram.

[A]

You guys are fantastic. John, I can't wait to see the goods. You know what I'm talking about? And listen, everybody, check out our Instagram, okay? At walk and talk show. All right? Y' all be good on side, too. We are.

[B]

Ouch.

[A]

Foreign. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.