The Food Lens Podcast

Latest Episodes
S4 Ep.15: Ultimate Self-Care Strategies from Chef Matt Jennings
Matt Jennings knows a thing or two about self-care. Back in 2016 the chef and owner of critically acclaimed Townsman drastically changed his lifestyle; he lost 160 pounds, stopped drinking, and started using his platform to bring health and wellness to t.
S4 Ep. 14: Jenny Johnson’s Pandemic Playbook
Producer and co-host of Dining Playbook Jenny Johnson manages to gracefully juggle TV and radio jobs with family life, all while pursuing studies in Ayurveda - a practice she started exploring after managing a health crisis with her young daughter. We di.
S4 Ep. 13: How to Build a Food Blog into a Successful Business
Boston-based baker and blogger Sarah Crawford explains how she built her casual blog Broma Bakery into a successful business. We dig into the evolution of food sites, the “3 waves of blogging,” and why vulnerability is more important than ever. Plus, she.
S4 Ep. 12: How Does a Restaurant with 1 Table Survive 2020
Before coronavirus, meals at Tanám were shared among strangers at one 10-seat table; a setup that clearly wasn’t going to work when they reopened this fall. We chatted with chef-owner Ellie Tiglao about how she and her colleagues are reimagining the smal.
S4 Ep. 11: How Staying in Start-Up Mode Helped Sarah Murphy Bring Back Vinal Bakery
At a time when so many restaurants are struggling, it’s great to hear from a business that has bounced back - despite facing so many challenges. Find out how staying in start-up mode helped Sarah Murphy figure out re-opening at Vinal Bakery, how a sense .
S4 Ep. 10: Why Josh Childs Is Serving up Nostalgia to Save His Bar
Everyone in the Boston restaurant industry seems to have something nice to say about Josh Childs, the beloved bartender-turned-restaurant-owner behind Trina’s Starlite Lounge, Audubon Boston, The Paddle Inn, and Parlor Sports, which pandemic-pivoted to T.
S4 Ep. 9: A Lesson in Resilience from a Refugee Restaurant Owner
After spending much of his childhood in a refugee camp in Kenya, Yahya Noor, of Tawakal Halal Cafe in East Boston, has a perspective that has proved useful in navigating the COVID-19 crisis. In this episode, we hear from him about his unique experience .
S4 Ep. 8: How one Local Lebanese Restaurant is Helping Beirut
Mo El Zein is guiding his restaurant Moona, through the pandemic like everyone else. But as a Lebanese-American, he’s also working to help with relief efforts in his home city of Beirut, where much of his family still lives. Mohamad gathered industry fri.
S4 Ep. 7: Vincent’s Grocery is a Sign of the Times, and a Nod to the Past
Evan Harrison managed a successful pandemic pivot — turning neighborhood bistro Cafe Du Pays into a local grocery store. He’s been working alongside his wife, Heather, who is also a partner in their restaurant group, and their new baby Louie. Evan share.
S4 Ep. 6: A Very Odd(Fellows) Time to Open an Ice Cream Shop
The Brooklyn-based, chef-driven ice cream company OddFellows expanded to Boston with their Chestnut Hill location not long before the pandemic struck. We caught up with Co-Founder and CEO Mohan Kumar about why his wife’s pregnancy cravings spawned a huge.