Feeding People

Kelly Dolan, producer of the Feeding People podcast (and host Amy Dolan’s husband), joins Amy for a conversation about how his limited food preferences as a child — including a dislike for almost all fruits and vegetables — transformed as an adult into an almost entirely plant-based diet. Kelly shares how his decision to stop eating meat also set the stage for larger decisions he made to address his mental health and overall wellbeing.

Liz Abunaw, the founder and owner of Forty Acres Fresh Market in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, joins Amy to talk about everything that makes grocery stores great—including “grocery theater,” the music that’s played, and the ideal size of shopping carts. Liz shares her journey of starting Forty Acres Fresh Market, which broke ground last year and will be the Chicago’s first Black female-owned grocery store. In this episode and in her work, Liz challenges the standard narratives around which neighborhoods can support grocery stores, and how Forty Acres can provide neighborhoods like Austin with good food for all.

Raeghn Draper, a Chicago-based community organizer, writer, and hospitality professional, joins Amy to discuss the current state of Chicago’s hospitality industry, the history of tipping in America, and how Raeghn’s organization, the CHAAD project, is working to advance accountability and end labor abuses within the industry. Raeghn shares their vision for an equitable hospitality industry and practical ways customers can show support when visiting restaurants.

Elsie DuBray, an Oóhenuŋpa Lakxóta, Nueta, and Hidatsa woman and enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Lakxóta Nation, joins Amy to discuss her role in the film Gather, her life growing up on her family’s buffalo ranch, and her vision of food sovereignty for her community. Elsie shares the importance of buffalo, and how her work as a community health graduate student at Stanford is leading her towards buffalo restoration and creating a just and beautiful food system for Native people.

In this encore episode from 2019, Julia Turshen, bestselling cookbook author, food writer, and food equity advocate, discusses with host Amy Dolan how food can and has changed history. Julia reflects on the writing of her book, Feed the Resistance, and describes the crucial role food played during the Civil Rights Movement and the Stonewall Uprising. She also shares how her Jewish identity informs the way that she views and experiences food and cooking.

Sebastian White, private chef and Founder and Executive Director of The Evolved Network, joins Amy to discuss his journey from psychotherapist to chef to creator of The Evolved Network. Sebastian shares how he’s using the vision of The Evolved Network—a farm to table process—as a means to create space for kids that is both healing and therapeutic, and how he hopes the kids see their infinite possibilities, versus their limitations, when they cook.

Dr. Evelyn Figueroa, Family Physician, Professor at University of Illinois Chicago, Director of Pilsen Food Pantry, and Executive Director of the Figueroa Wu Family Foundation, joins Amy to discuss the social determinants that affect health and poverty, how her personal journey in medicine led to the creation of the food pantry, and the role we all can play in assuring that everyone has the food they need.

Chloe Keene, the digital creator behind Chicago Master List, talks with Amy Dolan about using Instagram to highligh restaurants on Chicago's south side, growing in empathy through adventurous eating, and the power of shared meals to connect people with one another.

Eliana Pinilla, Director of Partnerships, Great Lakes Region at The Common Market, discusses with Amy Dolan the need to "connect communities to good food grown by sustainable family farmers." She explains that when institutions get more of their food directly from local farms, the quality of food they serve—and the health and wealth of the entire region—get better. Eliana breaks down how The Common Market helps make it all happen and the vision she has for future generations.

Laurell Sims, Co-Founder and former Co-Executive Director of Urban Growers Collective, talks with Amy Dolan about her journey to creating an eight-site urban farm in Chicago, what it will take to address the problems in the current U.S. food system, and all of the ways local food and farming build community.

Jana Kinsman, Founder of Bike a Bee, shares with Amy how her lifelong fascination with insects led to becoming a beekeeper, the unique quality of each batch of honey, and how being thoughtful in the way she purchases and enjoys food creates stories for her to share with others.

Dominique Leach, chef and owner of Lexington Betty Smokehouse and the 2023 champion of Food Network's BBQ Brawl, kicks off Feeding People Season 4 with her third appearance on the show! Dominique shares with Amy her experience on BBQ Brawl, what winning the show has meant to her, what it takes as a Black woman to be a successful pitmaster, and what she does to feed and take care of herself, even as she continues to build a successful career by feeding others.

Host Amy Dolan previews the upcoming season of Feeding People, including the season opener interview with Chef Dominique Leach, Owner and Chef of Lexington Betty Smokehouse and this season's champion of Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Chi Chi Okwu, Content Producer and Host of The Next Question web series, joins Amy at the table to talk about race, black and white women in friendship and how wholehearted living for everyone requires every person doing the work. Mentioned on the Show: Chi Chi’s first appearance on Feeding People (season 1) EverThrive Illinois The Next Question Follow: Chi Chi on Instagram Chi Chi on Twitter Amy on Instagram Amy on Twitter Feeding People on Facebook Sunday Supper Church on Instagram Feeding People Patreon Page wjz6Nrkqmn56nZuuUO7n

Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann shares her journey from growing up on the south side of Chicago to her decision to found Mishkan Chicago, a spiritual community "reclaiming Judaism’s inspiration and transformative essence,” and which seeks to “resonate with the next generation, as well as people who have felt on the fringes of the Jewish community.” Rabbi Lizzi also discusses the role that food—and sitting around the table with others who might be different from each other—plays in the life of the Mishkan community, as well as all of our lives. Mentioned on the Show: Hillel @ Stanford IKAR PICO California Diaspora Dinners Spacca Napoli Pizzeria Gather Follow: Mishkan on Instagram Mishkan on Twitter Mishkan on Facebook Mishkan on YouTube Amy on Instagram Amy on Twitter Feeding People on Facebook Sunday Supper Church on Instagram Feeding People Patreon Page

Dominique Leach, chef and owner of Lexington Betty Smokehouse, makes her second appearance on the show and shares with Amy the challenges and joys of opening her first restaurant, her commitment to be herself, and the importance of supporting black-owned restaurants. Mentioned on the Show: Lexington Betty Smokehouse Dominique’s first appearance on Feeding People (Season 1) Truth Italian Batters and Berries Sweet Maple Cafe Egg Rolls Etc Tips and Toes Bowen’s Pizza Follow: Dominique on Facebook Lexington Betty Smokehouse on Facebook Lexington Betty Smokehouse on Instagram Amy on Instagram Amy on Twitter Feeding People on Facebook Sunday Supper Church on Instagram Patreon Page Episode Credits: Produced by Kelly Dolan Music by Matt Troup Additional Equipment provided by Justin Campbell

Cookbook author and podcast host Julia Turshen discusses the crucial role food played during the Civil Rights Movement and the Stonewall Uprising, the unifying human connection that cooking creates, and the correlation between her Jewish identity and her love of food, eating, and gathering together for meals. Show Notes Mentioned on the Show: Keep Calm and Cook On with Julia Turshen Feed the Resistance Now and Again Small Victories Equity at the Table Georgia Gilmore Cheryl Day The Jewish Cookbook Angel Food East Sunday Supper Church Follow: Julia’s Website Julia on Instagram Julia on Twitter Amy on Instagram Amy on Twitter Feeding People on Facebook Sunday Supper Church on Instagram Patreon Page Episode Credits: Produced by Kelly Dolan Music by Matt Troup Additional Equipment provided by Justin Campbell

Amy talks with Emily Scott, the former founding pastor of St. Lydia’s dinner church in Brooklyn and the current founding pastor of Dreams and Visions in Baltimore, on the connection between food and spirituality, centering church around the practice of the table and the beautiful nature of seeing the humanity in each other when sharing a meal. Mentioned on the Show: St. Lydia’s St. Gregory’s Sunday Supper Church Dinner Church Movement Give to Dreams and Visions Shelter (write “LGBTQ shelter” in the memo line) Emily’s Book For All Who Hunger Follow: Emily’s Website Emily on Facebook Emily on Instagram Amy on Instagram Amy on Twitter Feeding People on Facebook Sunday Supper Church on Instagram Patreon Page

After much reflection (and hesitation), Amy shares her journey towards embracing her identity as a home cook—how someone without formal training can still be a great cook and feed people with great love.

Amy talks with Rudy Garrett, Co-Deputy Director of Chicago Votes, on connecting her passion for food with her profession in politics. Rudy also shares her perspective on engaging at tables with people you disagree, and the simple mind shift we can make when engaging volunteers to ensure they have what they need to do their work.