Do you really know the food scene of Pittsburgh?! The Pittsburgh Dish introduces you to the people, places, and recipes that make our regional cuisine so special. By sharing personal stories, weekly recommendations, and community recipes, we aim to inspire you to connect with local taste makers and experience the unique flavors that shape our city.
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Doug Heilman Podcasts

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073 Say Cheese Preview with Dee and Danielle
17:58
17:58
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17:58We explore how GoodTaste! Pittsburgh and Nosh and Curd are bringing new flavors and experiences to local food lovers through events, cheese education, and creative pairings. We're on location at Mazzotta Winery where our guests share their journeys from personal passion to business success in Pittsburgh's vibrant culinary community. • Dee Weinberg …
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072 Lisa Ray of Hammajack & Pittsburgh's First Hot Sauce Festival
45:55
45:55
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45:55(01:03) Lisa Ray of Hammajack Heat Company joins us to share the delightful origin story behind their uniquely named hot sauce brand – a four-year-old's adorable mispronunciation that became the perfect business name. (16:12) Lisa walks us through the fascinating fermentation process that gives their sauces distinctive depth and complexity. Though …
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071 Food Journeys with Anika Chowdhury and Karen Hoang
33:14
33:14
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33:14Have you ever wondered what makes Bangladeshi cuisine distinctive in a world where "curry" often becomes the default descriptor for South Asian food? This week, we learn about the vibrant food culture of Bangladesh with Anika Chowdhury, food blogger and contestant from PBS's The Great American Recipe. (01:04) Anika shares her Bangladesh – "a countr…
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070 Sinan Camozu of Sultan Döner Kebab and Baklava
39:22
39:22
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39:22(01:08) As we step into Sultan Döner Kebab and Baklava on 6th Street in downtown Pittsburgh, owner Sinan Camozu moves with practiced precision as he operates a specialized machine imported from Turkey—one of a kind in our region. From it emerges impossibly thin sheets of phyllo dough, translucent enough to see your hand through, destined to become …
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069 Coby Bailey and Real Louisiana Cooking
13:37
13:37
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13:37We spotlight Captain Coby Bailey, a Navy veteran, firefighter, and talented home cook from Lafayette, Louisiana who competed on season four of PBS's The Great American Recipe. Coby offers up a classic Cajun gumbo, step by step. Support the show Liked the episode? We'd love a coffee!By Doug Heilman
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Ever feel too exhausted to cook a proper family meal after a long day? Or wish you could help a loved one going through a difficult time without showing up with another lasagna? The latest episode of The Pittsburgh Dish explores how one local Chef and his family are solving these exact challenges. We begin with Bonny Diver's inspiring journey from …
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Meet Kate Romane, the culinary force behind Black Radish Kitchen who's quietly reshaping Pittsburgh's restaurant landscape by opening her doors to emerging talent. What started as a catering business in a light-filled warehouse has evolved into an incubator for the city's next generation of great chefs. After learning to cook in the Strip District …
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066 Exploring the Mount Oliver Farmers Market
45:12
45:12
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45:12Step onto Brownsville Road with us as we immerse ourselves in the sights, smells, and flavors of the Mount Oliver Farmers Market. This episode takes a delightful detour from our usual format as we wander through this vibrant community gathering, microphone in hand, meeting the passionate entrepreneurs who make this neighborhood special. The market …
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065 Summer Roadtrip with The Great American Recipe, Season 4
37:35
37:35
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37:35A culinary road trip across America reveals the heart and soul behind three of this season's Great American Recipe contestants on PBS, each bringing their unique cultural heritage and personal journeys to the kitchen. (00:35) From the warm hospitality of Durham, North Carolina, Fran Wescott welcomes us into her Southern kitchen where traditional lo…
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(00:36) We get to know a 40-year farming legacy that's become one of the region's most beloved agricultural destinations, Triple B Farms. Ron Beinlich, a former metallurgical engineer who always dreamed of being a farmer, took a leap of faith in 1985 when he left US Steel to focus full-time on the abandoned 205-acre property he'd purchased years ea…
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063 Burghade Lemonade puts the Squeeze on Success
41:33
41:33
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41:33(00:57) A disappointing cup of lemonade at the Big Butler County Fair ignited an unexpected entrepreneurial journey for Shiquala Dukes and Vonn Jennings. Their quest for something more refreshing and less sugary resulted in Burghade Lemonade, a business that began as a quick money-making venture but rapidly evolved into something much more meaningf…
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(01:06) Scott Baker, a fifth-generation baker and president of Five Generation Bakers, unveils the rich legacy behind Pittsburgh's beloved Jenny Lee Bakery. It's all about family tradition, resilience, and reinvention. Through fascinating family anecdotes, Scott traces the evolution from that first bakery to the Seven Baker Brothers wholesale opera…
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(00:55) Kate Clemons reveals the journey of Brown Bear Bread Company, a story of passion, persistence, and finding your true calling. What began in 2020 as home baking experiments during the pandemic transformed into a church basement operation, then a full café in Mount Oliver, and finally found its perfect home in New Brighton's vibrant small-tow…
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060 Pizza Masters - Patrick Elston and Pete Tolman
54:48
54:48
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54:48What makes a truly extraordinary pizza? It's a question that Pittsburgh pizza masters Patrick Elston of Gus Franco's and Pete Tolman of Ironborn Pizza have spent years perfecting—crafting distinct styles that have earned them regional championships and devoted followings. (00:52) Patrick's journey began with a mobile wood-fired pizza trailer in 201…
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059 Amy Knight: From Naval Service to Kitchen Classroom
43:04
43:04
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43:04What happens when a 20-year Navy veteran with a passion for global cuisine decides to trade her military uniform for an apron? Amy Knight's journey from Naval Officer to owner of Flour Power Cooking Studios reveals the unexpected parallels between naval leadership and culinary education. (1:05) Amy has created a vibrant community space where cookin…
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058 Hal B. Klein, Trusted Guide to Local Eats
55:08
55:08
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55:08Ever dream of eating for a living? In this mouthwatering episode, we feast on conversations with two culinary personalities who stumbled into food careers through unexpected paths. (00:48) First, we chat with B Dylan Hollis, the vintage recipe TikTok sensation whose theatrical taste tests of bizarre historical dishes like "pork cake" have captivate…
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(00:37) A pierogi crafted with love isn't just food—it's heritage on a plate. For Olive Visco, owner of Polska Laska in Sharpsburg, these Polish dumplings represent generations of maternal tradition transformed into a thriving business. Polska Laska began as pandemic pierogi pop-ups before evolving into what Olive affectionately calls her "Polish d…
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056 Shelly Danko+Day Talks Food Evolution
40:38
40:38
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40:38(01:02) What transforms our relationship with food? For Shelly Danko+Day, host of "With Bowl and Spoon" podcast, the answer lies in those pivotal moments that shape our "personal food evolution" - the turning points that fundamentally change how we approach eating, cooking, and sharing meals. (06:52) Shelly's own journey embodies this evolution per…
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What happens when you blend Korean heritage with American upbringing and add a splash of Hawaiian influence? You get Soju, a restaurant that defies easy categorization while serving up some of Pittsburgh's most intriguing flavor combinations. (00:37) Chef Simon Chough welcomes us into his Garfield restaurant for a candid conversation about cultural…
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054 Dagny's Eatery, Carnegie's Coziest Kitchen
44:49
44:49
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44:49(00:57) Step through the door of Dagny's Eatery in Carnegie and you'll quickly discover it's not just another sandwich shop. It's an extension of owner Dagny Como herself, who creates an atmosphere so welcoming you might forget you're not actually sitting in her home kitchen. Located on East Main Street, this cozy spot represents a brave pandemic-e…
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053 Chloe Newman, Baking up Community with Sourdough
45:32
45:32
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45:32(00:55) As the "head bread head," Chloe Newman's journey to co-founding Third Space Bakery reveals how sourdough bread can become a vehicle for creativity, science, and community building. Working alongside her partners Erika Bruce and Beth Taylor, Chloe has transformed her former farmer's market business Crustworthy into part of a thriving bakery …
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052 Rick Sebak - Hot Dogs, History, and Hidden Food Gems
48:17
48:17
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48:17(00:55) Rick Sebak occupies a special place in Pittsburgh's cultural landscape. For nearly four decades, he's crafted documentaries that capture the essence of our region, always with a keen eye for how food connects us to place and memory. "I celebrate Pittsburgh," he says simply, though his work does anything but take a simple approach to storyte…
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(01:02) Dive into the delicious world of '77 Club, Pittsburgh's rising wood-fired sensation transforming the city's food scene with Italian street food and community spirit. Founders Brittani and Dustin Boutilier share the journey that brought them from California to Pittsburgh by way of Brazil, driven by their passion for authentic cuisine and bri…
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050 Rebecca and Autumn Post Pittsburgh's Food Scene
27:45
27:45
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27:45What happens when foodie culture, engagements, modeling, and generations-old pierogi recipes collide? Our latest episode of The Pittsburgh Dish! (01:09) Rebecca Hansborough @The_41_Chew reveals a surprising truth about why she abandoned her chef school dreams and opted for Instagram food content creation. "I think I would have hated being a restaur…
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049 Ryan Peters: A Rise to Fame with Flour and Eggs
37:49
37:49
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37:49(00:37) What does it take to transform a simple culinary skill into a social media sensation with almost 8 million followers? Ryan Peters, known across platforms as Peters Pasta, reveals the extraordinary journey that took him from professional chef to content creator powerhouse. Ryan's path wasn't planned. After years in prestigious kitchens like …
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048 Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Transforming Lives Through Food
40:38
40:38
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40:38(01:08) In this episode, we explore the work of Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to transforming lives through culinary education and workforce development. With a mission focused on utilizing food as a means to bring about positive change, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh provides comprehensive training programs for those facing…
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047 Chef Jonathan Homer's Culinary Journey
38:04
38:04
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38:04(00:53) Chef Jonathan Homer, the executive chef at Pizzaiolo Primo in Market Square, takes us on an exhilarating journey through his career and aspirations. Transitioning from a successful stint at Blue Sky, Chef Homer immerses himself in Primo's world of Neapolitan-style cuisine, celebrated for its made-to-order pastas and irresistible wood-fired …
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(00:55) What if your passion project turned into a thriving business going 18 years strong? Roxanne Easley of Roxanne’s Catering joins us to share her incredible journey from her roots in Pittsburgh to becoming a key player in the catering world. We delve into her diverse menu options, popular brunch selections like red velvet waffles and deep-frie…
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045 A Batch of Success with Jessica and Meghan
41:20
41:20
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41:20(00:55) Imagine walking into a kitchen filled with the irresistible aromas of homemade soups, breads, and jams, where the warmth of the environment makes you feel right at home. That's exactly the experience Jessica and Meghan have created at Batch LLC in Saxonburg, a haven for small-batch food enthusiasts. (14:57) With a strong focus on community …
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(00:42) What if a beloved restaurant from your past could be brought back to life, dish by dish? Join us as we explore the captivating legacy of The Primadonna, McKees Rocks' cherished Italian eatery, with insights from former owner Joseph Costanzo Jr. and his daughter, Maria C. Palmer. Maria's book, "On the Rocks," co-authored with Ruthie Robbins,…
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043 A Culinary Year in Review with Doug Heilman
8:16
8:16
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8:16(01:14) Join Doug Heilman, as he shares a heartfelt, behind the curtain 'year in review' of The Pittsburgh Dish, with you as an essential part of our success story. (04:35) Plus, get ready for an enticing culinary recommendation from our friend Kanika, with the unique diner experience at the Chop Shop in Butler, where traditional American classics …
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042 Small Business Beginnings with Healthy Heartbeets
46:38
46:38
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46:38(00:50) First up this week, Hannah Olsen, a familiar name from The Pittsburgh Dish (episode 005), joins us to share her latest passion project, Batches Bakehouse. This shared kitchen space in the Arlington neighborhood of Pittsburgh isn't just about baking; it's a support network where local small bakers thrive. Discover the story behind the bakeho…
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041 Ben D'Amico: Crafting Culinary at Market District
39:15
39:15
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39:15(00:42) Meet Ben D'Amico, the executive development chef for Giant Eagle's Market District stores, who takes us on a culinary journey through the world of large-format grocery chains. From humble beginnings as an intern to crafting prepared foods for 24 locations, Ben shares the exciting and challenging aspects of his role, including creative colla…
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Ever wondered how to deep fry your turkey without the fiery drama? Janet Loughran of Chef Life Hacks shares her essential advice on mastering oil displacement, ensuring that your turkey gets the crispy finish you crave without an overflowing disaster. We also explore a novel approach to Thanksgiving turkey with Steven Bright. His fascinating techni…
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040 Holiday Feasting with Chefs Janet and Alekka
39:43
39:43
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39:43(00:39) Unlock the secrets to crafting a memorable holiday feast with insights from our pros, Chefs Janet Loughran and Alekka Sweeney. With a wealth of experience in meal delivery, teaching, and kitchen spaces, these culinary experts offer invaluable tips and techniques for navigating the joys and challenges of holiday cooking. (08:34) Eager to mak…
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039 Crafting Dessert Magic with Selina Progar
42:01
42:01
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42:01(01:01) Pastry Chef Selina Progar takes us on a mesmerizing culinary journey, sharing her artistry and passion that illuminate Pittsburgh's dessert scene. From her innovative multi-component apple dessert at Eleven Contemporary Kitchen to crafting bonbons for Umi and seasonal delights for Kaya, Selina's creations redefine what it means to experienc…
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038 Fernando Canales: A Tasty Journey in Pittsburgh
38:13
38:13
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38:13Embark on a culinary journey with us as we welcome the talented Executive Chef Fernando Canales, who is shaking up the dining scene at Fairmont Pittsburgh. Discover how Chef Canales, with his rich background and experiences across exotic destinations, is redefining the hotel’s menu with an emphasis on his favorite dishes like octopus and rack of la…
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037 Tyler Lewis: Crafting Community and Creativity with Jackworth Ginger Beer
38:17
38:17
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38:17(01:02) Ever wondered how a simple root can revolutionize the beverage industry? Join us as Tyler Lewis, co-founder of Jackworth Ginger Beer, shares the story of Pennsylvania's first ginger beer brewery. You'll discover the unique blend of ingredients behind their flagship alcoholic ginger beer, featuring organic ginger from Peru and fermented cane…
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036 Chris Fennimore: Cultivating Community Through Cooking
46:50
46:50
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46:50(00:50) What do you do when you have an abundance of zucchini? If you're Chris Fennimore, you create a beloved cooking show that’s been a Pittsburgh favorite for over 31 years! Join us as Chris shares how his garden's bounty led to a unique television journey, one that focuses not on celebrity chefs, but on real people and their cherished family re…
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035 Rafael Vencio: Innovating Filipino Flavors in Pittsburgh
39:37
39:37
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39:37(01:00) Rafael Vencio shares his journey of rekindling his cultural roots through pop-ups that spotlight Filipino cuisine, with a touch of modern flair. From smoked pate-filled lumpia to reimagined pandesal, he is rewriting the narrative of traditional Filipino dishes with a creative twist, while on his ultimate journey to a spring restaurant openi…
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034 Doug Heilman: A Host of Culinary Adventures
30:59
30:59
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30:59What happens when you transition from the fast-paced world of telecommunications to the flavorful realm of food media? Join us as Catherine Montest takes the reins to interview our usual host, Doug Heilman, about his unexpected yet rewarding journey. From igniting his culinary passion with a simple YouTube channel to landing a spot on PBS's "The Gr…
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033 Erika Bruce: Crafting Cakes and Community at Third Space Bakery
42:58
42:58
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42:58(00:55) What does it take to craft the perfect rustic pastry and build a thriving worker-owned cooperative bakery? Join us on this episode of The Pittsburgh Dish as we chat with Erika Bruce, the passionate co-owner of Third Space Bakery in Garfield, Pittsburgh. Erika shares the unique journey behind the bakery's inception, their commitment to seaso…
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032 Heather Abraham: Exploring Local Flavors from TV to Family
43:35
43:35
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43:35(00:38) Heather Abraham, the dynamic co-host of Pittsburgh Today Live and Talk Pittsburgh on KDKA, joins us this episode, sharing her whirlwind life balancing a bustling family with her influential role in Pittsburgh's culinary scene. Heather pulls back the curtain on the multiple TV kitchen segments each week, illustrating the powerful connections…
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031 Steven Bright: A Chef's Tale of Culinary Dreams
39:22
39:22
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39:22(01:01) Join us as we uncover the extraordinary journey of Steven Bright, whose passion for cooking overcame family resistance and led him to an inspiring career filled with unforgettable moments. From his early culinary education at the International Culinary Academy to leading the kitchen at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Steven’s story is a test…
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This episode, we’re spotlighting some of the fresh voices in our Weekly Recommend segments. First, we chat with Emily Struhala, a freelance journalist from the Greensburg area. Beyond her dining picks, Emily writes about small business and tourism throughout Western Pennsylvania. Find her work on notable outlets like Visit Pittsburgh and Next Pitts…
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029 Megan McGinnis: Pittsburgh's Cheese Queen
35:41
35:41
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35:41(00:39) Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Megan McGinnis, affectionately known as the Cheese Queen of Pittsburgh, and uncover the secrets behind her charcuterie shop in Mount Oliver. Discover how Megan's passion for local cheeses, foods from women-owned businesses, and her expertise in creating stunning grazing tables has cemented her pl…
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028 A Flavorful Adventure with Kamila & Damir of Soul Pasta
37:18
37:18
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37:18(00:39) Join us as we uncover the heartwarming story of Kamila and Damir, the dynamic duo behind Soul Pasta. In this episode, we explore their remarkable journey to the United States, from owning a pasta shop on Baum Boulevard to embracing a business model that includes pop-ups, farmers markets, catering, and the unique Pasta Club subscription serv…
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027 From Backyard Barbecue to Chef Success with Jon Lloyd
40:59
40:59
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40:59(01:00) Ever wondered how a Father's Day gift can ignite a passion and transform a career? This week, we sit down with Jon Lloyd, a self-taught barbecue enthusiast who turned his newfound love for smoking meats during the pandemic into a thriving private chef business in Pittsburgh. He shares the variety of services he offers, including intimate di…
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026 Kanika, Guide to Indian Cuisine and Wine Pairings
40:25
40:25
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40:25(00:34) We welcome Kanika, also known as the Indian Somm and That Curry Smell, to The Pittsburgh Dish. This episode promises to enrich your culinary knowledge, blending Kanika's Indian heritage with her passion for gastronomy and vino. As a biomedical scientist by day and a culinary connoisseur by night, Kanika offers a unique perspective on making…
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025 Andrew Heffner Unveils Bar Marco's Magic
1:00:57
1:00:57
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1:00:57(00:35) Ever wondered how a beloved Pittsburgh restaurant turned an old firehouse into a culinary gem? Join us as we sit down with Andrew Heffner, the general manager of Bar Marco, to uncover the inspiring journey. Andrew shares the secrets behind their unique dining experience and the importance of staff longevity, creating a sense of community th…
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