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Ann Delisi's Essential Cooking How to sharpen your knives, what drinks to serve, where your seafood comes from – WDET's Ann Delisi and James Beard-nominated Chef James Rigato are here to empower you in the kitchen and have some fun along the way. Through interviews with chefs and industry experts, Essential Cooking is a key ingredient in your culinary journey.
Ann Delisi's Essential Cooking

Podcast Directory
Ann Delisi's Essential Cooking

Ann Delisi's Essential Cooking

From WDET 101.9 FM

How to sharpen your knives, what drinks to serve, where your seafood comes from – WDET's Ann Delisi and James Beard-nominated Chef James Rigato are here to empower you in the kitchen and have some fun along the way. Through interviews with chefs and industry experts, Essential Cooking is a key ingredient in your culinary journey.

Most Recent Episodes

The Family Business and Delicious Tradition of Fairway Packing Co.

Ann and James sit down with cousins Emmet and Gino Baratta from Fairway Packing for a conversation about their family business located in Southeast Michigan. They talk about how relationships with chefs are vital to their success, and they discuss the quality focused mindset that began with the generations before them. Tune in to learn what goes into producing and supplying quality meats, from farm to to delivery truck. And get your notepad out, because they're going to teach you a thing or two about how to perfectly prepare that nice steak you just bought.

The Family Business and Delicious Tradition of Fairway Packing Co.

Travel Italy Like a Chef

How would a Chef approach traveling to a country renowned for its culinary excellence? In this episode, Ann sits down with her co-host, Chef James Rigatto, to discuss his recent adventures in Italy—a country that holds food in the highest regard. James shares his practical strategies for planning his trips, including booking flights, indulging in local cuisine and drinks, and finding balance after a week of indulgent dining. Get ready to be inspired as James reveals his secrets for maximizing his culinary journeys in Italy.

Travel Italy Like a Chef

Pastries Without Borders with Warda Bouguettaya

Warda Bouguettaya is the visionary chef behind Warda Patisserie in Midtown Detroit. Warda has achieved remarkable success in the culinary world, being named one of Food and Wine's Best Chefs in America in 2022 and receiving the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Warda's creations are a fusion of Algerian heritage, French flair, and Chinese influences. She talks with Ann Delisi and James Rigato about her path to Detroit, the enduring influence of her mother's cooking, and the thrill of being nationally recognized and celebrated for her delectable pastries.

Pastries Without Borders with Warda Bouguettaya

The Many Shades of Veganism

Sadie Quagliotto of Hip in Detroit, and Vegan pro-artist Jessica Hayes join Ann and James to break down what it means to be vegan. They tackle the subjects of "animal product free" food, lifestyle, and makeup. Learn where to get a great vegan meal in the Detroit region, and how to know if your makeup is truly vegan.

The Many Shades of Veganism

What the Halal to Eat in Dearborn, Michigan with Fred Sareini

Dearborn, Michigan is known for its fantastic food scene that boasts cuisine from around the Arab World. Fred Sareini is a hands-on expert on Dearborn's food. His day job as a clay sculptor for Ford Motor Company also plays very nicely into his reverse engineering mindset for food. Listen to hear about some of Fred's favorite Halal destinations in the Arab American capital of the United States.

What the Halal to Eat in Dearborn, Michigan with Fred Sareini

Chef John Vermiglio's Path from Charlie Trotter's to Detroit

John Vermiglio is the chef behind Detroit restaurants Grey Ghost, 2nd Best, and Basan, but his career kicked off in Chicago under the direction of the highly influential and infamous chef, Charlie Trotter. In this episode, John dives into what it was like to work with the legendary chef and how those experiences shaped his approach to opening his Detroit dining destinations.

Chef John Vermiglio's Path from Charlie Trotter's to Detroit

Discover the Food of the Italian Islands with Katie Parla

In her latest book, the New York Times bestselling cookbook author and Emmy nominated TV host, Katie Parla, breaks down what makes each Italian Island's cuisine unique and delicious! In this episode, she joins Ann and James to discuss her writing, the Italian emphasis on digestion, life as an American living abroad, and where to find her favorite dishes. Buon appetito!

Discover the Food of the Italian Islands with Katie Parla

Demystifying Champagne with Paulina Schemanski

Take a deep dive into everything champagne with Paulina Schemanski, sommolier at Mabel Gray. She tells Ann and James all about what makes champagne... champagne, and how to best enjoy the misunderstood and underappreciated beverage. (Hint, you don't have to be at a wedding or New Year's party to enjoy!)

Demystifying Champagne with Paulina Schemanski

Hamissi Mamba's Culinary Journey from Burundi to Detroit

Hamissi Mamba, restaurant owner and recent winner of The Food Network's "Chopped", talks to Ann Delisi and Chef James Rigato about his inspiring life journey from Burundi to Detroit. He speaks of how he and his wife Nadia Nijimbere overcame the odds to start a family and a thriving business in an unfamiliar culture.

Hamissi Mamba's Culinary Journey from Burundi to Detroit

Setting the Table for Season 3

Long time, no see! Ann and James take a moment to catch up with each other and set the table for the third season of Essential Cooking. They talk about exploring food through travel, their businesses, and highlight what's to come for the podcast in the year ahead.

Setting the Table for Season 3

Ann Delisi's Essential Cooking

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