Serving up locally sourced, free-range storytelling.
There's no way around it. The food business sucks.
Eight out of 10 restaurants don’t make it beyond the first 18 months. The profit margins are razor-thin, competition is fierce, and every diner with a Yelp account thinks they’re a food critic.
But here’s the thing—the ones who succeed aren’t just in it for the food—they’re in it for the love of the craft. They’re the bold dreamers who transform simple ingredients into unforgettable experiences that bring people together. They know the odds, and still, they pour everything into making magic happen.
Because the secret ingredient isn’t on the menu. It’s in the people behind it.
In partnership with KRCL 90.9 FM, ”The Utah Foodie Podcast” was a showcase of the Utah food scene where we interviewed the state’s top chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary entrepreneurs.
Although the podcast is no longer active, it is still available on all major podcasting platforms.
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Host: Chase Murdock
Co-Host / Marketing: Keni Nelson
Producer: Ryan Samanka
Argentina's Best Empanadas - Shaping SLC One Empanada At a Time
Ana Valdemoros grew up surrounded by food. Whether it was a family meal, a get-together with friends, or a neighborhood gathering, food was a staple. Ana was raised in Argentina, a country that blends Italian and regional Argentinian cuisines to create simple, hearty, flavorful meals that always draw from local ingredients. When Ana moved to Salt Lake City for college in 2000, it quickly became apparent that Utah was in dire need of an authentic Argentina experience.
PJK's Creamery - A Flavorful, Fresh Take on Ice Cream Rolls Into Town
On this episode of The Utah Foodie, we sit down with Peter Korth, the founder of PJK Creamery, your new favorite ice cream supplier. With 16 playful flavors and seasonal flavors appearing monthly, Peter has accomplished something that many in Utah have not: he’s made ice cream an experience.
The Utah Foodie Reheated - The Future of Chocolate Is in… Utah?
On this episode of The Utah Foodie, we dive into the blossoming craft chocolate scene that can be found in Utah. We’ll explore why chocolate in Utah is gaining such popularity, the process of how a simple cacao bean can turn into delicious chocolate, and what artisan chocolatiers have learned through their wild and delicious chocolate journey. With insight from the founders of The Chocolate Conspiracy, Millcreek Cacao, Solstice Chocolate, and Caputo’s Market, we receive a Master Class on what chocolate means for Utah.
Project Pineapple - Vacation in a Pineapple
Adam Malmborg was destined to be an entrepreneur. His mind was always running with ideas, and his creativity and problem solving needed to be free from the confines of the 9-5 grind. One day while wandering at a market he stumbled upon a lemonade stand that had a long, winding line. Adam was blown away by people’s commitment to buy a $7 lemonade in the summer sun, and his mind began to race. What other cold, delicious treats could be provided?
Mama Africa - Smell It, Taste It, Love It
Cathy Tshilombo-Lokemba was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and was surrounded by the spices and flavors of the country. But her path was a winding one, and she ended up traveling and living all over the world. With stops in Europe, New York City, Dallas, Phoenix, Cathy, known to many as Mama Africa, planted roots in Toole, Utah. While many wouldn’t consider Utah a mecca of diversity, Mama Africa only saw an opportunity. A chance to bring Africa to Utahns, and help share her culture and her food.
Butcher's Bunches - It's All About Family
When the recession arrived in 2008 the pain was felt everywhere. Fortune 500 companies, local mom and pop shops, and governments around the world all slowed down and the cost of living made margins thinner and thinner. For Liz Butcher and the Butcher family, their farmer’s market side business felt a massive crunch. As more people joined the markets to sell produce, Liz began brainstorming alternatives. And what she dreamed up was even bigger than the family's produce business.
Beltex Meats - Sustainability Through Local Sourcing
Founded by Philip Grubisa in 2014, Beltex Meats is a whole animal butcher shop that has one goal in mind: bringing back the neighborhood butcher. Only using animals from local farmers, Philip and his small team make sure that nothing goes to waste. From steak, chops, ground beef, sausages, pot pies, charcuterie boards, and dog treats, Beltex Meats is a butcher shop that brings expertise and sustainability to every product they craft by hand.
Chapul - Eat Crickets for a Better Future
Patrick Crowley doesn’t have a typical start in the food industry. With a background in water conservation, a majority of Patrick’s professional career was dedicated to hydrology and analyzing water resources. This passion led to the discovery of a TED talk by Marcel Dicke titled “Why Not Eat Insects?” This talk ignited a thought in Patrick’s head that couldn’t be squashed. Was there a more sustainable way to get our protein?
Beehive Cheese - Have Your Cheese and Eat It Too
When life gives you an opportunity, you have two choices. Either ignore it or go all in. For Pat Ford, life's opportunity came in the form of a mid-life crisis. After a successful career as a real estate developer, the energy and excitement that came from his job began to disappear. The constant pressure of deadlines, demanding bosses, and commuting kept adding up, and Pat was in need of a change.
Amour Spreads - “And so We Said, Let’s Make Jam!”
Amour is the French word for love, and that's the perfect way to describe how the local jam company Amour Spreads began. It was in 2011 that John and Casee Francis were looking to start a new chapter in life. They felt they were in a rut with their careers and needed a change, or as they say in the episode, they wanted a sign: something that would signal to them what their next life chapter had in store for them.
Creminelli Fine Meats - From Italy to Salt Lake City, to Every Starbucks Across North America
The story of Creminelli Fine Meats begins several hundred years ago, in a small town in Northern Italy. It was then, in the late 1700s, that a man called Francesco Creminelli would open a humble cheese and salami corner shop business that would come to change his family’s history forever.
Solstice Chocolate - Artisan Chocolate: “How Hard Could It Be?”
Scott was comfortable in his career as an air traffic controller and DeAnn was a sales manager at a local Utah business. But their kids were growing up and leaving the house, and behind the scenes, Scott and DeAnn's homemade chocolate was becoming much more than a hit among friends and family and was turning into an obsession.
Allgood Provisions - Responsible Snacking
Jake Boyd has always been passionate about organic food and environmental sustainability but didn't know the best way to make an impact. After working full-time and moving to Park City to explore the famous Utah ski slopes, his childhood roots came full circle and he ventured into the food world. Having been raised by parents that grew up farming, the passion and drive to start a company from scratch that focused on non-GMO, sustainable, organic snack foods.
Laziz Foods - Nothing Lazy About This Hummus
On this episode of The Utah Foodie Podcast, we sit down with Moudi Sbety, co-owner of Lazis Foods, to hear his entrepreneurial journey in the food business, making hummus. Laziz is a local maker of Middle Eastern spreads like their popular hummus, muhammara, and toum garlic sauce that can be found in a variety of local grocery stores like Whole Foods and Liberty Heights Fresh.
Amy Riolo - Building Bridges Through Global Cuisine
On this episode of The Utah Foodie Podcast, we’re joined by Amy Riolo, award-winning author, chef, TV personality, cuisine and culture expert, and educator who makes frequent appearances on television and radio programs in the United States and abroad, including Fox Television, CBS, The Travel Channel, Martha Stewart Living Radio, WHYY, and now... the popular podcast that is The Utah Foodie.
Caputo's Market & Deli - Tony Caputo Retires
Tony Caputo: we all know the name. He’s the man, of course, behind Tony Caputo’s Market & Deli, a culinary staple in downtown Salt Lake City. Caputo's has been a large part of the Utah food scene since 1997 when Tony opened up across from Pioneer Park. It’s part deli, part market, and today, a large third part that is their online store, where they ship out hundreds of boxes each day filled with fine cheese, chocolate, meats, oils, and jam. In fact, they’re the largest premium chocolate company in the United States.
The Chocolate Conspiracy - A Story of Healthy Eating and A Career in Chocolate
AJ Wentworth attended the world's largest nutrition school in New York City, after spending years as a health coach and working at a retreat center in rural Arizona where he taught his patients about raw food and holistic, healthy living. To put it simply, AJ doesn't have the background you'd expect of a chocolatier.
Rico Brand & Frida Bistro - Mexican Food and the American Dream
Jorge Fierro has an incredible story. He left university in Chihuahua, Mexico in his early twenties to start a new life chapter in the United States, despite his parents' desire to have him complete his studies at law school to become an attorney. When he arrived in America, he spent his nights on the streets and in homeless shelters while he learned English and struggled to find a way to make ends meet. His first job was herding sheep in rural Wyoming, before he finally made his way to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Vive Juicery - All About Local, Cold-Pressed Juice
Vive Juicery is a cold-press juice shop in Sugarhouse that makes fresh fruit and vegetable juices—and it's the product of Brittany Thaxton's blood, sweat, and tears over the past two years. In this episode of The Utah Foodie, our host Chase Murdock chats with Brittany to reflect back on Vive's last two years, starting all the way to their farmer’s market days, to the original Kickstarter campaign that got them the startup capital they needed to make Vive a reality, and all the way up to today, where they have 20 employees, two locations, and press a lot of juice.
The Queens' Tea - Michael Ferguson and Seth Anderson Talk Tea, Their Lawsuit, and How They Help LGBT Teens
In this episode of The Utah Foodie Podcast, we interview Michael Ferguson and Seth Anderson, the two behind The Queens' Tea, a tea blending and sourcing company they started in Utah in late 2012 when they realized they wanted to share their passion for tea with a larger audience than just their family and friends.