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Although the podcast is no longer active, it is still available on all major podcasting platforms.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
Pulp Lifestyle Kitchen - The Flavor Is In The Details
Utah is experiencing an influx of food diversification. No longer must we settle for chain restaurants, or the same three cuisines over and over again. With our expanding food scene comes more options for consumers, better quality food, and a large variety of options for those who have specific dietary needs.
Amanda Rock and the Vegan Takeover
There’s been a re-veganing. Our podcast serves many purposes, but our biggest priority is to educate and surprise Utahns with our growing and diverse food scene. And nowhere is that more apparent than this episode where we not only surprise you with the bountiful vegan and vegetarian options in our community but also surprise you with super special guest host, Amanda Rock.
Rawtopia - A Food-Inspired Spiritual Awakening
Omar Abou-Ismail doesn't have your typical restaurant owner story. Originally born in Lebanon, Omar and his family traveled and lived throughout West Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Middle East, and eventually settled in Utah. After studying geophysics and mechanical engineering at the University of Utah, he began working with the U.S. Navy as a geophysicist. And then, in 2005, he opened Rawtopia. You could say it was a bit of a leap in career.
Vertical Diner & Sage's Cafe - Vegan and Vegetarian Before It Was Cool
Vertical Diner and Sage’s Cafe are two leading restaurants in Utah that promote plant-based foods on their menu, with large offerings of exclusively vegetarian and vegan dishes. Today, vegan and vegetarian menu options aren't uncommon, but it was rare back in 1998, and the thought of opening a vegetarian-only restaurant in Salt Lake City seemed impossible.
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.
Zest Kitchen & Bar - Healthy Eating With Casey Staker
Casey Staker’s career started in 2004 when he bought into a new nightclub at the time, the W Lounge. And almost 10 years later, Casey closed it down to pursue his next project—a place he would actually want to hang out at—a restaurant with healthy food and drinks that’s open late, and he could go to on the weekends. So in 2012, Zest Kitchen & Bar was born.
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.