Hot Off The Press Podcast

Chef-Owners Judson and Peter Holt grew up watching their father nurture and grow the first Lupe Tortilla into a success. The first restaurant opened in a 1940’s frame house on the outskirts of Houston in 1983. Both sons are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America. They took over the family business in 1997, and have continued to build a dedicated following. Since Lupe Tortilla first opened in Addicks, Texas in 1983, the concept has had an unwavering focus on providing excellent food and service to customers with their delicious and unique style of Mexican food made from scratch. With almost 20 locations, dishes are still made to order at each restaurant, and Lupe Tortilla strives to always provide the best food for the best price. The company focuses on offering rewarding employee programs and opportunities for growth, which enable it to be a sought-after workplace. Chefs and owners Judson and Peter Holt have extensive experience and background in hospitality, and both hold degrees from the prestigious

Chef Brooke Brantley has been a chef for more than 20 years, having led kitchens in restaurants, resorts and private clubs around the country. Before following his passion for cooking, he was an award-winning videographer, editor and television director.

Blankenship earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of South Alabama. He worked for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) as a marine resources enforcement officer and rose to the position of director of marine resources in 2011.[2] Blankenship was named deputy commissioner of the ADCNR in March 2017 and acting commissioner in May 2017 following the resignation of N. Gunter Guy Jr. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey appointed Blankenship to the role of ADCNR commissioner in August 2017.

Jim Binner’s cooking career landed him several prestigious awards and recognition at a young age. Then extensive experience in foodservice sales, marketing and business practices, along with a desire to further his education, make him a logical choice for membership on the Alumni Council. Jim holds multiple degrees, including a Masters in Strategic Leadership. As an active member of the American Culinary Federation, New York State Restaurant Association, School Nutrition Association, and holding a seat on the Board of Director of the International Food Service Executives Association, Jim has a broad view of the industry and an acute understanding of the value of learning and teamwork. Jim is an advocate for the CIA in many ways. His support and involvement at the annual Alumni Home Coming weekend, Gift-in-Kind donations, CIA Gala Awards, Flavor Summits, and multiple Alumni Receptions around the country truly show his passion for his alma mater. You may even see a few bricks with his name on them around the Hy

The South African beauty queen, award-winning baker and grill master, Linkie Marais, is more than your average chef! With a love for exploring, cooking and the outdoors, Chef Linkie Marais' ‘will to grill’ stems all the way back to her unique blend of South African and Southern roots. Born in Evander, a town in northeastern South Africa, Linkie was raised in the kitchen, helping her mother prepare meals on a daily basis. With a lack of abundant fresh ingredients, she inher- ited her mother’s creativity, utilizing whatever they had available to create fresh and original meals. Described by Linkie as a “melting pot,” South African cuisine incorporates influences from across the globe. “We love our meats – especially lamb – but South African cuisine is really a mix of northern African and European influences,” says Linkie. “We grew up eating everything from rustic cur- ries to fine breads and cakes.” Immigrating to the U.S. in 1999, Linkie and her family settled in Tupelo, Mississippi where she began her cul

Michele Ragussis is an American chef. She is best known as a finalist on the eighth season of the Food Network series Food Network Star.

Greg Buschmohle  Founder L&N Seafood  Bayside Grill Quality Restaurants inc. Chef at the new Safari Club located in the Gulf Shores Zoo

After working in restaurants throughout her teens and earning a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Drexel University, Tio started cooking at Philadelphia’s Ritz-Carlton hotel. Tio moved to Orlando. There she helped open three specialty restaurants for Walt Disney World: Spoodles, Citricos, and Palo. Tio truly made her mark during the following seven years heading the kitchen at Kansas City’s renowned American Restaurant. There she garnered both local and national accolades, including 2005 Chef Of The Year by Chef magazine and the James Beard Foundation’s 2007 Best Chef: Midwest. Chef Tio has gone to open Julian, and recently the Belfry and Collection Restaurant.

Absorbing culture and passing it on through food is part of Executive Chef Nick Liberato's heritage. Raised believing that every day is a holiday which should be celebrated with food, wine, great conversation, and loved ones, Nick has been cooking professionally for 18 years, and now calls the Southern California coast his home. Nick is a personal chef to the stars, a revered cocktail mixologist, world traveler, husband, father & surfer.

As a former collegiate and professional athlete staying in shape and keeping up with my body was a part of the job description. I had to make weight and be able to perform to my fullest capabilities on the field. My diet and the food I put in my body directly affected both of those. I also grew up with a passion for food and love being in the kitchen and around food. ​ With my athletic background and my passion for food I was able to combine that over my years of playing to create meals to help me achieve my goals. Through trial and error in cooking I learned how to subtract calories out of some of my favorite meals but keep the flavor. Playing days are over however I am still into fitness and taking care of my body. I spent the last year traveling and learning new recipes and flavor profiles to bring back to the kitchen. ​ PhreshPlate was soon born after that. I have brought some of my favorite recipes from my playing days and some of my favorite recipes from my travels. PhreshPlate the food truck will provi

Growing up in South Philly, many would have thought Steve Martorano didn’t stand much of a chance for more than going into the family business. With his father making only $166 a week and his uncle in the mob, Steve knew one thing – he didn’t want either of those lives for himself. But what was he to do? School was never his strong suit, so he set out on his own journey to success, but not without a few failures along the way, which only made him stronger and more determined to show the world what he is made of. After spinning records for a few years as a DJ in the 70s, Steve opened up his first delivery sandwich shop in his apartment. He was a one-man show with an increasingly popular business. His sandwiches became such a hit in South Philly that Martorano outgrew his space and opened a take out restaurant in a strip mall. Here Martorano made pizza, sandwiches, pasta dishes and homemade water ice. A few years later, the demand outgrew his location again, and Martorano moved to a freestanding, sit down resta

Chef Pete sits down with Robert Kabakoff of RHK Consulting Group. RHK Consulting Group’s founder and owner Robert Kabakoff has led an impressive career of culinary invention. He recognized his passion for cooking and baking at an early age and has been following through on that passion with determination ever since. In 1986, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America which further fueled his drive. At twenty-five years young, he was named Executive Chef for Troon Golf and Country Club, earning Chef of the Year and winning the National Championship for Hot Food Cooking twice. After eight years as Corporate Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Training for Hillstone Restaurants, Kabakoff branched out to open his own consulting group along with restaurants in Bend, Oregon, Chicago Illinois, Spanish Fort Alabama, Cedar Rapids Iowa and Washington D.C.

Chef Pete Blohme talks to Bob Omainsky of Wintzell's Oyster House!

In this episode of the Hot off the Press Podcast, Panini Pete Blohme interviews Bobby “the Butcher” Marcotte who is a fellow Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives alumnus and winner of Guy's Grocery Games in 2017. He is best known for Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery in a small town in New Hampshire.  Marcotte has been in the restaurant business for 25 years, jumping right into the chaos at age 13 and never looking back. His father was a former Navy chef who ended up working in restaurants. Marcotte’s help was needed in the dish pit one night, and he realized that was where fit in.  He opened Tuckaway eight years ago – a 250 seat butcher shop and steak house. He recently branched out with Hop & Grind, which focus on craft beers and craft burgers.  Marcotte said he learned a lot about the restaurant business by watching people ahead of him. From these people, he realized what he wanted to do and what he didn’t want to do and created his own style. He also reads a lot of books, and he and Blohme discuss some of his fav

Chef Pete Blohme chats with Lane Zirlott of Murder Point Oysters!

On this episode of the Hot Off the Press podcast, Pete welcomes Johnny Hernandez from San Antonio to the show to discuss his culinary journey, his catering background, his path towards being an expert in traditional Mexican food, and his philanthropic efforts in the San Antonio area. Hernandez worked in his parents’ kitchen as a boy and knew that he wanted to work in the field for the rest of his life. His father encouraged him to get an education at the best culinary school he could find. Hernandez attended the Culinary Institute of America, and he feels the mentoring and education put him on the path to success. Since then, he has made a name for himself in San Antonio, owning a catering business and a number of restaurants, with five more in the works, inspired by Mexico and focused on authentic Mexican food. Hernandez traveled through Mexico to learn about the food, culture, beverages and décor and became committed to that style. He strives to be the expert on Mexican food in his region of the United Stat

In this episode of Hot Off the Press, Pete Blohme does a live interview from Ed's Seafood Shed on the Causeway in south Alabama with Martie Duncan, a former Food Network Star and Alabama culinary legend.  Duncan, who is based in Birmingham, finished as the runner-up on season 8 of Food Network Star and was mentored by Alton Brown during the show’s competition. With a background in parties and entertainment experiences that revolve around food, Duncan – the face of Martie Knows Parties – stepped out of her comfort zone while on the show. At the same time, she made a name for herself and her culinary abilities.  Duncan was told by Bobby Flay to be the best advocate that she could for Alabama, and her books have done just that. Birmingham’s Best Bites and Magic City Cravings feature some of Birmingham’s best and most requested recipes. Duncan’s third book, Alabama Cravings, was released in 2018. The book is a “road trip of food” from around the state of Alabama, featuring 97 recipes from restaurants from around

On this week’s Hot off the Press podcast, Panini Pete talks shop with a friend, and fellow Mess Lord, Brian Duffy.  Duffy grew up in Philadelphia and worked a few kitchen jobs before going to culinary school at Philadelphia’s The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. A few days after graduating he moved to the Florida Keys and worked in a restaurant for about a year. He then returned to Philly and worked under James Beard Award-winning Chef Jean Marie LaCroix at The Four Seasons. Since then, he has become a restaurateur and celebrity chef with his own shows on the Food Network (Opening Night) and Spike TV (Bar Rescue).  Duffy said he had no idea what he was doing when he started and learned a lot of what he knows now through trial and error and mistakes. Now, he does a lot of consulting to help other restaurants figure out what they’re doing wrong, using what he has learned over the years to help them turn things around and be successful.   With a new Food Network show based on his consulting business, Du

“It’s not life and death. It’s just lunch and dinner.”  This week, Panini Pete welcomes long-time friend and restaurateur John Conley to the podcast. In this episode, Conley discusses how he got into the profession – working at a deli at the age of 13 – and how his career has grown from there. He also compares the restaurant business with the profession of smoke jumping and how the structure of the latter helped him do better at the former.   In his more than 30 years in the business, Conley has seen a shift in his priorities. He treats his employees like family and encourages them to find importance in their lives outside of their jobs. Listen to him describe this journey with Pete and why he thinks this aspect of his business and his life is so important. Conley is well-known in Flagstaff and beyond for his restaurants Salsa Brava, which he opened at the age of 21, and Fat Olives Italian Kitchen. Salsa Brava continually wins awards for its Mexican fare in Arizona. As the father of a child with Down syndrome

Join Chef Pete Blohme as he travels the globe, interviewing chefs both in studio and on-location!