Hot Off The Press Podcast

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

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

In Part 2 of the "Hot Off the Press" GTMO episode, Chef Pete continues to bring all the action from the most recent Mess Lords “Fork Full of Freedom” trip to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Featured on the Food Network program “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” hosted by Guy Fieri, Mess Lords is a group of celebrity chefs that have teamed up to help boost the morale of those in the United States Armed Services. As a founding member of the organization, Chef Pete and his team of Mess Lords offer cooking demos, culinary shows, entertainment, and of course good eats to the men and women who selflessly serve our country. On this most recent tour, Pete caught up with pro BMX dirt rider Mike "Hucker" Clark and professional skateboarder Omar Hassan who were also part of the tour to entertain sailors through Navy Entertainment's MWR program. The three talked the evolution of their respective sports, their thoughts on success, and even a little food. Mountaineer Roasting.  Located on the 5th floor of Evansdale Crossing at West Virg

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Pete sits down with fellow Mess Lords and celebrity chefs Celina Tio and Nick Liberato on their recent “Fork Full of Freedom” trip to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.   Featured on the Food Network program “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” hosted by Guy Fieri, Mess Lords is a group of celebrity chefs that have teamed up to help boost the morale of those in the United States Armed Services. As a founding member of the organization, Chef Pete and his team of Mess Lords offer cooking demos, culinary shows, entertainment, and of course good eats to the men and women who selflessly serve our country. After earning a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Drexel University, Celina Tio started cooking at Philadelphia’s Ritz-Carlton hotel. By age 23 she had become the chef of the hotel’s Grill Room. Celina moved to Orlando, Fla., to work for Walt Disney World. There she helped open two specialty restaurants: Spoodles, which features Mediterranean cuisine, and Citricos, specializing in

On the latest episode of "Hot Off the Press" Chef Pete catches up with Bill Walton, aka "Dr. Oyster,"  the oyster aquaculture extension specialist with Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. He is an associate professor in Auburn University’s School of Fisheries, Aquaculture & Aquatic Sciences and a marine Extension specialist for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Working along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico at Auburn University’s Shellfish Lab in Dauphin Island, Ala., he conducts applied research with local shellfish farmers, shellfishermen (commercial and recreational), and national and local organizations. Before moving to the Gulf, he did similar work along the coast of Massachusetts.  In particular, Bill focuses on development of oyster mariculture in the southern U.S. as a sustainable, environmentally friendly industry that creates jobs, increases incomes, and preserves a traditional way of life. In addition, Bill and his wife, Beth, along with their partner Troy Parnell and his wife, Ca

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Chef Pete road trips to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi to visit The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs. A family-owned restaurant, Brett Orrison, Brooke Lewis and Brad Orrison began their BBQ and Blues journey in 2001. This wild ride has taken them on quite a successful trip. The Shed has been featured on national TV shows and has landed a number of world championship awards for their famous barbecue and for their secret rub. Most recently, The Shed was named the best BBQ in the state of Mississippi by the Food Network, and Southern Living Magazine ranked the Shed number one on their Great American Bucket List.  Winning over 20 awards for their sauces at the National BBQ Association Convention, as well as the Grand World Championship in the Whole Hog Division at the Memphis in May World Championship, are only a few notches in the belts of The Shed’s BBQ competition team. Most every item on The Shed’s menu has won prestigious awards. From all of the meats, the sauce

After a little bit of a holiday hiatus, "Hot Off the Press" podcast is back in full swing this spring kicking off 2018 from Orange Beach, Ala, with one of our favorite HotP guests and longtime friend Johnny Fisher. It's been more than two years since Chef Pete caught up with Johnny on location from his most recent restaurant opening, Fisher's at Orange Beach Marina. Fisher's Upstairs and Fisher's Dockside are two restaurants housed under the same roof—one offering a more upscale, timeless dining experience and the other a more casual dining option. Both with incredible food, first-class service and an atmosphere arguably unmatched along the Gulf Coast. Johnny's passion for the industry has also landed him opportunities to lend what his team calls the "Fisher's Factor," to some of the most iconic places along the Gulf Coast, including New Orleans’ House of Blues, Lulu’s at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores and  The Gulf at Perdido Pass in Orange Beach. His most recent venture will bring Caribibean-inspired cuisin

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Chef Pete gives listeners a recap of all the happenings of the year. With multiple Food Network episode features, new restaurant openings, and even a trip to Washington D.C. to represent the industry on Capitol Hill, 2017 has been one for the books. Be sure to stay tuned to “Hot Off the Press” to see what’s in store for 2018!  On a recent trip to "Panini Pete's" on the campus of West Virginia University, Pete caught up with former WVU quarterback star Pat White. A Daphne, Alabama native (Pete’s hometown), White played for WVU before being selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft. He became the first quarterback in NCAA history to win four bowl games in a row (five including the Senior Bowl) and broke numerous Big East Conference and NCAA records. White finished sixth in Heisman voting in 2007 and seventh in 2008. He was a three-time All-Big East first-team selection, and WVU was 42-9 in White's four seasons. In addition, White was drafted

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Chef Pete broadcasts live from the 10th Annual Oyster Cook Off and Craft Beer Weekend at the Hangout in Gulf Shores, Ala. Acclaimed celebrities and James Beard Award-winning chefs along with breweries from all over the country teamed up for one of the Gulf Coast’s fastest-growing food competitions. Participants served up a multitude of curated oyster varieties judged on presentation, flavor and creativity in a blind taste test. The weekend also featured concerts from Rodney Atkins and Anderson East.  OK Bicycle Shop was the Overall Winner and also took first place in the Cajun Category. Hugo’s Oyster Bar held the number one spot in the Rockefeller Category and Walker’s Drive In took the top prize in the Raw Category.  Pete caught up with Sean Beyo of Hog Island Oyster Company in Marshall, California to get the story behind one of the West Coasts’s premiere producers of certified sustainable shellfish. These marine biologists turned oyster farmers started this operation i

On this episode of “Hot Off The Press,” Chef Pete brings you all the action hot off the grill from Lynchburg, Tennessee, host of the 29th Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue and home to the famous Jack Daniel’s Distillery. Sixty-seven championship teams from the U.S. and 23 international teams from countries including Austria, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland, competed in the invitation-only cook-off for the coveted Grand Champion title.  “The Jack” kicked off Friday evening with a VIP party on “BBQ Hill” featuring live music from Nashville recording country artist and X-Factor Top 8 Finalist, Skyelor Anderson. “Big Jim” Stancil of Bareknuckles BBQ in Oxford, Georgia, served up tacos made with delicious American Wagyu Outside Skirt Steak from Snake River Farms in Idaho, while guests also enjoyed a Southern-style buffet of fried chicken and "fixins" catered by the folks at Jack Daniel’s.  Some of the top pitmasters and persona

On this episode of “Hot off the Press” Chef Pete and fellow MESSLORDS Linkie Marais and John Conley take a break from serving troops in Okinawa, Japan, to chat with a local radio show about some of the behind-the-scenes happenings on this latest tour. The celebrity chef trio spent their only day off during the “Fork Full of Freedom” Tour to share with listeners what it means to each of them to be able to “serve those who serve us.”  Part of Navy Entertainment MWR Program, the primary purpose of MESSLORDS is to work with all facets of the U.S. military and their families, both domestically and abroad, to provide entertainment, education and boost morale through culinary related shows and demonstrations. MESSLORDS provides celebrity chefs and other culinary related personalities with a vehicle capable of presenting shows and demonstrations at select military bases and installations. The culinary experts of The MESSLORDS offer educational opportunities as well as healthy rivalries through demonstrations and cook

On this episode of Hot Off the Press, Chef Pete sits down with his longtime friend and owner of Café Acadiana in Silver Hill, Alabama, Gerald Ardoin. Pete first met Gerald during the early days of "Panini Pete's" when Gerald worked as his local U.S. Foods sales rep. The youngest of six children, Gerald grew up in his family’s grocery business before his father purchased a “fried chicken and ice cream joint” in Opelousas, Louisiana in 1979, and reopened it as Ardoin’s Seafood. Gerald continued working in the family business until his father’s retirement in 1995 and, with the help of his father, opened his own restaurant in the same Louisiana area shortly after. In 2004, Gerald and his family moved to Baldwin County, Alabama, where he took a job as a sales representative with U.S. Foods. After 10 years with the major food distributor, Gerald and his wife, Cristina, renovated a building in downtown Silverhill and opened Café Acadiana in the heart of this little Mayberry-like Gulf Coast town in 2013, returning to

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Chef Pete catches up with Tiffanie Barriere, renowned bartender and mixologist of the James Beard Award-winning One Flew South Restaurant located in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Under Tiffanie’s creative direction, One Flew South was named "Best Airport Bar in the World" by Tales of the Cocktail and hailed as one of the best by numerous press outlets. Dubbed “The Drinking Coach” due to her passion for and knowledge of spirits and her ability to “coach and coax” her customers into trying new drinks, the Louisiana native discovered her love for the cocktail culture while working behind the bar in college. She credits her success to her mentor who encouraged her to try something new behind the bar every day. While working in corporate training for Longhorn Steakhouse, Tiffanie stumbled into an interview that landed her in front of One Flew South's award-winning Chef Duane Nutter and the rest is history. Since the restaurant’s opening in 2008, Tiffanie

On this episode of “Hot off the Press” Chef Pete and fellow celebrity chef “Mess Lords” Celina Tio and Sikey Vlahos broadcast from Whidbey Island, Washington, where they brought some Southwest to the Northwest serving up pork chili, fish tacos and cocoa bread budding to sailors stationed at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. The event, sponsored by Navy Entertainment, was part of this year’s Mess Lords tour where a group of celebrity chefs team up to help boost the morale of those in the United States Armed Services. As a founding member of the organization, Chef Pete and crew offer cooking demos, culinary shows, entertainment, and of course good eats to the men and women who selflessly serve our country. Chef Pete was joined by James Beard Award-winning chef Celina Tio, owner of The Belfry in Kansas City, Missouri, and formerly Julian, her first proprietary restaurant which is set to close this summer. Tio said she plans to turn her focus to The Belfry, which she recently reopened, and expand its role to include more

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Chef Pete catches up with longtime friend Lucy Buffett at the world-famous LuLu’s at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores, Alabama, while on a little break from her summer-long tour for the release of her second cookbook Gumbo Love: Recipes for Gulf Coast Cooking, Entertaining, and Savoring the Good Life. In this delicious love letter to the Gulf Coast's vibrant food culture, the restaurateur and beloved younger “crazy sista” of music legend Jimmy Buffett, has put together a collection of over 100 recipes showcasing the Caribbean, Cajun, Cuban, Mexican, Old Florida, and Creole influences of Gulf Coast cuisine. Incorporating stories from Lucy's childhood growing up in Mobile, Alabama, adventures traveling the seas as a cook, time spent working as a chef in New Orleans, and her philosophy of relaxation, gratitude, and seizing the day, Gumbo Love entertains and inspires as it serves up recipe after recipe, each tastier than the last. And of course, the coastal-inspired cookbook w

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Chef Pete dishes with the queen of sassy Southern fiction, Mary Kay Andrews. The beloved, bestselling author stopped by Sunset Pointe while on tour to promote her latest project, The Beach House Cookbook: Easy Breezy Recipes with a Southern Accent, which released last month. A former journalist for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Savannah Morning News and The Marietta Journal, Andrews has penned 24 novels and sold an estimated 8 million copies worldwide. Her first novel, Every Crooked Nanny, was published in 1992 and Andrews went on to write ten critically acclaimed mysteries under her real name, Kathy Trocheck. However, Andrews is best known for her beloved Savannah beach reads inspired by her own Florida childhood and her love of Tybee Island, which include The Weekenders, Beach Town, Ladies' Night, Summer Rental, Deep Dish and Hissy Fit. She and her family divide their time between Atlanta and Tybee, where they cook up new recipes in two restored beach homes, Th

On this episode of “Hot Off the Press” Chef Pete welcomes home bestselling author, actress and comedian Annabelle Gurwitch. A native of Mobile, Ala., Gurwitch is best known for her time as hostess of the TBS original series “Dinner and a Movie,” a role she says she reluctantly took but that quickly gained her a loyal comedic following. Gurwitch has an impressive background in TV and as a writer. She’s written for countless magazines, and has appeared on a variety of talk shows, including Real Time with Bill Maher, The Anderson Cooper Show, Red Eye, and CNN's Show Biz Tonite. Her acting credits include Seinfeld, Boston Legal, Dexter, Daddy Day Care and Melvin Goes to Dinner. Gurwitch is also a prominent figure in the atheist and Jewish communities, active in the sustainability movement, and a comedic commentator on politics and culture. Her latest book, “Wherever You Go, There They Are,” is a hysterically funny and slyly insightful new collection of essays about her own family of bootleggers, scam artists, and

On this episode of “Hot off the Press” Chef Pete broadcasts from the Deep Fried Studio at the Container Yard in downtown Mobile, Ala., where he and local legend and catering king Alec Naman talk about food, family, and his journey from opening a gourmet shop to becoming the Gulf Coast’s premier caterer. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Naman’s Catering offers full service catering and event management for corporate events, galas, fundraisers, and weddings in Mobile and Baldwin Counties as well as the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The award-winning caterer— voted “Best of the Bay” and “Best Caterer” by the Mobile Press Register nine years in a row—offers a variety of cuisine, from southern cuisines to ethnic menus. A second-generation Mobilian, Alec’s family immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in 1899 bringing with them old family recipes and a passion for preparing delicious Mediterranean meals. Alec grew up in the grocery business helping in the family store, Naman’s Food Market. At six y

In the latest episode of “Hot off the Press” Chef Panini Pete and partner and HOTPpodcast producer Keith Glines sit down for a spirited conversation with Atlanta-based bartender and mixologist Tokiwa (Toki) Sears about the history of bartending and the resurgence of the craft cocktail culture. Known to many as “Miss Libation,” Toki’s resume includes time crafting c ocktails at the world famous Holeman and Finch, as head mixologist at Southern Art and Bourbon Bar in the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead, as well as the renowned One Flew South in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. During her time alongside Executive Chef Duanne Nutter at One Flew South, the restaurant was named #1 airport bar in the world by Tales of the Cocktail, a spirits and bartender convention held in New Orleans every year. One of the top personalities in the bartending and beverage industry today, Toki’s philosophy of perfecting the art and craft of mixology is using fresh ingredients and quality spirits so that cocktai

In the latest episode of “Hot off the Press” Chef Panini Pete and partner and HOTPpodcast producer Keith Glines broadcast from Sunset Pointe to talk Tequila 101 with Cuestion Spirits Company CEO, Jason Fandrich. A manager in the Nashville music scene, Fandrich said he reached a point when he realized it was time for a career change. In other words, he needed to pay the bills. After sending out his resume, Fandrich was approached by a major entertainment company to oversee the rum division of the business. After talking with a friend about what his next step would be, and sharing his concerns about leaving the entertainment industry, his friend reassured him, “You’re not. It’s all the entertainment industry.” But just two weeks after accepting the position, Fandrich received a call that his division had been bought out and the job was no longer available. Shortly after, as fate would have it, Fandrich stumbled on to what he says was the best tequila he’d ever tasted at a street sampling while vacationing in Pl