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Feeding People During a Pandemic

WESTPORT, CT - July 22, 2020: Chef Plum and Marysol Castro interview Stephanie Webster and Chef Jes Bengston for the second episode of Seasoned in a garden shop on the grounds of Terrain Cafe in Westport. Webster spearheaded the project “Food For The Front Lines” in Fairfield County, raising over $100,000 to support front line workers as well as 40 restaurants in the area. She’s also the editor of the Connecticut Chefs Recipes for Restaurant Relief Cookbook. Later, G. Patel hosted a rosé tasting at Bottle Stop Wine & Spirits Superstore in Newtown, Conn. — one of the liquor stores he owns. (Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public)
Ryan Caron King/Connecticut Public
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Connecticut Public
WESTPORT, CT - July 22, 2020: Chef Plum and Marysol Castro interview Stephanie Webster and Chef Jes Bengston for the second episode of Seasoned in a garden shop on the grounds of Terrain Cafe in Westport. Webster spearheaded the project “Food For The Front Lines” in Fairfield County, raising over $100,000 to support front line workers as well as 40 restaurants in the area. She’s also the editor of the Connecticut Chefs Recipes for Restaurant Relief Cookbook. Later, G. Patel hosted a rosé tasting at Bottle Stop Wine & Spirits Superstore in Newtown, Conn. — one of the liquor stores he owns. (Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public)

Welcome to Seasoned!

Marysol Castro and Chef Plum talk to Connecticut chefs about ways they’ve adapted their businesses to meet the challenges of feeding people during a pandemic. And, we’ll say goodbye to a beloved mission-driven restaurant in Hartford that closed its doors permanently due to the virus. What’s next for Cary Wheaton, the tireless creator of Firebox? Finally, Stephanie Webster and Chef Jes Bengston spearheaded “Food For The Front Lines” in Fairfield County, raising over $130,000 to support front line workers as well as 70 restaurants in the area. Stephanie is also the editor of the Connecticut Chefs Recipes for Restaurant Relief Cookbook. She shares the backstory behind those efforts along with some favorite recipes from the book.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at seasoned@ctpublic.org

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.


GUESTS:

Tyler Anderson – Chef and restaurateur, owner of six restaurants in the state
Michele Sharma – Chef and owner of South on Bostwick Cantina & Grille in Bridgeport
Aki Arai – Chef and owner of House of Yoshida in Bethel
Louise Joseph – Chef and owner of Dough Girls Wood Fired Pizza on the Go
Cary Wheaton – Creator of Firebox in Hartford, Director of Forge City Works
Craig Sklar – Former owner of The Beer Collective in New Haven, current project: Haven Hot Chicken
David Lehman — Connecticut Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, and Governor Lamont’s Senior Economic Advisor
Stephanie Webster – Co-founder of Food For The Front Lines, creator of CTbites, editor of Connecticut Chefs Recipes for Restaurant Relief e-Cookbook
Jes Bengston – Executive chef at Terrain Garden Café and Amis Trattoria in Westport, co-founder of Food For The Front Lines and Food For Behind The Lines

Stephanie Webster spearheaded the project “Food For The Front Lines” in Fairfield County, raising over $100,000 to support front line workers as well as 40 restaurants in the area. (Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public)
Ryan Caron King
/
Connecticut Public
Stephanie Webster spearheaded the project “Food For The Front Lines” in Fairfield County, raising over $100,000 to support front line workers as well as 40 restaurants in the area. (Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public)
Chef Jes Bengston, Executive chef at Terrain Garden Café and Amis Trattoria in Westport, co-founder of Food For The Front Lines and Food For Behind The Lines (Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public)
Ryan Caron King
/
Connecticut Public
Chef Jes Bengston, Executive chef at Terrain Garden Café and Amis Trattoria in Westport, co-founder of Food For The Front Lines and Food For Behind The Lines (Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public)

RECIPES:

Craftbird’s Truffle Mac and Cheese Bites »

Arethusa Blue Cheese Mousse »

Gluten Free Gnocchi with Bolognese »

Robyn Doyon-Aitken is the Deputy Director of Audio Storytelling and Talk Shows
Marysol Castro, co-host of Seasoned from 2020 to 2022.
Host of Seasoned and Restaurant Road Trip.