Chef Rahanna Bisseret Martinez + a personal approach to community gardening

Rahanna Bisseret Martinez was a finalist on Top Chef Junior, and she’s cooked at some of the best restaurants in the world, including Dominique Ansel Bakery, Chez Panisse, Broken Spanish, Emeril's and Tartine Bakery. She’s the author of the cookbook, Flavor + Us. And she’s still in college! Producers Katrice Claudio and Tagan Engel talk with Rahanna about her book, her busy life and her love of food from all over the world.

And, we meet a New Britain family who turned their lawn into a pick-what-you-need garden for their community.

1 of 7  — Seasoned New Britain Garden

Kristianna Smith, their child Rhozaria Saraceno-Smith and Smith's husband Mike Saraceno pictured in front of their home and garden. Smith and family turned their yard in New Britain into a large garden space (and free library) for their community. Kristianna, who identifies as Black and queer, is a cultural worker and gardener focused on seeding liberation and social justice.

Ayannah Brown / Connecticut Public

2 of 7  — Seasoned New Britain Garden

A close-up of a Borage plant from Kristianna Smith's and Mike Saraceno's home garden.

Ayannah Brown / Connecticut Public

3 of 7  — Seasoned New Britain Garden

A weather rock sits at the front of the pick-what-you-need garden that Kristianna Smith and Mike Saraceno created for their family and the community.

Ayannah Brown / Connecticut Public

4 of 7  — Seasoned New Britain Garden

Kristianna Smith holds freshly picked strawberries from their garden.

Ayannah Brown / Connecticut Public

5 of 7  — Seasoned New Britain Garden

A prickly pear from Kristianna Smith's and Mike Saraceno's home garden.

Ayannah Brown / Connecticut Public

6 of 7  — Seasoned New Britain Garden

Rhozaria Saraceno-Smith holds "Forget-me-not" flowers from their family garden.

Ayannah Brown / Connecticut Public

7 of 7  — Seasoned New Britain Garden

Kristianna Smith, their child Rhozaria Saraceno-Smith and Smith's husband Mike Saraceno pictured in front of their home and garden.

Ayannah Brown / Connecticut Public

GUESTS:

• Rahanna Bisseret Martinez: Chef and author of Flavor + Us: Cooking for Everyone (@rahanna.bisseret.martinez)
  
• Kristianna Smith and Mike Saraceno: Curators and cultivators of a take-what-you-need garden in New Britain, Conn. (@ourgardennb) You can donate books to the garden's book box through Possible Futures.

FEATURED RECIPES:
Concha Scones
Dry-Fried Green Beans
Tie-Dye Berry Paletas

LEARN MORE:
Listen to Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm talk with Khalilah Brown-Dean about how Black Americans are reclaiming their relationship with nature on an episode of Disrupted.

This show was produced by Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Catie Talarski, Meg Dalton, Katrice Claudio, Stephanie Stender, Meg Fitzgerald, Tagan Engel and Sabrina Herrera.

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

Seasoned is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.