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The Food For ThoughtCast: Call Me Chef

Life is better with food. Join Melissa and Steve as we chat with each other, other chefs, and friends alike or just wax poetic on all the culinary things that bring us together. At the virtual table, there’s something tasty for everybody!

Recent Sound Bites

Oct. 10, 2024

80. Inspectors of Gadgets

Hey there food fans!! Arguably this is just as important as the ingredients-- sometimes it all comes down to the gagdets and tools we use to make all of the tasty things. Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast- episode 80.…
Oct. 3, 2024

79. Fan Feature!- Angela Standafer

Welcome back food fans! We missed you all week but today's the day. It's a big first for The Food For ThoughtCast, join us on episode 79 as we welcome one of our fans, Angela Standafer, to the show! We're calling this a Fan …
Sept. 26, 2024

78. Keep on Truckin'

Welcome back to the Food For ThoughtCast, today we are talking all about food trucks. When did they start? What are our favorites? On episode 78, Steve is sticking to his sandwich shop, but this time fantasizing about it bei…
Sept. 19, 2024

77. Amazing Things We Ate, Again.

Hey there food fans! Welcome back to The Food For ThoughtCast, episode 77! Sometimes we just need to tell you what we ate. It's not just one amazing thing in a week, sometimes it's an entire trip or even a food crawl - both …
Sept. 12, 2024

76. We All Scream

I scream , you scream, we all scream......for AT&T to figure out their WiFi. Oh! And ice cream! Today we bring you episode 76 of The Food For ThoughtCast. Welcome back! We've missed you. This is the episode that nearly never…
Sept. 5, 2024

75. Jim Lenzen- A Guest Ep!

What does it take to be great? We're about to find out! Welcome back to episode 75 of The Food For ThoughtCast. Today Melissa and Steve are talking about wind-powered brisket (and other delicious meats) with Jim Lenzen from …

Recent Blog Posts

Columbus' Best of the Best

It was an honor to have Ray Chmielecki, host of the Spoon Mob podcast, on the show this week. Here are his shout-outs from the the Columbus, Ohio area. Comune (Plant-forward dining)Their Menu Looks Amazing!Veritas ( An excellent …

St. Louis and Kansas City Food Tour! via Chef Steve

If you happen to be traveling through, check out these picks:Civil Life Brewery in St. LouisBeastButcher & Block in St. LouisJoe's BBQ in Kansas CityPappy's in St LouisSeoul Taco in St. Louis

Zak Haynes- D.C. Recs and NY Food Shout-Outs

Our latest guest, Zak Haines- had some great recommendations for bar /pub food in the DC area:   Penn Quarter Sports TavernTight Five PubDon't forget to check out Zak's comedy:Zak Haines on YouTubeNY Food Shout-Outs:Salt Potatoes:Salt potatoe…

About the Hosts

Melissa Reagan Profile Photo

Melissa Reagan

Host/chef/dog mom

Hi, I'm one of your hosts, Melissa Reagan! I'm a 20-year veteran of the foodservice industry formerly of steakhouses, private clubs, restaurants, other random locations, catering events, and near nervous breakdowns. I reside in North Carolina with my two greyhounds who are doing their best to make sure it isn't quiet enough for me to effectively record these podcasts. Food and wifi will bring us together.

Stephen Gonzalez Profile Photo

Stephen Gonzalez

Chef/kitchen ninja/ all-around good cooker

For some, cooking can be overwhelming. I relish giving those people confidence in the kitchen. Whether we admit it or not, food brings us comfort and joy. Life can be full of flavor, so let's talk about how to Getcha Grub On! Stephen joined The Food For ThoughtCast as an official co-host in October 2023, but be sure to check out his other amazing projects as well-- he has an amazing YouTube channel and of course his cookbook- Getcha Grub On!