Advertise on podcast: Hungry for More : an Epicurean's Dilemma

We first interviewed Bree Stock six years ago after Trish met her at the Oregon Wine Experience and was a little bit starstruck. It was the accent that grabbed us at first, but after talking with Bree, her passion when it comes to the wine industry keeps us swooning. In this interview, Bree shares how we all should be looking at wine, perhaps. Less and less as an alcoholic beverage, but more of an agriculture product - one that has deep roots in history, farming, family, climate, culture and storytelling. Once again, she's giving us perspective on something we didn't know we needed.

She's not afraid to speak her mind and with that, make others uncomfy - all in an effort to create change in a positive way. McMinnville, Oregon native Remy Drabkin knew she wanted to be a winemaker her whole life. Growing up in the heart of the Willamette wine country, she was surrounded by vines, agriculture, winemakers, chefs, makers and the distinct flavors of Oregon. She's tackled so many "firsts" and it's all been done in an effort to make her community and the people in it better, feel more supported, and always striving to have a space for everyone. Remy shares memories of being young and running around the vines, her community service which felt more like her mission, and what she loves when she's not making wine.

WARNING : bit of some audio issues with this one thanks to a faulty mic cord. It's been fixed and our sincere apologies for the absolute shit audio about halfway through. Sam sounds great and that's all that matters. She's BACK! One of Hungry for More's FAVE guests and we get right down to business. Sam fills us in on her glorious summer, her gut-wrenching exit from America's Test Kitchen, and the exiting adventure on the horizon. Mixed all up in there : Sam and Trish discuss their love of hotdogs, the Titanic cake, and Pepper!

From family nurse practitioner, to singing back-up for her husband, and now, as the CEO and co-founder of CHO Wines, Lois Cho says her story is one she enjoys telling because it shows that pursuing one's dreams isn't always a linear path - there are a ton of bumps in the road. Welcome super smart, multi-talented Lois Cho to the podcast!! She shares the adventures and the journey she went on with her husband, winemaker Dave... from meeting in Vancouver, Canada, singing in church, starting a band, playing music in wineries, supporting and making each other's dreams come true, the power of social media in starting a wine brand, and celebrating their culture through food and wine and sharing it with whoever who wants to show up. Their website says it best, "grit, authenticity, and positivity go a long way in breaking stereotypes in the wine world and beyond."

"When I take on a task, I do it with my whole heart," Elena Rodriguez on how she's traveled through her entire life, but specifically, on starting Alumbra Cellars (Alumbra means "to shine"). Elena's story is right out of a good book that you just can't put down. Her story is one of hard work, tenacity, immigrant grit, and the idea of taking on a job with your whole heart and finding out you really love it. Woven throughout - it's a story of family, celebrating family and the hard work put in, and passed down to each generation. Elena talks about the journey her father took, a farmer through and through, season after season, looking for work before finally settling in the Pacific Northwest. He wasn't a wine drinker, but he had a vision in the vines and a dream to plant grapes. While this interview is somewhat focused on Alumbra Cellars and how it came to be... at the heart is the family that made it happen.

We simply didn't have enough time for this interview - too much to share, too much to gab about, too many stories and experiences... welcome to the podcast Warner Boin! She's a certified Sommelier and wine educator and the beautiful human behind her social media, Confidence Uncorked (https://www.confidenceuncorked.com/). The conversation started rockin' and rollin' right as we hit record and Warner showed up with the stories, the knowledge, and why she's working so hard to take the seriousness (and the snobbery) out of wine. She wants to "meet people where they're at" within their own wine journey and make the whole experience more fun. Pour a glass of your favorite vino (or whatever beverage!) and snuggle into this conversation. After that - check out Warner on social media! She'll help answer all your wine questions and steer you in the right direction.

It makes perfect sense for the guy who wasn't really good at cooking (we heard he kind of, ahem, sucked at it) to start a cooking series on YouTube. Brilliant move Jamie Tracy, the popular human behind ⁨@antichef⁩ on YouTube and the guy who found so much more out of this cooking series than just learning how to cook. Tracey, who previously worked in the Toronto film industry (who also made some films of his own, including a fairly popular one on Bigfoot), was finding the film industry was just not where he was wanting to be. At the suggestion of his then girlfriend, now wife, he decided to film himself in the kitchen - cooking up a dish from a cookbook and showing all the mistakes and messes in between. Tracey found people were really hungry for the mistakes and the mess-ups and he knew he had cooked up something fun and entertaining, with a dash of humility and humor.

A very sweet story of success in Mindy Crosato - baker and owner of Decadent Creations and Collective Kitchen in Hillsboro, Oregon. She says at 20 years old, she found herself kicked out of school, fired from her job and basically homeless after breaking up with her boyfriend who she lived with at the time. She said one morning that year, she woke up and thought, 'I'm going to open a bakery.' She got herself through culinary school and started baking her way to success. Mindy says she'd wake up at midnight, bake all morning and then deliver the fresh baked goods to a farmers market to sell. After becoming a "Chopped" champion in 2015, she opened her now shop, Decadent Creations. A sweet interview on Mindy's story and her journey to baking up wildly popular treats, plus her new adventures in the culinary world.

If y'all know barbecue, odds are you know Melissa Cookston - "the winningest woman in barbecue." She's a 7-time World BBQ Champ and first woman inducted into the BBQ Hall of Fame. She'll tell you, she can't remember how many times she's come out #1 in a BBQ competition - not that it doesn't matter, but because she's always been more focused on the work, the grind. She started entering barbecue competitions (she blames her husband) and says she can't tell you what she was doing different, because she was only worried about her rubs, sauces, technique, and not concerned what others were doing around her. She's appeared on TV shows, Food Network, and was a judge for Netflix's "The American Barbecue Showdown." She's retired from competition to focus on her nonprofit, "World Junior BBQ League," which engages teens in barbecue competitions to teach them a long list of life skills.

Tiquette Bramlett is very busy these days as owner/CEO of Henderson Ave. Wines, co-founder of nonprofit "Our Legacy Harvested," and the current board chair for the Oregon Wine Board. Her story is a busy one, too, full of life lessons, family, and navigating challenges and successes that came her way. A big disruption after college graduation forced her to change all her plans and make maybe the biggest pivot of her life. Surrounded by family, friends and community - she came out on the other side, ready to get to work, specifically in the wine industry. She found herself asking more questions, wanting to learn more and in 2015 moved up to Oregon seeking a wine community. Weaved throughout Henderson Ave. Wines (where music, wine, and gathering with community meet), her nonprofit, and finding spaces and opportunities in the wine industry for those who maybe thought it was off limits - is a woman who continues to ask questions, challenge the norm, and won't settle for complacency.

Trish loves a good breaking news story - and BREAKING NEWS - Lauren McDuffie (My Kitchen Little) is launching something super cool, super delicious, and is certain to make your life easier. This gem is back on the podcast - Trish first interviewed Lauren back in 2022 when she was living in Charleston, South Carolina and about to make a big move to Portland, Oregon. They catch up on life a bit before Lauren spills the beans on her new food product and the journey it took to get to this point. She and her business partner are reimagining salad dressing - giving it a much needed update, makeover, refresh and it's called... (wait for it)... Dressy! It's a completely different design to what tops your salads - Lauren explains where the idea came from and all the work behind the scenes to make it happen. She's creative, has a way with words, loves food and nerding out on food... and Hungry for More is rooting for all things Lauren McDuffie.

Heidi Whitney-Schile didn't set out to become a brilliant chef, but food and the love of cooking and baking started at a pretty young age and it continued through college (she cooked for her roommates) and she used cooking as therapy when she found herself in a job she didn't love. When a friend asked if she would bake a wedding cake, Heidi decided right then and there - if the cake was a hit, she would quit her job and go to culinary school. The cake was a hit. Over the next several years, Heidi had intentful culinary moves that she says helped her grow, learn, push her boundaries and comfort zone. She says one of her first chefs told her "there's no failing in the kitchen," and Heidi calls it "failing forward." She says every oops or wrong turn has always led to personal growth. She's currently the winery chef at Ambar Estate (the story of getting here is a good one) where she believes she's found her happy place.

She's doing it all, folks! When Meg Rulli says she's the woman behind Flipturn Cellars - she means it. There's no one else really. Meg is seeking out cool, interesting varietals, picking up the grapes, making the wine, and doing everything from that point to put wine in the bottle, not to mention market it, distribute it, etc. We're exhausted just thinking about it. Meg says studying abroad in Barcelona in college really opened her eyes to the world of wine and when she and her husband left their corporate jobs to travel for a year, she knew it was something she wanted to, at least, pursue. When they set up camp in Portland, Oregon - being near the Willamette Valley solidified those plans. Meg says she's intentionally independent and small and as of right now, has no plans to get any bigger. She likes the freedom to be able to "chase inspiration," and enjoys being the one to make the decisions - the good, the bad and the ugly. She and Trish talk about the grit it takes when you're slinging your passion... and what's on the horizon for Flipturn Cellars.

Luisa Ponzi (wine grower, wine maker, vineyard lover, business owner, mama) says she's not quite sure what her "role" is these days - but it certainly has to do with wine. She says her role in the Oregon wine industry has shifted somewhat and it's done so in a natural way - where the winery used to be her key focus, she says she's now finding the vineyard is where she's pouring a lot of her heart and soul into. The Ponzi family moved from Southern California years ago to the Willamette Valley to start a vineyard, make wine, live off the land and Luisa has fond memories of being in the vines, playing in the dirt and helping Dad. Winemaking was not on her radar, but after she graduated college, Dad invited her to help with harvest (100% intentional on his part) and she says everything just clicked. She made tremendous strides in the Oregon wine industry and when she talks about winemaking, specifically, the vines her family planted years ago which are still producing grapes, you can almost feel her passion for this role she clearly loves so much. Be on the lookout for her label, "Luisa Wines" coming out spring 2026 and the collab she's currently doing with her daughter, Mia - "Drink Lerzi"!

Dream podcast guest alert! You know you're off to a good start when Trish asks "was food important growing up" and you get a solid 20-minute answer! Judiaann Woo not only has the beauty and the brains, but she came in with a catalog of stories - from childhood to her time in New York City. Judiaann is a marketing consultant & social media strategist, a content creator, food & travel writer, recipe developer, and host of her podcast, "Food People are the Best People." Born in Korea, she talks about her family moving to the states when she was three, and how very important food was growing up. Mom was not only a great cook, whipping up Korean dishes at home, but she also learned how to make other dishes from other cultures, thanks to her co-workers, willing to share techniques, ingredients and how-tos. Judiaann says she didn't even think about pursuing a career in culinary until she was living in New York City, doing some soul searching and realizing she kept coming back to food as something she was passionate about. In her long list of talents, she also lists one of her roles as "community builder." She believes that special partnership is critical to building communities and becoming stronger, kinder, compassionate neighbors.