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Does ice cream really need a job beyond being delicious? Dan Pashman, host of The Sporkful and inventor of cascatelli pasta, joins Catherine to make the case for pleasure as a perfectly good reason to eat—and explain how he turns his food obsessions into projects he actually finishes. We talk about following your curiosity without chasing every idea, getting through the middle of a project when the excitement wears off, and why Dan’s seemingly sprawling career comes down to doing one thing at a time. He also shares how six layoffs in eight years led him to start The Sporkful, and why he’s more interested in making something that lasts than going viral. Plus: grilled chicken thighs that do double duty for dinner and lunch, duck-fat tortillas worth ordering by mail, a spirited disagreement about Jack and Coke, and the annual White Castle party at Dan’s house. In this episode: Why Dan hates the term “functional food” Hyperfocus, outside deadlines, and finishing what you start What inventing a pasta shape taught him about playing the long game His approach to family dinners, leftovers, and build-your-own meals Making the kitchen less chaotic before you start cooking Dan’s advice as Not From Concentrate approaches its first anniversary Find Dan on Instagram @thesporkful, listen to The Sporkful wherever you get your podcasts, and look for his cascatelli pasta from Sfoglini. Enjoyed this conversation? Share it with a friend who loves food and has a busy brain.

A jar of Korean barbecue marinade in the fridge can take dinner in a lot of directions: short ribs, chicken, tofu, even mushrooms. Chef Ji Hye Kim joins Catherine to talk about bringing those big flavors into your home kitchen, and why getting started is easier than you might think. Ji Hye is the chef behind Miss Kim and Little Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She shares the pantry staples she keeps on hand, a flexible approach to Korean barbecue, and how learning one vegetable preparation can open up a whole farmers market’s worth of possibilities. We also get into what Korean Buddhist temple cooking has taught her about paying attention without getting hung up on perfection, how her mother’s cooking and centuries-old cookbooks shape her menus, and her path from an office job to restaurant ownership through Zingerman’s. Plus: why good systems make room for creativity, and when the most useful thing anyone in a busy kitchen can say is “take five.” In this episode: The Korean pantry essentials: soy sauce, gochujang, doenjang, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. A mix-and-match barbecue marinade for meat, tofu, and mushrooms. How to turn the vegetables you have into banchan. The difference between thoughtful adaptation and chasing a food trend. Korean temple food, cooking with care, and letting go of the perfect ingredient list. Building a restaurant where feedback, asking for help, and taking time off are part of the culture. Subscribe to the Not From Concentrate newsletter for Ji Hye’s recipe, and share this episode with a busy-brained friend who loves Korean food.

What do a perfect cookie, your mom’s cooking, and a song you can’t stop listening to have in common? This week, I’m joined by musician Hrishikesh Hirway, creator of Song Exploder and co-host of Home Cooking with Samin Nosrat. We talk about the chole and puri he requested for every birthday, the mango pie mishap that inspired an ice cream collaboration with Salt & Straw, and why he once asked a baker to make thousands of cookies for a live audience. We also get into the complicated business of making things you care about: how interviewing successful musicians fed his own writer’s block, what brought him back to songwriting, and how he’s learning to separate the value of his work from its reception. His album, In the Last Hour of Light, opens up a conversation about grief, family, and the stories we want to tell. Plus: the chocolate chip cookie on his backstage rider, why he resists following recipes, and the little glass bowls helping him bring some order to his kitchen. We get into: Growing up in Peabody, Massachusetts, with a food scientist dad and a mom whose cooking kept his friends coming back. Keeping food memories alive when you can’t quite recreate the dish. “Cookie Exploder,” and how Samin helped him pitch his first food story. Finding his way back to music after years of writer’s block. Making meaningful work without knowing whether it will be a hit. Cooking to audiobooks, improvising dinner, and slowing down enough to clean as you go. Find Hrishikesh and his projects: Website: https://hrishikesh.co/ Newsletter, Accept Cookies: https://hrishikesh.substack.com/ Album: In the Last Hour of Light Enjoyed this conversation? Share it with a friend or leave a review wherever you listen, it helps more people find Not From Concentrate.

What takes a cook from scrubbing chowder pots and working at Olive Garden to winning a James Beard Award? For chef Evan Hennessey, the path led through some of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens — and back home to Dover, New Hampshire. This week, I’m joined by the chef behind Stages at One Washington, The Living Room, and Topolino to talk about building a tiny tasting-menu restaurant in his hometown, finding inspiration in New England’s farms and fisheries, and why great food doesn’t require a big-city address. We also get into the busy brain behind the plates: how Evan experiences hyperfocus, what rock climbing brings to his cooking, and how six years without alcohol changed his life inside and outside the kitchen. Plus, what he actually cooks for his family, and a reassuring reminder for anyone feeling overwhelmed at the stove: you can turn the burner down. It’s just dinner. In this episode: From the dish pit to fine dining—and why Evan came home to New Hampshire. How keeping Stages small gave him room to build something ambitious. Finding new possibilities in familiar, seasonal ingredients. Hyperfocus, intricate plating, and knowing when to step back. Sobriety, fatherhood, and finding creative inspiration outside. Simple dinners at home with a Dutch oven and farm-stand ingredients. Learning to celebrate a major win instead of immediately getting back to work.

What makes a recipe work — and when is an extra step actually worth the effort? This week, I’m joined by Laura Manzano, the recipe tester behind my forthcoming cookbook, Not From Concentrate. Laura grew up working in her dad’s restaurants, honed her skills in the Martha Stewart test kitchens, and built a freelance career helping cookbook authors make their recipes clearer, more reliable, and better suited to the people cooking them. We go behind the scenes of my cookbook to talk about what recipe testing actually involves, why fewer dishes matter, and the challenge of writing recipes for people who love food but don’t have unlimited time or attention. We also compare notes on working with ADHD, building structure into a creative career, and giving yourself permission to work when your brain works best. We get into: How Laura went from restaurant kitchens and food styling to testing entire cookbooks. What a recipe tester catches beyond missing ingredients and seasoning adjustments. When detailed instructions help—and when they get in the way. Writing down your process so you don’t have to reinvent it every time. Being realistic about time, resisting the urge to overpromise, and finding your own working hours. Why collaboration has been my favorite part of making this book. Find Laura on Instagram at @laurammanzano and read her Substack, Laura’s Dinner. Preorder the Not From Concentrate cookbook: geni.us/NotFromConcentrate For recipes, episode updates, and more, subscribe to my newsletter. Send questions, feedback, or guest suggestions to [email protected]. Not From Concentrate is distributed by PRX and produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and the theme music is by Kylie Dailey

What does a private chef cook when she’s tired, her family needs dinner, and nobody wants leftovers? Something simpler than you might think. Hamptons private chef Robyn Henderson joins Catherine Smart to talk about cooking delicious food without making every meal a production. From sheet-pan dinners at home to family-style spreads for clients, Robyn shares why seasonal ingredients, simple menus, and less fuss can make for better meals—and why a quick salad once stole the show from her painstakingly handmade lobster ravioli. Catherine and Robyn also get candid about the business of feeding people: raising your rates, knowing your worth, and learning to trust other chefs with your reputation. Plus, Robyn shares a local’s view of the Hamptons, the farm stands she loves, and the homemade herb salts that became a sellout side business. In this episode:• Simple family dinners with fewer dishes and less cleanup• Why more effort doesn’t always mean better food• Cooking with peak-season produce and fresh herbs• Pricing your work and growing a private chef business• The year-round community behind the Hamptons’ summer image• Keeping your cool when things go wrong in the kitchen Get Robyn’s Hamptons farm-stand list and more from Not From Concentrate in Catherine’s newsletter: https://catherinesmart.substack.com Want more behind-the-scenes private chef stories? Listen to Catherine’s episode with culinary producer and private chef Claire Langan. Not From Concentrate is produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video editing by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Dailey

What makes dinner taste like it’s been cooking all day when you absolutely do not have all day? Chef Claudette Zepeda has a pantry full of answers—and zero shame about canned beans. This week, Catherine welcomes the chef and author of Cooking the Borderlands for a conversation about big flavor, creative freedom, and feeding a family when you’re stretched thin. Claudette shares how growing up between San Diego, Tijuana, and Guadalajara shaped her food, from the Asian pantry staples woven into her Mexican cooking to the smoke and community of carne asada. We talk about using miso, kombu, chicken bouillon, and chili oil to build flavor; the comfort of her mom’s albóndigas; and why a great meal can start with a few cans from the pantry. Claudette also opens up about her late AuDHD diagnosis, pursuing a creative life as a single mother, and honoring the generations of women who came before her. Plus: a refrigerator rearrangement that helps keep vegetables out of the “sludge of shame,” why music gets her cooking again, and how getting outside helps her calm the chaos. Not From Concentrate is produced and distributed by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Daly.

Feeling overwhelmed by your garden? Garden coach Jess Zander of You Can Do It Gardening joins Catherine to make the whole thing feel more manageable—and much more fun. Jess explains how to prioritize garden projects, tackle invasive plants before they spread, choose native plants without becoming dogmatic, and make smart decisions about where and what to plant. She also shares why buying small plants can save money, how to divide perennials without being too precious, and why fall is one of the best times to plant. Plus, Jess offers a refreshingly low-effort approach to fall cleanup, explains her delightfully simple method for planting bulbs by the shovelful, and talks about how gardening can calm a busy brain, spark creativity, and connect us to our communities and the people we love. Find Jess, her virtual garden coaching, classes, guides, and newsletter at You Can Do It Gardening. Not From Concentrate is distributed by PRX and produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Daley.

What if the best thing you could bring to family dinner wasn’t a perfectly cooked meal, but a better mood? Chef, cookbook author, and TV host Noah Galuten joins Catherine to talk about his new cookbook, Grill Time!, and why the grill deserves a place in your weeknight cooking routine. They discuss shopping according to what’s on sale, salting chicken or steak now and figuring out dinner later, and setting up groceries so they’re easier to use when your busy brain needs them. Noah also gets honest about cooking through creative ruts, feeding young children, and the impossible pressure to make a nutritious family dinner without making everyone miserable in the process. Plus, he shares how he balances books, television, and his Substack—and how a YouTube project that didn’t take off ultimately helped lead to Barbecue: Smoke Out on Netflix. It’s a funny, candid conversation about grilling, parenting, creative work, and letting go of perfection in the kitchen. Find Noah on Instagram at @galuten and subscribe to his Substack, I’m Legally Required to Feed You. You can watch Barbecue: Smoke Out on Netflix. Not From Concentrate is distributed by PRX and produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video editing by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Daley.

Back-to-School Lunches, Sheet-Pan Dinners, and Finding Joy in the Kitchen with Hillary Dixler Canavan Hillary Dixler Canavan returns to Not From Concentrate as the show’s first repeat guest! Nearly one year after her first appearance, Hillary joins Catherine for a timely conversation about feeding our families, and ourselves, during the back-to-school rush. They talk about letting go of picture-perfect lunchboxes, choosing foods children will reliably eat at school, and adding joy without adding much work. Hillary shares her genuinely life-changing trick for assembling and freezing sandwiches in advance, plus easy ways to bring protein and variety into packed lunches. The conversation also ventures into cooking with kids, why project-based kitchen activities may be more manageable than everyday “help,” and the value of teaching practical cooking skills when children are ready. Then Hillary previews Sheet Pan Month in her newsletter, What Are We Having? She and Catherine even develop a Green Goddess chicken, gnocchi, and broccoli dinner in real time. Finally, they discuss finding creativity through constraints, clearing physical clutter, and using audiobooks to make cooking feel restorative. In this episode Why a successful lunch is one your child can actually eat within the school’s allotted time Letting go of elaborate, photo-ready lunchboxes The difference between “school foods” and foods children will eat at home Easy protein ideas, including mini Chomps, cheese, hummus, and beans Low-effort ways to make lunch feel special with food picks, stickers, and notes Finding genuine points of connection based on the interests you share with your child Why cooking with kids can be easier as a planned project Teaching age-appropriate kitchen skills without rushing the process Establishing helpful structure around meals and snacks Hillary’s forthcoming Sheet Pan Month Developing a Green Goddess chicken, gnocchi, and broccoli sheet-pan dinner Why a delicious sauce can make a simple meal feel restaurant-worthy Making and freezing school-lunch sandwiches in advance Using themes, limitations, and what you already have to spark creativity Decluttering the kitchen before the school year begins How audiobooks can transform dinner preparation into something worth anticipating Hillary’s freezer-sandwich methodAssemble sandwiches in batches, return them to their original packaging or place them in a freezer-safe reusable bag, and freeze. In the morning, put a frozen sandwich directly into an insulated lunch bag. It should thaw by lunchtime while helping keep the rest of the lunch cool. Freezer-friendly combinations include: Ham and cheese Turkey and cheese Bagel with cream cheese Cream cheese and jelly, with optional chia seeds Peanut butter and jelly, where permitted Audiobooks mentioned Yesteryear The Compound by Aisling Rawle Ruth Ware’s mysteries and thrillers The Searcher by Tana French Find HillarySubscribe to What Are We Having? at whatarewehaving.substack.com. Follow Hillary on Instagram at @hillarydixlercanavan.

What does it actually take to make local food more accessible, sustainable, and financially viable for the people who produce it? Catherine talks with Erin Baumgartner, founder of Family Dinner, a farmers market delivery service that grew from bringing groceries to seven friends out of Erin’s Somerville apartment to serving 120 Massachusetts communities. Erin explains how Family Dinner uses data and predictive analytics to help farmers plan what to grow, reduce food waste, and reach more customers—and why buying local can have such a meaningful impact on the communities where we live. They also talk about balancing our food ideals with real-life budgets and limited time, building a mission-driven business without outside investors, resisting shiny objects, and breaking intimidating goals into manageable steps. Plus: feeding kids without expecting perfection, making dinner from whatever is languishing in the fridge, and why creativity sometimes requires doing absolutely nothing. Not From Concentrate is distributed by PRX and produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Dailey.

What if the answer to feeling too busy isn’t making everything faster, but choosing one place to slow down? Trinity Mouzon Wofford, founder of Golde and author of Eating at Home, joins Catherine to make the case for protecting mealtime in a culture built around convenience. They talk about taking a real lunch break, shopping at the farmers market and why it's work soaking your own beans.  Trinity also shares what she learned from building a wellness company during a period of explosive growth, separating her identity from her business and writing her first cookbook while becoming a mother. Plus, she explains “component cooking,” her practical alternative to traditional meal prep, and how a pot of beans, rice, pickles or a simple herb sauce can make home-cooked meals possible on even the busiest weeknights. It’s a candid conversation about convenience, all-or-nothing thinking and why making time for food might be more radical—and more necessary—than ever.

What happens when the brain that fuels your ambition and creativity is also the one constantly pulling you in twelve directions? Chef and restaurateur Will Gilson, whose Cambridge Street Hospitality Group now includes eight concepts, talks with Catherine about thriving under pressure, self-sabotaging deadlines, and why the chaos of a restaurant kitchen can feel strangely comfortable to an ADHD brain. He shares how seasonal depression led him to seek out projects with a clear beginning, middle, and end—and why learning to delegate was essential as his business grew. Will gets practical about assessing his bandwidth, deciding what truly needs his attention, building a team he trusts, and using technology to keep multiple restaurants connected without having to be everywhere at once. He and Catherine also talk about unfinished projects, the temptation to say yes to everything, the dangerous ways restaurant workers have traditionally tried to “turn off,” and why sometimes you need to physically leave your environment to rest. They also dig into what failure can teach you, how Will transformed the debt and emotional baggage of his first restaurant into lessons for the next one, and why travel is still essential to his creativity. If you’re trying to build an ambitious life without letting your busy brain run the entire show, this episode is for you.

What if learning to cook could help us get better at starting tasks, managing time, working through frustration, and asking for help? Sophie Mortner is an educator, learning designer, executive functioning coach, and the creator of Nibblings, a collection of recipes designed to help kids cook independently. She joins Catherine to explain why the kitchen is such a powerful place to build skills that extend far beyond cooking. They talk about breaking intimidating tasks into manageable first steps, developing time awareness, helping kids become more independent in the kitchen, and why parents may need to step back and let things get a little messy. Sophie also shares practical strategies that can help adults with ADHD navigate task avoidance and calm kitchen chaos. Find Sophie’s recipes at nibblingscooking.com

In this solo episode of Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart shares a personal essay about ADHD masking, embarrassment, and the effort of trying to seem easygoing, capable, and “normal.” She reflects on how sensitivity, people-pleasing, and a strong social radar can be exhausting—but can also make us thoughtful friends, generous hosts, and deeply caring people. This is a personal reflection on understanding old patterns with more compassion and learning when it might be okay to let your guard down. Read the essay at catherinesmart.substack.com. Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains about ADHD creativity, cooking, and finding more joy in and out of the kitchen.