The Off The Menu Podcast

Food is more than fuel—it’s a bond that holds people together. Food shapes relationships, cultures, and life itself. The main ingredients of this podcast are lively conversation and thought-provoking guests, with a generous sprinkling of humor and a dash of irreverence. Hosts Joel Nepa and Wal Ozello introduce you to food industry experts, entrepreneurs, and everyday people with personal stories and unique insights. This podcast is for everyone–from hardcore foodies to people who just want to lose themselves in a great story. Each episode is like a memorable meal with close friends and fascinating new acquaintances. Pull up a chair and join us at the table!

The Off The Menu Podcast is a arts podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 36 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The Off The Menu Podcast, a arts show with 36 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #34

  Second Chances: How Freedom a la Carte Helps Survivors Rebuild Their Lives

  Sep 8, 202648 minS1

  Freedom a la Carte started with a simple idea: give survivors of human trafficking a safe place to work, earn a paycheck, and begin rebuilding their lives. What started as a food cart has grown into an award-winning catering business, café, and organization providing long-term support to hundreds of survivors. In this episode of The Off The Menu Podcast, we sit down with Vanessa Torres, Program Director at Freedom a la Carte and a survivor of human trafficking herself. Vanessa takes us inside the organization and explains how food and employment became the foundation for something much bigger. Through workforce development, housing assistance, career support, community, and other services, Freedom a la Carte helps survivors build the skills and stability they need to move forward. We also talk about the realities of human trafficking, how Vanessa's own experience shapes the work she does today, and why recovery doesn't simply end when someone escapes exploitation. It’s a remarkable story of how a restaurant and catering operation became a place for people to find community, independence, and a second chance.

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  Episode #33

  From Front Porch to Ohio Stadium: The Buckeye Lady

  Sep 1, 202656 minS1

  What started with a beer fridge on a front porch and homemade chocolate Buckeyes has grown into a thriving candy business selling thousands of Buckeyes a week—and even serving fans inside Ohio Stadium. In this episode of The Off The Menu Podcast, we sit down with Alicia Hindman, founder of The Buckeye Lady, to hear how she went from working as a high school guidance counselor to building a business around one of Ohio’s most iconic treats. Alicia shares how she started selling Buckeyes during the pandemic, how her signature stuffed Buckeyes came to be, and how she grew the business from her home kitchen to a storefront of her own. We also talk about the risks of leaving a secure career, growing a food business without growing too fast, her appearance on NBC Sports, selling Buckeyes inside Ohio Stadium, giving back through Bucks for Pups, and her effort to make the Buckeye Ohio’s official state candy. It’s a story about taking a chance on an idea, believing in what you’re building, and turning a simple chocolate-and-peanut-butter candy into something much bigger.

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  Episode #32

  How Black Pitmasters Shaped American Barbecue

  Aug 25, 202648 minS1

  Barbecue is one of America’s most beloved foods—but how did it become the barbecue we know today? In this episode of The Off The Menu Podcast, we sit down with two-time James Beard Award winner, food historian, and author Adrian Miller to explore the history of American barbecue and the enormous influence Black pitmasters, cooks, and entrepreneurs have had on its evolution. Adrian takes us from barbecue’s Native American roots through the American South, where enslaved African Americans became the cooks behind massive community barbecues and helped develop traditions that would spread across the country. After emancipation, Black pitmasters turned those skills into businesses and helped establish barbecue cultures in communities throughout America. We also explore how regional styles developed, why Kansas City, the Carolinas, Memphis, Texas, and Chicago all approach barbecue differently, and the great sauce-versus-no-sauce debate.

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  Episode #31

  Is Your Food Fake? The Truth About What You’re Really Eating

  Aug 18, 202655 minS1

  That extra virgin olive oil in your pantry. The Parmesan you sprinkle on pasta. The honey in your tea. Even the seafood you order at your favorite restaurant. How sure are you that you're actually getting what you paid for? This week on The Off the Menu Podcast, Wal, Joel, and Tom sit down with award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Larry Olmsted, author of Real Food, Fake Food, to uncover the surprisingly lucrative world of food fraud. Larry explains how everyday foods can be mislabeled, adulterated, diluted, or completely counterfeited—and why some of the foods we pay a premium for are among the biggest targets. We dig into olive oil, honey, seafood, coffee, Parmesan cheese, wine, and more, while learning what consumers can do to spot the real thing. It's an eye-opening look at what's really on our plates—and fair warning: you may never look at your pantry the same way again.

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  Episode #30

  The Truth About Grocery Prices—and How to Pay Less

  Aug 11, 202653 minS1

  Grocery prices have climbed dramatically in recent years—but why are we paying so much more, and is there anything shoppers can actually do about it? In this episode of The Off The Menu Podcast, Wal, Joel, and Tom sit down with Andy Ellwood, founder of Stretch AI, to unpack what’s really happening with grocery prices. Andy explains why prices have risen so quickly, how grocery stores determine what you pay, why the same product can cost more at one location than another, and how loyalty programs, coupons, electronic price tags, and shopper data all factor into the equation. We also explore how Stretch AI is using technology to compare the cost of your entire grocery list across nearby stores—and potentially help families save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. If your grocery bill keeps getting bigger and you’re wondering where all that money is going, this episode is for you.

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