Chef Virginia Willis's guest appearances

Chef Virginia Willis

Eat, Drink, Live Longer

Chefs Without Restaurants

Liz's Healthy Table

David Orozco

Virginia Willis

Brierley Horton

Amy Roskelley

Natalie Monson

Sara Baer-Sinnott

Jill Castle

Sandor Ellix Katz

Adam Ismail

Chris Vogliano

Michelle Dudash

Laura Hoover

Christine Cochran

Sally Sampson

Gena Hamshaw

OwlTail

This week I have James Beard Foundation Award-winner, chef Virginia Willis. She was the TV kitchen director for Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, and Nathalie Dupree and executive producer for Epicurious TV on the Discovery Channel. She’s made cookies with Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson, foraged for berries in the Alaskan wilderness, harvested capers in Sicily, and beguiled celebrities such as Jane Fonda and Bill Clinton with her cooking -- but it all started in her grandmother’s country kitchen. Virginia is the author of a number of books including Lighten Up, Y’all, Basic to Brilliant, Y’all, Okra, and Grits.On the show, we discuss how she got into writing cookbooks, how her cooking style has changed, and her wellness journey which has led to her losing 70 pounds. We talk about food media, and credible sources for recipes and cooking tips. Virginia’s also passionate about sustainable seafood, and we discuss that as well.SponsorLooking to make better pizza? How about bagels, bread, or English muffins? Then you need a Baking Steel. Don’t just take my word for it. Kenji López-Alt of Serious Eats/The Food Lab said “this is the answer I've been waiting for to produce consistently awesome pizza over and over”. ===========Virginia Willis===========Virginia's Instagram Virginia's’s Website Virginia's FacebookVirginia's TwitterVirginia's Eating Well Recipes ==========================CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS==========================If you enjoy the show, and would like to support it financially, check out our Patreon, or you can donate through Venmo or Buy Me a Coffee.  Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter Visit Our Amazon Store (we get paid when you buy stuff)Chefs Without Restaurants Facebook pageChefs Without Restaurants private Facebook groupChefs Without Restaurants InstagramFounder Chris Spear’s personal chef business Perfect Little Bites  Support the show

This week I have James Beard Foundation Award-winner, chef Virginia Willis. She was the TV kitchen director for Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, and Nathalie Dupree and executive producer for Epicurious TV on the Discovery Channel. She’s made cookies with Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson, foraged for berries in the Alaskan wilderness, harvested capers in Sicily, and beguiled celebrities such as Jane Fonda and Bill Clinton with her cooking -- but it all started in her grandmother’s country kitchen. Virginia is the author of a number of books including Lighten Up, Y’all, Basic to Brilliant, Y’all, Okra, and Grits.On the show, we discuss how she got into writing cookbooks, how her cooking style has changed, and her wellness journey which has led to her losing 70 pounds. We talk about food media, and credible sources for recipes and cooking tips. Virginia’s also passionate about sustainable seafood, and we discuss that as well.Sponsor Looking to make better pizza? How about bagels, bread, or English muffins? Then you need a <a href="https://bakingsteel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Baking Steel</a>. Don’t just take my word for it. Kenji López-Alt of Serious Eats/The Food Lab <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/the-pizza-lab-the-baking-steel-delivers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">said</a> “this is the answer I've been waiting for to produce consistently awesome pizza over and over”. ===========Virginia Willis===========<a href="https://www.instagram.com/virginiawillis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Virginia's Instagram</a> <a href="https://virginiawillis.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Virginia's’s Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChefVirginiaWillis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Virginia's Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/virginiawillis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Virginia's Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7936279/virginia-willis-weight-loss-tips-recipes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Virginia's Eating Well Recipes</a> ==========================CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS==========================If you enjoy the show, and would like to support it financially, check out our <a href="https://www.patreon.com/chefswithoutrestaurants" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>, or you can donate through <a href="https://venmo.com/ChefWoRestos" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Venmo</a> or <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chefsworestos" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buy Me a Coffee</a>.  <a href="https://mailchi.mp/fe0d8a0cc7a6/chefs-without-restaurants-email-list" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/perfectlittlebites?isVisitor=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Visit Our Amazon Store (we get paid when you buy stuff)</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chefswithoutrestaurants" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chefs Without Restaurants Facebook page</a><a href="https://urlgeni.us/facebook/GWRgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chefs Without Restaurants private Facebook group</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/chefswithoutrestaurants/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram</a>Founder Chris Spear’s personal chef business <a href="https://perfectlittlebites.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Perfect Little Bites</a> <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/725607/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show</a>

Chef Virginia Willis on Writing Cookbooks and Her Wellness Journey

Southern cuisine is having a moment! Whether you were raised in the south or you're simply curious about the food, recipes, and farming culture from this diverse U.S. region, I hope you'll tune in to hear my interview with Georgia-born chef and cookbook author, Virginia Willis. Virginia is the author of the gorgeous new cookbook, Secrets of the Southern Table, and she's here with tips for stocking a southern pantry, nutritious recipes your family will love -- including a sweet potato and pecan bread that's to die for, spatchcock chicken, and the best sweet potato &amp; greens gratin recipe on the planet -- and family stories that shaped her love of southern cooking. What you’ll hear in this episode:  Southern cuisine is defined as diverse foods from the 13 states in the south, which has a year-round growing season. Why the always-growing immigrant population of the south means the cuisine is always evolving Traditional Southern food includes healthy superstars like corn, tomatoes, butterbeans, green beans, okra, eggplant, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Okra, is a polarizing vegetable, and the key to culinary success is to lightly cook it. Virginia loves to grill or broil it and pair it with an acid, like tomatoes). Virginia’s culinary path: She grew up with fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden in a family of adventurous cooks who loved a variety of foods. What family dinner looked like for Virginia when she was growing up complete with good manners, politeness, and respect for the food. Virginia’s weeknight Southern family go-to: a one-pot or skillet meal with sauteed greens or veggies with seared boneless chicken thighs sprinkled with Cajun seasoning. Tips for parents: get kids’ hands into the food prep process. (Hint: make taco night more healthy.) Virginia’s book, a celebration of the South, and why she included stories of different farmers and ethnic groups. We are giving away a copy of Secrets of the Southern Table. (Giveaway ends Feb. 27th, 2019.) How Virginia grew up eating “gospel bird” every Sunday. Virginia’s favorite recipe from the book: Spatchcock Sorghum Chicken. Brine it first, then cut out the backbone and open the chicken like a book (this cuts down on cooking time and allows more even cooking). Season with butter, smoked paprika, and sorghum (or honey). Other favorite recipes from the book:  Smashed fried okra with spicy yogurt dipping sauce Spiced sweet potato and pecan breakfast bread: it’s made with a large sweet potato, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, pecans, and flax seeds Savory sweet potato and greens gratin, which bakes up rich and creamy, with a panko and Parmesan topping Seared scallops with radish and candied jalapeño Peach upside-down cake (use cake flour for a lighter texture)   Virginia’s tips for cooking collard greens, which are higher in nutritional value than kale! Virginia’s work for Martha Stewart as the kitchen director for the TV series. She was in charge of all the food and all the farmers’ market shopping! Coming up next for Virginia is a more internationally-focused book, as she ventures away from strictly Southern cooking.  Resources: Virginia's website: https://virginiawillis.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/virginiawillis  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiawillis/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChefVirginiaWillis/  Virginia's cookbooks: https://virginiawillis.com/cookbooks.html  Secrets of the Southern Table on Amazon:   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544932544/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0  Link to How to Spatchcock a Chicken:   https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/01/the-food-lab-how-to-roast-a-butterflied-spatchcocked-chicken.html  www.superhealthykids.com www.parentsondemand.com

Southern cuisine is having a moment! Whether you were raised in the south or you're simply curious about the food, recipes, and farming culture from this diverse U.S. region, I hope you'll tune in to hear my interview with Georgia-born chef and cookbook author, <a href="https://virginiawillis.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Virginia Willis</a>. Virginia is the author of the gorgeous new cookbook, <a href="https://amzn.to/2N7sW7C" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Secrets of the Southern Table</a>, and she's here with tips for stocking a southern pantry, nutritious recipes your family will love -- including a sweet potato and pecan bread that's to die for, spatchcock chicken, and the best sweet potato &amp; greens gratin recipe on the planet -- and family stories that shaped her love of southern cooking. What you’ll hear in this episode: <ul> <li>Southern cuisine is defined as diverse foods from the 13 states in the south, which has a year-round growing season.</li> <li>Why the always-growing immigrant population of the south means the cuisine is always evolving</li> <li>Traditional Southern food includes healthy superstars like corn, tomatoes, butterbeans, green beans, okra, eggplant, and fresh fruits and vegetables.</li> <li>Okra, is a polarizing vegetable, and the key to culinary success is to lightly cook it. Virginia loves to grill or broil it and pair it with an acid, like tomatoes).</li> <li>Virginia’s culinary path: She grew up with fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden in a family of adventurous cooks who loved a variety of foods.</li> <li>What family dinner looked like for Virginia when she was growing up complete with good manners, politeness, and respect for the food.</li> <li>Virginia’s weeknight Southern family go-to: a one-pot or skillet meal with sauteed greens or veggies with seared boneless chicken thighs sprinkled with Cajun seasoning.</li> <li>Tips for parents: get kids’ hands into the food prep process. (Hint: make taco night more healthy.)</li> <li>Virginia’s book, a celebration of the South, and why she included stories of different farmers and ethnic groups. We are giving away a copy of Secrets of the Southern Table. (Giveaway ends Feb. 27th, 2019.)</li> <li>How Virginia grew up eating “gospel bird” every Sunday.</li> <li>Virginia’s favorite recipe from the book: Spatchcock Sorghum Chicken. Brine it first, then cut out the backbone and open the chicken like a book (this cuts down on cooking time and allows more even cooking). Season with butter, smoked paprika, and sorghum (or honey).</li> <li>Other favorite recipes from the book: <ul> <li>Smashed fried okra with spicy yogurt dipping sauce</li> <li>Spiced sweet potato and pecan breakfast bread: it’s made with a large sweet potato, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, pecans, and flax seeds</li> <li>Savory sweet potato and greens gratin, which bakes up rich and creamy, with a panko and Parmesan topping</li> <li>Seared scallops with radish and candied jalapeño</li> <li>Peach upside-down cake (use cake flour for a lighter texture)</li> </ul> </li> <li>Virginia’s tips for cooking collard greens, which are higher in nutritional value than kale!</li> <li>Virginia’s work for Martha Stewart as the kitchen director for the TV series. She was in charge of all the food and all the farmers’ market shopping!</li> <li>Coming up next for Virginia is a more internationally-focused book, as she ventures away from strictly Southern cooking.</li> </ul> Resources: Virginia's website: <a href="https://virginiawillis.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://virginiawillis.com/</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/virginiawillis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/virginiawillis</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/virginiawillis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/virginiawillis/</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChefVirginiaWillis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ChefVirginiaWillis/</a> Virginia's cookbooks: <a href="https://virginiawillis.com/cookbooks.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://virginiawillis.com/cookbooks.html</a> Secrets of the Southern Table on Amazon:  <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544932544/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544932544/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0</a> Link to How to Spatchcock a Chicken:  <a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/01/the-food-lab-how-to-roast-a-butterflied-spatchcocked-chicken.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/01/the-food-lab-how-to-roast-a-butterflied-spatchcocked-chicken.html</a> <a href="http://www.superhealthykids.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.superhealthykids.com</a> <a href="http://www.parentsondemand.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.parentsondemand.com</a>

47: Southern Cooking with Chef Virginia Willis