Shows
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST Season Finale: Ending With a FriendThis is the final episode of The Enlightened Omnivore Podcast — Season Two.I’m taking a short break, but I’ll be back later this year with Season Three. In the meantime, there are more than 25 episodes waiting for you wherever you listen—so if you’ve been enjoying the show, please follow, subscribe, and leave a quick review wherever you download your podcasts. It would truly mean a lot.Now, the real reason this episode matters.My guest is Kurt Beardsley—one of my closest friends of more than three decades. And I don’t say...
2026-02-181h 05
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Clean Alcohol, Label Lookers, & the Alchemy of TeaI keep hearing this phrase: clean alcohol.It shows up in product descriptions, social captions, and I hear it from the soccer moms as I wait in line for my decaf Americano. I wasn’t even sure what people meant by it. Was it a health claim? A vibe? Just a marketing buzzword?So I brought the question to someone who lives right at the center of that conversation: Jennie Ripps, founder and CEO of Owl’s Brew, a ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage company built around tea, botanicals, and transparency.Enlightened Omni...
2026-02-1146 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Wintering Like a ButcherIn this episode of Enlightened Omnivore, I sit back down with my good friend and butcher doppelganger, Heather Thomason.The first few minutes with Heather are always the same: a quick audio check, a little screen glare, the shared relief that yes—this sounds good, we’re here.Then the real catch-up begins.Heather’s been on the podcast a few times now, and each time feels like a different chapter of a fulfilling life. The butcher chapter. The non-profit chapter. And now, something new.This time, Heather doesn’t arrive with a n...
2026-02-0455 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: How to Save the Rainforests Without Picking a Food FightThis week on the Enlightened Omnivore Podcast, I sit down with Jack Bobo of the Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies at UCLA to tackle one of the most polarizing questions in modern food culture:Can agriculture actually be part of the climate solution—or are we arguing ourselves into a corner?We start with regenerative agriculture, but the conversation quickly zooms out to something bigger: why food debates feel so toxic, and why progress keeps stalling.Jack offers a simple but powerful reframe:“Most food fights aren’t about values. They’r...
2026-01-281h 00
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Salmon, Sculpture, and the Art of DisappearingThis week on Enlightened Omnivore, I sit down with Shannon Ninburg, an artist and salmon educator whose work lives right at the intersection of ecology, attention, and awe.If you’ve ever watched a salmon run, really watched it, you know it’s not just a biology lesson. It’s a story about endurance, memory, return… and the strange beauty of an ending that becomes a beginning all over again.Shannon teaches that story through Salmon in the Schools, a Seattle-area program where kids raise salmon from eggs in classroom tanks and release them into local cr...
2026-01-2154 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Raptors, EVs and Eating SustainableThis week on Enlightened Omnivore, I sit down with Nurit Katz, the Chief Sustainability Officer of the University of California, Los Angeles, for a conversation that stretched far beyond campus boundaries.UCLA isn’t just a university. On any given day, it functions like a small city, serving nearly 90,000 people. It has its own power systems, water demands, food operations, transportation networks, and emergency infrastructure. It’s no wonder that it’s a fascinating test case for sustainability—not just in theory, but in practice.UCLA is a “living laboratory,” a place where research doesn’t sit on a she...
2026-01-1458 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD!There’s a specific moment that happens in a lot of homes—usually somewhere around 5:30 p.m.—when the day collapses into the kitchen.You walk in carrying all the half-finished thoughts of the day. Someone needs help with something. Someone is hungry. You’re hungry. And even if you love cooking, there’s that split second where dinner stops feeling like nourishment and starts feeling like one more demand.This week on Enlightened Omnivore, I sit down with chef, multi-cookbook author, Nicki Sizemore to talk about that moment—the real one, not the curated one. The one...
2026-01-071h 02
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastEnlightened Omnivore Substack Live #201: Ask Me Anything January 2026Thank you to everyone who joined me live for yesterday’s Ask Me Anything—and to those of you catching up now, I’m sharing the recording . This was the first AMA of 2026, and it felt like a really good way to start the year.We covered a lot of ground yesterday. First, I shared a quick holiday recap (including how my “Prime Fib” turned out), talked through what I’m excited to cook more of this year—venison for one—and gave a preview of what’s ahead for Enlightened Omnivore in 2026.Enlightened Omnivore is a read...
2026-01-0559 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: The Garden DrumbeatAlright—this week’s episode might be outside your comfort zone. But I encourage you to lean in.My guest is Maria Rodale: writer, publisher, gardener, and lifelong explorer of humanity’s relationship with nature. Maria comes from organic agriculture royalty. Her grandfather popularized the term “Organics,” in the 1940s, and her father launched one of the longest-running side-by-side studies comparing organic and chemical farming—still underway at the Rodale Institute today. Maria herself has spent decades carrying that legacy forward, both as the CEO of the family publishing company, Rodale, Inc. and as a prolific author in her own r...
2025-12-3154 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: A Morning Cup of CoffeeAlright—this week’s episode is a fun one.Peter Giuliano is the Executive Director of the Coffee Science Foundation, and he’s one of those rare people who can talk about coffee in a way that makes you more curious, not more intimidated. He’s been in coffee since he was 18 (barista to shop owner to roaster to buyer to industry leader), but he’s also a serious food-history nerd—and the writer behind one of my favorite Substack newsletters Pax Culinaria., which is basically a weekly rabbit hole into culinary culture, trade, and the stories we tell ours...
2025-12-241h 17
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Terroir or Test Tubes? The Truth About What's In WineI can’t think of a better sound than when a cork comes out of a bottle of wine. It signals the start of a meal, a laughter-filled conversation with friends, a romantic evening with your special someone.My favorite literary influences loved their wine. Mark Twain had a hankering for champagne. Hemingway drank anything in a glass, but called wine the “most civilized thing in the world.” Jim Harrison had a preference for the Gigondas region of Southern France; my personal favorite as well.Wine is one of the oldest beverages and comes with its ow...
2025-12-1757 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: The Case for Eating More WeedsThis week on the Enlightened Omnivore podcast, I finally tracked down a guest I’ve been trying to land for months.Pascal Baudar wears a lot of hats: forager, brewer, ceramicist, photographer, survivalist. He’s one of those people who has spent much of his life examining and interacting with the natural world at ground level, sometimes on his hands and knees. He spends most of his time in the hills and mountains above LA, finding wild food, preserving it, making his art, and teaching classes to amateur foragers. Getting him to agree to this interview after seve...
2025-12-101h 03
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: From Saving the Earth to Being Healed by ItThis week’s Enlightened Omnivore Podcast may be the most quietly powerful conversation I’ve had all year. I didn’t want to stop chatting with forest therapy guide, Sarah Abu-Absi about the healing power of nature. And I don’t think you’ll want to stop listening.Sarah wasn’t always a self-proclaimed “tree hugger.” She spent more than a decade working in a high-stress job for the City of Chicago—fast-paced, big stakes, constant urgency. Then her entire department was shut down. Overnight, Sarah was unemployed with two young kids. Worse yet, her body was breaking...
2025-12-0355 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Foodways & Foot Cheese: Southern California Food SceneThis week on the Enlightened Omnivore Podcast, I chat with someone who has not only reported on, but also shaped Southern California’s food scene.Cynthia Rebolledo is an independent journalist whose work has appeared in OC Weekly, KCET, KCRW, LAist, and a number of other influential publications that define what we think of as SoCal food culture.If you’ve wondered where the best taco is in Boyle Heights, or wanted to hunt down the perfect pupusa on Instagram, or pondered what “Modern Mexican cuisine” really means — you’d benefit from chatting up Cynthia.But lik...
2025-11-2644 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Sustainable Smiles and a Greener Holiday SeasonOn this week’s episode of the Enlightened Omnivore Podcast, I sit down with my friend Belinda Lau, founder of Elims, a woman-owned sustainable oral care company that’s rethinking both what we put in our mouths and what we toss into our landfills.When I think about sustainability, I tend to think big: system-wide changes, massive infrastructure shifts, moonshot technologies. The kind of megawatt solutions that might actually move the needle on our climate crisis.Belinda, however, started somewhere much smaller and far more personal.Enlightened Omnivore is a reader-supported publication. To r...
2025-11-1950 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Into the Wild KitchenThe new episode of Enlightened Omnivore ventures into the wild with Hank Shaw — James Beard Award–winning author, chef, hunter, and one of the more thoughtful voices on eating from the land. Hank’s life defies neat categories: he started out as a sous chef at an Ethiopian restaurant, spent two decades in journalism (including a stint as political bureau chief in California’s Central Valley), and eventually turned his reporter’s precision toward food, foraging, and the ethics of the hunt.Hank didn’t grow up hunting; he learned at 30. That late start sharpened his perspective and let him...
2025-11-1252 min
Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD PodcastSustainable Meat, Regenerative Agriculture, and Seasonal RitualsToday’s episode weaves together two different threads: how we can eat meat more sustainably (and joyfully) and how we can live in a way that feels more sustainable to our nervous systems.Nicki is joined by butcher-turned-writer Steve Sabicer, creator of the newsletter Enlightened Omnivore. Steve shares his winding path from PBS-obsessed latchkey kid to running an artisanal whole-animal butcher shop, and what he’s learned about sourcing and cooking meat in ways that support both flavor and the planet.They explore what “better meat” actually means in practice, the truth about grass-finished and pasture...
2025-11-1248 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: The Lessons Butchery Taught MeThe new season of Enlightened Omnivore opens with my friend and mentor, Michael Puglisi. Michael has worn a lot of hats, airplane de-icer, chef, butcher, and founder of Electric City Butcher, the Orange County shop that became a shrine to craft butchery, and a community hub for responsible agriculture. It was also where I learned almost everything I know about butchery.In our conversation, Michael reflects on what it means to lead in success, to fail publicly, and to let go while always maintaining purpose. We talk about label fog and the ethics of buying better, the...
2025-11-051h 10
The Obesity Guide with Matthea Rentea MDThe 3 Kitchen Mistakes Sabotaging Your Meals with Food Writer Steve SabicerSend a Text Message. Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us. If your homemade meals never quite hit the mark and cooking feels more frustrating than fun, you’re not alone. Not everyone (myself included!) is a master chef, but understanding a few key fundamentals can completely change the way you feel in the kitchen.In this episode, I’m joined by food writer and former butcher shop owner Ste...
2025-08-0457 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: From Runway Model to Regenerative Guru: Following the Call of the LandIn a world where most people follow predictable career paths, Mark Keller, Director of Operations & Product at Cream Co. Meats, chose to leap from the glamorous runways of international fashion into the muddy boots of regenerative agriculture. His story, shared in the latest episode of the Enlightened Omnivore Podcast, reveals not just an unconventional career change, but a deeply spiritual journey that has shaped decades of pioneering work in sustainable food systems.Enlightened Omnivore is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber....
2025-06-0749 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Beyond Grass-FedJust an hour north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, nestled in the coastal hills of Marin County, fourth-generation rancher Loren Poncia has been making a name for California grass-finished beef. In this week's episode, I reconnect with Loren for the first time since closing Electric City Butcher to explore how Stemple Creek Ranch has evolved in an ever-changing food landscape.Our conversation may have covered as much ground as the ranch's lush rolling pastures. We explore the economic challenges that first inspired Loren and his wife Lisa to reimagine the ranch, the three secrets to exceptional...
2025-05-0357 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Breaking Bread, Building Hope: Kitchen Wisdom for Challenging TimesThis week, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my friend Heather Marold Thomason, food system extraordinaire, and author of the popular HUNGRY HEART on Substack. We got to catch up on the next chapter in her fascinating journey since closing the Philadelphia neighborhood butcher shop, Primal Supply. So much has changed in her life, and her insights couldn't be more timely for the the current climate.Our conversation covered crucial ground regarding the challenges facing sustainable agriculture right now. We explored the impacts of the recent federal funding freeze on small farmer support, and how some...
2025-04-0555 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: The Mushroom WhispererIn this week's Enlightened Omnivore podcast, I take you deep into the undergrowth of Southern California's mushroom scene—and discover a perspective on nature that might just transform how you interact with the world around you.On the surface, my conversation with self-proclaimed “mushroom whisperer,” Brando Farr, covers the essential do's and don'ts of mushroom hunting for beginners eager to venture into the newly dampened hills of Los Angeles. With recent rains transforming our parched landscape, there's no better time to learn about the fascinating fungi emerging all around us.But like the mycelium hidden beneat...
2025-03-011h 04
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Trying to Be an Enlightened OmnivoreThis month's episode of The Enlightened Omnivore Podcast puts me in an unfamiliar position - the guest chair. My friend and previous guest, chicken guru Tyler Dawley of Big Bluff Ranch, takes over hosting duties, turning the microphone around on me to explore my own journey with food, farming, and family. It felt a little vulnerable sharing my story, but once I got the hang of it, Tyler couldn’t shut me up.Although I still consider myself on the path to enlightenment, it hasn't been exactly straightforward. I started as a "big-boned kid" who struggled with we...
2025-02-011h 14
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Behind Closed Doors; Getting into the Middle of Meat ProcessingWe call it processing, we call it harvesting, we call it slaughter, some just call it kill. Between the pastoral scenes of cattle grazing in green fields, and those perfectly wrapped packages in your grocery store lies a mysterious world behind windowless walls - the slaughterhouse.I think this week’s podcast is my most investigative and fascinating yet, as I try to unlock some of the sterile and misunderstood closed doors of the meat packing plant. In a revealing conversation with friend and industry veteran, David Zarling, we pull back the curtain on a part of th...
2025-01-041h 32
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Mother Hens and Mountain ViewsMother Hens and Mountain ViewsA few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to visit Tyler at his Big Bluff Ranch outside of Red Bluff, CA. The drive took two hours from Sacramento, past miles and miles of Imperial valley agricultural industrial complex, before winding up into the foothills of the Yolla Bolly Mountains. The terrain was dotted with majestic valley oaks that sprouted up and stretched massive arms across an amber carpet of bone-dry rolling pastures. The road turned to dirt a dozen miles before the ranch, its washboard surface challenging the suspension of my rented...
2024-12-071h 10
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: From Forest Floor to Yoga Mat; A Forager's Path to Inner PeaceIn this month's episode, I sit down with Michelle Dowd, author of "Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult," for a fascinating discussion about foraging, food culture, and finding connection with nature. Michelle shares how her childhood experiences in a religious cult, where she learned to identify and gather wild foods for survival, shaped her unique relationship with food and the natural world.Michelle sees foraging as both a way to reconnect with the earth, and an act of resistance to modern food systems. She shares her practical advice for aspiring foragers, and challenges common misconceptions...
2024-11-0257 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Harnessing the Force of Nature; Better Understanding Regenerative BeefIn my latest Enlightened Omnivore podcast, I jump into the world of regenerative meats with James Lum, Regional Sales Manager at Force of Nature Meats. With a background that spans butcher shop floors, ranch lands, kitchen counters, and now a fast-growing consumer packaged goods company, James has seen the regenerative meat industry evolve firsthand. He brings a rare perspective into how mindful practices in sourcing, production, and distribution are reshaping the beef industry. For those of us who care about what we eat—and how it impacts the world around us—this conversation offers fresh insights into how our meat...
2024-10-0558 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Decoding Carbon Credits; Can the Market Save the Planet?Carbon Credits have always felt a bit like a riddle to me. If you’ve felt the same way, you’re not alone. But what do Carbon Credits have to do with being an enlightened omnivore? Hang in there! This could actually be the missing piece of the ecosystem-wide puzzle to solve the climate change problem. If you’ve ever wondered how something as “corporate” as carbon credits could impact your food choices, or the health of our planet, this episode is for you. Spoiler: It’s not as complicated as it seems, and it’s a lot more excit...
2024-09-071h 07
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: Meat and Meaning, Life After ButcherySometimes, the universe brings people into your life at just the right moment. This happened to me in May 2023 when I received an email from Primal Supply Meats, informing me of their closure. With Electric City Butcher already closed and my second shop, Graze and Gather Meats, on the brink of shutting down, I couldn't help but take notice. Over the next several months, I was impressed by the company's genuine communications and heartfelt concern for its customers as it slowly wound down operations.Though I had never met the owner, Heather Marold Thomason , we had orbited...
2024-08-091h 11
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: How Big Ag Controls Our FoodYou may have heard this month’s guest talking about pig manure with Kai Ryssdal on NPR, or read about his new book “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry,” in Forbes or Civil Eats. Recently, I got to sit down with author Austin Frerick to discuss the broken American food system, and delve into the complexities, collusion, and crazy power dynamics that got us here in the first place.We get into the nitty-gritty of how a handful of companies like Walmart and Cargill have taken over our food supply, and how the priv...
2024-07-0753 min
Enlightened Omnivore PodcastPODCAST: The Magic of MushroomsEnlightened Omnivore, is a monthly Podcast dedicated to a delicious mix of food, sustainability, and travel. Host, Steve Sabicer, explores the wonders of mindful eating. Each month he digs into one of his weekly written stories about our food system, new ways to eat sustainably, or culinary adventures around the globe or right in his very own kitchen.Get ready to expand your palate and your mind. One bite at a time.This is Enlightened Omnivore. Everything in moderation.EnlightenedOmnivore.substack.comToday is our very first podcast; Episode One! Hopefully...
2024-06-0838 min