Fellow Brookfield resident Jonathan Mendonca is the author of the best selling book, “Life on Life’s Terms” which is a fascinating and inspiring true story from 10 years of opiate addiction to 4 years of sobriety, and all the lessons learned along the way. Life on Life’s Terms is a success story of self growth and realization through the eyes of an…

Seby Martinez & Kurt Vinci are the founders and owners of Negative Kitty, an indie studio headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, bringing wickedly creative animation and video to artists and brands in need of some visual (and conceptual) edge. Having been established in 2021, and serving the Northeast and beyond, Negative Kitty has worked with indie …

Doug Polistena is the Owner & General Manager of the Amber Room Colonnade, an award-winning premier catering venue and landmark, located in Danbury, CT since 1969. Doug has personally worked with and executed over 3,500 events, to include major galas, weddings, mitzvahs and corporate functions. Episode Sponsors: The Amber Room Colonnade https://www…

Kyle Sorenson and Rob Haidar, the founders of UMEBROSHI who have been in the food industry for some time and with knowledge of different cultures and palettes, created a realm to create food without the stereotypical toxicity within kitchens. As they say, they just wanted to have fun making food without all the bullshit, not looking to make their w…

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Cesar Collado is a professional boxer currently residing in Danbury, Connecticut representing Champs Boxing Club, also located in Danbury and owned by the legendary, AJ Galante of Danbury Trashers Fame. Cesar is also a master barber and has been servicing clients in the Danbury area for 15 years. His fun nature convers…

Casey Dohme is the founder and owner of The Blind Rhino The Blind Rhino is a popular, award-winning Sports Bar with two brick & mortar locations in Fairfield County, CT! Their flagship location opened October 2015 in historic downtown South Norwalk, CT, and their newest store launched 2019 in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, CT! Blind Rhino al…

Matthew Sedlak is the founder and owner of Perfusion Bar in Newtown, CT. At Perfusion Bar, Matt demonstrates his love for quality cocktails and his extensive experience in the mixed drink space. Sedlak has traveled extensively, always on the hunt for the best cocktails and previously owned the legendary Highland Brass Co. in Waterbury, CT. I had an…

DJ Darth Fader, known as Brandon Blain, is an individual who brings the party, the entertainment, and is one of the better known DJ’s in the area, always posting up at the hottest places to be around the state of Connecticut. If you’ve ever experienced Connecticut nightlife or just have been strolling around the center of any Connecticut town at ni…

Amanda Tambascio is the founder of Kash & Liv Coffee Creations by My Place Restaurant in Newtown, CT. Launched on Labor Day of 2022, Kash & Liv Coffee Creations has been taking the local area and Fairfield County by storm at either their home base at My Place Restaurant, pop up events, NewSylum Brewing Company starting this May, deliveries of Coffe…

*Originally scheduled to drop 3/17/2023*: Chris Papallo is the founder and owner of Eredita Beer, and a former employee of one of the best breweries in the world, Hill Farmstead of Vermont. Having brewed beer for years under the eyes of some of the best in the world, Chris moved back to Connecticut and began his beer brand in November of 2022, whic…

Andy Singer is a comedian and retired detective hailing from the great state of New Jersey. He currently works behind the scenes with comedian Donnell Rawlings, most notably from The Chappelle Show making people laugh all over the internet, but he was also in the Jay & Silent Bob Reboot and has his own podcast called The Bearded Bable, talking to c…

"Named one of the “12 Most Influential People” by Hartford Magazine, and recently “Best Anchor” by Connecticut Magazine, native New England and Emmy award winning Dennis House is one of the most experienced and highly regarded broadcast journalists in Connecticut. Dennis can be seen co-anchoring the 6 and 11 o’clock newscasts with Ann Nyberg weekni…

Will Arndt is a professional athlete, quarterback, and quarterbacks coach from Newtown, Connecticut who was most recently signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League. A graduate of Western Connecticut State University, a mere stones throw from where the podcast is located, Will defied the odds and is now living his dream. Will …

Andy Sachs is one of the country’s top-producing real estate professionals. Previously when we last spoke to Andy, he was manning the helm of the Newtown based Around Town Real Estate Team, a member of Keller Williams, where we spoke to him about how the COVID-19 pandemic was impacting the real estate market in our area and beyond. Fast forward to …

Christopher Hodson is the man behind @CookedInConnecticut an Instagram page and blog that features incredible photos and reviews of upscale dining as well as some of his own offerings. Hodson has worked his way through the ranks of many esteemed restaurants, including a stay in New York City, honing the front of house. Today he is a server at Mater…

Bronx Native, Jay Carlucci is the owner of the Dew Drop Inn, located in Derby, CT and widely known for their multiple flavors of wings, which there are almost 200 of! The Dew Drop has won CT’s best wings countless times, was recently featured on Chef Robert Irvines “Cheat Day USA” on the Cooking Channel and is a most stop for wing fans all over the…

Ryan O Rell is an up and coming force of nature. A recent high school graduate, Ryan is a pro athlete at the young age of 18 years old, sponsored by Madd Gear, the Worlds No 1 Pro Scooter brand, established in 2002. As a multi talented individual Ryan also excels at skateboarding, BMX, parkour and so much more. Now, Ryan has his sights set on one d…

Bob Florence is the founder and co-owner of Moromi a company based in beautiful, costal southeastern Connecticut creating handcrafted seasonings based on traditional fermentation techniques using koji and our natural microbiome to transform a variety of local ingredients into unique sauces, seasonings, and condiments. As a chemist, Bob has had a li…

Bob Florence is the founder and co-owner of Moromi a company based in beautiful, costal southeastern Connecticut creating handcrafted seasonings based on traditional fermentation techniques using koji and our natural microbiome to transform a variety of local ingredients into unique sauces, seasonings, and condiments. As a chemist, Bob has had a li…

Andrew Dominick is a popular food journalist hailing from Norwalk, CT. His work can be seen on CTBites, Westchester Bites, Westchester Magazine, Hudson Valley Magazine, The Beverage Journal CT, Connecticut Magazine, Fairfield Magazine and more! When he’s not writing, he's honing his bartending skills, exploring restaurants, and practicing martial a…

Andrew Dominick is a popular food journalist hailing from Norwalk, CT. His work can be seen on CTBites, Westchester Bites, Westchester Magazine, Hudson Valley Magazine, The Beverage Journal CT, Connecticut Magazine, Fairfield Magazine and more! When he’s not writing, he's honing his bartending skills, exploring restaurants, and practicing martial a…

Iazamir "Zamir" Gotta is a producer, TV Personality, Independent Filmmaker, and Peacemaker. He is best known as the traveling companion of the late American chef Anthony Bourdain in his Travel Channel TV show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, when they traveled to Uzbekistan, Russia and Romania and later in the U.S. Rust Belt, Ukraine, and Kansas …

When we last chatted with Mark back in 2020 (Season 1, Episode 7) he was manning the helm as the longest serving Mayor in Danbury, Connecticuts history, but shortly after he joined the show he was asked by Governor Ned Lamont to join his staff as the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. Mark Boughton was also recently app…

Anne Grossman is the founder & owner of Rebel Daughter Cookies a gourmet cookie company located in Norwalk, Connecticut. After moving to the area from Brooklyn and frustrated she couldn’t find the “big, gooey” gourmet cookies like the ones she recalls at her favorite bakeries in Chicago and New York, and disappointed at how the ingredients in those…

Born and raised on the beautiful island of Ischia, Italy, Pierluigi Mazzella is the founder and owner of Fatto A Mano Bakery. His father is a professional fisherman on the island and showed their family what it really means to buy fresh and local. This passion for high quality food never left Pierluigi as he moved through his culinary-based high sc…

Kimberley Locke is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She has recorded in the dance and pop genres, and has targeted the adult contemporary radio format. She was the cohost of the daytime talk show, Dr. and the Diva, Second Runner up on Season 2 of American Idol behind Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken, her music has been on Billbo…

Matthew Banever is the founder and owner of Bards Clothing and began his business based on two loves: storytelling and clothing. Matthew graduated from Marist College with a degree in history and after graduating began working at a national retail organization. Over the next 5 years he moved to a few different stores, always positioned as manager, …

Matthew Banever is the founder and owner of Bards Clothing and began his business based on two loves: storytelling and clothing. Matthew graduated from Marist College with a degree in history and after graduating began working at a national retail organization. Over the next 5 years he moved to a few different stores, always positioned as manager, …

John Watson is head brewer and owner of Watson Farmhouse Brewery located in Southbury, Connecticut and is also the head brewer at NewSylum Brewing Company on the Fairfield Hills Campus in Newtown, Connecticut. John started brewing beer as a hobby, after his wife Tracy gifted him a home-brewing kit, more than 25 years ago. He quickly became frequent…

John Watson is head brewer, founder and owner of Watson Farmhouse Brewery located in Southbury, Connecticut and is also the head brewer at NewSylum Brewing Company located at the Fairfield Hills Campus in Newtown, Connecticut. John started brewing beer as a hobby when his wife Tracy gifted him a home-brewing kit more than 25 years ago. He quickly b…

Tina Zaccardi is a world class baker from Westchester County, NY. She is known on social media as The Italian Cookie and she has appeared on The Chew, The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Hallmark Home + Family, Bridge Street TV, Daytime and was the Season 4 winner of ABC’s The Great American Baking Show making her one of the top bakers in America…

Jeff Schaller is an artist in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. His work has been featured on the hit tv show Friends and can be seen at local watering holes in Pennsylvania like Iron Hill Brewery. Jeff’s work is collected both nationally and internationally and it is also included in the Coca-Cola Museum and Lancaster Museum of Art.I had a fantastic chat…

Matthew Kirshner is a pastry chef and the owner of Uncle Matt’s Bakery and Café located in Sandy Hook CT. He trained with master pastry chefs from around the world, at renowned establishments such as the Russian Tea Room and the Essex House Hotel in New York City, in addition to the Roger Sherman Inn and Bantam Bread Company in Connecticut.His love…

Matthew Kirshner is a pastry chef and the owner of Uncle Matt’s Bakery and Café located in Sandy Hook CT. He trained with master pastry chefs from around the world, at renowned establishments such as the Russian Tea Room and the Essex House Hotel in New York City, in addition to the Roger Sherman Inn and Bantam Bread Company in Connecticut. His lov…

Kim Prada is the founder and owner of Tribe Power Bites located here in Connecticut. Tribe Power Bites is a convenient nut butter snack bite constructed to fit in todays busy society as well as a movement to bring people together. The name Tribe comes from the connections Kim made during her process of starting her business which took off during th…

Neviana Zhgaba is the owner and founder of Aquilas Nest Vineyard in the Sandy Hook area of Newtown, Connecticut and returning guest to the show! Neviana and her husband Ardian opened the vineyard a little over a year ago, and I am excited that Neviana could come back on the show to talk all about the first year with the Vineyard, her successes, all…

Charles Rosenay is a CT legend and may be best known in the state as the producer of the Connecticut Beatles conventions and festivals for over four decades and as a pro DJ/MC/Entertainer for as many years. Along with musical events, he published a magazine on The Beatles called Good Day Sunshine for 25 years and, since 1983, he has organized and h…

Nicky Zooks is a popular, up and coming Food Reviewer here in the state of Connecticut. Nicky began reviewing local Connecticut restaurants around his hometown of Bethel at the start of the pandemic, helping give restaurants his special Restaurant Boost as well as bringing awareness to places and foods people may not have heard of before. Since the…

Jim Himes is an American businessman and politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Connecticut's 4th congressional district since 2009. Himes's district includes most of the southwestern corner of the state and is largely coextensive with the Connecticut side of the New York metropolitan area. It includes parts of Fairfield County…

Dimitrios Zahariadis is an award-winning bartender and pioneer in the craft cocktail movement here in the state of CT. In his free time Dimitrios is an avid competitor and in addition to winning many local competitions, he has been a multiple regional Finalist for Diageo World Class, Bacardi Legacy and Bombay Sapphire Most Imaginative Bartender com…

Dimitrios Zahariadis is an award-winning bartender and pioneer in the craft cocktail movement here in the state of CT. In his free time Dimitrios is an avid competitor and in addition to winning many local competitions, he has been a multiple regional Finalist for Diageo World Class, Bacardi Legacy and Bombay Sapphire Most Imaginative Bartender com…

Chef Adam Greenberg is a Connecticut Native, a 4x Chopped Champion, a Beat Bobby Flay winner, previous owner of the Coconut Club in Washington D.C, and spent a decade with the MAX hospitality group behind Barcelona & BarTaco. With all of his Food Network wins he has been crowned as the All Time Winningest Contestant the Food Network has ever had wi…

Chef Adam Greenberg is a Connecticut native, a Food Network judge, a 4x Chopped champion, a Beat Bobby Flay winner, a previous owner of the Coconut Club in Washington D.C, and spent a decade with the Barteca Restaurant Group behind Barcelona & BarTaco. With his 5-0 record, he has earned the title of “All-Time Winningest Food Network Competitor”.We …

Joe Attonito is the founder and owner of jjstacks a dive restaurant located in Brookfield, CT on Federal Road complete with not only food that is to die for, especially his famous wings, but a mini golf course as well! Joe was the previous owner of Tigers Den Sports Bar in Ridgefield, CT and has worked with some of the great chefs of our state. Foo…

Chef Dan Kardos is a CT legend and the owner of Oar & Oak and Oar and Oak Birdhouse in Stratford as well as Oar & Oak Birdhouse in Milford and Oar and Oak Creamery as well as the Oar and Oak food truck! Basically Dan Kardos has all your bases covered. He is known as the chicken sandwich KING, the co-founder of Liberty Rock Tavern and the absolute p…

Chef Vanessa Sena is the founder & owner of My Local Chefs a new Hartford-based food-delivery service that wants to be thought of as the “anti-GrubHub or anti-Uber Eats. My Local Chefs launched on July 5th, 2021 with 11 Hartford-area culinary talents ranging from restaurateurs, meal-prep chefs, caterers, food-truck owners, farmers, condiment makers…

Paul Mannion is the owner of the Green Grunion Food Truck, Mannion has wowed foodies at breweries across Connecticut and at his home base at 100 Mill Plain Road not too far from our studio in Danbury slingin his critically acclaimed San Diego-style burritos. A few years back Paul joined forces with Lisa Tassone (owner of La Zingara and Ecco in Beth…

Paul Mannion is the owner of the Green Grunion Food Truck, one of Connecticut's hottest food trucks! Mannion has wowed foodies at breweries across Connecticut and at his home base at 100 Mill Plain Road not too far from our studio in Danbury slingin his critically acclaimed San Diego-style burritos. A few years back Paul joined forces with Lisa Tas…

Lora and Bev are the duo that make up Unlocking Connecticut, one of the hottest blogs and Instagram pages covering all things happening in our state. Whether it’s food, coffee, spas, hotels, events, boutiques or anything else - you name it, they cover it! Through their countless adventures, stories and experiences, Lora and Bev are responsible for …

David Kaye is founding partner and operations manager of Nod Hill Brewery located off Route 7 in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Since opening in 2017 Nod Hill has been thriving, churning out some of the most delectable offerings of beers in the state. Chef Jeff Taibe is a friend of the show and returning guest from episode #46. Jeff is the owner of Tapro…