Give The People What They Want

You can’t always get what you want. That’s been especially true during these unpredictable times. Now more than ever, there’s something comforting about the familiar – like a restaurant where you can order exactly what you want off the menu and are greeted with a smile whenever you walk through the door.

That’s the experience of anyone who walks into Liz’s Where Y’at Diner – one of the happiest places north of Lake Pontchartrain. From the palm trees to the peace signs to the tie-dyed t-shirts, everything about Liz Munson’s diner is laid back. On this week’s show, we speak with Liz, who tells us about her special kind of hospitality, served up with a killer crab meat grilled cheese sandwich.

Then, we learn about a crowd-pleasing muffuletta for sale in San Francisco, prepared each day by Peterson Harter at his pop-up Sandy's SF. Though he’s far from home, the New Orleans chef has developed a following by staying true to his culinary roots.

And you can’t make it as an entrepreneur unless you’ve got a good sense of what people want. Alfonzo Bolden, who, along with his brother Troy, is co-CEO of Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning Company, based out of Lafayette. While there's no denying their food talents, Alfonzo and Troy's true genius lies in knowing just when to trademark a name – which for them, often precedes the product concept.

Finally, we explore food as medicine and an act of love with Merissa Nathan Gerson, author of, "Forget Prayers, Bring Cake." Merissa shares an honest, unwavering look at her life during her year of grieving, and how she learned to listen to her own needs in a time of suffering.