Season 2, Episode 6:
The Meal Is the Byproduct

MEET OUR GUESTS

Chef Phillip Baxman has been in the hospitality industry for 20 years. He started at the Loews Denver Hotel. He has worked in hotels all over the country — from Aspen, Colorado, to Washington, DC, and many places in between. He’s also the founder of Evolution Catering in Cincinnati.

Chef Phillip has catered extraordinary events for events as large as 6,000 people at exquisite venues such as the National Air and Space Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. At home, Chef Phillip likes to cook with his wife and kids, occasionally throwing a scrap to his dog, Paula Dean, who is a Shih Tzu mix.

Dr. Lauri Wright worked as a clinical dietitian at the Tampa VA Hospital for more than 15 years, specializing in infectious disease. She began and directed the dietetic internship at Bay Pines VA Hospital. After completing her doctorate degree, Dr. Wright directed the master's/dietetic internship program at the University of North Florida. While at UNF, her work with HIV moved to the community and food insecurity. Dr. Wright then joined the faculty of the College of Public Health at University of South Florida as an assistant professor where her research focused on food insecurity and its health impact, HIV nutrition and global nutrition. 

Dr. Wright is the founding director of the Center for Nutrition and Food Security where she directs two food recovery-meal programs; one for PLWHA (Food Fighters) and the other for homebound seniors (Meals on Wings). Dr. Wright is an Academy Media Spokesperson, Delegate to the Academy House, and a past president of the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Episode highlights

2:30 – Making pierogies

3:25 – Early cooking lessons

4:30 – Worst-case scenarios

7:46 – Positive attitudes in the kitchen

11:15 – Don’t be afraid

13:09 – Kitchen Questions

15:49 – Overnight oats

18:13 –  Final Thoughts

Our favorite quotes from the episode

“I'm very passionate about what I do in the culinary world, and I wanted to be able to share that with her.” — Phillip Baxman

“It wasn't until she was 7 when I got her her first Global knife.” — Phillip Baxman

“I always just try and remind myself to let her drive the bus, and for me to just tell her which direction to go.” — Phillip Baxman

“We're spending time together doing an activity. The byproduct of that is that we get to eat something hopefully tasty.” — Phillip Baxman

“It's teaching life skills, and it's bonding, and it's working together.” — Phillip Baxman

“Don't be afraid to let your kids in the kitchen with you. I mean, and I know, and I still, to this day, think there's times where it's like, ‘Oh, she can't do that, she can't do that.’ It's amazing and surprising the amount of knowledge that these kids have just from being around the kitchen, and watching us.” — Phillip Baxman

Show notes and LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Follow Phillip Baxman:

INSTAGRAM: @evolutioncateringcincy

Follow Lauri Wright:

TWITTER: @DrLauriWrightRD