Radio Cherry Bombe features interviews with the most interesting people in the world of food. Each week, host Kerry Diamond, founder and editor of the indie mag...
Chef Sarah Thompson Of Casa Playa On Mentorship & Making Her Mark In Las Vegas
Today’s guest is Sarah Thompson, executive chef at Casa Playa at Wynn Resort in Las Vegas and a newly minted James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest. Before getting tapped to helm the 300-seat restaurant, Sarah got her start working at celebrated spots like Marea and Cosme in New York City. Today, she’s one of the few female executive chefs on the world-famous Strip. Sarah joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about the influence of her family, why she was drawn to fine dining, her tight-knit team, her thoughts on teaching and mentorship, and more.Thank you to Las Vegas for supporting our show. Learn more and book your trip here. For Jubilee 2025 tickets, click here. To get our new Love Issue, click here. Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions and show transcripts. More on Sarah: Instagram, Casa Playa, Wynn Las VegasMore on Kerry: Instagram
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Culinary Agents CEO Alice Cheng On Hospitality Hiring Trends
Today’s guest is Alice Cheng, the founder and CEO of Culinary Agents—the hiring platform for the hospitality industry. Think LinkedIn, but for back of house and front of house folks. Alice joins host Kerry Diamond to share insights on today’s hottest restaurant jobs, what cities are booming, and why communication skills often outweigh kitchen chops when it comes to hiring. Plus, they dive into her unconventional career journey—from studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology to working as a temp at IBM to becoming a respected entrepreneur and founder in the hospitality world. For Jubilee 2025 tickets, click here. To get our new Love Issue, click here. Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions and show transcripts. More on Alice: Instagram, Culinary Agents, websiteMore on Kerry: Instagram
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Shaping The Vegas Culinary Scene: Elizabeth Blau’s Restaurant Revolution
Today’s guest is Elizabeth Blau, the trailblazer who helped shape Las Vegas into a world-class culinary destination and is now championing a more supportive hospitality industry for women. She talks to host Kerry Diamond about her journey from “taco girl” at a hometown watering hole to powerhouse executive. They discuss Elizabeth’s early years working with Sirio Maccioni of Le Cirque fame, her move to Las Vegas and her work with the Wynn family, the launch of her own company, Blau & Associates, and the achievements of the Women’s Hospitality Initiative, which she co-founded to help women advance in the ranks of restaurants and hospitality organizations. Thank you to Las Vegas for supporting our show. Learn more and book your trip here. For Jubilee 2025 tickets, click here. To get our Love Issue, click here. Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions and show transcripts. More on Elizabeth: Instagram, Women's Hospitality Initiative, Blau & AssociatesMore on Kerry: Instagram
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Author Laurie Woolever On The “Care And Feeding” Of Bourdain, Batali & Herself
Laurie Woolever is a writer and author of the highly anticipated memoir, “Care and Feeding,” which hits shelves tomorrow. Laurie’s book is a deeply personal and unflinching account of her time as an assistant to two towering figures in the food world—Mario Batali, the disgraced celebrity chef, and Anthony Bourdain, the beloved yet complex TV icon and writer. She also shares her own journey, reflecting on how she nearly lost herself in the relentless care and feeding of others.Laurie joins host Kerry Diamond and opens up about the challenges, hard truths, and personal reckoning that shaped her story. It’s an emotional and thought-provoking discussion that touches on power dynamics, toxic workplaces, and resilience. The duo talks about sensitive topics, so please listen with care.For Jubilee 2025 tickets, click here. To get our new Love Issue, click here. Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions and show transcripts. More on Laurie: Instagram, “Care and Feeding” memoirMore on Kerry: Instagram
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Velveteen Rabbit’s Christina Dylag Gets Existential About Life & The Vegas Arts District
Las Vegas is full of surprises, and today’s guest, Christina Dylag, is one of them. She’s the owner of Velveteen Rabbit, a uniquely charming bar and community hub in the city’s vibrant Arts District. Christina is also the author of “Tiny Little Boxes: How to Cope with Existential Dread by Way of Ice Cream and Other Means”—a title that’s as intriguing as the book itself.Christina joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about why she opened Velveteen Rabbit, the philosophy behind her book, and how the Arts District is fostering creativity in the food and beverage space. They also explore the spiritual side of Las Vegas, the inspiration behind her craft cocktails (and mocktails), and, of course, the beloved children’s book that gave her bar its name.Thank you to Las Vegas for supporting our show. Learn more and book your trip here. Join Cherry Bombe in Las Vegas on March 7th and 8th. For Jubilee 2025 tickets, click here. To get our new Love Issue, click here. Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions and show transcripts. More on Christina: Instagram, Velveteen Rabbit, website, “Tiny Little Boxes” bookMore on Kerry: Instagram
Radio Cherry Bombe features interviews with the most interesting people in the world of food. Each week, host Kerry Diamond, founder and editor of the indie magazine Cherry Bombe, talks to the chefs, bakers, creatives, and entrepreneurs making it happen. Follow @cherrybombe on Instagram for show news and more, and visit cherrybombe.com/radio-cherry-bombe for transcripts and past episodes. Thank you to Tralala for our theme song, "All Fired Up."
Produced by The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network
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