Episodes

  • Kaitlin Guerin | Lagniappe Bakehouse

    Kaitlin Guerin | Lagniappe Bakehouse
    Aug 3 2025

    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with Kaitlin Guerin, a New Orleans-based Pastry Chef and Baker with an artistic dance background and an affinity for creativity and science. After attending the pastry program at The Culinary Institute of America and working in Michelin-star kitchens in Denmark and California, Guerin returned home to New Orleans just before the pandemic to ground herself and be closer to family.

    She began her pastry pop-up, Lagniappe Baking, during the pandemic, selling exquisite yet nostalgic pastry boxes that celebrate and reconnect the Black foodways of the South through local, seasonal ingredients. This concept has followed her through the opening of Lagniappe Bakehouse, the Central City bakery and cafe that she and her life and business partner, Lino Asana, opening in September 2024. Lagniappe is a term used in Louisiana to mean “a little something extra.”

    Guerin was named one of Louisiana Cookin’ magazine’s “Chefs to Watch” in 2021, won the 2022 StarChefs Rising Stars Pastry Chef award, and is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier New Orleans chapter. She is a 2025 James Beard Award nominee for Emerging Chef.

    Since opening, the Bakehouse has received Eater New Orleans’ 2024 “Best New Bakery” award, was featured in Vogue and CondéNast Traveler, and was listed in New York Times’ 2024 “Best Bakeries Across the US Right Now.”


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    56 mins
  • Givonna Joseph

    Givonna Joseph
    Jul 27 2025

    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with Givonna Joseph, Founder and Director of Opera Creole. Ms. Joseph is committed to the culture of New Orleans, the city of her birth. This is most evident in her research on 19th-century classical music of New Orleans's Free People of Color.

    As Founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning OperaCréole, Ms. Joseph’s research has recently been featured on CBS Saturday Morning, NBC Nightly News, and NPR, in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and in magazines such as The New Yorker, 64 Parishes, and Atlas Obscura.

    She has received awards such as "Who's Who in America "2024, "Leadership in The Arts" from Washington, D.C.-based Opera Lafayette, and was an Honorary Culture Bearer in The Krewe of Muses parade.


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    53 mins
  • DJ Soul Sister

    DJ Soul Sister
    Jul 19 2025

    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with DJ Soul Sister @djsoulsister an internationally-known, veteran DJ artist, whose broadcast programs and live performances feature her personal collection of thousands of vinyl records, which earned her a spot in the book Dust & Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting.


    A native of #NewOrleans, Soul Sister has hosted her Soul Power show on WWOZ FM New Orleans for 30 years (as of 2025), and has hosted internationally-aired radio programs on Sonos Radio and Worldwide FM, among others. She has been a crate digger and vinyl collector ever since she was six years old.


    Soul Sister has opened for many of her favorite artists like George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, The Roots, Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker, DaM-FunK, Average White Band, George Duke, Teena Marie, Doug E. Fresh, ConFunkShun, the funky Meters, Dumpstaphunk, Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers, Soul Rebels, Lettuce, Tower of Power, and more; and has also performed alongside DJ artist/producers such as Questlove, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mannie Fresh, KON, Maseo (De La Soul), Low Down Loretta Brown (Erykah Badu), Rich Medina, Biz Markie, and others. Available on all platforms! @heritage_radio

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    1 hr
  • Chef Nando Chang | It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop

    Chef Nando Chang | It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop
    Jul 13 2025

    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with Nando Chang, a Peruvian-born chef and restaurateur behind behind Michelin-starred Itamae AO in Miami. A 2025 James Beard Foundation Award winner for “Best Chef: South,” he has achieved national recognition for both introducing and redefining Nikkei (Peruvian-Japanese) cuisine in Miami. Born in Chiclayo, Peru, and raised by his grandparents, Nando immigrated to the United States at age 12 with his younger sister Valerie to join their father, Fernando “Papa” Chang, in pursuit of the American Dream. In 2023, he and Val made history as the first siblings to be inducted together into Food & Wine’s coveted “Best New Chefs” class. Itamae AO, which opened in May 2024, was named to Esquire’s “Best New Restaurants” and received its first Michelin star in April 2025.

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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Setsong Tea Crafters | South Africa

    Setsong Tea Crafters | South Africa
    Jul 6 2025
    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with Retang Phaahla and her mother, Nondumiso, co-founders of Setšong Tea Crafters, an Award Winning Agri-business and vehicle for development of natural indigenous flora found in the natural landscapes of South Africa, more prominently within the rural areas of Limpopo. The enterprise stimulates the economy in a collaboration with rural cooperatives from Limpopo developed by a community development organization; Siyaphila Youth Support Services. Setšong Tea Crafters aims to provide a voice to these traditional knowledge holders and preserve this knowledge for future generations. Through Tea product manufacturing and commercialisation of South Africa's indigenous resources which stem from traditional knowledge, Setšong Tea Crafters aims to develop the rural economy and create jobs within the rural areas of South Africa. Setšong Tea Crafters has already created 20 jobs in rural Sekhukhune, Limpopo. The unique indigenous tea plants identified by Setšong Tea Crafters, traditionally known as Tepane Tea and Diya Tea amongst others, have proved to stand a chance at competing with existing global tea varieties with them offering unique and enjoyable taste profiles and superior health benefits. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    54 mins
  • Dr. Naa Oyo A. Kwate

    Dr. Naa Oyo A. Kwate
    Jun 29 2025

    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with Dr. Naa Oyo A. Kwate, a writer and interdisciplinary scholar with wide ranging interests in Black urban life. Raised in Chicago by Ghanaian immigrant parents. She is the author of the short work and edited volume Burgers in Blackface: Anti-Black Restaurants Then and Now (2019) and The Street: A Photographic Field Guide to American Inequality (2021).Her first major sole-authored book was White Burgers, Black Cash: Fast Food from Black Exclusion to Exploitation, first published in 2023 at the University of Minnesota Press. Among the book’s many award recognitions were the 2024 James Beard Award in Reference, History, & Scholarship. She is currently at work on two new projects, the first an investigation of the impact of corner liquor stores in Black neighborhoods and the second a history of the alcoholic beverage cognac among African Americans.


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    57 mins
  • The Black Dragon | Big Kitty & Chef Kurt Evans

    The Black Dragon | Big Kitty & Chef Kurt Evans
    Jun 22 2025
    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with Big Kitty Xue, a 27-year-old Chinese chef, born and raised in Shanghai and now based between New Orleans and Los Angeles. Known for curating intimate Chinese private dinner parties that spotlight delicate, seldom-seen regional dishes in mainstream America. After moving to the U.S. and witnessing the American love affair with Chinese takeout, Big Kitty felt a deep urge to share the full depth and beauty of Chinese cuisine—its rich history, regional diversity, and culinary complexity—through thoughtfully crafted meals. A graduate of Bard College, where she studied filmmaking and languages, Big Kitty once cooked matzo ball soup with President Leon Botstein on The Big Kitty Cooking Show, blending conversation, culture, and food in unexpected ways; her storytelling extends from the kitchen to the screen. Through her work, Big Kitty not only celebrates her heritage but also challenges food racism and cultural assumptions—reminding others that cuisine is shaped by environment, resilience, and creativity. Zella then invites Chef Kurt Evans to the conversation. Chef Kurt, a Philly native and proprietor of Black Dragon Takeout, a unique fusion of Black American cuisine presented with the familiar aesthetics of classic Chinese American takeout that opened in 2024. The idea for Black Dragon Takeout originated with Chef Kurt Evans, who observed a troubling trend: local Chinese takeout restaurants were closing down, particularly in Black American communities. The second-generation Chinese Americans were no longer taking over these family businesses, leading to a significant gap in food deserts where residents had relied on these establishments for quick, hot meals for decades. Chef Kurt Evans saw an opportunity not only to fill this void but to innovate and bring something new to the table. Black Dragon Takeout is committed to providing nutritious, culturally significant dishes that celebrate Black culinary traditions, all while maintaining the beloved look and feel of Chinese takeout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Zydeco | Gabrielle Deculus

    Zydeco | Gabrielle Deculus
    Jun 15 2025
    On this episode of Culture & Flavor, Zella talks with Gabrielle Deculus, a cultural strategist, marketing architect, and the visionary founder of Saint Josephine, a creative consultancy and production house rooted in community and committed to social good. She brings almost 20 years of experience blending cultural storytelling, event production, and strategic marketing to help brands and organizations make meaningful, lasting impact. Gabrielle has led and collaborated on campaigns for powerhouse clients and community leaders alike — from producing Kanye West’s Sunday Service in Baton Rouge to aiding in the production of Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour and Drake’s It’s All A Blur Tour in New Orleans. Through Saint Josephine, she has created transformative experiences and content for institutions such as Habitat for Humanity, Black Education for New Orleans, Greater New Orleans Funders Network, AARP, Step Up Louisiana, the City of New Orleans, and Viiv Healthcare, Dillard University among many others. A lifelong culture bearer and advocate for creative equity, Gabrielle was named the 2025 Zydeco Ambassador by C.R.E.O.L.E., Inc., and is the producer of the "Live at NOLA Zydeco Fest" album, released January 2025 on all major streaming platforms. She is the co-founder of The Big Easy Vibe Fest, a New Orleans-based festival celebrating cannabis innovation and culture, and continues to produce signature cultural events like the New Orleans Zydeco Festival, Beaucoup Hoodoo Festival, and Know-La at The Essence Festival. Gabrielle's work has been recognized with the 2019 Excellence in Innovative Influence Award from 100 Black Men of Metro New Orleans, Inc., a Proclamation of Gabrielle Deculus Day from the City of Baton Rouge, recognition from Essence Magazine and BeyGOOD Foundation for disaster relief efforts, and International Women’s Day Awards for leadership in cultural and social innovation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    49 mins