Having A Night With Ari & Sophie

What were you doing in your early 20s? Starting a restaurant empire with nothing more than a BFA and a song? Yeah. That's what we thought. Renee Erickson is the kind of chef/restauranteur/cookbook author/fearless woman that dreams are made of. Owner of multiple –and most would say, the best– food destinations in Seattle, including The Walrus and the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, Bar Mesuline, Bateau, and General Porpoise Doughnuts and Coffee; possessor of a James Beard Award and two time cookbook author, Erickson has approached her glorious career not with her eyes locked on the prize, but rather with a bravery and open-heart that has made her food and restaurants the uniquely delicious places they are today. On this episode we're talking Washington wine, whipped butter, and why you should never feel shame about kicking your friends out of your goddamn kitchen. Her new cookbook, 'Getaway: Food & Dink to Transport You' is filled with the stories and recipes we all need coming out of the past 14 months of Covid he

Ian Cauble is the wine guy you want to have in your ear. And by "wine guy" we mean just one of 269 Master Sommeliers in the WORLD, and the recipient of the Best Young Sommelier in the World and TOPSOMM awards. If you saw the documentary SOMM, you know exactly who we're talking about. (Blonde. Lots of flash cards. Passionate as hell.... Is that ringing a bell? ) And if you didn't, then please stop reading and turn on your television immediately. Not only is Ian knowledgeable beyond imagination about every aspect of wines, he's also willing and eager to share that knowledge, evidenced in his venture SOMM SELECT. It's like a local wine store if your local wine store was manned by one of the greatest somms in the world. Sounds pretty groovy, right? Settle in as we talk about vermouths, what varietals we should be drinking more of, and what Ian's desert-island wine would be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marc and Phil Covitz were born into a beloved Beverly Hills chocolate family. When they eventually took over the business, they decided to re-conceptualize the cocoa-kingdom their mother had built and bring in some modern flavors and techniques with the help of acclaimed pastry chef Kriss Harvey. &Sons is now leading the luxury chocolate game and making some of the most beautiful, delicious, and creative sweets that money can buy. Pop Rock Praline? Passion Fruit Caramel? We were lucky to try some of these INSANE chocolates live on air and let's just say the snozzberries taste even better than snozzberries! AND! Just in time for mother's day, here's a little gift: Get 10% off your order of &Sons chocolate by using the code 'HavingANight' at checkout! What's sweeter than that?? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may recognize Sheldon as the chill dude from Hawaii who was voted Fan Favorite on not one but two seasons of Top Chef. But he's also part of a brigade of chefs shining light on Hawaiian cuisine and gently insisting that it be given its due. His new book, COOK REAL HAWAII goes way beyond poke and Kalua pig, and delves into the people and cultures that make Hawaiian food such a unique fusion. After all, where else but on the world's most isolated land mass can you get Polynesian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, AND Portuguese influences? Talking to Sheldon was like talking to a pure ray of sunshine -- a very knowledgeable ray of sunshine, that is. We get into the ultimate Pupus, how to casually feed 500 people at a birthday (hint: allow other people to bring dishes!), and whether cooking on the beach is actually worth it. XOXO Ari & Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We know you've had fried chicken. Maybe you even love to douse your crunchy bird in hot sauce. But that is NOTHING compared to what Kim Prince is doing at her LA restaurant, Hotville Chicken. Born into the family that invented Nashville Hot Chicken, she is carrying on the Prince tradition, bringing their famous (and, naturally, secret) recipe to the West Coast. Just how hot are we talking? Let's put it this way: one of the heat levels is called TOE TAG. As in... You're probably leaving in a body bag if you finish a whole order. We had such a blast talking to Kim Prince, and as you'll hear, we also got VERY hungry. Her menu doesn't stop with chicken -- we're talking sweet teas, smoked mac & cheese, and.... Sorry, we lost our train of thought because we were salivating! The point is, Kim is an absolute legend -- hilarious, honest, and an absolute font of knowledge. Enjoy the episode and thank you to Jenn Harris for hooking us up with her! XOXO Ari & Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.

"Psssst, do you party?" asks Meghan McNeer on the homepage of one(!) of her marvelously curated party companies, Standard Party Supply. We've never loved a question more. If Having A Night had a magical sorceress sister who could make all of our dinner party dreams come true... it would be this gal. This week, we had the absolute honor of speaking with the tablescape queen and maximalist party maven herself. After years working as an editor at beloved design mag Domino, McNeer started Standard Party Supply and Project Bon Vivant, two dinner party-centric companies dedicated to maximum FUN. Do you need some purple and gold tassels to decorate your table? A napkin that turns into a temp tat? How about an entire "Lobster Bake & Shake" delivered to your doorstep? We assume the answer is YES, or else you wouldn't be listening to this podcast! She even used her magical powers to make us our very own signature cocktail "A NIGHT" so that you've got the perfect answer when someone asks what you're having! Oh Meghan Mc

Time to finish what we started! This week we're diving head first into the freezer.... aka, "where food goes to die" or "a blackhole of the space/time continuum." Remember folks, your standard Frigidaire does NOT have medical-grade cryogenic powers! It's time to face the music and toss out all that freezer burn hath touched. Get out your painters tape and sharpie and join us as we get ruthless with the chicken carcasses and frozen bone broths of yore. Plus! We are taking a good hard look at our tool situation and some of those monkey things (we see you, silicon avocado preserver) have got. To. Go. Listen in for more spring cleaning tips and catch us every other Wednesday at 6PM ET for Chip Hour on Instagram Live! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Food promoter? Culinary entrepreneur? Pizza partner? Whatever you call him, Lawrence Longo is carving out his own unique path in the food world. He is the founder and CEO of the Off The Menu app, a producer of food festivals; he brought restaurant Burgers Never Say Die from a pop-up to brick-and-mortar establishment, and is single-handedly responsible for giving the good people of LA their very own outpost of NYC's famous Prince Street Pizza... basically, Longo finds food that he loves and brings it to a larger audience. He's got a heart of gold and an appetite to match and might be the only person whose enthusiasm for things-that-taste-good-and-the-people-who-make-them rivals our own. Did we mention he ate 365 burgers in 365 days? Just imagine the kind of NIGHTS you could HAVE with this guy! Follow him at @bigshot for your foodporn pleasure and download Off The Menu to get your mouth on something delicious! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Past-due condiments, unknown substances covered in a layer of mold, a nearly-full bottle of something unidentifiable you bought while you were tipsy.... These problems are a tale as old as time, if you ask us! We are diving into the deep, mysterious world of the coldest room in your house, aka your refrigerator. To Store the Milk or Not to Store the Milk in the fridge door... Low vs high humidity drawers... Which section of the fridge is truly the coldest? Our heads are spinning! It's Spring Cleaning, baby, and it's time to take a good, hard look at that kitchen of yours and decide what needs to GO! And also, what needs to go where. (PSA: your wheat germ needs to go in the fridge, but your soy sauce does not!) When are dried spices really too old? And does mayonnaise need to be refrigerated? These questions and more in this sleuthful, truthful episode about our fridges & pantries. Your jaw will drop. JK it probably won't, but hopefully this ep will inspire you to get rid of that random Lingonberry Jam someone

Sheila Marikar is a prolific journalist whose work is featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Forbes, and tons more. She describes herself as a generalist, but when we say this woman knows her way around food and wine, we aren't kidding! We are generally under the impression that we have pretty good knowledge when it comes to food & drink, but Sheila absolutely schooled us! And truly -- that's the joy of getting to host this podcast. We delve into whether there is a right way to drink tequila, the treatment of Indian cuisine in the States, and how to host a Zoom dinner party that feels fun and not like an absolute drag. Of course, this is just as people are getting vaccinated and the the weather is getting nice, but put it in your back pocket for when winter strikes again! Oh, and check out on Instagram @havinganight on Friday to see a selection of Sheila's current favorite booze! XOXO Ari & Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well, we wish we were dining with Dorie! If you listen to our podcast regularly, you know Dorie Greenspan needs no introduction, because we've been talking this episode up for weeks... She has five (count 'em FIVE) James Beard Awards, for pete's sake! If you are a frequent visitor to the NYTimes Cooking website, chances are you've cooked one of her recipes and loved it. And if you are a cookbook person, chances are you have one of her thirteen flawless books. She is accomplished and prolific beyond belief, but she is also kind, funny, and... lives in Paris half the year. Meaning, she happens to be patient enough to answer our very American questions about how we can Frenchify our lives. Listen up as we delve into all things Dorie, how to cut cheese properly (spare us your scatalogical ideations), what it was like to work with Julia Child, and how to make the gougères you'll be keeping in your freezer from now on. XOXO Ari & Sophie @havinganight Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi

Raise your hand if you're sick of doing dishes every goddamn night! This week, we are simmering our best ideas for one-pot meals to give your precious paws some relief! We're building out a formula for stews of every shape and color, from beef braises to bean baths and everything in between. If you've been stuck making the same ol' chicken chili verde, listen up! Because there's nothing more soothing than a warming bowl of delicious, steaming nutrients...bonus points if it's eaten right in your lap, while bingeing TV. XOXO Send us your stew recipes @havinganight! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eamon Rockey is the mastermind behind Rockey's Milk Punch (more on that including a history lesson that blew our minds in the episode), but he's also a heavyweight in the fine dining industry. He's helped open several restaurants in NY, spent time behind the bar at places like as Eleven Madison Park, and is the beverage director at the Institute for Culinary Education. Needless to say, we have a LOT to learn. In this episode, we delve into the do's and dont's of punches, how to batch your cocktails at home, and whether there are any major no-nos (bubble gum liquor, anyone?) As our first proper mixologist on the show, we are thrilled to have gotten to pick Eamon's brain about all things alcoholic, non-alcoholic, and everything in-between. Go forth, mix yourself a cocktail, and don't forget that a little bit of water is, in fact, an essential part of the perfect martini. XOXO Sophie & Ari Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In honor of Valentine's Day, we're feeling a bit scandalous and rating our romantic flings: 67...72...85.... we're CHOCOLATE PERCENTAGES, not men!! This week we're sans guest for the first time in ages, and it's time to get intimate as the original Having A Night couple, just the 2 of us. We're nerding out on the epic love story between Vday and chocolate, and creating an insane cocoa-dusted menu along the way. Who knew that the tradition of giving candy-filled, decorative cardboard boxes had such a rich history? Sophie, that's who. Folks, it's that time of year again to drop whatever chocolate you are currently eating and reach for another, identical chocolate from the same box. For as Tom Hanks famously once said, "you never know what you're gonna get.... except that it will be chocolate." XOXO Ari and Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andi Murphy is the voice behind Toasted Sister, a podcast she helms about Native American food and foodies. With a background in journalism, she covers it all with aplomb and a keen ear -- brewing, cooking, farming, and in her latest, incredible episode, the intersection of death and food. We spoke with Andi about her favorite restaurants near where she lives in New Mexico (must plan road trip ASAP), the things she's learned since starting Toasted Sister, and what she's been cooking a lot of lately. We are so excited by Andi's podcast, and we hope you'll listen to some of her episodes wherever you get your podcasts. For us, her podcast and excellent website have been an introduction to a culinary world that is incredibly rich, but that we knew very little about in spite of living on the stolen land where those very traditions began. PSST - Toasted Sister is also a zine and has got KILLER merch (the logo is MWAH CHEF'S KISS), so check that out and help support at toastedsisterpodcast.com XOXO Ari & Sophie Lear

Those uproarious vocal stylings you've heard on Love Island US come fresh from the jaws of Matthew Hoffman -- actor, writer, producer, and host extraordinaire. While the contents of his fridge may bring you to tears (one lone bottle of champagne), you'll find yourself cackling while he opines on everything from Cheez-Its (yah) to brunches (any self-respecting homosexual man must be able to throw one) to forced fun (non merci, though themes are a HELL YES GIMME GIMME MORE). And that ain't all -- prepare for the Great 90s Pop Star Cocktail Pairing Game. That's right, we are asking ALL the tough questions, like what cocktail is Mariah Carey? The best news about this episode? If, like us, you can't get enough of Matthew, you can just tune into Love Island and let his dulcet tones wash over you for hours on end. Follow him @matthewhoffman.tv XOXO Ari & Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wander through a grocery store in the dead of winter, pick up a pineapple and say to no one: WTF is happening?!? It's easy to feel depressingly disconnected from the earth these days, and if you live in a city like NYC? Having a "green thumb" basically means you have decorative succulent slowly dying on your windowsill. Enter Sophia Samuda, a Culinary Educator, holistic nutrition specialist and NYC urban gardener changing the way we relate to – and consume– nature's bounty and redefining our idea of #SELFCARE. Through New York Restoration Project, Sophia secured a plot in a communal garden and has been growing her own fruits and veggies ever since. With patience, perseverance and a little luck she has taught herself more than just gardening, but how to live a more thoughtful, green, nourishing (see: delicious!) life. Listen in as we discuss all things #PLANTZ and follow her at @sophiasamuda! XOXO Ari and Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Say goodbye to granola bars and mini bottles of Poland Spring! This week we are honored to speak with Gaiana Joseph and Allegra Massaro, founders of Fuel the People, a non profit that provides delicious, nourishing food from local Black and POC-owned restaurants to protestors out on the front lines. Using the tenets of mutual aid, FTP sustains activists out on the streets while supporting the restaurant workers, small business owners and local organizations fighting for Black liberation. They are literally feeding the revolution, and we are so grateful to have them on the show. Besties since college with similar backgrounds in social justice and a deep love for food, Allegra and Gaiana remind us that "the fight for liberation and justice goes beyond protests, and we must remember that Black joy and prosperity are also worth fighting for." Follow them @fueltheppl and go to fuelthepeople.com to donate and volunteer NOW. XOXO Ari and Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to our very first BoNuS EpIsOdE! We're sitting down with Yola Robert, host of the podcast 'I Suck At Life' who knows a thing or two about partying and having some serious NIGHTS. A Senior Contributor for Forbes and lifestyle writer for The Zoe Report and Elite Daily, Yola focuses on mental health, wellness, lifestyle, skin/beauty and fashion. As a first-generation American Egyptian, she is always highlighting her culture, whether it be through food, fashion, makeup or trends. Yola's newest limited series podcast, 'I Am Real' co-hosted by Marta Pozzan, focuses on mental health and wellbeing, especially for minority communities. 'I Suck At Life' was named a top up and coming podcast by Entrepreneur Magazine for interviewing some of the top female founders, celebrities and brands on overcoming failures and turning them into success. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, and on Instagram @isuckatlifepodcast. Find her @yolarobert XOXO Ari & Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoic

If your idea of a perfect day is hitting up 22 restaurants in 12 hours, then you're just like us, and just like our guest Jenn Harris. Jenn is a senior writer at the LA Times and a connoisseur when it comes to all things Angeleno and all things fried chicken. A woman after our own heart, she brings a cooler with her whenever she goes out to eat and has fried chicken at least -- at least! -- once a day. Simply put: legendary. She also hosts The Bucket List, a show about... you guessed it, fried chicken! You may be stuck in a frozen January tundra, but this episode is guaranteed to give you backyard BBQ/warm weather LA vibes. ENJOY! And find Jenn @jenn_harris_ and at https://www.latimes.com/people/jenn-harris XOXO Sophie & Ari Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices