Simon Davidson's guest appearances

Simon Davidson

Edacious

Anthony Bourdain

Ashley Christensen

Sara Moulton

Gabrielle Hamilton

Vivian Howard

Laura Brown

Elizabeth Stark

Bill Smith

Stacy Miller

Justin Ross

Ian Thomas

Hunter Smith

David Hopper

Micah LeMon

Jenny Peterson

OwlTail

Roberta Vivetta Cintelli

Caleb Warr

Food Community. Whether you're helping to feed the hungry or exchanging ideas and culture across oceans the concept of community is prevalent in Charlottesville. And important. Always has been. Not only does connection go in tandem with the concept of community, it acts as the glue holding neighborhoods together. When you make strong bonds, you create community. In this episode I'm thrilled and honored to present two examples of folks working to ensure we have strong connections so our food community remains equally robust. First up is lawyer and food writer C. Simon Davidson. If there were a list of 29 restaurants in Charlottesville what would be the ideal 29? Simon asked himself this question four years ago. Then set out to create it. The Charlottesville 29 is the result of that idea. We talked together extensively about his project back in Episode 7 of Edacious. A few months ago he finished the list and asked the question, "Now what?" The result is The Charlottesville 29 Restaurant Auctions, an event benefitting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. For 29 days (which began May 23rd), one area restaurant from The Charlottesville 29 will present a once-in-a-lifetime food experience for bidding. Auctions last 30 days. Then once the auction has ended, everyone who placed a bid will have 24 hours to up the ante. The best part? 100% of every dollar donated will go toward feeding our area's hungry. This means a bid of $1000 will provide 4,000 meals. Do the math. With 29 restaurants that's a lot of food. Not all participating restaurants are fine dining! My favorite auctions so far have included a Fiesta Mexicana from Al Carbon, complete with live music, and a Street Food Feast from Pad Thai. Bidding numbers out of your budget? Gather some friends as group bidding is encouraged! These signature events would be great for special gatherings like birthdays, graduations, and rehearsal dinners. Way more unique than something you'd plan in a typical rented space or hotel banquet hall. What aspects of the auction have been most surprising to Simon? Which area chef inspired the other participating restaurants to up their game? Which restaurant is bidding on an auction to use as their Staff Appreciation Day? This is a win-win for everyone. McGuire Woods has stepped up to cover administrative costs and every restaurant is donating 100% of their efforts which means every dollar you bid goes directly to feed the hungry in our community. It's rare 100% of funds go directly to the purpose of the event. Which makes this auction extra special. Bidding for the first auction ends June 23rd, then an auction ends every day after that. For 29 days. Here is the current list. I urge you to bid early and often. Simon is such a valuable asset to Charlottesville both for his great writing and unwavering passion for our food and community. Did you know he's handling the logistics entirely on his own? Wow! I sure hope he gets to experience at least one of these fine events.  In the second part of the podcast I had the great good fortune to interview a Tuscan chef, Roberta Vivetta Cintelli, matriarch of Il Falcone in Poggio a Caiano, Tuscany, a restaurant that has been in the same family for seven generations. Yes, seven! The Martini family opened Il Falcone way back in 1862. Chef Cintelli is visiting Tavola this week with her interpreter, Caterina Martini, and working with Chef Caleb Warr as part of the Charlottesville Sister Cities Program, which fosters international partnerships and cultural understanding. By coming together to exchange ideas we create stronger community bonds, both locally and internationally. What better way to do that than over food? Several months ago owners Chef Michael Keaveny and his wife Tami contacted the Charlottesville Sister City Commission to create this partnership. As a result of their efforts, Chef Cintelli traveled over to visit our historic sites, but more importantly, to cook at Tavola and share her expertise. Chef Warr will reciprocate by showing Chef Cintelli how American restaurants differ both in their menus and in some of their methods. Tavola will host Chef Cintelli for a week, June 6 to 11, and during her tenure she will be cooking special dishes from Il Falcone, including many secret recipes that have never been revealed outside the restaurant. Then in July Chef Warr will travel to Poggio a Caiano to work at Il Falcone. All of this fine collaborating will culminate in a street fair to be held this Saturday and a formal dinner happening this autumn where each chef will present the results of their partnership. Tickets for the fair can be purchased online with a limited number at the door. An event not to be missed! Dishes like goat rack pops, porchetta sandwiches, chicken liver pate, and tripe salad will be available among many others, along with special wines and cocktails from Christian Kelly of Cichetti Bar. I profiled Christian on this very podcast in Episode 26! What's the most important aspect of Tuscan cuisine? How will Chef Cintelli convince reluctant eaters to try offal parts like tripe and kidneys? How are American menus very different from ones in Italy? What are the differences between the way Italian restaurants source their ingredients from the way we do here in America? Why is tradition, whether that be recipes, cooking methods, or keeping it all in the family so important to the Martinis? Why is Florentine steak so special? And what valuable lessons has Chef Warr learned from this master and matriarch? As I walked out of Tavola and bit into the biscotti Chef Cintelli offered in thanks I teared up. It was gorgeous and perfect. The way good biscotti is supposed to be. In that moment I understood why she had teared up herself when describing her family and the importance of tradition and her love of Tuscan cuisine. And I knew someday I would visit Poggio a Caiano. Just to eat at her restaurant. The street fair is a chance for folks to experience a bit of Tuscany here in Charlottesville. I've bought mine. Be sure and get yours before they sell out. And don't miss this episode profiling all the wonderful ways folks here and abroad are working together to create community. Cheers.  Il Falcone in 1908      Il Falcone in 2008   SHOW NOTES - Links to resources talked about during the podcast:  Business of Food Conference Homepage Sara Moulton at The Happy Cook  - come learn from this celebrity chef and gourmet master!  This episode is sponsored by In A Flash Laser Engraving.

Food Community. Whether you're helping to feed the hungry or exchanging ideas and culture across oceans the concept of community is prevalent in Charlottesville. And important. Always has been. Not only does connection go in tandem with the concept of community, it acts as the glue holding neighborhoods together. When you make strong bonds, you create community. In this episode I'm thrilled and honored to present two examples of folks working to ensure we have strong connections so our food community remains equally robust. First up is lawyer and food writer C. Simon Davidson. If there were a list of 29 restaurants in Charlottesville what would be the ideal 29? Simon asked himself this question four years ago. Then set out to create it. <a href="https://charlottesville29.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Charlottesville 29</a> is the result of that idea. We talked together extensively about his project back in <a href="http://edacious.co/007/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 7 of Edacious</a>. A few months ago he finished the list and asked the question, "Now what?" The result is <a href="https://charlottesville29.com/restaurants-of-the-charlottesville-29/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Charlottesville 29 Restaurant Auctions</a>, an event benefitting the <a href="https://www.brafb.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blue Ridge Area Food Bank</a>. For 29 days (which began May 23rd), one area restaurant from The Charlottesville 29 will present a once-in-a-lifetime food experience for bidding. Auctions last 30 days. Then once the auction has ended, everyone who placed a bid will have 24 hours to up the ante. The best part? 100% of every dollar donated will go toward feeding our area's hungry. This means a bid of $1000 will provide 4,000 meals. Do the math. With 29 restaurants that's a lot of food. Not all participating restaurants are fine dining! My favorite auctions so far have included a <a href="https://charlottesville29.com/2016/05/25/al-carbon-auction/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fiesta Mexicana from Al Carbon</a>, complete with live music, and a <a href="https://charlottesville29.com/2016/05/27/pad-thai-auction/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Street Food Feast from Pad Thai</a>. Bidding numbers out of your budget? Gather some friends as group bidding is encouraged! These signature events would be great for special gatherings like birthdays, graduations, and rehearsal dinners. Way more unique than something you'd plan in a typical rented space or hotel banquet hall. What aspects of the auction have been most surprising to Simon? Which area chef inspired the other participating restaurants to up their game? Which restaurant is bidding on an auction to use as their Staff Appreciation Day? This is a win-win for everyone. McGuire Woods has stepped up to cover administrative costs and every restaurant is donating 100% of their efforts which means every dollar you bid goes directly to feed the hungry in our community. It's rare 100% of funds go directly to the purpose of the event. Which makes this auction extra special. Bidding for the first auction ends June 23rd, then an auction ends every day after that. For 29 days. <a href="https://charlottesville29.com/restaurants-of-the-charlottesville-29/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here is the current list.</a> I urge you to bid early and often. Simon is such a valuable asset to Charlottesville both for his great writing and unwavering passion for our food and community. Did you know he's handling the logistics entirely on his own? Wow! I sure hope he gets to experience at least one of these fine events. <a href="http://edacious.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/redstar.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> In the second part of the podcast I had the great good fortune to interview a Tuscan chef, Roberta Vivetta Cintelli, matriarch of <a href="http://www.ristoranteilfalcone.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Il Falcone in Poggio a Caiano, Tuscany</a>, a restaurant that has been in the same family for seven generations. Yes, seven! The Martini family opened Il Falcone way back in 1862. Chef Cintelli is visiting <a href="http://tavolavino.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tavola</a> this week with her interpreter, Caterina Martini, and working with Chef Caleb Warr as part of the <a href="http://www.charlottesville.org/about-charlottesville/sister-cities-program" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Charlottesville Sister Cities Program</a>, which fosters international partnerships and cultural understanding. By coming together to exchange ideas we create stronger community bonds, both locally and internationally. What better way to do that than over food? Several months ago owners Chef Michael Keaveny and his wife Tami contacted the Charlottesville Sister City Commission to create this partnership. As a result of their efforts, Chef Cintelli traveled over to visit our historic sites, but more importantly, to cook at Tavola and share her expertise. Chef Warr will reciprocate by showing Chef Cintelli how American restaurants differ both in their menus and in some of their methods. Tavola will host Chef Cintelli for a week, June 6 to 11, and during her tenure she will be cooking special dishes from Il Falcone, including many secret recipes that have never been revealed outside the restaurant. Then in July Chef Warr will travel to Poggio a Caiano to work at Il Falcone. All of this fine collaborating will culminate in a street fair to be held this Saturday and a formal dinner happening this autumn where each chef will present the results of their partnership. <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/italian-food-festival-tickets-25404296936" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tickets for the fair can be purchased online</a> with a limited number at the door. An event not to be missed! Dishes like goat rack pops, porchetta sandwiches, chicken liver pate, and tripe salad will be available among many others, along with special wines and cocktails from Christian Kelly of Cichetti Bar. <a href="http://edacious.co/026/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I profiled Christian on this very podcast in Episode 26!</a> What's the most important aspect of Tuscan cuisine? How will Chef Cintelli convince reluctant eaters to try offal parts like tripe and kidneys? How are American menus very different from ones in Italy? What are the differences between the way Italian restaurants source their ingredients from the way we do here in America? Why is tradition, whether that be recipes, cooking methods, or keeping it all in the family so important to the Martinis? Why is Florentine steak so special? And what valuable lessons has Chef Warr learned from this master and matriarch? As I walked out of Tavola and bit into the biscotti Chef Cintelli offered in thanks I teared up. It was gorgeous and perfect. The way good biscotti is supposed to be. In that moment I understood why she had teared up herself when describing her family and the importance of tradition and her love of Tuscan cuisine. And I knew someday I would visit Poggio a Caiano. Just to eat at her restaurant. The street fair is a chance for folks to experience a bit of Tuscany here in Charlottesville. I've bought mine. <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/italian-food-festival-tickets-25404296936" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Be sure and get yours before they sell out</a>. And don't miss this episode profiling all the wonderful ways folks here and abroad are working together to create community. Cheers. <a href="http://edacious.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/1908.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Il Falcone in 1908 <a href="http://edacious.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2008.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Il Falcone in 2008 SHOW NOTES - Links to resources talked about during the podcast: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.businessoffoodconference.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Business of Food Conference Homepage</a></li> <li><a href="http://blog.thehappycook.com//category/cooking-classes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sara Moulton at The Happy Cook</a>  - come learn from this celebrity chef and gourmet master!</li> </ul> This episode is sponsored by <a href="http://inaflashlaser.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In A Flash Laser Engraving</a>.

040 - C. Simon Davidson, The Charlottesville 29 and Roberta Vivetta Cintelli, Il Falcone, Caleb Warr, Tavola

Food Writer C. Simon Davidson's passion for food began young, ordering an extra appetizer at dinner when the rest of the family was ordering dessert. His website, The Charlottesville 29, is a hall of fame of sorts for restaurants in our area. Named after the road slicing through our community, it names the top 29 restaurants in our area - an impossible task given the circumstances, and one Simon is happy to tackle. In this discussion we talk about the challenges and rewards of being a food writer in Charlottesville, and the changes and growing pains the food writing industry is encountering because of the explosion of interest in recent years. An engaging discussion for anyone who loves restaurants! What do famous restaurant reviewers like Tom Sietsema do to ensure chefs don't recognize them? How does Simon's "Five Finds on Friday" column promote community and conversations around food in Charlottesville? How did a lawyer find a passion for food and turn it into a rewarding side career as a food writer? What's the reasoning behind Simon's belief that "...a rising tide lifts all boats?" Is a favorite restaurant in town about to close? And may have closed by the time this airs? Listen now to find out! Food Writing Discussed During the Episode: A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway eats his way through Paris. A food writing classic. Chicken of the Trees by Mike Sula - Award-winning piece about why eating the urban squirrel makes perfect sense. Consider the Food Writer by Josh Ozersky - Was MFK Fischer a hack? Does food writing need to undergo a major shift? You decide. Food for the Thoughtless - one of my favorite food writers, Michael Procopio How Food Journalism Got as Stale as Day-Old Bread  - Chef Marc Vetri of Philadelphia's Vetri, Osteria, and numerous other restaurants laments the state of food writing. On Food Writing - A Response to Marc Vetri by C. Simon Davidson - Charlottesville food writer and star of Episode 7 responds, wondering if the state of food writing is as bad as all that. Great read! Plated Stories - Jamie Schler and Ilva Beretta create gorgeous words and photographs that revolve around a single theme. Remembrance of Things Lost - Is recording every minute of our lives on a device affecting the way we remember things? Walter Kirn thinks so. Thought-provoking and timely. The Soul of a Chef - The one that started it all for me. I read this book and thought, "I could do that." Michael Ruhlman presents three stories, about Chef Thomas Keller, Chef Michael Symon, and his own journey through cooking school. A fascinating look behind the scenes. Ruhlman is the most talented food writer working today. The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food by Michael Moss - Why Cheetos rock. Hard. The Fantastic Mr. Fox by Rachel Khong - The life and times of Chef Jeremy Fox. Published in Lucky Peach, my personal favorite food publication. Up at the Old Hotel - If there's one writer in this world I dream of being, it's Joseph Mitchell. His collection of essays from his 50+ years at The New Yorker is stunning. And his food pieces bring to life a time long past. They never fail to amaze me. Read them. This episode is sponsored by In A Flash Laser.

Food Writer C. Simon Davidson's passion for food began young, ordering an extra appetizer at dinner when the rest of the family was ordering dessert. His website, <a href="http://charlottesville29.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Charlottesville 29</a>, is a hall of fame of sorts for restaurants in our area. Named after the road slicing through our community, it names the top 29 restaurants in our area - an impossible task given the circumstances, and one Simon is happy to tackle. In this discussion we talk about the challenges and rewards of being a food writer in Charlottesville, and the changes and growing pains the food writing industry is encountering because of the explosion of interest in recent years. An engaging discussion for anyone who loves restaurants! What do famous restaurant reviewers like Tom Sietsema do to ensure chefs don't recognize them? How does Simon's "Five Finds on Friday" column promote community and conversations around food in Charlottesville? How did a lawyer find a passion for food and turn it into a rewarding side career as a food writer? What's the reasoning behind Simon's belief that "...a rising tide lifts all boats?" Is a favorite restaurant in town about to close? And may have closed by the time this airs? Listen now to find out! Food Writing Discussed During the Episode: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moveable-Feast-The-Restored-Edition/dp/143918271X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Moveable Feast</a> - Ernest Hemingway eats his way through Paris. A food writing classic. <a href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/why-eating-squirrels-makes-sense/Content?oid=7215952" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chicken of the Trees by Mike Sula</a> - Award-winning piece about why eating the urban squirrel makes perfect sense. <a href="https://medium.com/@ozerskytv/m-f-k-fishers-invisible-empire-b7df8755e1a4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Consider the Food Writer by Josh Ozersky</a> - Was MFK Fischer a hack? Does food writing need to undergo a major shift? You decide. <a href="http://foodforthethoughtless.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Food for the Thoughtless</a> - one of my favorite food writers, Michael Procopio <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-vetri/how-food-journalism-got-a_b_6551682.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How Food Journalism Got as Stale as Day-Old Bread</a>  - Chef Marc Vetri of Philadelphia's Vetri, Osteria, and numerous other restaurants laments the state of food writing. <a href="http://charlottesville29.com/2015/01/27/on-the-state-of-food-writing/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">On Food Writing - A Response to Marc Vetri by C. Simon Davidson</a> - Charlottesville food writer and star of Episode 7 responds, wondering if the state of food writing is as bad as all that. Great read! <a href="http://www.platedstories.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Plated Stories</a> - Jamie Schler and Ilva Beretta create gorgeous words and photographs that revolve around a single theme. <a href="http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/remembrance-of-things-lost-walter-kirn/?_r=0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Remembrance of Things Lost</a> - Is recording every minute of our lives on a device affecting the way we remember things? Walter Kirn thinks so. Thought-provoking and timely. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Chef-Journey-Toward-Perfection/dp/0141001895/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1429822572&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=soul+of+a+chef" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Soul of a Chef</a> - The one that started it all for me. I read this book and thought, "I could do that." Michael Ruhlman presents three stories, about Chef Thomas Keller, Chef Michael Symon, and his own journey through cooking school. A fascinating look behind the scenes. Ruhlman is the most talented food writer working today. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?ref=magazine&amp;_r=2&amp;pagewanted=all" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food by Michael Moss</a> - Why Cheetos rock. Hard. <a href="http://luckypeach.com/fantastic-mr-fox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Fantastic Mr. Fox by Rachel Khong</a> - The life and times of Chef Jeremy Fox. Published in <a href="http://luckypeach.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lucky Peach</a>, my personal favorite food publication. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Up-Old-Hotel-Joseph-Mitchell/dp/0679746315/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1429821368&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=up+at+the+old+hotel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Up at the Old Hotel</a> - If there's one writer in this world I dream of being, it's Joseph Mitchell. His collection of essays from his 50+ years at The New Yorker is stunning. And his food pieces bring to life a time long past. They never fail to amaze me. Read them. This episode is sponsored by <a href="http://inaflashlaser.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In A Flash Laser</a>.

007 – C. Simon Davidson, The Charlottesville 29