Mexican-born birria tradition takes root in Michigan

Chef Eddie Vargas has a long history with birria — a flavorful stew that is slow cooked until the meat of choice is fall-apart tender. Filled with dried chiles, garlic, and spices, the stew is traditionally made with large cuts of goat or lamb. However, in the U.S., it is most often made with beef.…

A Nigerian chef's journey from farmer to food truck entrepreneur

For Chef Prej Iroegbu, Detroit is home base for both his family and his business: a series of well-loved food trucks called Fork in Nigeria. But his culinary talent was born and nurtured in Nigeria. The Fork in Nigeria menu offers savory meat dishes made with goat, lamb or oxtail, and equally hear…

Madre Masa takes heirloom corn from kernel to masa

A couple in Grand Rapids is cooking up homemade corn masa that’s garnered the attention of true tortilla lovers from all over the country. Madre Masa is one of the few Michigan businesses utilizing a process called nixtamalization in creating the dough for their corn tortillas. Click here to see p…

European form meets East Asian flavor at Q Bakehouse

Every week, the display case at Q Bakehouse features an array of pastries that blend European form with East-Asian flavor. Owner Rachel Liu Martindale's current bestseller is a chili crisp scone. Rachel walked us through the recipe, and offered some tips for experimenting with new flavors in baked …

Chef Ken Miller fights food waste in fine dining

After attending culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu, and then cooking at a two Michelin-star restaurant in Chicago, Chef Ken Miller brought his skills back to Michigan. His most recent culinary experiments, including his accidental everything-bagel miso, incorporate fermentation, preservation, and ze…

Come for the food, stay for the karaoke at Adobo Boy

The Marasigan family is bringing all the flavors and fun of a Filipino house party to West Michigan via their restaurant, Adobo Boy. Chef Jackie Marasigan shared why she's excited to share her culture with a community that might know nothing about Filipino food. We also learned what makes the resta…

The Dish tells the stories of Michigan's culinary talent

The Dish, hosted by Mercedes Mejia, brings you behind the scenes with Michigan’s most inspiring chefs and culinary talents. Learn how food connects these chefs to their cultures, and strengthens our communities, one dish at a time. The first three episodes drop Tuesday, November 26, with one new ep…