Check Please!

In this episode of Check Please! the gals chat with the rising young chef putting Mexican-Japanese fusion on the map Chris Krinsky of Ramen Del Barrio.
Chris shares how his unique upbringing in the resort hub of Mexico and his training in Japanese cuisine-focused kitchens shaped his culinary point of view, the challenges of running a restaurant at such a young age, and what’s next for RDB.
To learn more about Chris and Ramen Del Barrio, follow on Instagram and watch their episode of Under Seasoned created by our very own host Mason Adams on Youtube.


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Have you ever tried one of those cotton candy grapes and thought “How on earth do they get this flavor in here?” The answer may surprise you.
In this episode, we’re joined by CEO of The Grapery Jim Beagle, who comes from a lifelong background in agriculture and has answers to all our juicy grape questions. Jim shares how table grapes are grown, how they arrive at names like “tear drop” and “gum drop,” which varieties never made it to market, and the unlikely story of how cotton candy grapes took grocery stores by storm.
The Grapery is a California-based grower behind many of America’s favorite grapes. Follow them and learn more here.
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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bellacastillo.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Check Please! we catch up with my dear friend Kelsey Small about the opening of his new restaurant Small’s Pizza, where the pizzas are actually quite large and extra crispy in a close approximation of New Haven’s signature style.
Kelsey walks us through his storied culinary past, from growing up in Connecticut watching Emeril Lagasse to working at Franklin Barbecue and making an (alleged) appearance in Chef (2014), cooking for the HAIM sisters, and briefly starring in a Coca Cola commercial. He also came with an ice cream agenda and a PSA to all new restaurant owners.
To keep up with Kelsey, follow Small’s Pizza on Instagram.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bellacastillo.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to our table,
In this episode of Check Please! the lads chat with the sweet and original author behind Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed. Abi Balingit is a New York City-based baker with a James Beard Award under her belt and opinions on the Hailey Bieber smoothie, the complexities of monetizing your hobbies, the reliability of baking blogs, the NYC dining scene and the steak and fries of it all.
Tune in to learn more about Abi’s baking journey and unique POV, and follow her @theduskykitchen to stay in the loop on new recipes and an exciting announcement for Filipino history month.
Thanks for reading early girl! This post is public so feel free to share it.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bellacastillo.substack.com/subscribe

Happy Tuesday divas,
In this new episode of Check Please! Bella and Mason chat with pastry chef, writer, and Cake Zine cofounder Tanya Bush.
Get a peek behind the curtain and hear all about the writing process behind Tanya’s just-announced debut cookbook Will This Make You Happy, what to expect in Cake Zine Vol. 7 - Forbidden Fruit, where she would grab dessert in NYC when she’s not making it herself and how she’s dealt with some of her biggest kitchen flops and grown into a better pastry chef because of them.

Preorder Tanya’s book here:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/will-this-make-you-happy-stories-recipes-from-a-year-of-baking/f4edf93c58fbe170?ean=9781797227214&next=t&
Thanks for reading early girl! This post is public so feel free to share it.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bellacastillo.substack.com/subscribe