In This Episode
Neal has discussed many types of ‘diets’ on the show, and one thing they all have in common is cooking! So today Neal is joined by renowned chef Ric Orlando.
Ric reminds us why things are cooked the way they are- not only to achieve great flavors but to optimize nutrient availability and digestion.
He and Neal discuss the by-gone importance of lunch and daily grocery shopping, and the surprising reason for the appeal of fast food.
Chef Orlando also offers his expert opinion on culinary oils, turmeric, traveling, and cannabutter.
And of course, he throws in a few fun personal anecdotes about edibles gone wrong.
Topics Discussed
- Cannabutter
- Serving weed dishes when it’s legalized
- Benefits from cooking with whole herbs
- His cooking mantras
- Mixing greens with fats to make them more palatable and digestible
- Getting minerals from vegetables
- The appeal of fast food
- Going daily grocery shopping
- The change in lunch culture
- Olive oil and the oils he doesn’t use
- The importance of changing fryer oil
- Turmeric
- Needing variety in one’s diet
- Grapes, wine, and histamines
All About Ric Orlando
Ric’s cultural roots stem from the underground music and art scene through the 1980s in New York, New Haven, and Boston, where he also gathered his passion for global flavors eating urban ethnic cheap-eats.
Before doing his own thing, he developed his culinary experience at ground-breaking restaurants such as Elm City in New Haven, Harvest in Cambridge, The Wild Goose in Boston, Sugar Reef in Manhattan, and Yates Street and Justin’s in Albany.
He has appeared many times on the NBC TODAY show, PBS, NPR, Discovery, Sirius Radio, and many other regional media appearances. Ric produced, wrote and starred in the 13- episode regional Public Television series Ric Orlando’s TV Kitchen in 2003.
Ric appeared on the national stage most recently in the November 5, 2015 episode of Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay, in which his potato latkes did indeed beat Chef Flay’s.
Previously, Ric appeared in the 2013 World Food Championships, Next Top Product Category. His Eggplant “Meatballs” won the top prize for the Northeast region. In 2010, Ric appeared on the Food Network’s runaway hit CHOPPED three times, winning in his first appearance, “Wok This Way.”
Judge Mark Murphy declared that Ric’s Rum-Raisin Jerk Quail was the “best thing I have eaten on Chopped!” Chef Orlando was then selected to appear in the very first Chopped Champions, where he also won in the playoff round, wowing the judges once again, this time in the dessert round with his humorously innovative concoction – Ziggy Taco and the Pear Filling from Mars.
