Kitchen Smarts is a fresh new podcast hosted by Hava Volterra, co-founder and CEO of Parsley Software. Each episode features insightful conversations with chefs, food innovators, and culinary thinkers exploring the intersection of art and business in kitchen operations. Whether you're a home cook or a food professional, Kitchen Smarts serves up inspiration, insights, and stories from the heart of the culinary world.
Mica’s Food for Thought: Challenges and Triumphs in the Culinary World
In this episode, Hava Volterra and Mica Talmor discuss Mica's journey in the culinary world. From growing up surrounded by familyfood traditions to becoming a restaurant owner navigating an ever-changing industry. Mica opens up about the realities of restaurant ownership, the emotional differences between catering and running a restaurant, and why business knowledge is just as essential as culinary skill. The conversation also explores the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ev...
16 Dec 2025
Inside Corporate Dining: A Culinary Director’s Perspective with Melody Miranda
In this episode, Melody Miranda, National Director of Culinary for Sodexo’s Good Eating Company, takes us inside the world of corporate dining. She shares her path into large-scale food operations, her role in managing corporate cafeterias, and how chefs balance creativity with consistency at scale. Melody also discusses adapting to food trends, honoring regional tastes, the impact of COVID-19 on corporate dining operations, and the company’s commitment to sustainability and regenerative agri...
9 Dec 2025
The Rise of a Bagel Empire: Boichik’s Love Letter to New York Bagels
In this episode, Hava Volterra sits down with Emily, founder of Boichik Bagels, to talk about how a mechanical engineer with zero culinary background built one of California’s fastest-growing bagel brands. From learning the science behind New York–style bagels to running 24-hour production and scaling across multiple cities, Emily breaks down the challenges, systems, and mindset behind building a food business that doesn’t compromise on quality. They also dive into social media, logistics, fr...
25 Jul 2025
The Art & Science of Dough: Insights from a Pizza Expert
What do wood-fired pizza, gluten-free flour, and commercial kitchen equipment have in common? Brad Kent. In this episode of Kitchen Smarts, Hava Volterra chats with culinary engineer and pizza visionary Brad Kent—founder of Olio Wood Fired Pizzeria, co-founder of Blaze Pizza, and gluten-free innovator at Original Sunshine. They explore how Brad went from experimenting in the kitchen as a kid to pioneering one of the most successful fast-casual pizza chains in the U.S. He shares the secr...
16 Jul 2025
Behind the Label: Nutrition, Transparency, and the Business of Food
In this conversation, Hava speaks with Lisa Eberhart and Randy Lait, founders of Menu Analytics, about their journey in the food service industry, the importance of nutrition analysis, and the evolution of menu transparency. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior and food services, the role of technology and AI in the industry, and the future trends shaping food service operations. Guest: Lisa Eberhart and Randy Lait of Menu Analytics Enjoying the podcast? Send us your thoug...
8 Jul 2025
Making Authentic Italian Pasta in a Repeatable and Scalable Way
Filippo Fiori discusses his transition from nuclear engineering to co-founding Due' Cucina, emphasizing authentic Italian cuisine and scalable restaurant operations in this interview with Hava.
1 Jul 2025
From Theater to Baking: The Sister Pie Journey
Lisa Ludwinski recounts her transition from theater to founding Sister Pie, highlighting the hurdles of bakery ownership and the pivotal role of community, in this interview with Hava.
23 Jun 2025
Building a Keto Empire: with Robert Sikes of Keto Brick
Hava Volterra interviews Robert Sikes, Keto Brick's founder, about launching a food brand, offering insights into entrepreneurship and the realities of building a business.
3 Jun 2025
From Salmon Cakes to Plastics: Scaling Recipes with a Chemical Engineer
Richard Pieters, a chemical engineer, discusses scaling recipes with Hava Volterra, applying his industry expertise to food and manufacturing processes in this interview.
Who has been a guest on Kitchen Smarts
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lisa Ludwinski
Robert Sikes
Richard Pieters
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
73
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
57
Social presence
91
YouTube
65
Engagement
32
Contact Kitchen Smarts
Guest appearances
Books guests
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