Not From Concentrate

What takes a cook from scrubbing chowder pots and working at Olive Garden to winning a James Beard Award? For chef Evan Hennessey, the path led through some of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens — and back home to Dover, New Hampshire. This week, I’m joined by the chef behind Stages at One Washington, The Living Room, and Topolino to talk about building a tiny tasting-menu restaurant in his hometown, finding inspiration in New England’s farms and fisheries, and why great food doesn’t require a big-city address. We also get into the busy brain behind the plates: how Evan experiences hyperfocus, what rock climbing brings to his cooking, and how six years without alcohol changed his life inside and outside the kitchen. Plus, what he actually cooks for his family, and a reassuring reminder for anyone feeling overwhelmed at the stove: you can turn the burner down. It’s just dinner. In this episode: From the dish pit to fine dining—and why Evan came home to New Hampshire. How keeping Stages small gave him room to build something ambitious. Finding new possibilities in familiar, seasonal ingredients. Hyperfocus, intricate plating, and knowing when to step back. Sobriety, fatherhood, and finding creative inspiration outside. Simple dinners at home with a Dutch oven and farm-stand ingredients. Learning to celebrate a major win instead of immediately getting back to work.

What makes a recipe work — and when is an extra step actually worth the effort? This week, I’m joined by Laura Manzano, the recipe tester behind my forthcoming cookbook, Not From Concentrate. Laura grew up working in her dad’s restaurants, honed her skills in the Martha Stewart test kitchens, and built a freelance career helping cookbook authors make their recipes clearer, more reliable, and better suited to the people cooking them. We go behind the scenes of my cookbook to talk about what recipe testing actually involves, why fewer dishes matter, and the challenge of writing recipes for people who love food but don’t have unlimited time or attention. We also compare notes on working with ADHD, building structure into a creative career, and giving yourself permission to work when your brain works best. We get into: How Laura went from restaurant kitchens and food styling to testing entire cookbooks. What a recipe tester catches beyond missing ingredients and seasoning adjustments. When detailed instructions help—and when they get in the way. Writing down your process so you don’t have to reinvent it every time. Being realistic about time, resisting the urge to overpromise, and finding your own working hours. Why collaboration has been my favorite part of making this book. Find Laura on Instagram at @laurammanzano and read her Substack, Laura’s Dinner. Preorder the Not From Concentrate cookbook: geni.us/NotFromConcentrate For recipes, episode updates, and more, subscribe to my newsletter. Send questions, feedback, or guest suggestions to [email protected]. Not From Concentrate is distributed by PRX and produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and the theme music is by Kylie Dailey

What does a private chef cook when she’s tired, her family needs dinner, and nobody wants leftovers? Something simpler than you might think. Hamptons private chef Robyn Henderson joins Catherine Smart to talk about cooking delicious food without making every meal a production. From sheet-pan dinners at home to family-style spreads for clients, Robyn shares why seasonal ingredients, simple menus, and less fuss can make for better meals—and why a quick salad once stole the show from her painstakingly handmade lobster ravioli. Catherine and Robyn also get candid about the business of feeding people: raising your rates, knowing your worth, and learning to trust other chefs with your reputation. Plus, Robyn shares a local’s view of the Hamptons, the farm stands she loves, and the homemade herb salts that became a sellout side business. In this episode: • Simple family dinners with fewer dishes and less cleanup • Why more effort doesn’t always mean better food • Cooking with peak-season produce and fresh herbs • Pricing your work and growing a private chef business • The year-round community behind the Hamptons’ summer image • Keeping your cool when things go wrong in the kitchen Get Robyn’s Hamptons farm-stand list and more from Not From Concentrate in Catherine’s newsletter: https://catherinesmart.substack.com Want more behind-the-scenes private chef stories? Listen to Catherine’s episode with culinary producer and private chef Claire Langan. Not From Concentrate is produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video editing by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Dailey

What makes dinner taste like it’s been cooking all day when you absolutely do not have all day? Chef Claudette Zepeda has a pantry full of answers—and zero shame about canned beans. This week, Catherine welcomes the chef and author of Cooking the Borderlands for a conversation about big flavor, creative freedom, and feeding a family when you’re stretched thin. Claudette shares how growing up between San Diego, Tijuana, and Guadalajara shaped her food, from the Asian pantry staples woven into her Mexican cooking to the smoke and community of carne asada. We talk about using miso, kombu, chicken bouillon, and chili oil to build flavor; the comfort of her mom’s albóndigas; and why a great meal can start with a few cans from the pantry. Claudette also opens up about her late AuDHD diagnosis, pursuing a creative life as a single mother, and honoring the generations of women who came before her. Plus: a refrigerator rearrangement that helps keep vegetables out of the “sludge of shame,” why music gets her cooking again, and how getting outside helps her calm the chaos. Not From Concentrate is produced and distributed by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Daly.

Feeling overwhelmed by your garden? Garden coach Jess Zander of You Can Do It Gardening joins Catherine to make the whole thing feel more manageable—and much more fun. Jess explains how to prioritize garden projects, tackle invasive plants before they spread, choose native plants without becoming dogmatic, and make smart decisions about where and what to plant. She also shares why buying small plants can save money, how to divide perennials without being too precious, and why fall is one of the best times to plant. Plus, Jess offers a refreshingly low-effort approach to fall cleanup, explains her delightfully simple method for planting bulbs by the shovelful, and talks about how gardening can calm a busy brain, spark creativity, and connect us to our communities and the people we love. Find Jess, her virtual garden coaching, classes, guides, and newsletter at You Can Do It Gardening. Not From Concentrate is distributed by PRX and produced by Catherine Smart, with audio and video production by Kevin O’Connell and Asia Garcia. Our associate producer is Allie Miller, and our theme music is by Kylie Daley.