Longtime friend and accomplished chef Mark Ladner joins Jordan Salcito for the season finale of Opening Up. The duo dives into their experiences working in the NYC restaurant industry, where to get the best bites in Italy, and the great debate between using fresh vs dried pasta.
Restaurateur, activist and angel investor Camilla Marcus joins Jordan Salcito for episode 10 of Opening Up. Camilla's restaurant, West~bourne, reinvented the model for hospitality with its commitment to zero-waste, wellness philosophy, investment in the neighborhood, forward-thinking "accidentally vegetarian" menu and more. This episode touches on natural wines, wine-buying in Manhattan, motherhood, Independent Restaurant Coalition and ROAR NY, an organization Camilla co-founded to save the restaurant industry amidst Covid-19.
In Episode 9, Grace Mahary, IMG model, activist and certified sommelier shares her path from a tenacious and talented young basketball player in Eastern Canada to the runway. When something piques Grace’s interest, she commits herself fully. While traveling the world modeling, she developed an interest in wine which led to rigorous coursework, a break from modeling and subsequently her sommelier certification. Grace’s greatest passion is Project Tsehigh, a nonprofit organization that provides sustainable, renewable energy solutions for communities around the world.
In Episode 8 of Opening Up, Becky Wasserman Hone, Burgundy’s “most accomplished ambassador” according to none other than Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, sits down in conversation with host Jordan Salcito. A talented harpsichordist, excellent cook, avid reader and magnetic founder, Becky describes Burgundy’s evolution the past seven decades (she moved there in the late 1960s and founded her company, Becky Wasserman & Co. in 1979). Becky embodies so many of the qualities we admire, carving her own path with warmth, intellect and conviction. We are honored to share this conversation.
Award-winning winemaker, sommelier, and author Rajat Parr joins Jordan Salcito for Episode 7 of Opening Up. Rajat opens up about how soil impacts a wine’s taste, his faith in biodynamic and organic farming, why curiosity is the most important attribute in the wine business and what’s next in his journey through life and wine.
The Subway Book Review’s founder and expert storyteller, Uli Beutter Cohen, joins Jordan Salcito for Episode 6. Uli brings us into her world to describe how to drink smuggled bottles of vintage Champagne, how to spot a fascist regime and why books matter now more than ever.
In episode 5, sommelier Sarah Thomas sits down with Jordan Salcito to discuss her close-knit family culture, how she landed at New York’s top restaurant Le Bernardin, why she created children’s culinary series Kalamata's Kitchen and where it’s headed from here.
NBA Champion, Olympic gold medalist, and Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love joins Jordan Salcito for Episode 4 to chat “ah ha moments” in wine, why mental health matters, social justice in the NBA and the importance of doing something you love.
TV Host & Author Eden Grinshpan kicks off Episode 3 of Opening Up with the launch of her new cookbook, Eating Out Loud. Eden and Jordan talk all about her book, her Israeli culture, and the captivating story of how it led her to meeting her husband, Ido.
Ally Love, founder & CEO of Love Squad, instructor at Peloton, and host of the Brooklyn Nets joins Jordan for Episode 2 of Opening Up to talk about career, faith, and more.
Episode one of Opening Up with Jordan Salcito features Tracy Dubb, co-founder of Isla Beauty. Jordan and Tracy dive deep into the parallels of clean beauty and natural wine and discuss the story behind Tracy launching Isla Beauty in the midst of COVID-19.
Opening Up with Jordan Salcito is based on a premise that wine is a connective tissue bringing people together who may not have forged a connection otherwise, and that wine is a perfect entry point to the best conversations. Award-winning sommelier and founder of Drink RAMONA, Inc, Jordan Salcito, converses with leaders of various industries over a wine meaningful to them, which invariably serves as a segue into their personal story. We’ll hear of these leaders’ paths, the roads they’ve chosen, how they see and change the world around them. Opening Up with Jordan Salcito is a podcast that blends storytelling with tactical advice, using real-life anecdotes to educate and inspire.