Ep 36: Chef Eric Adjepong

Ep 36: Chef Eric Adjepong

Author: Mike Schibel, Travel With Meaning March 8, 2020 Duration: 44:30

Our conversation with Chef Eric Adjepong was held in front of a live audience at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) as part of Bermuda Restaurant Weeks 2020. Chef Eric was in Bermuda to cook several meals as part of Restaurant Weeks with the highlight being the Bermuda Culture and Heritage Dinner. Chef Eric talks about the special menu he planned with local chefs from Bermy Eats featuring locally harvested foods and unique Bermuda flavors (12:22). During our talk you'll also hear Chef Eric mention his thesis that he wrote while attending the University of Westminster for his Masters. Part of the research of his thesis took him to Ghana and ultimately helped him down the path to cooking the West African cuisines that he loves. (20:42). Chef Eric has made his thesis available for the public through the Bermuda National Library. Chef Eric was a finalist on Season 16 of Bravo's Top Chef and will be returning for Top Chef Season 17 AllStars, premering March 19th on Bravo. As a first-generation Ghanaian-American born and raised in New York City, Eric sources the flavors and influences in his cooking from many of the West African dishes he grew up eating. He is passionate about introducing diners to West African cuisine and the impact its diaspora has had on South American, Latin American, Caribbean, and American food, all in his elegant, artfully plated style. Chef Eric will be opening his first restaurant On The Double at the famed D.C Food Hall Union Market in Spring 2020. Co-founder of Pinch & Plate alongside wife and decorator Janell Adjepong. Prior to launching Pinch & Plate, Eric cooked in several Michelin-starred restaurants in New York after graduating with degrees in culinary arts and nutrition from Johnson & Wales, one of the country's premiere culinary universities. He also holds a Master of Public Health in International Public Health Nutrition from the University of Westminster in London.


Mike Schibel sits down with a fascinating array of guests on Travel With Meaning, but the destination is rarely the main point. Instead, this podcast explores the profound personal shifts that happen when we step outside our familiar surroundings. Each conversation delves into a specific journey-whether it’s a life-altering pilgrimage, a chaotic business trip that sparked a new idea, or a simple vacation that unexpectedly clarified a career path. You’ll hear from artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and seasoned travel experts, but the focus remains on the transformative moment, the insight gained, or the connection made that reverberated long after the suitcase was put away. Schibel, founder of Travel With Meaning, guides these discussions with a genuine curiosity, allowing his guests to unpack not just their itineraries but the emotional and professional baggage they carried with them. The stories reveal how travel acts as a catalyst, reshaping identities, forging unexpected creative directions, and offering a new lens on one’s place in the world. Listening feels like being part of an intimate, thoughtful dialogue where the map of a life is redrawn by the roads taken. This isn't about recommendations or tips; it's about the lasting imprint of a place on a person. The podcast consistently uncovers how the world, in all its diverse complexity, has a way of teaching us exactly what we need to learn, often when we least expect it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 133

Travel With Meaning
Podcast Episodes
Ep 21: Ruben Rojas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:19
In 2013, Ruben Rojas traded in his suit for a paint brush and began transforming blank walls into unique, empowering messages that today are uplifting communities and challenging the public to create new dialogues. As an…
Ep 20: Lauren Abraham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:44
Celebrity fitness model, Lauren Abraham, is a nationally recognized TV host & live event MC specializing in travel, health, fitness, red carpet events, and action sports. She has over 10 years of ongoing hosting experien…
Ep 19: Ben Higgins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:00
Ben Higgins is best known from season 20 of ABC's hit series, "The Bachelor," where he opened himself up to millions of viewers, giving them the chance to truly get to know him. The opportunity ultimately led to an enhan…
Ep 18: Season 1 Finale Solocast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:05
This is a solo cast episode where Founder of Travel With Meaning, Mike Schibel shares about his yearly family summer reunion at their cabin in Northern Minnesota. Mike gets real and personal with his experience and why t…
Ep 17: Jesse Billauer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:00
Jesse Billauer (born February 24, 1979) is a well-known surfer from Pacific Palisades, California. Billauer suffered an accident at the age of 17 on March 25, 1996, hitting his head on a shallow sandbar after being knock…
Ep 16: Angel Castellanos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:43
"I'm a US based travel expert and spend my time teaching people how to travel well, smart and often. I'm passionate about good travel and helping people save time & money. I often say that travel is my Ph.D in life becau…
Ep 15: Richard Bangs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:53
Richard Bangs is co-founder and Chief Adventure Officer of http://www.Steller.co Richard Bangs has been a pioneer in travel, digital media, e-commerce, and other frontiers. In the early 90s Richard produced the first int…
Ep 14: Angela Sun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:59
Destined to shine, her bright personality, experience, and sunny disposition led Angela to break boundaries in the world of sports and media as the first Asian-American female sportscaster to appear on ESPN, Yahoo! Sport…
Ep 13: David Hertz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:59
David has been working at the edge of sustainability and the forefront of regenerative architecture for over 35 years. As a systems thinker, he engages a variety of fields through design and believes in expanding the con…
Ep 12: Solocast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:24
Welcome to the first official solocast of the Travel With Meaning podcast. I've been enjoying bringing you conversations with interesting guests sharing travel stories and don't worry we have three more interviews coming…