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
Episode 91: Danni Washington [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:28
Episode 91 was recorded in front of a live audience at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills and is brought to you by our partner, Los Cabos Tourism. Our special guest, Danni Washington, is a Science Communicator, Author,…
Episode 90: Shira Lazar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:13
Episode 90 features a conversation with a digital trailblazer who found healing and transformation in nature. Shira Lazar is the founder and CEO of the Emmy Nominated digital media brand What's Trending. She is the host…
Episode 89: Lindsay Myers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:01
In episode 89 we catch up with Lindsay Myers at the newly remodeled Viceroy Santa Monica. Lindsay tells us about some of the exciting projects and travels she's working on. We also hear about the fun shared experience th…
Episode 88: Nicholas Stone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:01
Episode 88 of the podcast was record at Bluestone Lane on Rose Ave in Venice Beach with the CEO and Founder of Blunestone Lane Nicholas Stone. A former professional AFL Football Player (6 years), Corporate Finance banker…
Episode 87:  Danny Guerrero [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:12
In Episode 87 we speak with Danny Guerrero, Founder, The Culturist Group (TCG). His accomplishments are astounding and driving change. In this episode we hear Danny's meaningful travel stories from his first internationa…
Episode 86:  Mindful. Adventure. Travel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:49
Hello Travelers, This episode was recorded on location in Montana as part of a mindful adventure travel experience with Recal Travel. This was a unique experience as part of Recal's quiet park series in Glacier National…
Episode 85: Kaila Yu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:22
Kaila Yu is a Taiwanese American singer, songwriter, former model, and freelance journalist. She was formerly the lead singer and vocalist for the all-Asian-American, female rock band Nylon Pink. As a journalist and on-c…
Episode 84: Scott Eddy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:24
On episode 84 of the podcast we meet a man who's blazed a trail in the travel digital space, but things didn't always go as planned for Scott Eddy. Life changed for Scott after losing his father 3 weeks before graduating…
Episode 83: The Meaningful Travel Summit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:08
TWM podcast host Mike Schibel was honored to attend the first in person Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Summit since the COVID pandemic. Bringing together Like-minded travelers from all sectors of the travel industry in…
Episode 82:  Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, but make it fashionable [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:04
Renowned adventure photographer Laura Grier has a knack for manifesting extraordinary opportunities. When she was presented with leading an all women's climb to the top of the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjar…