Dishin’ Up Diaspora presents a powerful live episode from “Food Without Borders,” recorded at Ohsun in Seattle. Chef Emme opens the night, then welcomes keynote speaker Monica Dimas—chef, restaurateur, and Mexican immigrant—whose story traces finding home, healing, and creativity through food. She’s followed by a spirited panel with author/producer Andrea Pons and chef/creator Jose Garson, exploring immigrant identity, community care, and the kitchens that shaped them.

Across this conversation, we unpack what it means to cook from memory and migration: the Sunday carne asada nostalgia, the notebooks of abuela’s recipes, the pride and pain of assimilation, and the moment you stop hiding and start telling your story. We talk industry realities—gatekeeping vs. sharing, fine-dining standards vs. our own techniques, permits and “pop-ups,” hiring immigrants legally as contractors—and how chefs can build spaces where Latin food isn’t just served, it’s celebrated. Expect honesty, humor, and the kind of vulnerability that turns a meal into a movement.

What you’ll hear:
• Monica on losing—and rediscovering—the spark for cooking by embracing her immigrant story
• Andrea on transforming 14 years of fear and shame into pride, advocacy, and the Mamacita cookbook
• Jose on rejecting “blend in” culture, centering Latinx street food, and teaching guests to eat with intention
• The case for storytelling on the plate: survival, creativity, and why American food is immigrant food
• Practical ways to support immigrants in the industry (hiring, mentorship, contractor pathways)
• Integrity, community, and raising the next generation with culture, joy, and openness

Why this episode matters:
Food is the language of the diaspora. It carries memory, resistance, and love. In a time when immigration is politicized, these voices remind us that community begins at the table—and that telling the truth about our journeys is a radical kind of hospitality.

Perfect for listeners who love: immigrant stories, Latinx/Latine food culture, Mexican and Latin American cuisines, culinary entrepreneurship, cookbook writing, restaurant life, identity and belonging.

If you enjoyed this episode:
• Follow, rate, and review Dishin’ Up Diaspora
• Share this conversation with a friend in food or a first-gen creative
• Tag your takeaways and favorite quotes so we can amplify your voice

Listen in, settle in—and join us at the table.

In this powerful episode of Dishin’ Up Diaspora, Chef Emme sits down with culinary trailblazer Chef Tiffany Derry — Top Chef fan favorite, two-time James Beard Award finalist, and now the first full-time Black judge on MasterChef — for an inspiring, unfiltered conversation about resilience, representation, and reclaiming your power in the kitchen and beyond.

From humble beginnings at an IHOP in Beaumont, Texas to commanding national television screens, Chef Tiffany shares how determination, mentorship, and authenticity shaped her journey to becoming one of America’s most respected voices in food. She opens up about overcoming imposter syndrome, navigating male-dominated kitchens, and building a restaurant group that celebrates Southern heritage, food equity, and cultural preservation through beloved concepts like Roots Southern Table, Roots Chicken Shack, and Radici Wood Fired Grill.

You’ll hear Chef Tiffany and Chef Emme dive deep into:

• What it means to lead with purpose as a Black woman in the culinary industry
• How Top Chef and MasterChef shaped Tiffany’s career and gave her a national platform
• The real talk behind opening restaurants, franchising, and building community wealth
• How Southern and Italian cuisines connect through history, flavor, and heart
• Why representation in food media and fine dining still matters more than ever
• Practical advice for young chefs and entrepreneurs on finding their voice, trusting the process, and creating their own seat at the table

Chef Tiffany also shares a personal look at what it takes to maintain balance, stay grounded, and keep growing even when the world is watching — reminding us all that “it’s not a deserve, it’s yours.”

Whether you’re a chef, food lover, entrepreneur, or creative, this conversation will leave you inspired to own your story and cook without limits.

✨ About the Guest:
Chef Tiffany Derry is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, and television personality known for her soulful Southern cooking and culinary advocacy. She is the owner of Tiffany Derry Concepts, Roots Southern Table, Roots Chicken Shack, and Radici Wood Fired Grill, and serves as a judge on FOX’s MasterChef and PBS’s The Great American Recipe. Follow Chef Tiffany Derry @mastercheftd

🎧 Listen now for a powerful dose of honesty, humor, and inspiration — and discover how Chef Tiffany is redefining what it means to lead, create, and uplift the next generation of chefs through food and storytelling.

Follow @dishingupdiasporapodcast and @chefemme_ on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes stories, culinary inspiration, and upcoming guests.

In honor of Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month, we look back at this fun episode with Brazilian food writer and chef Jaine Mackievicz.

We explore what it mean to manifest the life you want. For Chef Jaine Mackievicz, it meant dreaming beyond the Amazon rainforest, falling in love with French cuisine fro n honor of Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month m afar, and teaching herself English by reading cookbooks. Today, she’s a rising star in the culinary world, known for her infectious joy, fearless ambition, and deep passion for storytelling through food.

In this episode of Dishin’ Up Diaspora, Jaine shares her extraordinary journey—how her family ended up deep in the heart of the Amazon, how she discovered her love for French cuisine (thanks to none other than Julia Child), and how she went from moving to the U.S. with no plan and no English to competing on The Julia Child Challenge on Food Network.

We also dive into a thought-provoking conversation about authenticity in food—what it really means, why Jaine rejects the term, and how food is a constantly evolving expression of culture, migration, and identity.

This is a dynamic, heartfelt, and joyful conversation about resilience, passion, and the power of food to transform lives. Jaine’s energy is truly infectious, and her story is a testament to what’s possible when you dream big and go all in.

📲 Follow us on Instagram:
@dishinupdiasporapodcast | @chefemme_ | @mackievicz

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