Hello APGD
Hello APGD is a neighborhood podcast that highlights the people who make the Audubon Park Garden District one of the most celebrated destination neighborhoods in Central Florida. We chat with business owners, community leaders, volunteers, long-time residents, artists, and other influential locals; documenting the untold stories of this magical place just minutes away from Downtown Orlando.
Hello APGD
Chef Jes Tantalo of Redlight Redlight Brewpub
Meet Jes—beloved Chef who’s bringing a whole new menu to Redlight Redlight starting this month. As former Chef-in-Residence at East End Market, Jes’ culinary contributions to the Central Florida food scene have been monumental; garnering multiple awards, local press recognition, and many loyal followers. We’re just so excited to see this project finally take flight and Audubon Park is so ready for it!
Hi friends, thank you for joining us for another episode of Hello APGD, a neighborhood podcast about the Audemann Park Garden District in Orlando, Florida. I'm your host, Michael Lotherp, and my guest today is chef Jess Tantillo of Red Light, who soft opening begins this month. Be sure to follow Chef Jess Tantillo and Red Light Red Light on Instagram and beyond. The lookout for Red Light's new website coming soon. If you'd like to be a guest on the show or if you'd like to be a sponsor, please feel free to message me on Instagram at Hello APGD Pod. Thank you for listening, and with me today is Chef Jess Tantillo of Red Light, Red Light, and also with us today is Gabby Lotherp, my wife and Jess's wife. Welcome, both of you.
Speaker 2:Welcome welcome to me and to you so.
Speaker 1:Jess, very exciting times. I know that we've been talking about this new kitchen that is opening at Red Light and the time is upon us. Construction is complete. It was a process that took a little bit longer than anybody had envisioned, but we're at that next step. It's kind of the calm before the storm and very exciting times.
Speaker 2:It is. It took just about three years.
Speaker 1:Did it really take three years?
Speaker 2:Three years because the original conversation from the original conversation and me signing on to. Then there was a lot of delays because of COVID and then actual other surprise delays. So from about start to finish it's almost three years to the month. I think the original conversation was in August.
Speaker 1:And this idea came about because the way that at the time during the shutdown, things couldn't be open unless they had a kitchen, that was sort of the thing that maybe planted the initial seed that, hey, Red Light could have a kitchen. They've got the space right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we had discussed. I was like I could at least I don't know help you get a sandwich together or some. You could technically put out a hot dog roller and if you had food you were allowed to be open.
Speaker 2:So I sort of went in to just discuss that and it just evolved into well, it'd be nice to have more food than that. And I was like, wouldn't it? And then it just evolved into like, well, if we're going to do it, we should just probably put a hood in right. And I was like, well, yeah, because then how else are we going to make fish?
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And then there we are.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so full kitchen with a hood system, with top of the line everything accoutrements. It's going to be a full on like restaurant, slash brewery, slash bar.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we want to stay bar brewery first with a kitchen. We're sort of hoping to keep that casual element and full service a little bit mixed together. So we don't I don't know if we want to be fully referred to as a restaurant or not yet, because that's sort of secondary to the brewery.
Speaker 1:But because a brew, a brew pub is like one term for a place that has both food and drinks right.
Speaker 2:Yes. So I mean, you know we're going to evolve into real silverware, linen, napkins, real plates, but it might you know, there's no hostess stand, there's no, some of the things that you equate with a more traditional dining experience, so sort of bridging the gap between the two so you don't have to eat if you're there you can eat. It can be an entire dinner. It could be a just a little snack to sort of get to create your own adventure.
Speaker 1:Yeah create your own adventure.
Speaker 2:I love it yeah just trying to be that neighborhood spot that can can fill your tummy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm so excited. I know a lot of people are very excited and there have been a lot of questions, so it's good that we're doing this so you never have to answer these again. You can just point them in the direction of the podcast.
Speaker 2:I just sort of shrug my shoulders and I'm like yeah, there'll be things.
Speaker 4:Yeah, when people come in and ask you questions, even after you're open, you can just send them to the podcast, right? And then tell them they can come back after they've put us into this full tutorial. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, I put that very informational sign up in the food window. That helped a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, tell me about that sign.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So it says we still don't know with a sad face, uh-huh, an exceptional sad face, yeah. So that's been up there for a while and it's really helped. It's helped explain pretty much everything.
Speaker 1:It doesn't explain what we don't know, but people should know what you don't know, right?
Speaker 2:I mean, there was a time when all of our electrical was done but the breaker panel came from obviously the same place, but that place had been hit by a hurricane, so it was no longer and we had the choice to either redo all of our electrical so it matched that breaker box or wait seven months for it.
Speaker 1:Both are bad options.
Speaker 2:Correct. It's like do you want to spend a whole bunch of money or do you want to technically lose money because you can't get closer to opening? Or you know it was so. It was things like that that were delays and hurricanes happening during a pandemic. Things just became what they were, even though we thought we had everything, because we were like, well, let's just wait to start construction until we have everything at least, so that we can be under construction for the shortest time possible. But even still, there were. There were just little little whoopsy daisies. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like that that really were just out of our control. And since I still haven't found the money tree, you know, we just had to make the best decisions during the time, which usually meant waiting.
Speaker 1:And you've been doing pop-ups and different events, things like that, that didn't involve the kitchen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that we were collaborating with other chefs, other food people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, lots of food. People in the neighborhood and outside of the neighborhood.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot of recipe development in front of groups of crowds, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So people are familiar with with your food already, which is great because you have your audience. I just I know how stoked people are about this kitchen and I know you are especially. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I am excited. Yeah, it's sort of going into it with not a structured plan, which is very unlike me because, usually, if you know me, I already thought about everything six times and there's four lists about it.
Speaker 2:But I think, with the nature of this and how it's starting and how it went over the past three years and now that it's finally time to, you know, have a menu and an actual plate, I just kind of want to approach it a little more carefully and a little more organically, because we do have a clientele that's been there, that it's kind of a certain way, you know what, you know what's going to happen when you go to red light and you know we don't want to completely switch and change the whole vibe there. So, kind of gently stepping into having food service all the time, I'm going to start out slow so that everyone has a chance to get acclimated, myself included.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and getting used to the space, because this is a kitchen that didn't previously exist, right, and there's still little details we need to figure out, like where, where does the bus tub go, behind the bar, like things that are not exciting and that are very behind the scenes.
Speaker 1:But also very important.
Speaker 2:Right, like I don't, how many rollups should we start with? You know, I don't know how many covers we'll do, or you know things like that. That is a part of anyone's soft opening.
Speaker 3:The worst sentence. Yeah, oh, why there's not a better name for that Soft opening yeah.
Speaker 1:Rather than a hard opening which either one you could do that too, if you wanted to Right.
Speaker 2:So I'll launch Think about it Like a very lazy rocket, but yeah the same things that most people have to figure out during this time. So we're just going to, you know, take our time with it, not rush it, so that we can try to get as many things right off the bat and and then just expand the hours. We're flirting with the idea of opening for lunch and that would be great, and then being open later.
Speaker 2:Like, the goal is to have food whenever we're open, which I think will come as soon as we get all those kinks worked out, and then, as long as people are there and want to eat, I'll feed them.
Speaker 1:And Ottawa and Park definitely needs more lunch options at this point.
Speaker 2:Right, because we're like gosh, do we open at 11? Now Do we do. Is it 1130? Is it 1030? Yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't know, because even on the weekends, I mean, I love breakfast, I love brunch, those are my favorite things. So that Friday, saturday, sunday, at least by noon, if things pick up and we can staff it, you know, maybe by 11. And they're just different options. It's just such a great neighborhood and there's always something going on and something that you can walk to and grab a little snack. We were actually trialing the coffee machine right before I came today, mm-hmm. So expanding into coffee, maybe expanding to other NA beverages, you know, like tea and that sort of thing just so that there's a little more for everyone.
Speaker 1:It's a long time coming. So, talking about kind of origin stories, we've known each other about a decade now and you and Gabby worked together at East End. We did when Gabby was the market manager, we did and you were the chef and chef Chef in residence, and so that was our first getting to know you back in the day.
Speaker 2:It was. It was a great day.
Speaker 1:It was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I miss sharing an office with wife, but maybe someday soon, you never know.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, I mean, we shared a house. We were housemates for years too. We're quite close, we know each other pretty well and we're big fans of you, so to have this chance to interview you, yeah it's. It feels like a real get. You know, I mean, I've only been asking you for three years now, so I've only I've been doing the podcast for over a year, but I've been asking you to be on the podcast for three years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that tracks. So before you came to East End, let's talk about North Carolina, where you were before.
Speaker 2:Yep, I was in North Carolina Just before this. I was in Highlands so working at a club up there, and I went there sort of on a hiatus because I was working over on the coast. As in Wilmington, I was working at a club there. So there was multiple outlets, a big banquet facility. It was super fun. It went through a little country club phase there, but I feel like they're they're really incredible because a you have a bigger budget, you have a set audience plus guest audience and because there's so many outlets within it, one minute you're making chili. The next minute you're doing some of the nicest food for an intimate wine dinner. Switch it up and you're doing a catering for 800. So it was a great place to just never get bored, which is great for me because I like to do a bunch of stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a little. You know which is why you do so many events and different things like that. Yeah, it's fun.
Speaker 2:I like the logistical thought process through it, and not everything works out perfectly every time, but it's always. It's always nice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you get to show your creative side and problem solving and you can adapt to whatever and breaks the the normalcy of things and you know the pace is going to be different, so you have to be prepared for it and everything.
Speaker 2:Right, and you're because you're just making such a wide variety of foods. It's. You know, you're not just only doing super high end, you're not only doing comfort food, you're not only doing a boxed lunch, it just was all over the place, which I thought was fun. Yeah. So yeah, foot, foot happened. That was a sad day.
Speaker 1:And then there, was how did that injury happen?
Speaker 2:Well, on top of working, you know, probably just 10 to 12 hours a week, that's really all chefs work. And then I my hobby was I was running or training to run marathons with my brother, so he was already a triathlete and I was working my way up to half marathon and working on maybe doing a duathlon with him, something like that. Anyway, I've sort of had a bit of a crooked toe and I went to a doctor and he was like I could do a little surgery on it, straighten it out, because it was pulling sort of where your arch is and it was giving me a lot of pain. So something about running 10 miles plus working 90 hours a week. My foot was not enjoying that, which is weird. So I was like, yeah, let's fix it so I can do more. And it just didn't go as planned and I ended up losing blood supply to the toe, lost the about three centimeters of bone, and then, because I couldn't get blood supply to it, it couldn't heal and so I couldn't really put weight on it. I could do about three hours a day, standing calculated, because at that point, you know, it puts pressure on the left side of your foot where it's not meant to support your entire body weight. So I I kept that job for I mean, it was less than a month, I mean it was less than a year.
Speaker 2:It's kind of blurry at this point. You know just a crutch in one hand or had a really cool cane that had a lot of stickers on it A lot of superhero stickers, because we're all adults but did that finish and then I just got to a point where, in hindsight, it was, you know, I really learned how to instruct and talk to people because I was the executive sue at the time and had a pretty decent sized staff and so trying to explain to people exactly what needed to be done, because I couldn't do it. So there's things like that. Looking back that I was like, oh well, you know I'm that was a fun skill to hone, but ultimately it was just too much to be on one leg or in a chair or what have you. So I went over to Highlands and I was managing the what's it called Like the ninth hole turn, where you can stop while you're golfing to get a sandwich.
Speaker 1:I think it's called the ninth hole turn I think it's the ninth, there's a.
Speaker 4:there's a real word for it. I'm a huge golf expert.
Speaker 1:Bottom of the ninth.
Speaker 4:Yeah right.
Speaker 2:It's not the last inning, but it's right in that middle half time quarter.
Speaker 1:I know golf innings. Yeah, I had a golf dream last night.
Speaker 2:I mean, I was a golfer for a minute.
Speaker 1:You are and not a real one. I mean.
Speaker 2:I had golf clubs and I went golfing. So why pro? I never. I never kept score because I can't count that high, yeah, but anyway. I was just. You know, I did have a hot dog roller then and I was exciting. The bun steamer. Underneath it there was chicken salad, egg salad, those types of things. So got to hone that skill.
Speaker 1:So you were working outside at that point? Is that like how that setup was?
Speaker 2:I know it's inside, it's like a little like a little cafe that you could just it's a quick service counter. And I got to know Mr Reif's parents, amongst other fun people, and it's a seasonal club. So you know she was like, what are you doing in the winter? And I was like I don't know snowmen I think building a lot of those. And so I came down here to sort of consult on this project that was happening in Orlando and I was like, oh man, I used to live in Orlando. I just like, well, you should come see it.
Speaker 2:So came down and what thought I was going to consult, and then I was like I found the perfect person for this job I'm consulting for. And so I kind of applied and talked to John and got to meet the Gabs and I loved working there because I felt like I was more in my industry but I could do, obviously, quite a bit of it from a chair, which was important, right, and so helping other people launch businesses, because I felt like I had some knowledge to share. I just couldn't physically perform all the tasks anymore. I did some learning myself. You know I wasn't an expert in setting up businesses from the paperwork side.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so basically from the beginning you were there, these businesses, starting their first brick and mortar, managing a kitchen that was on site, that was essentially like a commissary kitchen for people who were in East End and otherwise outside.
Speaker 2:Yeah, expanding the small business incubation, which was a big part of the original plan, and then the upstairs had an event space. Eventually I was doing classes and smaller events, like if it was deemed like an East End event, I would do that catering and do those things, because along the way, fado and Casa that was there, she, they introduced me to their friend who is a foot surgeon and so I went in and he, he took a look at it which I had gone. I mean, I went to Duke, I went to everywhere I could think about to try to get my foot fixed and you know, I even went to a lawyer and they were like well, the minimum in North Carolina is $3 million and your damages were not high enough. And I was like I can't stand. Wow, I was like, and I I mean.
Speaker 2:I was 20, I mean, what does that work? So we're 25 at the time. And so maybe I was 26.
Speaker 2:I'm really good at numbers, but yeah, it was just like there was. Basically everyone was like find a desk job and you know, this is your life now which was a blow for my entire industry as well as in my spare time I was usually pretty active. So I went to see him just for S and G's, as they say and he was like, yeah, I could probably do something about this. And I was like, oh, oh really. So he implanted a metal joint in my big toe and then broke my other toes to shorten them so that that pad on the bottom of your foot where you put all your weight was even and therefore I wasn't just putting all the weight on my pinky toe anymore. So I went through that recovery lots of fun, wheelchair rides, people would come over and take me on walks I'm using quotation marks which was really nice, and we wheel me about.
Speaker 2:So that was quite the healing journey, but since then I am able to do much more. Yeah, it still kind of hurts. It's usually everyone's follow up question Right, Still still has some pain. You know I do a lot of stretching and whatever to all those muscles that are attached to metal, but it does not go off in the airport. Everyone also wants to know that it does not. I'm not not metal detectors, have no idea. Yeah.
Speaker 1:You're not bionic quite yet.
Speaker 2:I know, yeah, it's really sad, not yet, but it's.
Speaker 1:It's incredible, there's still time I know. I remember, I mean it's like all of these things. So Aliza Scarpa, who was a world champion barefoot water skier and as her husband is or was and they're, they're retired from that, that game. But so Ron Scarpa did the construction at East End and Aliza had a shop in East End, so all of this, like you know, kind of family connection of these these things. And so Dr Gideon Lewis is the friend that they connected.
Speaker 1:Gideon J yes, he has the family practice, and then you can't get him switched, so you're back on your feet and you're able to be the chef that we all know and love. Because of this thing, right, and it's like, yeah, no, I mean he, he needs like a plaque.
Speaker 2:He's incredible, you know, and he's like you know. He's like you know, he's like, and like the aftercare, with him making sure that it it worked. And you know, I didn't think it would work. I I expected some improvement. I didn't expect that I could really get back to the way that I am, you know. Yeah, so it's, it's pretty incredible. I owe him a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I mean that's, that's part of kind of what this community, I think we we bring it all together. I remember you did the fundraiser in East End's event space. It was so fun.
Speaker 4:It was called best foot forward.
Speaker 1:Yes, Best foot forward.
Speaker 2:I mean, I hate puns, but I allowed it Right, jk, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And so, yeah, I mean everybody comes together to support one another and that's like that's part of the neighborhood way, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's insane. I mean to really think about the last 10 years and everything that's taken place. It's pretty wild.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you've been so crucial to the development of the food scene in Audubon Park in Central Florida, orlando, well, that's very kind.
Speaker 1:And it's very true Actually, the guidance that you were able to impart in the kitchen there at East End, the commissary kitchen. So many chefs came through there before they opened up their brick and mortars. They were doing recipe development, r&d, testing things out, and you were able to teach some things as well while you were there. That was kind of all part of the job. That maybe wasn't expected initially, but, yeah, it's like you kind of helped grow the food scene here.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you. Yeah, yeah, I mean I had a lot of fun. I always enjoyed the classes. I feel like anytime someone can become a better cook, it was always fun. I feel like even just the knife skills classes and people would call and be like I cook way more at home now because I know how to cut an onion or I didn't realize how important sharp knives were. It was always very fun to make sure that you just have the option to cook. Yeah, Home cooks.
Speaker 1:It's like the techniques, it's some of the ingredients, it's some of the things that you add a little extra to it because there's something that is made from scratch, like a seasoning or something like that, like a citrus salt, or you know. There are all these things that you love to do, that make it elevated to a point where, I mean, you've won a lot of awards. You were just on a television show that you love to talk about I would say a lot.
Speaker 1:I mean so many awards. A soup, a soup award. Right, I did win a soup award.
Speaker 2:I mean I won two soup awards. If you're going to get two, new soup awards, does you know? Yeah, it's two different soups there.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's not a fluke. It's not a fluke?
Speaker 2:Yeah no, I had to get a bigger house just for the accolade wall of just oof. Yeah, that's not true.
Speaker 1:Just lives in a tiny house. It's a very small house, but she does have a lot of awards. I don't know if that's true, so yeah, it's definitely true.
Speaker 1:I've seen them, let's see. So, like, what are some of the things that you're very excited about now that we're at the opening stages of Red Light? Obviously you've been thinking about it but, as you said, you don't have the plan kind of formalized yet. What are some of the things that you're really excited to kind of get going and for people to experience for the first time?
Speaker 2:Excited to just link back up with a lot of the farmers and you know the bounty of Florida and just having some set things on the menu Again, not reinventing any wheels, but just being able to use the seasonal stuff to support everyone in the community. I mean, obviously, the Monday night market's my favorite thing. I go almost every Monday unless I'm out of town or something. But you know, just supporting other people doing things and keeping that going and continuing to support Red Light so it can move forward in Red Light's way. I'm just happy to see that brought back and maybe the fresh energy into the space, because there's still a few more things we're going to work on. You know we're going to be putting in like storefront doors where the back door is so that there's some natural light and just making it just a place you think to go often.
Speaker 2:You know it can be a special occasion spot and I know so many people it's where they met their significant other or you know things like that. It just holds a special place in a lot of people's hearts and just being able to add food to that, I try to just make things that you feel good after you eat them, whether it's because it was that comfort food thing that just really rounded out your day or because it's just genuinely good for you and just kind of keeping that going and that practice and hopefully being able to work on, you know, making it a place where everyone can work and have a life balance. You know, as much as I love working all the time, I know not everyone does and I don't expect people to. So I think trying to dial that in and hopefully in a way where we can all have that work life balance while exercising creativity and just continuing to expand really everything that's already happening over there and support the name road.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which is I mean these are such important things to think about because somebody, another chef that might be opening a restaurant, may not think about that first. You know how people are going to need to have that work life balance, not work them to death.
Speaker 2:It's difficult because I mean that's.
Speaker 2:I mean, the margins are small and there's a lot of work to be done and you know, and wanting to build a stretch, a scratch kitchen, and then that that takes time and effort and you know the balance of it and we don't exactly know how to accomplish it, but it's definitely at the forefront of Brent and I's mind because you know he wants to go home and see his kids and I want to be able to come see my wife and yeah, exactly yeah, and so just hopefully that that is something that we can accomplish together and you know, have some wine about it.
Speaker 1:Have some wine about it indeed.
Speaker 2:On Wednesdays.
Speaker 4:Some of the best wines Two dollars off Wine down Wednesdays. So what kinds of things are going to be on the menu, kind of all the time, versus obviously you're going to be doing a very seasonal what's coming off, you know, off of the farms in the area, what's in season in terms of local fishing and all of that but what kinds of staples do you think you're always going to have on the menu?
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm hoping that the cabbage stays. I have a mild obsession with cabbage, or maybe a moderate to high obsession.
Speaker 1:As we all do here. I think, Share that.
Speaker 4:This is a pro cabbage.
Speaker 1:One of the many things that we share.
Speaker 2:The Brassica family. You know, I'm hoping that those vegetables stay, the cabbage dish and I mean I think as far as the bar food vibe goes, you know the party melt is is a pretty, pretty strong winner and I kind of want to keep soup on the menu because I'm one of those people that eat soup all year long. And it's not really related to my award. I liked soup before that.
Speaker 1:And then and many people have never had an award-winning soup So-.
Speaker 2:Have you not been to Panera?
Speaker 1:Well, that's a good point, JK you should probably definitely air that yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I think the cabbage dish I mean seasonally things like okra and eggplant and I mean just everything. If I could just make vegetables all day, I'd be happy. The fried smoked mullet is a real favorite. I really never get tired of that. That came from the long just silvers event that we did Uh-huh and so, yeah, just keeping that on. I love shrimp, so usually I always have something with shrimp on and outside of that. I don't know, we'll see. I mean I hope everything just becomes brunch all the time.
Speaker 4:One of the things that I think is a really cool melding of you and Brent of Red Light's interest is this kind of like fermentation obsession. Oh, yep, the ferment fries. Yeah, so if people you know some people have not had the pleasure of eating the fermented fries yet.
Speaker 2:but yeah, and they were born again out of necessity because you know there's not a freezer there and you know, and then doing fresh cut fries, I was like, well, I don't really have a refrigerator either to store that. So, cutting the hand, cut the fries and then they get two day ferment with onions and then do your normal double fry and they just take on the flavor of the onion and sort of that a little bit of funk to them that just makes them a little bit different, and so things like that, with just things you know that are a little bit different, so keeping that going and other ferments, I think, yeah, that's where we cross paths a lot in his beverage world and the food world and hopefully getting some more crossover with that. I think when he does, the oyster goes and I picked all the oysters out and pickled those and that was a delight Because you know they only pop in there for a few minutes and then they were perfectly cooked and I was like, well, time to pickle them. And Brent's oyster story is very good. That's how we met, as he offered to show me how to shuck an oyster at a party and then later on I think Gabby introduced me and he felt very embarrassed, which I mean. I think it was fine. He tells the story way better, but I remember that night.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was like sure, thank you so much stranger. And then I was like I'm just gonna go over here and keep shucking. Well, going by the assumption that not many people have shucked oysters, I know he's so he'll get so embarrassed about it and I was like the majority of people do not know how to shuck an oyster and you know we're just at a backyard gig Like I would have also offered you know I would have been like do you need help with that?
Speaker 2:It's just funny that it was Brent explaining it to you I actually didn't even remember it when he told me, cause he didn't tell me that story until a couple, like probably right before we, you know, right when I signed on for the project and you know we do oysters with oyster Bob and he was just like I'm still so mortified and I was like about what? And he was like that day and I was like what day? And I didn't even you know, it didn't even clock in my brain. I was just like, oh okay, thanks, like that's polite of you.
Speaker 1:Holding on to that yeah.
Speaker 2:I was like for me, I was just like sweet, I didn't have to shuck that one. And then he's just like forever red faced about it. And so it's kind of fun.
Speaker 1:That's the thing we think that people remember something that we remember as well as we do, and that they're like holding on to it and really like most of the time, people don't you know they're not. They're not thinking about you in that way. Right, yeah, we've moved on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was just like good yeah.
Speaker 1:That's what. Gabby, did you have any other questions for Jess while we have her here? Questions, comments concerns you do such a great job. This is fun. We should co-host more often.
Speaker 4:I'm gonna Gabby explain something. Oh, some observations I've made.
Speaker 2:Well, all right. I like this.
Speaker 4:I think one of the reasons that you have fit so beautifully into this neighborhood and this food community is that you are very open, that you come from such a like diverse culinary background and because you, when you see opportunities to step in and help or collaborate, you take them. And I think about when you were doing fish tacos at the Monday night market at Audubon and it was just like, yeah, I think you just you know we have a great relationship with our friend, cynthia the fishmonger, who's been on this podcast as well, and I Of Wild Ocean Of.
Speaker 4:Wild Ocean Seafood. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 4:And I, you know, I don't exactly remember how it all unfolded, but it was kind of like a, an opportunity for people to better understand what was available locally and sometimes it was not the most expensive fish but and was more sustainable to bring in and more affordable, and but people were afraid to use it and you got to flex your culinary muscles and do something fun and casual and I see that a lot with you and a lot of a lot of the different kind of food businesses and other local businesses that you collaborate with, and I think that's a really important part of why you have become so beloved and sought after here, because you do see those opportunities that you create these amazing new relationships and these wonderful flavors and you take those opportunities to introduce eaters to new ways to experience food. I think it just keeps things really exciting and I am very excited about what you're going to be able to do with your own home base.
Speaker 2:I'm pretty excited to not be under a tent for a while.
Speaker 4:What's wrong with that? I mean.
Speaker 2:I love it, but also, well, thank you very much. That's also very kind. But yeah, I mean I didn't. I didn't get into cooking to be alone. So I mean collaborating with, with people is, you know, it's more fun to work on a dish together and and play around. And yeah, I think not being under the logistical constraints of can we do this in a parking lot should be exciting. I'm actually going to have to really switch my brain because it's it's been in like event mode and pop-up mode for for so long and it's like what can I do quickly on this piece of equipment for this event that's going to have this theme or what have you? So it's like custom menus. For 10 years now, there's very few things I've gotten to replicate, and so it'll be exciting to sort of expand on that, knowing that I have the equipment that I have and even down to simplifying shopping, because I can order in bigger amounts of things and run it more than one day.
Speaker 1:And you're not relying on the weather to cooperate. Right Like not having to factor that in Oops.
Speaker 2:I didn't think. You know, it's like it's always a guess. It's like oh, do I make like 20 of these or make a hundred of this Like, because you don't. You don't want to sell out and disappoint someone, but then you don't want to have to fiddle around with leftovers. But you know, now that it's it's running all the time it's, I think it'll be much easier to sort of manage those things. But it'll, it'll be a switch. I'm excited for it. I mean, in no way do I want to stop custom menus and those things. Like I'm excited to get into beer dinners, wine dinners, you know, special events, those things, because it is fun for me to do that. But it'll be nice and you make it.
Speaker 1:You make it fun too. Oh gosh, I think I wanted to add that, because I think Gaby left that out and that's such a crucial thing. It's making fun. You are so fun, you're a little silly, you're such a fun person and uh, yeah, I just, I see that with events that you're working, even when you're in the weeds, it's like you.
Speaker 1:You just always I know you've, you've, you've got it down, you know, and, of course of course I, you know, I I wanted to mention, you know, without getting too like personal or sentimental, um just in in 2020, when we did have a health problems I had kidney cancer and Gaby had um connective tissue disease.
Speaker 2:It was very rude of both of you trying to die on me in one year.
Speaker 1:We did have, uh our brush with death um in the same quarter at the end of 2020 and you, you were there as a friend in just so many ways, and just like the fact that Gaby had to change her diet up to make sure that the treatment was working to get her, you know, back in good health, which she is now, and so much of that we really do attribute to your being there and and assisting, because finding healthy foods that don't cause inflammation, going through the elimination diet, like figuring out what things should be kind of off off the menu for for this situation that we were in it can't be overstated, just like what a profound impact that had on our lives and I wanted to say thank you in this.
Speaker 2:You're very welcome, and I mean without that you wouldn't have found out that you were a little lad that loves berries and cream.
Speaker 1:That's true, we did find our obsession with cashew cream, and it's like the one recipe that I can make.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, you really stepped up to the plate there, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Yeah, we got to collaborate in the kitchen which, like I, am very unskilled in the kitchen and to have an opportunity.
Speaker 2:Well, I can't make a frozen pizza, but you can. I do have those skills, that's true, I am terrible at convenience food. I will ruin it. Yeah. Because I try to. I'm just like, oh, I know how to make a noodle, but it turns out it's all different and you know it's. It's not my strong suit.
Speaker 1:I just I can't get it down. What is it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think so. I don't. I just don't know. It took me years to be able to like make any smack and cheese, but I do it Like I do it now, where like I pour, like I measure the water, the noodle, put everything in and boil it all together because any excuse to skip using a colander. Colanders are so annoying to clean.
Speaker 1:They just make me crazy, and so I just and it can be dangerous too, so dangerous. Yeah. I don't are they, if you're, if you're trying to hold it, how heavy.
Speaker 2:Please go into detail about how colanders are dangerous.
Speaker 4:This is a referral to a very specific situation where a piece of metal poking out no, yours truly was still very much in the grips of myositis and meaning you could not grip. I did not have a lot of grip and it turns out that I was not in a position to be holding a colander while pouring. I see Hot liquids and did it?
Speaker 2:Did it? Whoopsie doodles yeah.
Speaker 4:So I think just all the pasta ended up in the sink, yeah.
Speaker 1:And it was a bad night for the pasta and for us. I mean just for everybody. Really, I don't know who had it worse, but colanders are dangerous.
Speaker 4:So anything is dangerous if you have the right condition.
Speaker 1:If yes, that's true, yeah, going back to what Mike said.
Speaker 4:Thank you for all those months that I couldn't even hold a knife.
Speaker 2:Yes, of course.
Speaker 4:I would do it all. Again, I would do it all again, so well.
Speaker 2:Yeah you know lentils, it was, it was fun.
Speaker 1:You're. You're kind of a lifesaver and we already knew the connection with food and health to be such a reality and to experience it in that very direct way so intensely for a time and just figuring out like meal planning for the week and how you managed to help us get through that, it just, it was so monumental and I could go on and on about it, but I will not but all is to say, jess, that you're very magical. We're not the only people that think that. Misty also thinks that she's staring at you.
Speaker 2:Very upset, I'm not petting her.
Speaker 1:I know this entire interview. She's just staring at Jess.
Speaker 2:She's gonna be more. I mean, that is the one sad thing that now that we're legally open, we can't have pup dogs in there anymore. Right, so yeah hopefully we can get that back patio a little more luxurious and still welcome our furry friends.
Speaker 1:Oh well, we'll party outside. For sure We'll be there.
Speaker 2:I mean in this weather.
Speaker 1:Uh huh, betcha, absolutely yeah. So by the time this airs, I think people will be experiencing your food.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hopefully we're rocking and rolling slowly but surely and then continue to expand.
Speaker 1:Well, jess, thank you again so much for taking the time to be here. The, the website and social media it's all tied to red light, right.
Speaker 2:We have any website coming, hopefully soon and excellent, but you also have.
Speaker 4:You also have an Instagram for Chef Jess Tantalo.
Speaker 2:Yep, my very poorly managed Instagram is there, and then obviously, red lights. So if anyone wants to manage my Instagram, just uh, just come on out.
Speaker 1:So many opportunities.
Speaker 2:Yeah, whatever payment you would like within reason, maybe some soup. How do you feel about cabbage A?
Speaker 4:award-winning soup.
Speaker 2:Award-winning fermented cabbage soup. Just kidding, that's just hot, sour crap which I'm not opposed to. Right.
Speaker 1:In any way Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Let me look at my notes and make sure that I didn't. I actually I actually took notes. I mean, yeah, I thought, I thought about this.
Speaker 2:I mean, how do you yeah, how do you interview someone that you already know so well?
Speaker 1:I know it's. It's a difficult thing.
Speaker 2:I guess it's weird to tell you things you technically already know.
Speaker 1:I know, and and for me to act surprised.
Speaker 2:I mean, I do have one question for you that. I have a burning desire to know. Okay, and it is. How often do you get a perm? Um it's because I've been considering one myself and I just didn't know what the upkeep was like.
Speaker 1:It would suit you. I think that maybe. Yeah, I'll send you the information from my person.
Speaker 2:I'm just curious.
Speaker 1:I can't give my secrets away, though, oh yeah, I knew it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was. Another fun part of being at Easton is that. You know, I was also free to do my own small business incubation, so tried some things out and was able to do some offsite catering or in-home catering, which was always, again, it's just fun when someone calls you and they're having a celebration and to be able to tailor the food to exactly what they're thinking. You know it's. It was always super fun, so hopefully I'll still get to that a little bit. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And cooking in home kitchens is always a fun challenge. You don't really know how other people's stoves are going to work. Yeah. So probably can't make frozen pizzas in those either, though Not good at that.
Speaker 1:Do people ever call you for chef jobs at their house to make frozen pizzas?
Speaker 2:No, but we almost started an on-demand Hollandaise business back in the day where you could call in within 30 minutes. I would come and make you Hollandaise, for you know your brunch needs, your lunch needs, your dinner needs.
Speaker 1:What would that be called?
Speaker 2:I don't know, but it makes me instantly sing the Madonna song. So unless you want that to be recorded, yeah. But anyway, that was. I mean I'm still considering starting it. It's a pretty viable business. I bring the eggs, the butter.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Do it live.
Speaker 1:Everybody needs Hollandaise and nobody wants to make it right.
Speaker 2:I mean, and it's not you know, it could also be Bernays. There's variations.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 2:So it doesn't stop there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everybody needs a side hustle too right.
Speaker 2:Especially when you're only working 10 to 12 hours in a kitchen every day, and then just what are you going to do with the rest of the day?
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Right on-demand Hollandaise.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's only like half the day, so you got the other half, all right, well.
Speaker 2:Well, maybe a little more difficult now that the price of eggs and butter have, but you know it's market price Hollandaise.
Speaker 1:We make our own eggs here in the backyard with our crazy chickens. So you know I mean they're very dysfunctional right now, but we sometimes get eggs from them still.
Speaker 2:That's nice. That's nice of them to contribute Sometimes, yeah, occasionally.
Speaker 4:That's I mean? Is that where, like Easter egg hunts came from? It's because, like for your range of chickens, just put eggs wherever they feel like it and then you have to walk around your yard hunting for eggs Just once a year, though it's just one big haul.
Speaker 1:It's all the time it's gotta be. Well, one thing we didn't talk about is how you got into food initially. Like what's like your first memory of a dish that changed things for you, or was there something? Was there a time, was there a meal or somebody that was cooking that you're like? That's something that I can see myself doing.
Speaker 2:I remember specifically the day that my dad was teaching me about garlic, because he would always make like a garlic spaghetti, like every Sunday. It was always like a big traditional breakfast and then all the football and then garlic spaghetti. I think it's allelia, but I'm not going to pronounce it right. So obviously my job was to peel the garlic, because that's the worst job. But I remember he was just giving me the entire spiel about how you know if you cook it too much, it burns and tastes bad. And just I remember being on a step stool, just like watching the bubbles, and he was like, do you see the bubbles in the oil? He's like this is the speed of the bubbles, and so it's one of that same thing. He wasn't like hey, turn the stove onto three. He was like you have to monitor the bubbles. And so that first sort of discussing technique versus just a followed recipe.
Speaker 1:How old were you? Roughly Gosh we lived.
Speaker 2:I know we lived in Greensboro, which means I was somewhere between. I was probably like fourth, fifth grade, something like that, but yeah, that's something that just like stuck in my brain of just the controlled temperature of it. But I mean we pretty much cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner at the house, so it was just very normal to just be cooking. As soon as you know, it was never really just like a bowl of cereal, it was like usually at least oatmeal and a grapefruit or like the whole. Every meal was a meal. Just even packing our lunches, whatever it was, it was never really the more simple food, it was always just components and or leftover dinners, which was super weird. When you're a kid definitely get made in front of for bringing leftovers, like last night's dinner, Like when is that?
Speaker 1:I mean that sounds great, I mean I loved it. I mean I was thrilled.
Speaker 2:We never did like a kid's menu thing, it was just, but we were always cooking at home and you could either eat that or you could go to bed, so I think. But I don't remember being a very picky eater, except I remember there was a curry my mom used to make that I would. I would literally have tears in my eyes. I hated it so bad, which is so weird, because it was like a lentil curry too, and I mean lentils are arguably one of my favorite things. I mean, beans are my very favorite things. But I don't, I couldn't even tell you why I didn't like it, because you know it's, it was delicious, but at the time I hated it and I would cry when I would come home and like smell the curry because I liked other curries. I don't know if it was. Did you feel like you?
Speaker 1:could have made it better, though it's probably it was like mom seriously, yeah, no, I would everything else. I make an award winning lentil curry mom. I don't like in the future, like yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna tell you why I didn't like it. Like, don't have any recollection of why, because I mean, what's not to like?
Speaker 1:there was other curry things that I thought were fantastic, so I don't know what it was, but but you, you have that very emotional response to food that was foundational to who you are and why you do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think a lot of it doesn't feel like work to me. I mean I I originally I had no idea I was going to go into food, just in school, like I was huge in, you know, art classes, like always very creative per se, but I was. You know, I loved painting, drawing, but I was more about pottery or or building like a sculpturey things.
Speaker 1:So definitely very busy with my hands and but that tactile, like hands on the coordination that the actual doing the seeing results from something that you're physically doing. That's like a big part of it as well.
Speaker 2:I think so. And then somewhere in high school I I started sort of fiddling around in the kitchen. My first job I was, you know, a server at a little burger joint, and even then I didn't think it or wasn't like, ooh, I wish I was back there making that burger. Like I didn't care, like it was interesting to learn about it, cause, you know, I just had no grasp of food service and because we went out to eat so seldom I mean, a handful of times a year was almost never. So like restaurants were just this big mystery to me.
Speaker 2:So working in one I was like, oh, I didn't know you could get bags of ketchup, you know, just like it was this whole new. You know, I'm like 15 and you're just like, what, what, what is that Like? You can get, like what you know. You've only ever been to a grocery store and I just remember unpackaging this like this utter of ketchup, and you put it in this wall thing and then that's how you like fill the ketchup bottles, which you know not. I was just like, wow, that's so. Then with the mustard, it always came in the bottle and I was like, why, why isn't there an utter of ketchup? I don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love how you call it an utter. Yeah, it was very gross. Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I remember it was just quite tall and quite heavy and I remember when it, if it was my shift to do it, it was, I was always struggling. I was like oh, because if you missed the little, I dropped it once.
Speaker 1:Did the bag, did the utter break?
Speaker 2:Luckily it broken away or it wasn't like a complete splatter mess. But also, you know, I was terrified I couldn't clean it up fast enough. And then I was like what am I going to do? Just be like oh, we're suddenly out of ketchup that you can prove that you just ordered. But yeah, even then I didn't realize. And then we moved from North Carolina down here halfway through my junior year of high school and that was a delight, it wasn't. No.
Speaker 1:So kids, kids are terrible and kids that you don't know are the worst.
Speaker 2:Right, I had already been to three elementary schools, two middle schools and I was supposed to finish high school in one spot but did not. So I finished high school here and I ended up getting a job at like a wing house, because that was. I mean, I had server experience. So I became a cashier somewhere and even then, like to no interest, Like I also thought I was like, oh, that's how you make thousands of chicken wings. And then I remember watching them made the onion rings and I was like, oh, you know, cause just things that I, I mean I never really ate those things because we never went out.
Speaker 2:So, like fried food was just a mystery to me and I had somewhere in my senior year I just started like fiddling around at home, like on the weekends. I think I tried to make biscuits one day and I remember reading this Betty Crocker cookbook that was, you know, like old, like the two inch thick, like yellowy one. And I was like yeah, biscuits can be that hard.
Speaker 1:Only the best food in there, right.
Speaker 2:And I remember seeing it's like drop biscuits versus like the roll out and I was like that they're probably you probably don't need to do all those steps. So I remember like I just made, I made like a weird, I have like a pancake situation and I was like it's got all got the same stuff in it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2:I was like I don't think I really need to go through rolling this out, like anyway, it was disgusting, it was a disaster, and I promptly, I think I threw it away and then also was like well, mom's going to notice the missing flower. But and then there was just this like switch that happened where I stopped sort of doing all of the art world things I was doing and began fiddling in the kitchen more, and then I just couldn't really stop in, I don't know. And then I was waiting table somewhere else and decided I was going to culinary school and I couldn't tell you the pinpointed day, like it's all a blur. And then all of a sudden I was just trying to get into the back of house and then I made the biggest financial mistake of my life going to culinary school. Yeah, why is that?
Speaker 1:I mean, it's just it was unnecessary to where you were going, or I mean it's just crazy expensive.
Speaker 2:And I, you know, I got trapped in one of those like crazy Sally May loans where they're like we can make the interest rate whatever we want, are you cool with that? And I was like, yeah, I'm 18. I'm not sure exactly what that means. I'll sign. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:But you know, it was great for networking. It was great because you get to make everything once. But then you know, you still don't really know what you're doing. But I was lucky enough to work with some, some chefs that did and yeah, I just I couldn't, I couldn't stop once I started, and even when the universe decided to stop me, yeah. And they were like you sit in this chair. And I was like I don't want to.
Speaker 1:Could not be stopped.
Speaker 2:Could not, couldn't do it, so hopefully it uh it it still works and it's still fun, but it hasn't hasn't lost it's it's fun yet, like I, I'm one of the you know I still could get home, but that's because I have the time, so we'll see where that goes. Um yeah, it's just fun. It doesn't feel like work to me.
Speaker 1:That's the, that's the goal, I mean, if you can find that thing and make a living out of that, something that you, you love that much and that other people appreciate and it kind of sort of that. That loop it like feeds, it gives you the energy that you need to keep doing it and you're drawn to it so much that you'll just keep doing that forever.
Speaker 2:Hopefully.
Speaker 1:I think so We'll see I mean we've we've seen a decade of it so far.
Speaker 2:True.
Speaker 1:And, uh, we like what we see it's like. Well, jess, again this has been a real pleasure and and very awkward also, just because we know you so well, it's very weird, um, even just talking to you in this way.
Speaker 2:Like you already know this answer Uh-huh. Uh-huh, but I'm also very forgetful, so some of those things were like all the chemicals too many perms I think maybe it's yeah you should maybe lay off getting perms? I don't think so. Okay, but.
Speaker 1:I mean I, I think I had different hairstyle, I don't know Maybe. I did have dreadlocks once and it was very regrettable yeah. I mean I, if I could take it back, I would. I'm getting the look from Gabby, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh, so did you have any other questions for me?
Speaker 2:Um, I don't think so. That was just the one, the one burning question. Yeah, gabby, do you have any questions?
Speaker 1:for me. For you. Yeah, is there anything you'd like to know?
Speaker 4:about me. No, I'm married to you, I know everything.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 2:I know most things Right, I would say arguably.
Speaker 1:I know it's true. Well, I think this is a good wrapping up point, and, uh, so everybody go to red light red light and eat Jess's food and say hi to her in her little kitchen window.
Speaker 4:Uh-huh Drink, drink some of the beer that that they make there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, drink their delicious beers that they brew in house. I, I need to do a new uh ad for for red light. In fact, now that, um, red light is a sponsor, it doesn't sway my opinion, uh, one way or the other on this. You know I'm very neutral about this podcasting thing. Um, but uh, but yeah, thank you for red light sponsorship and we look forward to seeing you there.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:It checks out Correct, all right. Well, we'll see you around.
Speaker 2:Okay, see you.
Speaker 1:Okay, bye.
Speaker 2:Bye, bye, then, hello.
Speaker 1:APGD, a neighborhood podcast, is brought to you in part by Stardust Video and Coffee, audubon Park's beloved neighborhood cafe, bakery, bar and meeting place, located at 1842 East Winner Park Road. Our theme song is by Christopher Pierce, and special thanks to Trey Hester for all his help in making this podcast a reality. This episode is brought to you in part by Audubon Park Community Market. Join us every Monday from five to eight PM, rain or shine, in the parking lot of Stardust Video and Coffee. This weekly gathering of makers farmers, gardeners, fishmongers, ranchers, artisans, entrepreneurs, neighbors and friends brings the very best of Central Florida to you every week. We do hope you enjoyed this episode. If so, please click subscribe and leave a review if you'd like. We'll see you next time.
