EP 60: To The Last Bite – Minimizing Food Waste and Savoring Every Flavor with Alexis DeBoschnek

Image of Alexis DeBoschnek holding a basket of flowers and looking down in a field of wildflowers

This week, I’m speaking with Alexis DeBoschnek. Alexis is a recipe developer and has hosted various cooking shows, including her own show called Chef Out of Water on Buzzfeed’s Tasty. Last year, she came out with her first book called To The Last Bite, which is a cookbook full of delicious, seasonal recipes that feature ingredient suggestions and tips that aim to reduce food waste. Before going freelance she was the Senior Test Kitchen Manager at BuzzFeed’s Tasty. She has contributed recipes to Food52, The Kitchn, Chowhound, and Tasting Table.

In this episode we discuss: Alexis relationship to nature as a child growing up in upstate NY, what led her to develop an interest in cooking, the key element of her cookbook that is absent from most other cookbooks, a vegetable that you can regrow very easily, the first step anyone can take to reduce food waste, and the complicated process of letting a personal and creative project out into the world.

If you’re a city person who is curious about rural living, this episode is for you. If you’re a budding home cook interested in being more intentional about the ingredients you use, this episode is for you. If you’re interested in reducing food waste as a way to make an impact, this episode is for you.

Resources

Show Notes

What it was like to grow up in upstate NY
Alexis’ journey from fashion school to the world of food
How to be more intentional with the food we purchase in order to reduce food waste
An invitation to grow a victory garden and how that can transform your relationship with food
An example of two vegetables that you can easily regrow
Why food waste is an issue we all should be thinking more about
What/how each of us can begin to reduce food waste
The two ways to use Alexis’ cookbook and the how the structure supports a systematic approach to cooking and eating
What it’s like to put something out into the world that’s so personal to you
The experience of returning to the land that shaped her and what it’s like to live in a rural community
What community looks like for Alexis
Tips for the beginner cook
The last fives questions