Food & Drink

Jennifer Fear Zavala: Punk Rock Chef, Top Chef Alum, South Philly Instigator, Tamale Queen

October 29, 2018 Food & Drink 38:32

Jennifer Zavala showed up in Philly in 2007, and not long after appeared on Top Chef, preparing seitan at a time when most people (including the judges) didn’t even know what it was. She bounced around various kitchens, from El Camino Real to The Farmer’s Cabinet to Xochitl, before deciding on something way more punk rock: illegal tamale trucks, cannabis cooking, and vegan meatballs.

In this episode, Jennifer shares her journey of going from cooking for Ozzy Osbourne and OzzFest to arriving in Philadelphia. She tells the story of the infamous meatball debacle of 2017, when she received actual death threats for preparing vegan meatballs for a South Philly meatball contest, and introduces us to the term “gentrification balls”. She also recalls how she helped to take down a South Philly residential burglary ring after someone robbed her house that you’ll have to hear to believe. And she talks illegal tamales trucks, her cannabis catering events and what her future holds.

Jennifer Zavala is as punk rock as it gets, and this is an awesome episode. She’s a strong woman who refuses to play by anyone’s rules but her own, all while setting an example of hard work and relentlessness for her son. Be sure to tune in.

This episode was recorded at the Black Cat Tavern on 12th, which is at 2654 S 12th St (12th & Oregon). Black Cat had a great neighborhood vibe with a solid selection of beers and whiskey. If you don’t live in the area, it’s a great pre-post stop after events at the sports complex.

LINKS:

Jennifer Fear Zavala:Twitter/Instagram/J Zavala Catering

Black Cat Tavern on 12th: Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Home

Fergus “Fergie” Carey: Philly’s Unofficial Mayor

October 15, 2018 Food & Drink 00:32:50

There are few bigger legends in Philadelphia than Fergus “Fergie” Carey. An Irish immigrant who moved here in his early 20s and bartended at McGlinchey’s, in 1994 he and his friend Wajih Abed opened the first new bar to be opened in Philly in years. Named Fergie’s, it would help set off a bar and restaurant Renaissance that Philly is still enjoying almost a quarter of a century later. Three years later, he opened Monk’s Tavern, the first Belgian bar in the city, introducing Philadelphians to new styles of beer they had never tried before. He is also part owner of the Belgian Cafe in the Art Museum area and Grace Tavern in the Graduate Hospital area.  

In this episode of the Philly Blunt, we talk to Fergie about his days managing Burgerland in Dublin (“You learn that you ain’t managing the walls and the equipment, you’re managing the people.”), his first 24 hours in Philly (“I arrived at Philadelphia at 8 pm on a Saturday night, and by 9 am on Sunday morning I was working in the Cherry Hill Mall at a taco restaurant called El Taco Grande.”), and whether he would ever run for Mayor (“I was always a fan of the two party system: Friday and Saturday.”) This is a wide ranging and hilarious interview. Enjoy!

Fergie’s Pub links: Facebook/Twitter/Instagram