On the Table with Ashley

Hosted by Âme Atendre

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About the show

On the Table with Ashley is a podcast presented by luxury home goods brand, Âme Atendre. Join host Ashley Gould as she speaks with thought provoking individuals on their varied life experiences and professions. On the Table with Ashley covers any topic we can put on the table, with the goal of increasing human connection through curiosity, respect and understanding.

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60 recent

1 hr 10 min

Food and Connection Series: From the Dead Sea to the Dinner Table with Alphonse Griger

Culinary trends and dining connections are on the table todayFor the seventh episode of our food and connection series, we are joined by Alphonse Griger. Alphonse Griger is a chef and culinary innovator whose career has spanned restaurant kitchens, culinary research, and food and beverage development. He studied at Johnson & Wales University, graduating in 2019, and has worked in Chicago’s culinary industry as a line cook, research and development chef, and sous chef. He is part of the team behind Chicago’s Class Act and Nightcap, an immersive fine-dining and cocktail experience.Alphonse joins us to explore what it means to be a Research and Development chef, revealing how the addition of just one simple ingredient can transform a dish, captivate audiences, and even help kickstart new culinary trends. He also takes us inside the world of Class Act and Nightcap, discussing how the experience came to be and what it has taught him about hospitality, food, and human connection. What results is a deeper understanding of what it means to break bread with strangers and loved ones alike, revealing how food can unite across families, cities and countries.Listen to the full episode, out now on your favorite podcast platform. Check out Class Act and Nightcap in Chicago.Follow Alphonse on Instagram.Read The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field by Mike Michalowicz.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

58 min

Food and Connection Series: Teaching the Next Generation to Grow their Own Food with Anton Van Schaik

Growing your own food is on the table today!On the sixth episode of On the Table with Ashley, we are joined by Anton Van Schaik, a Pitzer College graduate with a degree in Food and Agricultural Studies. For the past three years, Anton has worked with the CalFresh Healthy Living Program as an Urban Gardener and Educator, planting community gardens at schools, teaching students how to grow their own food, and leading free nutrition education classes in low-income communities.Anton joins Ashley to discuss the gardens he's built alongside students, the often-overlooked labor behind the food we eat, and how growing our own food can deepen our connection to the land, our communities, and each other.The result is a conversation that reminds us to slow down and savor every bite, because within every bite is a story of people, place, and care.Listen to the full episode, out now, on your favorite podcast platform.Learn more about CalFresh Healthy living here.Read The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden here.Read Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi.Read Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi.Read Martyr by Kaveh Akbar.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

1 hr 0 min

Food and Connection Series: The Cafe Fighting Food Insecurity with Kirsten Levitt

Pay What You Can is on the table today!On the fifth episode of our Food & Connection series, we're joined by Kirsten Levitt, Executive Director and Executive Chef of Stone Soup Cafe. Stone Soup Cafe is a nonprofit, pay-what-you-can community café in Greenfield, Massachusetts, dedicated to bringing people together through healthy, nourishing meals. Its mission is simple yet transformative: to ensure everyone has access to a meal regardless of their ability to pay, while fostering dignity, belonging, and food security within the community.Kirsten joins Ashley to share the mission and vision behind Stone Soup Cafe, exploring how its founders grounded the organization in the principles of Socially Engaged Buddhism. She discusses the community they've cultivated, the philosophy behind the café's mutual aid model, the impact of its solidarity workshops, and her vision for expanding this nonprofit. The result is a conversation that reminds us of the extraordinary power of a shared meal, and how something as simple as gathering around a table can help change the world. Throughout this series, we've explored how food can strengthen family bonds, connect complete strangers, and now, serve as a powerful tool in addressing food insecurity and building more resilient communities.Listen to the full episode, out now on your favorite podcast platform.Learn more about Stone Soup Cafe.Read about The History of Stone Soup Cafe.Read Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) by Dean Spade.Read Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss.Read McElligot's Pool by Dr.Seuss.Read The Clan of the Cave Bear: Earth's Children, Book One by Jean M. Auel.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

53 min

Food and Connection Series: The Dinner Party Where Everyone is a Stranger with Katy Syme

Dinner parties are on the table!On the third episode of our Food & Connection series, we are joined by Katy Syme.After spending more than 13 years working in fashion, Katy traveled extensively and explored countless cuisines, deepening her love of food, hospitality, and bringing people together. In 2023, she founded Symeski Made Dinner, a supper club created to connect strangers over family-style meals and meaningful conversation. Since then, she has welcomed more than 100 guests and expanded her events to include private dinners, large gatherings, and community experiences. In this episode, Katy and Ashley explore the beauty of finding connection among strangers. They discuss the inspiration behind her supper club, why food has long served as a centerpiece for community, and the meaningful relationships that can emerge when we choose to put ourselves out there, whether by sharing a home-cooked meal with strangers or gathering intentionally with friends.Listen to the full episode, now streaming on your favorite podcast platform.Read On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean VuongListen to Ghost of a PodcastRead Mary Oliver’s PoetryLearn more about Katy’s Supper ClubsFollow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

1 hr 0 min

Bonus Re-Release: Dr. Hoby Wedler – Blind Entrepreneur. Smell. Feel. Listen: Sensory Design and Learning How to Become Literate in Our Non-Visual Senses.

Today, we have an abbreviated bonus re-release of our episode with Dr. Hoby Wedler.On the table today we have a conversation at the intersection of organic chemistry, design excellence, food and the curious joys and complexities of moving through the world as a non-sighted person. Dr. Hoby Wedler received his PhD in Organic Chemistry in 2016 from UC Davis and has since started many businesses, including a gourmet seasonings company called Hoby’s Essentials and Sensepoint, a creative marketing firm that specializes in innovative design thinking and guides clients towards effective solutions that have a positive impact on the world. He joins Ashley to talk about his life and experience as someone who has been blind since birth, and how that contributes to his uniquely passionate, genuinely curious and deeply thoughtful practice as a chemist, a teacher, consultant and founder. Hoby imbues food, science, design and design thinking with both a highly specialized and sincerely personal approach. You can connect with Dr. Hoby Wedler on Linkedin. You can learn more about Hoby and his work at www.hobywedler.com. Hoby is on Instagram @hobywedler and can be reached over email hoby@hobywedler.com.Links to projects and businesses that Hoby has founded or is involved with:SENSPOINT - Full service marketing and creative strategy and production. Hoby's Essentials - Create flavors to enhance the moments that matter.EMOTITECH - Specializes in empathetic design backed by affective tech data. Wedland Group - Transforming businesses through innovative consulting services in food, accessibility, and sensory perceptionLinks to topics mentioned by Ashley and Hoby in today’s episode: Hoby’s Tedx TalkThe Splendid Table The Splendid Table episode hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynne Rossetto KasperLink to the Ivory Mugs, Wooden Serving Spoons and Strawberry Rhubarb Jam gifted to Hoby and offered by Âme Atendre. Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram @onthetablewithashleyOn the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.Follow Âme Atendre on Instagram @amatendre

1 hr 6 min

Food and Connection Series: Food as a Form of Communication with Ken Albala Ph.D.

Preserving the Family Meal is on the Table Today!On the second episode of our Food and Connection Series, we are joined by Dr. Ken Albala. Ken Albala is a Tully Knoles Endowed Professor of History at the University of the Pacific, where he received the Distinguished Faculty Award for 2023. He has published 29 books on food including academic monographs, single subject food histories, cookbooks, encyclopedias, handbooks, anthologies, translations and is now working on an Atlas of Fermentation. He did three video/audio series for The Great Courses, Food: A Cultural Culinary History, Cooking Across the Ages and A History of Bourbon on Audible. He was coeditor of the journal Food, Culture and Society and series editor for several publishers, having edited over a hundred titles in the past two decades. His latest books are The Great Gelatin Revival, A Century in Stockton and a cookbook titled Opulent Nosh. Ken joins Ashley for a conversation about the importance of food and the role it plays in fostering connection. Together, they discuss their shared love of cooking and hosting, as well as Ken’s extensive research into the anthropological significance of sharing meals and gathering around the table.In this conversation, Ken examines how the modern food industry has reinforced a culture of convenience over connection and explores how we can actively resist that trend. He shares stories from his annual 30+ person Thanksgiving gatherings and reflects on the ways food creates opportunities for experimentation and discovery, whether that means cooking opossum for a large dinner party or exploring the endless possibilities of gelatin.Ultimately, Ken reminds us of the value of eating with intention, cooking what you love, and finding joy in the meals you share with others.You can listen to the full episode, out now on your favorite podcast platform. Resources:Read Beans: A History by Ken Albala.Read The Great Gelatin Revival: Savory Aspics, Jiggly Shots, and Outrageous Desserts.Read Food Courses of the World Encyclopedia by Ken Albala.Read The Lost Art of Real Cooking: Rediscovering the Pleasures of Traditional Food. One Recipe at a Time: A Cookbook by Ken Albala and Rosana Nafziger Henderson.Read Opulent Nosh: A Cookbook for Audacious Appetites by Ken Albala.Read At The Table: Food and Families Around the World by Ken Albala.Read The Journal of Food, Culture and Society.Read Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni.Read The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julie Rosso.Read Table Talk: Building Democracy One Meal at a Time by Janet Flammang.Read Opera (1605) by Bartolomeo Scappi.Read The Art of Cooking, Pie Making, Pastry Making, and Preserving by Francisco Montino (English Translation by Carolyn A Nadeau).Follow Ken Albala on Instagram and BlogSpot.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

48 min

Food and Connection Series: Why Smell Shapes Everything We Eat with Rachel Herz, Ph.D.

Smell is on the table today! For the inaugural episode of our Food and Connection series, we are joined by Rachel Herz, Ph.D. Rachel Herz, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and world leading expert on the psychological science of smell. She has been conducting research on the senses of smell and taste, emotion, motivated behavior and cognition since 1990. Dr. Herz. has been on the faculty at Brown University since 2000 and is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, and teaches a seminar course on olfaction in the CoPsy department. Dr. Herz is the newly elected President of the International Society of Neurogastonomy. Her most recent book Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food explores how our senses, brain and psychology shape our perception of food, and the experiences and consequences of eating. Why You Eat What You Eat was a finalist for the “2018 Readable Feast Awards” and listed among the “Best Food Books of 2018” by The Smithsonian and The New Yorker.Dr.Herz joins us to discuss what may be the most important, yet often overlooked, aspect of eating: smell. As an olfactory researcher, Rachel explains the ways our sense of smell shapes pleasure, taste, memory, and even overall health. Together, Dr.Herz and Ashley explore food intolerances, including neophobia and picky eating, while examining how cultural differences influence the flavors and aromas we grow to love. The result is a fascinating conversation that highlights the power of our senses and sets the stage for a compelling season exploring food, culture, and human connection.Learn more about Rachel’s work. Follow Rachel Herz on Instagram. Read Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind our Relationship with Food by Rachel Herz.Read That’s Disgusting: Unraveling the Mysteries of Repulsion by Rachel Herz.Read The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell by Rachel Herz.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

47 min

Bonus Re-Release: From Chaos to Calm: Unpacking Home Organization with Emily Schum Terry & Ann Martin of “Get Organized”

Today, we have an abbreviated, bonus re-release of our episode with Ann Martin and Emily Schum Terry of Get Organized.In this episode we’re joined by Ann Martin and Emily Schum Terry of lifestyle organization service “Get Organized”. Ann and Emily work with clients to evaluate, simplify and develop sustainable organizing solutions for their lives and homes. Whether it be preparing a home for the market, developing repeatable and accessible organizing systems within a home or going room by room sorting, decluttering and purging, “Get Organized” helps people through the process of letting go.They join Ashley to talk about their journey into the world of home organizing, Ann coming from a background in merchandising and psychology and Emily in forensic investigations. They share a bit about what their “decluttering” process looks like, why decluttering can be such an emotional process and how hiring a professional can help alleviate the stress.They discuss ways of building effective organizing solutions that don’t hurt your wallet, trends in the organizing space, how to strike a balance between collecting fewer better things and letting go of everything else. Ann and Emily also cover why organizing and purging a home, whether it be a single room or the entire house, is a unique, emotional and ultimately freeing process. You can learn more about Ann, Emily and Get Organized on their website. Get Organized is on Instagram @getorganizedpc and Facebook at Get Organized PC. You can email Emily and Ann at emily@getorganziedpc.com and ann@getorganizedpc.com. Links to topics mentioned by Ashley, Ann and Emily in today’s episode: Fewer, Better Things by Glenn AdamsonThe Art of Gathering by Priya ParkerJennifer Johnson’s @theorderlyspace @horderlyRía Safford’s @riorganizeLink to the Crystal Tumblers and Red Oak Serving Board gifted to Emily and Ann and offered by Âme Atendre. Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram @onthetablewithashleyOn the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

1 hr 2 min

Death Rituals Series: Chevra Kadisha with Gail Rubin

Chevra Kadisha is On the Table Today. For the final episode of our Death Rituals series, we’re joined by death educator Gail Rubin.Gail Rubin is an American author, speaker, and Certified Thanatologist known for helping people have more open, less intimidating conversations about death and end-of-life planning. Often called “The Doyenne of Death,” she uses humor, films, and practical tools to make a traditionally taboo topic more approachable. She is the author of A Good Goodbye and Kicking the Bucket List, guiding people through funeral planning and getting their affairs in order. Based in Albuquerque, she is also a leading voice behind the Death Café movement in the U.S., encouraging honest discussions about mortality.Gail joins On the Table with Ashley to explore the longstanding Jewish tradition of Hevra Kadisha - its origins, meaning, and purpose - to share how this practice has shaped her own grief journey. She opens up about navigating loss, from grief counseling to psychedelic-assisted therapy, and the ways she has leaned on community to heal and move forward.The conversation closes with a powerful reminder about the importance of preparing for and talking about death, echoing Gail’s well-known line: “Talking about sex won’t make you pregnant; talking about funerals won’t make you dead.”The result is a deeply vulnerable and thoughtful reflection on death rituals; what they are, why they matter, and why we need to talk about them.Listen to the full episode, out now on your favorite podcast platformVisit Gail Rubin’s Website.Read A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those who Don’t Plan to Die by Gail Rubin.Read Kicking the Bucket List: 100 Downsizing & Organizing Things To Do Before You Die by Gail RubinRead Hail and Farewell- Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips By Gail Rubin and Susan Fraser.Buy 98.6 Mortality Movies to See Before you Die by Gail Rubin on presale.Read Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin DoughtyRead Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: And Other Questions About Dead Bodies by Caitlin DoughtyRead From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin DoughtyWatch Jewish Funeral Traditions on Film: a Presentation by Gail Rubin.Learn More About The 6 R’s Model of Mourning by Therese Rando.Learn More About Before I Die Festivals.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

1 hr 5 min

Death Rituals Series: History of the American Funeral with Todd Harra

For the sixth episode of our death rituals series, we are joined by Todd Harra. Todd is the co-author of the Amazon bestselling books Mortuary Confidential: Undertakers Spill the Dirt and Over Our Dead Bodies: Undertakers Lift the Lid, as well as the Clip Undertaker Mystery Series. More recently, he authored the funeral history book Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral. Todd works for his family’s business, McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory, where he serves as a funeral director, embalmer, post-mortem reconstructionist, and cremationist. In addition, Todd is an associate editor for Southern Calls Magazine, The Journal of the Funeral Profession.Todd joins us to discuss the long and ever-evolving history of the American funeral, exploring the social and cultural contexts in which many of the death rituals we now consider commonplace were created and transformed over time. Drawing on his family’s long history in funeral service as an anchor, Todd examines the development of practices such as embalming and cremation, and reflects on how shifts in American culture continue to reshape the ways we mourn our dead. The result is a fascinating and informative conversation that highlights the enduring importance of ceremonially honoring those who have passed.Listen to the full episode, out now on your favorite podcast platform. Read Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral by Todd Harra.Read Mortuary Confidential: Undertakers Spill the Dirt by Todd Harra.Read Over Our Dead Bodies:Undertakers Lift the Lid by Todd Harra.Read Patient Zero by Todd Harra.Learn more about McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory.Learn more about Todd Harra.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters.

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