018 Culinary Connections with Abby O'Connell

(00:54) What happens when a photo of a Reese's dessert in Atlantic City sparks a journey into Pittsburgh's food scene? Abby O'Connell, the vibrant food influencer behind foodismysavior_PGH, joins us to share her story. Hear about her passion for supporting local businesses, her Instagram evolution, and the unique camaraderie amongst food influencers. Abby also teases her preparations for an upcoming marathon with Turner's Dairy and a CrossFit competition in Florida, underscoring her commitment to both food and fitness.

(11:34) Listeners will get a taste of Abby's personal life as she describes cooking at home with her fiancé Zakota and their adventures at dog-friendly spots, along with a transition from teaching to a dynamic career in social media and paid advertising, providing invaluable insight for aspiring influencers. She also introduces us to some offbeat dining experiences, including Wei Lai Dim Sum in North Hills and Pasha in Shadyside, perfect for those seeking new culinary adventures.

(22:34) We switch gears with Alekka Sweeney, who shares her latest coffee house delight, a savory breakfast bake from Potomac Station Coffeehouse. Then, Chef Jon Lloyd takes center stage, revealing his reverse sear technique for steak and his journey from hobbyist to professional chef during the pandemic. Don't miss Chef Jon's private chef services and cooking demonstrations, and join us next week for more delightful culinary adventures. 

Transcript

Doug: 0:01

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Dish. I'm your host, Doug Heilman. Looking for a dog-friendly spot for your summer drinking and light dining? We catch up with Abby O'Connell and see where she's convening with her corgi. Looking for some delicious breakfast items to go with your morning coffee? We have just the spot over in Dormont. And why does this chef love the reverse sear method? We'll hear a little bit more about it in our recipe of the week. All that ahead, stay tuned. This week's episode is supported by Chip and Kale plant-based meals. Find out more about how their service works on their website at chipandkalecom. It's not a subscription and the menus change frequently. Again, that's chipandkalecom. Now on to the show. So thanks for coming over and thanks for being on the show. Would you introduce yourself and what you have going on right now in food?

Abby: 1:04

Yeah, hi, I'm Abby O'Connell. I run the Instagram page foodismysavior, underscore PGH. Right now, I am really just focusing on, you know, supporting local businesses. My biggest goal is running a marathon in November.

Doug: 1:21

Wow, yeah, congratulations. I've never done that, thank you.

Abby: 1:25

It'll be my first one. I did run track at Duquesne, so a little bit of background, but not this kind of distance. And I'll be doing it with Turner's. They're actually a sponsor there.

Doug: 1:38

Turner's Dairy if nobody is living under a rock here in Pittsburgh.

Abby: 1:42

Yes, yes, them for sure and a few other things I am kind of getting ready for is I'm going to Florida in June to do a CrossFit competition and there I'm really excited to kind of explore Florida's food scene. But up in Pittsburgh I am really just excited to get into summer foods and going to a lot of breweries and exploring everything new in Pittsburgh yes, absolutely.

Doug: 2:10

I'm waiting for those warmer summer months as well, me too. So, Abby, take, take me back to when you started the food thing you do on social media. Like how long ago and how did it get started?

Abby: 2:23

Yeah, so I think I've been saying five years, but now it's actually probably closer to eight years, so a little too long at this point. But it really started when I was in Atlantic City with my mom and I think we were celebrating her 50th birthday. I took her out to a nice little restaurant and there was, at this point, not really that appealing of a dessert, but I thought it was beautiful. It had Reese's pieces on top, so I took a picture of it and she was like you love to take pictures of food, why don't you, you know, put them out there? I've been seeing that a lot. So I actually started the Instagram that night and my first picture is still that Reesey dessert.

Abby: 3:08

And from that, um, I just kept posting consistently. I didn't tell any of my friends for a really really long time cause I was kind of embarrassed. Oh, wow and uh, it just took off then, you know, getting to meet a lot of people that you know we still get to do as foodies and made a lot of friends Alex Star, shannon, from like the start and really a lot of them have still been doing this and going strong, yeah, and so, if folks don't know, we're talking about Alex of Alex Eats Too Much much, who's also been on the show.

Doug: 3:44

Star is known gormandburgh and she does a lot of table, yeah, table magazine. And then who was the third person?

Abby: 3:52

um Shannon, who started as Daly plates oh yes daily. Yeah, it's branched into, I think, revive marketing too.

Doug: 4:02

Okay, yeah so you have been going strong since the nascent days of Instagram, really.

Abby: 4:08

Yeah, Back when static posts were a thing and I guess they're still a thing, but that was all you could really do. No carousels video, all the tough stuff now.

Doug: 4:20

So Abby I am trying to think of the first time that we met, and I think it was through something that Alex Goodstein put together. It was at the Commoner, probably, I want to say 2018 or 19. Yeah, I have to say like for me that night meeting all of these other people that are doing the things that we do it was validating Because, like you were saying with some of your friends when you started the account, I don't know if I told that many people that I was doing all this, like Doug cooking stuff at the time. So thank you so much for making it welcoming and normalizing this strange passion we have for taking pictures of our food.

Abby: 5:06

Yeah, I think when we all get together and go somewhere, it's like you said it's very enlightening to know that there are others out there who appreciate well-plated food.

Doug: 5:19

I also think that we're at an advantage in terms of the content that we do create, because we have gone to restaurants together and then we're sitting down and we're having a meal. So, yeah, sure, we took some pictures and, you know, some of them are fun and goofy or up close all the beauty shots, lights come out, things like that but then we actually sit down and eat the food and talk to one another and have a conversation, and I think that's the best way to connect with other people. I think about other types of influencers and I don't know if they actually have that opportunity, unless they plan a meal out.

Abby: 5:51

It's sort of baked into what we do, which is so great, and I think too, with that we get to oftentimes like meet the owner of a restaurant or the manager and they get to sit down and have a meal or you know, talk to you about what they're doing and kind of gives you a new perspective of the place. It helps you. You know post about them and give everyone a new perspective.

Doug: 6:15

I completely agree. It humanizes them. You hear their story. It makes the meal like so much better and I truly feel like everything that I post. I've met all the owners and it's authentic. I really want to post that food because it was good and it's there's a great story behind it little bit about the response from restaurants or businesses that you've posted for you know. Have they ever reached out to you and said oh my gosh, thanks so much. Any great stories from that?

Abby: 6:51

Yeah, I think that's you know. Friendships are the biggest part for me, but the restaurants and supporting local is definitely a huge part of why I continue to do this. I would say getting into it now. A lot of places will reach out to you even and just ask you to come in, but the best parts are whenever you know you just go to somewhere organically and they see it and they, you know, thank you for it. Somewhere recently, Big Sewickley Creek Brewery, Zakota, and I stopped up with our dog Creek Brewery, Dakota, and I stopped up with our dog, Miley, and we were just checking it out after a walk with her, and it is now one of our favorite breweries.

Abby: 7:30

They're very dog friendly, and then they, you know, reached out to me just thanking me for posting, and we've been a few times now. We went and saw the Easter Bunny with Miley a couple weekends ago.

Doug: 7:43

It feels good to really give these local places a shout out.

Abby: 7:47

Definitely.

Doug: 7:48

Yeah, and I have noticed that you've branched out a little beyond food. I know you said you were traveling and you're doing the marathon, but you've also done some travel type posts. Are you looking to sort of widen your breadth of what you're promoting online?

Abby: 8:03

Yeah, I think travel has always been a big part of something I love to do, so naturally I'm like, why not try and branch out a little bit? On social media Also? I think a huge part of social media now is tourism, and even Visit Pittsburgh does a great job here. There's a lot of different Visit Ashtabula, visit Columbus that do really awesome jobs in other cities. So just trying to connect with them and be able to really enjoy what I already enjoy, yeah, and there's usually always a food or a brewery component, of course, of course, that's why we travel, you know.

Doug: 8:46

Exactly so I'd love to take a step back and ask a little bit about, like, where you grew up and what was food like in your early life.

Abby: 8:56

Yeah, great question. So I grew up in the North Hills area.

Doug: 9:00

So lifelong Pittsburgh area.

Abby: 9:02

Yes, okay, yeah, my mom's from Bellevue, my dad's from the North Hills, so I'm still a North Hills girl now, but I guess really I mean we didn't go out to restaurants that often or anything that's not where the love came from. But my dad he actually catered for his own corporate catering for a really long time downtown. Yeah, it was called Jimmy's Corporate Catering. It's no longer, but I used to go into the kitchen there and make pretend soup. That was just like water with pepper and random seasonings and that was really where I started to love food.

Doug: 9:40

So how old would you have been when you're doing that?

Abby: 9:43

Probably. I mean starting at like six years old and then started to waitress for him. They had a restaurant downstairs and just really grew my love and frustration with cooking from that aspect. But yeah, now he works at Good Lovin' in the North Hills still doing catering and everything. So he's been where a lot of my food inspiration has come from. And my mom really had me traveling for a long, long time, so from the beginning we were doing vacations, trying out great restaurants when we were going to different places. So a little bit of both from my parents oh I love it, and do you cook at home much?

Abby: 10:28

So, yes, I feel like my feed looks like we're out to eat every other day, but in reality we probably only go out to eat one to two times a week.

Doug: 10:41

Well, that's a good skill on your feed. Yes, exactly.

Abby: 10:45

You got to just keep them in the same spot.

Alekka: 10:48

Yeah.

Abby: 10:49

Yeah, we try to cook. Zakota and I both will argue about who cooks more, but it's really a combined effort at our household. You about who cooks more, but it's really a combined effort at our household. So usually me coming up with different recipes and sometimes just, you know, easy heat it up. But we like to be a little creative.

Doug: 11:07

And we should say Zakota is.

Abby: 11:09

Yes, my fiance.

Doug: 11:11

Oh, we're pointing at rings here. So Zakota is your fiance, who's lovely.

Doug: 11:15

I've met him a couple of times when we've gone out to eat, and you have a Welsh Corgi and her name is Miley, and so that actually led me into a whole other thought of where you guys are going out. I'd love to know have you found a couple of great places that are dog friendly? I mean, we're also getting into the summer, so a lot of times you can take them to a place that has outdoor space. I mean, we're also getting into the summer, so a lot of times you can take them to a place that has outdoor space. What is a place or two that you've taken, miley, that you've really enjoyed?

Abby: 11:45

Yeah, so first, miley is like my child. I thought I would not be that dog person, but we have um 100% become that. Probably the best place that I really love to go is Grist House. They are super dog friendly. They've expanded their brewery inside outside space so we go there. It's a good place to kind of socialize her as well. Plus, I love their beer and they always have good food trucks as well. Plus I love their beer and they always have good food trucks. But what we've found is the Strip District is really a great spot to bring dogs.

Abby: 12:24

We go to Aslin Brewing, which doesn't allow dogs inside, but on those nice summer days the steps are always a really great spot for us to kind of chill. So'll start there.

Doug: 12:37

Novaria has great coffee, along with james cafe, and they both are super dog friendly I think I just saw your post for james cafe, so if you're not looking for a brewery per se, these are a couple of other spots yep, yeah and um.

Abby: 12:51

The last one there is kingfly spirits. Oh yeah, they have great drinks, but we just found out recently that they're dog friendly as well, so you can kind of do a little dog drink tour around the.

Doug: 13:03

Strip District oh my gosh, that is amazing. Perfect 411 for any of our dog loving listeners out there. I guess, since we're on the subject of this and you are one of the experts that I know let's talk about a couple other like fun spots. Have you, have you eaten anywhere in the last you know couple weeks that really stood out to you as just a great place or a great new place.

Abby: 13:27

One spot that I can think of that's really new to me Wei Lai. Um, they're in the North Hills area and they do dim some and they're doing it super well. Um, very popular on Instagram right now as well, but it's a good spot to go with a group of friends. Get some small plates, had the spin tables so you can try out a bunch of things.

Doug: 13:49

Yeah, that's not what it's all about. You kind of want to share Exactly.

Abby: 13:52

Exactly. So getting a nice group Um, I like their hot tea there too. So getting a nice group, I like their hot tea there too. So any service like that is for me. Oh, I love it.

Doug: 14:01

And what about? Let's keep going round, robin? What about like an offbeat place, maybe like a brunch spot that people don't think about? Or a date night spot that people may not think about?

Abby: 14:15

Something people don't think about.

Doug: 14:16

I would say I always like to say under the radar.

Abby: 14:19

Yeah, there's somewhere in Shadyside called Pasha.

Doug: 14:25

Is it on the side?

Abby: 14:25

street. Yes, it's on the side street. They have like a little covered patio outside, and we went there last year for brunch actually and had a really great experience. The owner was extremely kind and the food was great, along with, you know, very aesthetically pleasing area and whatnot. We also have had dinner there too, which has been really great. I would go for brunch 100%. And if you're looking for a nice little date night spot.

Doug: 14:58

I think dinner is always a good option too, hasha over in Shadyside, and it's got good indoor and outdoor space. It's a Mediterranean cuisine.

Abby: 15:08

Yes, you're correct. Yeah, this is Abby O'Connell from foodismysavior, underscore PGH, and you're listening to the Pittsburgh Dish From foodismysavior underscore pgh and you're listening to the Pittsburgh Dish Abby.

Doug: 15:24

I really would like to actually dial back into what your career is or where it's gone, Because I think from when I first met you, you were a teacher. Is that right?

Abby: 15:29

Yes, I was. I taught middle school at a propel in like the East End.

Doug: 15:35

Okay, goal at a Propel in like the East End, okay. But now you have kind of taken this content creation gig and doing, you know, social media on your own organically and you've transitioned into your actual career. Is this right?

Abby: 15:50

Yeah, so I work at direct online marketing. It's in East Liberty and I am an account management team lead, so I work on the paid advertising side of things. I have learned a ton and it has definitely helped me in the sense of audiences and knowing what people want. Both help out. In that sense, I think social media helps me learn about my real job and my real job helps me learn about social media. But, yeah, it's been really great. We do some social media at Direct Online Marketing too, so being able to give my two cents in that we just started talking with like an influencer marketing group, so excited to kind of learn more about how advertising, how companies use influencers to really help different brands and companies yeah, I think it's.

Doug: 16:51

you know we're still in a relatively new market here with social media as a marketing thing whether we're doing it ourselves for small businesses and restaurants and food purveyors, we love. But I think you're the first person I've talked to that you were doing this, this content creation for food, for the places, the breweries, the restaurants you love. But somehow it's become now a career and you're not just doing it on your own, you're with a business that's doing it, and I love that idea that you're saying that social media has helped you understand your new role. But your new role also helps you understand social media. That's great.

Abby: 17:29

It's a lot of fun too, and keeps you on your toes. Agency life is very fast paced, so always learning, oh my goodness.

Doug: 17:40

Agency life is very fast paced, so always learning. Oh my goodness, so we've covered some of your favorite spots and how you got going. I just really want to know where do you see yourself going in terms of your own social media and some of your goals? You know what's what's next for you?

Abby: 17:52

Um, so I've started probably too many Instagrams at this point. I have one for my dog, one for travel and then I have a food one. So I'd really like to kind of understand the different markets between those. One goal is to get Miley a little bit more interaction in Pittsburgh Even. I feel like there's so many like we touched on dog friendly hidden gems, things like that in Pittsburgh. So that's one of my goals is to just really get into a little more of like the dog scene and even start like little groups to meet up with other dog owners and stuff in Pittsburgh.

Abby: 18:34

But my other goal is to understand influencer marketing a little bit more. Like I said, I've done a few bigger brand deals but I think ultimately being able to support Pittsburgh, local restaurants, local areas while still understanding how Pittsburgh can support influencers is important to me. So just learning more about those aspects I know for a really long time. Alex not to keep bringing him up, but has talked about, you know, different meetups in that sense too, and there's a few others who've started to kind of pick up on that and I really love the idea of influencers getting together and helping each other while also being able to help other places. So something that I'd like to continue that path, while still obviously posting about food places and drinks and stuff.

Doug: 19:32

Yeah, do you ever see yourself wanting to go out on your own and make your own marketing your single business?

Abby: 19:43

Yeah, I have definitely dabbled in that as an idea. I love the idea. I think you know experiences, really when you're trying to get a job, is the best thing to have, and eight years of doing this is a lot of experience. So I love to be able to help other local places with social media and building their own brands. I think there's a lot of places that could benefit from it. We've seen the impact of social media influencers, all of that, so definitely something I'd love to explore.

Doug: 20:18

I love it. Thank you so, abby. I would love you to take a moment and promote yourself like where people can find you. If they're not following you now, I don't know if you have a website, I don't. Wherever you do exist, go for it, okay.

Abby: 20:34

So if you want to follow me, you can find me on Instagram. Like I said, I have three different handles. My food is foodismysavior, underscore PGH. If you want to follow my super cute corgi that's Miley underscore the corg. And my travel page is travelismysavior.

Doug: 20:55

All right, thank you so much. Thank you At. Food is my savior. It has really taken off. I think the last time I checked, you're near 20,000 people following you getting close, yeah, congratulations, thank you. All right, abby, we're at the end of the interview and I always have one more question, okay, um, hopefully this isn't a tough one for the line of work you're in. The name of the show is the Pittsburgh Dish. What's one of the best dishes you've eaten this past week?

Abby: 21:26

I would say Dish Osteria oh yes. I had their gnocchi and I tried three of their pastas All fantastic choices.

Doug: 21:40

The gnocchi was my. I tried three of their pastas. All fantastic choices. The gnocchi was my favorite, for sure. What kind of sauce you got to tell me? Was it just like simple butter, or was it like a red sauce?

Abby: 21:47

so it was uh buttery, but it had the sausage in it too which was really what drove it home oh yeah for me oh so dish osteria.

Doug: 21:55

the gnocchi with the sausage in the sauce, yes 100%.

Abby: 21:59

You can't go wrong with any pasta there.

Doug: 22:02

Best dish this week, Abby. Thanks so much. Thank you, Doug. Up next in our Weekly Recommend, we talk about a coffeehouse that's serving up more than just your morning brew. Thanks for listening to the Pittsburgh Dish. If you want to support the show, just visit us on our website at www. pittsburghdish. com and click the support the show tab. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and cancel any time. Your support helps us to make the show as special as it is, thank you. In our last episode, I interviewed Alekka Sweeney and I asked our customary question at the end, which is All right, alekka, I've got one final question for you today.

Doug: 22:44

I know what you're going to ask me. See, now we're on episode. I don't know what and you know the question. So, alekka, what's one of the best dishes you've eaten this week? What's one of the best dishes you've eaten this week? And Alekka recalled a great pastry from Nosh and Curd. But halfway through our conversation she had a dead stop and then brought up Potomac Station Coffeehouse and her breakfast bake. Let's hear a little bit more about that conversation, as our weekly recommend.

Alekka: 23:14

Oh no, I've got something else Potomac Coffeehouse. Potomac Coffeehouse.

Doug: 23:22

Potomac Station yes, and coffee shop as well.

Alekka: 23:24

Potomac Station and Coffeehouse.

Doug: 23:27

Yep, okay.

Alekka: 23:28

It's right, like Potomac and almost Liberty, not Liberty Avenue.

Doug: 23:32

This is going into the South Hills right.

Alekka: 23:34

Yes, I have zero sense of direction.

Doug: 23:36

I will have to look know them on instagram.

Alekka: 23:38

I haven't been there yet they had this like it looked like a muffin, but not really. But it was shallots and chives, I think, and cheese and bacon in this muffin it was. It looks like a sphere. He called it a bake. The mystery thing.

Doug: 23:59

Mystery Potomac coffee shop, cheddar, shallot thing, go get it, go get it.

Alekka: 24:07

It looked like a mini cake.

Doug: 24:09

Oh.

Alekka: 24:09

But that had the consistency of a muffin.

Doug: 24:13

Oh, so it was like yeah, like probably just like a savory, like extra big muffin.

Alekka: 24:17

Yeah, it was really good. Oh, but they are known for their cinnamon muffin. Yeah, it was really good. Oh, but they are known for their cinnamon rolls.

Doug: 24:21

Sounds delicious. It was good, Chef Alekka Sweeney. Thank you so much.

Alekka: 24:26

Thank you, Doug.

Doug: 24:28

That's Potomac Station Coffeehouse in Dormont. You can follow Potomac Station Coffeehouse on Instagram at potomac underscore station underscore ch. In this week's recipe we talk about the reverse sear method for a steak, which really means starting your steak off in a low oven to bring it up to temperature internally before finishing it on a ripping hot cast iron pan or a grill. Our recipe of the week is submitted by chef Jon Lloyd for a reverse seared flank steak with a mint chimichurri. Let's give him a call and learn a little bit more about him and this dish. Hey, is this Jon? Yes, it is. How are you I'm doing well? Thank you so much for this amazing looking recipe. This week it is a reverse seared flank steak and mint chimichurri, and I definitely want to talk about a reverse sear for our listeners. Okay, sure, great to meet you. By the way, I saw the first time you reached out. It was through the Chef, Jon Lloyd handle.

Jon: 25:36

I didn't really get serious about food until the pandemic hit, and during that time, I got my first smoker, and my wife actually got that for me for Father's Day of 2020. And the world was shut down. There was nowhere you could go, and so I literally spent all of my days out on my patio learning the intricacies of cooking with a lighter and integrating smoke into stuff, and so that all kind of led to me starting this YouTube channel, which really was just as a hobby, to kind of start just cataloging my own recipes. There was really no, no intent for it to ever really become anything. Um, but it actually started fairly quickly taking off and, um, so I basically uh, started a private chef company, um, where I do like in-home, in-home private chef experiences. I'm actually the Pittsburgh ambassador for Airbnb experiences, so anytime anyone books an Airbnb anywhere in the Pittsburgh area, they can choose to have a private chef experience, and I'm the chef that does it. Wow.

Doug: 26:46

That is such a cool gig and isn't it amazing. So the smoker in the outdoor stuff was like your version of other people doing sourdough and where each next step takes you and where each next step takes you, and I also know that you do some cooking demonstrations at the kitchen at Vanjura and Sweetwater. Is that correct?

Jon: 27:05

That's correct, and I'm actually about to start doing the same thing over at Phipps Conservatory.

Doug: 27:11

Oh, congratulations, yeah, thanks, all right. So let's get into this recipe, because I think listeners will be really interested to know about a reverse sear. Jon, for those of us that maybe don't know this technique for the flank steak or maybe any other type of steak, what exactly is the reverse sear and why do you love it?

Jon: 27:32

Yeah, so a reverse sear is. It's a relatively newer technique. If you think about what a sear is, it's kind of that thing that happens right at the end, kind of you've got, you've got like your meat to it to the temperature that you want and you sear it at the end instead of searing it at the beginning, like hot and fast, trying to get, like the crust or the outside, that perfect color and consistency.

Jon: 27:54

Yeah, and what that sear is going to do if you do it in a reverse method, meaning that because a lot of times, like if you go to a restaurant, you know they'll sear your steak and then they'll throw it in a pan and put it in the oven and then kind of let it cook there. The benefit of a reverse sear is that you're developing a lot of the flavor of the internal meat by allowing the fat and the marbling to kind of break down first before anything else happens to it, and then when you sear at the end it's almost like a heat shock to the meat which basically you sear it on like a piping hot I use cast iron for that and it basically takes all of those delicious juices that are kind of moving around in there and just forces them not to leave. So that way when you slice into it after a few minutes of rest you don't get all that delicious juice kind of going everywhere because it's been sort of locked in through that reverse sear method.

Doug: 28:53

Oh, that sounds so good. Wow, that sounds so good. So a moderate, like lower oven. You bring it up to a certain internal temp and then you're throwing it on a hot hot pan, or maybe like a ripping hot grill. Could you sear it on a grill?

Jon: 29:06

Yeah, absolutely, okay, absolutely, you could do that or on some sort of a flat surface only because there is that initial kind of shock to the meat, and on a grill you might lose some of that juice in the grates, and so I like to just have my pan as hot as it will go usually whenever it's smoking fairly well and then just throw that meat right on there.

Doug: 29:35

Yeah, it's the flat surface that you're going for. To get that perfect, you know, seal in the juice and so, uh, cast iron skillet, or even I know some folks that have like the blackstone griddle tops. That might also work too.

Jon: 29:47

A couple of those as well, yeah, you have a couple yeah that's one of the one of the um per. It's both a blessing and a curse, because I I regularly have uh outdoor cooking equipment show up at my house from various companies and my wife is like you can't get any more of these, no more grills, oh wow.

Doug: 30:09

That makes for a whole other unique barbecue experience over at your place. Yeah, okay, well, let's just shift gears for a second. Let's move over to the chimichurri, which is traditionally, I know, traditionally, I know it with like parsley and oil, but you have a bunch of mint in this. I imagine it adds a ton of brightness to this steak and it is made.

Jon: 30:28

You know, whether it's a red chimichurri or a green, they are very, very traditional in the way that they're made. I am a person who likes to take the most traditional things and introduce some sort of an element into it to make you kind of like perk up when you eat it, to think like, oh wow, this isn't like super different from a normal one, but there's something about it. And I like to give you the challenge of sort of like what is, what is that thing? There's something different about this that that really elevates it just a little bit.

Jon: 31:09

And for me, uh, through trying, uh, different chimichurris over the over the course of the years, um, and being a huge fan, huge fan, mint was that thing for me. So it does give it a brightness, it gives it a little bit of a lift and the mint it sort of finishes. So when you're tasting the chimichurri you don't actually get the mint until it's kind of sat on your palate for a second. So it's a very interesting component to add. But after I did it a few times and kind of perfected it on my own, really no going back to any more traditional methods for me.

Doug: 31:48

Wow it. It sounds, you know, super refreshing for even summertime grilling and it sounds like it does have all of those flavor notes that just like rounds out that finish. I love it, john. If people want to follow you for getting you to be their own private chef, how can folks find you?

Jon: 32:06

Yeah, so there's a number of different ways People can book me directly and find out information on my website, which is just chefjohnlloydcom, that's Jon with no H and Lloyd with two L's that's kind of how I say it. So chefjonlloyd. com, that's Jon with no H and Lloyd with two L's, that's kind of how I say it. So chefjohnlloyd. com, it's the same on Instagram and Facebook, so you can find me at those two handles as well. On Facebook, and then I'm also if you have any friends or family that are coming in and staying at an Airbnb, I'm the Pittsburgh ambassador for that as well, so they could book a private experience with me directly through the Airbnb website.

Doug: 32:44

Now. So, jon, before I let you go it's not only chef Jon Lloyd that I've found, but because we did mention you are great on the grill and maybe have more than one, you've got another little side hustle then, so if people are interested in the barbecue and grilling side of you, where else could they find you?

Jon: 33:01

Yeah, so I have a fairly prolific YouTube presence and that is called Holy Smokes Barbecue on YouTube Not to be confused with any restaurants or anything like that, but it's youtubecom slash Holy Smokesbq, um and currently sitting at about 140 outdoor cooking videos on there, um, featuring all types of smokers and griddles and and all sorts of things that are currently taking up every square inch of my patio well, that is a perfect resource for the summer season of grilling.

Doug: 33:34

So thank you for giving us that one too. Chef jon lloyd, thank you so much for this recipe and for being on the pittsburgh dish of. So thank you for giving us that one too. Chef Jon Lloyd, thank you so much for this recipe and for being on the Pittsburgh Dish, of course, thank you. That's our show for this week. We want to thank all of our guests and contributors, and to Kevin Solecki of Carnegie Accordion Company for providing the music to our show. We'll be back again next week with another fresh episode. Stay tuned.