Celebrating Juneteenth with Nicole Taylor, plus chefs we鈥檙e rooting for

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Seasoned

Celebrating Juneteenth with Nicole Taylor, plus chefs we鈥檙e rooting for

By Robyn Doyon-Aitken ,

Chef Plum, Catie Talarski, Meg Dalton, Katrice Claudio, Maricarmen Cajahuaringa, Stephanie Stender, Tagan Engel

Published June 6, 2023 at 5:56 PM EDT

Nicole A. Taylor is a James Beard Award-nominated writer and the author of three cookbooks.

1 of 5 — Nicole Taylor author photo_Kaylin James-2-16x9.jpg

Nicole A. Taylor is a James Beard Award-nominated food writer and the author of three cookbooks. Her latest is Watermelon & Red Birds. It's the first cookbook devoted to Juneteenth.

Provided / Kaylin James

2 of 5 — Watermelon & Red Birds_ Cover.jpg

Watermelon & Red Birds by Nicole A. Taylor is the first cookbook devoted to Juneteenth.

Chef Marcarena Ludena Jimenez of the family owned and operated Peruvian restaurant Coracora in West Hartford, Conn. The restaurant is nominated for a James Beard Award in the "Outstanding Restaurant" category.

3 of 5 — Cora Cora James Beard Award

Chef Marcarena Ludena Jimenez of Coracora in West Hartford, Conn. The the family owned and operated Peruvian restaurant is nominated for a James Beard Award in the "Outstanding Restaurant" category.

Ayannah Brown / 黑料吃瓜网

4 of 5 — Cora Cora James Beard Award

Mother of CEO/Owner Grecia Ludena and Head Chef Macarena Ludena smile as they are commemorated for becoming a national finalist in the James Beard Awards. Family run and owned Peruvian restaurant Coracora was named as a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Awards in the "Outstanding Restaurant" category. Governor Ned Lamont, West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, and other government officials came to the restaurant celebrate and commemorate the occasion.

Ayannah Brown / 黑料吃瓜网

5 of 5 — Cora Cora James Beard Award

The family run and owned Peruvian restaurant Coracora in West Hartford was named as a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Awards in the "Outstanding Restaurant" category.

Ayannah Brown / 黑料吃瓜网

Seasoned producer Katrice Claudio speaks with food writer and cookbook author Nicole A. Taylor about her book Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations.

Plus, get to know chef Macarena Ludena Jimenez of Coracora in West Hartford. 黑料吃瓜网 reporter Maricarmen Cajahuaringa sits down with Macarena to discuss the cultural importance of Peruvian food and celebrate the restaurant鈥檚 recent James Beard Award nomination in the 鈥淥utstanding Restaurant鈥� category.

And, we鈥檙e cheering Chef Plum on ahead of the 2023 regional Emmy Awards ceremony. His series Restaurant Road Trip is nominated for three awards.

GUESTS:

Nicole A. Taylor: Author of
Macarena Ludena Jimenez: Head Chef and CEO of in West Hartford, Conn.

FEATURED RECIPES:

LOCAL SHOUT OUTS:
Looking for Black-owned food business to support? Check out Katrice's picks for food and drink lovers who also want an experience:

This show was produced by Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Catie Talarski, Meg Dalton, Katrice Claudio, Stephanie Stender, Meg Fitzgerald, Tagan Engel and Sabrina Herrera. Maricarmen Cajahuaringa contributed to this episode.

Join the conversation on , , , and email: seasoned@ctpublic.org.

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Robyn Doyon-Aitken

Robyn Doyon-Aitken is the Deputy Director of Audio Storytelling and Talk Shows

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Chef Plum

Host of Seasoned and Restaurant Road Trip.

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Catie Talarski

Catie Talarski is Senior Director of Storytelling and Radio Programming at 黑料吃瓜网.

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Meg Dalton

Meg Dalton is the director of audio storytelling and talk shows for 黑料吃瓜网 where she oversees the station鈥檚 talk shows and podcasts, including the limited series 'In Absentia'.

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Katrice Claudio

Katrice Claudio is a producer of Seasoned.

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Maricarmen Cajahuaringa

Maricarmen Cajahuaringa is a journalist with extensive experience in Latino communities' politics, social issues, and culture. She founded Boceto Media, a digital Spanish-language newspaper based in 黑料吃瓜网. Maricarmen holds a Bachelor's in Social Work from Springfield College, and a Master's in Journalism and Media Production from Sacred Heart University. As a reporter for 黑料吃瓜网, she is dedicated to delivering accurate and informative coverage of the Hispanic/Latino population in the region. Maricarmen is an experienced and passionate journalist who strives to bring a voice to the stories of her community.

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Stephanie Stender

Stephanie Stender is a producer of Seasoned.

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Tagan Engel

Tagan Engel is a producer/contributor and guest co-host of Seasoned. She is the founder of The Table Underground radio show, podcast, and website, and is a social justice organizer and trained chef.

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