It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with Chef Jensen Cummings this week for a beautiful beast of an episode. Jensen is host of the Best Served Podcast, chef, restaurateur, and restaurant consultant. To say that Jensen Cummings was born to be in the culinary world is quite the understatement. He is the fifth consecutive generation of Chef and Restaurateurs in his family. They opened their first restaurant, La Fond House, in 1900 in Little Falls, Minnesota. While they joke that his father can't boil an egg, multiple family members are in the industry across the US. So, it was no surprise that Jensen jumped into the kitchen at 17 years old and has had a heralded twenty-year career as an award-winning Chef, Certified Cicerone, Fermentation expert, and Consultant

Jensen is a prolific public speaker, bringing education and entertainment to forums such as chef conferences, food fermentation groups, and craft brewing events like the Great American Beer Festival. Put him in front a room full of culinary students, with his bravado and philosophical delivery (along with a few F-bombs), he really resonates with these future industry leaders, seeking authentic insights into hospitality and the opportunities and challenges therein.

As part of his efforts with Best Served Creative, to focus on Why and Who before what and how, he launched the Best Served Podcast. On this platform, he has the opportunity to interview current industry leaders on the #UnsungHospitalityHeroes in the trenches that make it all happen. They have the chance to reflect on the people who have impacted their lives and careers. He strongly believes that is only in acknowledging others can we capture the true essence of hospitality and usher in the future of the industry he was born to inspire.

When Jensen finds some time to himself, you'll find him indulging in his love of movies. In his youth when others were immersed in college sports bracketology, he was filling out Oscar brackets. He is also a true-blue Los Angeles Dodgers fan. Since his first experience at Chavez Ravine, getting a cheap blue giveaway glove signed by Ramon Martinez, he was hooked.

www.bestservedpodcast.com

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Cameran Surles is a producer, writer, actor living in Los Angeles. We had the most wonderful time hearing about her entrance into the film business, her current projects, and what makes her keep pressing forward creatively. She got her start working on Terrence Mallick's Tree of Life. Soon after, she met another director great James L. Brooks who wrote a part for her in his next film. These experiences instilled in her a deep and enduring love of flawed, complex characters and stories that find the comedy in spite of the tragedies of life. She went on to appear in numerous network TV shows, indie film and award-winning theater.

Cameran got her start in writing at UCLA's Professional Program in screenwriting. Her writing accolades include projects advancing in Sundance New Media Labs, Imagine Impact, Napa Valley FF, Cinestory, NYTVF, among others. She is also a member of the Creative Network (from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Impact) and has completed courses in writing and directing through Sundance Co//ab.

She currently works as a creative producer and head of development for former head of Paramount Adam Goodman’s digital studio Invisible Narratives. Since 2020, she has produced two feature films, and is prepping a third: SONGBIRD (starring Demi Moore, Bradley Whitford, Paul Walter Hauser, producer Michael Bay), CRIMSON (director Greg Plotkin), and TIME TRIPPER (upcoming, starring Craig Robinson, Vivica Fox, director Tim van Dammen). She developed and EP'd the HBO Max pilot “Camp Friends” based on her original idea.

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Renée Felice Smith and Chris Gabriel are writing/directing/life partners who met in the 6th grade and somehow still "like like" each other today. And we like them, too! They’re warm, hilarious, and beautiful souls. In this episode, we chat about their journey from class Presidents to partners, their latest film projects, and where they think their creativity originates. We hope you enjoy our conversation!

Most recently, Smith and Gabriel sold their animated show, H.U.M.A.N., to TBS in March of 2022.

Additionally, they sold their comedy pilot, I'M FINE, to FX in February 2020.

Smith and Gabriel wrote and directed their first feature, THE RELATIONTRIP, a surreal comedy, which went to SXSW and was acquired by HULU.

Additionally, Smith and Gabriel released their first children's book, HUGO AND THE IMPOSSIBLE THING, through Penguin Random House (March 2021) which went on to receive the highly sought-after, Kirkus starred review.

In addition to their work as a creative duo, Smith is an actor who has appeared in over 250 episodes of network television on CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles as series regular, Nell Jones.  Gabriel is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist songwriter and composer for film, television, and theater.

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This week we had the absolute pleasure of chatting with the amazing and inspirational Frances Kelley. Frances is a professional photographer specializing in weddings and boudoir for the last 20 years.  Her style is timeless with a nod to the classics, but with a pop of color and a splash of glam.  Frances has worked with clients from all walks of life, including celebrities like Joe Rogan and Olympian Missy Franklin. Her ability to connect with other people and their emotions is what truly sets her work apart.  In a world deadened by an avalanche of images and Instagram filters, her photographs cut through the noise and deliver future moments of nostalgia that invoke emotion and encourage reflection.

@frances.photography and @rise.boudoir on Instagram

www.francesphotography.com

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As the Festival Manager of Mammoth Film Festival™ and the Executive Director of HER VOICE, an initiative aiming to create accessibility and opportunities to emerging female filmmakers, Alexandra Chando has immersed herself in filmmaking and is dedicated to making strides in gender parity. In 2020, she launched “The Her Voice Podcast” under Kevin Connolly’s Action Park Media, a podcast about getting candid and having meaningful conversations with females (and males) in the entertainment industry. Guests have included Anne Heche (Actress/Producer), Gina Girolamo (SVP Alloy Entertainment), Carolina Garcia (Director of Original Series, Netflix), Kimberly McCullough (Episodic Director), and Lesley-Ann Brandt (Actress), Erica Huggins (President, Fuzzy Door), John Scott (Episodic Director).

She is also a director in the 2022 class of the Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors Program.

Alexandra Chando got her start in the entertainment industry as an actress. With over 18 years of experience on network television and film, she is no stranger to the production process. Chando first became interested in directing while filming Freeform’s “The Lying Game” where she played two roles. The long days on set gave her the opportunity to become well acquainted with the technical aspects of directing. From there, Chando began shadowing directors on network television series (FOX’s The Gifted, ABC’s Mistresses, CBS’ Scorpion), totaling over 400 on-set hours. She directed her first short, “LPM, Likes Per Minute” which was an official selection at Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts, among other nationwide festivals. Additionally, she created, directed and produced “The Dinner Party”, an unscripted digital series. In 2019, Chando produced a short, “A Good Son”, for Suzanne Weinert, which world premiered at SXSW and was an official selection at over a dozen U.S. and International festivals. Most recently, she directed and executive produced a pilot presentation called “NSFW” alongside Executive Producer, Eric Amadio (Creator of FX’s Snowfall) and Cameron Duncan (Preacher, 13 Reasons Why) as Director of Photography, with the intention of selling it as a series, and Hear the Dark, set in 1915 following 2 women on a journey to find a missing boy. Up next for Chando is a female heist feature film set in West Texas.

@achando on Instagram

www.imdb.me/alexandrachando

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Brent Findley is the Supervising Sound Editor on Ted Lasso, WeCrashed, and MacGruber. He also recently worked on Bridgerton, The Umbrella Academy, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as ADR Mixer. Brent is an amazing artist who creates the soundscapes that make film and tv come to life. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Enjoy!

Brent’s Credits

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2259990/

www.teamfindley.com

Brent enjoys long walks on the beach with his microphone and recorder. He thrives on “The Get,” aka capturing the exact recordings needed for a project. He entered the sound-for-picture world in 200 after focusing on music engineering and computer science.

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Our guest this week is the amazing and inspiring Skye P. Marshall. Skye is an actress currently starring in “Good Sam” on CBS. During the conversation, we cover Skye’s early years in Hollywood and what it means to create the life you want to live. We’re so grateful to have had this chat with her, and we think you will be, too!

www.imdb.me/skyepmarshall

https://www.instagram.com/skyepmarshall/

Born in Chicago, Skye is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. After her enlistment was fulfilled, Skye returned to Chicago and graduated from Northeastern Illinois University, with honors, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Communication, Media & Theatre (CMT Program). After graduation, she moved to New York City where she trained at Stella Adler Studio of Acting and the Broadway Dance Center all while working full-time at a pharmaceutical marketing firm. That's where she realized that a cubicle was her own personal "hell" and it was time for her to pursue her dreams of acting in TV and Film.

Skye is currently in production as a series regular in the new highly anticipated CBS Network medical drama "Good Sam" with Sophia Bush and Jason Isaacs, premiering early 2022. She can be seen in the hit Netflix, Greg Berlanti Productions series "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" starring alongside Kiernan Shipka and Miranda Otto as "Mambo Marie", a powerful Haitian Voodoo Priestess. Some additional television credits include This is Us, 9-1-1 on FOX, a major recurring role on CW/DC Comics Black Lightning, The Rookie, NCIS, Major Crimes, Shameless, Grey's Anatomy and more. Skye also had the honor of starring alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino in Lionsgate feature film, "Misconduct" and she stars in the upcoming Rom-Com feature film, "A Nice Girl Like You" with Lucy Hale. Her star continues to rise along with her fan base around the world! Skye resides bi-coastal between Los Angeles and NYC.

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It was our absolute pleasure to join Sara Hayat for a conversation this week. Sara Hayat is an experiential furniture designer combing the power of aesthetics with high function. The designs are deeply rooted in the idea that our surroundings have the ability to uplift and help us reimagine what is possible.

www.sara-hayat.com

https://instagram.com/sarahayatdesign

https://www.facebook.com/sarahayatdesign/

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