You have an interesting story about how Supper with Sylvia came about. How does that evolution compare to your journey as a journalist?
My focus became the food world during the pandemic when a lot of restaurants and owners were struggling to stay open. They would reach out to me to try to find a platform to get the word out on what they were doing. Many of them had to “pivot” to find new ways to operate because of the lockdown. It was during that time that I got to know so many of them and became friends.
It’s interesting because it all comes down to one thing, sharing people’s stories. I grew up as a US Army military brat traveling around the country and world. I moved to new neighborhoods and different schools constantly, so I got into the habit of asking people a lot of questions so I could get to know them quickly. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone has a story and I love to delve into that. That’s the purpose of Supper with Sylvia. It’s really sharing the background stories of chefs, workers, owners, suppliers in the food world. So many of them have interesting stories that led them to who they are now and what they contribute today. Some of them are well known, some you may have never heard of before.
Sylvia with Picolo Sogno Chef/Owner Tony Priolo