Southern food is a rich, culturally-diverse cuisine influenced by hundreds of years of history and several continents. Chris Hastings, Owner and Executice Chef of Hot & Hot Fish Club, is in the studio today with Erin Fairbanks to talk about his storied career in the kitchen, and the allure of the South. Find out why Chris continually returns to the South despite his many culinary adventures. Why is Southern food often essentialized as one type of cuisine? Tune in to hear Chris talk about the importance of the farm-to-table movement in terms of restaurant sustainability, and why it's important to create relationships with producers on a personal level. Hear Chris and Erin talk about the lasting effects of the Gulf oil spill. This segment has been brought to you by Seersucker.

"As a rule, outside of the South, people don't understand that it's a rich and diverse tapestry of cultures and traditions." [5:40]

"The South has become more popular than even in terms of discovery." [12:35]

-- Executive Chef Chris Hastings of Hot & Hot Fish Club

David Lively is crusading for organics through the Organicology Conference! David has been involved in the organic agricultural movement and organic produce trade since 1979, as a gardener, farmer, and employee of Organically Grown Company (OGC), where he has been a warehouser, account representative, buyer, marketing director, and currently, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He has also served as a certification inspector and on the leadership council of the Oregon Organic Coalition, and on the boards of OGC, Oregon Tilth and, by Governor's appointment, the Center for Applied Agricultural Research. Tune in to hear David talk about the conference with HRN's own Erin Fairbanks! This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch

"Organic foods has gotten in the position they are because of the green movement and people who are looking to make change in society and culture on a wide front, and it just so happened that the fuel they relied upon was organic food." [19:40] -- David Lively of Organically Grown Company

Tony May has had a long, storied history in the New York restaurant world, and the Careers through Culinary Arts Program is honoring his fifty-year legacy. Erin Fairbanks talks with Marissa May, Tony's daughter, about their restaurant San Domenico, and how it changed perceptions about Italian food in New York City. Learn about Tony's focus on education, and hear what Marissa's up to with her business, SD26. Find out more about C-CAP as an organization, and meet Sean Quinn- the Executive Chef at Chadwick's in Bay Ridge. Hear about Sean's mentoring through C-CAP, and how his training landed him his job today. This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market.

"His (Tony May's) whole life has been dedicated to education, but also informing the American public what people are eating in Italy today." [5:10] -- Marissa May of SD26

"We get the best stuff we can get, we don't overdo anything, and just try to make good, honest food." [14:15] -- Sean Quinn of Chadwick's