The Hospitalitarian Podcast
The Hospitalitarian Podcast is designed as a community-driven platform to explore the food, beverage, agriculture, hospitality and agritourism industries across New York State. It serves as a storytelling vehicle that highlights producers, chefs, and thought leaders while reinforcing the values of hospitality, provenance, and community.
The Hospitalitarian Podcast
Episode 0: You Can't Read the Label from Inside the Bottle
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Introducing The Hospitalitarian Podcast
Tim and Melissa chat about the mission of this podcast and how this concept came to be, what to expect in future episodes, the history of where we’ve been and a glimpse of where we’re going.
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The Hospitalitarian Podcast focuses on conversations with forward-thinking people who make the community of New York State hospitality compelling and noteworthy. If it's happening in food, beverage, or agriculture in New York, we are digging in. Thank you for joining us on this episode zero of the Hospitalitarian Podcast. I am Tim Hardiman and we're here today to flesh out the idea for this concept of a podcast. And for doing that, the only logical way I could possibly consider coming up with this idea is to, is to work it through with my wife, Melissa, and my partner and muse and best friend. And it's no secret that you helped me. Work through a bunch of lame brainin ideas. So I've asked you here today to help us, help me, help us, um, develop what is the Hospitalitarian podcast.
Melissa Hardiman:Excellent. So thanks for coming. Thanks for having me. Um, so to start with, what is, what does Hospitalitarian mean to you? Why Hospitalitarian?
Tim Hardiman:I think that the hospitalitarian is, it, it's a, it's kind of a, a word, an amalgamation of a couple of different words, but I think one of the things that we've done really well in. Some of our businesses is hospitality and that isn't the service aspect. The well, like just the ethos of, of hospitality. And I think people, you know, think of hospitality maybe as an industry or as a practice, something that they need to do when they're at work. But it is more of a mindset and a. And ethos. I say that word again.'cause I really think that's kind of what it is. It, it, it's, it's not just about food and beverage, it's not just about restaurants and you see a lot of hospitality in those places, but, um, you really have to like. It has to be kind of in your, it's mindset, right? In your soul, in your mind, um, that you are going to be, you're gonna deliver hospitality, and it doesn't have to be a restaurant. So that's kind of where, you know, I remember bouncing that phrase off of you and you were like, well, that's what it's called. And, and, uh, I love it. I do too. It's, it's not, it's not gonna pigeonhole us. Yeah. I don't think,
Melissa Hardiman:yeah. It'll give you opportunities to not just talk about. Products that Right. You know, come into a restaurant with, I think
Tim Hardiman:hospitality occurs in lots of different places. Yeah, for sure.
Melissa Hardiman:So I think it's important to talk a little bit about your hospitality experience. Um, you know, we opened up the Taylor and the Cook in 2012 and it is. Was your heartbeat for many, many years. It was the dream that you always had to open up a small, fine dining restaurant. So talk a little bit about your experience with that.
Tim Hardiman:Well, I mean, I. Don't know much else other than food service and hospitality and restaurant business. That's what I was born into, um, at my dad's place. And after Paul Smith sent some time overseas, uh, in France and, uh, some time, more time in the Adirondacks and in Boston, um, returning home to the Mohawk Valley. You know, we decided it was time to, to open a restaurant and, and,
Melissa Hardiman:or I pushed you because you wanted to and you were nervous Maybe. So,
Tim Hardiman:and when we, when we got together with Chris and Tracy Tgo to, to found the Taylor and the cook, the, the, the logical step for us was, was to source locally. Mm-hmm. And, um, you know, that was just, it wasn't really where I came from, you know, as far. Food and beverage, but it was definitely a good idea for us and we'd kind of gotten there because of our son Finn, who is our oldest son, um, his food allergies, when he was a, a baby and a toddler. That's how we got interested in, you know. What we were eating. Mm-hmm. And, and, and you know, where it was coming from.
Melissa Hardiman:Well, that was a fascinating experience too, because he was having some health issues and we were able to determine that it was food allergies and we always care so much about the quality of the food that we eat. Um, but never really thought so much about where it was coming from. And so. At that point, we learned so much about the difference between local and organic and actually like having relationships with the people that were creating the food that we were eating.
Tim Hardiman:I think that was the biggest part, right, was like the relationships that we, the friendships that we started to make around food. Yeah. You know, I'd been in the restaurant business, but I, I don't know that I was really in the. Food business, you know?
Melissa Hardiman:Yeah, for sure. So we had the tailor and the cook. We also opened Utica bread around the same time, well, it was later, years later, but it was a crazy time in our lives. Um, and then the pandemic happened.
Tim Hardiman:Yep. And
Melissa Hardiman:do you wanna talk a little bit about how,
Tim Hardiman:well, I mean, the impact that that had on you? It's pretty open and shut as far as I'm concerned. Um. To quote my friend Dan, we had a good pandemic. Mm-hmm. We had a good COVID, you know, it was really good for our family and, um. It showed us and me that there was a, a different life other than the grind that was the mm-hmm. The restaurant. So, you know, over the past five years we've made significant changes and up until where we are here today, you know? Mm-hmm. And, and, uh, more time at home with the family, but still very much in the business of hospitality.
Melissa Hardiman:Yeah. Yeah. So what is it that made you interested in starting a podcast, and what is it that you hope to accomplish in this process?
Tim Hardiman:Well, I think that it's the, it's the conversations. It's the relationships, it's the friendships that we've had. I, I think we are, we have. Acquired much wealth in Yeah. In that, um, the people that we've met and the stories that we've been able to tell and be a part of through the restaurant with regard to the food and beverage and, and not just food and beverage, but the, the. The products, whether it be, you know, a woodworker or, or, or a ceramic artist. The craft, the craft, craft of all these people. Yeah. Anything that, that really went into the service of food and beverage, um, and trying to find it locally. Mm-hmm. And trying to make a, a, a connection with somebody who produces the things that work procuring. Mm-hmm. Um. And we are rich with those relationships. And so this seems like a really logical next step. Mm-hmm. Um, to talk to those people and to talk about their, their stories and their passions and, and, uh, um, I think it's gonna be a really good thing for our guests, um, to, to get awareness out, um, about their brand and their, their story and, and mm-hmm. You know, everybody's. In this to, to make a living. Um, we're all just trying to make a living doing something that really matters to us. So I think that's what these, these are really good stories talk about and it's an
Melissa Hardiman:opportunity for people to be inspired by other people. Yeah. And really understand what goes into the work that they do and honoring the crafts that they have, you know, because
Tim Hardiman:like you said, it's a community. Yeah,
Melissa Hardiman:it is. And, and I am. I mean, what you created with the Taylor and the Cook was so beautiful what we created. Yes. Um. And it's really amazing to see you at this different stage in your life and trying new things and being creative in a different way. And I also love the fact that you're home, you know, and making dinner my at home. For us instead of for all the people is a really nice thing. I like cooking at home, you know, our family gets to have that time. I'll never forget when you started, your schedule started changing a couple of years ago and you were home in the evenings and walking in after, I think I was out in Albany for the day, so I got home a little bit later And you had made, I'll never forget it, you had made. A duck breast with broccoli rab and that orange marmalade sauce and betzel. And there was a bottle of wine, I think it was Apollo's Praise, actually, it was on the table. And I was like, babe, it's a Tuesday. And it was wonderful. Yeah, wonderful. And it's just really neat to see the process of, you know. Running the restaurant, which was a heartbeat for you and such a really important stage in your life, and now seeing you, you know, kind of recreating and doing, you know, next new and exciting things.
Tim Hardiman:Yeah. Is cool. I mean, this is a cool startup for us, and, uh, we've learned a lot. Yeah. And, um, I think we're a little bit wiser and definitely a lot fuller with, with stories to tell, so. Mm-hmm. I'm excited about this.
Melissa Hardiman:Yeah, good. Me too.
Tim Hardiman:What you might not understand about the Hospitalitarian podcast is that it's not a one man show. There. There are. Multiple people helping me with things that I'm not an expert at. Um, and, and, uh, Ryan Grogan at Grogan Designs was really influential in, in helping us develop our visual brand, our, our, our marketing strategy, uh, and, and even uh, some web design as well, hospitality. Really starts long before your first interaction with a guest or, or a, a client. Um, hospitality starts when they recognize your brand. From a, a, a visual standpoint, I think it's really important to have a designer who listens and, and doesn't get offended when you tell them what you're looking for or when you need to make an edit. Um, Ryan has been super easy to work with. He's a, a wicked creative. I'm so excited about the, the product that he's given us for, for all of our platforms, and I would recommend him highly.
Melissa Hardiman:So, so tell a little bit about the Taylor and the cook. Yeah.
Tim Hardiman:2012 we opened. Um, I guess the areas, you know, the, the first farm to table. Eatery and upstate New York, I guess. Um, there weren't too many, uh, north of the Hudson Valley that were really paying attention to sourcing locally. And, you know, you and I had gotten involved in that through Finn, our oldest son's food allergies. And, and we, we started to pay attention to the food we were eating. Where we're getting it, the people we were meeting, and when it came time to, um, open the tailor with Chris and Tracy Tgo sourcing some products locally, certainly not all of them, not to the extent that we got to was kind of our, our, our pitch. Mm-hmm. Right. High quality food and service, but sourcing locally and it's, we've been doing it so long that way. Truly don't know how I could do it any other way. And I don't throw any shade on, on restaurateurs that don't source locally, but that's just what we've, that's how we do it. Right?
Melissa Hardiman:Yeah, for sure. Um, let's talk a little bit about the concept of, you know, local foods and why that's important to you.
Tim Hardiman:You know, I think it, it started with, with Finn, right? Yeah, for sure. Um, us paying attention more to what we were eating because we were trying to figure out why he had all these mm-hmm. Allergies. Um, and then
Melissa Hardiman:turned into like the recognition of the quality of what we were sourcing, right. And the relationships. All of a sudden
Tim Hardiman:we realized that like, yeah, not only were, did we, like, were we benefiting from buying and sourcing great local foods, but it was. Better quality. Mm-hmm. And then you get to know these people and, and then there's a story behind it. And I don't know, it just logically evolved from there. Or maybe illogically, but I don't know how else to, to, to, to procure fruit anymore. Mm-hmm. You know, like I just have to, there needs to be a conversation, there needs to be a story behind it. You need to know the person that's producing it. I think in a lot of cases it's a marketing stunt, but um, for us it's always been like really the driving mission. Mm-hmm. And, uh,
Melissa Hardiman:and so much of it's the relationships with the people. The people, and with the way that our community has grown. Totally. You know, our circle
Tim Hardiman:Yep. The friends, friends that we've made Yeah. That are, you know, farmers or producers. Yeah. And, and wine makers or brewers. But also too, what has become really important to me is the economics of Buying locally. Mm-hmm. You know, like that cuts out a, a really important middleman out of the, the supply chain, if you will. Yeah. And there's
Melissa Hardiman:something to be said about support because it's an art, right? Like the way that. These people are cultivating the food that we're procuring is an art and being able to support those humans in their art and Right. Support those people and get to, know the people on a level that it creates more, I don't know how to say this, but it creates some more beauty of what ends up on the plate.
Tim Hardiman:A hundred percent. It gives you more skin in the game too. I've noticed over the years that like the cooks, once they get to know a vendor or a farm Maybe they're receiving and they, these people become their acquaintances or their friends. you don't wanna waste those products. You take a little bit more care with a product that you know. The whole story of, yeah. And, and I think sometimes we have to be careful that we're not on a soapbox about it, but for the most part, people really are interested in what mm-hmm. We've been putting out there both in, you know, a physical product of, of food and, and service, but also in like a, a, in the way that we talk about it. Mm-hmm. And the way that we market it, you know? Mm-hmm. And it's not, I, I really shouldn't say marketing, but you know, how you talk about what you do is important. Yeah. And local is keeping in New York state and that's like a real benefit to where we live. Mm-hmm. You know, there within 150 miles in any direction of, of us in the Mohawk Valley, we can find anything we want. Mm-hmm. Um, and south to the Hudson Valley in New York City, you would be. Foolish to try and do something local in, in food and beverage and not pay attention to the whole state. Sure. You know, so local isn't just as
Melissa Hardiman:if a person has access. Right, right,
Tim Hardiman:right. And thankfully we've been able to have that access. Yeah. And you know, as, as the world has changed in a lot of ways, getting what you want and what you need is easier. Mm-hmm. Um, but. I don't want it to come on an airplane. Yeah. You know, like I, it, it does have to travel a little bit 'cause we're talking about the whole state. But, um, I think it's, I think it's really important to, to know where your food comes from and to try and foster a conversation with the people who are producing it. And they might be on Long Island, you know, but those are the conversations that I want to have and those are the relationships that we've been really lucky to Yeah. To develop over the years, you know. Whether it's ducks from Long Island or wine from the Niagara Escarpment or you know mm-hmm. Um, flour from the Finger Lakes, like we've made so many cool relationships, you know? Yeah.
Melissa Hardiman:And also, so often a lot of, you know, the farmers that we've worked with, like, I can't help but think about Peter and Susie Jones who were in corporate America and. Boston for so many years and then they just decided that that wasn't the life that they wanted to live. Yeah. And they did a complete 180 and opened a farm. There's so many types of those stories. We
Tim Hardiman:should have one of them on this podcast. It's
Melissa Hardiman:a good idea. It's a good idea
Tim Hardiman:and I'm grateful for you, um, coming here to help me. Work this idea through, because it, it isn't quite a finished product yet. Mm-hmm. You know, but Episode zero here, when we're finished with this conversation, I think we're gonna have a pretty good
Melissa Hardiman:mm-hmm.
Tim Hardiman:Direction on, on how we want to take the, the brand of this, this podcast.
Melissa Hardiman:I think so too. And I can't stop thinking about, which I've said to you a couple of times this like, concept of community, right. It's so loud in my mind and how, um. You know, historically there were no, there was no funds that were, you know, you didn't pay for things like barter. Yeah. But, but also, you know, people have their gifts and they have their stories, and they have the products that they're able to provide. And when it can be shared, it's a really special thing. And my hope is that people understand more about different, um. Different products that are available. Sure. And you hear the story and it changes, you know, you're more inspired or interested in maybe like obtaining those products. Totally. I remember at the restaurant when we didn't know anything about wine when we first opened and would do those, you know, we would have people come in and do wine tastings and our friend Cameron Mills, who like actually taught us what idea we should maybe invite him on the podcast too. But in all seriousness, I'll never forget, he'd, you know, present the wine and show us the label and he'd tell the story and I would like the wine before I even tasted it. Yeah, we'll buy it. It's true. But he became a friend story, say a lot. He became a wonderful friend and he talked a lot about
Tim Hardiman:wine and you know, he's been a part of the evolution of the wine program at the Taylor and the Cook because we had. Symbiotic. Yep. Values and, and,
Melissa Hardiman:uh, yes. And that's so much of it too. That was just
Tim Hardiman:one of those relationships, you know? Yeah. And, and the, the podcast should, you know. How many times have we used the phrase that a, a rising tide lifts all ships? You know, we talk about it here in our, our hometown of Utica, in the Mohawk Valley, in the state of New York, like mm-hmm. This podcast should be something that benefits the guests who
Melissa Hardiman:exactly choose
Tim Hardiman:to come on here. Like I want to talk about them and talk about what's going on with them and why their story is interesting. Mm-hmm. And that should. Like sell them, sell some cheese or sell some wine or something. Right? And, and that's an ancillary benefit, but that's also what we've always done, is tried to highlight the people that we're doing business with because. If you're doing it different, you gotta talk about it.
Melissa Hardiman:Well, it's also kind of like a symbiotic relationship too, because you might have somebody that's listening that always has that, like in the back of their mind, this dream of making cheese, and it could inspire them to start learning how to do some of these things too, which I love. So well, we'll have
Tim Hardiman:to make sure that we're talking about all the like. Real parts of it too. You know, like we don't wanna romanticize any of this.'cause it's
Melissa Hardiman:like restaurant. Yeah. Like restaurant work,
Tim Hardiman:being a farmer. Yeah. And, and a cheese maker isn't probably always uh, um, well it is
Melissa Hardiman:if it's, if it's your calling. Well, if it's your passion and that's, those are the people that we want to talk to, right? The people that
Tim Hardiman:really are passionate about what they do.
Melissa Hardiman:So how do you perceive up. An episode flowing
Tim Hardiman:well, um, I don't really know, and I don't know if I really want to have too many guardrails around it, but I, I have this concept of, um, how I'll open every, can I, can I try it on you? Sure. This concept of, of, I don't know. It's like a, a, a, a rapid fire. Pack of questions that kind of sets the tone. Every guest is gonna be asked these same three, the same question, these same three questions, and that is like an icebreaker and probably gives us a lot of direction for then where to take the rest of the conversation. So if you were my first guest and you are, or I'm your first guest, depending on how you look at it, I'm gonna ask you, what are you reading?
Melissa Hardiman:a few, and that could be
Tim Hardiman:print or digital.
Melissa Hardiman:Sure, I'm reading a few things right now. but one book that I'm rereading, it's called Wintering by Catherine May.
Tim Hardiman:Yes. I'm aware you've bought about 14 copies of that lately, given all your friends. I know. It's very important. Winter. Yeah. What is that? In a nutshell,
Melissa Hardiman:it's this concept of, going back like a pagan mentality of. Looking at seasons and seasonality and using seasonality as a person the way it's intended to. So I find it fascinating, but like this time of year, for example, the fall, The leaves are changing color and they're falling because they're preparing that tree's preparing to go inward and the seeds are falling. and winter is a time for rest. Yeah. And in our society, we feel that if we're not going a million miles an hour, that we're failing at things. And so
Tim Hardiman:maybe we need a winter.
Melissa Hardiman:We, it's required, it like helps us to be able to, goals and intentions that you have. Also, you think of it like a seed, like you're putting it, giving it a safe space to grow. So in the spring, you know you have the energy to be able to do what it is that to you need to do Mm-hmm.
Tim Hardiman:Question two, what are you listening to?
Melissa Hardiman:What am I not listening to? Well, but it
Tim Hardiman:doesn't have to be music. Maybe it's a podcast, maybe it's something. What are you, what's in your earbuds?
Melissa Hardiman:Well, a lot, honestly. I've been listening to a lot of classical music lately. You have, I'm writing a lot of curriculum for my work and classical, uh. Grounds me and inspires me very much.
Tim Hardiman:It's a great music to have on when you want to enjoy it, but maybe don't want to be distracted by it. Yeah, yeah. Right there
Melissa Hardiman:it enhances. I feel like whatever I'm doing, there aren't
Tim Hardiman:any vocals or anything because sometimes vocals can distract you. Sure. Yeah. Third question, what's inspiring to you right now?
Melissa Hardiman:Um, I don't know. I wanna say this whole, just like what we were talking about, this whole concept of rest, I, um, this is a real thing. We have a friend, Ryan Miller, who happens to be working, um, with us on this podcast, which is really special. And I heard him say on a podcast recently. That rest is not the absence of something, that it's an ingredient. And I don't know, at 43 years old, like it's become very. Very important to me to be considering it. So that piece, but also this concept of community and concept of, you know, people that are kind and we're in a tough spot in the world right now. And, and those, these are the things that inspire me to, to create. And I've been doing a lot of painting.
Tim Hardiman:I love that. I love that. And I, I am inspired by. Your creativity lately. Um, and you've been reminding me a lot about what Ryan said about what that rest is an ingredient. And, uh, continue to remind me, please.
Melissa Hardiman:Well, like what's, what is it that we're able to accomplish? Yeah. Like we think that, you know, there's so many things that we wanna accomplish, like whether it's in a day right, or a year. If we have the necessary rest, we're gonna accomplish so much more than we would if we, when we're not, you know, we're running in circles, it's a thing. Do you like those
Tim Hardiman:three questions? Do you think those are a good, you know, jumping off point?
Melissa Hardiman:Yeah, I, 'em, I think people might need 'em ahead of time.
Tim Hardiman:They're gonna know, like, everybody's gonna get those three questions, uhhuh, and then, you know, we'll probably have some more targeted questions towards the passion and the project. Yeah. And the product that those people produce or, or whatever. But. Those three are gonna be like the, the intro. I
Melissa Hardiman:love it.'cause I do think it's an opportunity to see what makes a person tick and what inspires a person because there's just,'cause that can change too so much. Mm-hmm. That can change and the conversation can change because of those, the answers to those questions.
Tim Hardiman:So what we were trying to do here today was flesh out really what the Hospitalitarian podcast is. Mm-hmm. And I think. I've got it.
Melissa Hardiman:Good. I think also that it's important just to remember and not pigeonhole yourself to, of course this is about food and beverage and anything that kind of ends up on a table, like a beautiful table, right? You think I always picture the beautiful table and your food on the table, and. The, you know, ceramics that Artisan have made, you know, but, um, it'll be very interesting 'cause Hospitalitarian is not just confined to a restaurant. No, it's not. This is gonna be, it's a, it's a way of life.
Tim Hardiman:It is a way of life. And it's going to be, you know, the, the, the one kind of border around it is the state of New
Melissa Hardiman:York. Mm-hmm.
Tim Hardiman:But we live in a really dynamic state, so it's not. A really confining border, I don't think. Um, and we're gonna talk to people in obviously, food and beverage mm-hmm. Because that's what we know the most. But we're gonna talk to people in hospitality and about hospitality. Mm-hmm. And I think that along with food, beverage, and hospitality, one of the things that we've gotten to, to know a little bit about and a, a lot of people about. Is agriculture. Mm-hmm. So, food, beverage, agriculture, hospitality. Mm-hmm. I mean, there's probably not too many people that we couldn't figure out a way to Oh, sure. To lump into there, because I think hospitality shows up in a lot of different places. Mm-hmm. Or, or maybe we're gonna try to find places that fits.
Melissa Hardiman:Yeah. Yeah. I also think that. My hope for you in this process too is that when people learn specifically about agriculture, like we talk about, because it's not an easy way of life and you need to be passionate about it in order to be, you know. A farmer. Um, but what my hope is too is that people can understand more of what goes into so much of this, because this whole concept of like customer service and hospitality is really important, but it's also really important to be a good customer, be a good person that's receiving the product.
Tim Hardiman:Now, that is a a
Melissa Hardiman:and I hope people appreciate, can appreciate more of what goes into things. I hope
Tim Hardiman:so too. I hope we can touch on that sort of stuff.
Melissa Hardiman:Yeah.
Tim Hardiman:Yeah. This is fun. Mm-hmm. Thank you for taking time to come
Melissa Hardiman:talk to my favorite person. Yeah.
Tim Hardiman:But continue to, you know, have my back and support me in a, a concept that, um, I think has a lot of, of potential. Thank you. And I am grateful for your. Opinions and guidance and, and everything that comes with, you know, being business partners and life partners.
Melissa Hardiman:Well, this is a very exciting next step for you. I'm happy for you about this.
Tim Hardiman:Thank you. Thanks for coming. And, uh, so this was, uh, episode zero of the podcast, uh, with, uh, episode, uh, one. Um. Pretty shortly, I would assume. And, uh, thanks for for joining us today on the hospitalitarian. I'm Tim Hardiman and we'll see you soon. While the hospitalitarian podcast is rooted in the Mohawk Valley, we celebrate the whole of hospitality in the um, empire State. The Hospitalitarian is recorded at CC'S incubator and produced by Ryan Miller at Rust Belt Studios in Utica. Theme music by Nashua Rob.