Emmanuel Laroche, host of Flavors Unknown, headed to StarChefs Rust Belt 2025. It was a lively conversation about the ins and outs of Rust Belt cuisine and where the rising stars panelists see the region headed.
In this latest episode of the Flavors Unknown podcast, he chatted with chef-owner Vince Morelli of Cent's Pizza and Goods, chef-owner Liu Fang of Abundance Culinary, pastry chef Annabella Andricks of Rood, mixologist Liz Dabecco of Standby, and chef/co-owner Jeremy Umansky of Larder Delicatessen and Bakery.
Exploring the Rust Belt Food Scene
From Cleveland to Pittsburgh, the Rust Belt is an underrated gem. Of its largest cities, Detroit has taken off with exciting culinary experiences, but both Pittsburgh and Cleveland aren’t far behind. Starting things off, Chef Liu said, “There are so many people that are creative, that have passions, that want to do different things.”
Chef Vince agreed, saying, “I think we have a great community in Cleveland where we can work together and do collaborative things . . . [like] working with people in Detroit or Pittsburgh. We do cross-collaborations and stuff like that to get things bubbling, keep people traveling to Cleveland, and showing what we have to offer, culinary and just in general, as a city.”
Finding Passion in Cooking
The “grandmother influence” was a common theme with the chefs, with Chef Jeremy and Pastry Chef Annabella both finding their passion in their grandmothers’ kitchens.
Chef Vince also noted his strong family cooking experience, but it was his time in New York with dinner parties and the fashion industry that deepened his passion for cooking for others. He said, “I have a restaurant, and I make food. That's my contribution to society. I feel like through that, I could create an identity and a brand of how we want to present ourselves.” For Vince, it was more about the dining experience than about the food alone. He added, “My passion is to paint the picture of the whole thing.”
Contrary to the other chefs, Chef Liu’s family tried to keep her out of the kitchen. But after traveling all over China and moving to Cleveland, she discovered her passion for blending traditional Chinese recipes with modern innovations.
Seeking Inspiration
Turning to inspiration, Chef Annabella spoke of finding it anywhere from beautiful Instagram photos to random television shows. She said, “For me, I'm always thinking, if I really, really like something, ‘How can I make this the way that I would want to make it?’’’
But sometimes, there’s more to inventiveness. Chef Jeremy summed this up when he said, “It’s working with something in a way that creates surprise and delight in someone where they're not expecting, especially with what their preconceived notions are of good and bad in relation to deliciousness, and their cultural preferences associated with that.”
He also spoke of using ingredients that don’t get much attention — like blood to make koji-fermented cheese. He added, “Just looking from a closed-loop food system, it's one resource that we flushed down the drain. The amount of animals that we raise for their meat, their flesh around the world, it's staggering, it's unprecedented.”
Chef Liu agreed, noting that the sustainability mindset, rather than scarcity, drives people to use all parts. As she said, “Now, it has become a point of, ‘Why can't we use that?’ just because we have an abundance of everything, but this is a good source of food that provides you more than just nutrients.”
Related: Starchefs Miami 2025 Panel Discussion: Culinary Creativity Shines
The Pull of Savory Ingredients
Soon, the StarChefs panel discussion shifted to how some of the best flavors come from unusual savory profiles. For mixologist Liz, she works her passion for daring combinations into her menus, such as bold durian mixed with sweet coconut, mango, gin, and earthy sotol, or savory Greek brandy paired with an olive oil wash, salt brine, oregano, lemon verbena, and Cocchi Americano aperitif.
Whatever the menu, her cocktail ideas always come from food. It might be how the drinks replicate the taste or even how they bring nostalgia for customers. Liz noted, “I definitely feel like I've been moved by a spirit, either by what it tastes like or the story or the person behind it.” For mixologists like Liz, the main goal is to turn those flavors and feelings into a truly sippable experience.
Pastry Chef Annabella is equally drawn to savory flavors for desserts, with some of her recent ice cream favorites like robust, spicy-sweet peppercorns mixed with blueberry and smoky tea or fresh, herbaceous basil swirled into vanilla bean-infused milk.
Chef Vince finished things off by saying, “I like things that are salty and crunchy and very citrus-forward. I think pizza is just like a vessel. You can put anything on it. It's going to be good. It's like a sandwich.”
Techniques and Trends That Drive the Menu
In terms of what the future holds, there was consensus on avoiding waste and preserving ingredients. The chefs agreed that fresh is delicious in season, but it’s not always practical. From pickled to steamed or dried, ingredients enjoyed out of season can still have their own impressive flavor profiles.
As mixologist Liz said, “If you're using things that aren't as perishable, you can still present really delicious things that keep longer.” Chef Liu agreed, adding, “[Steaming] is a really good way of trading ingredients to keep how soft things can be and with a less harsh way of stripping nutrients and things out of food.”
For Chef Jeremy, there was a strong need to drive change in food waste. He said, “If we're going to solve these problems and recycle this food or upcycle it or give it to someone else . . . we've got to reframe this whole conversation and get waste and trash out of there.” He also spoke of keeping creativity in the kitchen when repurposing food. Instead of seeing day-old cookies as stale or undesirable, he might turn them into delicious graham cracker crusts.
Looking Forward
There’s a lot to get excited about as the culinary world expands. Chef Annabella spoke of wanting pastry chefs and bakers to put more savory options on the menu. “One thing I would love to change is [to] retrain those brains and say, ‘That might be how it used to be, but let's move forward and see what else we can do.’”
Chef Jeremy hopes to see even more regional dishes in restaurants, saying, “I don't want to eat the same thing in New York that I get in San Francisco.” He added, “I'd like to see just bigger, bolder pushes to go to Detroit, go to Pittsburgh, see what makes their food different from what we have here in Cleveland and in Columbus. Everybody really, really buckled down on that and made these identities.”
Chef Liu couldn’t agree more. She said, “I think one of the most insulting things that anybody could have told me is, ‘Well, I'm from New York. I'm from the West Coast. This is good for Cleveland.’ When it comes to resources, it's very rich in this area, and there's a lot we can do with it. We're trying to be very original to where we're from and support the local communities.”
Takeaway
From Cleveland to Detroit and Pittsburgh, the Rust Belt region has seen delicious change in terms of creative innovations and a drive for long-term flavors in exciting new forms. Customers, whether sipping durian cocktails or sampling the freshest basil ice cream flavors, can all agree that there’s excitement in the air. Regional cuisines are gaining ground and showing how diverse and delightful the Rust Belt culinary scene can be.
Find other exciting food innovations from the Rust Belt and other regions at Flavors Unknown & Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door, or contact the Symrise team to learn more.
