Episode #8

In this final episode of Kelly and Regina’s A Place at the Table podcast, they touch on using our gifts and abilities for the sake of serving others and serving God. This act of service oftentimes can be as simple as inviting people into your home and allowing comfort and intimacy to make them feel loved.

Kelly also highlights Jesus’s illustration in Luke 14 when he chose to heal a man on the Sabbath rather than follow the rules of His day. What this represents for us, in today’s society, is that we need to keep people as most important, making it our goal to welcome in anyone who needs to feel the love of Christ.

The key highlights of this episode:

• With many of Jesus’ ministry happening around the table at meals, He models for us that opening up our doors and inviting people in is a key means of showing Christ’s love to them.
• People matter more than the food itself, the decorations, or how your home looks, so we can’t allow the desire for those elements to be “perfect” to hinder us from inviting people into our homes.
• Barriers break down when people sit around a table. This is how community is built, intimacy occurs, and true friendship can begin.

Quotes from Kelly, Regina + Teresa:

“Cooking for others is ministry at its core.” – Kelly

“God gives us gifts, but not only for us alone, but to serve Him and to serve people.” – Regina

“The time spent with people is more important than anything.” – Regina

“There is something that happens that is softening to people’s hearts when they sit around a table.” – Kelly

Click here to listen on iTunes!

Episode #7

Food stylist and photographer Teresa Blackburn joins Kelly and Regina again to talk about the significance of finding what you are passionate about and using that as a tool to serve those around you.

This episode, she shares with Kelly and Regina about the highs and lows of being a photographer and working in the food styling business, along with some tips on what it takes to get started in that line of work. The trio also discuss the therapeutic nature of cooking and how, even if it doesn’t come naturally to you, cooking can bring you joy if you look at it as a way to love and serve others.

The key highlights of this episode:

• Whether it’s photography or cooking, both arts are about serving the people that you are working or cooking for. Learn their needs and see how you can have a role in serving them.
• Cooking does not have to be seen as a chore. When you start to see cooking as a means of serving others and spend time learning how to cook, it makes it joyful for both those you are cooking for and for yourself.
• Fostering traditions in the kitchen is extremely important in teaching the younger generation the art and beauty of cooking.

Quotes from Kelly, Regina + Teresa:

“Nobody’s an expert necessarily when they walk into the kitchen. It’s really just about saying, ‘I’m going to do this, and I’m going to learn.’” – Kelly

“Try not to be perfect in this world because you’ll be so disappointed all the time. Embrace what you have and what you can do with it and find a passion.” – Teresa

“Put love on it and pass it around.” – Teresa

Click here to listen on iTunes!

Episode #6

Kelly and Regina are joined today by food and photography stylist Teresa Blackburn, who was the stylist of the photographs found inside of A Place at the Table. As an artist herself, Teresa has an eye for beauty, detail, and uniqueness, especially when it comes to imperfection.

In this episode, Teresa highlights how imperfection around your table, in your home, and even in the food you make can provide a sense of comfort and ease to those you invite into your home. Teresa also shares how she likes to prepare for guests, particularly in how she uses meaningful items from around her house to set the table when she has guests over. Teresa’s hosting tips and tricks are key to a dinner party of any occasion!

The key highlights of this episode:

• Imperfection is what makes life interesting. Your home, table, and meal does not need to look perfect when you have people over. It can actually be the imperfections that make your guests feel more comfortable.
• Every item you have around your house holds a story, so whether you have a souvenir from your travels or a special family heirloom, it can be fun to use those items while setting your table or preparing your home for guests.
• Have fun with arranging your house for guests! Everything doesn’t have to match, so go with what looks and feels right to you when arranging your home and your table.

Quotes from Kelly + Regina:

“Life is not perfect. Life is beautifully imperfect.” – Teresa

“It’s about creating a space of belonging.” – Kelly

“Each person has their own aesthetic.” – Teresa

Click here to listen on iTunes!

Episode #5

In this episode, Kelly and Regina are joined by Kelly’s brother, David Minter, who talks with them about all things bread. Several years ago, David bought a book on how to make bread, tried his hand at making it, and realized how much he enjoyed the craft!

Now deemed by his family as the maker of the best pizza dough ever, David shares some of his tips on how to make bread, what types of bread are healthiest, and how bread-making ultimately points back to how God created us to be.

The key highlights of this episode:

• Time and temperature are the two top components to making a good loaf of bread.
• Just because a recipe or creation doesn’t turn out exactly how you wanted it doesn’t mean that you should quit. It’s all a part of the process and refining your craft.
• If you are new to bread-making, it’s best to start with a “no-knead” recipe that uses instant yeast. Even if you haven’t made bread before, it’s best to just jump in and try it!
• God designed us to be producers and creators, so whatever your hobby may be, using your hands to create is part of how God has designed you.

Quotes from Kelly + Regina:

“We are meant to be producers and creators.” – David

“Bread in and of itself is not a bad thing… you’ve just got to make sure you’re working with the right ingredients.” – David

“Let’s get baking, so we can not only enjoy the pleasure of having control over something and creating something but also so that we can nourish our loved ones.” – Kelly

Click here to listen on iTunes!

Episode #4

For those of you who love to host dinner parties but struggle when it comes to prepping, planning, and being present, this episode is for you!

As a chef, caterer, and expert dinner party host, Regina shares with us about some of her key tricks and tips for how to prepare your meal ahead of time and how certain planning tools will allow you to be able to spend more time with your guests without the stress of getting the food out on the table.

The key highlights of this episode:

• Nothing will ever fully be perfect when hosting a dinner party – and that’s okay. The point is not perfection; it’s being able to be ready so that you can be present with your guests.
• Pace yourself. The best way to do that is planning ahead of time, including what is on your menu, how many people are coming, and the ways you are going to keep your food warm.
• Don’t let the stress of getting the food together for a dinner party keep you from inviting guests over! Using these tips and any of your own methods, practice preparing food ahead of time, and don’t be afraid to ask a friend for help.

Quotes from Kelly + Regina:

“If we are prepared ahead of time… then we are more present for our guests.” – Kelly

“We want community – we want to take as many barriers out of the way.” – Kelly

Click here to listen on iTunes!

Episode #3

Whether you have several vegetable gardens at home or if you haven’t grown a thing in your life, Kelly and Regina talk in this episode about the beauty and miracle of gardening and seeing plants grow, and how this growth points to our Creator and our dependency upon Him.

Along with that, Kelly and Regina highlight the significance of cooking and eating seasonally. They touch on what our role is in teaching the younger generations about gardening and seasonal eating, and how those go hand in hand with the cycles of life and anticipation in God’s creation.

The key highlights of this episode:

• Beyond just the physical growth of a particular plant or food, gardening is a task that makes us more thankful for food and cooking, and it allows us to see God’s grace and goodness.
• Each season has certain foods that are prime for that time of the year. This points us to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 where we see God’s ordainment and importance of the seasons.
• Pruning in a garden reflects God’s pruning work in our lives, with Jesus as our Vine and God the Father as our Gardener. (John 15)
• Gardening can be a therapeutic act in a busy and connected society and gives us time of solitude and time alone with God.

Quotes from Kelly + Regina:

“Gardening and cooking really help me to be in awe of the Creator, and it shows me how dependent ultimately I am on the goodness of God.” – Kelly

“He does everything for good.” – Regina

“Everything has its time and seasons.” – Kelly

Click here to listen on iTunes!