bonus

HEARD (024): A steakhouse in Miami, watermelon slushies, tahini granola, chefs rallying for autistic individuals, Eric Ripert’s new cookbook, and sweet and sour chicken.

Published on: 13th April, 2026

In this episode, Kappy shares what’s on his plate at the moment.

Links and handles mentioned in this episode:

Sunny’s Steakhouse | IG | Will Thompson | Chef Aaron Brooks

Ninja CREAMi | Chris Young video

Chef on the Spectrum program | Chef Franklin Becker | Chitarra Pastaria | Chef Ken Oringer

Chef Eric Ripert’s Mindful Cooking book | IG

***

Salty Chocolate + Tahini Granola

3 cups old-fashioned oats

½ - 1 cup chopped nuts of choice (I use pistachios and/or almonds)

1 - 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

⅓ cup honey

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons tahini (stirred until smooth)

2 tablespoons of neutral oil (olive, coconut, avocado, etc.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom (I do ¼ teaspoon each)

To finish:

⅓ - ½ cup mini chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Flaky salt

Light dusting of lemon zest

Sprinkling of sprinkles

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

1. In a big bowl, combine the oats, nuts, and salt and stir to combine.

2. To a small sauce pot, add the honey, maple syrup, tahini, and oil and warm over low heat while stirring for about 1-2 minutes. Once it is loose and glossy, remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom.

3. Pour the wet mixture over the bowl of dry and mix with a rubber spatula until fully coated.

4. Transfer the mixture to the parchment lined sheet tray, gently press into an even layer, about ½ - 1 inch thick, and place in the oven.

5. Bake for about 25-40 minutes, rotating halfway, until it’s light golden brown and toasted. Do not stir. (I know this is a wide range of time. We enjoy it a little chewy so I err on the side of 25-30 minutes rather than the longer time.)

6. Remove from the oven, and evenly scatter the chocolate, salt, lemon zest and sprinkles over the top. Let cool on pan - it will firm up as it cools. Once it cools, you can break it up into pieces and store in a resealable bag or covered tupperware container.

Follow Beyond the Plate on Facebook and X.

Follow Kappy on Instagram and X.

www.beyondtheplatepodcast.com

www.onkappysplate.com

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode
Show artwork for Beyond the Plate

About the Podcast

Beyond the Plate
Culinary Legends, Giving Back
Join Andrew “Kappy” Kaplan as he sits down in-person with the world’s culinary elite to explore their journey into the food industry and the social impact they have made in their community. Every episode will share inspiring stories of what it means to be in today’s hospitality industry.

About your host

Profile picture for Andrew Kaplan

Andrew Kaplan