Janet Podolak

Ohio

Travel and Food Writer at The News-Herald (Willoughby, OH)

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Articles

Northeast Ohio food extravaganza Five Star Sensation set for June 28

3 weeks ago | news-herald.com | Janet Podolak

Courtyard seating for those with individual tickets, a late-night French Quarter-themed space with a DJ for dancing and comfortable places to visit with old and new friends are some highlights of Five Star Sensation — an every-other-year food-and wine extravaganza set for June 28. Since its inception in 1987, with legendary chef Wolfgang Puck as honorary chairman, it’s raised $23 million for University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center.
Exploring island during cruise doable thanks to planning, scooter

3 weeks ago | morningjournal.com | Janet Podolak

A mobility scooter proved the perfect companion on my 11-day southern Caribbean cruise in April. My balance isn’t the best even on dry land, and my ZiiLIF mobility scooter served to counteract the ship’s slight motion as Celebrity Cruises’ Beyond sailed to St. Martin, St. Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and Antigua. At 15 decks tall and more than 1,000 feet long, the Beyond has a lot of territory to cover when meandering among its many bars, sun decks, dining rooms, shops and other public places.
Notable chefs help ICASI raise scholarship money

4 weeks ago | news-herald.com | Janet Podolak

Because foodies get their thrills from tastes, textures and combinations of ingredients in the foods they eat, those in the area turn out in force to support the International Culinary Arts and Sciences Institute in Chester Township in its quest to provide scholarships for talented would-be chefs. Graduates of the college-level professional cooking school founded by Loretta Paganini have enriched Northeast Ohio’s dining scene immeasurably during the school’s two decades.
Wineries collaborate on first Rosé & Roses Wine Trail

1 month ago | news-herald.com | Janet Podolak

June weekends will bring the first-ever rosé tasting to five wineries in eastern Lake and western Ashtabula counties. Each of the wineries will present two of its rosés during the tasting, set for 1 to 5 p.m. each Friday, Saturday and Sunday in June, beginning June 6.
Grenada gifts with insights into nutmeg, chocolate and more

1 month ago | news-herald.com | Janet Podolak

Dazzled by Grenada’s abundant spices on earlier visits to the southern Caribbean island, I wanted to know more as I planned my mid-April shore excursion from Celebrity Cruises’ Beyond. I recalled the salt-tinged island breezes with their spicy scents of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves everywhere, so I turned to foodie friend Denise Quick to help me secure a great guide to the island.
Willoughby House, Julia’s 1902 take hold in former Van Gorder Manor

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Janet Podolak

If there’s a secret to Mike Neundorfer’s success in the establishment of Willoughby House and Julia’s 1902, it’s his hands-on focus on what makes his team and their customers happy. It’s been a year since Neundorfer’s first foray into the hospitality business. The 10-suite Willoughby House was framed around the painstaking two-year restoration of what had long been known as Van Gorder Manor, a century-old stone landmark that once was a country estate at the western edge of Downtown Willoughby.
Willoughby House, Julia’s 1902 take hold in former Van Gorder Manor

1 month ago | news-herald.com | Janet Podolak

If there’s a secret to Mike Neundorfer’s success in the establishment of Willoughby House and Julia’s 1902, it’s his hands-on focus on what makes his team and their customers happy. It’s been a year since Neundorfer’s first foray into the hospitality business. The 10-suite Willoughby House was framed around the painstaking two-year restoration of what had long been known as Van Gorder Manor, a century-old stone landmark that once was a country estate at the western edge of Downtown Willoughby.
Here are a few Northeast Ohio Mother’s Day brunch options

1 month ago | news-herald.com | Janet Podolak

Mother’s Day is rooted in ancient Greece and Rome, where the goddesses Rhea and Cybele were celebrated in spring festivals. In 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson declared Mother’s Day as the second Sunday in May, it became an American holiday. That observance began in 1908 in West Virginia after Anna Jarvis campaigned to establish a […] Subscribe to continue reading this article. Originally Published: May 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM EDT
Red, Wine & Brew hosting wine tastings complete with stories

1 month ago | news-herald.com | Janet Podolak

A pair of wine tastings at Mentor’s Red, Wine & Brew will give tasters a deep dive into personal stories about the wine industry against a backdrop of music and food. Come for happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. on May 7 for $10 food specials and $2 off on beer and glasses of wine.
Mentor’s Parker Place garners companywide Most Outstanding Culinary honors

2 months ago | yahoo.com | Janet Podolak

Parker Place, an independent living community for retired seniors in Mentor, has received Most Outstanding Culinary honors from its parent company, Hawthorn Senior Living. Meals are included with the rent at all 79 Hawthorn retirement communities in the country. When Parker Place Executive Chef Joshua Wellman received the annual award from Regional Chef Art Cline, he said the honor was a team effort.