Mercedes Mejia
Producer/DirectorMercedes Mejia is a producer and director of Stateside and has been with the show since it launched in 2012. Her reporting and producing centers on the intersection of arts, culture and community. Since 2009, Mercedes has contributed to the station in many roles, including as producer for All Things Considered with Jenn White and fill-in hosting. She earned her BA in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Latin American Studies at the University of New Mexico, and she began in public radio as a reporter at KUNM in Albuquerque.
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Chef Eddie Vargas talks beef, broth, and birria as he walks us through the family recipe that forms the base of his culinary philosophy. -
!["Since I came to this country, I've always wanted to do what I did back home," Chef Prej Iroegbu said. "I came here and I realized we didn't really have the food that I ate [in Nigeria]."](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4f1a081/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x571+0+56/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Faa%2Fc5%2Fd30477d84b4f996a1553c3c3c0b4%2Fforkinnigeria-prejiroegbu-creditroniacabansag-09.jpg)
Chef Prej Iroegbu, owner of Fork in Nigeria talks about his cooking style, sourcing specialty Nigerian ingredients, and his plans to open a restaurant in Detroit. -
A women-owned business in West Michigan fills the gap in nixtamalized masa and fresh, homemade tortillas. -
The owner of Ann Arbor's Q Bakehouse talks about the journey of trial and error that led her to fusion cuisine, her quest to recreate the flavors of her childhood, and her tips for incorporating East Asian flavors. -
A new podcast from Stateside director Mercedes Mejia brings you behind the scenes with Michigan's most inspiring chefs and culinary talents. -
Chef Ken Miller shares his philosophy around preservation, fermentation and waste management in fine dining. -
![[Pictured left to right]: Ace, Redd, and Jackie Marasigan at the Adobo Boy counter.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ccc9553/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7957x4433+0+436/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1b%2Ff2%2Fe89a490144db89f1717bbce0045c%2Fportrait-02.jpg)
The Marasigan family's restaurant, Adobo Boy, brings all the warmth, flavors, and fun of a Filipino house party to the Grand Rapids area. -
Michigan Public introduces a new podcast all about Michigan's culinary talent, and the stories behind their work.
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Heather Bell joins Stateside to talk about her new cookbook, “Mama Bell's Big Family Cooking.” We discuss what’s different about cooking for a big family all at once, while keeping it simple yet tasty. -
Chef Prej Iroegbu, owner of Fork in Nigeria talks about his cooking style, sourcing specialty Nigerian ingredients, and his plans to open a restaurant in Detroit.
!["Since I came to this country, I've always wanted to do what I did back home," Chef Prej Iroegbu said. "I came here and I realized we didn't really have the food that I ate [in Nigeria]."](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/58c2506/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x571+0+56/resize/560x312!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Faa%2Fc5%2Fd30477d84b4f996a1553c3c3c0b4%2Fforkinnigeria-prejiroegbu-creditroniacabansag-09.jpg)
![[Pictured left to right]: Ace, Redd, and Jackie Marasigan at the Adobo Boy counter.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0c22f1b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7957x4433+0+436/resize/560x312!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1b%2Ff2%2Fe89a490144db89f1717bbce0045c%2Fportrait-02.jpg)
