To continue Season 3 of What’s The Tea with Sarah E, I sit down with the vibrant and deeply soulful Marisa Mariella - culinary creator, educator, storyteller, and the heart behind Marisa’s Easy Kitchen.

More than a cook, Marisa is a passionate believer in the power of food to connect people, preserve culture, support mental wellness, and create community. Raised in an Italian-Canadian household by immigrant parents from Calabria, Italy, Marisa grew up understanding that food was never just food - it was love, identity, resilience, and deep care.

In this warm, heartfelt, and inspiring conversation, Marisa spills the tea on:

• Growing up in a home where food, faith, family, and friends were everything
• The lessons she learned from her mother about creating abundance from very little
• Why respecting food (and not wasting it) became a lifelong value
• Her 30-year career as a teacher and guidance counsellor and how that work shaped her purpose
• Creating the iMatter teen mental health and suicide prevention program
• Overcoming self-doubt to launch a television show and step into entrepreneurship later in life
• Building a business rooted in authenticity, culture, and connection
• Why she refuses to dim her light to make others comfortable

Marisa also reflects on the deeper meaning behind gathering around a table - and why she wants every person who experiences her food to feel loved, accepted, and at home. (I can now say that I've experienced this thanks to the homemade biscotti delivery!)

At the heart of this episode is a beautiful reminder: Food feeds more than hunger - it feeds connection, healing, memory, and community. This episode feels like sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of wine, a plate of pasta, and someone who reminds you what really matters.

Season 3 – Episode 2 is streaming now on What’s The Tea with Sarah E. Connect with Marisa Mariella online at https://marisamariella.com and on Instagram @marisamariella for Marisa’s Easy Kitchen for recipes, events, culture, and community storytelling.

That’s today’s tea! If you loved this conversation, don’t forget to rate, review, and share the show with a friend.

Join the Tea Party! New episodes drop every second Tuesday, so hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcast app. And for the latest episodes, behind-the-scenes clips, and even more bold conversations, follow me on Instagram at @sara_ernest.

A Reminder - The views and opinions expressed by guests on What’s the Tea with Sarah E are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. This podcast is a platform for diverse voices, stories, and perspectives - sometimes unpolished, always unapologetic.

Until next time, keep stirring the pot.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To kick off Season 3 of What’s The Tea with Sarah E, I sit down with the vibrant, fearless, and wildly authentic Jacqui Childs - entrepreneur, best-selling author, influencer, ghostwriter, and mental health advocate who has spent over a decade building a platform rooted in truth, vulnerability, and unapologetic self-expression.

With more than 2.5 million followers across social media, Jacqui has seen the highs and lows of influence - but behind the curated feeds is a story of survival, reinvention, and radical honesty.

From living on her own at 15, to navigating early motherhood, to stripping on 8-Mile in Detroit and Naked News, to becoming a media personality, advocate and creator - Jacqui’s journey is anything but conventional. This Hells Angel in Heels wouldn't have it any other way!

In this raw, bold, and deeply human conversation, Jacqui spills the tea on:

• Growing up in survival mode and how her first son changed the trajectory of her life
• Her bipolar diagnosis and why she sees it as her superpower, not a limitation
• The decision to stop medication and fully experience life - the highs and the lows
• Why women struggle to take up space and the data-backed reality of how differently men and women are received online
• Turning 40 and stepping into a new level of confidence, power, and self-acceptance
• Navigating judgment, hate, and criticism - especially from other women
• Why she continues to show up boldly, even when she knows she won’t be for everyone

Jacqui also shares deeply personal reflections on relationships, motherhood, identity, and what it means to be truly seen - not just online, but in real life. At the heart of this episode is a powerful truth: You don’t have to be palatable to be powerful.

This conversation is messy, honest, funny, and at times confronting - a reminder that the most powerful thing you can be is fully yourself.🎙 Season 3 – Episode 1 is streaming now on What’s The Tea with Sarah E.

Connect with Jacqui on Instagram at @jacquichilds or @childs.jacqui or search Jacqui Childs on Facebook or LinkedIn.

That’s today’s tea! If you loved this conversation, don’t forget to rate, review, and share the show with a friend.

Join the Tea Party! New episodes drop every second Tuesday, so hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcast app. And for the latest episodes, behind-the-scenes clips, and even more bold conversations, follow me on Instagram at @sara_ernest.

A Reminder - The views and opinions expressed by guests on What’s the Tea with Sarah E are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host. This podcast is a platform for diverse voices, stories, and perspectives - sometimes unpolished, always unapologetic.

Until next time, keep stirring the pot.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.