Dining Out Jersey
About
Attention all food lovers in New Jersey! Get ready to embark on a culinary journey like never before with “Dining Out Jersey” – the state’s premier restaurant show on 100.1 WJRZ! Every Sunday Morning at 8am, join us as we uncover the hidden gems and award-winning dining destinations throughout the Garden State. “Dining Out Jersey” is your backstage pass to the vibrant culinary scene, where we bring you exclusive interviews with local restaurateurs, innovative chefs, and master mixologists.
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ABOUT:
Host, Tara Jean McDonald Bonanno boasts a distinguished career in the media industry spanning over two decades. Having established roots in Monmouth County with her family, she assumed the role of editor at Our Town, a notable Monmouth County newspaper. At this time, she began composing her ongoing column and blog, titled Yours Truly TJ. This period also saw Tara Jean serve as co-host for a duration of eight years on the local MCTV-77, NJ Discover TV & Radio Shows and NJ Discover YouTube Channel.
Concurrently, she was spokesmodel and Senior Writer for Fashion Haunts Magazine. At present, she holds the title of Publisher at Dining Out Jersey Shore Magazine, a prominent publication at the Jersey Shore. Her tenure in the industry has seen her produce and host a multitude of NJ Discover and Dining Out Jersey segments, featuring interviews with celebrities, philanthropists, musicians, chefs, mixologists, and entrepreneurs, providing them with a platform to narrate their stories. Notably, Tara Jean is eager to spearhead “The Dining Out Jersey Show” podcast and radio show on WJRZ.
Chef Diane Henderiks, Host of Chef Inspired Healthy. She is one of America’s most experienced and educated culinary professionals and is on a mission to teach new levels of cooking and eating well – simplified and fun! With credentials as a Registered Dietitian and corporate chef, Diane provides a wealth of knowledge to help the home cook take ordinary ingredients to new culinary heights.
Chef Diane has been an on-air contributor for Good Morning America, CNN, Fox & Friends, News 12 NJ and CBS News. She has also been featured in the New York Times and Shape Magazine. Diane is creator and host of Fresh to Frozen and Back streaming on Roku & Amazon Firetv. The owner of Diane Catering, she and her team create turnkey, unforgettable experiences for clients. www.DianeHenderiks.com
Chef Umberto Turelli is a restaurateur, entrepreneur, food influencer, and philanthropist at the Jersey Shore. He is the Host of YouTube’s What’s Cookin’ Jersey Shore and founded Cookin’ for the Cause, a non-profit to benefit local charities. His interest in the food business comes first and foremost from his mother’s classic Italian cooking. Growing up with a respect for food, family recipes, and the memories they create instilled in him a true love for the art of cooking. He started with three of his own Pizzeria/Restaurants and then moved into the service division of the food industry as a regional manager and took part in demos with various chefs across the country.
After twelve years, the itch to own a restaurant steered him to Trattoria Portobello. With a renewed love for the business and three restaurants later, Umberto is now concentrating on keeping that truly unique and fine dining experience at all of his restaurants. His current restaurant is a quaint Italian spot in Toms River, Zi Marie’s. Umberto’s motivation and satisfaction is best described in his motto, “From my heart to my hands to you.” Follow his YouTube at What’s Cookin’ Jersey Shore.
Co-Host, Cristine Floyd, a native of Brooklyn, NY, attended Johnson & Wales University. Her career led her to work at renowned restaurants and then become a Food Reviewer for Wine and Dine. After returning to New Jersey, she continued her work at high-end restaurants as a Sous Chef and later as Assistant Manager at The Mill.
Cristine’s job as a Food Reviewer in 2010 for Wine and Dine reignited her passion for food. Reviewing restaurants all over the Tri-State area was a dream come true for her. She had the opportunity to review restaurants like Megu, the high-end Japanese Restaurant in NYC, and Fraunces Tavern on Pearl St in NYC, among others. Cristine worked as Co-Host for Danny Coleman’s Rock on Radio for six years, talking with musicians and local personalities. Now, she is sharing her expertise and experience as co-host for Dining Out Jersey Radio.
Co-Host, Gayle Farbman has over 30 years of experience in the media industry. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of South Carolina and has worked in various capacities, including her roles in sales and marketing for A&E Television Networks and Blair Television in New York City, and as a Reporter, News Anchor, Actress and Voice Over Talent in Dallas, Texas.
Gayle has also appeared on Walker, Texas Ranger and worked for Metro Networks, Infinity Broadcasting and Silver King Broadcasting/HSN. After returning to her roots here in Monmouth County, Gayle worked with Living In Media as a writer and account executive for Living In Monmouth Magazine for 11 years. Gayle is now joining Dining Out Jersey Radio as Co-Host for the Celebrity Eats NJ segments on-air and in print for Dining Out Jersey Shore Magazine.