Political cooking show makes stop at the Ranch

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Lori Halbert, a former Indialantic councilwoman and a losing candidate for the Florida Legislature, realizes the limits of the 30-second sound-bite politicians generally make to the public.
As a politician, she rarely was concise.

“I would have made people mad if I got spot in the state Legislature,” said Halbert, a graduate of Ringling College.

And, now, in her third season hosting “Live with Lori: Political Food for Thought,” a weekly political cooking show aired on Sun Sports, Halbert aims to provide an alternative scenario.

Halbert, a lifelong cooking hobbyist, and nine crewmembers spent three days in Sarasota, at Keiser University, taping episodes for season three of the show, which features Halbert interviewing special guests as they cook together in the kitchen.

Among the guests, June 10 through 12, were U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, Sen. Bill Galvano and Rep. Greg Steube.

Steube, who majored in beef-cattle science at the University of Florida, asked to cook cowboy-themed food.

“I speak at events at least once a day,” Steube said. “This is something a bit different, where people can learn more about me.”

In four taped segments June 12, Steube helped Halbert cook pulled-pork sandwiches and nachos, Korean noodle bowls and coleslaw.

In the kitchen, Halbert assigned Steube to chopping coleslaw and grating jalapeno cheese.

“Smoking food is his specialty,” said Greg Steube’s wife, Jennifer, as she watched the taping and waved at her husband between takes. “He’s a busy man, but we do try to spent time in the kitchen together. He doesn’t like the detail stuff.”

The third season of “Live with Lori” will air at 7 a.m., Thursday mornings, September through December.

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].