Mercedes Mejia
Senior ProducerMercedes Mejia is a senior producer for Stateside, and has been with the show since it launched in 2012. She also hosts The Dish podcast, which explores Michigan's culinary stories and the people behind them. Her reporting and producing focus on the intersection of arts, culture, and community. Since 2009, Mercedes has worked in various roles, including as producer for All Things Considered with Jenn White, and multi-media producer. She earned her bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, with a minor in Latin American Studies, from the University of New Mexico, where she bagan her public radio career as a reporter at KUNM in Albuquerque.
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Traverse City’s rise as a food destination has been decades in the making. It's shaped by the water, short growing seasons, devoted farmers, and a culinary community where veteran and new chefs are growing the culture side by side. The Dish set out to explore what makes its food scene distinctly "up north." -
The couple behind this Turkish restaurant in Kalamazoo talk about the weight of representing a cultural cuisine to a city that's still learning it, one gobit doner at a time. -
The family‑owned Peterson’s Fish Market and Four Suns Fish & Chips catch, smoke, and serve fresh Lake Superior whitefish, earning a loyal following in Hancock and across the U.P. -
Unco Chad's Hawaiian Flavaz, a food truck that travels around southeast Michigan, serves up authentic poke and other local Hawaiian dishes. -
The Green Leap, a family-owned business based in Grand Rapids, raises crickets to be roasted and ground into protein powder. -
A Guatemalan restaurant in Ypsilanti reflects on a decade in the community, and how ICE presence has impacted business. -
Some U.S. airports are facing hours-long TSA wait times following the Department of Homeland Security shutdown. A representative from AAA gives insight on how to save time and money during spring break travels. -
The Cottage Bagel, a home bakery in Grand Rapids owned by Angela and Tony Ochoa, has developed a loyal following, with weekly bagel and scone pre-order “drops” often selling out within hours. -
Michigan lawmakers have weighed in on U.S. involvement in attacks on Iran that started over the weekend. -
A sober Ann Arbor bar manager is redefining spirit-free cocktails. Hear Max Schikora’s story of craft, recovery, and changing bar culture.
