The CHEF Radio Podcast (Eli Kulp)

Accomplished chef, Mario Carbone joins us for a conversation about understanding the value of hard work, growing a global fine dining restaurant group and how his Italian American upbringing in Queens New York has translated to major success with his restaurants Carbone, Parm, The Grill, Santina restaurant and more.

Mario is one of the founders of Major Food Group (MFG), a new breed of restaurant group seeking to operate restaurants that are respectful of the past, exciting for the present, and sustainable for the future. 

Chef Randy Rucker of River Twice restaurant sits down with Eli to talk about his journey as a chef, which led him from Texas through New England and now Philadelphia. Using his personal approach to food, Randy finds creativity through the stories of the farmers, growers & fisherman that supply his restaurant. 

Traveling opens up our eyes to other cultures and new cuisines, allowing us to experience the world through a different lens and appreciate what it has to offer. Especially for chefs, learning the history of food and tasting local products can change how we view food.

Today’s guest spent years living and working in Bergamo, Italy, which fed his love for Italian cuisine and changed the trajectory of his career. Jeff Michaud, owner of restaurant Osteria in Philadelphia, sits down with host Eli Kulp and chats about his travels and career working with some of the best chefs in the business.

Now, Jeff shares his love for Italy and its food through La Via Gaia, a luxury tour company he started with his wife, Claudia, who he met in Italy. They’re bringing people to special places they couldn’t otherwise find on their own. Think cooking classes in someone’s kitchen on the side of a mountain or deep underground in a private wine cellar! And for those who can’t afford a tour, but want to taste the true flavors, Osteria offers simple but soulful Italian food, as well as pasta and pizza cooking classes.

Tune in to hear how Jeff crafted an amazing life around his passion for food, and where you can have those same invigorating experiences!

Topics discussed in this episode:

• How Jeff’s experience working in Italy changed his career path
• Bergamo, Italy, polenta, corn and Italy’s superior produce
• What Jeff learned working and living in Italy for years
• Jeff on his childhood and entering the culinary world
• Working at the Caribou Club
• Moving to Philadelphia and joining Vetri Cucina
• Opening Osteria in 2007 and growing business
• Keys to sustaining a restaurant for so many years
• Osteria’s process for making cacio e pepe
• Do chefs need to visit Europe to learn the food and culture?
• Making the perfect panettone
• Dishes that will always stay on Osteria’s menu
• Jeff and his wife’s culinary tour company, La Via Gaia
• Touring Slovenia and tasting the best white wine in the world

Stay connected with Jeff Michaud on Instagram and join one of his tours with La Via Gaia here: https://laviagaia.com/

Listen to more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast, and be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly!

Connect with Eli on Instagram:

The Chef Radio Podcast

Delicious City Philly

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

What would you say if I told you that a Disney artist, who helped bring animated films to life as well as designed video games and Disney theme park attractions, won a James Beard award this year for Best Chef California? Well, in today's podcast, we welcome Justin in to talk about his highly improbable journey from a first-generation Thai kid who grew up in his parents restaurant to one day leaving his artistic profession to come back to take over after his father had a debilitating stroke. This podcast has all the elements of a heart wrenching and uplifting Disney film, and we can't wait for you to listen!

Here’s what else was talked about:

• Justin doing the inaugural Voi•ãge dinner at Kalaya with Chef Nok
• Starting out as an artist at Disney
• How certain aspects of his time at Disney still play into his decisions at Anajak Thai
• Justin’s and Eli’s shared love for drawing out dishes before they begin to develop them in real life
• Literally growing up in his mom and dad’s restaurant
• His mother would give him ”showers” in the bathroom at the restaurant!
• How beat up the physical space of Anajak is after 40+ years in business
• When he had to take over the restaurant for his ailing father and the difficulties of filling his shoes…literally
• Learning from other chefs and friends in the business
• Are drop lines for servers necessary, or should guests be left to figure out the dish?
• What kind of chef do you want to be? 
• The importance of hiring people who compliment you and fill the void in your knowledge
• Justin’s early memory of trips to Thailand to visit family
• How his father, after his stroke, still came into the restaurant using a wheelchair to help direct and train Justin
• Justin’s incredible James Beard speech

Supporters of the show:

This holiday season make sure you reach for the true and authentic Parmigiano Reggiano to wow your guests with its incredible flavors and textures. Click on the link to find out some fun and creative ways to use the one and only King of Cheese this holiday season!🎁🧀

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

 Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

This holiday season make sure you reach for the true and authentic Parmigiano Reggiano to wow your guests with incredible flavors and textures. Click on the link to find out some fun and creative ways to use the one and only King of Cheese this holiday season!🎁🧀

So how do you know, as a chef, where you should be putting your energy outside of your normal job description? Because quite often on CHEF Radio, we talk about how chefs have positive impacts outside of the kitchen through great leadership practices, mentorship, fundraisers, and foundations, but maybe one of the single biggest impacts we can make is through our own responsible purchasing and sourcing and teaching the next generation the importance of being stewards of our foodways and food systems. 

Reducing our carbon footprint through climate education, menu planning, reducing food waste, and even packaging and plastics reduction are just some of the ways we can leave this industry better than how we found it, and let's face it, when you become a leader in our industry, you're expected to do so much more than just simply create menu items, work service, and write a schedule.

And of course, as individual chefs, we can each do this on our own, but as you’re going to hear today, when a farmer and a chef work hand-in-glove to create a Regenerative Organic utopia such as Chef’s Garden, the impact they can have is immeasurable, and it's no coincidence that this is Earth Week, and we are releasing this on Earth Day, because I couldn't imagine a better couple of guests to talk about the major positive impacts they’ve had on our planet and people and why would they do is massively important. Support Regenerative Organic Agriculture!

Here’s what else you’ll hear:

Farmer Lee Jones

• Coming to you live from the New York Food & Restaurant Show 2023
• What is Regenerative Organic farming and why you as a chef need to be supporting it?
• Why our vegetables nutritional levels continue to decline on a massive scale even with the advances in technology
• Trying to farm like they did 100 years ago
• Harvesting the sun by planting cover crops and soil 
• Why we must support regenerative organic farming as chefs because the government’s not going to change anything
• Having a medical doctor on staff at the Chef's Garden to help create more nutrient dense vegetables to assist in healing. 
• How the Chef’s Garden changed the game with the creation of microgreens
• Charlie Trotter’s influence on the trajectory of CG
• Chef’s Garden focuses on their team & community and why that matters

Chef Jamie Simpson 

• The Culinary Vegetable Institute at the Chef’s Garden
• Jamie’s love for all 600+ different varieties of fruits and vegetables that grow around him
• How they bring chefs to the Vegetable Institute for either R&D or a little R&R 
• The biggest changes that Jamie has been a part of over the years at Chef’s Garden
• Moving towards a direct-to-consumer and pick-to-order concept
• Having to give up his career and music to focus on being a chef
• How they harvest all parts of the plants and use absolutely everything that can possibly be turned into food or a food related product
• Creating vegetable “Deli Slices”
• High Pressure Pasteurization and why Jamie is so excited about it

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef that allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Besides that, it does way more, so check them out and make sure you use the discount code that you’ll here in the podcast to upload 25 free recipes to the platform.

We discuss how we can use this moment to build a more equitable business when it comes to gender, race, and wage discrimination; why our collective goal must be to evaluate the impact we have on the environment; and how to use this as an opportunity to re-evaluate our role in the industry of food.

Host Eli Kulp is joined by James Beard Award winner, Chef Nina Compton of Compère Lapin, Top Chef Alum, Chef Jennifer Carroll of Spice Finch, Jamila Robison, Food Editor for The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Chef Elijah Milligan of Cooking for the Culture.

Take a deep dive into the intricacies of operating a post-Covid restaurant with Chef PJ Calapa of NYC’s Scampi and The Spaniard. In this podcast you will hear about the early days when PJ and host Eli Kulp were roommates and fellow ambitious cooks navigating the steamy kitchens of Manhattan. PJ, a native of Texas, talks about how his upbringing still impacts the way he eats, cooks and leads his teams.

Host Eli Kulp sits down with Nick Kennedy, chef and co-owner of several Philadelphia restaurants including Suraya, Pizzeria Beddia, R&D Cocktail Bar, and Condesa.

Nick describes his authentic training in Italian and Lebanese cuisine has inspired his current restaurant ventures, his memories of working alongside Eli in New York City, and how to keep restaurants afloat in the era of Covid-19.

In this episode, we delve into the dynamic culinary partnership of Trey Smith and Blake Aguillard, who share a role as chefs at Saint-Germain. Together, they navigate the intricate dance of collaboration in the kitchen, where balancing creativity, leadership, and teamwork is key. As we explore their journey, we uncover the challenges and rewards of working side by side with another chef. While the culinary world often celebrates the lone genius in the kitchen, Trey and Blake demonstrate the beauty of synergy and shared vision. Their partnership yields not only exceptional dishes but also a culinary experience that transcends individual talents. 

Here's what else:

• The influence of Chef Michael Gulotta and Restaurant August on their careers
• Exploring culinary journeys and influences
• The hearth cooking experience and its impact
• Founding Saint Germain and the birth of a partnership between three friends
• Maximizing quality in tasting menus
• The art of never settling and constantly evolving culinary techniques
• Balancing passion and emotion in leadership
• Cultivating their unique culinary identity
• What Blake and Trey look for in potential employees
• Exploring the business model of tasting menus
• Creative inspiration behind the menu
• Embracing New Orleans' rich culinary tradition
• Future aspirations and preserving their quality of life
• The impact of social media and fame on culinary careers
• Concluding thoughts and future plans

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

We're thrilled to have Chef Tracy Malechek join us on CHEF Radio, where we discuss her impressive background that includes working at some of New York's finest restaurants, honing her craft and developing a profound understanding of the culinary world. In this episode, we’ll explore her journey from the bustling kitchens of New York to meeting her husband, a renowned wine expert, and how together they are building a sustainable business that truly supports their employees at Birdies in Austin Texas. We’ll also discuss the challenges and rewards of balancing parenthood with restaurant ownership, and what it means to be mission-driven in today’s food industry. Stay tuned for an inspiring conversation with Chef Tracy Malechek

Do you have dreams of controlling your own destiny rather than waiting in line for your turn to step up in a restaurant owned by someone else? It seems like an obvious question, but maybe it isn’t because not everyone has the same ambition. What you are going to hear here today is the improbable story of a chef who was so driven to be their own boss that he bought a beat-up hot dog cart, shined it up with some stainless steel cleaner, hammered out some dents, and opened Portland, Maine’s first sushi hand roll cart, calling it Mr. Tuna.

Here's what else is on deck:

• How being sick of the grind inspired him to get creative and start a hand roll cart
• The short summer season in Maine
• How Portland has a very high restaurant per capita number
• Jordan paints a picture of what the fishing docks look like in Portland
• How he fell into the world of sushi
• Convincing the owners of a restaurant to put in a sushi bar that he ran for his first taste of running his own business
• Deciding to move to Portland in order to put on some roots
• The challenges of running a food cart in a climate that has snow on the ground many months of the year
• The impeccable seafood that he gets to serve his guests in Maine
• Eli and Jordan talk about their favorite oysters from Maine.
• How a sushi chef can manipulate fish to get the most out of it 
• How a sushi chef can breakdown preconceived notions of their guests and get them to try fish they may know otherwise
• Why he does not use fish from Japan
• Jordan talks about his fleet of food trucks that go out and around the Portland area
• Starting his Thai-style fried chicken concept with his partner
• What’s next

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

Eli speaks candidly about the moments leading up to the train crash which left him paralyzed from the chest down. He also speaks about the recovery process and the importance of resilience during challenging times.  

Working your way up from dishwasher to chef to restaurant owner is the ultimate success story, but no easy task. Something our guest can be proud to say he has achieved, not only as an owner of one restaurant, but two successful establishments that we can’t stop raving about.

In today’s episode, Philip Krajeck, owner of Rolf and Daughters and the newly opened Folk in Nashville, Tennessee, sits down with host and friend, Eli Kulp to discuss his lifelong passion for food and his journey in becoming an owner of two bustling restaurants. All while providing for a family at a young age. 

From the kitchens of Brussels, Belgium, to arriving in Florida, Phil saw the major contrast in quality when it came to cuisine, which sparked a fire in him to create something he felt was missing in America. After years of grinding it out, pushing through challenges, Phil met and worked with talented chefs from all over the world where he was able to extract pieces of their techniques and systems to implement in his future restaurants.

Phil reveals his philosophies on what it takes to run a successful restaurant while serving, consistent, quality food. Listen in to hear Phil’s journey from childhood to now, and a ton of valuable tips learned along the way.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Phil’s experience opening a restaurant
• Phil’s unique story growing up
• How Phil went from dishwasher to chef and owner
• Mental health in the restaurant industry
• Pushing through discomfort to get the job done
• Importance of open communication between the kitchen team
• Importance of consistency and systems 
• Impact of the pandemic on the restaurant industry
• How Phil implements his teams vision into his restaurant

Listen to more episodes at The Chef Radio Podcast.

Also, be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly.

Connect with Eli:
Instagram

Be sure to check out Rolf and Daughters and Folk when you’re in the Nashville, Tennessee area!

Connect with Phil:

Instagram

Coming to you LIVE! from the kitchen at MANNA, acclaimed Thai chef, Nok Suntarnanon, sits down with Eli in front of an audience of 130 people at CHEF Radio LIVE!, which raised over $19,000 for the life saving work that the team at MANNA does. 

Listen in as we get some of the latest info on her new restaurant, her recent trip to Thailand and the one, very Philly food, that she has yet to try. 

In this episode, Eli sits down and chats with the incredibly talented and passionate chocolatier, Christopher Curtin, to talk about his journey of learning, which has led him around the globe in search of finding the best skills and techniques, as well as finding the best and most rarest cacao for his tremendous chocolate. His creative flavors and methods have put him and his chocolates amongst the world's best, which he credits to the foundations of hard work that he learned as a nationally ranked cross country skier in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. 

This week, Eli Kulp sits down with Greg Vernick, owner of Vernick Food and Drink, Vernick Fish, Vernick at Home and Vernick Coffee Bar, all located in Philadelphia. Eli describes Greg as a chef that, “just has a knack for creating food that’s craveable.” They discuss how Greg got into the restaurant industry, their old mentors and how vital a mentor can be, Philadelphia’s restaurant community, and how to take a day to day approach to owning a restaurant during a pandemic. Explore Greg Vernick’s cuisine at Vernick Restaurants.

This week host Eli Kulp has a bonus episode! Listen in as he speaks with founders of two companies innovating the food/restaurant industry.

First, he speaks with Nabeel Alamgir, whose company, Lunchbox, provides restaurants with the tools and tech to get off the predatory third-party apps and reclaim their digital sales and direct to consumer ordering. Check out Lunchbox here: https://lunchbox.io/

Next, Eli interviews Arnold Byun and Stephanie Loo of With Warm Welcome, a community-driven, grassroots organization amplifying Asian American chefs, restaurateurs, and founders through podcasts, pop-ups, and creative endeavors. Check out With Warm Welcome here: https://withwarmwelcome.com/ 

Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Chef Rob Rubba, the ’90s skater kid turned culinary mastermind behind the Michelin-starred Oyster Oyster in Washington, DC. Celebrated for its groundbreaking and eco-friendly approach, Oyster Oyster leads the way in sustainable dining, artfully blending diverse techniques in preservation to craft extraordinary flavors while prioritizing ethical practices. Join us as Rob delves into his inspiring journey, reveals the creative sparks behind his plant-forward menu, and shares how embracing a vegetarian lifestyle has elevated his purpose and deepened his connection to the culinary world.

• (00:00:00) Intro
• (00:06:44) Rob’s Early Career
• (00:10:57) Working at Guy Savoy
• (00:16:30) How Oyster Oyster came to be
• (00:20:00) The Impact of Oysters on the Chesapeake 
• (00:23:48) Menu Development and Evolution
• (00:27:00) The Decision to Become Vegetarian 
• (00:36:38) Leaving Hazel and Lessons learned
• (00:44:48) Creating Sustainable Practices
• (00:47:10) Sustainability and Financial Success
• (00:51:34) Gaining a Michelin Star
• (00:55:00) The DC Dining Scene
• (01:01:26) The Differences of Running a Vegetarian Restaurant 
• (01:04:28) Encouragement for the Next Generation of Chefs/Where Rob looks for Inspiration 
• (01:13:20) Wrap up Questions

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

In the third and final interview of the CHEF Radio LIVE! event, Eli sits down with Chef Kurt Evans of Everybody Eats, which is a group dedicated to increasing food security and building community and their mission is to nourish hungry people and lead the community in the fight against hunger. 

Chef Kurt is also fighting for reform in the US criminal justice system – using food as his medium. 

Through the ground-breaking End Mass Incarceration dining series, which is a brave new restaurant business model and his community-focused activism, as well as his vision for Everybody Eats and Down North Pizza, Chef Kurt is driving change across the culinary landscape and beyond.

He recently received the “Champion of Change" award from the The World’s 50 Best Restaurant by San Pellegrino for his work in shining a spotlight on the disparities of the criminal justice system for people of color, as well as training formally incarcerated individuals to learn the important skills needed to thrive in the restaurant industry. 

https://www.theworlds50best.com/stories/News/chef-kurt-evans-champion-of-change.html

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

www.maxmck.com 

www.singerequipment.com

We discuss the importance of social impact and community leadership in restaurants as we begin to rebuild our livelihoods after COVID-19.

Host Eli Kulp is joined by Mike Solomonov of Zahav, Erik Oberholtzer of a Tender Greens, and Ryan Smith of Staplehouse in Atlanta.

Raised by two chefs, Michael Vincent Ferreri was destined to do great things. Michael left everything behind in upstate New York to start fresh here in Philadelphia, where he began working with Michael Solomonov at Zahav, Joey Baldino at Zeppoli and Tyler Akin at Stock and Res Ipsa. After blowing up the scene with Res, Michael took over the kitchen at Irwin‘s in South Philadelphia where, through his minimalist approach to Sicilian cuisine, he has made Irwin’s a must-go restaurant in Philadelphia.

In this episode of CHEF Radio Podcast, host Eli Kulp sits down with Heather Thomason to discuss the importance of genetics in farming, selling sustainable products, and being a woman in a male dominated field.

Heather specializes in whole animal butchery  and is the founder of Primal Supply Meats, a Philadelphia-based butchery and local sourcing company. Since 2016, they've been building a supply chain to connect regional farmers and slaughterhouses to restaurants, chefs and home cooks who care about sourcing local, sustainably raised meats. You can learn more about Heather on her website primalsupplymeats.com

That's right! You read that headline correctly. Chef Jeremy Fox is coming to Philadelphia for the next installment of the Voi•ãge dining series where he is joining fellow CHEF Radio alum, Nicholas Elmi of Lark restaurant! And in honor of Chef Fox coming to Philadelphia, we are revisiting his podcast, which still ranks up there as an all-time favorite and one of the most listened CHEF Radio Podcast to.

As one of the most influential chefs of the past decade, Chef Fox continues to forge a path forward with his Michelin-starred restaurant, Rustic Canyon, and his critically acclaimed restaurant, Birdie G's, in Los Angeles. Be sure to click the link above to check out tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime dinner that will also raise money to support a nonprofit of the chef's choice.

There will be two nights of dinners on February 28th and 29th, and tickets are highly limited. However, because you are part of the CHEF Radio family, we have an early access to your price for you to take advantage of. For listeners of the show, there is a discount of $10 per ticket if purchased before Thursday, January 25th, so be sure to head over and get those tickets before it's too late.

Take a listen to this incredible, inspiring story of perseverance as chef Fox describes the successes, challenges, and mistakes that were made along the journey that his career took.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Eli breaks down Jeremy Fox’s career
• Creating the menu for Ubuntu
• Jeremy’s transition to working at Rustic Canyon and his reputation
• Eli on his time at Torrisi
• Jeremy reflects on his childhood in Philadelphia
• Philadelphia food traditions vs. the west coast
• Jeremy on his experience in Los Angeles
• How Rustic Canyon changed in 10 years
• Jeremy’s grandmother and inspiration for Birdie G’s
• Jewish cuisine-inspired dishes at Birdie G’s
• How fatherhood changed Jeremy as a chef
• The journey to working at Manresa
• Jeremy’s advice to leaders in the kitchen
• The next generation of chefs
• How Jeremy stopped being an intense, confrontational chef
• Managing the stress of making a restaurant successful
• Eli’s experience with anxiety
• Jeremy on his anxiety and helping others
• Dealing with anxiety and effects of the pandemic

Stay connected with Jeremy Fox on Instagram, and grab his book On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen here!

Listen to more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast, and be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly!

Connect with Eli on Instagram:

The Chef Radio Podcast

Delicious City Philly

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

Top chef all star and chef/owner of Spice Finch, talks about life since COVID-19 struck and how her businesses and employees are having to adjust.

In part two of host Eli Kulp's conversation with restaurant critic Craig LaBan, we discuss the ins and outs of the critique cycle that new restaurants go through. We also give an inside look at the intricate dance of The Critic and The Chef, culminating in the saga of the short rib bone.

In this can't miss podcast, one of the greatest culinary minds America has ever produced, Chef Wiley Dufresne, sits down with Eli to discuss his journey as a chef and modernist cuisine champion. Curiosity has been a leading edge for everything Chef Wiley does, and as one of the first chefs to start asking questions about the chemistry and science behind cooking, he began to develop his own New York version of modern cuisine. Working with food scientists and modernist chefs around the globe, he began to blend his own creativity and curiosity to bend the rules of cooking as we knew it, creating dishes such as pickled beef tongue with fried mayonnaise, foie gras tied in knots, and a frozen "everything bagel" with smoked salmon threads and crispy cream cheese, just to name a few.  

In the second of the three part podcast, CHEF Radio Live!, Chef Jenn Carroll joins Eli on stage to discuss her latest venture where she brings exciting and meaningful events to life with her company, Carroll Couture Cuisine, as well as all the amazing online work that she's doing to teach aspiring chefs and home cooks different recipes and techniques.

They dive into her history working with such great chefs as Eric Ripert of Le Bernadin, the three Michelin starred temple of seafood in NYC, where she began training at a young age and where she impressed Chef Ripert so much that he sent her down to open is Philadelphia restaurant, Ten Arts in the mid-2000s. 

You ever wonder what kind of tree Jen would be if she was one? Well listen in and find out!

Chef Matt Kelly talks about his journey into the culinary arts, discusses what has influenced his cooking style, and how he managed to build a successful career out of it. His experiences range from early life in the kitchen to his stint at the Inn at Little Washington, where he honed his takes on food quality and sourcing. The Chef goes in-depth about his mission to create dishes that speak to their roots and tell a story, especially in his own restaurants in Durham, North Carolina. Apart from sharing insights into running multiple restaurant businesses and keeping up with the ever-changing food trends, he also emphasizes the importance of nurturing future chefs and make sure they understand the importance of foundational cooking. The conversation wraps up on a high note, with appreciative closing remarks and a display of gratitude for the shared interaction.

The Meat of the Conversation:

• Discussing the North Carolina Food Scene
• The Influence of Sports on Local Culture
• Chef Matt Kelly's Background and Early Life 
• Impact of Regional Cuisine in NC
• Influence of Family and Early Cooking Experiences
• Importance of Local Food Systems
• The Role of Mentorship in Culinary Careers
• The Impact on Matt of Working at the Inn at Little Washington
• Exploring Spanish Cuisine and Opening Mateo Bar & Tapas
• Incorporating Southern Traditions into Food
• The Importance of Foundational Cooking
• Defining Southern Food
• The Story of Grano Arso and its Influence on Cuisine
• The Evolution of Oyster Culture in North Carolina
• Reviving a Classic: The Story of Nana's
• The Importance of Relationships with Purveyors
• The Role of Grandmothers in Culinary Traditions
• The Importance of Mentoring in the Culinary World

A huge shout out to our sponsor Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and make sure you reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

Welcome to our CHEF Radio, where we dive into the secrets of maintaining success in the restaurant business with industry leaders Mary Milliken, Susan Fingar, Phillip Krajeck, Katie Button, and Michael Anthony. In this episode, we explore three key strategies for sustained success: fostering innovation, building a strong team, and maintaining exceptional quality. Hear firsthand from these accomplished chefs as they share their insights and experiences on how to keep pushing the boundaries, continually improve, and never rest on their laurels in the ever-evolving culinary world. Whether you're an aspiring restaurateur or a seasoned pro, this hard hitting episode is packed with valuable advice to help you thrive in the restaurant industry.

Show notes:

• Starting a Restaurant: Essential Steps
• Challenges of Maintaining Success
• Insights from Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
• Maximizing Every Opportunity
• Marathon Mindset and Motivation
• Insights from Chef Phillip Krajeck
• Athlete's Mindset
• Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
• Insights from Chef Katie Button
• Hospitality in the Kitchen
• Insights from Mike Anthony
• The 49% - 51% mentality

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.\

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

Subscribe, like and share! Oh yeah, and throw in a review while you're at it. Appreciate you all!

“Often restaurants are comprised of a bunch of broken toys that have never had the sense of belonging”

This statement rings true for many restaurants which is why culture plays a big role in whether a restaurant succeeds or fails, and unfortunately the current kitchen culture is a bit broken.

From line cooks at the local diner, to Michelin star restaurants in France, the broken kitchen culture permeates through all. It seems that the nature of the business (see above statement), including the long hours and high pressure environment, is a cocktail for unprofessional behavior that doesn’t allow for the people or the business to reach their highest potential. 

Curating a purpose-driven environment in your kitchen can be the difference between a good and great restaurant. If the staff feels valued and heard there is a high chance you can exponentially reduce turnover rates and make a difference in the lives of the people helping run your business. But how do you fix a broken culture and change an entire industry from the inside out? 

In today’s episode, our host Eli Kulp, sheds light on his experience in dealing with the current broken kitchen culture and how he has made steps to improve that. He also discusses New York bestselling book The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle, extracting valuable tips to share with our listeners to help create a better kitchen culture and improve your restaurant business while doing it.

Listen in for nuggets of knowledge that can help you in your business, personal relationships, and in your day-to-day interactions.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Idea of kitchen culture
• Turnover in the industry
• World class restaurants and their culture
• How culture in your kitchen can make or break you
• How to fix a broken kitchen culture
• Mental illness in the restaurant industry
• Steps on how to build a successful kitchen culture
• Cultivating trust through vulnerability in the kitchen
• How to create a purpose-driven environment

Check out The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle mentioned in today’s podcast!

Listen to more episodes at The Chef Radio Podcast.

Also, be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly.

Connect with Eli:
Instagram

Would you believe me if I told you anchovies fell from the sky in San Francisco?

Well, that is literally what has happened there, and it couldn’t have been a better omen for our one of our guest's restaurants, The Anchovy Bar. 

Chef Stuart Brioza was named one of the Best New chefs by Food & Wine magazine in 2003, and is also the founder, partner, and chef of State Bird Provisions, The Progress, and The Anchovy Bar, all of which are in San Francisco. Not to mention a self-appointed chief of the janitorial department according to his Instagram page.

This intuitive and innovative chef took a chance on a unique and eclectic concept in a new neighborhood to provide locally sourced food presented in a way the local community hadn’t seen before. In a small plate, tapa style, but served on dim sum carts rolling around the dining room at SBP. He took a chance and was able to be wildly successful, which has put him in a position where most chefs and restaurateurs wish to be. 

Stuart knows exactly where his food is sourced from and uses only the freshest ingredients to create his dishes, allowing them to come to life on their own. A chef’s dream!

Tune in to hear a timely discussion on climate change and how its affecting agriculture as well as the diverse culture in San Francisco, which allows for concept restaurants like Stuart’s to thrive.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Why there were anchovies in people’s backyards in San Francisco
• The expanded seasons are due to microclimates in the bay area
• What were some takeaways from Stuart’s trip to Copenhagen
• Discussion on food tech disruptors
• Where Stuart’s love for food came from
• Stuart’s early years as a chef
• How State Bird Provision changed its surrounding neighborhood 
• The success of the risk of the eclectic menu at State Bird Provision
• What local california cuisine means to Stuart
• How many years did it take for State Bird to progress?
• How was the name State Bird Provisions chosen?
• What could The Progress do that State Bird Provision couldn't?
• How Stuart was able to get creative with anchovies
• The set up of the kitchens of all his restaurants

Listen to more episodes at The Chef Radio Podcast.

Also, be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly.

Connect with Eli:Instagram

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

This week on CHEF, Eli Kulp sits down with Nok Suntaranon, owner of Kayala Thai Kitchen and Kayala Thai Market. Nok is an experienced chef, restaurant owner and hospitality expert who aims to create the feeling of home in every meal. About her menu, she says “it's a food that I kept cooking on and on and on. Some of them are my neighbor’s favorites. Some of them are my husband’s favorites. Some of them are my own fabric. So it is a love letter from me to my customers.” She talks about her career journey, her mom as her biggest inspiration and motivation and how the Philadelphia chef community has stepped up to support each other and their communities during Covid. 

This week we invite friends of Adan Trinidad into the studio to pay tribute to his life as a chef and friend after he recently passed away suddenly. Adan was a beloved member of the Philly dining scene and a testament to the positive impact that an immigrant can have on the people around them. Live life today because tomorrow’s not guaranteed. RIP Adan.

In today’s exciting episode, we sit down with the incredible Mashama Bailey, executive chef and co-owner of The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, to talk about her extraordinary journey to the top of the culinary world. From her humble beginnings to becoming one of the most celebrated chefs in America, Mashama shares her inspiring story of resilience, passion, and creativity. We dive into her groundbreaking work at The Grey, her Southern-rooted cooking style, and the incredible honor of winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef in America. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss!

• (00:00) Upcoming Culinary Event: Best of Philly Voi•ãge Dining Series
• (03:55) Welcome to Chef Radio: Featuring Mashama Bailey
• (06:50) Mashama's Culinary Journey
• (16:03) From Social Work to Culinary Arts
• (22:11) The Influence of Culinary School and Personal Chefing
• (46:08) Reflecting on Early Career Lessons
• (46:45) Transitioning to a New Work Environment
• (48:46) Exploring New Opportunities
• (50:57) Meeting Her Business Partner, Johno
• (52:00) The Journey to Savannah
• (58:41) The Historical Significance of The Grey
• (01:05:16) Crafting a Unique Culinary Identity
• (01:15:22) Challenges and Triumphs
• (01:22:51) Future Plans in Paris
• (01:27:50) Closing Thoughts and Reflections

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

We welcome our newest supporter of chef radio, JB Prince, America's most incredible store for all your best kitchen supplies. Listen up how you can save 10% on your order to this incredible Wonderland of chefs kitchen tools, gadgets and equipment

Food has always played a key part in Erik Oberholtzer's life; and after growing his company Tender Greens into a national brand, he sets his sights on new possibilities. He works with some incredibly exciting projects such as The Google Food Lab, Food Forever, and The Global Seed Vault. Erik speaks with us about how the choices we make now, impact the food of the future.

What is the biggest moment in your career as a chef? Is it opening your first restaurant? Maybe it's when you receive an accolade that you were always dreaming of, or maybe it's getting a really nice review from your city's food critic. These are all great moments, without a doubt, but I would venture to say that the biggest moment in a chef's career is when they finally start to find their own voice in their food, when all of these past experiences, dishes, and efforts come together in a unique vision that is completely their own. 

Dave Beran, today’s guest, had a very unique way of finding his voice in food. In fact, he was given the rains of a Chicago restaurant that would completely change every four months. That restaurant was aptly called Next, and it is a restaurant that pushes the imagination and boundaries of what our industry can do. Next would lead him to find his own style and voice, and ironically, after loathing the 1910 bistro menu Next began with in 2011, it led him down a path to where he is today, cooking in Santa Monica with his critically acclaimed Pasjoli, an elevated French bistro where they cook food that is rooted in Southern California but inspired by the markets of Paris.

Here’s what else was talked about:

• How the name of the restaurant came to fruition
• When Dave and Eli met after becoming Food & Wine Best New Chefs together in 2014
• Dave’s introduction into the industry as ”Toast Boy”
• Working for chef Michael Tramano at Tru in Chicago
• The intricacies of Pommes Soufflé 
• Getting a job at Alinea restaurant and why they start cooks as a food runner
• How his mentor, Chef Erick Williams of Virtue, helped guide him
• The day they got a call from Chef Grant Achatz telling them he had cancer
• The relearning process after Chef Achatz came back to the kitchen after receiving treatment
• How Alinea changed the game for modern food in America
• When he decided to open Next, and why there were 20,000 names on the list for reservations when they opened
• The moment he started to find his own perspective in food
• Opening his tasting menu-only restaurant, Dialogue
• Training actor Jeremy Allen White at Pasjoli to prepare for his lead role in The Bear 
• Eli and Dave w poetic about Chicago’s Italian Beef sandwich!
• How they cook at Pasjoli and use old school techniques when roasting meats
• Why teaching his team so important to him and why he even opens the financial books for his team to learn and empower them

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

For our 100th episode, we take a road trip to New York City to talk with the legend himself, Chef Daniel Boulud, of Restaurant Daniel, Café Boulud, DB Bistro, and more. In this 100th episode, Eli has the opportunity to ask Chef what it takes to stay on top of the mountain for 30+ years as his restaurant celebrates its own incredible milestone. Chef Daniel graciously opens his dining room up to us as we sit down and talk about the early years that shaped him and the people along the way who mentored him to become the great chef that he is. As someone who is a direct disciple of chef Paul Bocuse and who worked in some of the great houses of French cuisine, Chef Daniel has seen this industry transform itself over the years into the diverse, multicultural industry it has become.

Here’s what else was discussed:

• Perspective and why it’s so important to maintain it
• Chef gives gratitude and credit to all the people who helped make his dream come true
• Eli talks about the many chefs that he’s worked for who have come up through Chef Daniel’s kitchens
• Chef takes us back to the farm that he grew up on outside of Lyon, France
• The incredible tradition of taking a plate of “fricassee” to the neighbors after slaughtering a hog
• Making goat cheese and selling it at the farmers market in Lyons with his father
• The importance of understanding the circle of life and why growing up on a farm helps you appreciate the animals that you are cooking
• How Chef Daniel got his first apprenticeship at a two-star Michelin restaurant
• The legendary chefs that he worked for who shaped him
• How Chef Paul Bocuse became his mentor and took him under his wing
• The reason Chef Daniel came to the United States and the legendary chef that he worked for at the Watergate in DC
• The incredible influence that the famous winemaker, Robert Mondavi, had in bringing French chefs to the US
• Chef talks about his 30th birthday, where chef Jean-Louis Palladin cooked a dinner of live animals, including a live lamprey that he brought to the table
• Working at Le Cirque with the famed Sirio Maccioni
• The beautiful practical joke that was played on him when leaving Le Cirque
• Looking back on 30 years and the incredible perspective chef still has
• The current threat to profitability in our industry 
• How to maintain a culture among many different restaurants with many different partners
• The importance of creating upward mobility in his company and how building out the new Café Boulud will allow some of his key players to move up

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

In this addendum episode, we catch up with Nick Elmi and hear how recent events have affected him and the restaurant industry.

Host Eli Kulp chats with Beverly Kim, co-owner of two Chicago restaurants - Parachute and Wherewithall.

The daughter of Korean immigrants, Kim brings traditional Korean cuisine alongside her husband and business partner, Johnny Clark. Together, they have developed Parachute into a Michelin star award winning restaurant, additionally receiving a prestigious James Beard award for Best Chefs in the Great Lakes region.

Kim talks about her upbringing, her first restaurant jobs, and some of her favorite Korean ingredients, and much more. Kim is also a mother of three, and has started a foundation to help support mothers in the industry. Learn more about her at www.parachuterestaurant.com and www.wherewithallchi.com

After sustaining a major life-altering injury, Christopher Kearse, now chef and owner of Forsythia restaurant in Philadelphia, pushed through the odds and graduated college as the valedictorian, while still recovering from his injury, and then pushed himself to work at some of the best kitchens in the country. Not only did he work with some of the best chefs and restaurants, he ended up opening his own restaurant, despite having the odds stacked against him.

Injuries aside, Chris’s journey to becoming a restaurateur is inspirational. Chris grew up in a family with eight children, battled mental health, and learned how to cook delicious dishes without the ability to smell and taste the full spectrum of flavors. Despite all of this, Chris has made a name for himself by pushing the boundaries of his dishes and creating beautiful, stylized dishes that do not skimp on taste.

As a chef and restaurant owner, Chris has created a culture within his restaurants that has allowed for their success. By hiring the right people, having an environment of excellence, and being a personable leader, Chris has cultivated an environment conducive to success.

Tune in to hear this improbable story of resilience and passion that led Chef Christopher Kearse to success despite the odds!

Topics discussed in this episode:

• What has been motivating Chris lately
• How Chris is building a community around his restaurant
• Creating a great culture in fine dining 
• Walk through Chris’ career
• Top rules in Chris’ kitchen for a newbie
• The importance of cleanliness and organization in the kitchen
• How Chris grew up
• What inspired Chris to start cooking
• How Chris keeps his ADHD in check
• How Chris decided to open a restaurant 
• Cultivating culture as a chef and an owner
• The building blocks of the kitchen
• Story behind the name Forsythia
• Chris’ interest in helping others

If you’re in the Philly area, check out Forsythia restaurant!

Listen to more episodes at The Chef Radio Podcast.

Also, be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly.

Connect with Eli: Instagram

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

www.maxmck.com 

www.singerequipment.com

This week on the CHEF Radio Podcast, host Eli Kulp talks to Chef Hooni Kim, owner of DANJI and HANJAN. He recently released his own cookbook called My Korea this past April. Eli and Hooni discuss how he became a renowned chef and an international cooking show icon, the distinct flavors and intricacies of Korean food, and his charity Yori Chunsa. Yori Chunsa, which means Chef Angels in Korean, connects Chefs with orphans to offer them training and connections to secure careers as line chefs. Learn more about Hooni Kim’s work on his website, Hooni Kim.com

What happens when your passion meets purpose? Saba is what happens. Saba is Chef Alon Shaya’s flagship restaurant, which was his answer to that question and is the result of his passion for cooking helping him to find his purpose and his voice in food. After spending nearly an entire lifetime suppressing his heritage so that he could feel more acclimated to the American life that his family immigrated to, he discovered his roots in Israel and began cooking with his heart rather than his head. In this episode, Eli and Alon speak very frankly about the importance of creating a story, narrative, or purpose for your food and how it can be incredibly impactful for your guests.

Here’s what else you’ll hear:

• Alon’s immigration story from Israel
• How being poor in a wealthy suburb made him build a strong work ethic
• How his home economics teacher saved his life and put him on the right path
• His love for watching Emeril Lagasse 
• Nearly getting kicked out of the CIA
• How Hurricane Katrina reshaped his entire perspective on food
• His time working with Chef Marc Vetri and spending time in Italy
• How he discovered Israeli food for the first time
• The number of seeds in a pomegranate and why he named his company after it
• How his nonprofit is improving the lives of New Orleans school kids
• The complexity of New Orleans food and how history, good and bad, has shaped it
• When life is no longer normal, humans crave normalcy
• The influence of all the different Middle Eastern countries on his food as well as his father’s Romanian heritage
• How has his departure from his former company helped shape his leadership style today
• Eli learns what a “second line” is in New Orleans
• Opening up his Denver restaurant and why they chose there for the second location
• Alon shares some of his favorite restaurants in New Orleans
• His companies day of service

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef that allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Besides that, it does way more, so check them out and make sure you use the discount code that you’ll here in the podcast to upload 25 free recipes to the platform.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

Jezabel Carega is the Owner of Jezabel's Cafe, a restaurant that incorporates dishes and furniture that represents her Argentinian roots and culture. Jezabel is also the Founder of Fuerza for Humans, an organization committed to supporting those with mental health issues in the food industry.

On this episode, Eli Kulp sits down with Jezabel to talk about her Argentinian upbringing, her childhood memories of her parents and food, and her intricate incorporation of food and furniture in Jezabel's Cafe.

Find out more about Jezabel on her website: https://www.jezabelcarega.com

Eli Kulp and Christopher Plant visit Pocono Organics during their massive Food Forever event and sit down with multiple farmers and agricultural geniuses to talk about the future of food production and how we can go beyond sustainability. Food Forever is a communications campaign, which started in 2017, to raise awareness about what crop diversity is and how everyone around the world is connected to and benefits from agricultural biodiversity. Eli and Christopher sit down with Ashley Walsh, Cierra Martin, Jeff Moyer and Erik Oberholtzer.

Ashley Walsh is the owner of Pocono Organics and talks about how she got into organic farming, working with Food Forever and Rodale and the creation of her immense organic farm, the home of three story greenhouses. 

Cierra Martin is a representative for The Crop Trust, the creators of the Food Forever campaign. The Crop Trust is an international organization with a mission to safeguard crop diversity for food security. The Crop Trust supports a network of genebanks with are facilities for tasking with conserving and sharing seeds. They're making sure this diversity stays alive at the seed level, but they're also packaging it up and shipping it around the world for breeders that use it every day. 

Jeff Moyer is the CEO of Rodale Institute. “Widely recognized as the birthplace of the organic movement, Rodale Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to growing the organic movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and consumer education.” Jeff talks about the importance of regenerative organic agriculture, farming not just organically and sustainably, but with the future of the soil in mind, and the recently released White Papers. The White Papers are a report on climate change and how a shift from cash crops to cover crops could actually reverse our carbon emissions by putting carbon back into the soil.

Erik Oberholtzer is a chef, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Tender Greens. He is on the Rodale Board of Directors and is a leader of the food forever experience, helping to connect Rodale with The Crop Trust. He discusses the importance of building transparent supply chains, new organic certification regulations, and the nutritional and environmental importance of organic agriculture.

In this addendum episode, we catch up with Joe Beddia and hear how recent events have affected him and the restaurant industry.

In part one of our two part season finale, we talk with Craig LaBan, restaurant critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer. We discuss navigating the re-opening of the restaurant business, the winding road that brought Craig to his profession, and the responsibilities of journalists, owners and restauranteurs in establishing a more equitable future for people of color in the Food and Journalism industries.

This episode of CHEF Radio is brought to you by DryAger, the world’s leader in dry aging technology.

Embarking on the journey of a sushi chef involves an unparalleled commitment—one that extends far beyond the ordinary expectations for culinary excellence. Often, to begin that journey, one must apprentice for years under an Itamae, or sushi master, working hard to learn even the most humble tasks before earning the privilege to handle crucial elements like rice, scallions, and ginger. In the realm of high-end sushi, these seemingly ordinary duties bear significant weight.

In today's podcast, Chef Jesse Ito shares his journey with us from being the son of a sushi chef to becoming one of the most celebrated sushi chefs in America today.

Here's what else was discussed:

• How Jesse's star is rising as a twice-selected James Beard finalist
• How his restaurant has exceeded his expectations after seven years in business
• His father being one of the founding sushi chefs in the Philadelphia area, and how that came about
• Fuji restaurant in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia, and how it used to be a very sketchy area, including some questionable “motels” with mirrors on the ceiling.
• Growing up in a restaurant and running around with king crab shells on his head as a child
• The very notable chefs that would come in to have his father cook for them
• Why a great dishwasher is worth its weight in gold
• How Jesse worked his way up in his father's restaurant to be a sushi chef before he was 20 years old
• Finding his partners at Royal Sushi and Izakaya, and how that relationship began
• Why Jesse slices his fish before each service and why the temperature of the fish is so important but often overlooked
• The importance of rice and sushi and why it is the most important part of the Nigri experience. Jesse talks about his technique
• What the actual definition of the word sushi is and why it applies to preservation
• How the great earthquake in 1923 changed the game for sushi chefs and allowed them to come indoors after traditionally serving from street carts
• The way Jesse supplies his fish, how the topography of the Asian Pacific Ocean is different than that of the rest of the world, and why it factors into the price of the product
• The reverence that the Japanese hold their fish in versus how American fisheries treat their product
• How dry aging has begun to change the game in sushi and why it makes the product more interesting, according to Jesse
• Jesse's decision to stop drinking and begin to live a cleaner lifestyle and how that has allowed him to become an even better leader, business owner, and chef
• Jesse reads his vision statement and mission statement that he originally had in 2016 and how it continues to be applied to the work he does today

A huge shout out to our sponsor Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Rosito Bisani: If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Morello Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

This holiday season make sure you reach for the true and authentic Parmigiano Reggiano to wow your guests with incredible flavors and textures. Click on the link to find out some fun and creative ways to use the one and only king of cheese this holiday season!🎁🧀

There's nothing better than a homegrown success story, and this next podcast is proof of that. Justin Rosenberg, founder of Honeygrow restaurants, has quite the story to tell. It's a story of resilience, courage in business, and great leadership, because it wasn't always sunny in Philadelphia for this local brand.

Established in 2012, Honeygrow was on an explosive trajectory, growing outside the Philadelphia market quickly and expanding as far west as Chicago, which proved to be too much too fast and Justin had to make some difficult decisions in order to save the company and his dream. Justin talks candidly and honestly about the successes as well as the failures, giving myself and the listener a true lesson in business that we may all face someday. 

Whenever a cook asks me for my advice when they are starting out, I always tell them to find the best chef they can and then just put your head down and work hard for them. This strategy is nearly bulletproof and will almost always pay dividends down the road, even if you don't think so right away. 

And that's exactly how chef Katie Button, of Asheville, North Carolina, did it when she got her first job working at Café Atlantico in Washington, DC, when José Andrés was early in building his empire of restaurants. After meeting her Spanish-born husband, Félix Meana, she went to Roses, Spain, to work at the all-time great restaurant, El Bulli, where she started off as a server but naturally migrated into the kitchen to work with Albert Adrià. By seeking out excellence and working in these world-class restaurants, she developed many of the necessary skills to run a successful kitchen when she was ready.

There are so many great nuggets of information and inspiration, but here are some of the highlights:

• Learning how to show gratitude and appreciation towards your team
• Why a good leader sometimes just need to be quiet and give their team the space to find the answer for themselves, thereby creating personal ownership over the project
• Growing up in a southern household in New Jersey
• Obtaining a biomolecular engineering degree at Cornell and how aspects of it continue to help her in business today
• Living in Paris and falling in love with the food culture
• Applying for a server position to make a couple dollars as she was beginning to study for a PhD
• How she got a position at Café Atlantico and minibar in DC
• The person who hired her and changed her life path, and how chefs can have the same impact on your employees today.
• Screwing up as a server at El Bulli and how she’ll never forget that moment
• Serving the rabbit innards on its own crispy ear and radish lychees
• How her mother was the catalyst for Katie and Félix to open Cúrate
• Why Asheville, NC just felt right for them to put down roots
• How José Andrés and his team saved their hide just a couple days before the opening of their first restaurant
• Why they keep it simple at Cúrate and La Bodega and allow the ingredients to speak for themselves
• The difficult decisions of having to close a restaurant and pivot, even if it’s the most perfect concept in your mind
• Her TV show, From The Source, and how her experiences on it have shifted her perspective as a chef
• Her mind blowing epiphany with artisan single-origin and hyper-seasonal maple syrup from Zoer Tapatree
• Her first cookbook and the one she is now developing
• The importance of good systems in your kitchen and why it is one of the cornerstones of being successful
• The ups and downs of running a restaurant when you care so deeply about every aspect of the business
• How a chef can set the example of hospitality in their restaurant, even if they are not touching tables in the dining room
• The importance of chefs helping to improve their communities around them and why we are the connection between the restaurant and the community

Connect with Katie here

Check out Cúrate here

Check out La Bodega here

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

www.maxmck.com 

www.singerequipment.com

Often the words resilience, hard work, and creativity are used to describe the key skill sets required to be successful in this industry. But, there's one more really important skill set that can be easily overlooked, and that would be resourcefulness. Resourcefulness is defined as "Having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties". In fact, arguably the most resourceful person in the history of our planet is someone whose name has become an adjective when you need a quick fix just to get you through a challenging moment. Do you know what that word would be? How about MacGyver-ing it?

How many times have you had to use this skill when it comes to fixing a problem in your kitchen? As chefs, putting out fires is our specialty, and if it weren’t for this extremely important skill set, we would be overcome with stress and anxiety over challenges that can be overcome with a little bit of cleverness and resourcefulness.

In today’s episode with Chef Kiki Aranita, we discuss this at length, as well as a bunch of other great attributes when it comes to being successful in this industry. Or, like Kiki, finding ways to succeed personally, financially, and even emotionally when your dream restaurant is forced to close during Covid.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Growing up between Hawaii and Hong Kong
• A brief history of the difficult history of Hong Kong
• Hawaiian is an ethnicity 
• How Poi shaped Hawaii as we know it today
• How Rice replaced Poi as the staple starch in Hawaii
• What exactly a Poi Dog is
• How chefs from ”ethnic” backgrounds are cooking with their heritage as the focus
• How SPAM became one of Hawaii’s most beloved proteins
• The importance of knowing how your food got to your table
• The adventures of Kiki learning how to drive
• Why you need to respect pineapple when you eat it
• Kiki’s pet river crabs Tomato, Tomato (in British pronunciation) and Basil
• Kiki’s experience having a very popular food truck
• How Filipinos embraced her Hawaiian cooking in Philadelphia
• How cooking is considered work for the lower class in Hong Kong
• Having to keep her profession under wraps to not disappoint her family
• The challenges with educating customers about her food
• Eli’s mind gets blown after learning about butter mochi
• How Kiki became so resourceful
• Why is interviewing people so difficult?
• Kiki’s hesitancy to put the “Chef” label on herself
• Kiki’s advocacy for chefs when it comes to charity events and asks
• Kiki’s diversification of her skill set
• Her line of Hawaiian sauces that she now sells nationwide 
• Chili Peppah Water and Guava Katsu sauces
• Working with distributors to sell her condiments
• Huli Huli Chicken

Get connected with Kiki here

Listen to more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast, and be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly!

Connect with Eli on Instagram:

The Chef Radio Podcast

Delicious City Philly

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

In this episode, we dive into the remarkable story of Chef Kyle Knall of Birch in Milwaukee and explore his fascinating journey from the bustling culinary scene of New York City to the vibrant culture of New Orleans, and finally to the heart of Milwaukee. We'll uncover how his deep-rooted love for oysters, inspired by his father, has helped shape his culinary identity. Join us as Kyle shares how he has not only mastered his craft but also fostered a sense of community in Milwaukee, creating a culinary haven that resonates with both locals and visitors alike.

• (00:06:16) Early Days of Kyles Cooking Career
• (00:08:00) Takeaways and Lessons from Working at Highlands with Frank Stitt
• (00:17:38) Time at Gramercy Tavern & Relationship with Mike Anthony
• (00:26:58) Maysville in New York and Kenton in New Orleans 
• (00:35:50) Opening Birch and Going From New York to Milwaukee
• (00:45:15) Elemental Cooking Techniques 
• (00:52:00) Acid and Herbs
• (00:57:25) Jerry
• (01:00:20) Tribute to Kyles Father
• (01:04:19) Navigating the Seasons in Milwaukee
• (01:12:50) Milwaukees Sense of Community 
• (01:18:48) Personal Habits for Success 
• (01:26:57) Conclusions and Final Thoughts

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

We welcome our newest supporter of chef radio, JB Prince, America's most incredible store for all your best kitchen supplies. Listen up how you can save 10% on your order to this incredible Wonderland of chefs kitchen tools, gadgets and equipment

Monica Glass is a nationally recognized pastry chef with experience working in and consulting with Michelin restaurants, hotels, bakeries, cafes, catering, and cultural institutions. She has been recognized with “Best Pastry Chef” awards from Food & Wine Magazine, Boston Magazine, and Zagat, as well as being named a Food Network’s ChoppedSweets Champion in 2021.

On this episode, she joins Eli in the studio to discuss what she’s been up to on her culinary journey as of late. Monica and Eli spent time in NYC, Boston and Philadelphia honing her pastry skills over the years and now as her career continues, she is focusing on nutrition, well-being and health as her guiding light.

More info at http://chefmonicaglass.com/ or @chefmoni on social media

We discuss why OUR CHOICES MATTER, how we can do better in our industry as a whole, and if we have a greater impact on the environment through sustainable practices.

Host Eli Kulp is joined by chef Tom Hunt of Chefs' Manifesto and Sustainable Development Goal, food editor Kate Krader of Bloomberg Green, Nicole Marquis of HipCityVeg, and farmer Ian Brendle of Green Meadow Farm.

On this episode of Chef Radio Podcast, we sit down with the one and only Chef Marc Murphy, famed judge on Food Network’s Chopped, competitor on Iron Chef America, and mastermind behind New York City’s iconic restaurant Landmarc. Chef Murphy takes us on an inspiring journey through his early years as a young chef in Paris, where he honed his skills alongside some of the culinary world’s greats, to his bold move to New York City. Listen as he shares the challenges and triumphs of rising through the ranks of the restaurant industry, eventually becoming one of America’s most respected chefs and TV personalities.

• (02:03) Introduction to Chef Radio Podcast
• (02:47) Mark Murphy's Culinary Journey
• (06:53) Adventures in Paris
• (14:29) The Challenges of Fine Dining
• (29:31) From Sous Chef to Head Chef
• (37:15) A New Opportunity with Rocco Despirito
• (38:35) Opening La Fourchette and Cafe Milou
• (40:11) The Impact of 9/11 and Reopening Southwest
• (41:52) Launching Landmark and Its Unique Dining Experience
• (47:51) Expanding with Ditch Plains and Other Ventures
• (50:12) Transitioning to Private Events and Pop-Ups
• (55:08) The World of TV Shows and Competitions
• (01:01:35) Challenges and Reflections in the Culinary Journey
• (01:08:55) Community Involvement and Philanthropy
• (01:10:36) Closing Thoughts and Farewell

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

We welcome our newest supporter of chef radio, JB Prince, America's most incredible store for all your best kitchen supplies. Listen up how you can save 10% on your order to this incredible Wonderland of chefs kitchen tools, gadgets and equipment

Adam Erace is a freelance writer and restaurant critic who has written for Courier Post, Philly Weekly, Philly City Paper, as well as national magazines such as Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Travel and Leisure, Details, and Fortune.

In addition to his magazine writing, he is also the co-author of several cookbooks, most of which are dedicated to recipes and stories of Philadelphia restaurants and culture.

Eli discusses Adam’s love for his home neighborhood of South Philly, his career path in journalism, the current landscape of the Philly dining scene, his favorite Jersey Shore food, and much more.

More info at www.adamerace.com

If you think back to the early days when you first started in this industry, you'll probably remember fondly some of those early memories of working on the line, battling it out with your fellow cooks and friends, just hoping to get to the end of service without running out of mise en place.

But those are the moments that you forged really close bonds with your colleagues as you would finish service, maybe get a shift drink, and then head out into the night in search of something fun to get into, just to come back the next day and do it again.

But then there are those times when you meet someone with whom you really connect and who is as passionate about the industry as you are, with lofty ambitions and goals that help stoke the fire within you and propel you forward throughout your career.

Rich Torrisi is that person for our host, Chef Eli Kulp. Rich is a fiercely dedicated chef whose unbridled ambition, blended with his self-described "stubbornness," has created an international restaurant juggernaut, along with his friend, Chef Mario Carbone, and business partner, Jeff Zalasnick, who have opened, on average, about 2.5 restaurants a year for the past 10 years.

This is a fascinating story of how two Italian American kids from working class families have been able to build Major Food Group into a world-class company from a tiny little restaurant on Mulberry Street in Manhattan, called Torrisi Italian Specialties. 

Working with Rich and Mario, Eli was able to create a framework within his repertoire that would eventually lead to his success in Philadelphia, where he applied a similar approach to cooking, but through a lens that was more personal to him.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• List of Major Food Group’s flagship restaurants
• Rich describes the concept behind Torrisi Italian Specialties
• The struggle to find a space for Torissi
• Opening Torissi for night time dining
• Torissi’s 5-star review in New York Magazine
• Restaurants Rich worked at and chefs he trained with in New York City
• Staging at multiple Michelin-star restaurants in France
• When Rich had an important epiphany
• Eli and Rich discuss the hard days working together at Torrisi
• Important dishes served at Torrisi
• Inspiration for opening Torrisi 2.0
• The ‘90s hip-hop music playlist
• How music brought customers together at Torrisi
• Bringing classic New York culture to Torrisi 2.0
• Dishes Eli and Rich created together at Torrisi
• How Eli approached his menu at Fork
• Chef culture changing towards cooking your own authentic food

Check out more restaurants you can visit from Major Food Group: https://www.majorfood.com/our-concepts/

Head to our website for more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast and connect with us on Instagram!

Also, be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly.

Connect with Eli: Instagram

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these thoughtful conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the quality equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

Eli Kulp sits down with  Reuben Harley, AKA Big Rube, owner of Big Rube’s Kitchen, to talk about food, history and reinvention. Big Rube is a regular host on WIP Radio and has been featured in Philadelphia Magazine. He is famous all around Philly for his pop up kitchens, guest Chef appearances, and most recently, his ghost Kitchen.  He has been quoted as Philadelphia's King of reinvention and has been described as a master marketer, photographer, lifestyle guru, fried chicken master and chef. Follow Big Rude on Instagram @BigRubeHarley. 

It's not every episode that we get to sit down and talk with a pioneer of our industry, and in today's show, we invite Chef Amanda Cohen to sit down and bring her incredible perspective on cooking and life as she reminisces about the vegetable forward journey she has been on over the last 20+ years. In 2008, Amanda opened up Dirt Candy, a groundbreaking vegetarian restaurant that took NYC by storm, and became one of the hottest tickets in town, where curious and passionate guests alike jockeyed for one of the 18 seats available each night. Fast forward 17 years, and Dirt Candy continues to pack it in, albiet in a larger space, each night as her loyal customers and fans show up to eat her clever and cheeky crave-inducing takes on classic combinations. 

Here are some other highlights of the discussion:

• Being from Toronto and why it holds a special place in her heart
• Growing up in the cold weather, playing hockey/skating 
• Writing a cookbook and waiting until she was ready to say yes
• Why winter is her favorite season for products
• The dish that put her on the map 
• The trouble with opening a “New American” restaurant
• Going from an à la carte menu to a tasting menu format
• Being one of the first to do away with the typical tipping system in 2015
• The pricing conundrum of running a vegetable-focused restaurant
• Working at the controversial Pure Food & Wine
• The frustration when customers tell you they “liked it” but then leave you a bad review
• Why her leadership philosophy is “being adaptable” 
• How Amanda incorporates her team into the menu design and creates new dishes 
• Why the starting pay in her kitchen is $29/hour

Supporters of CHEF Radio:

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

In this episode of CHEF Radio, we invite local coffee roaster and owner of Caphe, Thu Pham, into the studio to talk about her growth from being a one-woman show to running a full-blown coffee shop in the Kensington neighborhood of Philly. Her recently opened spot has been the talk of the town as it’s Philadelphia’s only purely Vietnamese and Southeast Asian coffee shop, where she focuses on showcasing the flavors of her family’s heritage and proudly plants the Vietnam flag in Philly. 

Chef Jen Carroll has never been somebody who is afraid to tell it how it is. This episode, Jen discusses the struggles and gender biases that are ingrained in our industry. Even as she has become a household name, she opens our eyes about the systemic inequality that she faces, even today, as a woman business owner. As a listener, you’ll hear her tenacity and grit coming through your speakers.

All too often, it's the loud, brash, and cocky chefs that snatch the headlines while the truly dedicated, food-obsessed chefs toil away in their kitchens cooking their asses off and calculating every move. In a restaurant world dominated by big egos, Chef Eli Collins of a.kitchen quietly lets his food speak for itself. 

Eli is what you might call a chef's chef, which means that the admiration and respect he garners from his peers within the industry sometimes outweighs the attention he receives from high-profile food publications.

As you’ll discover in today’s episode, Eli’s humble, soft-spoken demeanor is matched only by his fiercely loyal dedication to the craft of cooking. Under his leadership, a.kitchen in the bustling heart of Philadelphia, has become a must-visit culinary destination in the city and is considered one of the country’s top restaurants (if their laundry list of awards is anything to go by!)

Tuning in, you’ll gain some deeper insight into how Chef Eli thinks, how he goes about balancing his family life with his passion, and how he stays relevant—whether that relevance is among his peers or according to Philadelphia Magazine, which named him a Best of Philly Chef in August of 2022.

For all this and more, including Chef Eli’s advice for young chefs taking the next step in their careers, you won't want to miss this episode of The Chef Radio Podcast!

Topics discussed in this episode:

• What Chef Eli is focused on right now
• Reflecting on being named Best Chef by Philadelphia Magazine
• A look at Eli’s trajectory and his early days in Philly
• The rise and fall of the Plaza Hotel’s famed Oak Room
• The impact that Chef Daniel Boulud had on Eli’s career
• Funny stories and pivotal moments involving food critic Frank Bruni
• Why haute cuisine isn’t necessarily about the food
• What Eli learned from his time at DBGB in NYC
• The incredible value of learning by teaching
• Eli’s introduction to French charcuterie and pâtés
• Insight into Eli’s phenomenal red curry chicken liver toast
• Balancing great ideas and techniques with reliable service
• The relationship between work, ambition, and family for chef parents
• The kind of culture that Eli strives to create at a.kitchen
• What Eli means when he advises young chefs to take their time

You can connect with Eli on Instagram.

Learn more about a.kitchen and a.bar by visiting their website here, or stay up to date with their ever-evolving menu by following them on Instagram.

Head to our website for more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast and connect with us on Instagram!

If you want to be a great chef someday, you are going to have to put in the time. Period. It’s simply a tough job, and Evan sums it up perfectly. He can pay you $120,000 a year to be a line cook, but it is still going to be hard; you’re going to have to work more than you want to, you’ll still get burned, and you’ll still have a long list. It’s just a hard job. It doesn’t matter if you’re working at the local diner or at the three Michelin starred restaurant; there are a lot of similar tasks that still have to get done every day no matter what restaurant you work at in order for it to be successful.

Evan and his wife Sarah are both New York City-trained chefs who left over a decade ago and landed in San Francisco, where they put down roots and opened Rich Table and RT Rotisserie, which are both perfect expressions of their passion for fresh, quality, and seasonal products. 

There’s a lot to unpack in this nearly two-hour episode, but here are some of the highlights:

• It’s a hard job, no matter how you look at it
• You can be passionate, but you can’t make it personal 
• The puzzle that Evan is obsessed with putting together
• Success is a mix of drive and choice
• Evan’s rise in New York City at one of the most iconic restaurants, Bouley
• The New York City blackout disaster
• Why cooks should learn to “give themselves over” to the industry and dedicate themselves
• Evan's upbringing in New Jersey
• Crashing his parents' car forced him into the kitchen
• Eli and Evan's time working together in New York
• His time as the CDC at Quince
• His time working at Coi with chef Daniel Patterson
• What he learned working there and how to understand flavor
• The challenges of running a small restaurant in San Francisco
• Why his food has a connection, and why the guests will know if it doesn’t
• Why your entire team has to buy into your concept
• The beauty of a rotisserie chicken and why it will never go out of style
• Using technology to streamline labor
• How to scale up your company without losing that personal touch

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the high quality equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

www.maxmck.com 

www.singerequipment.com

On the first episode of Season 2 of The CHEF Radio Podcast, we join Chef Eli Kulp at a live event at The Viaduct in Philadelphia. He talks with former mayor Micheal Nutter about the importance of the restaurant industry to the life of a city. They also discuss how anyone can support up-and-coming chefs of color, and/or those struggling in the wake of COVID-19.

Chef of the reigning Best Restaurant in America, Mike Solomonov of Zahav, offers up his insight and wisdom on the current crisis that is crushing our industry. Always brutally honest, Mike describes his company's current state and what plans they have for an uncertain future.

In this episode of The CHEF Radio Podcast, Eli gets down and dirty with chef Michael Thor of the Whiskey Kitchen in Raleigh, North Carolina. Michael and Eli share a common past as both chefs were critically injured within months apart of each other and both while opening a new restaurant. Thor as he goes by, talks candidly about his experiences as a chef who has suffered a severe spinal cord injury and how he continues marching forward constantly fighting the battle to walk again. This is an inspiring and entertaining podcast that you will not want to miss.

In this episode, you're going to hear the story of a young lady who immigrated with almost nothing and slowly but surely began to rebuild her life in New York City through sheer willpower. By listening, you will learn how Nasim held onto the lessons she learned in her mother's kitchen in Iran until she was able to open Sofreh, as well as how she trains and develops the culture within her kitchen, and how she empowers her cooks to cook with intuition. Nasim talks about one of her favorite ingredients, the reduction of whey—a byproduct of making yogurt—that she uses extensively throughout her menu, and why it was important for her restaurant to reflect a more modern Persian feel.

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

As someone who was interested in food from multiple angles at a very young age and who created a reverse flow chart to find out exactly what was the best career choice for them, food celebrity and host of many different popular shows, Adam Richman, is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to all things food. I could tell immediately that this is a man obsessed with, not just food, but the stories of the food and the intrepid souls who created these ingenious flavors, techniques, and methods that shaped the way we eat today.

And honestly, when I read the email and thought about it, I figured I would at least interview him, and if it sucked and I didn’t feel like it belonged, then I would simply not publish it. But after sitting with him for nearly 2 hours, I had such a good time just talking about food from multiple different directions, and we covered some really heavy topics that could be applicable lessons to you in your career. Also, it’s just a damn entertaining podcast, so I figured, what the hell, let’s do it!

Here's what was discussed:

• Why Pennsylvania was so important to the food industry in America
• The challenge of being a journeyman food celebrity
• Adam’s connection to the world famous Rockaway Parkway Di Fara pizza
• His regret with not taking advantage of the rich multicultural community he grew up in
• Adam’s early indoctrination into learning sushi
• Adam’s three kitchen essentials to be successful
• Our mutual distain for the smell of grease traps and degreaser at the end of service
• Kitchen saboteurs around you and why you have to stash towels
• Adam’s most memorable experiences on Man v Food
• The importance of staying humble even as you become the chef. Don’t smell your own shit!
• The pressures of being a TV celebrity
• Does a club sandwich indicate the quality of a hotel?
• The keys to competitive eating
• The importance of understanding capsaicin and what it can do to your skin
• Why bananas may be your key to a nice morning after a 🌶️ night
• Adam’s new show on the History Channel
• Why Adam decided to become a shareholder in a English “football” club
• The beauty of a DiNic’s sandwich out of the Reading Terminal in Philadelphia

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Today's guest, Charlie Mitchell of the one-star Michelin restaurant Clover Hill in Brooklyn, New York, has a wisdom that is hard to come across in a chef barely into his 30s and someone who has gripped the food headlines as becoming the first black Michelin-starred chef in New York City’s history and one of only two black chefs in America. Yeah, you heard read that correctly, the first. In 2022, the Michelin guide recognized the work that he and his partners were doing in Brooklyn Heights and saw that the work that he put in, the training, and his dedication to the craft of cooking helped leapfrog him over even some of the more established and well-known chefs in the country's most competitive restaurant city.

Here's what else we talked about:

• Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, and hailing from a family of auto workers
• Finding a mentor who pointed him in the right direction and inspired him to leave Detroit and go to New York, even though it was his last choice of city
• Pushing himself to work in the hardest kitchen in NYC
• Why his first cookbook, Eleven Madison Park, motivated him to work there
• The layers of protection from failure that EMP has to ensure that each guest has the experience that they expect
• Why working as a commis at EMP was one of the biggest growth point in his career
• Going out on a ledge and taking over a smaller neighborhood restaurant in NYC, but then quickly learning he wasn't ready to be the man just yet
• Meeting his future partners at Clover Hill and why it's such a great match
• How they slowly transitioned to a tasting menu-only restaurant
• Creating a fine dining restaurant that was reflective of the owners and why it's so important for Clover Hill to make people feel comfortable and at home without the pretension that you may find often in fine dining
• Charlie talks about why honest cooking is so important to him
• Raising their prices because they are getting better ingredients to work with, not just because they now have a Michelin star
• When they started getting clued in that they may be on the Michelin radar
• The conversations he had with his partners after they won the star
• What it means to him to be the first black chef in New York City history to have a Michelin star
• What he learned once he started writing tasting menus and deciding what kind of journey he wanted to take the guests on
• How he sees the restaurant continuing to evolve over the next few years
• How he folks on "doing his part" when it comes to being a leader and showing other black chefs what's possible. Leading by example

Sponsors

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

What has luck got to do with it? Well, the short answer is absolutely nothing, and when Chef John Shields and his wife, Karen, took a leap of faith and moved to a little-known town in rural Virginia, they had no idea how life-changing that decision would be. It was after a New York Times writer stumbled upon their groundbreaking cooking at the little country inn named Town House in Chilhowie, Virginia, where they were really developing their style of cooking, that their careers really took off. But, as chef Eli says in the podcast, luck is nothing more than being fully prepared when the opportunity comes your way.

Here’s what else is covered:

• John’s newly found love & enthusiasm for the “B’ word
• Having no direction early on in his young adult life and finding food
• Cooking with his father ignited the flame in him
• How NOT getting hired in New York changed his trajectory, and you can blame it on dial-up internet
• Working for Charlie Trotter in one of the most challenging kitchens in the world
• Why failures, disappointments, and the feeling of discomfort are SO essential to developing yourself as a chef
• It’s OK to fail! But fail forward and learn from every failure by turning it into a lesson
• Why being a great chef is like walking a tightrope between failure and ambition
• How working at Alinea shaped his perspective
• The hilarious story of how the relationship with his future wife was exposed after dating and working together
• How the husband-wife team splits responsibilities and how that relationship has evolved after children
• Moving to the middle of nowhere with no expectations
• How a full-page article in the New York Times changed everything for them
• The one and only Kitchen Arts & Letters bookstore in NYC
• How the layout of their building gives them the opportunity to do two separate concepts under the same roof
• The way that he approaches food, the ingredients and how he brings them to the plate, and his intuition-based style of cooking
• Allowing a plant to go through its full cycle of life to see what kinds of exciting stages it goes through and how that can impact the way you use it
• Breaking down one of their more novel ideas from back in the day
• A way that Chef stays grounded and on the right path
• The benefits of having two restaurants that can feed each other's customers as well as help use up the product they get in the house
• Why learning a craft such as cooking takes time and effort, and why you should not rush your career

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef which gives you a powerful and free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Besides that, it does way more, so check them out and make sure you use the discount code that you’ll here in the podcast to upload 25 free recipes to the platform!

Join us on this episode as we sit down with Chef Hari Cameron, tracing his remarkable journey from the world of fine dining to becoming a sought-after chef consultant, and now, his triumphant return to the culinary scene with his new venture, The Chef's Table in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Hari candidly shares the challenges he faced balancing the demands of a culinary career with family responsibilities, shedding light on the pressures many chefs experience as they navigate parenthood and traditional kitchen roles. Tune in as he discusses the pivotal moments that led him to adjust his career, leveraging his expertise while carving out time for his family, all while passionately pursuing his culinary dreams.

• An introduction to Hari and a little history lesson on the restaurants of Rehobeth Beach, Delaware
• Growing up in a spiritual household where gurus and meditation were typical, along with the prasad, aka the offering
• How he got the name Hari from the Bhagavad Gita
• A family with three boys who are all in the restaurant business, and how it was the youngest of the brothers who helped Hari find his path in food
• Getting busted at a young age with some illegal substances, which made him wake up and realize he had to get his shit together
• Setting a goal to open a restaurant by 30 and beating it by one year
• Opening his restaurant a(MUSE.) in Rehobeth, which was noticed very quickly by the press
• How he is hyper-focused and obsessive about learning things until he knows a lot about it
• Getting lucky by selling his restaurant after 10 years in late January 2019 before the pandemic hit
• How he shares his enthusiasm for food with his three young sons
• Getting into consulting and why he says he never applies the "hard sale"
• How he does a large range of consulting, from equipment companies, menu development to food companies, etc.
• Opening his new space in Rehoboth called The Chef’s Table, where he will be doing dinners, classes, content creation, and other food related research and development
• The art of dry aging fish and why he is a big fan of it

Supporters of the show:

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram and subscribe to the show.

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

What happens when a South Philadelphia kid grows up to be a chef and the comes back to rescue his family's 100-year-old Italian social club? You get the hottest ticket in town serving the most craveable and mouth watering food which just happens to be nearly unattainable unless you are a member. At Palizzi Social Club, Joey Baldino has reshaped how people look at Italian American food in Philadelphia and we have the pleasure to sit down with him and talk about his journey and what it took to rescue a family heirloom.

How many different individuals go into serving one plate of food in a restaurant? How many people, including producers, delivery personnel, cooks, servers, and porters, does it take to get each singular ingredient of a dish to the table? Maybe that’s not something you ever thought about; however, Andrew Friedman, author of the newly released book titled ”The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food”, spells it out for us in his book and takes a deep dive to help the reader understand how many hands go into growing, raising, picking, butchering, and delivering a single dish.

Here’s what else you’ll hear:

• The many chefs he has written cookbooks for, including Chef Jimmy Bradley, Paul Liebrandt and Alfred Portale
• The incredible work that he’s done on his podcast, Andrew Talks To Chefs, and the trust that he has developed over the years with chefs
• How he got into writing and fell into the culinary world after hoping to be a screenwriter
• Writing the book, Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll, and why trust was such a major factor in being able to write that book
• How he was able to land an interview with Chef Wolfgang Puck
• Writing his newest book and the premise behind it
• Working with chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark in Chicago to write the book
• The one dish that he decided to right about and why he was at first unsure, but in the end, he felt great about hit
• How he followed the food from seed to plate and what role it played in the logistics of it all most impressed him
• Diving deep into the background of each employee who helps bring that one dish to life
• How the kitchen is a safe haven for many people who may not be compatible with the traditional career path
• Why sketching out dishes for Eli was important in minimizing how many times he had to try it out during the research and development phases

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

Peace, Love & Chicken Grease

Do you love a good redemption story? If you do, you're going to want to listen to this podcast because today's guest, Chef Eric Leveillee of Lacroix restaurant, has gone through hell and back to find his success. As someone who grew up in a household with dependency issues, Eric was nearly destined to find himself following the same path. And after years of addiction, he was able to transcend his addiction and become a shining example of what it means to be truly resilient. Now, sober and focused, Eric is producing some of the most exciting food out there, and we are very excited to showcase him and his story on the CHEF Radio Podcast.

• Eric's history of working as a chef in Philadelphia 
• Getting a degree in economics
• Why you need to explore your creativity as a young chef
• How Eric's food has evolved into a more minimalist approach
• Breaking down Eric's amazing duck preparation
• How Covid forced him to change his plans 
• Taking a position in the western Catskills at the DeBruce hotel
• Running two separate restaurants for two separate companies
• Battling the constant labor issue while still maintaining expectations
• Why Eric doubled down on cooking a "classic" style of menu at Lacroix
• Eric breaks down his Risotto of New Potatoes dish
• Eric shares his experience with drug addiction and recovery
• How addiction starts
• How life events impact addiction 
• Surviving on the streets while going in and out of jail
• How a phone call to his aunt put him on the road to recovery
• Why the line between yourself and an addict is thinner than you realize
• Eric's approach to simple, stripped-down cooking and how he eliminates ingredients to make his dishes stronger
• How Eric is using this time as a chef at two different restaurants to set himself up for success down the road
• If you're struggling with addiction, please reach out to Eli or Eric so we can help you achieve your goals in life. You're never alone.

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

As a chef, when you are able to successfully apply your point of view to a cuisine that may be often overlooked or antiquated, it can easily translate into pure gold. That is exactly what the husband-and-wife duo, Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, have done with their genre-bending menu at their Michelin starred restaurant, Don Angie in New York City.

A Caesar salad made with chrysanthemum leaves, BBQ calamari with pepperoni fried rice, and prosciutto and papaya in tamarind are just a few examples of how these two Italian American chefs play with flavors and concepts and walk the fine edge between the familiar and the unknown. 

As we all know, hospitality has to be step in step with the food to really achieve a high level of success, and the team that Angie and Scott have assembled to ensure that each guest feels as though they're family, and by the time you leave, you feel like you've made new friends. This is what happens when you have chefs who are so attuned to what the vision is and can easily and effectively communicate with their staff, which translates into high levels of morale, which then translates into a beautiful and unforgettable dining experience that is so New York, yet so familiar.

Welcome to another exciting episode, where we delve into the inspiring stories of those making a difference in the culinary world. Today, we're joined by Chef Chris Shepherd and wife/ partner Lindsey Brown from the Southern Smoke Foundation in Houston, Texas. Chef Chris, a celebrated culinary figure, recently hung up his apron to dedicate himself to the Southern Smoke Foundation, an organization committed to supporting folks in the food and beverage industry at large. We'll explore the incredible journey that led him to this decision, as well as a frightening plane ride that Eli and Chris took together. Additionally, we'll uncover why other chefs highly value Chris’s unique ability to engage with their cooks, offering insights and perspectives that inspire and elevate the next generation of culinary professionals. Join us to learn more about Southern Smoke Foundation, Chef Chris Shepherd’s career transition, and his impact on the culinary community.

• (00:00:00) Introduction and Survey Announcement
• (00:05:26) Interview with Chris Shepherd and Lindsay Brown
• (00:07:13) Chris Shepherd's Culinary Inspirations
• (00:11:04) The Concept, Evolution, and Challenges of Underbelly
• (00:31:25)Transitioning from Underbelly Hospitality
• (00:39:45)Leadership and Mentorship in the Culinary World
• (00:48:23) Full Tilt and Future Endeavors
• (00:50:17) Becoming the Official Hotdog Supplier The Houston Texans
• (00:51:52) Retail Expansion Plans
• (00:54:22) Southern Smoke Festival Origins
• (00:57:58)Hurricane Harvey and Emergency Relief
• (01:00:39) Pandemic Response and Growth
• (01:11:58) Mental Health and Crisis Relief
• (01:34:41) Future Goals and Legal Aid
• (01:37:03) Favorite Food Spots in Houston
• (01:40:01) Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

  A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

  If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

  Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

  My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

Subscribe, like and share! Oh yeah, and throw in a review while you're at it. Appreciate you all!

Being a successful chef is so much more than being a great cook, and once you find yourself in that position, your attention is constantly being pulled away from the kitchen to handle business matters, HR, food costs, scheduling, etc. etc. So with all of these demands, how do you still maintain your creativity, your energy to lead, and your positive state of mind? Well, unsurprisingly, there is no easy answer, but in just a few minutes, you’re going to hear from chef and owner Johnny Spero, of Reverie and Bar Spero in Washington DC, who in ’22 saw his restaurant reduced to ashes and who is someone who strives to be a great chef, a great husband, and a great father, but as you hear, it is a delicate and ever-evolving task. Do you struggle with similar challenges? Well, if you do, pull up a seat at the table and give this one a listen.

Here’s some of what was discussed:

• His recent trip to Kyoto to cook with Jacob Kear at Lurra
• Eating at the Noma residency in Kyoto
• Johnny’s introduction to the industry  
• The lessons he learned when becoming a chef too early in his career
• Accolades are no longer about ego as much as they’re about making sure your business is healthy and busy
• Working at incredible restaurants such as Komi, Minibar, Noma, Mugaritz
• What he had to do to stage at Noma while being broke
• The different evolutions of Reverie and what to expect when 2.0 opens
• Why having your cooks run food to the tables can be so impactful to the diner
• His recollection after getting a call that his restaurant was on fire
• All the different restaurants and places he’s been cooking at as he awaits Reverie to reopen
• Bar Spero is inspired by “The food you want to eat on your day off”, but through a Spanish lense
• Why he had to quit drinking and how he did it

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef that allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Besides that, it does way more, so check them out and make sure you use the discount code that you’ll here in the podcast to upload 25 free recipes to the platform.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

10:10 Chef Alex Kemp: 

• The Canadian chef who's taking Philadelphia by storm
• Impressions of his new hometown
• Persistence and Alex’s Culinary Journal
• His Time on No Reservations 
• How Alex’s Experience Influences Him Today
• Montreal Restaurants Recommendations 

34:18 Chef Eric Leveillee

• Eli’s First Impression of Eric
• Cooking for Chef Alain Ducasse… or Not
• Taking Over at Lacroix
• The Thought Process of Creating and Executing a New Dish
• Keeping It Simple vs “One More Ingredient”
• Upcoming Dishes 
• Mentorship vs Reputation 
• Philadelphia Restaurants Recommendations 

1:02:00 Chef Chance Anies

• Background 
• Telling his Story Through his Menu
• Quitting his Job and Starting The Food Cart
• Meaning Behind the Name of Tabachoy
• Advice for Anyone Not in the Right Career Feild
• How Fatherhood Changed Chances Perspective
• Philadelphia Restaurants Recommendation 

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

Josh Sharkey trained under some incredible, generational chef talent, like David Bouley, like Indian super star chef, Floyd Cardoz, and the Great Gray Kunz, and in doing so, he built up his repertoire and his résumé, so no matter what he did, he would be successful. But after working for these industry titans, he found himself on a new mission. It was after he lost an important notebook that was chock-full of recipes and techniques that he had been taught over the years that he came up with the idea of developing software where no recipe, no technique, or learned knowledge will ever go missing again because someone lost their notebook.

Here’s what was discussed:

• After his father passed when he was just a teenager, he began cooking for his family
• Training as a chef in Oslo with Chef Terje Ness at Oro
• Eating donkey in Piedmont 
• Working with Chef Floyd Cardoz at Tabla and why it was a dream kitchen
• Cooking with headlamps during the NYC blackout of 2003
• Working with Chef David Bouley at the restaurant's height
• Why working in Café Gray, with Chef Gray Kunz, was so instrumental in his upbringing
• The perfection that is the Kunz spoon
• Josh’s first foray into entrepreneurship with Bark Hotdogs
• No matter how good your product is, you have to be able to tell a story with your food
• The moment he came up with the concept of his recipe company, MEEZ
• Why MEEZ is an incredibly powerful tool for kitchens
• How they painstakingly converted product yields into the software
• The ease of training your teams when using MEEZ
• Why building MEEZ has given him more fulfillment than his career in the kitchen

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com

In this episode of The Chef Radio Podcast, Chef Eli Kulp talks with Marc Vetri, whose newest restaurant, Fiorella, was booming from the time it opened in February to the COVID-19 shutdown. Eli and Marc talk about Marc’s background as a chef and musician in LA, spending a few years in Italy, opening restaurants in Philadelphia, and how things have been going since the shutdown.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown—an adage familiar to all. For chefs, the culmination of aspirations often transforms into a suffocating responsibility. Balancing the delicate dance between creative desires and the day-to-day demands of a profitable restaurant, chefs find themselves assuming the roles of part-time therapists, plumbers, dishwashers, and maintenance personnel. While these daily responsibilities are integral, chefs must elevate their perspective beyond the immediate tasks, recognizing that the traditional role has evolved add our positions as role models and trendsetters require to look at how we can help the evolving world outside of our restaurants.

Chef Matt Orlando is an absolute visionary and his work at *the now concluded Amass* in Copenhagen, Denmark, forged the pathway for other chefs to see how they can have a major impact on reducing food waste, thus helping with the needs for action when it comes to the future of our planet.

⚠️ One note before you get to the show, because we are calling international, we had some challenging moments with the technology, so please forgive the less the desirable recording quality. We apologize and will try to be better next time.🤘

• Economics of upcycling
• Saving water from blanching and circulating to clean the floors at the end of the day
• Turning fish bones into noodles and why it just works. Bouncy!
• Why he wants people to copy his food and techniques
• Why Matt closed Amass and why he says he’ll never open a restaurant under the same name
• His company, Endless, where they take massive amounts of commercially produced food waste and find ways to keep it out of the waste stream
• His chocolate alternative called Thic and why it could be a game changer for the industry
• Working with large skill producers and why it’s a totally different way of thinking then a chef and a fine dining restaurant
• His new project in Singapore that is a multifaceted restaurant and education spot called AIR that will include a 9000 square-foot garden and farm in the middle of Singapore
• Using flavor as a vessel to carry a message of sustainability and not preaching to the guest table side
• The importance of understanding that sometimes a journey ends and you have to begin a new.
• The importance of being a chef, but also allowing yourself to be open to other ideas and concepts when it comes to food
• Leaving a team in today’s labor climate and what you have to do to be successful in creating a culture of excellence

A huge shout out to our sponsor Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and make sure you reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

This holiday season make sure you reach for the true and authentic Parmigiano Reggiano to wow your guests with incredible flavors and textures. Click on the link to find out some fun and creative ways to use the one and only king of cheese this holiday season!🎁🧀

As a true pandemic story, Kismet Bagels came on the scene in 2020 after Alexandra & Jacob began experimenting with bread and bagels out of sheer boredom in their home kitchen after the pandemic took away both of their incomes as well as access to foods they craved. Just as kismet, aka destiny, brought these two childhood crushes together after 20+ years apart, bagels became their livelihood and passion after both their careers where put on hold. Hear how these two have manifested their destiny and created a dynamic relationship with Philadelphia’s food community and how they have philanthropy and generosity, baked into their recipe for success.

Chef Tom Hunt is a self described Eco-Chef who is focused on reducing food waste. We talk with Tom about cooking from home, food sustainability, and his new cookbook, Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet.

Tom has a weekly column in The Guardian called Waste Not and is the founder of Poco Restaurant in Bristol, England where they serve climate friendly cuisine. He is also the host of The Chef's Manifesto, a podcast about cooking climate friendly cuisine.

Once an award-winning chef at Ubuntu making acclaimed vegetable-focused food, Chef Jeremy Fox was struggling to deal with his anxiety and imposter syndrome. He spent years stuck in the persona he felt he was expected to be, building a bad reputation along the way. 

Today, Jeremy joins host Eli Kulp to discuss his past and lessons learned, career highlights, and more importantly, his future. He recalls those early career days, and how his family and education as a chef inspired his food.

Jeremy and Eli talk about their struggles with anxiety, and how a new generation of chefs is changing how some chefs educate in the kitchen. He’s currently the chef and co-owner of Birdie G’s, a Santa Monica restaurant named after and inspired by his daughter and grandmother, where he’s leading with his newfound perspective on guiding young chefs.

If you’re going to take in anything from this episode (besides the best eats in Philly and LA!), we hope it’s that perseverance is all you need to change your life. Even if you burn all your bridges and hit rock bottom, like Jeremy, it is possible to start over and succeed.

Tune in to hear about Chef Jeremy Fox’s journey from living an unhealthy life of a stressed out “food celebrity” to doing what he always dreamt of doing — running a humble restaurant that people and families just love to eat!

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Eli breaks down Jeremy Fox’s career
• Creating the menu for Ubuntu
• Jeremy’s transition to working at Rustic Canyon and his reputation
• Eli on his time at Torrisi
• Jeremy reflects on his childhood in Philadelphia
• Philadelphia food traditions vs. the west coast
• Jeremy on his experience in Los Angeles
• How Rustic Canyon changed in 10 years
• Jeremy’s grandmother and inspiration for Birdie G’s
• Jewish cuisine-inspired dishes at Birdie G’s
• How fatherhood changed Jeremy as a chef
• The journey to working at Manresa
• Jeremy’s advice to leaders in the kitchen
• The next generation of chefs
• How Jeremy stopped being an intense, confrontational chef
• Managing the stress of making a restaurant successful
• Eli’s experience with anxiety
• Jeremy on his anxiety and helping others
• Dealing with anxiety and effects of the pandemic

Stay connected with Jeremy Fox on Instagram, and grab his book On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen here!

Listen to more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast, and be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly!

Connect with Eli on Instagram:

The Chef Radio Podcast

Delicious City Philly

A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.

Welcome to episode 119 featuring the remarkable scientist-turned-culinary-pioneer, Nathan Myhrvold, where we dive deep into his fascinating journey from Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft to culinary innovator and author of the groundbreaking Modernist Cuisine series. Join us as Nathan shares his unique approach to writing his Modernist Cuisine collection of books, the influence of his time working with Stephen Hawking, and his transition from the tech world to the culinary arts. We'll explore the challenges and joys of creating cookbooks tailored for both professional chefs and home cooks, and uncover his favorite pizza place (in Jersey City) that sparks his culinary inspiration. This episode is an engaging blend of science, technology, and cooking with one of the most innovative minds the world has ever seen.

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:08:20) Approach to Writing Modernist Cuisine

(00:13:08) The Pioneering Chefs of Modernized Cooking

(00:18:42) Nathan’s Stephan Hawking Story

(00:24:25) From Microsoft to the Kitchen

(00:32:22) Where Nathan’s Inner Drive Comes From

(00:36:30) The Mind Blowing Photography Behind The Modernist Series

(00:42:51) Francisco Migoya and His Pivatol Roll In the Series

(00:45:52) Razza Pizza and other Restaurant's Approach to Pizza

(00:57:10) Making a Book for Professional vs Home Cooks and the Difference the Right Oven Makes

(01:02:41) The Similarities of Making Bread at Home vs In a Commercial Kitchen 

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

Joe Beddia – what happens when a craftsman and wizard of pizza making decides to shut down his 300 square-foot pizzeria, which served no more than 40 pies a night, and decides to open a real restaurant? Take a listen and hear what that journey was like for Joe. It’s a reminder that sometimes we give up too much of ourselves to ensure that other people are happy in our restaurants. Not always the best recipe for mental health. Enjoy!

True passion for cooking cannot be faked. It takes something special to withstand the grueling work and hours while perfecting the craft. The restaurant industry isn’t kind to all, but those built for it, last. It takes a love that will take you around the world tasting everything, talking to chefs and locals, learning the land where the food is grown, tasting, experiencing, and everything in between. Knowing this, the fact that someone can rise out of the ranks and have their hands in 15 different restaurants, create exceptional food and drink at all of them, while winning prestigious awards seems like a dream doesn’t it? 

Our guest today has done just this! He is one of the most influential chefs of his generation and has shaped the way we cook today. Working in some of the best kitchens in New York City, France, and Italy, Andrew Carmellini joins us to give us an inside look into his genius.

He has a unique and real perspective on the industry, and you would never know he has partnered with big names like Jay-Z and Robert DeNiro given his down to earth nature. By traveling the world and experiencing all different types of cuisines and tastes, he went through his own type of schooling all driven by his passion for food. 

Tune in for a conversation that can inspire and educate current and aspiring chefs by getting a closer look into Chef Carmellini’s journey from line cook to one of the most renowned chefs in the world. You don’t want to miss this one!

 Topics discussed in this episode:

• How Andrew became a chef
• Is culinary school worth it?
• Difference in Italian cuisine then and now
• Andrew’s biggest cooking style focus right now
• The restaurant business post covid
• Which restaurants and chefs shaped Andrew
• How cooking knowledge is passed down
• How to understand the depth of food from a region
• Who inspired Andrew to go to Europe and learn to cook
• Is it as important today to go somewhere to gain cooking knowledge
• Andrew’s journey through opening his restaurants
• How Andrew’s partnership with Robert DeNiro came to be
• What Andrew wishes doesn’t get lost in the industry
• Challenges of growth

Irinox Blast Chillers -https://www.irinoxprofessional.com/usa

Maxwell McKenney -                 https://www.maxmck.com 

Singer Equipment - https://www.singerequipment.com/podcastchef

Eli Kulp sits down with Philadelphia restauranteurs Jim and Kristina Burke, owners of Fishtown based Italian restaurant Wm. Mulherin’s Sons. Since adopting Mulherin’s in 2019, Jim has been executive chef, while Kristina handles FOH duties and pretty much “everything else.” The couple previously founded James in 2006, which served award winning modern American cuisine in the Bella Vista neighborhood until its closing in 2011. The last few years have dealt several blows to the Burkes; with Jim receiving a Stage-4 lung cancer diagnoses, and Kristina battling with Stage-2 breast cancer and radiation treatment. Eli discusses the experience of co-owning a business as a married couple, cancer diagnoses and treatments, their traveling happy hour fundraising organization, and much more. Information at www.wmmulherinssons.com and www.tagtimehappyhour.com

In today's can't-miss episode, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Chef Michael Anthony, the culinary mastermind behind New York City's iconic Gramercy Tavern. Join us as we delve into Chef Anthony's culinary journey, his approach to setting the culture and tone in the kitchen, and the creative process behind crafting unforgettable dining experiences at one of America's most celebrated restaurants. Get ready to be inspired by Chef Anthony's passion for food, community, and innovation. Let's dive in!

• Celebrating 30 Years of Gramercy Tavern in '24
• A Special Dinner with a Mentor in Japan
• Navigating the Culinary Industry: Trusting Your Gut and Learning from Failure
• The Role of Gramercy Tavern in Shaping Culinary Career
• The Importance of Local Agriculture and the Union Square Green Market
• The Unmatched Culinary Scene of New York
• A Chef's Journey to New York Culinary Evolution at Gramercy Tavern
• The Philosophy of Menu Development 
• The Impact of Technology in Modern Restaurants
• The Importance of Team Dynamics in the Kitchen
• Looking Forward: Growth and Opportunities
• Celebrating 30 Years of Gramercy Tavern
• Chef's Personal Reflections and Future Outlook

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

Few people in our industry will ever be able to call themselves pioneers but Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby are exactly that. They have been pushing their own, distinct version vegetable forward and plant based diet way before became popular. For over 25 years now Rich has lived and worked with a passion to change the narrative for a vegan population and now he husband and wife team has created a mini empire with a dedicated following of vegetarians and carnivores alike.  

On this episode of The CHEF Radio Podcast, host Eli Kulp sits down with two cheese experts, Sue Miller and Tenaya Darlington. Sue Miller is the owner of the local farmstead, Birchrun Hill Farms, where they produce the famous and delicious Fat Cat cheese. Tenaya Darlington is an author, educator and food blogger, also known as Madame Fromage. She is the cheese curator at TRIA in Philadelphia and you can read her work at madamefromageblog.com. Eli, Sue and Tenaya sit down to talk about all things cheese, from producing it and running a farmstead to throwing Cheese Balls and creating giant cheese boards.

As an absolute technician in the kitchen, Chef Ron McKinlay has ushered the Toronto stalwart, Canoe Restaurant, into a new era with his breath-taking craftsmanship that combines old-world technique with modern day sensibilities. After taking over Canoe four years ago, Chef Ron has continued to push the narrative and shine a spotlight on the amazing ingredients coming from the forests, oceans, and farms that make up his culinary ecosystem. Working for some of the best chefs around the globe, Chef Ron has now found the perfect place to showcase his talents.

Take a listen to the chef/owner of Philadelphia’s hottest restaurant, Her Place, where Amanda cooks food that is inspired by her love for the classics as well as the many great chefs that she has worked for in Philadelphia, New York, Montreal and even Italy.

When listening, it’ll be very easy to hear her passion come through the speakers and you can understand why people are so excited to eat her food.

I’m very happy to announce that I’m hosting the very first CHEF Radio Podcast web summit in a 3 part series called SEIZING THIS MOMENT. In these livestreamed conversations, we’ll be discussing the importance of social impact and community leadership in restaurants as we begin to rebuild our livelihoods after COVID-19. The first of the series will be held on this coming Tuesday, May 5 at 2 PM and will include great minds such as Mike Solomonov of Zahav, Erik Oberholtzer of a Tender Greens, and Ryan Smith of Staplehouse in Atlanta.

Please register for free using this Ticketleap link. We will be announcing more panelists and more details as we get closer to the event!

So freaking excited for this and thank you to RADIOKISMET and Cohere for your support!

In this addendum episode, we catch up with Joey Baldino and hear how the recent events have affected him and the restaurant industry. He talks about he plans to make changes to help his restaurants survive and continue support his teams.

Every once in a while, there are these chefs, where it’s as if they've been hand picked by some sort of celestial chef “being”, that says, “Hey young chef, I know exactly the type of work you’re going to do“, and whether or not you subscribe to divine intervention, one thing we know, when a chef hits at the right time, with the right product and with the right mix of authenticity, storytelling and purpose, that chef can light the world on fire. And today, we we get to hear from one of those chefs in Ashleigh Shanti, who possesses an intrinsic desire to pick up the torch of her ancestors to insure her family's roots, history and recipes are not lost to the sands of time, but rather rediscovered and celebrated.

Here’s what else was talked about:

• Growing up in coastal Carolina and working in seafood shacks
• How nostalgia helped drive her career
• Working with Vivian Howard and learning about eastern North Carolina
• How a display at the Shenandoah National Park made her realize that Appalachian blacks were underrepresented
• How Benne On Eagle really changed her as a chef and as a leader
• Chef John Fleer’s impact on Ashleigh and many other chefs
• The responsibility that she has for keeping her family’s food history preserved 
• Black foodways are kept orly over the years, which makes them more vulnerable to being lost forever
• What kind of discoveries she’s had while writing her new cookbook
• Why owning the story of her food is so important to her
• Her new restaurant, Good Hot Fish, opening soon
• What a fish camp is and why it’s such a major part of who she is
• A Guyanese word that had a major impact on her 
• Why chefs are naturally advocates

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef that allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Besides that, it does way more, so check them out and make sure you use the discount code that you’ll here in the podcast to upload 25 free recipes to the platform.

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Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. eli@chefradiopodcast.com