Andrew Talks to Chefs

How many of us can even name 50 countries? Well, Shannon Smith has traveled to more than 50 of them in her ongoing and very passionate quest to learn about the cuisines of the world, teach people living in poverty how to cook, fundraise for myriad causes, and pick up new techniques that she employs in the culinary experiences she produces at her home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In this episode of the pod, Shannon and Andrew discuss her life and work, and explore the modern definition of what it means to be a chef.And in this week's Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, social media consultant and author of the (free) Link in Bio Substack, Rachel Karten, shares valuable advice for making sense of the current social media landscape and maximizing your presence there. (Follow Rachel on Instagram here.)  Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related news.   THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Chef Charlie Mitchell is enjoying his first turn in the public spotlight, and the ripple effects of earning his first Michelin star, at Clover Hill in Brooklyn Heights, NY--a restaurant that Andrew recently lauded on the pod. On today's episode, Charlie discusses his young life and career to date, including stints at San Francisco's Benu, and Betony, One White Street, and Eleven Madison Park in New York City. He and Andrew also kick around some topics that are on the minds of industry professionals as 2022 draws to a close.  THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Gavin Kaysen, the chef behind Minneapolis' Soigne Hospitality, just published his first cookbook, At Home. While in New York City for a series of launch events, he found an hour to sit down with Andrew and discuss the book, his still-young career, and some milestones along the way. Gavin and Andrew have interviewed for books and online pieces in the past (see here, and here), so have a long history that facilitates a very open, honest, and fun conversation that we know listeners will enjoy.And in this week's Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, Yannick Benjamin, of New York City's Contento restaurant, which has been lauded for not only its food and hospitality but also for its devotion to accessibility, discusses making your restaurant website as accessible as possible. Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related news. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Chef Bryce Shuman considered becoming an actor before course-correcting to the pro kitchen. Following culinary school, he worked in some acclaimed restaurants, including an executive sous chef position at Eleven Madison Park in its heyday, before opening his own Betony, which had a successful run in Midtown Manhattan. He recently fulfilled a dream of opening a live-fire restaurant, Sweetbriar, in New York City. Andrew and Bryce sat down recently to discuss his young life, career, and current passion for live-fire cooking.And in this week's Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, Kendra Cusack, chief of operations for New York City's Loring Place restaurant and its sister businesses, joins us to discuss managing and ticketing special events online. Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related news. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

While at the LA Chef Conference last week, Andrew met the charming and passionate Chef Tolu "Eros" Erogbogbo, who's heading up the most talked-about popup in the LA area this year. Andrew and Chef Eros found some time to meet up before Andrew blew town to record this interview at the site of Eros'  West African popup, ILÉ, which has taken Los Angeles by storm since it launched in April.And in this week's Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, Daniel Holzman of Danny Boy's Famous Original pizza in Downtown Los Angeles, joins us to discuss the evolution and practical benefits of online ordering. Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Reem Assil, of Reem's California, was in New York City recently to promote her book Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora. In addition to discussing the book, Reem and Andrew got into a variety of hot topics swirling around the industry, and Reem previewed her episode of the new online series "Normal Ain't Normal" (the episode debuts on Tuesday, October 18). And in this week's Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, Roni Mazumdar of Unapologetic Foods discusses their Biryani Bol direct-to-home and takeaway business, how they manage online orders and delivery with their own vehicles, and how the concept fits within their larger mission. Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.Please say hello to Andrew if you'll be at the LA Chef Conference this Monday. The Conference is sold out, but you can still get tickets to the afterparty on Monday, October 17.Special thanks to chef and restaurateur Greg Baxtrom for hosting Andrew and Reem at Maison Yaki  in Brooklyn, NY, where this interview was conducted. Please support Maison Yaki and Greg's other restaurants.Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Ariel Fox has had an eclectic life in the kitchen, from a California childhood to an East Coast career; from the Nordic-in-New York Acme restaurant to setting the menus for Del Frisco's and Dos Caminos; and from a championship run on TV's Hell's Kitchen to authorship of her first cookbook Spice Kitchen: Healthy Latin and Caribbean Cuisine. In this episode, Ariel sits down with Andrew to discuss her unique path and current endeavors.And in this week's Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, Sean Feeney, of Grovehouse Hospitality, discusses exploring and succeeding with new revenue streams online, specifically the MP (MisiPasta) product line. Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.See Andrew in conversation with Mary Sue MIlliken, and take in a day's worth of knowledge from some of the best chefs on the West Coast at the 2022 LA Chef Conference--visit their site for information and tickets!Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

It’s our sincere honor to welcome Jacques Pepin back for his third appearance on the pod. Last Friday, Andrew ventured north to Connecticut to Jacques’ home, where they discussed the genesis of Jacques’ latest book, Art of the Chicken: A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird, just published this week. The book is a charming and compelling mingling of biographical essays, recipes, and Jacques’ original artwork, all of which provided wonderful stepping off points for myriad topics of conversation.And in this week's Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, friend of the pod chef Erick Williams of Chicago's Virtue and the recently launched Daisy's Po-Boy and Tavern shares what he's learned about customizing websites to reflect the distinct characters of the restaurants they represent. Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.See Andrew in conversation with Mary Sue MIlliken, and take in a day's worth of knowledge from some of the best chefs on the West Coast at the 2022 LA Chef Conference--visit their site for information and tickets!Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

With dishes like her signature Southern Fried Lasagna, chef Shenarri Freeman has been garnering media attention and a growing and devoted fan base at the plant-based soul food restaurant Cadence in New York City. On this episode of the pod, Shenarri sits down with Andrew to discuss her Richmond, Virginia, childhood; her evolution from carnivore to vegan; and her upcoming residency as part of the Shifting the Lens series at J Vineyards Winery in Healdsburg, California, which begins September 29.And in our new Tech and Restaurants segment, brought to you by BentoBox and Clover, BentoBox's Director of Design Operations Jaqueline "Jaq" Andre shares advice for fashioning an effective restaurant website. Please visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.See Andrew in conversation with Mary Sue MIlliken, and take in a day's worth of knowledge from some of the best chefs on the West Coast at the 2022 LA Chef Conference--visit their site for information and tickets!Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

A few weeks ago, Marc Forgione opened his latest New York City restaurant, One Fifth, in a storied space in Greenwich Village. In his second appearance on the pod, recorded in Marc's Chelsea home, he shares the inspiration for this new market-driven project, his affection for landmark New York City restaurant spaces, how and why he took over the beloved Peasant in lower Manhattan, and explains the name behind his new Respect Hospitality Group.Please join us in welcoming a new advertiser to the pod, and take a moment to visit the website for BentoBox and Clover to learn how they provide restaurants with the technology they need for even more success, and book a demo today.Periodic reminder: Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!