Andrew Talks to Chefs

Andrew Friedman
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Apr 2, 2020 • 33min

SPECIAL REPORT #11: John Currence on Optimism in a Time of Pandemic

Chef John Currence, never one to shy away from airing his opinions, calls in from Oxford, Mississippi, to share an on-the-ground report, and kick around everything from the encouraging human reaction to the pandemic to date, how the crisis might or might not be reflected in pop culture, and what music he's been listening to these days.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.LINKSAndrew Talks to Chef Official websiteJohn Currence websiteSupport the employees of John's restaurants!John Currence, original Andrew Talks to Chefs interview  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!
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Apr 2, 2020 • 36min

SPECIAL REPORT #10: Erick Williams on Slowing Things Down & Short-Term Wins

Longtime listeners probably heard Chef Erick Williams' appearance on the pod just two months ago. Andrew rang up his new friend last week and asked him to update us on the vibe in Chicago and how the dynamic of his kitchen has and hasn't changed as a result of its current offering. And chef Preeti Mistry calls in from California to discuss a cool online cooking class/fundraiser she's participating in.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.LINKS Andrew Talks to Chefs official siteVirtue RestaurantDispora Co Instagram feedErick Williams' January 2020 appearance on Andrew Talks to ChefsPreeti Mistry 2019 LIVE appearance on Andrew Talks to Chefs 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!
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Mar 31, 2020 • 35min

SPECIAL REPORT #9: Jacques Pépin & Rollie Wesen on Culinary Frugality & the Power of Knowing How to Cook

One of the true legends of the culinary arts, Jacques Pépin, joins us for today's special report, accompanied by the co-founder and executive director of the Jacques Pépin Foundation, Rollie Wesen. The two discuss the prospects for newly trained cooks in a post-pandemic future, and share their advice for cooking with economy and creativity at home during this time of crisis.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.Please visit the Andrew Talks to Chefs official website. 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!
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Mar 31, 2020 • 33min

SPECIAL REPORT #8: Dan Jacobs on the Zen of Clean Kitchens & Being a Chef with Kennedy's Disease

Chef Dan Jacobs' Milwaukee restaurant Dan Dan remains open for take away and delivery during the current pandemic and the "safe in place" order in his city. But because he lives with the rare, progressive Kennedy's Disease, Dan is at high risk for complications if exposed to the COVID-19 virus, so has made the decision to stay home rather than work at his restaurant. Dan shares how he's maintaining and adapting certain pro-kitchen habits at home, what he's been cooking, and the joys of cleaning a kitchen.. any kitchen.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible. 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!
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Mar 28, 2020 • 33min

SPECIAL REPORT #7: Brandon Jew on Imagining & Adjusting to the Ever-Changing Future of Restaurants

Our first on-the-ground report from San Francisco: Chef Brandon Jew of Mister Jiu's and Moongate Lounge paints a picture of a dystopian scene in one of the United States' greatest food cities. Brandon discusses the impossibility of predicting just what the future of restaurants, including his own, will look like; the disruption of life without nighty service; and the distinct, unfortunate antipathy being directed at the Chinese-American community during the COVID-19 crisis.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.Help fund health insurance for Mister Jiu's staff.LINKSAndrew Talks to Chefs official siteChef, Drugs, and Rock & Roll (Andrew's latest book) 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!
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Mar 27, 2020 • 34min

SPECIAL REPORT #6: Farmer Lee Jones on Shifting Gears & Servicing Home Cooks

In 1983, the Jones family of Milan, Ohio, shifted the focus of their family farm to providing the best possible ingredients to a growing population of chefs seeking high-quality and specialty produce, renaming their business The Chef's Garden. The approach has served them well, until the current pandemic. With restaurants temporarily shuttering across the globe, The Chef's Garden's customer base disappeared, and the company made a shift to selling a line of themed produce boxes (Immunity Booster, Anti-Aging Mix, Subscription Box, etc.) for home cooks. Farmer Lee Jones, the longstanding public face of the Jones family and The Chef's Garden, takes us inside the pivot and describes how his team made the switch so quickly.  Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.Support our cause of the day: If you are able to, please buy a gift certificate from you favorite restaurant!  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!
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Mar 26, 2020 • 35min

SPECIAL REPORT #5: Kat Kinsman on Putting on Your Kitchen Pants, and Remembering Floyd Cardoz with Chandra Ram

From her Chefs with Issues program to her personal consultations with countless people in the restaurant industry to her myriad writings and her own Communal Table podcast, Kat Kinsman is a leading voice for mental health among hospitality professionals. Kat and Andrew discuss coping mechanisms traditional and non- and how they might be employed at this challenging time, and manage to have an unlikely laugh or two along the way.Also, on the day we lost chef Floyd Cardoz, Plate magazine's Chandra Ram shares a few thoughts about this important chef.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.Please visit our support organization of the day, Kat Kinsman's Chefs with Issues.LINKSAndrew Talks to Chefs official websiteCommunal Table (Kat's Food + Wine podcast)Industry United Facebook groupA Balanced GlassCHOW (Colorado)Calm appPersonal Mise en PlaceInsight TimerHeadspaceCramer Care 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!
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Mar 25, 2020 • 1h 11min

SPECIAL REPORT #4: Los Angeles Check-In (Part 2) with Nyesha Arrington, Dave Beran, and Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger

A cross-section of LA-area chefs catch us up on how they're managing during this crisis:  Industry veterans Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger of Border Grill, Socalo, and other restaurants check-in from their respective homes to share how they're keeping in touch with their teams, staying fit, and what they're cooking for themselves and their families; Santa Monica's Dave Beran of Dialogue and Pasjoli explains his democratic approach to staffing and take-away plans during a pandemic; and Nyesha Arrington describes the surreal experience of watching the industry suffer while between restaurants herself.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.Please check out our restaurant support organization of the day: Independent Restaurant Coalition. Sign up for their updates and give generously, if you can.LINKSAndrew Talks to Chefs official websiteAndrew's obit for Gotham Bar and Grill (mentioned on today's show)Border GrillSocaloDialoguePasjoliNyesha Arrington 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!
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Mar 23, 2020 • 38min

SPECIAL REPORT #3: Phil Rosenthal Just Wants Chefs to Know He Loves Them

We thought the industry (and everybody else) could use a laugh right about now, so we invited the dependably upbeat, irreverent Phil Rosenthal, star of the Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil and co-creator of the classic sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, on to talk about his love of chefs and restaurants, and share his thoughts on where we are right now. The first of two episodes devoted to Los Angeles at this time of crisis--part two (debuting Tuesday, 3/24) features Nyesha Arrington, Dave Beran, and Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.LINKSAndrew Talks to Chefs official websitePhil RosenthalRestaurant Workers Relief Fund (today's featured support organization - please give generously) 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!
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Mar 19, 2020 • 30min

SPECIAL REPORT #2: Naomi Pomeroy on Balancing Grief & Silver Linings

In our second of a special series of nightly reports for an industry in crisis, chef Naomi Pomeroy joins Andrew from Portland, Oregon, to share how she and her colleagues are faring in the Pacific Northwest. Naomi also discusses the parallel between grief and what the restaurant community and world at large is experiencing right now, what it's like to be a chef without their kitchen, and on the personal connections that help make it bearable.Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.LINKSAndrew Talks to Chefs official siteBeast restaurant Expatriate restaurant(The NY State petition mentioned on tonight's episode lives here.) 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!

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