Andrew Talks to Chefs

The wonderfully creative soul behind Dana's Bakery, Dana Pollack, left a successful career as a photo editor in pursuit of something more fulfilling. She attended culinary school, decided restaurant kitchens weren't for her, and began fashioning unconventional macaroons and other baked goods that have made her (mostly mail order) company a rousing success. Her story is one of career changing and finding an unconventional path in an ever-more-challenging industry. She and Andrew discuss what inspired her, how she went about pursuing it, and how she continues to tweak what her bakery offers even today. It's HRN's annual summer fund drive, this is when we turn to our listeners and ask that you make a donation to help ensure a bright future for food radio. Help us keep broadcasting the most thought provoking, entertaining, and educational conversations happening in the world of food and beverage. Become a member today! To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we have brand new member gifts available. So snag your favorite new pizza - themed tee shirt or enamel pin today and show the world how much you love HRN, just go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate. Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!

Our 2nd LIVE show took place last week at San Francisco Cooking School and it was a blast: Oakland-based chef Preeti Mistry joined Andrew to talk about everything from how one's identity is inevitably reflected in their food to the politics of the modern restaurant scene to her early tendencies toward the theatrical. In the second segment, a quintet of current and former Zuni Cafe chefs (Nate Norris, Quang Nguyen, Gail Pirie, John Clark, and Brandon Jew) discuss the legacy of the late Judy Rodgers, one of the most influential figures in contemporary American cuisine. Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!

An intersection of the classic and contemporary defines today's episode: First up: Last week, Andrew made a pilgrimage to the legendary, three-Michelin-star Inn at Little Washington where the singular visionary Patrick O'Connell has been lording over his dream restaurant, inn, and other properties since 1978. While there, the two sat down for a revelatory conversation that has had Andrew's head spinning in all the best ways ever since. Then, we turn our attention to Los Angeles, and Lincoln Carson's new Arts District restaurant Bon Temps, which just debuted. Lincoln and Andrew have known each other since 1993, but hadn't seen each other for a quarter-century, so not only cover Lincoln's life and career (until recently, mostly focused on pastry) but also to shared memories of industry friends and restaurants from over the years. Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!

Two titans of the food world are the focus of this week's episode. First up, an Open Kitchen (non-chef) interview with Ed Levine, founder of Serious Eats and author of the new book Serious Eater: A Food Lover's Perilous Quest for Pizza and Redemption. And, from the Chef's Roll Anti-Convention in April, we are thrilled to present a tribute to legendary chef Jeremiah Tower, subject of the recent documentary The Last Magnificent, and creator of Stars and other restaurants. In addition to catching up with Jeremiah himself, Andrew spoke with 6 Stars alumni--Clark Frasier, Mark Gaier, Bruce Hill, Jule and Steve Vranian, and Lisa Sheehan--to gather their memories of working for him. Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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 never-before-aired, recently rediscovered interview with Anthony Bourdain, whom we lost a year ago this week. On April 29, 2014, Tony was kind and generous enough to sit down over lunch with Andrew for a two-part conversation, covering everything from his early days as a cook to his transition to a writer and television icon, to coping with fame, meeting his idols, how the industry has changed over the years, and speaking his mind. Originally recorded for print use in a busy restaurant, the audio quality isn't world class (though we've doctored it to the best of our abilities), here's a rare chance to hear approximately 90 "new" minutes with one of the most influential and transformative figures the industry has ever known, in a very casual, relaxed dialogue. Hope it helps listeners remember a peak career moment in his life. Special thanks to Julia Sexton--a cook-turned-writer/editor who was inspired by Bourdain (as we all were)--for joining Andrew for the introduction. We encourage you to listen to Andrew and Julia's recollections and observations; actual interview begins about 33 minutes in. Cook free or die! Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!

Four interviews, all recorded outdoors in the splendor of Santa Monica at the recent Los Angeles Chef Conference: Spago's Della Gossett; Providence's Michael Cimarusti; Laura Avery and Meredith Bell on the legendary Santa Monica Farmer's Market; and Brooke Williamson of Playa Provisions, The Tripel, Hudson House Bar, and TV's Top Chef. Plus a conversation on the origins of the festival and the world of chef recruiting with festival founder Brad Metzer. This will be our last anthology episode for a while; please enjoy! Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!

As Bâtard (his collaboration with John Winterman and Drew Nieporent) turns 5-years old, and he settles into a new phase of shepherding two restaurants (he's also executive chef of Keith McNaly's Augustine), Markus Glocker sits down with Andrew to discuss his old-school European training, how he takes flavor to the brink even in traditional recipes, and his time working for such legends as Gordon Ramsay and the late Charlie Trotter. Hear how this self-described classicist makes his preferred style of food relatable for a modern clientele. Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!

*** This episode originally aired on our former host network; Andrew Talks to Chefs is now an independent podcast please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information.***Two big winners at last week's James Beard Foundation Awards join Andrew on this week's show: Kwame Onwuachi of Kith and Kin in Washington, DC, and author of the new book Notes from a Young Black Chef, who was named Rising Star Chef; and Kelly Fields of Willa Jean in New Orleans, Louisiana, who was named Outstanding Pastry Chef. Both open up dramatically, both about their own lives and about a societal issues they and the industry grapple with every day.Please consider supporting Andrew Talks to Chefs via our Patreon page–pledge $10 or more per month and gain access to bonus, patron-only episodes, blog posts, polls, and more.   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!

Raised as a "bar baby" by his devoted jazz musician father and just-as-loving mother, it might have seemed that Milton Abel II was destined for a life onstage himself. But after a period of self-discovery, this Kansas City native found his way to the professional kitchen, eventually settling on pastry and rising to the top of such world-renowned kitchens as The French Laundry, Per Se, and Noma. Today, he's a partner in the Copenhagen bakery and coffee roastery Andersen and Maillard and the subject of a new short film, "That's My Jazz," which recently debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. While he was in town to attend the festival, Milton sat down with Andrew to explore some topics not addressed in the film, and expand on those that are. Andrew Talks To Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!

Andrew took his podcasting gear on the road again (this is getting to be a habit) and recorded interviews with 5 participating chefs at the recent Chef’s Roll Anti-Convention in San Diego, California, earlier this month. This 3-hour episode should keep you entertained through our between-season break: Listen at your leisure to intimate conversations with LA’s Nyesha Arrington; Boston’s Barbara Lynch; Napa’s Ken Frank; San Diego’s own Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins; and Modernist Cuisine’s Francisco Migoya. See you in May with a new roster of guests for the spring and summer! Andrew Talks to Chefs is powered by Simplecast. 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!