Andrew Talks to Chefs

Latest Episodes:

Episode 117: Chef Edward Lee & Lindsey Ofcacek (founders, The LEE Initiative) Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

The LEE Initiative has been working to improve the restaurant industry for several years, with programs like a women's chef mentorship program. When COVID-19 swept across the United States, shuttering restaurants and leaving millions of industry employees out of work, founders Edward Lee, Lindsey Ofcacek, and their team instituted a number of new programs to help workers, farms, and other industry constituents across the United States.

On this episode, Edward and Lindsey take time out from their brutal schedules to discuss the origins of the Initiative, how it applies restaurant principles to philanthropy, what its latest relief efforts are, and how listeners (this means you) can help.

Learn more and contribute to the LEE Initiative via their website.

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, and more.

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!

Episode 116: Russell Jackson (Reverence restaurant; Harlem, NY) Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

Just before New York City went into lockdown mid-March, Russell Jackson--chef/owner of Harlem's tasting menu restaurant Reverence--sat down with Andrew for an in-depth interview covering his Southern California upbringing, his training in a handful of legendary restaurants in LA and San Francisco, why he came to New York, as well as such tangential subjects as Star Wars, Bruce Lee, social media, and being present. It's an action-packed hour and a bittersweet evocation of a pre-pandemic feeling.

If in New York City, please support Reverence, which is currently lovingly preparing and selling their own take on bento boxes every weekend. Reserve yours today!

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:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

Episode 115: Douglass Williams (Mida Restaurant; Boston, MA) Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

A blast of normalcy in a longform biographical interview recorded pre-pandemic!

In late January, before COVID-19 hit US shores and we shifted to nightly special reports, Andrew had the chance to sit down with Douglass Williams, who's had an amazing young life so far. Raised in Atlantic City, knocked off his path to track stardom by Crohn's disease as a teenager, and a graduate of Michelin-starred kitchens, Douglass has made a name for himself at Boston's Mida restaurant, where he was recently named a Food + Wine Best New Chef for 2020.

Hope you enjoy our return to our regular format of shows with this fascinating guest.

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:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

SPECIAL REPORT #45: Daniel Boulud on Where We Go From Here May 29, 2020

Show notes

On our last nightly special report, Daniel Boulud discusses the shutdown, the road to reopening, and the pain of being away from his team, as well as charitable efforts during the pandemic and his forecast for government support of the industry.

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

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:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

SPECIAL REPORT #44: Fine Dining Lovers' Ryan King on Crunching the Numbers May 29, 2020

Show notes

Ryan King, editor in chief of the online magazine Fine Dining Lovers, takes us inside the numbers of two recent surveys conducted by the site, one with 8,000 diners and one with more than 2,500 hospitality professionals. He also discusses the online forum Turning the Tables, hosted by Fine Dining Lovers this week, that gathered industry thought leaders from around the world to discuss what a post-pandemic dining landscape might look like,

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

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:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

SPECIAL REPORT #43: Joel Drucker on Missing Tennis, Food & Travel May 26, 2020

Show notes

On the week the French Open would have begun, veteran tennis writer Joel Drucker joins fellow tennis-lover Andrew to discuss food rituals and other traditions that he associates with the major tennis tournaments, the global community of tennis scribes, and what it's like to chase summer around the globe during a normal tennis season. (Follow Joel's Twitter feed here.)

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

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:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

SPECIAL REPORT #42: "Shelter en Place" Theater presents "Little Italy" starring Hayden Christensen & Emma Roberts May 22, 2020

Show notes

Our quest for great chef- and food-focused entertainment continues, as it does every Friday, as our favorite guest critics Allison and Matt Robicelli join Andrew to discuss the lamentable 2018 rom-com "Little Italy" starring Hayden Christensen and Emma Roberts. How can we possibly explain (or forgive) the cultural stereotypes on display? Does anybody, anywhere actually talk like the people in this movie? What's with all the octogenarian love-making in this thing? And where does the name Robicelli come from, anyway?

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

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.

If you enjoy this episode, you might enjoy these vintage Andrew Talks to Chefs conversations:

Shelter en Place: Burnt with Bradley Cooper

Shelter en Place: Jon Favreau’s Chef

Shelter en Place: Demolition Man

Shelter en Place: Dinner Rush

Shelter en Place: Hannibal

Shelter en Place: Defending Your Life

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

SPECIAL REPORT #41: Rob Petrone on Hot Takes on a Plate May 21, 2020

Show notes

In our first-ever crossover episode, Rob Petrone--producer and host of the Hot Takes on a Plate podcast--joins Andrew to discuss the prospects of restaurants in a post-pandemic America, and Andrew joins Rob on his podcast to share his thoughts on the politics of the moment.

Please enjoy this conversation, and then check out Rob's podcast!

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

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.

If you enjoy this episode, you might enjoy these vintage Andrew Talks to Chefs conversations:

Hot Takes on a Plate (Rob Petrone's podcast)

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

SPECIAL REPORT #40: Lynn Buono & Skip Schwarzman on Catering during COVID May 20, 2020

Show notes

Lynn Buono and Skip Schwarzman of Philadelphia's Feast Your Eyes catering join Andrew to discuss the unique short- and long-term challenges faced by their industry during the COVID-19 era. Lynn and Skip share the adjustments they've made, from creating service-free meals to be served at events that are proceeding as scheduled, to adjusting contracts and commitments as ever-shifting government mandates dictate, to the special services they've created for clients' at-home dining needs and desires.

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

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.

If you enjoy this episode, you might enjoy these vintage Andrew Talks to Chefs conversations:

Philly Chef Conference Spectacular (2019)

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!

SPECIAL REPORT #39: Jesse Cool on Having a Heart May 19, 2020

Show notes

Jesse Cool has been operating her Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park, California, for 40 years, and has seen it all during that time. Except for a pandemic. She's used this opportunity for reflection and reevaluation to start developing a program she calls "Heart of House," eliminating front- and back-of-house designations in favor of a model where everyone pitches in on all fronts, and all employees share equally in supplemental "gratitude" contributions from customers.

(Note: This episode was originally to air on Monday; apologies if it confuses the current date for any listeners! It is actually launching on Tuesday.)

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

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.

If you enjoy this episode, you might enjoy these vintage Andrew Talks to Chefs conversations:

Jesse Cool: The Toqueland Interview (blog post)

Episode 8: David Kinch

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram.

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!