The Chef's Cut - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Reservation Wars, AI in the Dining Room, and the Future of Hospitality!! May 25, 2026

Show notes

The reservation wars are heating up, as SevenRooms (via DoorDash) seeks to challenge OpenTable and Resy with a major play. Adrienne and Joe tell us why this is just the beginning, and how technology and AI are changing the dining experience. In this episode, we also discuss:

Why dining experiences have become a huge focus for big tech (and your credit card company)
The influence of social media on culinary trends and menu design
The evolution of restaurant operations from analog to digital (and why we may be moving back)
A shift in power for how restaurants are able to book reservations
The initial rise of reservation platforms like OpenTable, Tock, and Resy
The role of AI in restaurant operations and guest experience
Should we trust AI to get involved in our reservations?
Walk In Confession: Joe’s first restaurant convention (a coming of age)

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Our Spicy Takes On The New York Times Top 100 Restaurants & A New Show Launch for Food and History Lovers!! May 18, 2026

Show notes

The New York Times released their list of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City, and people are in their feelings about it. Arienne and Joe sit down to give their thoughts on the backlash, what they did and didn't like about the list, and why former Chef’s Cut guest Ligaya Mishan deserves some grace. In this episode, we also discuss:

Budget restaurants vs. fine dining and how to properly compare them
The biggest NYC restaurants that didn’t make the list (Gramercy Tavern, Per Se, etc.)
Kabawa at number one and the ascent of afro-caribbean cuisine
Some of their favorite NYC dining spots that you should try
The inclusion of street food and a debate about what actually counts as a “real” restaurant
Adrienne announces the newest podcast to join the Chef’s Cut family: Eating History (and our new season all about the history of pizza)

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Tristen Epps-Long on Fast Food Beginnings, Michelin’s Race Problem, and Becoming a Top Chef Champion!! May 11, 2026

Show notes

Reigning Top Chef champion Tristen Epps-Long joins Adrienne and Joe to talk about life after Top Chef, fine dining in Afro-Caribbean cuisine, and what comes after Top Chef (including his new restaurant in Houston). In this episode, we also discuss:

Top Chef favorites this season and his best advice for getting through it all
Who Tristen would want to face off against in a Top Chef Masters season
Whether Michelin is racist or cuisineist
Tristen and Adrienne’s time together at Red Rooster
His ascent from McDonald’s to James Beard nominee and cooking competition champ
The role of Marcus Samuelsson in his career
What life after Top Chef is really like for chefs
The culinary scene in Houston
Walk In Confession: Booking reservations on Open Table to get out of work early

Follow Tristen: @cheftristenepps

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

This Merger Could Change What You Eat—and How Much You Pay For It May 04, 2026

Show notes

There’s an impending food supply merger that could have a huge impact on the restaurant industry, so Adrienne and Joe break down what that means for business owners, consumers, and the food that ends up on your plate. In this episode, we discuss:

The Sysco–Restaurant Depot merger and why a food supply monopoly is bad for you
Why customers are ultimately going to foot the bill with rising prices
The difference between wholesale delivery (Sysco) and cash-and-carry (Restaurant Depot)
A chef’s perspective on how wholesale purchasing actually works
Rising food costs, and the hidden impact of eliminating competition
Will this spell doom for small restaurants?
Why a merger wouldn’t just impact costs, but also the selection of brands, ingredients, and supplies you have access to
What we can all do to keep this from happening

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Karen Akunowicz on Boston’s Food Scene, Bib Gourmand, and the Importance of Powerlifting!! Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

Adrienne and Joe are joined by Bib Gourmand award-winning Chef Karen Akunowicz to talk about the Boston food scene, excellent food at a great value, and the importance of finding balance in and out of the kitchen (if that’s even possible). In this episode, we also discuss:

Fork It or Forget It: Lobster Rolls (cold or hot?)
The booming Boston food scene and how Karen got her start as a Houston’s bartender
Prominent female chefs in Boston and the example they set
Her restaurants (including Fox & the Knife) achieving Bib Gourmand status
Training in Italy and making Italian food (with a very different chef background)
The influence of her time working at Disney World and what hospitality excellence looks like
Karen’s time spent outside the kitchen as a powerlifter
The illusion of work-life balance (especially when you’re building a career)
Walk In Confession: Karen’s first day as a line cook… and head chef for a night

Follow Karen: @chefkarenakunowicz

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Gail Simmons on Why Top Chef Wins, Cooking Competition Shows and What Judges Really Think!! Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

This week we’re joined by the one and only Gail Simmons, Top Chef judging legend and renowned food author. Andrienne and Joe ask her what has kept Top Chef on top for so many years, what to expect in the latest season, and how judging really works on a food competition show. In this episode, we also discuss:

The secret sauce behind the show’s appeal and why locations are everything
Behind the scenes of working with Tom and Kristen (among others)
Whether or not Gail has seen Padma’s new show
The real origin story of Top Chef and why they owe it all to another Bravo show
Stories from Top Chef: Colorado and taking a turn at judging
Gail’s upbringing, career, and how she landed on TV
Walk In Confession: Gail’s mishap during filming that almost derailed the latest season

Follow Gail: @gailsimmons

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

The Ruth’s Chris-Chili’s Dress Code Feud, Michelin’s Identity Crisis, and Wonton Lasagna!! Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

The Michelin Guide is taking a new tack with American restaurants, but is it just diluting their brand? Adrienne and Joe discuss the “recommended” restaurant approach, Michelin plaques with no stars, and why they just don’t get the American Market. In this episode, we also discuss:

Ruth’s Chris battling it out with Chili’s over dining room dress codes
Whether or not you should be allowed to wear a hoodie and hat to a steakhouse
Michelin’s latest ploy to represent southern food in America
What Joe chose to do with his new Michelin plaque
Fork It or Forget It: Wonton Lasagna

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

James Beard Finalists Revealed: The Surprises, Snubs, and Secrets!! Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

The 2026 James Beard Award Nominee finalists were just announced, so Adrienne and Joe dive headfirst into the biggest surprises, omissions, and things they’d like to see happen this year. In this episode, we discuss:

The biggest names to make each of the lists

Why weren’t there any Caribbean restaurants represented?

An explanation on how the awards process works

What they’d like to see changed, and why the regional layout may need a makeover

Adrienne Cheatham is a member of the James Beard Awards subcommittee

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Hospitality Series Pt. 3: Simon Kim on Breaking Steakhouse Rules, Redefining Fried Chicken, and Going Global!! Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

It’s part 3 of our series on restaurant hospitality, and this week Adrienne and Joe are joined by James Beard nominee Simon Kim, the man behind COTE Korean Steakhouse and COQODAQ. In this episode, we discuss:

Reinventing the steakhouse by blending Korean BBQ with classic American fine dining
Building COTE and COQODAQ and redefining what a modern restaurant can be
Betting on yourself: overcoming investor doubt and financial pressure
The role of the restaurateur as a “producer” behind the scenes
Creating the perfect dining experience
Balancing creativity with business realities in today’s restaurant industry
What it really takes to scale a restaurant brand across cities and markets
Walk-In Confession: Facing racism in fine dining while working the floor

Follow Simon: @simonkimnyc

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Hospitality Series (Pt. 2): Drew Nieporent on Creating Celebrity Chefs, A-List Partnerships, and Going 40 for 40!! Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Adrienne and Joe are back for part two of our three part hospitality series, this time with legendary restaurateur Drew Nieporent of Nobu and Tribeca Grill fame. They talk about his memoir ‘I'm Not Trying To Be Difficult’ and share tales from his storied career. In this episode, we discuss:

Drew’s role in the rise of celebrity chefs, starting with putting their names on the menu
James Beard awards and the changing role of the restaurateur
Working with celebs like Robert De Niro to launch new ventures
How to deal with tough critics
Rising prices in fine dining and tasting menus getting out of control
Discovering and working with some of the biggest chefs in the world
How to start a restaurant the right way, and when to walk away
Why he brought a fax machine on the road to keep an eye on reservations
Walk In Confession: Cruise ship beginnings and lessons from the high seas

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