The duo behind one of the hottest restaurants in the country—San Francisco’s Che Fico—join Andrew for today’s interview. Executive Chef David Nayfeld and Pastry Chef Angela Pinkerton hailed from very different backgrounds when they met working at Eleven Madison Park in New York City. But the two became friends and stayed in touch, even when David moved back to the West Coast. They’ve come together at the Italian restaurant Che Fico, which was selected for both Bon Appetit’s Hot List and Esquire ...
Dec 08, 2018•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 61
Few chefs can lay claim to being true pioneers in their field but legendary pastry chef Jim Dodge is certainly one of them. Once the pastry chef of the storied Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco, Jim made desserts his specialty long before it was common for most restaurants to have a dedicated pastry chef. In his role, he helped elevate classic American desserts to new heights, just as his contemporaries on the hot line were doing the same for savory food. While in Boston to speak together at...
Dec 06, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 60
In My Blood is the title of chef Bo Bech’s stunning and singular new book, and it’s an apt description of the man himself. Bo sat down with Andrew this week to discuss his book, which tells the story—in words, watercolors, photographs, and recipes—of his Copenhagen restaurant Geist. The interview is as unique as the man and his book, full of culinary and philosophical revelations, vivid descriptions, passion—plus an examination of the life lessons of the Rumble in the Jungle. (To order Bo’s book...
Dec 01, 2018•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 59
Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson supplements his groundbreaking, deeply personal cuisine at Fäviken with scholarly books like his newly published Nordic Baking Book , recently out from Phaidon. Magnus sat down with Andrew in New York City to discuss his goal with the book, which like his previous Nordic Cook Book, is not a collection of Fäviken recipes, but rather a thoughtful and thorough gathering and examination of crucial Nordic recipes and the culture of baking in the Nordic region. (Magnus has ...
Nov 28, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 58
Not many chefs can boast a degree in Russian language and literature, but that was just one of the many accomplishments Tanya Holland achieved before gravitating to chefdom and gaining acclaim at her beloved Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland. While in Brooklyn for Star Chefs, Tanya found an hour to relate her journey from academia to the culinary arts; how her parents’ inclusive worldview helped shaped her own trajectory; her abiding interest in politics and diplomacy; and the ups and downs of runn...
Nov 17, 2018•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 57
On the heels of his recent victory on Food Network Star , Christian Petroni --the culinary and personality force behind a quintet of Fortina restaurants in New York and Connecticut--sits down with Andrew to share the story behind his successful Italian-American restaurant group, recall autumn hunting trips with his father and brothers, and get into the perhaps surprising role French and Spanish food have played in his life and career. Great stories and unfiltered honesty make this a special conv...
Nov 14, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 56
In the three-and-a-half years since opening her Centrolina restaurant in Washington, DC, Amy Brandwein has earned rave reviews and a devoted following (she was also the subject of an article by Melissa Clark last month in the New York Times). It’s an extra-remarkable accomplishment since Amy didn’t set her sights on chefdom until age 30, switching careers, and eventually homing in on Italian food. Andrew and Amy sat down recently to go over her story, from baking pies as a child to assimilating ...
Nov 10, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 55
Chef Miles Thompson grew up on the East Coast of the United States with dreams of becoming an actor, but after he moved to California (and landed a movie role), he migrated to the pro kitchen. He first drew attention at Allumette restaurant, then left LA, returning about two years ago to take over the kitchen of Michael’s Santa Monica (the restaurant featured on the cover of Andrew’s recent book), and reinvigorated the nearly 40-year-old landmark with his state-of-the-art cuisine. Deceptively re...
Nov 07, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 54
John Currence doesn't hold back. From his politics to his convictions about Southern cuisine to his feelings about industry awards and what defines a chef, this Oxford, Mississippi-based chef/restaurateur/author/advocate lays it all out there. Who better to chat with the weekend before Election Day 2018? Andrew and "Johnny Snack" go deep and wide, touching on his earliest days as a cook, evolution as a chef, and his no-holds-barred opinions on myriad aspects of his chosen profession and of socie...
Nov 03, 2018•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 53
As he prepares to double his number of restaurants from 2 to 4 (and in the midst of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week), David DiBari--chef/owner of The Cookery and The Parlor in Dobbs Ferry, NY--sits down with Andrew to discuss his Upstate New York roots, his time cooking at Babbo and at David Bouley's Danube in Manhattan, and why he chooses to ply his trade in Westchester County. They also discuss his upcoming projects: a British-style eatery in Dobbs Ferry, and an upscale diner in Port Chester, NY...
Oct 31, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 52
A double-feature episode—Chefs Naomi Pomeroy and Pano Karatassos both have relatively new non-restaurant ventures in their lives. Naomi, based in Portland, Oregon, has opened—of all things—a flower shop. Why did this chef who already has a successful restaurant (Beast), bar (Expatriate), and cookbook (Taste & Technique) take on such a seemingly out-of-left-field enterprise? To find out, Andrew sat down with her at the shop, Colibri, for a free-flowing and wide-ranging conversation. Pano, bas...
Oct 27, 2018•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 51
Chef Fatima “Fati” Ali connected deeply with the culinary community earlier this month with her Bon Appetit essay where she shared the news that her cancer had retuned and been deemed terminal. The Top Chef Season 15 fan favorite wrote with stunning honesty and eloquence about her diagnosis, prognosis, and plans for the coming months—everything from a bucket-list global eating tour to making amends with people in her life. Though they’d never met, Andrew reached out to invite Fati on the pod, an...
Oct 24, 2018•49 min•Ep. 50
Culinary degrees and kitchen experience don't always lead to chefdom. In this Open Kitchen episode, Chandra Ram, editor of PLATE magazine, shares her journey from her home state of Kentucky to the Culinary Institute of America to life as a working cook and consulting chef to her longstanding role as editor of PLATE magazine. A compeling story of where the cook's road can take you. (Chandra is also the author of the forthcoming The Complete Indian Instant Pot Cookbook: 130 Traditional and Modern ...
Oct 17, 2018•59 min•Ep. 49
On the heels of the dinner he and Tony Mantuano threw for Andrew last week in Chicago, Spiaggia's executive chef Joe Flamm sat down for a deep-dive biographical interview. He shares it all: From his South Side childhood upbringing, to early jobs in unheralded neighborhood joints, to formative gigs working for Windy City chefs Stephanie Izzard, Art Smith, and Bill Kim, to his arrival and ascension at Spiagiga. He also details, from casting to winning, his triumphant turn on Top Chef Season 15. He...
Oct 10, 2018•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 48
For three years, at Maude restaurant in Beverly HIlls, Justin Hilbert (who was elevated to Executive Chef by Chef-Owner Curtis Stone in April 2016) changed the menu monthly to celebrate a single ingredient. These days, the restaurant revamps itself quarterly to focus on a different wine region. What kind of chef does it take to pull off this periodic feat, and what toll does the commitment demand of the chef? Find out in this remarkably open conversation with Justin, who also recounts his first ...
Oct 03, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 47
Though born into a food-centric family (legendary cookbook editor mom; passionate homecook dad), Alex Guarnaschelli never imagined a life in the pro kitchen. But when she decided to give it a go just after graduating college, she never looked back. Known to most listeners as one of the judges on Food Network's Chopped, and as chef of Butter restaurant in New York City, Alex has a depth of kitchen experience that might surprise casual observers--she began her career working for a quartet of legen...
Sep 26, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 46
Our fall season kicks off with one of the industry's true wunderkinds--Daniela Soto-Innes, chef de cuisine of Cosme and Atla in New York City, where she shares the singular style of Mexican cuisine she and Enrique Olvera have honed at these restaurants. (Daniela was a protege of Olvera's at Pujol restaurant in her native Mexico City.) Andrew and Daniela discuss her early start and quick ascension in the pro kitchen, why she decided to hone in on Mexican food, and what it was like building a rest...
Sep 19, 2018•55 min•Ep. 45
Our Season 3 finale (or is it? listen to show intro for details about possible bonus episodes) takes us to Fausto, one of Brooklyn's best modern Italian restaurants, where Andrew recently caught up with Chef Erin Shambura. They kicked around her relatively late start in the pro kitchen (after earning a college degree), how and why she eventually gravitated to Italian food, and the evolution of her current professional home. This episode is brought to you by Ancestry. Here's a thought: If you lik...
Aug 15, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 44
You won't find a more thoughtful, reflective leader in today's restaurant world than Gabriel Kreuther. Andrew sat down with the chef in his eponymous New York City restaurant to discuss his humble beginnings on a farm in Alsace; his early distinction in a national apprentice competition; his love of New York City; and his very personal observations about teamwork, creativity, and creating an environment that is welcoming to all. This episode is brought to you by Ancestry. Here's a thought: If yo...
Aug 08, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 43
On one of the hottest days of the summer, Andrew finds himself in a slump but old friend Bill Telepan, chef of Oceana restaurant in midtown Manhattan, pulls him out of it. The two of them, who collaborated on Bill's cookbook Inspired by Ingredients, discuss the trajectory of Bill's career from the kitchens of such restaurants as Gotham Bar and Grill and Le Bernardin to his own restaurants such as the eponymous Telepan, and his transition to seafood at Oceana. They get into his goals for the rest...
Aug 03, 2018•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 42
How in the world did a guy who started off in top French kitchens such as Le Bernardin (at age 14!) end up co-founding a collection of restaurants like The Meatball Shop? In a remarkably open and honest conversation, Daniel Holzman takes us through the twists and turns of his young life and career and explains how he course-corrected to his current path. He and Andrew also go deep on a lot of frank talk about creativity and the restaurant industry. We love this episode and think you will, too. H...
Jul 25, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 41
Few toques have made the leap from pastry chef to executive chef, but Emma Bengtsson of Aquavit in New York City did it in grand style, earning rave reviews and two Michelin stars since taking over the restaurant's kitchen in 2014. Andrew recently visited with Emma at the restaurant to review her early days cooking in Sweden, her love-at-first-sight relationship with New York City, her management style, and how she navigated the transition to her current role. Here's a thought: If you like what ...
Jul 18, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 40
A first for the podcast: Andrew welcomes television's Phil Rosenthal, host of the Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil , as our inaugural Open Kitchen (i.e., non-chef) guest. As listeners surely know, Phil--who created the legendary CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond --has a passion for food and travel, which he explores on his series. He's also an investor in roughly 25 restaurants, and an unabashed admirer of chefs and cooks. Over espressos at New York City's Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria , Andrew...
Jul 11, 2018•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 39
One of the most accomplished chefs in the country returns to center stage this week as Jonathan Benno has just opened his Leonelli Taberna in New York City, the first of three planned Italian concepts he'll launch this year. Andrew, who's neighbors with Jonathan in the suburbs of Westchester County, paid him a visit during construction back in May to discuss the projects, the challenges of new openings, the first stirrings of his love of cooking and Italian food, and his time at such restaurants...
Jun 27, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 38
After some emotionally draining weeks, Andrew & Caitlin dispense with their usual introductory chit-chat and get right to this week's interview: a fun and free-ranging conversation with Chef Marc Forgione recorded recently at his eponymous restaurant in lower Manhattan. Andrew and Marc discuss the blessing/curse of being the son of a legendary chef; his formative days cooking for chefs such as Paticia Yeo and Laurent Tourondel; the origins and development of his restaurants Marc Forgione (wh...
Jun 20, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 37
Andrew recently had a chance to sit down with Midwestern chefs of two generations: Chicago legend Tony Mantuano, who was instrumental in bringing authentic Italian food to the United States, and has done an admirable job of adjusting to the ever-changing times in stride; and Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, who riff on Chinese food at their Milwaukee restaurant DanDan, and recently announced plans for a forthcoming French restaurant. Two very different and complementary conversations. Here's a thoug...
Jun 13, 2018•2 hr 16 min•Ep. 36
The world lost one of the great representatives of the chef profession today with the tragic death of Anthony Bourdain. Andrew and Chef Bill Telepan got together to talk about this departed icon, and his influence on the industry and beyond. A quick, unedited commiseration on a very sad day. RIP Tony. 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 ...
Jun 08, 2018•31 min•Ep. 35
A special double-header with one chef from the Catskills and one who cooks there today: Ruth Rogers of London’s iconic River Cafe joins us to discuss her path to the kitchen, the restaurant’s 30-year trajectory, and her new cookbook; then Ryan Tate shares the story of how he almost joined the Army before discovering the kitchen, moving from Michigan to Manhattan, and slowly developing his own deceptively simple style. Andrew Talks to Chefs is powered by Simplecast THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW: Andrew ...
Jun 06, 2018•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 34
In New York City, Andrew’s irked at the angle a restaurant critic adopted to review his book Chefs, Drugs, and Rock & Roll in the New York Times. After he and Caitlin hash that out, we cut to a much happier scene: sun-drenched Los Angeles, where Andrew recently sat down with the super-talented Chef Timothy Hollingsworth of Otium restaurant, and before that, chef de cuisine of The French Laundry. Andrew and Tim have some history: Tim was the main character in Andrew’s book about the Bocuse d’...
Jun 02, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 33
In what might quietly be one of our best interviews, Mary Sue Milliken--one half (with biz partner Susan Feniger) of TV’s legendary “Too Hot Tamales"--and one of the major characters in Andrew’s book Chefs, Drugs, and Rock & Roll discusses cooking in LA; what a female-dominated industry might have looked like; her midwestern roots; and chefs and travel. Pull up a seat and listen in. Here's a thought: If you like what you hear, please tell your chef-fascinated friends, subscribe to Andrew Tal...
May 31, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 32
