Chef Matt Peters is the first American chef to win gold at the Bocuse d'Or , the most technically demanding culinary competition in the world. He trained under Thomas Keller at Per Se and The French Laundry and at Adour Alain Ducasse in New York before spending over a year preparing for the 2017 Bocuse d'Or in Lyon. He is currently Head Coach for Team USA at the 2027 Bocuse d'Or, coaching Chef Vincenzo Loseto and Commis Tyler Higson, and competed this year on CBS's America's Culinary Cup. This e...
May 29, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 206
Evan LeRoy is the co-owner and pitmaster of LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin, Texas. A Michelin star recipient in the MICHELIN Guide Texas 2024, number two on Texas Monthly's Top 50 BBQ Joints in 2025, and 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef Texas, LeRoy has spent nearly a decade redefining Texas barbecue through whole-animal butchery, locally sourced meats, and a cooking philosophy that refuses to treat barbecue as a fixed menu. His debut cookbook, New School Barbecue: Recipes f...
May 22, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 205
Phillip Frankland Lee is the co-owner and executive chef of Scratch Restaurants Group, the Michelin-starred hospitality company he operates with his wife and executive pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee. The group includes Sushi by Scratch Restaurants, Pasta|Bar, NADC Burger, and Shokunin. Lee is a Top Chef Season 13 competitor, San Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 finalist, Zagat 30 Under 30 honoree, and Food Network record holder for most consecutive competition wins. This is his third appearance on C...
May 15, 2026•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 204
Chef Josh Sutcliff is the Corporate Executive Chef and Partner at 55 Seventy, a private members club for wine lovers with locations in Dallas and Houston. A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, CultureMap Dallas Rising Star Chef of the Year, and Zagat 30 Under 30 honoree, his career includes chef de cuisine at FT33, executive chef at Mirador, and stints at The Joule and Knox Bistro. He started washing dishes at 13. Federal agents had just arrested his father. His family was living in a camper. The kitchen g...
May 08, 2026•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 203
Chef David Bull is Austin's first Iron Chef America competitor, Food and Wine Best New Chef 2003, two-time James Beard Foundation nominee, and Regional Vice President of Food and Beverage at LaCorsha Hospitality Group. He led the Driskill Grill to three consecutive Austin American-Statesman number one restaurant awards, competed on Iron Chef America in 2006 as the first Austin chef to do so, and has since overseen 16 restaurant and hotel openings with LaCorsha across Texas, most of them historic...
May 01, 2026•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 202
Brandon Harpster is the National Corporate Chef for Training and Events at RATIONAL USA . He trains chefs across the country, runs RATIONAL's culinary academies, and develops cooking programs that translate connected kitchen technology into repeatable, scalable results for working operators. This episode starts with a brunch disaster. A steamship round failed overnight at a country club, no monitoring, no alert, no way to intervene. Harpster uses that story to frame the entire case for connected...
Apr 24, 2026•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 201
Chef Chad Welch is an American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Administrator, a Jacques Pépin Foundation ambassador, and the executive chef with The Urban Stillhouse, an elevated dining concept with locations in St. Petersburg, Florida and Somerset, Kentucky. Horse Soldier bourbon bottles are formed with steel from the World Trade Center. He did not plan to become a chef. A Navy paperwork error put him in the galley instead of the engine room in 1992, scaling ...
Apr 17, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 200
Everyone wants the spotlight. Until it actually hits. Andre sits down with Emmanuel Chavez from Tatemo in Houston to talk about what happens when your restaurant gets attention before you’re ready for it. Tatemo went from a tortilla operation to a full tasting menu fast. Recognition came with it. So did pressure. This conversation gets into what it takes to run a tight kitchen with almost no space, how leadership changes when expectations spike, and the mistakes that come with building something...
Apr 10, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 199
Chef Andre Natera sits down with Emmanuel Laroche, host of the Flavors Unknown podcast and author of A Taste of Madagascar , to explore the global story behind vanilla production and the process of writing a food book. Laroche shares his experience traveling to Madagascar, where roughly 80% of the world’s vanilla is produced, including the realities of hand pollination and the challenges of sourcing ingredients in remote regions. The conversation also covers Madagascar’s broader food ecosystem, ...
Apr 04, 2026•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 198
Chef Dan Kennedy spent over 20 years in high end kitchens, most recently as head chef at Pasta|Bar Austin before the concept closed in February 2026. He is now working on Morri, his own concept in Austin. In this episode, Andre Natera and Dan Kennedy argue that social media has replaced technical skill with aesthetic performance, and duck is the clearest casualty. Why duck is almost always undercooked and how proper skin rendering changes the entire dish Why wagyu and high-fat cuts need more hea...
Mar 27, 2026•55 min•Ep. 197
Chef Andre Natera sits down with identical twin chefs Brandon and Jonathan Dearden to discuss rivalry, restaurant leadership, culinary school value, and the realities of running profitable restaurants. Both twins competed on Top Chef and built careers in very different directions. Brandon pursued fine dining and stages at elite kitchens, while Jonathan focused on leadership roles and restaurant management The conversation covers lessons from high-intensity kitchens like Alinea, the real value of...
Mar 20, 2026•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 196
Chef Andre Natera sits down with Dallas chef Josh Sutcliff and food commentator Drew Stephenson to unpack the viral debate surrounding the Dallas dining scene. After Drew’s Instagram post sparked widespread reactions among chefs and diners, the conversation expanded into a deeper look at restaurant success, Michelin expectations, and the economic realities of running restaurants in Texas. They discuss the polarizing response to Mamani, why tasting-menu-only restaurants often struggle in Texas, a...
Mar 13, 2026•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 195
Chef Andre Natera sits down with Jam Sanichat, chef-owner of Thai Fresh in Austin, Texas, to explore how restaurant culture, wage models, and culinary traditions intersect. Jam explains why she eliminated tipping at Thai Fresh and replaced it with a transparent service fee designed to provide stable wages and reduce front-of-house and back-of-house pay disparities. The conversation also traces her journey from teaching Thai cooking classes and selling prepared foods at farmers markets to buildin...
Mar 07, 2026•58 min•Ep. 194
Most chefs should not open a restaurant. James Trees explains why ownership is finance and leadership, not cooking. From prime cost and food cost velocity to EBITDA, triple net leases, and delivery app traps, this episode is a restaurant business masterclass. If you are thinking about opening your first restaurant, learn the numbers first. How prime cost actually works Why food cost velocity matters more than percentages How to negotiate leases and protect downside Built for chefs serious about ...
Feb 26, 2026•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 193
A Michelin-trained chef faces thyroid cancer and the real possibility of losing his taste. Chef Jake Rojas shares his diagnosis, treatment, feeding tube recovery, and how the experience reshaped his priorities around health and leadership. From El Paso competitions to three-star kitchens in Las Vegas, this is a conversation about discipline, identity, and why flavor is the only thing that truly matters. What Michelin kitchens teach about execution and respect How serious illness reframes leaders...
Feb 19, 2026•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 192
She left finance to open two of Austin’s most talked-about restaurants. In this episode of Chefs PSA, Laila Bazahm explains how fine dining discipline, financial literacy, and cultural awareness shaped her path from Wall Street to restaurant ownership. This conversation is essential for chefs who want to open their first restaurant without guessing their way through funding. How to secure capital for a restaurant What elite kitchens actually teach Why financial literacy determines survival Built...
Feb 13, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 191
Restaurant kitchens are breaking chefs. Joey Chavez left the traditional kitchen path to build a private dining business that protects income, health, and time. In this episode of Chefs PSA, Andre Natera breaks down what chefs are never taught about money, pricing, and long-term sustainability. This is a reality check for cooks questioning their future. You will learn Why restaurant kitchens burn chefs out How private dining actually pays Why health is a financial issue Follow Joey on Instagram ...
Feb 06, 2026•57 min
Chef Francis Pascal of Vendador joins André Natera to talk private dining, leadership, contracts, pricing, and the real business behind luxury events. From immigrant roots to building a high-end operation, this episode is packed with practical insight for chefs looking to go independent. If this episode helped you, leave a 5-star rating and follow Chef’s PSA. Francis Pascal on Instagram LINKS & RESOURCES Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/ Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://s...
Jan 30, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 189
Brent Weathers cuts through the 'Instagram Chef' BS to reveal the reality of cooking without recipes. In this episode, André Natera welcomes back chef and content creator Brent Weathers for a conversation that cuts through trends, gimmicks, and recycled food content. They break down cooking without recipes, the pressure of originality, content creation burnout, and the realities most chefs don’t say out loud. From wild dining stories to serious industry talk, this episode blends food, culture, a...
Jan 24, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 188
If this episode brings you value, leave a 5-star rating and follow Chef’s PSA. Great restaurants are designed, not improvised. Andre Natera sits down again with Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel of Birdie’s to break down menu structure, kitchen culture, mentorship, and leadership. They explore why Birdie’s moved to a prefixed format, how structure improved creativity, and what it really takes to build sustainable restaurant teams. This episode is for chefs thinking long-term. Follow Tracy on Instagram Subs...
Jan 17, 2026•59 min
If this episode helps you, leave a 5-star rating and follow Chef’s PSA so it reaches more working chefs. Chef Jorge Luis Hernández joins André Natera to break down how innovation actually works inside Michelin-recognized kitchens. From mentorship and iteration to recipe systems and collaboration, this episode focuses on process, not performance. Jorge on Instagram Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/ Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/ Visit Chef’s PSA → https://...
Jan 09, 2026•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 185
Is the climb to "Executive Chef" actually worth the sacrifice? Chef and Hospitality Leader Franck Desplechin joins André Natera to dismantle the myth that a higher job title equals more happiness. They discuss the operational and emotional reality of running luxury hotel kitchens: The Title Trap: Why chasing the next promotion often leads to burnout, not fulfillment. Hotel Operations: The specific leadership skills required to manage massive teams in a corporate luxury environment. Generational ...
Jan 02, 2026•53 min•Ep. 185
What is the operational difference between a "good" restaurant and a Michelin-starred machine? Chef Philip Frankland Lee returns to Chef’s PSA to dismantle the romanticism of fine dining and replace it with systems, discipline, and math. We move past the hype to discuss the structural reality of modern kitchens: The Omakase Model: Why scaling "tasting menu" concepts is the smartest economic move for chefs today. Pasta Fundamentals: The specific techniques that separate amateur cooks from profess...
Dec 26, 2025•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 184
Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and follow Chef’s PSA if you want more conversations like this. Jess Pryles joins André Natera on Chef’s PSA for a deep dive into meat science, barbecue, and cooking beef the right way. They cover prime rib technique, dry aging, brisket methods, and what most cooks misunderstand about meat. Jess also shares insights from writing cookbooks, working in the meat industry, and building Hardcore Carnivore into a serious food brand. This episode is practical, tech...
Dec 19, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 183
Barbecue is built on fire, discipline, and pressure. Leonard Botello IV, pitmaster and owner of Truth BBQ, joins Chef’s PSA to break down intuitive cooking with wood fire, managing pits, the science behind great barbecue, and the mental toll of operating at a high level. Leonard shares a near-disastrous fire incident, the realities of running a Texas barbecue operation, and why mental and physical wellness are as critical as technique. This episode gives a clear view of what it takes to maintain...
Dec 12, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 182
Knife work is the foundation of cooking, but most chefs are ruining their edges without realizing it. In this episode, André Natera sits down with Don Smolik (Study The Blade) and custom knife maker Kolter Livengood for a technical deep dive into knife care. They strip away the myths to reveal the science behind a perfect edge: Blade Geometry: Why "thinness behind the edge" matters more than the sharpness of the edge itself. Steel Selection: Breaking down the metallurgy of Carbon vs. Stainless a...
Dec 05, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 181
Chef Benjamin Maides joins Chef’s PSA for a direct look at ingredient-driven cooking, seasonal discipline, and balancing restaurant life with running a farm. From his time cooking in northern Italy to building Au Courant in Omaha, Maides breaks down technique, menu development, cultural lessons, and the realities of operating multiple roles at once. This episode is for chefs who care about real craft and the work required to build a sustainable culinary career. Links & Resources https://www....
Nov 29, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 180
Chef Amanda Rockman joins Chef’s PSA to break down the real pastry chef life—high pressure, long hours, technical discipline, and the mental toll that comes with it. With 20 years in Chicago’s top kitchens and a new bakery and coffee shop in Austin, she shares the truth about pastry work, insomnia, ingredient quality, modern management, and the realities of building a bakery from nothing. This episode is direct, unfiltered insight for pastry cooks, chefs, and anyone considering pastry as a caree...
Nov 21, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 179
Guest: Andrew Turner – Valley Wine Merchants (Newberg, Oregon) André Natera sits down with Andrew Turner to discuss what it takes to thrive in the world of haute cuisine. From working with legendary chefs like Alain Ducasse, Laurent Gras, and Joachim Splichal to running his own wine shop, Turner shares his journey through Michelin-level kitchens and beyond. Learn what separates good from great in the kitchen, how to handle career pivots, and why understanding ingredients is the foundation of eve...
Nov 15, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 178
What happens when you leave the stability of a restaurant to go it alone? Chef Ron McKinlay joins André Natera to break down the technical and emotional reality of the "Post-Restaurant" career path. They explore the transition from traditional brigades to the independent pop-up circuit, sharing lessons on: The Pop-Up Hustle: How to execute Michelin-level dinners without a permanent kitchen or team. Meat Science: Technical insights on sourcing, aging, and perfecting meat cookery under pressure. M...
Nov 07, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 177
