So I have my thai flavors in southern American sensibilities in terms of technique. Also, I use local stuff. You know? So for me, authentic time might be a question Mark, but for me, it is authentic in the sense that I am basing it on my regional inspiration. Behind every amazing flavor is an amazing human who has perfect their craft. While comes of flavors unknown, a series of inspirational conversations with renowned culinary leaders.
To discover how their cultural identity shapes their creative process. With your hosts in emmanuel. Welcome another episode of the flavors and unknown podcast, where we dive deep into the culinary world and uncover the story behind the flavors you love. I am your host, Emmanuel La roche. I have been in the food industry for more than 20 years both in Europe and in the Us. And every other week, I have genuine conversations with a claim chef's, pastry
chefs and mix from around the country. And today, we have a special guest who truly em embark the fusion of tradition and innovation in the kitchen. Joining us is Chef Arnold mint from the international market in Nashville. Chef Arnold Mint is not just a celebrity chef, he's a dynamic force in the gene scene, known for his modern take on thai cuisine and his vibrant personality.
From being a contestants on top chef to being recognized as a semi finalist of the prestige james be a best chef Southeast in 20 24, Chef Arnold Mint has made a significant impact in the full world. In this episode, he will share with some Kin tips, local full recommendations and personal and professional stories that have shaped his journey.
We'll explore how we continues his mother legacy in Nashville, the misconceptions people have about thai food, and his contributions to the Lgbtq plus community in Nashville. Stay tuned as we welcome Chef Arnold Mint to flavors are unknown. Hi, Chef. How are you? I'm Well Emmanuel. How are you? I'm very good. I'm very excited to have you on on the podcast flavors are unknown. Thank you for having me.
Is, you know, when you close your eyes and you go back into childhood worry, What Are like the first flavors or aroma, smell, you know, that that comes to mind and that you remember. Oh my gosh. 1 of my first aroma and smells. I'm gonna give you a couple of them. The first 1 is as a child, I would wake up to my father, caramel onions in a skillet I love savory breakfast, and he would make me caramelized onion potatoes with fried eggs for breakfast. As a child... As as a very young child.
And I remember loving the smell of black pepper in my scrambled eggs. And then he... I just remember those those were the flavor profile is a scent of black pepper and the smell of caramelized onions in a lot of real butter. And then and growing up in the restaurant, my number 1 memory is back in the day, we had these huge drums of salt sugar and Msg. And I remember as a kid, I would dip my finger into the Ms msg and lick it like it was funded. And I didn't know why the sugar tasted
so savory. Yeah. And so that would be my fond memory then, but soon after we no longer had that tub of Msg. But I... I remembered just walking by and trying to understand what this was. It wasn't salty and it wasn't sweet. But it was delicious. Okay. So you you mentioned your father connected to, you know, yeah, the experience of breakfast. And in a restaurant, was it then your
mother. Because I remember when, you know, we met at your restaurant international markets in in Nashville that you mentioned that is kind of like and celebration of the memory of your of your mother and and the influence that she had, you know, new. So that's why you're taking restaurants, So I'm thinking. Oh, that's his mom. Yes. It's definitely my mother's food that I'm inspired by... My father was actually a professor,
a university professor. So he and I had the same schedule since I was a child student. So when he would wake up in the morning and he would start his day before I got up, and my mother would still be asleep, and he would get me off to school. So really, It's interesting. It's interesting that my food base and training comes from the restaurant, but really my palate came from growing up and eating my dad's food at home. Okay. So we are going to get to it
because obviously talking about your mom, your... We have to talk about, you know, thai, you know, influence. And then the and then you grew up in, you know, in Nashville. So you have always this dual, you know, influences you know in your world. So how this... Do you think inference you are style of, you know, making food and cooking? Wow. That could be a whole... Our conversation in itself couldn't it. B, v... You know, I can't change where I was born and
raised. And and I definitely have evolved into under standing my heritage a little bit more as I've been getting older. I definitely live in a very big bubble of ethnicity city and world world travelers and people around me that it's, you know, very very prone or exposed to international cuisine. My mother and father's restaurant were right by music row where a lot of music executives entertainment people would travel
in. So she had an audience of those that actually appreciated and knew what she was doing, even though for the majority, it was still a struggle or very new flavors at the time, which was the seventies. It was still, like, she had a comfort zone knowing that there are some people that have been in a bigger city or have travel. I understand what she was trying to do. So back in the day for her, it was
a means of survival. Right? So I was... I I too learned flavors through her that I never got at school cafeteria that I never got at my friend's parents houses. When I went over for dinner, I was, like, why don't we have roasted chicken. Why don't we have spaghetti? And my mom was like, we do. I was, yeah, But ours has chili and thai basil. This is weird. Like, I wanna eat, like, the western and she's, like, never really discourage me. I remember going out to eat maybe once
a week, somewhere to just learn food. We would always get dressed up and always go somewhere like a steak house. Or back in the day, food was very limited anyway. Right? So especially in tennessee. But then I also would come home and try to recreate stuff with what ingredients I have, and my pantry didn't have parsley, my pantry had Cilantro. So it's a little weird, but I still got to play with food all the time. Right?
But, I guess, Growing up in Nashville, 1, I had to learn food that me and my family didn't understand. Southern cooking, things like that. But also growing up in Nashville national. I know new... I know I knew no different... But also growing up in Nashville national. I knew no difference in what my reality of ingredients were to play with. Right? So I mean, it kind of has translated into
the... The the way approach thai cooking or cooking in general now with the evolution of food, it's definitely translated into how I approach my restaurant how I cook thai food in the south today. If that makes any sense. Okay. Can you give us an example of something that you have, like, maybe me on the menu at international market? That's pretty that? Yeah.
For sure. So something, again, in the evolution of paying homage to my mother, I don't think she wanted me to stay stagnant or just continue to do what she did. Again, like I said, back in the date ingredients very limited. She would travel, a lot of stuff came from pans or preserves, and we don't do that at my restaurant anymore. Something as a chef sen ability that I've applied is that every everything is regionally and regionally responsible in various sustainable, Meaning I
use a lot of local vendors. Our menu is quarterly based on the season, which I think is the most authentic you can get when you think about any type of cuisine, but in my in my reference, in thai cuisine. You don't just eat thai cuisine in general. There's regions. There's a beach. There's mountains in the mountains, there's fermentation and a lot of Stew and curries, you know, a lot more warmer climate, more colder climate stuff. In
the... On the beach challenge you get acids, and you get seafood and things like that. So I take that into consideration with my cooking now. For example, we're in the middle of summer for this interview and my stuff my stuff is not that we don't offer curries or anything cream based, coconut milk based currently. I save all of my herbs and stuff for the winter. Where I make my paste and stuff through the summer, and then I give you your premium
more comforting warming basis in the wintertime. What you're gonna get now lime or, citrus. A lot of light grilled things are in my menu now. But that being said, I use a lot of southern techniques. You know, I believe when I met you, I gave you by southern take on fried chicken. Yeah. And when I and when I say southern fried chicken, I mean, the fried chicken comes from the southern region of Thailand.
From an area called Hot, which ironically when I say southern cooking and fried chicken being in Nashville. It's... It's kinda... It's pretty cool that I could tie the 2 words literally together, are southern in both ways for me, Tennessee and Thailand. For me it's a gluten free fried chicken. We use local chickens or amish rays are not processed. I'm very proud in the fact that when you make your reservation at the restaurant. You also reserve your chicken. So, you know, that's
kind of cool. Also, also, my beef stuff. You know, a great, bright acidic salads and stuff like that in thai food. And my beef salad, we actually do a technique called bra, smoking and barb, which is very big in the south. So instead of doing instead of doing grill meats, we do a slow tech technique of bra using dark soy and 5 spices, a very traditional thai dish, but then I take into the next level, and Apple would smoke it
on our smoker. And when it comes time to make the salad, it's almost like a ball apart brisket it deep salad. So I have my thai flavors in southern American sensibilities in terms of technique. Also, I use local stuff. You know? So for me, authentic time might be a question, Mark, but for me, it is authentic the sense that I am basing on my regional inspiration. Okay? What unique experiences like, can, you know, diner expects at the international market?
I think the most unique experience for the diners is that it's not the predictable experience when it comes to thai food. I really pride myself on perhaps using my guests or making them think. A little bit. You can't just be sitting in an office and I can't just go hey, emmanuel. Coupon number 2. I've ordering type. What do you want. You can't just say, I wanna green Curry number 3. You're not gonna get that at this restaurant. You actually... You actually have to read ingredients.
You read the title you take your brain to that reference point of what you know of that dish in most western thai restaurants and then you wait to see what comes out in my version. No. So and he's delicious for sure. And thank you. You know, we do have a couple of classics on the menu, and we always joking, you know, call them the the the pumpkin spice dishes of typing food, or the pumpkin spice latte up the of the thai world. And I don't... And, you know, and we lot we joke a lot about and I
get frustrated a lot about it. Mainly because I've curated a menu where I want you to be exposed to new flavors you never had before in an approachable way that you understand. Right? So, you know, getting to the point of, like, people are understanding fish sauce at this point. But now I'm now I'm pushing shrimp paste. You know? And and and I'm giving you an interest... I'd like the gateway, the thai restaurant flavor, if you will. But what what did you say that it's kind of frustrate you?
It's frustrating because when we do present, like, a... We have a 30 minute a 30 item menu, which... You know, in some scope are law are small, but entire most high restaurants that small. I put my first 29 items, I've curated very, very carefully at number 30 as pot thai. And sometimes I get a table, where we're encouraging families style dining, eating together, and we get a table of 8 people ordering pod thai. And I just kind of, like, you know,
we... And the server spends so much time creating their presentation. We spend so much time working with media and marketing all the other exciting things. And, yes, the pod tie keeps the lights on, but in my... In my world, I'm I'm here. I... I work to give you a world beyond that. Okay. And what do you think that for most people and American people, what's like there's some of the common misconception that their people have about thai food.
You know, it's interesting. I just went to James Beard Awards, and I was able to see all these beautiful speeches. And I think 1 1 was very po. I can't remember who what who it was, but she was an Asian American chef that won, and she wanted it... And she thanked the James Foundation for opening eyes to making... To letting... Putting light on Asian American food as not being cheap Chinese takeout.
You know? So I think the biggest thing for me is that we we have a lot of integrity and technique and and work and history behind our work and it's not just a 2 dollar dumpling. Going back to the memory of your mom, so how how how do you partner and continue your mother legacy through, like, the work that you are doing? You know in in the Nashville itinerary scene? Well, I mean, she's always been an advocate for helping the community and paying things forward.
So we consistently help organizations that we feel resonate within our personal life. I support an an organization called National launch pad on a weekly basis. We've done it since my father passed away shore For my mom passed actually. And it's an organization that that shelters and keep basically street free living for Lgbtq plus youth in Nashville. They get a grant. And honestly, I try to find organizations. Right I know, Like every dollar that I put towards it goes to
someone. There's a there there's a there's... It's small. Right? They start off very humble we do lack... I mean, literally 30 meals a week, and we've been doing it for 5 years, And it's nothing on us. My staff plans if they pick it up, they get to give them food and figured by doing something like that. They can use the money that they would buy for a meal, which ended up being, I think they tallied, like, 28000 dollars and saved. From our 1 meal
a week this year. They can use it toward buying computers or laptops or helping someone get haircuts or, you know, things like that. So I think it's brilliant or I'm helping to subsidize somebody's rent or something, you know? And for us, it's just cooking them meal. I mean, literally, it's all we do. My mother was a person to really help with starving artist and students as well. She
luck everyone in traditionally. So if you didn't have a dime chair name, you definitely have some food that night for sure, Ge Speaking k, my mother. So in in in in working this way just locally as much as I can, and other organizations too fundraising and whatnot. I think that keeps her memory alive in a way that she would want us to do that. But also, as in honoring her every day is for breath. At the restaurant. She... Her spirit lives
in the restaurant space that is there. I, you know, I work I didn't really have a thai culinary voice until after she passed away. I was a French trained chef teaching French culinary in Los Angeles, you know, trying to pursue this jack ball trades kind of field. And my... Ironically, you know, as we say these nothing to sound so elevator, so Bo, my manager, my talent was, like Arnold focus on on your roots. And I was, like, what? And
I was like, oh my gosh. And never since that that happened, it was a light bulb, and it just came so second nature to me and and that is her voice. It was my mother's voice. So every day I have... I I cooked through her spirit and her memory. And have you kept like on the menu? Or do you put in the menu something that is really, you know, her fingerprints that maybe you didn't tweak too much you know, with your own experience? Luckily, the auntie is in the kitchen that we're
working with her before I was born. So it's still work they still work in my kitchen. So it's they've known me for over. They've known me longer than I do. Have The guardian. They're the guardians because they... I've I tried to fire a couple of them many time. They still show up the next day. They don't want money. I do pay them, Guys still right. But but they... But they just based at the year, the gatekeepers of the stuff. So during the day, the concept is
still 100 percent my mother. You know, we have a steam table or thai, it's a it's a a type of eating called Ka, which basically means rice, with, like, other things. Almost like an asia... An Asian meat 3. Right? So you go through the line, you get rice, you can see these pre hu and stew, and it's a... It was very inexpensive back in the day. My
mother... It's still quite an inexpensive relatively today, the way we do it, and it still gives the people that remember my mom from yesterday year a taste of what the old international market was. And then at nighttime, anything that is originally her recipe. It still says og g buy it. So anybody that still wants or misses my mother's food can still have those items of... Okay. Very good. So... And beside your mother, you know, who and what are some of your biggest source of inspiration?
Wow. I would say just the... I guess it's my world. I guess the increase of Asian Cuisine on the global market being a more general American food. Right. Yeah. Being as you're part of American food culture. And being able to connect with my like, second generation asians that are working within their families restaurants or businesses and taking things over. It's been really inspiring.
Through social media, believe it or not to connect on a national level with other people that are like, oh my god, your story is just like mine. You know, and I've been able to connect coast to coast. I've been able to... I've been able to work now with the thai tourism authority and with, you know, the royal thai consulate. Actually, I'm working with them a lot more these days and kind of celebrating, celebrating thai food and culture within our American community.
So the inspiration for me is not only just to keep my doors open and be able to pay my mortgage. It's more so. It's more so to spread the word. I'm the gospel if you will, of what thai cuisine has become and evolved to be in America. Okay? And these are specific, you know, maybe ingredients that inspire you more at the moment, something that you know, you said, 0II want to experiment with. Yeah. I... Like I
touched earlier, I, you know... You know you you kinda go from an evolution of what you think soy sauce is and then realizing that we don't use soy sauce that way in thai cooking. And then going... And then introducing fish sauce to a customer that at 1 time was allergic and need tell until you say, you know anchovies or seats are salad, and they're okay with it. So, you know, try to, like, try try to explain and gateway these things are very important to
me. And right now, I've gotten to a place of trust with my with my followers and with my beautiful loyal streamers. We've gotten we've gotten to a place where non I'm introducing fish... Non I'm introducing shrimp paste to them in dishes. There's 1 dish that I love very, very much. Called Ka ko, which is a d shrimp paste rice. You basically cook it in funky shrimp paste, and a surrounded by like sour mango and dried chilies
and pickles and things like that. And at the table, you mix it all together and it's a big flavor and texture explosion, people order it you know, at first, I posted online and and and other ties are like, wow, I can't really serve that in Nashville. And I'm like, I serve it because I can't get it anywhere else. I have to eat it... I wanna eat it too. And then all of a sudden people are ordering it for the table that and I'm like, wow. This is really in
fact they love it. So for so for me, just slowly upping the with this funky ness and the palate, you know, and also seeing, like, a resurgence of big northern thai food be really making a mark, like Nissan food or even Be flavors coming in, it's very exciting because it it excites me. That's how I like to eat. So Okay. So can you give me some example of the Bur flavor? That you're referenced to? Yeah. Again, like, it's just a lot of fermentation, A lot of
fun ness. You know, I really love just using a lot of more of the Indian influences, the mod address, the curry the turmeric, the spices, you know, and then bringing in kind of, like, the cooking down and the jamming of tomatoes, and just simple ingredients, but really extracting with flavor. I mean, an Egg curry for me, Bur Egg curry from me. I all 1 of my ultimate favorite comfort foods. And it's so easy to make, but not not much lord or celebrated.
Yet. And the and the shrimp pace that you are talking about, This is something that you make at at the restaurant, or or this is something that's even, you know, for me being just a foodie another chef, I can, you know, buy and you recommend 1 specifically? You can definitely buy shrimp paste. There's all kinds also crab paste as well. Mh. Just go to your local Asian market and look at the shelf and see. I don't really use this specific 1. I'm still trying to
navigate. Okay. Okay. What what I like. I I personally don't re tie. So the all the labels trying to trick you. They all kinda look the same. But but the, you know, the fun is definitely there. My secret is you have to keep it triple triple ziploc locked and away and in an in a jar once it opens, I mean, my staff complains about it when we with it, but the customer's level when they eat it. So... Okay. So can you tell us some of, like, the the signature dish that best represent, you know, your
style? So you started to talk AAA bit about it when you're you mentioned, you know, the season and so. So maybe you take an example from like, the the spring summer and then maybe full winter? Yes. So let's say, A dish that I love very much in the springs summer in Thailand is is a non cooked dish actually. I mean, who wants to eat anything you have to cook when you're sweating. Right? And I guess
that's all the time in Thailand. But 1 of my favorite dishes is a dish called chen bra, which is basically a raw shrimp on which chile. Okay. Right? For the... For lack of better. I'm sorry. Of, which is essentially a raw shrimp Es. Okay. So basically, what that means it's kind of, like a raw shrimp that's kind of been cleaned and a little bit of baking soda and sparkling water or club soda to clear clear up impurities, and you make the Ceviche, basically with with with acid and all the great
flavor profiles. The way it's served in Thailand is on cabbage with bitter, and then you do just raw garlic, spices, with lime, fish sauce and chilies. And you eat the whole thing as you just raw shrimp, and it's the most beautiful sweet, text thing. I've loved it ever since I was little, which is kind of strange to say, because I was never chicken tenders kinda boy. But I translate that for my market here, my audience here in Nashville by doing it basically, like a crude. You know based
Yeah. So whatever fish I can find whatever be it, we bring in some sea b or we have salmon or even sc. Whatever I can find it would not, I'll was poach I'll lightly poach them shrimp and I smoke cut fish actually. And I and I make it together with the same stuff. So basically, it has cilantro, fresh bright tight chili, raw garlic lime juice fish sauce, and then I I'd like to add a little bit of dill in there too. So it's a it's a it's a
fun take on the dish. I think more approachable for mass consumers. In that in that way that I present it. So that's a really... That that's a lovely summer dish for me. I also work with a local mushroom. Dealer. I say joking, but he is my mushroom dealer. And we do a lab dish, which normally is a mince to meet our gaming meat kind of pot poached citrus salad, but I do it with roasted mushrooms. And so we do roasted heir balloon mushrooms, and we mix it with toasted rice. Powder.
Again, I mines plant based, so I use a fish sauce alternative, pickled garlic, thai chilies and things like that. Which is also the flavor profiles that a lot of plant based diners don't always get to experience. But in my restaurant and my walls, you do. Okay. Yeah. That summer. Yep. In winter, you know, I have... I love bra stuff. So, like I talked on earlier. We do a local meat that we bra in 5 spice, mu spices, and
whatnot. And I turned that into a squash, like a k squash and root vegetable curry that has the smoke from the braised meat. So instead of just being, like, slices of beef thrown into something it actually does feel like it's taken hours and hours and hours because it has to stew into a curry. Yeah. And is this beef then you said you're... That would know. That would be that would be beef. That's. It's Okay. Yeah. But
it's but it's a lot more... Because of the smoke is, it is as of the next level and text when it falls apart It's almost like you're getting a beautiful short rib. So, obviously, you know, you you accomplished quite a lot in your in your career. So when when you look back at at the journey, what do you consider to be your most significant personal and professional achievement? Yeah, I guess my my most significant personal accomplishment would be recently, I became a father.
I never really thought that I would be in a place where I felt personally adults enough to provide something or have enough to want to share with someone. Right? Our child. I definitely knew I wanted to be a father, but I didn't really know what that would mean. My parenting journey is interesting because I've done... I did the solo. You know, I'm a single gay man that wanted to have a
child. And And when you consider that many factors in terms of personal relationships came into play and the want for a child kind of over road any other focus in terms of my personal growth. And so I've spent many years trying to figure out how to do it. About 5 years, a lot of finances, and I finally have a child that's my own. A lot of other her name Hen. Yes. Her name is Hen. She's named after my dad's favorite Poet, William
Ernest Hen. Her middle name... Her name middle name is Ans chan, which is a thai flower, butter butterfly p flower, and then her last name is mint. So her initial s Ham, HAM So she's my little ham, and luckily, she's a little chunky right now, so she's living up to the name. But she's adorable. How did she... It was a she is currently 8 months. Wow. Okay. She is... Everything I could have I've ever hoped for in in that respect.
Thank you. Thank you. I think, you know, now it professionally, you know, there's a lot of things to celebrate, and I think there are certain things that seem very kind of land landmark that you can time state. You can... There are time stamps in my life that were very significant in terms of building my career. And I and I think all of it is a culmination to where my career has come to now.
I wasn't from a family of R Carlton restaurant chefs, and I wasn't from a family of people that really knew how hospitality and deep pocket investors were We didn't have a wine seller in our basement. I was raised in Nashville with a very casual Asian restaurant as my as my reference point. And, luckily, 1 meal a week. I could eat something fancy and kind of see the world through the eyes of what my parents wanted me to learn by being in America.
So for me, getting my foot in the door was a 1 man struggle or 1 man hustle. If you will. And I say struggle ironically because I was always frustrated growing up, like, I see other people getting shout outs and accolades sitting here, Like, I feel like I have the cloud and just as good, but I just don't have the the connections. Yeah? So everything that I've done has been shameless. It's been very. Mom mom and dad didn't know what a P marketing budget was. She made an egg
sold an egg roll. You know? Yeah. The joke was... She was like, Gina know how many egg rolls mommy has to pin pay for for you to do this. And I was like, yeah, 40000. Please make 40000 egg rolls. So I can go to culinary school, that kind of thing. So the the push for me was very self motivated and that I knew I had to give myself the chance by putting myself out there in any way possible. I e going on top chef. I. E.
Luckily. I'm not stage fright. So I was willing to put myself through those kind of things to get visibility. But with that, you know, not everybody, I will take you seriously by being a Tv chef or being a drag between the cooks.
It's... But, you know, so luckily, I feel my proudest moment now is that in the evolution of food where I really feel all eyes are in food culture, the food speaks for itself, and that I'm having a moment that I can actually work within the industry I can open up doors for myself with organizations, like, the tourism authority of ti, the thai consulate and things like that. Where the food is what matters and the conversation around that food is what I have to offer.
So right now, I'm proud that I'm working a lot. I have opportunities I have opportunities to speak on podcasts like this, which I don't think I would have had a couple years ago. So I'm... My my proudest is achievement right now is that I'm busy. I'm busy, and I and I'm very grateful for the... For being busy. Okay. So let's switch to what to the rapid fire your questions now. So, you know, you and I are going on the tasting tour in Nashville. So When I like the 5 spot that you are going
to take me to. Of course, outside of the, you know, that your place. Oh my gosh. 5 spat. Now that now all my friends are gonna cancel me for 30 the 5. I will say for a consistent feel good guarantee meal. I would take you to City house. My friend, Tan Wilson grew up in Nashville. We have been each other's cheerleader leaders for a very long time. He, I think was best chef southeast, a few... A few deck... A decade or so ago. Very humble man, beautiful
location. It's very comforting, Italian, I guess you could say, but it's a point of view in perspective that he's had ever since he first opened his restaurant that he hasn't deviate from. And all I know is whenever I go there, I... Know what I'm gonna get. I know I'm gonna love it, and I know not gonna feel good about what Ate and when I leave. So... Yeah. I will take you to ss guy, which is my east National counterparts, rival fried
chicken joint. They do Chris and Emma, they just started about a maybe 2 years ago, and they have a little kiosk in this, like, food incubator space. Like, it's, like, little, like, like, container homes. Right? Little, like small, but they are about 5 this little space called the wash, and they do a thai fried chicken and a thai grilled chicken, like a cold grilled chicken cold grilled, and it is... That's 1 of those things that I close my eyes, it transports me back to Thailand.
I mean, it's 1 of the things that I pick up for my staff to eat as a as a gift even though we'd serve pretty much the same thing. It's done and executed so well. They don't have much put the chicken on their menu, but really, when you eat that good, Why do anything else. Right? So I would go for chicken any day. Bam is absolutely delicious. Else would I say? I'll take you for a burger. I would...
We're gonna go to Browns diner. I grew up with Browns diner even though it's little double wide trailer beer bar with with a lot of mis and musicians, but, again, my mother fed them also, so why not have be part of that fix as a kid. Right? So we go in there. We get this grid grid burger, this little flat grid burger that, you know, maybe the secret is an hasn't been the grill hasn't been cleaned. It's just, you know, it's 1 of those things that's
like, that's the starter every day. But it a guilty pleasure of mine, and it's just ultimate comfort and probably 1 of the best burgers. Okay. Arguably I've ever had anywhere, not just in Nashville national. 2. 2 more. My gosh. It's gonna get tough now. I will say corner from where I live currently. There's... I mean, I in a very near area palm Ledge houston stand. It's... You know,
we... It's by the fair ground right I used to come and do minority naughty things as child, but now it's very fancy. But the... There's a place called Eds, and they make fresh pasta, and it's just a lot of... I mean, we have a noodle vendor that makes our noodles as well at the restaurant, But but their pasta is in their approach is... I love something that's so niche where there's, like A7I8 item menu. You know, and it's just una ap. But also it's not just a traditional
Italian. Like, 1 of my favorite jj is like, a creamy Oo. Okay. Pasta with crap But but really, but really their selling point for me is there a bread. They do
a house b. They pipe in. I mean, it's garlic bread, but they do this little cross section you know, wedged little roll, and inside they pipe in this garlic cream cheese, and then they bake the B. So when you pull it out, it's like this really crave cheesy monkey bread full of glut, but it's so elevated, but technically, it's just garlic cream cheese. Is brilliant. Yep. And then Number 5. You know, I talked about food all day long Eat food all day long. And, oh,
I will say this. Okay. There it was Vet restaurant that I love. So it's... It was back. Yeah. So I go to this pacing called Os or Off. I'm not forgive me. And it's it's a little mix between Turkish and, you know, a little bit, but they have a beautiful menu. It's it's very in my mind for about but I would expect traditional their breads are beautiful. They have a dish that's called Hell mini, which is kind of like a dump, like, a ravioli. That they do, and it's just comes in
a light broth with sour cream. But really my favorite things there are they're salads. They have a beet salad and a potato salad that tastes almost russian to me, you know, with little ground meat and pee and small
dice Okay. Things like that. And it just reminds me when I was an ice skater touring with my fellow Russians doing these kind of like, quick salads and things, and it just is really something that I don't really... A world that I don't understand much of, but I really appreciate and love what they have the from. So that... So so that's a nice. That's a nice switch in my daily routine up eating as well. I think it's a a nice gamut of of food that you can discover in national.
If there's like someone that you dream of collaborating with when it comes to cooking. Who. You know, it'll be really cool. I when I started my culinary journey in New York, I cooked jean George. Oh, yeah. I I didn't We are, you know, we're given our first assignment, our first day of school, like, write a report about someone who resonates with you in the culinary world. And I picked him mainly because of his ties to the royal family and cooking in Thailand at a
young age and whatnot. And ironically, I'm working with his son, Cedric coming up soon in the fall at at the tin building, but I've never worked with John George or... I mean, I've worked for him, but I've never worked next to him directly. So Let's... It would be it would be lovely to have a moment. Okay. Cook with him and then also get his endorsement. That would be great. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. I'm going to tag you when we do the promotion, And I and I'll tag
him as well. So... Okay. Yeah. We're doing something with High select actually in high console in September, and it's with Cedric. Okay his son at his his face. Yeah. So, I I like to ask that question as well because, you know, there's always a lot of people to give wonderful advice, you know, in your life, and you hear sometime advice given to others and you're like, so what's maybe the worst advice that you have seen or heard given in the hospitality industry? The worst advice?
Do whatever they want to make them happy. I think for the longest time, Or actually, I'll say this or the term, the customer is always right. Yeah. It has come to bite everybody in the ass in a world of entitlement and lack of better words, Karen, and consumers. Mh. Because at this point, we... There's 2 types of hospitality. In my in my world, I can't give you everything you want because I don't do everything. I can give you what I do well. And I... It's been taking it's taking a
lot of time. Even my mother's client, even my mother's even for my mom's patrons to now, you know, I still hear often, what Patty would have done it. Mh. And the servers are like, yeah Arnold doesn't do that. And then... It's like, what kind of review are we gonna get now because of that. You know? So, like... But I know what I do. So I think that's the worst thing in all of hospitality is ever claiming Whoever dubbed that, the customer always right, is is
was... Has never worked in the restaurant industry. Okay, Chef. I think I were are going to end up on that 1. Was a good 1. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. Thanks thank you so much, Jeff, you know, for your time. And your little 1 did not disturb. She's still probably sleeping. So Yeah. She's... She... I gave her a bottle of water. She's fine. I I would... I would love to say 1 more thing though
before we end this. If if there's any way, another accomplishment of I really fun accomplishment it mine as well is back in the eighties, my mother wrote a small handheld, almost like a pamphlet Cookbook of her recipes to archive stock She is not chef trained. She doesn't have chef language, but it looks like 1 of those little short stack books. You know, it's kind of covid it into half. And she sold quite a few copies.
So after she passed away, so many customers were showing the notes and personal things that she wrote in the books to them, and it was a 4 dollar 95 cent template. That said, this is 1 my first of many. Well, she never got tried another 1, but I did get a book deal to write in her honor So, I have a... Yeah. So I... So I have a book that I've signed Abrams publishing, and it's... The book is called family ties.
And I'm submitting the final recipes this fall, and hopefully, it will drop in fall of 2025. Very nice. It on it honors her recipes the stuff that she had in the pamphlet is in the book as well as our family stories and my growth to how I cook now. Hopefully, it'll be ready to go fall 20 25. And we'll see what happens after that. I mean, you know? Yeah. After that, you have to promote the book and, you know, the book signings. Yeah.
It's pretty interesting because we're doing it. It's... I think it's being published in multi languages. So I'm very optimistic and getting it out there. Oh, my gosh. That's fantastic. Because it's it's not easy nowadays to have a book deal. So so congrats. Yeah. It was a long time coming, and I'm glad to do it to honor not only my high heritage, but obviously my mother, so I'm excited to see how it was gonna come out. Chef, Thank you so much. Thank you for
being on the show. I Am really, you know, glad that we are we're able to, you know, to make it happen. Yes. Thank you. I'm glad you got to taste my food so you can back up what I say. And I'm glad we really got to connect. So thank you very much for letting me share as well. Thank you for tuning into this episode of the flavors and on webcast with our amazing guest Chef Arnold mint of the international market in Nashville.
I hope you enjoy our deep dive into his culinary journey, his creative process and the unique stories that makes his cuisine so special. If you found this episode it's pairing, please share it with other foodie and food and enthusiasts, and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter on flavors unknown dot com to stay updated with the latest episodes. I am emmanuel La roche, It has been a pleasure bringing you another episode of the flavors and on.
Until next time, keep exploring the wonderful world of flavors and stories behind them. I see you in 2 weeks and until then, remember that people who love to eat are always the best people. Thanks for listening to flavors unknown. If you've enjoyed this episode, give us a follow on Instagram at flavors unknown. Visit us at flavors unknown dot com. Don't forget to leave us a 5 star rating and a review on Apple podcasts.