On this episode I chat with Chef Sandhya Kumar. There is nothing better than your passion being your profession. And that is exactly what Chef Sandhya Kumar has always believed in. Passion for cooking hit Sandhya at an incredibly young age owing to her grandmother’s influence. Her Mom let her loose in the kitchen where she made lots of cake and a lot of mess Pursuing her passion, she acquired her bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management and Hospitality Administration from The Institute of Hotel Man...
Mar 06, 2022•47 min
On this episode I chat with Bruce McAdams, an Associate Professor at The University of Guelph based out of Canada. In the episode we talk about a study he conducted surrounding the wants of prospective kitchen employees and the need for work/life balance to bring a new generation of restaurant workers into the industry. We talk about scheduling models, the importance of a life outside of work and what is leading to the massive food labor shortage. Bruce's Contact information: Email- bmcadams@uog...
Feb 27, 2022•39 min
On this episode I chat with Bruce McAdams, an Associate Professor at The University of Guelph based out of Canada. In the episode we talk about a study he conducted surrounding the preparedness restaurants had in managing mental health issues amongst staff. We talk about stressors attributed to working in kitchens, the decline in enthusiasm of working in restaurants during Covid, the stigmas in the industry that hold us back and ways we can improve moving forward. Bruce's Contact information: Em...
Feb 19, 2022•46 min
In this episode I speak to members of the Line Cook Thoughts Community on career rejection and how they overcame it. We all experience it not going our way from time to time and getting to hear stories and how these obstacles were overcome is a great resource for anyone going through rejection right now. A big thanks to those interviewed: Shani Patterson (IG: @foodnthoughts), Fawn Jones (IG: @fawnyberry), John Moncada (IG: @johnmoncada54), Annie Baker (IG: @thetablepdx), Charles Dodd (IG: @just....
Feb 13, 2022•1 hr 3 min
On this episode we continue with the Line Cook Nation Takes On Imposter Syndrome Series! A huge thank you to Samantha Pelayo (IG: @samanthapelayofoodblog), John Grabowski II, Michael Dimmer (Twitter Handle: @marbleandrye), Fritte (Twitter Handle: @Frittte1), Ian Phillip (IG: @chef_ian_israelsen) and Marissa Otto (IG: @rissotto22). Please leave a review if you are listening on Apple! To check out official Line Cook Nation Merchandise go to linecookthoughts.com
Jan 30, 2022•57 min
On this episode I introduce the new series for 2022: Line Cook Nation Takes On ___. This episode is all about Imposter Syndrome, and the five food industry professionals I interview share examples of imposter syndrome they faced, thoughts on why it is so prevalent in the industry, stories on when anxiety did not match reality and advice on how to overcome it. Thank you to those featured today (Instagram Handle Included): Nick DeSimone (@bobafettuccine_phl), Marc-Adam Rodriguez (@chefmarcordorigu...
Jan 16, 2022•56 min
This short solo episode is an overview of what I hope to accomplish with the podcast and brand in 2022. Really looking forward to some projects I have lined up involving the community. I also share the idea of goal setting and accomplishing actionable tasks. Excited for the year and hope it is a good one for you all! Get your official Line Cook Nation Merchandise at linecookthoughts.com
Jan 07, 2022•20 min
On this episode I chat with Chef Gerald Addison. A DC-native, Bammy’s co-owner and co-executive chef, Gerald Addison, is passionate about creating a more diverse dining culture in DC and is proud to be a part of the city’s culinary growth. Prior to Bammy’s, Gerald served as co-owner and co-executive chef of DC’s award-winning sister restaurants Compass Rose and Maydan, where he worked alongside Chris Morgan. Collaborating as co-executive chefs for the first time, Gerald and Chris opened Maydan i...
Dec 19, 2021•1 hr 2 min
On this episode I chat about how throughout my career my goals for myself have changed drastically and why that is not a bad thing. Being tied to one goal is fine but not being open minded is limited and can lead to us missing opportunity and new paths that may turn out better for us. I also touch on Imposter Syndrome and the reality that in change we may face self doubt, but we cannot let ourselves be our biggest roadblocks. Check out the merchandise at linecookthoughts.com
Dec 12, 2021•30 min
Thank you all so much for 150 episodes! On today's show I talk about why patience and letting go are essential in food. We had to face a two year period unlike any seen in the world of food and I wanted to explore why giving up is not a bad thing, but rather a part of the process. I also wanted to address the idea of being ok with where we are in our process and why giving ourselves the permission to be proud of navigating the pandemic so far is essential. Check out the blog and get official mer...
Nov 28, 2021•31 min
Corey Mintz is a freelance food reporter (New York Times, Globe and Mail, Eater, and others), focusing on the intersection between what we eat with business, politics, farming, ethics, land use, labor, education and culture. He has been a cook and a restaurant critic. For his long-running column Fed, he hosted 192 dinner parties, featuring politicians, refugees, criminals, artists, academics, acupuncturists, high-rise window washers, competitive barbecuers, and one monkey. He is the author of tw...
Nov 12, 2021•58 min
On this episode I chat with Aurora Blanchard. Aurora hiked 868 miles of the Appalachian Trail from April to July of this year. Prior to this, she studied Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America and graduated in 2017. In 2020, she earned a Bachelor's in English from The University of Missouri-St. Louis. She has worked in restaurants in NYC, Perú and Hawaii. In this episode Aurora shares the challenges of eating on the trail. She goes over meal prep, ways she would have planned differen...
Oct 31, 2021•39 min
On this episode I chat with Laurie Boucher. Laurie is an attorney turned Pasta Instructor. Laurie’s passion is PASTA and she teaches all forms of pasta making privately and in local businesses in and around Baltimore, Ocean City and other local seaside venues. Laurie teaches some of her unique pasta classes as an adjunct professor at AACC and is also a staff pasta instructor at the Baltimore Chef Shop, The Kitchen Studio Cooking School, and the Pandola Learning Center in Little Italy. Laurie has...
Oct 22, 2021•44 min
On this episode I chat with Laurie Woolever. Laurie Woolever is a writer and editor, and New York Times bestselling author who spent nearly a decade assisting Anthony Bourdain, with whom she coauthored Appetites: A Cookbook and New York Times #1 bestseller World Travel: An Irreverent Guide. She has written about food and travel for the New York Times, GQ, Food & Wine, Lucky Peach, Saveur, Dissent, Roads & Kingdoms, and others, and has worked as an editor at Art Culinaire and Wine Spectat...
Oct 14, 2021•1 hr 1 min
In this episode I chat with the General Manager of Jerk at Nite, Natasha Powell. Jerk at Nite is a Caribbean Restaurant with multiple locations in the DMV. The founder, Denville Myrie Jr., started selling his jerk chicken out of his dorm room in 2013. Since then they have expanded into operating food trucks and brick and mortar locations in Washington D.C. and Baltimore. They also have plans to expand further. Natasha shares the origin story of the business, the struggles of transitioning from f...
Oct 08, 2021•40 min
On this episode I chat with the Co-owner of La Chingona Taqueira, Jasmine Chacon. The taqueria is located in St. Maarten. We talk about her push to cook on the hot line despite facing opposition due to being a female in the kitchen. We then chat about her Mexican American heritage and the journey to cook and honor the cooking of her father. She shares about opening the taqueira, sourcing food to the island, roadblocks as a restaurant owner and so much more! You can find her on instagram at eithe...
Sep 30, 2021•39 min
In this solo episode I dive into two separate topics. I share about my thoughts on the relationship we have with mistakes and how maybe we are not set up properly to work with them efficiently. I then talk about the idea of selling out in food, why more people need to go where they "fit" best as decided by the life they want to live and how the opinions of others should not be a deciding factor in your decisions. If you want to run for WCK in October DM me on Instagram @linecookthoughts or email...
Sep 23, 2021•32 min
On this episode I chat with food critic Hanna Raskin. Hanna Raskin is the editor and publisher of The Food Section, a newsletter covering food and drink in the American South. She previously served as food editor and chief critic for The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C. Her work has been recognized multiple times by The James Beard Foundation, which in 2017 awarded her its first Local Impact Journalism prize. In the episode we talk about the process of reviewing restaurants, rating restauran...
Sep 15, 2021•49 min
On this episode I chat with Hanalei Souza (aka @ladylinecook). She is the face behind the memes and silly videos that give a glimpse into kitchen life. She is also the author of the memoir, "Nice Work, Boys!" which is about her time working and leading in male dominated workplaces. In the show we chat about her introduction into cooking, building the Lady Line Cook Brand, self publishing her book and much more. Link to purchase "Nice Work, Boys!": https://www.ladylinecook.com/get-the-book.html L...
Sep 09, 2021•48 min
On this episode I chat with Ashten Garrett. Ashten is a Senior Culinary Arts Manager at Marriott International. He is the ACF Young Chefs Club National President and a WACS Young Chefs Ambassador. He has also been seen on Guy's Grocery Games and is a Food Sustainability advocate. In the episode I chat with Ashten about his career and where it has taken him so far. We talk about his travel abroad and his decision to go into management instead of a line cook position post-college. We also talk abo...
Sep 02, 2021•40 min
On this episode I respond to the question I have gotten most often over the past few months: Any advice? As we manage this new world I have gone on my own journey of learning and navigate through the industry. Although I am still within the first 15 years of my career I think it is important to offer insight during those starting in food right now. So much is against those starting out during COVID and any way I can help the next generation of foodservice workers be set up for success is importa...
Aug 26, 2021•34 min
On this episode I chat with Chef Iain Jones, Pastry Chef of the 3 Michelin Star Restaurant The Inn at Little Washington. We talk about his career, maintaining a high level performance at the restaurant, managing teams in a way that offers a life outside of food, how he creates desserts, following your passion and much more. A lot of great insight from Chef and just someone in the industry performing at a level that many aspire to. Check out the blog: linecookthoughts.com If you are on Apple plea...
Aug 19, 2021•54 min
On this episode I talk about the idea of making mistakes in the food industry. In an industry so fast paced the opportunity to make mistakes is extremely high. We are also taught that any mistake made is a dire event. I shared a post recently stating how we need to see food as just food in order to keep moving forward in our lives and the response was huge. We need to have standards but also recognize that if we get caught up on our actions we cannot really grow or be effective. I share some of ...
Aug 12, 2021•36 min
On this episode I take the time to just sit back with my friend Kole and discuss long held food opinions. A podcast literally about the most random food topics such as Hot Pockets, Ranch Dressing, Taylor Ham/Pork Roll and more. After the last few months sitting down to talk about nonsense in food was much needed. Let me know what are some irrational food opinions you hold. Follow Kole on Instagram: @kolebailey_, @whatdoidowithshow Listen to his podcast here: Check out linecookthoughts.com for th...
Aug 04, 2021•42 min
On this episode of the podcast I take a step back from food interviews and topics and spend some time sharing about the idea of self doubt and how many in my community have shared about it in the past few months. The pandemic shook up a lot of our perceptions of our career paths and who we should be in food. I share in this how self doubt and anxiety has affected me, especially in the past month. I then talk about the idea of how in food putting your head down to work can hinder us if we do not ...
Jul 29, 2021•32 min
In this episode I chat with Chef Selina Progar of Gluten Free Goat Bakery out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We talk about the creative process of being a pastry chef. We then get into the challenges of gluten free baking, common misconceptions and how she makes products for not only those that eat gluten free but for customers who are looking for great pastries in general. She also shares how much learning she has gone through discovering gluten free baking and the opportunities that lie within i...
Jul 07, 2021•41 min
In this episode, friend of the show Katy Osuna is back! We start out by talking about our time in restaurants and the overwhelming grip status had on us early on. We then discuss why we get into this trap of status and Katy also shares how systems in food can be used to only give success to a select few. We talk about new projects Katy is working on with her award winning podcast, Copper & Heat, and we chat about why being able to have goals outside of being awarded and recognized is importa...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 7 min
On this episode I chat with Chef Elyssa Kaplan. She works for World Central Kitchen on the Chef Relief Lead Operations Team. In the show she shares stories from her own career and a very powerful story of well being and self care. We then get into her work of feeding people with WCK in areas that have been hit by disasters. She shares about her travels, work with local communities, menu planning and much more. A very important story and one I hope you all enjoy. Check out World Central Kitchen a...
Jun 09, 2021•1 hr 14 min
On this episode I chat with Corporate Executive Chef of Unilever North America, Einav Gefen. We discuss the organization she has helped build through her work, Fair Kitchens. Fair Kitchens focuses on standing together as an industry and progressing our work forward for a more sustainable industry for all. We discuss the issues many face in the industry, why progress or positive growth can be met with pushback and solutions that Fair Kitchens focuses on to improve the food world as we know it. Ch...
Jun 02, 2021•45 min
On this episode I chat with Ryan Peters. Ryan was on the show back on Episode 13! Since then he has grown to be one of the largest pasta food media influencers on Tik Tok. He has grown so much that it is now his main job and priority, as he consistently puts out high performing content. In the episode we talk about his amazing growth over the past two years. We also chat about alternative career paths besides cooking, his hate for Angel Hair pasta and plans for the future with his brand! Check o...
May 26, 2021•51 min
