Pack Your Knives - podcast cover

Pack Your Knives

Count The Dings
Kevin Arnovitz and Tom Haberstroh bring their die-hard fanaticism of the hit TV show Top Chef and combine it with their NBA analytical instincts to draft “fantasy” teams, interview contestants and talk about America’s food and restaurant trends. Follow along weekly as the top cooking competition meets top-shelf analysis. In Season 23, Chef Sara Bradley replaces Kevin as host to provide insight from the mind of former competitor and current kitchen guru.
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Episodes

Ep 12 Recap: Cheesy Bread

Kevin and Tom break down the final four as we head into toward the coast. A discussion about Dawn's gougères veers into a love letter for cheesy bread at various establishments and other gluttonous exploits. Speaking of exploits, Tom and Kevin indict chefs for taking advantage of one of their own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 18, 202148 minEp. 80

Ep 11 Recap: Blind Ambitions with Gail Simmons!

Kevin and Tom are blessed by the presence of Top Chef judge and culinary expert Gail Simmons, who makes her long-awaited debut on the podcast. Gail takes us through a most dramatic episode of the season and pulls back the curtain on her new Top Chef Amateurs show that launches July 1. Also, our mission to get Kevin on Top Chef Amateurs is one step closer to becoming reality, but he's still mentally two years away from being two years away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...

Jun 11, 202159 minEp. 79

Ep 10 Recap: Tofu Tourney

Top Chef is coming down to the final five and Kevin and Tom are locked in. This week they discuss Kevin's horrific cooking injury, Tom's frustration with the scoring format, a double feature of Last Chance Kitchens and wish that the show would solve its only issue: not being able to taste the food. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 05, 202146 minEp. 78

Ep 9 Recap: Portlandia

Recipe books take center stage as a Top Chef twist rattles the cheftestants and sends an overmatched chef home. While Kevin expresses disdain for complicated instructions, Tom proposes a theory on elimination tells on social media, and they unite to discuss various milks, hipster or not. Plus: which cheftestant is the Jen Carroll of this season? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 28, 202145 minEp. 77

Ep 8 Recap: Restaurant Wars!

It's time for the Restaurant Wars. Or is it Chef's Table Wars? Tom and Kevin gather themselves after a shocking elimination and compare the upset to a certain NBA Finals stunner. Kevin coaches up one of the teams on their concept and Tom blasts the hard taco movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 21, 20211 hr 2 minEp. 76

Ep 7 Recap: I'm Baaack

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May 14, 202157 minEp. 75

Brian Malarkey's Top 10

Two-time Top Chef contestant Brian Malarkey joins the show to reveal his Top 10 power rankings and also gives his surprising prediction on who's going to win the competition. Kevin and Tom have their minds blown when chef Brian explains his rationale. Also, Brian offers some behind-the-scenes intel on his rally in Season 17 and sets the record straight on his much-debated net worth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

May 03, 202145 minEp. 73

Ep 5 Recap: Drive-in Debate

Tom and Kevin quarrel about the quality of the movie drive-in episode and marvel at how flattened the race has become. New contenders emerge while the juggernauts experience an absolute horror show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 30, 202149 minEp. 72

Ep 4 Recap: Richard Blais

Top Chef superstar Richard Blais returns to the pod to help Kevin and Tom recap the fruit-filled episode. We discuss Richard's amazing hair and geek out over TopChefStats.com as Richard takes us behind the scenes in Portland. Plus, finally, Richard gets to be in the same sentence as LeBron James. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 23, 202155 minEp. 71

Ep 3 Recap: Yes, You Have

Kevin and Tom recap Episode 3 of Top Chef Season 18: Portland while reminiscing about Friendly's peanut butter sauce and revisiting last week's big trade. One thing is clear: Kevin means business this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 16, 202146 minEp. 70

Ep 2 Recap: Chefsplainin'

Kevin and Tom recap the second episode of Season 18/Portland and debate the game theory of choosing teams in the Top Chef schoolyard. Also, after much deliberation, a four-chef trade is completed between the two PYK teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 09, 20211 hr 1 minEp. 69

The Draft

Tom and Kevin take part in their fourth annual PYK draft. A trade is made. The teams are selected. Top Chef Season 18 has begun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 02, 202146 minEp. 68

Chef Gregory Gourdet

Part 2: Tom and Kevin are joined by Top Chef alum and Portland’s own Gregory Gourdet. The Season 18 host and judge talks about his new restaurant, Haitian food, the infamous back injury and whom he’d want as a White House chef. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 02, 202143 minEp. 67

Season 18: PDX Preview!

With the season premiere of Top Chef Season 18 Portland on the horizon, Kevin Arnovitz and Tom Haberstroh set the stage for another round of Top Chef and scout the new 15 cheftestants. What's new? What's staying the same? The new season of Top Chef is upon us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 25, 202156 minEp. 66

Mother Of All Finales (Ep 6 Finale Recap)

Kevin and Tom bust out the scorecards and judge the final courses of the three finalists of Top Chef Season 6. Who deserved to win? Controversy ensues. Finally, a request from our Pack Your Knives audience as we look ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 03, 20201 hr 12 minEp. 65

Viva Napa Valley (Ep 14 Recap)

With the cheftestants leaving Las Vegas for wine country, Kevin and Tom break down part 1 of the finale, discuss wine vs. beer and bid farewell to a stellar chef. Also, Kevin explains his new upcoming diet and asks Tom for some advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 27, 202056 minEp. 64

Gambled And Lost (Ep 11/12 Recap)

Kevin and Tom recap the Vegas hotel episode, write a love letter to Thousand Island Dressing and debate the virtues of breakfast in bed. When a certain chef goes home, Kevin and Tom cry foul. Also: chicken wings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 14, 202052 minEp. 62

Eat Your Veggies (Ep 10 Recap)

Tom and Kevin break down the Natalie Portman episode, reminisce about TV dinners and go deep on vegetable protein stats. A controversial chef goes home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 06, 202056 minEp. 61

R3VOLT-ing (S6:E9 Recap)

It's Restaurant Wars! It's time for Kevin and Tom to bring in PYK's Senior Restaurant Wars Correspondent guest Hershy Ash to break it all down. Who should have gone home? Who was right in the Robin-vs.-Michael spat? Plus, halfway through the pod, a surprise guest appearance from one of the cheftestants on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 29, 20201 hr 9 minEp. 60

Revisiting Vegas with Chef Ash Fulk

Kevin and Tom are joined by Chef Ash Fulk from Season 6 Las Vegas. The Hillcountry Barbecue Market chef takes us behind the scenes on the season and reveals the secret breakouts from elimination island, the real story behind the amazing "Oh, I forgot flavorrr" line and takes us on a tour of Texas barbecue lore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 25, 202053 minEp. 59

Candy Pallette Whine (Ep 8 Recap)

Tom and Kevin debate their favorite elevated snack food and break down Episode 8, which bids farewell to a chef that hurt our sides from laughing so hard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 22, 202059 minEp. 58

Chef Jen's Flu Game (S6:E7 Recap)

Kevin and Tom recap Episode 7 with the help of Chef Jen Carroll who talks about her flu game, the surprising beef between Chef Kevin and Chef Bryan, and the lowdown on Chef Robin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 15, 20201 hr 14 minEp. 57

Under Deconstruction (S6:E6 Recap)

Tom and Kevin deconstruct the Penn & Teller episode of Top Chef Season 6 and dish about Eli's pressure cooker incident, Toby Young, the Eli line and an unfair linguistic disadvantage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 08, 202056 minEp. 56

Giddy Up! (Ep 5 Recap)

Tom and Kevin recap a hot ‘n spicy episode of Season 6 and break down Tom Colicchio’s famous spit-out in the desert sand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 31, 202052 minEp. 55

C’est la vie (Ep 4 Recap)

Kevin and Tom break down a French powerhouse episode and debate the benefits of kitchen technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 25, 202054 minEp. 54

Mess Kitchen: Ep 3 Recap

Tom and Kevin break down Episode 3 of Season 6 Las Vegas and serve up some praise on the challenges. Tom rants about greek salad and offers a mea culpa to Kevin. We look forward to Episode 4, where the real fun begins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 17, 202045 minEp. 53

Let's BroGo: Ep 2 Recap

Kevin and Tom get their bachelor party on and break down an episode full of cringe. Kevin and Tom bid farewell to a cheftestant and debate Top Chef's ability to identify and groom successful chefs. Also, Kevin pitches his new bachelor party consulting biz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 03, 202054 minEp. 52

What Happens In Vegas (S6:E1 Recap)

Kevin and Tom hop into a time machine and rewatch the season premiere of Season 6 Top Chef Las Vegas, starting a new chapter of Pack Your Knives. The hosts break down how all the surprising ways that the show has changed and take in a heavy dose of Top Chef nostalgia. Which chefs stand out? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 27, 202044 minEp. 51
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