That's right, a blind draft. In person! Top Chef has taken their talents to Tom's home city of Charlotte, which presents a new draft twist. With the possibility that Tom (and Sara) might be attending some challenge tapings in the fall, they got their hands on the contestant list early and drafted immediately to maintain integrity of the show. Yes, for the first time ever, the PYK draft was held before watching the first episode. In the comforts of Tom's home, Tom and Sara break down the wild con...
Feb 23, 2026•1 hr 36 min
We have a trailer! We have a cast! We have a premiere date! Tom and new co-host Sara Bradley are joined by PYK contributors Carly Levitz and Kendra McClanahan to break it all down and make some big announcements about PYK coverage this season (fantasy leagues and power rankings!). We talk about the twins and the married couple on this season and how those relationships may play out on Top Chef. We read the tea leaves from the trailer and look ahead to the March 3 premiere. Subscribe to the PYK S...
Jan 30, 2026•1 hr 29 min
With Top Chef Carolinas on tap, we have a big announcement to make. In this special offseason episode, we welcome Top Chef finalist Sara Bradley to the team and preview Season 23 by taking turns predicting challenges in Charlotte, NC and Greenville, SC. Bradley sheds light about her time living in Charlotte and cutting her teeth at Johnson & Wales. Tom reveals childhood culinary trauma and Sara reveals what she's MOST excited about for the upcoming season. What Charlotte-themed challenges do...
Sep 03, 2025•1 hr 28 min
Making his highly-anticipated debut on Pack Your Knives, Top Chef Season 22 winner Tristen Epps talks to Tom Haberstroh about his epic performance on Top Chef and why the Afro-Caribbean chef is jealous about the upcoming Top Chef Carolinas. The globetrotter explains what Top Chef greatness looks like, sets the record straight on the supposed Massimo beef (?) and what he envisions for his new restaurant Buboy in Houston. The Charlotte Johnson & Wales graduate also reveals the one former Top C...
Aug 08, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Tom Haberstroh is over the moon upon discovering that Top Chef Season 23 will be filmed in his own backyard! On Wednesday, it was announced that “Top Chef Carolinas” will have Charlotte, NC as the hub city. Tom sheds light on Charlotte ties to Top Chef alums Tristen Epps, Sara Bradley, Jamie Lynch, Sam Talbot and Eric Adjepong. Subscribe to the PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/ Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify , or watch PYK on ...
Jul 23, 2025•20 min
After Tom and Eric watch the season finale at his restaurant in DC, they host the podcast recap in front of a live audience, a joyous crowd that included the winner’s brother and Season 22 contestant Corwin Hemming. Tom and Eric discuss the significance of the winner’s impressive victory and take stock in the winner’s entire season. Eric shares his personal thoughts on the legacy of the winner’s achievement. After ranking this Top Chef season among the greats, Tom decides to put together his Mou...
Jun 15, 2025•50 min
Viva Finale. With one episode to go, Tom (now an honorary Ghanaian citizen) and Eric break down the Milan Finale Part 1 with the help of Carly Levitz who shares her analysis on the history of risotto on Top Chef. Is the curse of risotto overrated, underrated or properly rated? One chef's out-of-box thinking gets the best of them and the finale will decide which fantasy team wins: Team Eric or Team Tom. The margins are so slim. That's why it feels so big. See you in DC next week at Eric's restaur...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 21 min
Ahead of their Season Finale Watch Party announcement (June 12th at Elmina! Get your tickets now! ), Tom and Eric wax poetic about the Quarry Lake episode. This hour of Top Chef had it all. Tom and Eric recap what they consider one of the greatest episodes of the series' history. While getting choked up on air, Eric explains why he got so emotional watching the Quarry Lake episode and especially the heart-breaking judge's table. The integrity of the show, Tom argues, is what makes Top Chef TOP C...
May 30, 2025•1 hr 14 min
And then there were five. With one episode left before the two-part finale, Eric Adjepong and Tom Haberstroh break down the Calgary episode (Yahoo!). As the contestants wrangle with beef and berries, Tom and Eric weigh in on the most underrated cut of the cow and the best preparation at a steakhouse. How exactly we did Massimo make that fancy Fruit Roll-up? A rivalry emerges and three chefs separate themselves from the pack. The race seems more undecided than ever. Subscribe to the PYK Substack!...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Last Chance Kitchen is over. Eric Adjepong is back. And the show wraps up Toronto. A returnee comes back into the competition and gets revenge on the competitors. Adjepong shares his thoughts on Tristen at Restaurant Wars and what he took from the last two weeks while he was off air. Tom and Eric can’t help but laugh at the “hot garbage” quickfire while we wonder how sustainable Tristen’s lead might be with Massimo closing fast. The Top Chef fantasy race is getting hot. Subscribe to the PYK Subs...
May 16, 2025•51 min
Buddha, Kevin and Tom oh my! Back for more, Kevin Arnovitz returns to the stage with Tom Haberstroh to flex their mussels and talk Top Chef post-Restaurant Wars. With no more immunity on the table, they discuss the reintroduction of last year’s rule that Quickfires are now part of judges table. Plus, Buddha Lo joins the show to share insights from his high seat at judge’s table in Toronto. After gushing about a flawless salmon Wellington, the two-time champ is asked to compare his game to Triste...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 30 min
Restaurant Wars is here and so is Kevin Arnovitz! With Eric Adjepong on film leave, Arnovitz steps back into the chair to break down an emotional and tragic Restaurant Wars episode and offer his big-picture thoughts on the Destination Canada season as a whole. Where is Tristen Epps in the pantheon? When did the losing team squander their moment? What's the best way to eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch? And which Atlanta Braves pitcher does Lana remind us of? All that and more on a PYK reunion episode. S...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 36 min
OK, it’s time to talk about a certain chef in this competition. With the dominant stretch in the middle of Destination Canada, Tom and Eric discuss where the elimination-challenge winner places statistically and stylistically among the all-time greats. Names like Buddha Lo, Kristen Kish and Brooke Williamson are conjured up. Eric reveals the one chef that made him stand in awe during one of his competitions and explains the brilliance of Wylie “WD50” Dufresne and his DC pal Spike Mendelsohn. Plu...
Apr 26, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Eric Adjepong starts his victory lap trot after another disastrous week for Team Tom. Everyone at PYK is on Team Pickle. Haberstroh and Adjepong unpack the mistake-ridden episode of Top Chef while simultaneously bowing down to the greatness of two of Adjepong's chefs (Tristen and César). Eric also sheds light on the fashion do's-and-don'ts of Top Chef and the food TV world. After his trip to NYC, Tom shares his review of Time and Tide, the new restaurant from last season's Top Chef champ Danny G...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Tom Haberstroh and Eric Adjepong are joined by ESPN’s Mina Kimes to recap this week’s episode which saw a double elimination. Did we like the staging at different restaurants? Are we surprised by the judge’s choices? Did the episode fall short? As the three weigh in, a surprise guest crashes the party: the guest judge Sara Bradley! Go behind the scenes with Sara, Eric, Tom and Mina as we break down this very controversial episode of Top Chef. Subscribe to the PYK Substack! https://www.packyourkn...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Tom reviews the latest two episodes of Last Chance Kitchen, including a LCK bombshell in the Hat Trick episode as well as a surprising two-part LCK 1 Finale. A lot happened, we'll just leave it at that. Subscribe to the PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/ Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify , or watch PYK on YouTube! Follow PYK on Twitter: @packknives & Instagram: @packyourknives COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE - Check it out here: https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choi...
Apr 04, 2025•10 min
Tom Haberstroh and Eric Adjepong break down the episode with a really fun trivia QF and marvel at Chef Tristen’s hoop knowledge. Eric reveals the ins and outs of a proper duck cook while Tom shares the points standings of all the contestants from the season (It’s about time we got to, you know, see Canada!). As far as guest judges go, this episode did not disappoint. We got two Jeopardy contestants Amy Schneider and Mattea Roach for the Quickfire Challenge joining Michael Cera of Superbad, Arres...
Apr 04, 2025•55 min
Three episodes in, a clear favorite emerges from the pack of Top Chef: Destination Canada. Tom and Eric skate their way through the Jamaican patty and hockey episode that saw the judges sadly send home one of the more talented chefs of the group. Eric shares his favorite beef patty stories from childhood and provides a BTS insight about what the producers say on set that gave him some a pang of pseudo-PTSD. Tom recaps last week’s Last Chance Kitchen with a request for Tom C. Subscribe to the PYK...
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 21 min
As expected, the poutine episode has arrived! Eric Adjepong and Tom Haberstroh marvel at Anya's secret ingredient that she brought from Russia; when you've melted the minds of Tom, Eric AND Daniel Boulud, you know you're a serious Top Chef force. Tom and Eric debate the merits of a two-team challenge this early in the game and both have strong thoughts about the Whole Foods curveball. Eric gives insights into the challenges of doing chawanmushi or soufflé on competition shows. Plus, Tom has thou...
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 18 min
To take a closer look at the season premiere, Tom Haberstroh is joined by PYK Substack contributor and data whiz Carly Levitz to break down the episode's trends and storylines. What does the data say about Massimo and the history of "home" chefs? Do the numbers say Richard Blais is the GOAT Top Chef? Carly also picks her favorite underdog chef and reveals what trends she's keeping an eye on as we progress through Season 22: Destination Canada. Subscribe to the PYK Substack! https://www.packyourk...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 5 min
For the 8th annual Pack Your Knives draft, Tom Haberstroh and Eric Adjepong take turns selecting their cheftestants and recap the Season 22 Destination Premiere along the way. A shocking twist occurs in Bronx-natives Adjepong’s pattern of selections. How soon did the elimination challenge winner get picked? Tom & Eric weigh in on the quality of chefs this season, the decisions that led up to the elimination and look ahead at Season 22. Subscribe to the PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknive...
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Tom Haberstroh and Top Chef alum Eric Adjepong react to the Top Chef Season 22 contestant list and break down the promo video for clues. Which chefs have the most promising bios and resumes for Top Chef Canada? Haberstroh brings the stats on social media followings while Adejpong reveals which chefs he knows personally, the meals they cooked and their cooking styles. Adjepong and Haberstroh also share their Super Bowl eats and give a fresh update on Adjepong's new restaurant opening. Subscribe t...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 15 min
After debating the virtues of mint chocolate, Tom Haberstroh and former Top Chef contestant Eric Adjepong go back in time and rewatch the season premiere of Season 16 Kentucky at Churchill Downs. While experiencing "PTSD" about the show, the two-time Top Chef contestant Adjepong reveals details from behind the scenes of Top Chef and the hidden day-to-day challenges of being on reality TV. Adjepong also shares more intel on his new restaurant and picks the worst holiday to work as a chef. Subscri...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 16 min
Ahead of the upcoming Top Chef season in the spring, Tom Haberstroh makes a big announcement about the future of Pack Your Knives. After officially welcoming in chef Eric Adjepong, the two-time Top Chef contestant reflects on his time on the reality TV show and presents his top-three misconceptions about the grueling competition. He also dishes on his elite knife skills, opening up a new restaurant and whether he'd prefer winning a Michelin star or his New York Knicks winning an NBA title. Subsc...
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Every episode of television is a series of creative decisions. Which characters do we spend the most time with? In which settings? How will the conflict occur? Season Three of “The Bear” took some unconventional risks — some worked and some didn’t. PYK Producer Anthony Mayes joins Tom and Kevin to break it all down, and to look ahead to the show’s final season. Subscribe to the new PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/ Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify Follow PYK on Twitter: @packkniv...
Aug 12, 2024•1 hr 13 min
Chef Eric Adjepong knows restaurant kitchens and he knows television — he hosts “Alex vs. America” and “Wildcard Kitchen” on The Food Network. He stops by PYK to chat about what “The Bear” gets right. Tom and Kevin also ask him which is more beneficial: A love-letter of a review of a restaurant in a big city newspaper, or an Instagram reel of Kamala Harris & husband raving about the dining experience. He also shares why so many chefs both love the show, but also are triggered by the intensit...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Sandwiched between two bottle episodes, “The Legacy” puts Sydney on the spot — will she take Shapiro’s offer to become Chef de Cuisine at his new joint, or will she finally sign the partnership agreement and fully commit to the Bear. Tom and Kevin debate what Sydney will — and should — do. They also lament that the show’s shot selection, opting for more scenes of the Fak brothers esoteric and unfunny shtick over more dramatic beats that heighten conflict and deepen characters. Tom enjoyed “Ice C...
Jul 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Bottle episodes can be risky business for a series, but “The Bear” has shined with its one-off productions, from Season’s 2 family stage play “Fishes” to this season’s mood poem of a premier. This episode, “Napkins,” marks the directorial debut of series regular Ayo Edebiri (Sydney) and focuses almost entirely on how Tina (played remarkably by Liza Colón-Zayas) found her way to The Beef/The Bear. Friend of PYK C.J. Krawczyk stops in to share with Tom and Kevin his conflicting thoughts about the ...
Jul 22, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Richie’s character is starting to cultivate grace away from the restaurant, even as he and Carmy persist in their sometimes-hot-sometimes-cold war. Tom shares his love of the scene between Richie and his daughter, Evie, and why the two-handed scenes represent The Bear at its best. The two episodes are at their strongest when Carmy and Sydney occupy the kitchen, honing their collective vision. Sydney is learning how to carefully check Carmy’s worst instincts, even as she struggles to sign the par...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Kevin and Tom examine the moments when the show performs at its best: is it the introspective, brooding Carmine scenes at The Bear or when the show “goes home” with secondary characters? Kevin draws a spot-on parallel of Syd/Carmy as Peggy/Don in Mad Men while Tom campaigns for more Richie exploration. The Bear can’t be discussed without a dive into the show’s musical choices. With the Gen X sounds of Eddie Vedder and R.E.M taking center stage, the topic of needle drops surfaces and Tom and Kevi...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 5 min
