Tomer Blechman's life has taken him from his native Israel to Los Angeles, the Far East, and finally to New York City. He also naturally progressed from a life of healing to cooking and hospitality, which are for him intertwined. This path has led him to founding three successful Brooklyn ventures: Miss Ada, Theodora, and Thea Bakery. In this deeply personal conversation, Tomer sits down with Andrew to discuss his training, pulling together his first restaurant, and how he stays grounded through it all.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

In this this second  installment of our conversation with Jenner Tomaska and Katrina Bravo, the couple behind Chicago's Esmé, the pair discuss  their time at MK and Next in Chicago, the process of concepting Esmé, and their working relationship..

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Two guests demand two episodes! In this first  installment, Jenner Tomaska and Katrina Bravo, the couple behind Chicago's Esmé, talk about their childhoods in, respectively, Illinois and Florida, and the relationship with food and cooking that led Jenner to become a chef and Katrina to become a creative director.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Adam Leonti discusses his New England upbringing, time cooking in Philly and living overseas, and the series of New York City projects that have led to his current success at Cucina Alba in NYC's Chelsea neighborhood.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

While he was in NYC for the Fancy Food Show in June, Chef Paul Bertolli made time to sit down with Andrew to discuss his varied and textured  culinary career, which has included time as chef of Chez Panisse and then Oliveto, authoring or co-authoring books such as Chez Panisse Cooking and Cooking By Hand, and founding the salumi and charcuterie company Fra'Mani Handcrafted Foods.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

It's been a busy year for Jeremy Salamon. The chef and owner of Brooklyn's Agi's Counter came out with his first cookbook, Second Generation: Hungarian and Jewish Classics Reimagined for the Modern Table, and is readying his next restaurant, Pitt's, for its imminent launch. Earlier this fall, Andrew dropped into Agi's Counter and chatted with Jeremy about his young life and career so far, which has included stints at Prune, Buvette, Via Carota, and Locanda Verde, and time exploring Hungarian food in its native country.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes. 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Following a college-age shift from music to cooking, Nick Tamburo trained in some notable kitchens in the US and Europe, and served in chef positions within the Momofuku group and Claud. In late August, he launched his first restaurant of his own, Smithereens, in downtown Manhattan. The restaurant serves Nick's take on coastal New England cuisine and we're delighted to have him on the pod for the first time to talk about all of that and more.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes. 

 * episode photo by Phoebe Ng

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

While in New York City this September, Lisa Dahl--the prolific Sedona, Arizona chef and restaurateur--made time to visit with Andrew for a very personal conversation about her unique life and career path. Lisa wasn't always bound for the pro kitchen. She harbored dreams of singing, and worked for a time in fashion. But once she found her way to Sedona (which she describes as her sanctuary) and her calling as a cook, her ascent has been steady, and still continues today. This conversation begins steeped in personal history and transitions into a very detailed exploration of cooking, restaurant concepts, and much more.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes. 

photo by Scott Yates

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

This fall, at the Roots Conference held at The Chef's Garden's Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan, Ohio, Farmer Lee Jones (he of the signature denim overalls and red bowtie) sat down with Andrew to discuss a few key issues covered at the conference--regenerative farming, vegetables as preventative medicine, and the future of the industry.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes. 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Chef Tyler Akin has a bona fide hit on his hand with Philly's newish Bastia restaurant, where he presents his spin on Mediterranean cuisine. Back in the spring, before the restaurant launched, Tyler  sat down with Andrew for a conversation about his career so far, and about the restaurant as it was being developed. Along the way, they get into the nexus of athletics and cooking, perfectionism, and plotting the steps of a culinary career.

Huge thanks to Andrew Talks to Chefs’ presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe operating software for culinary professionals. Meez powers the Andrew Talks to Chefs podcast as part of the meez  Network, featuring a breadth of food and beverage podcasts and newsletters. 

This episode is part of the Andrew Talks to Chefs New Episode Holiday Marathon, brought to you by The Dish, Andrew's most recent book, which just became available in paperback, with a cool new black-and-white cover. Be sure to check it out, and subscribe to the pod wherever you listen so you can keep up with the Marathon and all forthcoming episodes. 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!