Before opening her new restaurant Cynthia—an intimate tasting-menu spot in NYC’s West Village—Sherry Cardoso was the secret  weapon of chef-restaurateurs like Greg Baxtrom and Marcus Samuelsson. In this episode, Sherry takes us through her time in multiple generations of landmark NYC restaurants—from Le Cirque to Per Se to Metropolis and Olmsted, among many others. She also shares a little about her time on Top Chef, and the backstory of Cynthia restaurant.

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

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!

Allison Robicelli, our old friend, whom longtime listeners will remember from our Shelter en Place movie conversations, returns to the pod for a long overdue biographical conversation. In addition to weaving tales of growing up in 1980s outer-borough New York City, we get into Allison’s singular travel tips, the joys of Baltimore, and just about anything else she and Andrew could think of.

If you are an aspiring chef younger than 30, or think you might know of one who’d thrive in this program, please check out S.Pellegrino’s Young Chef Academy Competition, or go directly to the application. Andrew has interviewed many past competitors and observed several competitions, and personally recommends applying.

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

Two weeks ago, we took Andrew Talks to Chefs on the road, and recorded a LIVE! show as part of the inaugural Cookbook Week in San Francisco. The subject was Forgotten Cookbook Classics. The guests were two of San Francisco's favorite chefs, Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski (State Bird Provisions, The Progress, The Anchovy Bar). The location was Civic Kitchen. Before an enthusiastic audience, we discussed books by Jacques Pepin, Gordon Ramsay (!), and Claudia Fleming, among many others.

We were honored to share the bill with Michele Norris and her wonderful Your Mama's Kitchen podcast. If you're not familiar with the show, we suggest you check it out--it's great!

If you are an aspiring chef younger than 30, or think you might know of one who'd thrive in this program, please check out S.Pellegrino's Young Chef Academy Competition, or go directly to the application. Andrew has interviewed many past competitors and observed several competitions, and personally recommends applying.

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

As he prepares to introduce his Tatale dining series to NYC, Ghanaian-British chef, restaurateur, and interdisciplinary creative Akwasi Brenya-Mensa discusses his life and career to date. He and Andrew get into his African-focused upbringing in London, his adventures in the music world, and eventual commitment to the culinary realm. **Please note: Andrew misspoke in this episode's introduction; Akwasi's spring/summer 2026 dinner series runs for 12 weeks, not 10. Our sincere apologies for the error!**

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

Thanks also to Gage & Tollner for providing our location. Please keep Gage & Tollner in mind for drinking and/or dining in Downtown Brooklyn, and for special and private occasions. 

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

Episode host/producer: Andrew Friedman

Producer: Roderick Alleyne

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

This is a good one! Scott Conant and Andrew go back a long way, and boy, does it show in this friendly and expansive conversation that covers everything from Scott's newish line of pasta sauces Martone Street, to his restaurants, to his longtime role as a key cast member on TV's Chopped. They also touch on the evolution of celebrity chef culture, how restaurants change over time, and a few of the industry characters they've both enjoyed knowing over the years. We're going a little long on this episode ... stick around for all of it, and hope you have as much fun as Andrew and Scott did!

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

The NYC and American chef community lost a beloved and influential figure last week with the sudden death of Chef Tom Valenti after a short illness. Tom presided over the kitchens of such fabled restaurants as Alison on Dominick Street, Cascabel, Butterfield 81, Ouest, and Cesca, among others. In addition to becoming known for a bold, lusty culinary style, Tom helped found the Windows of Hope charity to raise money for the families of restaurant workers who perished in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York City. He also possessed a quick wit and abiding gift for silliness. (In addition to all of that, he authored three cookbooks in collaboration with Andrew, who was also his publiciast in the 1990s.) In this episode, Andrew shares some remembrances of  Tom, and airs a conversation with Tom that they began in 2020, and which was never finished.

We recommend you read the NY Times obituary of Tom Valenti mentioned in this episode.

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

Writer, author, and Fine Dining Lovers managing editor Paul Feinstein joins the pod for the first of many planned monthly appearances in which he and Andrew will kick around various industry topics.

In this episode, they discuss two recent articles on Fine Dining Lovers: One (by Andrew) on the problem with awards, the other by Heather Platt, about the Rise of Neighborhood restaurants. They also share some lingering Noma-related odds and ends.

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

Before founding meez, the recipe operating system for hospitality professionals, Josh Sharkey was a NYC chef who came up in the legendary kitchens of such OGs as Rick Moonen, and the late David Bouley, Floyd Cardoz (Tabla), and Gray Kunz (Lespinasse). He also owned and operated Bark, a multi-unit artisanal hot dog concept in Manhattan and Brooklyn. In this conversation, Josh--also an old friend of Andrew's--discusses his culinary evolution and gradual and successful shift to entrepreneurism. 

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

Episode host/producer/editor/mixer: Andrew Friedman

Producer: Roderick Alleyne

Videographer: Victor Michael Thelian

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

Jordan Frosolone, who's turning out some of Andrew's favorite food in NYC at the moment at Borgo restaurant, joins us in this episode. Jordan recounts his midwestern upbringing, time in Italy, and formative jobs with chefs and restaurant groups including the late David Bouley, the Momofuku group, and Marco Canora's Hearth restaurant.

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

Episode host/producer/editor/mixer: Andrew Friedman

Producer: Roderick Alleyne

Videographer: Edison Koo

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!

[**New episodes of ATTC are now available in video! You can watch on Spotify, or YouTube. Or you can just keep on listening in all the same places you usually do.**]

As the original Craft restaurant turns 25, Tom Colicchio sits down with Andrew to discuss the restaurant's recent menu-format change, Craft's influence on dining in the US, and a few hot topics, such as industry staging culture, the growing Noma scandal, and the problem with awards.

Our great thanks to our presenting sponsor, meez, the recipe-operating system for culinary professionals.

And thanks to S.Pellegrino for their longstanding support of the pod.

Episode host/producer: Andrew Friedman

Producer/editor/mixer: Roderick Alleyne

Videographer: Edison Koo

LISTEN (audio only) to our live show from 2019 in which Tom tells the Craft origin story.

Here's the article Tom and Andrew talk about, about how food media's focus on restaurants conditions customers to do the same.

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!