Chef Andre Natera sits down with identical twin chefs Brandon and Jonathan Dearden to discuss rivalry, restaurant leadership, culinary school value, and the realities of running profitable restaurants.

Both twins competed on Top Chef and built careers in very different directions. Brandon pursued fine dining and stages at elite kitchens, while Jonathan focused on leadership roles and restaurant management

The conversation covers lessons from high-intensity kitchens like Alinea, the real value of culinary school, hiring pitfalls with impressive resumes, and how menu engineering helps restaurants stay profitable.

They also discuss competing on Top Chef, the importance of building a chef brand online, and how AI tools are beginning to influence restaurant operations.

What You Will Learn

• The real return on investment of culinary school

• What Michelin-level kitchens teach about discipline and systems

• How restaurant owners engineer menus for profitability

Brandon on Instagram

Jonathan on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Chef Andre Natera sits down with Dallas chef Josh Sutcliff and food commentator Drew Stephenson to unpack the viral debate surrounding the Dallas dining scene.

After Drew’s Instagram post sparked widespread reactions among chefs and diners, the conversation expanded into a deeper look at restaurant success, Michelin expectations, and the economic realities of running restaurants in Texas.

They discuss the polarizing response to Mamani, why tasting-menu-only restaurants often struggle in Texas, and the operational realities of Dallas restaurants, including large spaces, high rent, and limited kitchen infrastructure.

The episode also examines how chefs balance creativity, identity, and profitability while navigating diner expectations, influencer culture, and the evolving fine-dining landscape.

Restaurants discussed include Lucia, Sushi Cozy, Petra and the Beast

Drew Stephenson on Instagram

Josh Sutcliff on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Chef Andre Natera sits down with Jam Sanichat, chef-owner of Thai Fresh in Austin, Texas, to explore how restaurant culture, wage models, and culinary traditions intersect.

Jam explains why she eliminated tipping at Thai Fresh and replaced it with a transparent service fee designed to provide stable wages and reduce front-of-house and back-of-house pay disparities.

The conversation also traces her journey from teaching Thai cooking classes and selling prepared foods at farmers markets to building Thai Fresh into a full restaurant and cooking school with vegan desserts, gluten-free ice cream, and a sustainability-focused sourcing philosophy.

Jam shares how she crowdfunded a memoir-style cookbook through Kickstarter, breaking down the strategy behind a successful campaign including reward tiers, promotional planning, and production timelines.

For cooks and chefs interested in Thai cuisine, Jam explains the five-flavor balance that defines Thai cooking and discusses pantry staples like fish sauce, pandan, and curry paste that help create bold, layered flavor.

This episode blends restaurant economics, cookbook publishing insights, and practical Thai cooking knowledge for anyone curious about the intersection of hospitality business and culinary tradition.

Thai Fresh Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thaifresh/

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Most chefs should not open a restaurant.

James Trees explains why ownership is finance and leadership, not cooking. From prime cost and food cost velocity to EBITDA, triple net leases, and delivery app traps, this episode is a restaurant business masterclass.

If you are thinking about opening your first restaurant, learn the numbers first.

• How prime cost actually works

• Why food cost velocity matters more than percentages

• How to negotiate leases and protect downside

Built for chefs serious about ownership and profit.

Follow Chefs PSA and share this episode with a chef who wants to open a restaurant.

James Trees Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

A Michelin-trained chef faces thyroid cancer and the real possibility of losing his taste.

Chef Jake Rojas shares his diagnosis, treatment, feeding tube recovery, and how the experience reshaped his priorities around health and leadership. From El Paso competitions to three-star kitchens in Las Vegas, this is a conversation about discipline, identity, and why flavor is the only thing that truly matters.

• What Michelin kitchens teach about execution and respect

• How serious illness reframes leadership and priorities

• Why deliciousness outweighs presentation and hype

Built for chefs who want longevity, not just accolades.

Follow Chefs PSA and share this episode with a chef who needs permission to prioritize their health.

Jake Rojas on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

She left finance to open two of Austin’s most talked-about restaurants.

In this episode of Chefs PSA, Laila Bazahm explains how fine dining discipline, financial literacy, and cultural awareness shaped her path from Wall Street to restaurant ownership.

This conversation is essential for chefs who want to open their first restaurant without guessing their way through funding.

• How to secure capital for a restaurant

• What elite kitchens actually teach

• Why financial literacy determines survival

Built for chefs serious about ownership and leadership.

ollow Chefs PSA and share this episode with a chef planning to open a restaurant.

Laila on Instagram

Siti on Instagram

El Raval on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Restaurant kitchens are breaking chefs.

Joey Chavez left the traditional kitchen path to build a private dining business that protects income, health, and time. In this episode of Chefs PSA, Andre Natera breaks down what chefs are never taught about money, pricing, and long-term sustainability.

This is a reality check for cooks questioning their future.

You will learn

• Why restaurant kitchens burn chefs out

• How private dining actually pays

• Why health is a financial issue

Follow Joey on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Rational → Rationalusa.com

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠

Chef Francis Pascal of Vendador joins André Natera to talk private dining, leadership, contracts, pricing, and the real business behind luxury events. From immigrant roots to building a high-end operation, this episode is packed with practical insight for chefs looking to go independent.

If this episode helped you, leave a 5-star rating and follow Chef’s PSA.

Francis Pascal on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/

Brent Weathers cuts through the 'Instagram Chef' BS to reveal the reality of cooking without recipes.

In this episode, André Natera welcomes back chef and content creator Brent Weathers for a conversation that cuts through trends, gimmicks, and recycled food content.

They break down cooking without recipes, the pressure of originality, content creation burnout, and the realities most chefs don’t say out loud. From wild dining stories to serious industry talk, this episode blends food, culture, and humor in a way only Chef’s PSA does. Only 5-stars!

⁠Brent on Instagram⁠

🔗 Links & Resources

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠

Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠

Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/

If this episode brings you value, leave a 5-star rating and follow Chef’s PSA.

Great restaurants are designed, not improvised.

Andre Natera sits down again with Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel of Birdie’s to break down menu structure, kitchen culture, mentorship, and leadership. They explore why Birdie’s moved to a prefixed format, how structure improved creativity, and what it really takes to build sustainable restaurant teams.

This episode is for chefs thinking long-term.

Follow Tracy on Instagram

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
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