Chef's Story

Today on Chef’s Story, host Dorothy Cann Hamilton is joined by New Orleans restauranteur, television personality, community activist and cookbook author John Besh. He discusses the historical significance of Louisiana foods and the collaboration of Creole and French cultures to create the indigenous New Orleans cuisine. Besh talks about his first culinary memories of family meals with rabbit and squirrel and his intrigue in the restaurant industry from an early age. He tells how his time in the military helped to shape his view of the culinary world and inspire him to lead a team in a positive and effective way. Besh looks back at the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and how the community came together over red beans and rice and the efforts to help those in need by employing hurricane affected residents and feeding those without food. Tune in as this James Beard Award winning chef and author talks about his journey to culinary stardom, his passion for local sourcing, and the importance of preserving the culinary history of New Orleans. This program was sponsored by Route 11 Potato Chips.

“I was bitten by the restaurant bug early – I enjoyed bussing tables and coming to the kitchen early and preparing. It was pleasureable – I really enjoyed the interaction with people and the idea of food bringing people together and making everybody happy.” [18:33]

“What the Marines gave me was an understanding of a mission. If the mission in this case is, as a cook, to set your station and be ready to serve your guest flawlessly, understanding that mission allows you to prioritize everything in your day.” [22:25]

“Food is such a powerful tool – and it can be used for good! I found that out, and that’s what’s been driving me ever since.” [48:01]

–chef John Besh on Chef’s Story

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This week on Chef’s Story, Dorothy Cann Hamilton sits down with Jacques Torres, also known as “Mr. Chocolate”. Jacques is a master pastry chef, and a teacher of the pastry arts. Tune into this episode to hear Jacques talk about competing in pastry and becoming a Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF). Dorothy and Jacques discuss the differences between culinary and pastry cooking, and the types of people who become pastry chefs. Hear Jacques talk about his experiences cooking for Pope John Paul II, and why he decided to leave the kitchen and start a chocolate shop. Now, Jacques has chocolate stores in locations such as Dumbo, Downtown Manhattan, Chelsea Market, and more! Listen in to hear more about Jacques’ entrepreneurial spirit and his sense of accomplishment. This episode has been sponsored by 360 Cookware.

“The French think if you add more butter, you make things better!” [40:30]

“Don’t have a huge ego. After all, we just play with food.” [45:00]

— Jacques Torres on Chef’s Story

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This week on Chef’s Story, Dorothy Cann Hamilton sits down with two of New York’s most interesting restauranteurs, visionaries and renegades – Michael Chernow and Daniel Holzman, the men behind the highly successful Meatball Shop chain. From their early days scrapping and hustling at age 14 and working at various restaurants and bars across New York City to their present day reality as successful businessmen, hear their journey from start to finish. Listen in as they recall the early discussions that eventually led to the opening of the first Meatball Shop, which was wildly successful from the start. Hear about their trials, tribulations, expansion plans and the genesis of their vision and brand. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

“If you’re expanding and growing you have to dress for the job you want and plan ahead.” [41:59]

–Daniel Holzman of The Meatball Shop on Chef’s Story

“The general philosophy we use is put your staff first and everything else falls into place.” [39:33]

“Nobody is afraid of a meatball – you can drop one in front of anybody internationally and they know what it is.” [43:00]

–Michael Chernow of The Meatball Shop on Chef’s Story

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This week’s guest on Chef’s Story is none other than Missy Robbins, Executive Chef of A Voce in NYC. Hear how she discovered food growing up in Connecticut and traded art, psychology and photography for gastronomy. Find out how staging for Charlie Trotter eventually turned into a move to New York City to work in various kitchens and eventually become the Executive Chef at Spiaggia and then A Voce. Like many chefs, moving up the ranks in the restaurant world helped shape Missy’s technique and perspective immensely. From managing staff to developing style – get to know one of the most interesting and dedicated chefs working in America today. This program was sponsored by 360 Cookware.

“When I’ve made people sous chefs in my kitchens that don’t have the skill level, it backfires – on them because they’re gunning for a job they aren’t ready for and on me because they can’t lead my cooks.” [30:32]

“After 5 years of working with a chef you don’t know who’s food your cooking any more – you’ve morphed together and hopefully have a synergy you’re working with.” [40:01]

–chef Missy Robbins on Chef’s Story

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This week on Chef’s Story, host Dorothy Cann Hamilton is joined by

“You’re never really ready to open your own place. The only thing that makes you ready for it is when you decide to do it.” [30:15]

“I realized that the thing I liked [most] about cooking wasn’t the cooking, but all the other things I was learning.” [31:56]

–chef Daniel Rose on Chef’s Story

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This week on Chef’s Story, Dorothy Cann Hamilton is joined by chef Bill Telepan of Telepan Restaurant in NYC. Tune in and hear how Bill went from working at delis and local restaurants to attending culinary school, traveling to France and eventually helping open Judson Grill and starting his own restaurant, Telepan Restaurant. Hear what it was like cooking in NYC in the late 80’s, before the local sustainable movement started to take shape. Listen as Bill tells stories of working for legendary restauranteurs like Daniel Boulud and David Bouley and what challenges he faced along his professional culinary career. Also hear what Bill’s been up to as Executive Chef of the Wellness in the Schools program, helping improve the food and food education in NYC public schools. This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

“You have to be true to yourself….if it works, great. If it doesn’t, you can’t be throwing pizzas on the menu because that’s what everybody wants to eat and it’s simple.” [21:45]

“It’s not just about what you do in a kitchen – it’s about what’s going on outside [the restaurant].” [29:48]

“The thing you gain in [sourcing locally] is flavor. There’s many environmental factors that are important, but the fact that the carrot was pulled on Tuesday and you have it in your refrigerator on Wednesday is very important to me – and people notice it.” [35:50]

“The job of school food is so hard because they feed a million kids a day in 1,500 schools. It’s hard to keep track of that. Our program goes in, helps and works alongside them to give them confidence and training and through osmosis change the culture of the school.” [41:20]

–chef Bill Telepan on Chef’s Story

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This week on Chef’s Story, Dorothy Cann Hamilton is joined by renowned Argentine chef Francis Mallmann, chef/owner at 1884 in the Argentine wine region of Mendoza; Patagonia Sur, in Buenos Aires; and the Hotel & Restaurant Garzon in Uruguay. Find out why he traded French haute cuisine for a different approach and started to focus on grilling and fire. Hear his seven techniques for cooking with fire, and learn about how his South American influences informed his career. Tune in as Francis tells listeners about “The Uncertain Edge of Burnt”, and gives tips for grilling and cooking with heat! From cowboy culture to French technique, learn all about the many sides of chef Mallman, Latin America’s pre-eminent chef. This program was sponsored by Whole Foods Market

“It takes about 20 years of cooking to find your own [culinary] language.” [14:00]

“People think of fire as a powerful and male thing, but fire for cooking is an extremely fragile and feminine thing… The beauty of cooking with fire is patience and reading what’s happening and then trying to get things exactly the way you want.” [17:05]

“France is still very strong in my cooking. You can’t see it, but that training is still with me.” [21:20]

“It’s very easy to use sauces and confuse people with lots of things on a plate, but I don’t like that type of cuisine.” [25:20]

“I don’t believe in harmony in food – I like dissonance. Harmony when you eat is for babies, when we grow up we need dissonance. If everything is salty, it’s no good. It’s nice to have one part extremely salty and nice and then mix it up with the rest.” [22:15]

–chef Francis Mallmann on Chef’s Story

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This week on a special edition of Chef’s Story, Dorothy Cann Hamilton sits down with Jorge Collazo, Executive Chef for the NYC Department of Education. Find out what challenges come along with serving 860,000 meals to students in New York City in 1,700 schools! From menu design to research and development, learn more about what goes into feeding New York City’s students and how Jorge and his team are constantly working to make more whole foods and fresh ingredients available in all city schools. Hear why Michelle Obama’s efforts helped so much and what plans are in store for the future. This program was sponsored by White Oak Pastures.

“Portion sizes have increased. This is causing a lot of concern about cost. Everybody welcomes these changes – the issue is that they are unfunded.” [28:44]

“I would love to see students come to breakfast – it’s offered at no cost in all schools to every student.” [32:50]

“Our volume allows us to get very good pricing from companies. They want to be associated with us, they recognize who we are.” [37:30]

“Cultural diversity is alive and well, and real, and something that everybody is aware of and wants to address as far as their food choices – but you also have to think about kids as just being kids.” [40:10]

–Jorge Collazo, Executive Chef for NYC Department of Education on Chef’s Story

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This week on Chef’s Story, Dorothy Cann Hamilton sits down and chats with one of the founders of New American Cuisine, award-winning chef Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill. Listen in as Alfred remembers his Italian-American upbringing in Buffalo, NY and explains how he fell in love with food through French cookbooks and found his way to culinary school and eventually in a kitchen in France. Hear how Gotham Bar & Grill was born and how it challenged the way fine dining was viewed in New York City. Find out why quality of ingredients is so important to Alfred and how art, architecture and design all inspire him in his creations. From his achievements in the kitchen to his endeavors in jewelery and furniture making, discover the brilliance of Alfred Portale on this episode of Chef’s Story. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market.

“At the time Gotham opened – the well reviewed restaurants were formal. If you didn’t know a lot about wine or pronounce certain things you were sneered at. What I thought back then was why not create a dining experience with excellent food and service that doesn’t have all that pretension?”

“Now more than ever, it’s all about the quality of ingredients and modern technique which fortunately have gotten better and better.”

“After 26 years, we continually analyze the operation, work on menu, work on who we are and how to improve. Our early success was because we figured out what customers want and we continue to ask ourselves that same question.”

–Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill on Chef’s Story

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This week’s profiled chef on Dorothy Cann Hamilton’s “Chef’s Story” is legendary Spanish chef Jose Andres. Chef Andres has been credited with the popularization of small plates in America. He is one of the leaders in the molecular gastronomy movement and his flagship restaurants minibar in Washington DC and é in Las Vegas focus on technological preparations. Find out what his life was like growing up in Spain with Ferran Adria and others to cooking in the Navy and hear how Jose eventually ended up in Washington DC and became head chef at Jaleo. Learn more about how Jose brought the concept of tapas to the states and how he helped influence an entire generation of chefs and restaurants. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

“Life has a plan for every one of us. Sometimes we try to fight that plan – but I try to go along with the plan.”

“I believe food is an important issue. It’s beyond sharing a great bottle of champagne or food with friends – it’s much more powerful than that…I’m trying to change the lives of people through the power of food.”

“I always follow the flow of life – and life takes me to fascinating places.”

–Chef Jose Andres on Chef’s Story

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