Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Tristen Epps of Buboy. Tristen speaks with Eric about how scrambled eggs and Japanese TV set him on a path towards being a chef, his initial stint in Houston, why he decided on Houston for his big city experience, meeting/working with Marcus Samuelsson, pushing the idea of what really is fine dining cuisine, winning Top Chef: Destination Canada, why now was the right time for him to go on Top Chef, how the show has evolved to showcasing your food within the parameters of the different challenges, why the cooking is the easy part of Top Chef, his goals entering the show, finding out that his father passed during the show, wanting to tell truths with his food during the final challenge, what life has been like since he won the show, whether 2026 is the year for Buboy's opening, why the size of the space is extremely important, the possibility of casual hot dog food at Buboy, and more!

Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at [email protected]. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: