Based in Houston, Texas, Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown are the Co-Founders and husband-and-wife team behind Southern Smoke Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides emergency relief funding, mental health services, and other resources for food and beverage industry workers in need of support.  Before taking on a full-time role with Southern Smoke Foundation in 2023, Lindsey looked after the public relations for Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau before opening her own firm where she continued championing Houston’s culinary scene. Today, she serves as both Co-Founder and Executive Director for Southern Smoke Foundation and is heavily involved in other Houston-based non-profits.

A longtime Houstonian, Chris began his fine dining career at Brennan’s Houston, working as a chef and looking after the wine program before opening his own concepts Catalan Food & Wine and Underbelly, where he earned national recognition for his culinary work. Today, in addition to his role at Southern Smoke Foundation, Chris is a cookbook author, a food and beverage writer, culinary consultant, television host, and public speaker.

In this episode, Chris and Lindsey join Steve for a conversation on their journey creating the Southern Smoke Foundation, how the industry shows up to support those in need, and their hopes for the future of hospitality.

Thank you to  Stolon Food Lab for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.

Chef and restaurateur Lawrence Weeks channels Southern tradition, global influence, and personal heritage into his Louisville-based restaurants, North of Bourbon and Ensō. A Louisville native, Weeks was drawn to the kitchen at an early age, inspired by his parents’ international travels and his family’s Creole and Cajun roots. In 2021, he opened North of Bourbon, a restaurant that explores the intersection of Kentucky bourbon culture and the bold, soulful flavors of the American South. Building on that momentum, Weeks debuted Ensō in 2023, a concept rooted in Japanese technique and philosophy while remaining grounded in Southern seasonality. In 2024, he was named a James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalist for Emerging Chef.

In this episode, Lawrence joins Steve in a conversation that covers his growth from chef to owner, how his exposure to different cultures at a young age shaped his culinary career, and his passion for mentoring young chefs.

Thank you to  Stolon Food Lab for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.

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Based in Austin, TX, André Natera is a best-selling author, public speaker, and host of Chef’s PSA, one of the top-ranked chef podcasts globally. With 27 years of experience as a professional chef, André now dedicates his work to mentoring the next generation of culinary leaders and sharing unfiltered insights through his books, online courses, and podcast. Known for his honest and impactful style, André blends real-world kitchen wisdom with practical advice for cooks and chefs at every level.

In this episode, André joins Steve in a conversation about working in kitchens and leading them, mentoring the next generation of chefs, and changing career paths within the hospitality industry.

Thank you to  Stolon Food Lab  for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.

Celebrated chef, cookbook author, television personality, and restaurateur Vivian Howard’s culinary expertise stretches across multiple mediums while remaining deeply rooted in her Southern upbringing. An author of two cookbooks, her first, Deep Run Roots: Stories & Recipes from My Corner of the South, is a New York Times-bestseller and was named “Cookbook of the Year” by International Association of Culinary Professionals. Vivian is also the creator and host of public television shows Somewhere South and A Chef’s Life, for which she has won Peabody, Emmy and James Beard Awards. Vivian’s culinary expertise is also on full display at her restaurants Lenoir and Hot and Handy, both located in Charleston, SC, and Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, NC.

In this episode, Vivian joins Steve in a conversation that covers her career working in advertising in New York City to creating a side-hustle soup business to returning to her home state of North Carolina to open her first restaurant, which kicked off a journey of building and balancing multiple projects. 

Thank you to Stolon Food Lab for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.

Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Chicago-based Boka Restaurant Group Kevin Boehm has established himself as one of the world’s foremost hospitality visionaries. Alongside partner Rob Katz, Kevin has opened 40 restaurants over the last  30 years and built a restaurant group based on great chefs, inspired design, and enlightened hospitality. Under his leadership, the group has earned 18 James Beard Foundation Award nominations, two Food & Wine Best New Chefs, 13 consecutive MICHELIN Guide stars for Boka, and 6 Boka Restaurant Group restaurants on Chicago Tribune’s Top 50 list.  He has also made appearances in shows like The Bear for his work in Chicago restaurants and beyond. Kevin lives in Chicago and frequently spends time in Los Angeles and New York City, where Boka Restaurant Group has opened restaurants in recent years.  

In this episode, Kevin joins Steve in a conversation on leading the growth of Boka Restaurant Group, his journey to sobriety, and the trials and triumphs of his career in hospitality.

Longtime teammates of the Indigo Road Hospitality Group (IRHG) Jeremiah Bacon, Kimball Brienza, Jennifer Dailey, and Vonda Freeman have played a big part IRHG’s growth within their 15 years of working under IRHG. From leading the beverage program and culinary directions, to growing one concept to multiple locations, to looking after the financial health of the business, each individual has played an important role and brings a unique hospitality philosophy to the company.

In this episode, these longtime teammates join Steve to reflect on their journey within IRHG, discuss key learning moments that have strengthened their career in hospitality, and share a few laughs. 

Maître D, foodie, fundraiser, philanthropist, career restaurateur, mentor, and Charleston ambassador – these are just a few titles bestowed upon Mickey Bakst. After nearly 50 years of working in the hospitality industry, Mickey co-founded Ben’s Friends, a support group for members of the food and beverage industry battling substance abuse and addiction, alongside Steve Palmer. The mission of Ben’s Friends is to offer hope, fellowship, and a path forward to anyone who struggles with substance abuse and addiction. Mickey has since retired from working full time in the hospitality industry but has dedicated himself to Ben’s Friends and supporting workers in the hospitality industry. In role as Executive Director, he is focused on spreading the word about Ben’s Friends to existing and emerging chapters across the country.

In this episode, Mickey joins his longtime colleague and friend, Steve Palmer, in a candid conversation on  the current state of the hospitality industry, navigating stress and sobriety in his various roles through his career, and the lasting impact of their work with Ben’s Friends.

Thank you to Stolon Food Lab for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.

Mike Lata, chef and co-owner of Charleston’s FIG and The Ordinary in Charleston, SC, is a James Beard Award-winning chef celebrated for his dedication to local flavors and culinary practices that pay respect to the efforts and traditions of his family of purveyors and the Lowcountry. Mike’s food, philosophy, and contributions to the Charleston community have earned him recognition on a national platform, including coverage in The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Esquire, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, The New York Times and many more.

In this episode, Mike joins Steve in a candid conversation discussing his personal and professional journey in hospitality.

Thank you to Stolon Food Lab for allowing us to use the space to film this episode.