The Line

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

After almost 20 years in the security and private protection field, during which he kept a close eye on some of the country's most public figures, Brooklyn native Billy Durney has fulfilled a longtime dream by taking the helm as pitmaster and owner at Hometown Bar-B-Que. Since first learning to smoke meat as a youngster during visits to his grandparents' cabin in rural Pennsylvania, Billy has spent years obsessing over his barbecue, traveling around the United States and abroad perfecting his techniques. Starting in the backyard, cooking for family and friends, he has now realized his lifelong passion for wood, fire and meat.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Chef Rawlston Williams of The Food Sermon.

Originally from the Caribbean island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Chef Rawlston Williams draws vibrant flavors and cooking techniques from an array of cultures. He launched The Food Sermon as a catering venture before expanding to a pint-sized corner restaurant in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, earning an extremely loyal fan base and expanding from there.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Deuki Hong, former executive chef of Kang Ho Dong Baekjong and co-author of Koreatown: A Cookbook. Most recently, Hong has formed a hospitality group intended for restaurants from chefs who, like Hong, are young and talented, but may lack resources. The goal is to assemble a cadre of young talent that will be, as he tells Eater NY, “an Avengers of the food world.”

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Jay Chan, chef and co-owner of Fancy Nancy in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. From working in the kitchen as part of his high school's culinary program, to stints at Northern Spy and Mile End, to cultivating a genuine neighborhood establishment with fellow Northern Spy alum Kristin Walker, follow the line of Chan's career on this week's episode!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leading il Buco Alimentari & Vineria’s artisan bread program, Head Baker Sheena Otto bakes all the breads on the restaurant menu, in addition those offered through the Alimentari’s bakery. Born and raised in NYC’s Hell’s Kitchen, Sheena’s path into the culinary world was an untraditional one, though her long-time love of baking did eventually lead her to some of the city’s top bakeries and bread programs. She started her career investigating police misconduct in the NYPD, but confident that she hadn’t yet found her calling, Sheena moved to Washington, DC several years later to explore a career in Law. After a brief stint in DC, she returned to NYC and started working in a hedge fund until 2008, when she was laid off after the stock market crashed. Again in search of her next move professionally, Sheena took a job at a small Mediterranean deli, where her passion for baking was reignited. She became a baker at NYC’s iconic Amy’s Bread and simultaneously staged at SCRATCHBread in Brooklyn. She was hired as Head Boulangère at the Michelin-starred Atera and launched the restaurant’s much praised bread program. After three years, she became the sous chef at beloved Brooklyn bakery Bien Cuit, and honed her bread baking practice of using a slow fermentation process and only the best ingredients, which she now brings to il Buco Alimentari. In addition to il Buco’s classic breads like ciabatta, focaccia fino and filone, Sheena has added her own specialty breads to the menu, including a naturally fermented Buckwheat Rye (made with Anson Mills Rye), a Bourbon Raisin Fennel bread and a flavorful Multigrain bread with pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and flax seeds.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman sits down with Chef Hillary Sterling. Born and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Sterling was inspired to cook by her grandmother, who had a passion for cooking and a knack for resourcefully combining ingredients. Years later, after earning a business degree from Indiana University, Sterling began taking night classes at a local cooking school in Bloomington, which promptly refocused her attention on food. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago in 2003, Sterling returned to New York City and worked in restaurants owned by Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Missy Robbins, and more. Currently, she is the chef at Vic’s, a new neighborhood Italian-Mediterranean restaurant in NoHo.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Line, Eli gets inside the mind of Jonathan Wu, Chef and Owner of Fung Tu in Brooklyn. Jonathan cites his mom as his greatest culinary influence, and garnering his culinary experience from his travels to Europe, he has managed to create a unique Asian dining experience, putting seasonality at the heart of his cooking.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Matt Hyland of pizza destinations Emily and Emmy Squared. Tune in to hear them trace the line of Matt's career from from college to computers to chef whites.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Robyn Sue Fisher, founder of Smitten Ice Cream. With locations in both Southern and Northern California, Smitten believes that the quality, purity, and positive impact of ice cream can and should be better.

From a stint in business consulting, to enrolling at one of the best business schools in the United States, to patenting a technique for making ice cream in 90 seconds flat, tune in to follow the line of Fisher's career as an ice cream aficionado and innovator.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the premiere episode of The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Zahra Tangorra, former head chef/owner of Brucie, which was a Cobble Hill destination from 2010 until closing its doors this past February. Tune in to hear her discuss growing up in her parents' specialty food and catering shop on the North Shore of Long Island (the Lovin' Oven), the miracle that led to her becoming a professional chef, and the challenges of running a successful restaurant for five years.

Currently, Zahra is focusing her creative energies on High Five Girl, a feminist lifestyle blog, as well as an in-demand restaurant consulting and catering team.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.