Intermezzo

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Washington, D.C.'s Navy Yard to sit down with Kyle Bailey—chef, restaurateur, and one of the Mid-Atlantic's leading voices in sustainable seafood and Chesapeake Bay cuisine.Kyle has spent his career building restaurants that celebrate seasonality, craftsmanship, and the people harvesting our food. Named Food & Wine's People's Best New Chef, he co-founded the Washington, D.C. chapter of Dock to Dish, helping forge direct relationships between Chesapeake watermen and local restaurants. Whether he's curing charcuterie, shucking his own proprietary oyster, or championing underutilized species, Kyle's cooking is driven by a deep respect for both product and producer.We dive into:Why seafood became his life's work, and how the Chesapeake Bay continues to shape his cooking philosophy.The story behind developing his own oyster varietal and what it means to build lasting partnerships with oyster farmers.Why Dock to Dish represents more than sustainability—it's about strengthening local economies and reconnecting chefs with the people catching their food.His lifelong obsession with charcuterie, preservation, and learning to utilize every part of an animal.Childhood food memories—from fried whole-belly clams on family trips to Maine to an enduring love of the humble hot dog—and why nostalgia often shapes our favorite meals.The realities of training young cooks, teaching creativity through repetition, and why great dishes are earned through countless imperfect first attempts.How responsible sourcing extends beyond seafood into farming, animal welfare, and building a more resilient regional food system.The balance between craft, hospitality, and leadership, and why curiosity remains one of a chef's greatest assets.Kyle and I nerd out on oysters, charcuterie, local food systems, and the invisible work that goes into building restaurants rooted in integrity. It's a conversation about honoring tradition while constantly refining your craft—and why the future of American cuisine depends on stronger relationships between chefs, producers, and the communities they serve.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Howdy Friends!Welcome to the very first Repertoire Intermezzo.In a traditional tasting menu, an intermezzo is served between courses—a brief pause, a palate cleanser, and a moment to reset before the next course arrives. It felt like the perfect name for these occasional short episodes, where I'll step away from our usual long-form conversations to share updates, reflections, behind-the-scenes stories, and a little context about what's happening between seasons.In this first Intermezzo, I explain why Repertoire has been quiet over the past few months, what I've been working on at the Culinary Institute of America, and why I made the difficult decision to pause production while building and teaching a new graduate-level course on food systems advocacy.The good news: we're back.Season One isn't over yet. Next week, Episode Fifteen with Chef Kyle Bailey arrives, followed by an incredibly special conversation with Chef Minh Phan to close out S1! After that, all eyes turn toward Season Two—which I'm currently shooting. Spoiler alert—moving forward, seasons will contain 8 episodes and follow a central story arc. S2's story arc? The Lowcountry...Thank you for your patience, your support, and for giving this independent show the opportunity to keep growing. I'm grateful you're here, and I'm excited for what's coming next.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to South Boston, Massachusetts to sit down with Nick Dixon—chef, restaurateur, and one of the creative forces behind several beloved neighborhood restaurants that have helped shape the dining culture of Southie.Nick’s cooking is rooted in live-fire technique and honest ingredients, drawing inspiration from wood-fired ovens, open grills, and the kind of food that feels both deeply comforting and thoughtfully crafted. Through his restaurants, he’s built spaces that reflect the spirit of the neighborhood—places where great food, strong hospitality, and community all intersect.We dive into:• The evolution of South Boston’s restaurant scene and how the neighborhood has changed over the years.• Building restaurants that feel authentic to place, where locals feel ownership of the space.• The craft behind wood-fired ovens and live-fire cooking, and why flame changes the way food tastes.• How running multiple restaurants requires balancing creativity with operational discipline.• The difference between cooking to impress versus cooking to make people genuinely happy.• The importance of hospitality culture, mentorship, and building teams that grow together.Nick and I talk about what it really takes to build restaurants that last—places rooted in neighborhood identity, consistency, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly what kind of food you want to cook.It’s a conversation about craft, community, and the evolving identity of Boston’s restaurant scene.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Hollywood, California to sit down with Charbel Hayek—Lebanese-born chef, Top Chef Middle East & North Africa winner, and the creative force behind LAYR, a restaurant that channels the hospitality, flavor, and spirit of the Levant through a distinctly Los Angeles lens.Charbel began cooking in Beirut at just 14 years old, working alongside his mother before refining his craft in France and later training under Josiah Citrin at the two-Michelin-starred Mélisse. At 24, he won Top Chef MENA, launching him into international recognition. Now, at 28, he’s opening ambitious, large-scale restaurants across Los Angeles and Miami while remaining deeply grounded in his roots.We dive into:• Growing up in Beirut, shaped by resilience, nightlife, instability, and an unbreakable cultural pride. • Starting young, putting in the hours early, and why the first ten years of sacrifice define your trajectory. • Winning Top Chef at 24—and why television is not a ticket, but an opportunity you must be ready for. • The immigrant mentality: loving where you’re from while recognizing the scale of opportunity in America. • Fear as fuel—why he runs toward intensity instead of away from it in high-pressure kitchens. • Balancing old-school French discipline with modern leadership and hospitality. • Reclaiming Lebanese cuisine on the global stage—modernizing dishes without losing their identity. • Why sharing food—mezze, tabbouleh without bulgur, grape leaves braised with lamb neck—is about connection, not just flavor. • Opening multiple restaurants at once and accepting that entrepreneurship comes with risk, doubt, and relentless work. • Rap music, Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” and how cultural energy fuels competitive fire.Charbel and I talk about partnership, ambition, discipline, faith, and the responsibility of leadership. We get into what it means to open restaurants in today’s fragile industry, how Covid reshaped risk tolerance, and why saying “yes” to opportunity—when aligned with your values—can change the entire arc of your career.At its core, this is a conversation about identity and intention—about carrying your culture with pride while building something new in one of the most competitive food cities in the world.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Redondo Beach, California to sit down with Jason Fullilove—chef, restaurateur, entrepreneur, and one of the most community-minded forces quietly shaping Los Angeles hospitality.Jason’s path spans more than two decades and multiple worlds. A Culinary Institute of America alum, he climbed the ranks from high-volume New York kitchens to the Ritz-Carlton in St. Thomas, then into some of L.A.’s most respected dining rooms before launching Barbara Jean LA, where he brought African American soul food into a fine-dining conversation with precision and pride. Today, he’s expanding beyond restaurants with Tumi Coco, a clean, all-natural hot sauce built around turmeric, coconut oil, and flavor-first cooking—part pantry staple, part personal philosophy.But what makes Jason different isn’t just the résumé—it’s the way he shows up for people.We dive into:• Growing up between Cleveland and Zambia, and how early memories of scarcity, travel, and communal meals shaped his relationship to food. • The jump from music and rap to professional kitchens—and how hip-hop still fuels his creative energy. • Building Barbara Jean from scratch and discovering the power of community, relationships, and reputation. • Why networking in hospitality isn’t transactional—it’s about showing up, giving back, and playing the long game. • Creating Tumi Coco as a chef tool: clean ingredients, no preservatives, and food that supports health and performance. • Martial arts, discipline, and how training the body sharpens the mind in high-pressure kitchens. • Mentorship, patience, and why young cooks should chase skill over titles. • His next chapter: a paratha-driven café and listening bar concept, blending Indian flavors, vinyl culture, cocktails, and late-night hospitality.Jason and I talk about energy, generosity, and what it means to build a career rooted in service—to food, to culture, and to the people around you. It’s a conversation about longevity, intention, and creating spaces where everyone feels welcome at the table.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Santa Monica, California to sit down with Susan Feniger—chef, restaurateur, television pioneer, and one of the architects of modern Southern California food culture.Susan’s story stretches across more than four decades of American dining. After early years cooking in Chicago, France, and Los Angeles, she and longtime partner Mary Sue Milliken opened City Café in 1981, followed by City Restaurant and the groundbreaking Border Grill, helping introduce Angelenos to a more nuanced, regionally grounded understanding of Mexican cuisine. Her career has earned lifetime achievement honors from the James Beard Foundation, the LA Times, and the California Restaurant Association, with artifacts from her first restaurant now held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.We dive into:• Building long-term creative partnerships and sustaining trust over decades. • What it takes to remain curious, relevant, and physically present in kitchens over a 40-year career. • How leadership evolves from command-and-control toward empathy, stability, and emotional intelligence. • Why restaurants function as chosen families, safe spaces, and engines of community care. • Her lifelong commitment to philanthropy and advocacy, from LGBTQ+ leadership to medical research fundraising. • The intersection of food, identity, fashion, and self-expression in chef culture. • Balancing creative freedom with operational discipline and financial reality. • How aging, mentorship, and succession reshape responsibility in hospitality.Susan and I talk about longevity, stewardship, generosity, and quiet discipline—the invisible work required to keep showing up with integrity in an industry that rarely slows down. It’s a conversation about building legacy not through visibility or ego, but through consistency, care, and service.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I boogy down to street to James Island, South Carolina to sit down with Shaun Brian—chef, operator, community builder, and one of the most quietly influential figures shaping how seafood, hospitality, and leadership intersect in the Lowcountry.Shaun’s story begins far from restaurant kitchens. Raised on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, he grew up foraging, fishing, gardening, and building—learning self-reliance, respect for food, and community responsibility long before he ever put on a chef coat. His upbringing spans Caribbean culture, West Indian household traditions, Rainbow Gatherings, Quaker boarding school, and a deeply formative reckoning with accountability that would ultimately shape his values as a leader.We dive into:Growing up on a remote island and how fishing, foraging, and scarcity shaped his relationship with food.The Caribbean as a cultural crossroads—and how global flavors, preservation, and technique naturally coexist there.Early lessons in accountability, honesty, and consequence that became lifelong leadership principles.Why kitchens attract “misfits,” how pirate-ship culture once defined the industry, and why growing up is essential for longevity.The difference between treating cooking as a lifestyle versus building a sustainable career.Mentorship, burnout, and how to protect passion over a 30-year career in a demanding industry.Building Cuda Co. as a community-driven seafood operation—supporting fishers, feeding families, and training the next generation of cooks.Why trust, relationships, and showing up fully matter more than titles or ego.Shaun and I talk openly about failure, shame, growth, leadership, and the unseen labor that makes restaurants work—from fixing broken equipment to carrying the emotional weight of teams and communities. It’s a deeply human conversation about values, evolution, and what it actually means to lead with integrity in hospitality.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Black Rock City, the temporary desert city that rises each year for Burning Man, to sit down with Chef Sammy Jackson—one of my closest friends and a chef whose life and career have unfolded across continents, cultures, and extreme conditions.This episode is a little different—and that’s the point. Recorded live on the playa during Burning Man 2025, this is a holiday bonus episode—a dusty, sunburned, radically self-reliant Christmas gift from the desert. We weren’t able to film our full sit-down conversation due to weather, dust, and gear constraints (welcome to the playa), but the audio is crystal clear, and the episode is visually brought to life through immersive B-roll captured throughout the burn. We also filmed a full “The Dish” cooking segment—proof that even in the harshest environment on earth, chefs will still feed people with care.Born in St. Helens, Australia, Sammy’s journey spans Sydney kitchens like Catalina, cooking for royalty in the UK, private chalets in the French Alps, luxury yachts across the Mediterranean and Caribbean, and Boston—where he built the cult-favorite Australian meat pie shop KO Pies before selling the business post-pandemic and returning to a nomadic, adventure-driven life.We dive into:What it takes to cook at scale in one of the most extreme festival environments imaginable—dust storms, mud, heat, cold, and total infrastructure improvisation.Feeding and nourishing a camp of 75 people for nearly two weeks without compromising standards.Adapting menus, systems, and expectations in real time when conditions change daily.Why morale, teamwork, and shared purpose matter as much as technique in extreme hospitality.How nourishment becomes sacred when exhaustion, survival, and community intersect.Why cooking at Burning Man strips the craft back to its core: intention, generosity, and care.Sammy and I reflect on friendship, endurance, and why chefs are uniquely equipped to thrive in chaos—problem-solvers by nature, builders of systems, caretakers of people. This episode is raw, funny, dusty, and deeply human—a holiday bonus from the playa, wrapped in foil, gifted late, and delivered with love.Consider this your Repertoire Christmas special—no snow, no sleighs, just fire, dust, community, and a reminder of why we cook for one another in the first place.Watch the episode visuals on YouTube, listen to the full audio wherever you get your podcasts, and happy holidays from the desert.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Boston’s Back Bay to sit down with Chris Coombs—James Beard Award–nominated chef, restaurateur, and co-founder of Boston Urban Hospitality, known for shaping some of the city’s most defining dining rooms, including Deuxave, dbar, and Boston Chops.Chris’s journey is rooted in precision, discipline, and an almost obsessive commitment to the craft. From his formative years cooking under Patrick O’Connell at The Inn at Little Washington—a place he still calls “church”—to becoming one of Boston’s most influential culinary leaders, his story is one of evolution, resilience, and relentless refinement. Today, he’s expanding his vision with BOSSE, a 100,000-square-foot concept blending pickleball, pastry, fitness, and hospitality into a new kind of community hub.We dive into:His early mentorship at The Inn at Little Washington and the lessons that shaped his standards of excellence.Why he believes chefs must honor every part of the animal, and how respect influences the way he cooks duck, steak, and seafood.The shift from fine dining to building BOSSE, and what it means to create a concept that merges sport, food, and lifestyle.The rise of “soft boy cooks,” and the changing expectations of professionalism, discipline, and work ethic in today’s kitchens.How social media has reframed the public’s understanding of culinary skill—and the tension between online clout and real craft.The economics of dining, value perception, and what it takes to run restaurants in a culture that both celebrates and undervalues food.Chris and I talk about legacy, standards, and the evolution of leadership—what changes with age, what stays the same, and how a chef shapes culture both inside and outside the kitchen.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Los Angeles, California to sit down with Mei Lin—James Beard Award–winning chef, Top Chef champion, and the creative mind behind Daybird, the first fast-casual Szechuan hot chicken spot in the U.S.Born in China and raised in Detroit, Mei’s path through food is a story of balance—between precision and intuition, heat and harmony, tradition and reinvention. Her journey spans from fine dining kitchens like Wolfgang Puck’s Spago and Michael Voltaggio’s Ink to winning Top Chef: Boston and earning national acclaim for redefining fried chicken through an unapologetically personal lens.We dive into:How her Chinese heritage and Midwest upbringing shaped her palate and perspective.The origins of Daybird and how she brought a Szechuan spin to the American fried chicken sandwich.Her approach to creative evolution, from running food pop-ups to managing a viral restaurant phenomenon.Why she values minimalism, restraint, and control as guiding principles in both cooking and leadership.What winning Top Chef taught her about visibility, confidence, and the reality behind TV fame.How she channels identity and authenticity through flavor—using spice, texture, and timing as her language.Mei and I talk about the duality of being a chef in today’s world—where tradition and innovation are constantly in dialogue, and where clarity of vision is what keeps your craft alive.Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.