The Chef's Cut

The reservation wars are heating up, as SevenRooms (via DoorDash) seeks to challenge OpenTable and Resy with a major play. Adrienne and Joe tell us why this is just the beginning, and how technology and AI are changing the dining experience. In this episode, we also discuss:


Why dining experiences have become a huge focus for big tech (and your credit card company)


The influence of social media on culinary trends and menu design


The evolution of restaurant operations from analog to digital (and why we may be moving back)


A shift in power for how restaurants are able to book reservations


The initial rise of reservation platforms like OpenTable, Tock, and Resy


The role of AI in restaurant operations and guest experience


Should we trust AI to get involved in our reservations?


Walk In Confession: Joe’s first restaurant convention (a coming of age)

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

The New York Times released their list of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City, and people are in their feelings about it. Arienne and Joe sit down to give their thoughts on the backlash, what they did and didn't like about the list, and why former Chef’s Cut guest Ligaya Mishan deserves some grace. In this episode, we also discuss:


Budget restaurants vs. fine dining and how to properly compare them


The biggest NYC restaurants that didn’t make the list (Gramercy Tavern, Per Se, etc.)


Kabawa at number one and the ascent of afro-caribbean cuisine


Some of their favorite NYC dining spots that you should try


The inclusion of street food and a debate about what actually counts as a “real” restaurant


Adrienne announces the newest podcast to join the Chef’s Cut family: Eating History (and our new season all about the history of pizza)

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Reigning Top Chef champion Tristen Epps-Long joins Adrienne and Joe to talk about life after Top Chef, fine dining in Afro-Caribbean cuisine, and what comes after Top Chef (including his new restaurant in Houston). In this episode, we also discuss:


Top Chef favorites this season and his best advice for getting through it all


Who Tristen would want to face off against in a Top Chef Masters season


Whether Michelin is racist or cuisineist


Tristen and Adrienne’s time together at Red Rooster


His ascent from McDonald’s to James Beard nominee and cooking competition champ


The role of Marcus Samuelsson in his career


What life after Top Chef is really like for chefs


The culinary scene in Houston


Walk In Confession: Booking reservations on Open Table to get out of work early 

Follow Tristen: @cheftristenepps 

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

There’s an impending food supply merger that could have a huge impact on the restaurant industry, so Adrienne and Joe break down what that means for business owners, consumers, and the food that ends up on your plate. In this episode, we discuss:


The Sysco–Restaurant Depot merger and why a food supply monopoly is bad for you


Why customers are ultimately going to foot the bill with rising prices


The difference between wholesale delivery (Sysco) and cash-and-carry (Restaurant Depot)


A chef’s perspective on how wholesale purchasing actually works


Rising food costs, and the hidden impact of eliminating competition


Will this spell doom for small restaurants?


Why a merger wouldn’t just impact costs, but also the selection of brands, ingredients, and supplies you have access to


What we can all do to keep this from happening

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Adrienne and Joe are joined by Bib Gourmand award-winning Chef Karen Akunowicz to talk about the Boston food scene, excellent food at a great value, and the importance of finding balance in and out of the kitchen (if that’s even possible). In this episode, we also discuss:


Fork It or Forget It: Lobster Rolls (cold or hot?)


The booming Boston food scene and how Karen got her start as a Houston’s bartender


Prominent female chefs in Boston and the example they set


Her restaurants (including Fox & the Knife) achieving Bib Gourmand status


Training in Italy and making Italian food (with a very different chef background)


The influence of her time working at Disney World and what hospitality excellence looks like


Karen’s time spent outside the kitchen as a powerlifter


The illusion of work-life balance (especially when you’re building a career)


Walk In Confession: Karen’s first day as a line cook… and head chef for a night 

Follow Karen: @chefkarenakunowicz 

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm