The Chef's Cut

Adrienne and Joe look back at some of the most memorable walk-in confessions from the show, unpacking early-career kitchen mistakes and the intense pressure of proving yourself on the line.

In this special compilation episode, we cover:

Kristen Kish’s freezer-mopping disaster and a family meal fryer spill

Dan Barber’s improvised fix for an order of overcooked lamb

Gail Simmons’s on-set injury and bouncing back for the camera

Maneet Chauhan rebuilding a collapsed wedding cake under extreme pressure

Sam Kass’s disastrous sauce-cart spill in Vienna

Joe’s brutal kitchen knife injury while butchering a pig

Adrienne’s extremely salty bread-baking accident

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

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Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Adrienne and Joe are joined by acclaimed Chef Michael Solomonov to talk his award-winning restaurants, the thriving Philadelphia restaurant community, and the realities of addiction and recovery in the industry.

In this episode, we also discuss:

The origins of Zahav and the inspiration of Israeli food culture

Opening a restaurant during the 2008 recession

Why Philly’s food scene thrives: affordability and community

Moving beyond traditional French and Italian fine dining

Ingredient integrity: prioritizing substance over hype

Addiction, recovery, and rebuilding a life in the kitchen

Building healthier kitchen cultures and leaning on partners

Walk In Confession: Cooking out of a neighboring bodega to keep service alive during a power outage.

Follow Michael: @mikesolomonov

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Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Adrienne and Joe share their favorite things about regional pizza tastes, including what your favorite Chicago pizzeria says about you. Then we get a taste of Eating History, the newest podcast featuring Adrienne and her husband Stephen Bailey. They dive into one of pizza’s greatest debates: how did America’s regional pizza styles emerge, and why do people defend them so fiercely?

Topics Covered:

The origins of Chicago deep dish pizza

The partnership that launched Pizzeria Uno

How deep dish challenged conventional ideas of what pizza could be

The key differences between Chicago and New York pizza

The rise of Detroit-style pizza and its automotive roots

Regional pizza identities and rivalries across America

The growth of pizza franchising and commercialization

The tension between preserving tradition and expanding access

Listen to Season One of Eating History now: Spotify / Apple

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

The Bear has served its final course, and Chef's Cut is breaking down every bite. This week, Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm break down the series finale with a spoiler-filled discussion of what the show got right about restaurant life, from chaotic services and reservation disasters to Michelin stars, leadership, and life in the kitchen. They also explore the journeys of Carmy and Sydney, debate the show's ending, and discuss the lasting impact The Bear may have on restaurant culture.

In this episode:

A spoiler-filled recap of The Bear's final season

How accurately the show portrays restaurant life

Michelin stars, leadership, and kitchen culture

Carmy, Sydney, Tina, and the series ending

The legacy of The Bear and its impact on hospitality

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

This week, Adrienne and Joe are tackling the latest developments in the René Redzepi and Noma saga. In a newly recorded update, they unpack Redzepi’s controversial return to Noma in a creative director role, the separation of creative vision from daily kitchen operations, and what accountability and "atonement" truly look like in the hospitality industry. Following this introduction, we're revisiting our episode from March, where we first discussed the abuse allegations, the immense pressure of wearing multiple hats as a chef and owner, and where the line is drawn between tough leadership and abusive behavior.

In this episode:


An update on Noma Copenhagen and René Redzepi’s return as creative director


Revisiting the earlier scandal and abuse allegations tied to the restaurant


The separation of creative leadership from daily kitchen operations


How leadership must evolve as a restaurant or business grows


What “atonement” and genuine accountability can look like in hospitality

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm