The Chef's Cut

With the Top Chef Season 23 finale just days away, Adrienne and Joe break down the final three chefs and reveal what it really takes to win it all. They analyze Laurence, Rhoda, and Sherry’s chances, share behind-the-scenes secrets from the competition, and revisit their own Top Chef finale experience, including the mistakes they'd avoid, the sous chefs they'd choose today, and stories they've never shared before.

In this episode:


The secrets behind how Top Chef is really made, including the infamous clock and other insider rules


Sieger’s emotional reaction after his elimination


A deep dive into Joe and Adrienne’s Top Chef Season 15 finale experience


What they would do differently today and which sous chefs they would choose now


A memorable story about fan-favorite Fati


Adrienne’s least favorite moment from their season of Top Chef

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

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