The Chef's Cut

The Michelin Guide is taking a new tack with American restaurants, but is it just diluting their brand? Adrienne and Joe discuss the “recommended” restaurant approach, Michelin plaques with no stars, and why they just don’t get the American Market. In this episode, we also discuss:


Ruth’s Chris battling it out with Chili’s over dining room dress codes


Whether or not you should be allowed to wear a hoodie and hat to a steakhouse


Michelin’s latest ploy to represent southern food in America


What Joe chose to do with his new Michelin plaque


Fork It or Forget It: Wonton Lasagna

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The 2026 James Beard Award Nominee finalists were just announced, so Adrienne and Joe dive headfirst into the biggest surprises, omissions, and things they’d like to see happen this year. In this episode, we discuss:


The biggest names to make each of the lists


Why weren’t there any Caribbean restaurants represented?


An explanation on how the awards process works


What they’d like to see changed, and why the regional layout may need a makeover

Adrienne Cheatham is a member of the James Beard Awards subcommittee

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It’s part 3 of our series on restaurant hospitality, and this week Adrienne and Joe are joined by James Beard nominee Simon Kim, the man behind COTE Korean Steakhouse and COQODAQ. In this episode, we discuss:


Reinventing the steakhouse by blending Korean BBQ with classic American fine dining


Building COTE and COQODAQ and redefining what a modern restaurant can be


Betting on yourself: overcoming investor doubt and financial pressure


The role of the restaurateur as a “producer” behind the scenes


Creating the perfect dining experience


Balancing creativity with business realities in today’s restaurant industry


What it really takes to scale a restaurant brand across cities and markets


Walk-In Confession: Facing racism in fine dining while working the floor

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Adrienne and Joe are back for part two of our three part hospitality series, this time with legendary restaurateur Drew Nieporent of Nobu and Tribeca Grill fame. They talk about his memoir ‘I'm Not Trying To Be Difficult’ and share tales from his storied career. In this episode, we discuss:


Drew’s role in the rise of celebrity chefs, starting with putting their names on the menu


James Beard awards and the changing role of the restaurateur


Working with celebs like Robert De Niro to launch new ventures


How to deal with tough critics


Rising prices in fine dining and tasting menus getting out of control


Discovering and working with some of the biggest chefs in the world


How to start a restaurant the right way, and when to walk away


Why he brought a fax machine on the road to keep an eye on reservations


Walk In Confession: Cruise ship beginnings and lessons from the high seas

Follow Drew: @drewnieporent 

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This week on the Chef’s Cut, Adrienne and Joe react to René Redzepi stepping down from Noma amid allegations of past abuse. They talk about how this story has reverberated throughout the world of fine dining, and speculate on how it will influence kitchens going forward. In this episode, we discuss:


The $1500 Noma pop-up in Los Angeles


Abuse in restaurants and why the new generation of chefs aren’t putting up with it


Noma and René Redzepi’s impact on the fine dining industry


How diners vote with their dollars


Joe’s thoughts on running a positive and supportive kitchen


Adrienne’s own stories of enduring abusive behavior in the kitchen

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