On today's episode, I am excited to share the audio recording of a live event I recently emceed for HRN. Lessons Learned: Tales from Small Business Owners features captivating stories from four storytellers who opened up about their trials and tribulations in the restaurant business. Sponsored by TD Bank, the event took place at the Tilit NYC Showroom. In addition to introducing our fabulous guests, I sprinkled some of my own stories throughout the night.The first small business storyteller was Eric Huang of Pecking House, Brooklyn. An Eleven Madison Park alum, the pandemic caused Eric to reexamine his career and business. He found that fried chicken made him rethink everything.Johnny Spero of Bar Spero in Washington D.C. told the story of finding success with his Georgetown restaurant, Reverie, but then being met with catastrophe when it burned down. He emphasized not giving up on your passion and being sure to stop and feel your feelings.Yajaira Gonzalez of Pop and Pour in Washington Heights spoke about her business surviving the pandemic. Yajaira said her strength came from her ability to find positives even in the face of challenges. She advised that people should do their research before making decisions, be flexible, understand sacrifices, and use professionals when needed.Buddy the Bar's Claire Sprouse, owner of the now-closed Hunky Dory in Crown Heights, Brooklyn closed out the evening. She told the crowd that believed that her location and community kept her going while she was in business. The timing of the pandemic and the need to prioritize her personal life helped her make the decision to permanently close the restaurant, however. She said she thinks anyone considering the restaurant industry should take a deep look at what they really want before jumping in.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Tech Bites by becoming a member!Tech Bites is Powered by Simplecast.

On today’s episode, I'm joined by Steven Satterfield, the executive chef and co-owner of Miller Union, a celebrated ingredient-driven restaurant located in Atlanta's West Side neighborhood. The restaurant, which opened in 2009, has become an institution and has been recognized as a top restaurant in America by Eater, Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, and Esquire. Together we talk about opening his restaurant and how he has kept it running smoothly after all these years of operation; growing up in Savannah; seasonal Georgia cooking; and the many local ingredients he works with, including peanuts and okra.Photo Courtesy of Heidi Geldhauser.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Tech Bites by becoming a member!Tech Bites is Powered by Simplecast.

On today’s episode I welcome Jeff Byrd and his daughter-in-law Lauren to discuss their restaurant Two Birds Taphouse in Marietta Georgia. The restaurant is truly a family labor of love. Jeff, his wife, his son and Lauren joined forces to open Two Birds in 2016.  Jeff was a recently retired attorney and had no previous experience in restaurants or hospitality and from the start took on the massive role of being the day to day operator on site, a job which he continues to this day. Lauren, who now lives in Brooklyn, had extensive hospitality experience coming into the project but had never opened her own restaurant. She is now the Director of Customer Success at BentoBox where she spends all day dealing with helping other people promote their own restaurants. On today’s episode we discuss the pros and cons of working with your family, what it's like to own a restaurant when you have never worked in one before and what it's like to own a restaurant from afar.  We also talk about COVID and how it affected Two Birds and its staff, and the decisions they made that helped the restaurant make it through.  Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode of theLINE, I have the pleasure of presenting an episode of Dyed Green, a podcast about food and culture in Ireland. Hosted by my brother, Max Sussman, and his wife, Kate McCabe, each episode features dynamic conversations with chefs, farmers, scholars, and more - exploring Ireland’s rich culinary history, its dynamic creative culture, and challenging outdated stereotypes. In this episode I got the chance to join Max in interviewing Jess Murphy. Jess is a celebrated chef, restaurant owner, writer, and activist. Originally from New Zealand, she moved to Ireland and opened the Michelin Green Star Kai restaurant in Galway’s West End. We talk to her about why we should all think about today’s Irish food on the same level as other internationally acclaimed cuisines. If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Dyed Green to get the episodes as they launch! (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS).theLINE and Dyed Green are Powered by Simplecast. 

On today’s episode, I welcome Chef Jae Jung, the chef and owner of KJUN, a Korean-Cajun pop-up currently operating in New York City. A graduate of the CIA, she moved to New Orleans where she became enamored by Cajun cuisine. Since moving to NYC in 2014 she has worked at Oceana, Le Bernardin, the NoMad Restaurant, and most recently as the sous chef of Café Boulud.   In 2021, she launched KJUN as a pop-up operating out of a ghost kitchen, introducing New Yorkers to the exciting blend of Korean and Cajun flavors. She has been featured in the New York Times, Eater, FOOD & WINE Magazine, Bon Appétit Magazine, the New Yorker, and Bloomberg Pursuits, which recently named KJUN one of the Best New Restaurants in New York. And she is appearing on this season of Top Chef 19. On this episode, we spoke about growing up in Korea and moving alone to the US, the cuisine of New Orleans, and finding your own culinary style while working in some of the best kitchens in the world. Now, onto the episode.  Are you a business owner? Become an HRN business member! For $500 HRN will shine a light on your work AND you will help sustain our mission to expand the way people think about food. As a thank you for this tax-deductible donation, your business will receive on-air mentions, social media posts, listings on our website, and more. Go to heritageradionetwork.org/biz to become a business member today.Photo Courtesy of Bravo and Emily Shur.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today’s episode of theLINE, I welcome Ben Van Leeuwen, the co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, where he leads product development and commercialization. Van Leeuwen has come a long way since the first yellow truck hit the streets of NY in 2008. The company has grown from ice cream trucks to national distribution and brick and mortar locations in New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with Colorado and Connecticut soon to open. They recently secured an additional round of fundraising which will allow the company to expand even more over the coming years. On this episode, we chat about supply chain issues, rising costs of goods, wholesale vs. scoop shops (and you’ll hear which is better for the business). And for entrepreneurs looking to launch or grow your own business, you’ll hear from Ben on building and scaling a brand, and what securing financing can help a founder achieve.Photo Courtesy of Caitlin Ochs.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On Today’s episode of the Line, I welcome the co-owners of the Austin, Texas restaurant Birdie’s. Tracy and Arjav moved from NYC to Austin with the hope of building an equitable neighborhood restaurant. Birdie’s is a casual order-at-the-counter spot that serves elevated plates. Tracy, a Texas native, handles chef duties, and Arjav, who was born in New Delhi and grew up in Portland, handles the front-of-house and the wine list. Together they wanted to create a restaurant for the long term both for themselves and their employees, so they built in things like healthcare, an equitable pay and tip model, and a winter and summer break when they shut down the restaurant for two weeks each season to provide a paid vacation for the entire team to recharge. Among its accolades, Birdie’s has been named a best restaurant in Austin by Eater, and was chosen by the NYTimes in 2021 as one of the 50 most exciting restaurants in America. On this episode of the Line, recorded in late 2021, we talk about how to build efficiency and maintain momentum while running a busy restaurant, creating a style and a vibe of a casual restaurant while coming from a higher-end background, keeping staff happy while maintaining your sanity as owners, and of course so much more. Photo Courtesy of Mackenzie Smith Kelley.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today’s episode, Eli welcomes Lauren and Peter Lemos, owners of Wax Paper in LA. With over 30 years of hospitality experience between them, they launched their restaurant in 2015 on a shoestring budget in a shoebox-sized space. Now with two locations of Wax Paper Co., a growing team, and a new restaurant concept called Lingua Franca on the way, Lauren and Peter sat down to share their story of opening a restaurant and truly figuring it all out along the way. If you are an industry veteran looking to start your own thing, this episode is definitely for you. Get ready for a wide-ranging and expansive conversation that touches on build-outs, the health department, trying to get a bank loan, cooking with constraints, how to build a better business for the long term, and of course, navigating a restaurant during Covid.Photo Courtesy of Marielle V. Chua.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today’s episode, Eli is joined by Tara Hankinson and LeAnn Darland, the founders of Talea Beer Co. After several years of planning, fundraising, and overcoming the many roadblocks it takes to get a physical location up and running, they opened the Talea Brewery and Taproom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in March of 2021. Talea is the only exclusively woman and veteran-owned and founded production brewery (and taproom) in NYC. We discuss balancing work and family, ABV, opening during the pandemic, and their future expansion plans.Photo Courtesy of Talea Beer.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

Chef Todd Richards is an award-winning chef known for his contemporary cooking style rooted in Soul & Southern cuisines. Todd is the founder of The Soulful Company Restaurant Group in Atlanta which includes Lake & Oak Neighborhood BBQ, Soul: Food & Culture, and the upcoming Kuro. He is also the author of SOUL: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes and the host of the HRN podcast Soul By Chef Todd Richards.We recorded this episode live at Samesa while Todd was in New York doing research for his next cookbook. We discuss how he started his career, the mentors that have shaped his work, and his own approach to mentoring and management. Particularly in light of the current labor shortage in the hospitality industry, Todd shares his insight on pricing food and taking care of his employees with fair wages, retirement funds, and opportunities for ownership. Plus, we talk about catering to dietary restrictions and food allergies - including Todd’s own - and why they present an opportunity to keep challenging yourself and expanding the menu.Subscribe to Todd’s HRN podcast Soul by Chef Todd Richards. (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS).This episode was sponsored by JUST Egg.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support theLINE by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

This episode features Darren and Charlene Lopez Young, the owners of The Fattened Caf, based in St. Louis. When The Fattened Caf started as a once-a-month popup Charlene and Darren were exploring the dream of so many food entrepreneurs with the goal of opening a restaurant. The COVID shutdown led them to pivot their popups into a company selling Longganisa-style sausages. With the focus now on growing the sausage company, they have big hopes of expansion and growth. sausage that is commonly served for breakfast with fried rice and a fried egg. On today’s episode we talk about incubators and business accelerators, when to make the decision to leave your traditional job behind to start your own business or run it full time, the St. Louis food community and the difficulties faced as a minority-owned business.Photo Courtesy of Rolf Ringwald Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode of theLINE: Chef Suzanne Barr. Suzanne was previously the Head Chef and a partner at True True Diner in Toronto, Canada, the owner of the popular restaurant Saturday Dinette, and the inaugural chef-in-residence at the Gladstone Hotel. She has participated in the James Beard Foundation Chef’s Bootcamp, been a featured speaker at the Mad Symposium in Copenhagen she was chosen as one of six finalists to present a project at the Women In Hospitality United symposium in New York City. Suzanne was also one of the chefs featured in Maya Gallus’ documentary film The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution. With her restaurant closed, she spoke to theLINE from her home in Toronto Canada which is currently still under lockdown. Photo Courtesy of Suzanne Barr / Milestone PR Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

As we mark the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, now is a time to reflect on what we've endured. The audio I'm sharing today was collected in those first weeks of the pandemic, when restaurants, bars, and cafes sat dark and quiet across the nation. Owners were unsure if they would ever be able to re-open and hundreds of thousands had lost their jobs as millions were quarantining at home. You'll hear from chefs and restaurant owners from around the nation in their own words about the impossible and life-changing decisions they had to make as they adapted to the realities of COVID-19. And before we begin: I am working on a future episode of theLINE and I want to speak to you; if you are a front of house or back of house worker, whether you've been working or not working during the past year of the COVID pandemic, if you were fired or furloughed or decided to leave the hospitality industry or take a break. I want to hear your story about what the last year has been like for you. If you are willing to share your story and you'd like to speak to me, you can get in touch with me by emailing [email protected]. Or you can send me a DM on Instagram to @thesussmans. I would love to hear from you to connect with you and be able to potentially share your story on a future episode.In Part One, Stories from:Steven Satterfield - Chef/Owner Miller Union Atlanta @millerunionchefAlex Raij Founder, Chef, Owner Txikito, El quinto pino, La Vara, Saint Julivert Fisherie NYC @alexraij Andy Hollyday Chef/Co-Owner Selden Standard Detroit @chefandy42Dave Mancini Chef/Owner Supino Pizzeria Detroit @supinopizzeria Hannah Jacobs Co-Owner Babydudes Brooklyn @babydudes Dan Kluger Chef/Owner Loring Place NYC @dan_klugerMarina Michelson Co-Owner Paper or Plastik Cafe @paper_plastic And after the break, perspectives from:Aktar Nawab, Chef and Owner - Alta Calidad - NYC, New Orleans, Omaha @altacalidadbk @chefaktarMax Katzenberg & Greg Baxtrom - Co-Owner and Chef/Co-Owner - Olmsted and Maison Yaki Brooklyn @olmstednyc @nyhospcoalition Brent Kroll - Owner Sommelier - Maxwell Park Washington D.C. - @btkroll @maxwellpark_shaw @maxwellpark_navyyardCamilla Marcus Restaurateur - Westbourne NY - @camilla.marcus @westbourne @roar.ny @indprestaurants Whitney Otawka - Chef - Greyfield Inn - Cumberland Island, GA - @greyfieldinn @whitneyotawkaNate Adler - Owner - Gertie - Brooklyn NY - @gertienyc @natejackadler @leeinitiativeHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.  

This is the second in a special series of COVID-focused episodes, showcasing voices from around the country as they reflect on one year of the pandemic. On the first half of today's episode we focus on New York, featuring Caroline Schiff, Patrick Miller, Jessica and Trina Quinn, and Bryan Noury. Then, in the second half, we move to Detroit to hear from Kiki Louya and Lisa Ludwinsky.Photo Courtesy of Lizzie Munro Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

One year of COVID. In this first of a special series of COVID-focused episodes reflecting on one year of the pandemic, theLINE is showcasing voices from around the country. On today's episode: Ashleigh Shanti in North Carolina, Angela Garbacz in Nebraska , Alex Raij in Brooklyn NY, Matthew Bell In Tennessee and Julie Horowitz in Manhattan.Photo Courtesy of Julie Horowitz Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast. 

On this episode I speak with Zarah Kahn the chef of Botanica, located in Silverlake in Los Angeles.  A self-described farm and produce nerd, Zarah majored in environmental studies and forestry  at University of Washington. Growing up in Seattle, cooking was always part of her family ritual and she was required to cook dinner one night a week for her family.  After working at Delancey & Essex and running the kitchen at the London Plane, she made the decision to move to Los Angeles to continue her cooking career. She arrived in LA on March 8th of 2020 right as COVID-19 was about to explode nationwide. In this episode we talk about finding friendship during lockdown in a new city, remaining optimistic even in the midst of a global pandemic, the power of family meal to inspire, and what it is like to take over and lead a kitchen during COVID-19.Photo by Alicia PollettHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode I welcome St. Louis native chef Ben Grupe.  Like many traditional chef trajectories, Ben began his career in the industry as a dishwasher. He worked extensively at country clubs and became addicted to competition as team captain for the U.S. Culinary Olympic Team in 2016 and while competing in the Bocuse d'Or, the most prestigious culinary competition in the world. He was recently a James Beard Award semi-finalist (2018) for "Best Chef Midwest." His new restaurant venture, Tempus, opened after a year of delays in October 2020. Never planned as a takeout or to-go restaurant, we speak extensively on this episode about opening up a restaurant during a pandemic and the unique challenges Ben faces as a brand new operator.Photo by RJ HartbeckHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast. 

On today's episode, I welcome Dario Wolos, founder of Tacombi. After spending 5 years at an internet startup in London, he moved back to Playa Del Carmen and in 2005 purchased a VW bus which became the first location of Tacombi. In 2009 he decided to move Tacombi to NYC, and while biking around NYC he found the spot which is now Tacombi Nolita. With over 10 brick and mortar locations, a production facility in NYC, and a planned expansion in 2022 on the east coast, Tacombi is taking big steps to grow the brand. On today's episode we spoke about the difficulties and pressures of expansion, the community kitchen initiatives Tacombi has championed throughout the pandemic, and how building a great business takes time.Photo Courtesy of Tacombi.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On this episode of the Line I am joined by Co-Owner Patricia Howard and her partner and Executive Chef Ed Szymanski about the various versions of their restaurant project called Dame. It has existed as a fish and chips pop-up and has also hosted multiple other chefs during what they called their Sunday Series. Patricia and Ed donated nearly $20,000 in profit to NAACP, Harlem Grown, Hot Bread Kichen and Soul Fire Farm this summer from their various efforts. They are currently open as Dame Deli and Bottle Shop serving Ed’s seafood conservas along with wines, local spirits, fresh produce and prepared goods from many of their friends who dropped in for pop-ups. On this special episode we talk about trying to open and stay open during COVID, how a small team and a lack of funding can help you be nimble and scrappy, what it means to have a strong partnership and if COVID changed any of their ideas about opening and operating a restaurant. Photo Courtesy of Evan Sung Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On this episode of theLINE we welcome Ji Hye Kim, chef and managing partner of MISS KIM, a Korean restaurant influenced by her ancestors and by Michigan produce. After graduating from U of M and spending several years working in hospital administration in New Jersey, life brought her back to Ann Arbor where a desire for a career change brought her to Zingerman's. Enduring a 90% pay cut, she worked at various Zingerman’s businesses and with the Rome Sustainable Food Project, as well as running an Asian street food cart for 4 years before opening the brick and mortar location of Miss Kim in 2016 as a part of the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses. Ji Hye was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award Best Chef Great Lakes in 2020. She was admitted to and participated in the James Beard Chef Boot Camp for Policy Change and Food Lab Detroit’s Fellowship for Change in Food and Labor. On today’s episode we discuss changing careers, the true time it takes to create, develop and open a food business and how to make the industry more equitable in the future.Photo Courtesy of MISS KIMHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Line by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today’s show, I welcome Lucas Sin, Eater Young Guns Class of 2019 and Forbes 30 under 30 and the chef/partner in Junzi Kitchen. Lucas opened his first restaurant when he was 16, in an abandoned newspaper factory in his hometown of Hong Kong with the help of friends and support from his family. While obtaining a degree in the Cognitive Science and English departments, he also hosted a popup out of his dorm and cooked at multiple restaurants in New Haven. In the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute he met his future Junzi Kitchen business partners and incubated the concept. In 2015, Junzi kitchen opened in New Haven and now has 3 additional locations in New York City. The company also has a new concept called Nice Day, which was born out of the pandemic and is focused on honoring classic American-Chinese classics. Nice day is currently incubating inside of a Junzi location, while they plan to launch its own brick and mortar location soon. In this episode we talk about pop-ups, not knowing what goes into opening a restaurant, the rapid growth of Junzi Kitchen and the past present and future of American-Chinese food.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support theLINE by becoming a member!theLINE is Powered by Simplecast.

On today’s special episode of theLINE, recordings from a single day in May following FIG - a collective of social justice-oriented members of the food community  - talking about their efforts to feed people during the COVID-19 crisis. You will hear from one of the founders of FIG about the group came to be and how this food relief program began, a farm partners donating product, a chef who’s own restaurant is closed and is now handling delivery logistics, a catering company that lost all its business that is now producing hundreds of meals a week for those in need, a volunteer delivery driver finding joy during COVID while heading to a drop-off, and a leader at a community organization whose members are recipients of these FIG made meals. Photo Courtesy of Food Issues Group theLINE is powered by Simplecast.

On today’s episode we speak with Nic Jammet one of the three founders of Sweetgreen. The company the three friends started over a decade ago as a simple 500 square foot salad shack in Washington D.C. Since then it has grown to become a powerful brand with over 100 locations and a market value well over 1 billion dollars. The conversation was framed almost entirely through the lens of Pre and Post COVID as we spoke about the early growth of Sweetgreen, partnering with your best friends, innovation and technology in the context of a fast casual restaurant and what the future may hold for his company.Photo Courtesy of Sweetgreen The Line is powered by Simplecast.

In this special COVID-19 episode, audio recordings from some of the hospitality frontline workers that are going to work every day to feed our country. In what feels like a constant flow of insurmountable moments when day to day reveals a new crisis, these kitchens are doing what they do best - cooking to feeding communities. Featuring voices from around the country - Samantha Fore in Lexington, Jose Salazar in Cincinnati, Janet Kirker in Chicago, Nadine Bailey-Joyner in Washington D.C., Maiko Kyogoku in New York and Leo Robitschek and his team in New York . Photo Courtesy of Maiko KyogokutheLINE is powered by Simplecast.

On today’s episode we welcome Benjamin and Max Goldberg the co-owners of Strategic Hospitality in Nashville. The brothers operate and run properties all over Nashville including Merchants, The Patterson House, The Catbird Seat, PinewoodSocial, The Band Box located in First Tennessee Park, Bastion, Henrietta Red, Downtown Sporting Club, and The Party Line. In a very short time Strategic Hospitality has grown into a nationally recognized organization and pre-COVID employed nearly 500 people. In addition to their extensive civic involvement and business accolades, the Goldberg brothers have been nominated for the James Beard Foundation Awards for Outstanding Restaurateur 5 times over the last 6 years.Photo Courtesy of Danielle Atkinsthe Line is powered by Simplecast. 

On today's episode -  an interview with Dan Meiser and Chef James Wayman partners in 85th Day Food Community, a restaurant group in Mystic Connecticut that employs over 100 people and encompasses Oyster Club, Grass & Bone, and Engine Room. Oyster Club has earned regional and national attention, having been named the “Best Upscale Restaurant in CT” by the Connecticut Restaurant Association and one of the “Best Oyster Bars in America” by Travel & Leisure Magazine. We talked extensively about the crucial changes they've made to their businesses in order to have their busineesses survive this crisis. Dan is also chairman of the Connecticut Restaurant Association and speaks to some of the larger issues facing the state and the industry overall.theLINE is powered by Simplecast.

Chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken are the owners and operators of the Border Grill restaurants which they began in 1985. They also operate BBQ Mexicana, a fast casual concept with two Las Vegas locations, and Socalo which opened in late 2019 in Santa Monica. Mary Sue serves on the boards of both Share Our Strength and the James Beard Foundation and she was previously selected to join the U.S. State Department on the American Chef Corps to promote diplomacy through food in Pakistan, Malta, and Italy. Susan Feniger sits on multiple boards in LA including the L.A. LGBT Center and co-founded Chefs Collaborative. In 2018, they were the recipients of the fourth annual Julia Child Award from The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, marking the first women to be honored. And also that same year, the duo received the 2018 Gold Award from the Los Angeles Times for culinary excellence and innovation in Southern California.Photo by Bart NagelThe Line is powered by Simplecast.

In 2005, just months after they graduated from Kendall College of Culinary Arts in Chicago, Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp founded Sunday Dinner Club a sort of dinner party-ish experience that has grown into a community dining space holding multiple dinners per month. In 2013, after eight successful years of running their sort of underground concept,  they decided to open their first true brick and mortar restaurant launching Honeybutter Fried Chicken in Avondale Chicago. The restaurant opened with goals beyond profitability: living wages, paid parental leave, and health insurance for staff.  Josh and Christine have always been strong advocates and community leaders. Josh was selected to participate in a James Beard Foundation Chef’s Policy Boot Camp and has spoken in congressional briefings regarding issues relating to restaurant wages and paid sick time. Christine is the chef chair of the Step Up Women’s Network and they both were part of the Mayor’s Task Force for Working Families, which successfully spurred earned sick time legislation within the City of Chicago. They both joined me from their respective homes in Chicago. A quick note that at times the audio quality isn’t the greatest so you’ll hear a bit of static and distortion during a few points in the interview. The Line is powered by Simplecast.    

In this episode, more stories from chefs and owners still processing what has happened to their businesses since the emergence of COVID-19. Stories of worry about the future and the hope for survival. Stories of energizing the industry to come together and fight for its own existence. Audio from:Aktar Nawab, Chef and Owner - Alta Calidad - NYC, New Orleans, Omaha @altacalidadbk @chefaktarMax Katzenberg & Greg Baxtrom - Co-Owner and Chef/Co-Owner - Olmsted and Maison Yaki Brooklyn @olmstednyc @nyhospcoalition Brent Kroll - Owner Sommelier - Maxwell Park Washington D.C. - @btkroll @maxwellpark_shaw @maxwellpark_navyyardCamilla Marcus Restaurateur - Westbourne NY - @camilla.marcus @westbourne @roar.ny @indprestaurants Whitney Otawka - Chef - Greyfield Inn - Cumberland Island, GA - @greyfieldinn @whitneyotawkaNate Adler - Owner - Gertie - Brooklyn NY - @gertienyc @natejackadler @leeinitiativeThe Line is powered by Simplecast.

Across the nation, restaurants, bars, and cafes sit dark and quiet. Owners are unsure if they will ever be able to re-open and hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs as millions have self isolated at home. This week on The Line, hear from several chefs and restaurant owners from around the nation in their own words about the last week of their personal and professional lives and the impossible and life changing decisions they’ve had to make during the evolving COVID-19 crisis. Stories from: Steven Satterfield - Chef/Owner Miller Union Atlanta @millerunionchefAlex Raij Founder, Chef, Owner Txikito, El quinto pino, La Vara, Saint Julivert Fisherie NYC @alexraij Andy Hollyday Chef/Co-Owner Selden Standard Detroit @chefandy42Dave Mancini Chef/Owner Supino Pizzeria Detroit @supinopizzeria Hannah Jacobs Co-Owner Babydudes Brooklyn @babydudes Dan Kluger Chef/Owner Loring Place NYC @dan_klugerMarina Michelson Co-Owner Paper or Plastik Cafe @paper_plastictheLINE is powered by Simplecast.

On today's special 100th episode of theLINE welcome Chef Alon Shaya. Born in Bat Yam just south of Tel Aviv, he moved to Philadelphia as a young boy and had a tumultuous childhood filled with anger rebellion and a lack of direction. With the help and guidance of his high school culinary arts teacher Donna Barnett, he found his calling.  After working in both Italy and the United States Chef Shaya has quickly garnered acclaim for his cooking in New Orleans. He has been nominated for five James Beard Awards and was named the "Best Chef, South region" while at Domenica in 2015, and Shaya won the James Beard award for "Best New Restaurant" in 2016.  He was selected as one of "50 People Who Are Changing the South" by Southern Living magazine in 2015, and one of the "50 Most Influential Jews in America" by The Forward. He recently formed Pomegranate hospitality with his wife Emily which operates Saba in New Orleans and Safta in Denver located at the Source hotel. In this episode we discuss the importance of mentors, finding your own voice, new beginnings and achieving happiness in the culinary world. Photo Courtesy of Rush JagoetheLINE is powered by Simplecast.  

Chef Victoria Blamey changed course, leaving her college in Chile and enrolling in Culinary school. After graduating, she worked at some of the top restaurants in the entire world, including Mugaritz, The Vineyard at Stockcross, and Interlude. After moving to NYC she worked at Atera and Corton, as well as at Il Buco Alimentari. Deciding it was time to forge her own path and culinary identity, she revitalized Chumley's and received a glowing 2-star review from the NY Times. Now as executive chef at Gotham Bar & Grill, Chef Blamey has reached new heights and acclaim, including a 3-star review in the New York Times, and an 87 out of 100 from New York Magazine. On this episode of theLINE we dig into her extensive resume, discuss which jobs over the years meant the most to her, and the pressure of taking over the kitchen of a NYC institution.  theLINE  is powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode we welcome Jay Wolman the executive chef of LaLou in Prospect Heights, a recently opened restaurant with a focus on natural wine. Jay has come up through some of the most important kitchens in New York and on this episode he shares his experiences working extensively in the Tarlow family of restaurants as well as working at Hart’s and King in Manhattan. He draws culinary inspiration from French, English and Italian cuisine and works heavily with produce he buys right down the road at the greenmarket.Photo Courtesy of Michael Harlan Turkell The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today on theLINE we’re talking about restaurant projects big and small, expensive and... less expensive with today’s guest Jake Leiber. He is the chef/partner along with chef Aidan O’Neal at Greenpoint bistro Chez Ma Tante which opened a few years back to rave reviews. Chez Ma Tante received a 92 from NY Magazine, two stars and a critics pick from Pete Wells in he NYTimes and 4 stars from Robert Seitsma on Eater. After their success at Chez Ma Tante, they recently joined up with Jon Neidich from Acme to to flip Reynards inside Williamsburg’s Wythe Hotel into the new Le Crocodile.Photo Courtesy of Liz Clayman The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today's episode features Moonlynn Tsai, co-owner of Kopitiam. After working in the Bay and LA restaurant scenes she moved to NYC in 2018, partnering with chef Kyo Pang to invigorate the new larger version of Kopitiam. The restaurant, located on the Lower East Side of New York, received a 2018 James Beard Semifinalist nomination for Chef Pang, a 2018 critic pick from Pete Wells in the NYTimes where he called it “almost unfailingly terrific” and in 2019 the restaurant was named a Bon Appetit Magazine Hot Ten restaurant. On today's show we’ll be talking about growing up in restaurants, choosing a business partner, running a hot restaurant and the cuisine of Kopitiam.Photo by Chelsea Louise KyleThe Line is powered by Simplecast.

Chef Katie Button, the chef and co-owner of two restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina: Cúrate Tapas Bar and Button & Co. Bagels, was born in South Carolina and raised in New Jersey. Chef Button has worked for Jose Andres and Ferran Adria at elBulli before returning to the South to open up her restaurant Curate in 2011 with her husband Felix. The restaurant and Katie have received tons of accolades: she was a finalist for the James Beard Rising Star Chef Award in 2014, and a nominee for the Foundation’s Best Chef: Southeast Award in both 2018 and 2019. She was also named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2015 and Curate was most recently recognized as one of Esquire’s 40 Most Important Restaurants of the Decade.Image courtesy of Curate/Katie Button.The Line is powered by Simplecast.  

Santiago Perez was born in Mexico City. He received a chemical engineering degree and then somewhere along the way decided investment banking was the right fit. At the age of 29 he was working at UBS in NYC and decided he wanted to open up a restaurant. Cosme, now open for 5 years has only increased in popularity as time goes on, increasing the fame and influence of chef Enrique Olvera and catapulting chef Daniela Soto-Innes to chef stardom. In 2017 they opened Atla, both chefs now partners. And with Santiago they will all open 3 west coast restaurants in 2020. Iin Los Angeles (Damian and Ditroit) and one in Las Vegas (Elio). On today's episode we talk about why being an investment banker is the right or wrong background for opening a restaurant, how he connected with his massively talented creative chef team and how to maintain consistency and structure while expanding to have bi-coastal operations.The holiday season is all about food and community. There’s no better time to show your support for food radio by becoming a member! Lend your voice and help HRN continue to spreading the message of equitable, sustainable, and delicious food – together, we can change minds and build a better food system. Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate today to become a crucial part of the HRN community.The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Chef Daniel Burns is responsible for helping develop aspects of the culinary programs through research and development for arguably the two most influential chefs in the world Rene Redzepi and David Chang at Noma and Momofuku respectively. He was raised in Halifax and received degrees in mathematics and philosophy at Dalhousie University and went on to work at some of the most influential restaurants in the entire world. Before working as the head of research and development for the Momofuku restaurant group here in NYC, chef Burns cooked at The Fat Duck and St. Johns in England and he built and ran the pastry program at Noma in Copenhagen. In 2013 he opened Torst in Brooklyn with partners from Evil Twin Brewing and 12% imports, two heavy hitters in the beer world. Torst which means thirst in danish had a small  restaurant in the back called called Luksus where chef Burns served a tasting menu alongside beer pairings. Luksus earned a Michelin Star in 2014 and is the only restaurant to do so pairing only beer with the menu.Photo Courtesy of Daniel BurnsThe Line is powered by Simplecast. 

Today's guest is Chef Charlene Santiago executive chef at Canal Street Oysters, the newly opened American oyster bar which is owned by the restaurateurs behind The East Pole, East Pole Fish Bar, and Pizza Beach. Charlene is almost a lifelong New Yorker having arrived here from the Philippines when she was 5 years old. Her path took her to the French culinary institute and then she put in some serious time in NYC kitchens working alongside some tremendously talented chefs like Terrance Brennan at Picholine, April Bloomfield at the Breslin and Christina Lecki at Reynards. Today we talk about growing up in Washington Heights, sourcing seafood and how long is the right amount of time to stay at a job. The Line is powered by Simplecast.  

My guest today is Nick Bognar, who is the chef and owner of Indo, the modern Asian restaurant in St. Louis. Indo combines styles of mainland Southeast Asia, joining Nick’s Thai background and formal Japanese training. At just 27, Nick was nominated for the James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year for his transformation of his family’s restaurant, Nippon Tei. He opened Indo in June 2019.Join Heritage Radio Network on Monday, November 11th, for a raucous feast to toast a decade of food radio. Our tenth anniversary bacchanal is a rare gathering of your favorite chefs, mixologists, storytellers, thought leaders, and culinary masterminds. We’ll salute the inductees of the newly minted HRN Hall of Fame, who embody our mission to further equity, sustainability, and deliciousness. Explore the beautiful Palm House and Yellow Magnolia Café, taste and imbibe to your heart’s content, and bid on once-in-a-lifetime experiences and tasty gifts for any budget at our silent auction. Tickets available now at heritageradionetwork.org/gala.Photo Courtesy of Spencer PernikoffThe Line is powered by Simplecast.

While taking French classes at the University of California-Berkeley, Whitney Otawka responded to an ad for a waitress position at a local French creperie. Although she didn’t get the waitress job, she was hired into the two-person kitchen and her culinary career began. Raised in the mojave desert in Hespiria California her family struggled financially and she dreamed of becoming an egyptologist. Over time in Oakland and San Diego she began to actively pursue and culinary career. She’s worked both coasts from California to Georgia. Along the way she’s worked for chefs such as Hugh Acheson and Linton Hopkins and staged at Per Se and Le Bernardin. She appeared on Season 9 of Top Chef and just released her first cookbook The Saltwater Table: Recipes from the Coastal South.Join Heritage Radio Network on Monday, November 11th, for a raucous feast to toast a decade of food radio. Our tenth anniversary bacchanal is a rare gathering of your favorite chefs, mixologists, storytellers, thought leaders, and culinary masterminds. We’ll salute the inductees of the newly minted HRN Hall of Fame, who embody our mission to further equity, sustainability, and deliciousness. Explore the beautiful Palm House and Yellow Magnolia Café, taste and imbibe to your heart’s content, and bid on once-in-a-lifetime experiences and tasty gifts for any budget at our silent auction. Tickets available now at heritageradionetwork.org/gala.Photo Courtesy of Whitney Otawka The Line is powered by Simplecast. 

Today's Guest Seadon Shouse grew up in a small fishing village in rural Nova Scotia. As a young boy he loved seafood and would go out harvesting wild mussels and go fishing for mackerel in front of his house. Chef Shouse has worked in multiple states opening up concepts and has spent a lot of his career working in large restaurant and hotel groups including the Myriad Restaurant Group, the W hotel, Carlton Hotel and at Glenmere Mansion in Chester NY. In  2015 he rejoined  the  W Hoboken to  open  and lead  the  kitchen  of  Halifax,  a concept  inspired  by  his experiences  growing up in Nova Scotia and his passion for North Eastern farm and coastal cuisine. In 2017, Halifax which has become a Hoboken favorite earned a three star review of “Excellent” from New Jersey Monthly Magazine. As a bi-coastal executive chef and owner, he also leads the kitchen at Timbercove resort in Northern California. Photo provided by Seadon Shouse Bread and Butter PRThe Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today’s guest is John Stage the owner of Dinosaur BBQ with 8 locations across NY, NJ and Connecticut. Dinosaur BBQ has a line of rubs and sauces available nationwide and the cookbook John released in 2001 has sold over 175k copies. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que started as a mobile popup in 1983 at the Harley Rendezvous in NY, a motorycle meetup and then in 1988 went brick and mortar on Willow St. in Syracuse NY. Today on the show we’ll talk about how it all began with a 55 gallon drum sawed in half, what partnering with the Soros family did for the business both positive and negative, how having a consumer packaged goods line can impact a brick and mortar restaurant and how to survive for 30 years in the restaurant business.Photo courtesy of Brent Herig PhotographyThe Line is powered by Simplecast.

On Today's episode of theLINE - Henry Rich of Oberon Restaurant Group that encompasses 7 different operations - restaurants, bars, catering and managing events spaces. Henry is an entrepreneur and climate activist from Brooklyn, New York. He opened Rucola, June, Fitzcarraldo, and Metta; which has now re-opened as Rhodora Wine Bar. He he has also opened The Comissary at the Metrograph, Nowadays a sprawling outdoor/indoor DJ party, and he organized the vegan food program at Public Records. Prior to opening restaurants, Henry co-founded and managed Oral Fixation Mints, a specialty manufacturing and distribution company that he sold in 2010. In 2018 all of Oberon groups projects went carbon neutral. Rhodora Wine Bar which just recently opened has taken this several steps further with the goal of being a zero waste restaurant.Today on the show we’ll be talking about Henry’s first projects, what he did before becoming a restaurateur and what it takes to create a zero waste restaurant.Photo Courtesy of Daniel Kreiger The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today's guest is Chef Chris Jaeckle. He spent 7 years with USHG with Tabla and Eleven Madison Park. He was the sous chef at Morimoto and also worked alongside Michael White at Altamerea group as CDC of Ai Fiori when it was awarded a Michelin Star and three stars from the NYTIMES. In 2013 he launched his own restaurant partnering with Zach and Jeffrey Chodorow, an italian restaurant in the west village called All’onda. But he didn’t stop there. He also opened Uma Temakeria in chelsea and gotham west market. When it opened Uma was the nation’s first fast-casual style eatery featuring fresh, customer designed temaki which is a cone-shaped “hand roll” sushi. But in 2016 All’onda shuttered after about two years being open. And in 2018, Uma Temakeria shuttered both locations. Jaeckle who was named Eater’s 2014 New York City Chef of the Year now runs Kitchen Connect Consulting which focuses on menu development for several concepts ranging from French Brasserie's, Latin Taqueria's and Airport Dining and for All'onda Dubai. Today we’re going to discuss working alongside some of the finest chefs in the world, branching out on your own, when to make the difficult decision to shut down and how to launch a consulting business.The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Born in Texas, Claire Sprouse has bartended, managed, and consulted at some of the country's most well-known and awarded cocktail institutions in Houston, San Francisco and New York City. After studying art history in college and working in galleries, she began to bartend in Houston and found her calling. She has worked at ABV, Rickhouse and consulted on Bywater along with her business partner Chad Arnholt. Along with Arnholt in 2013, they formed Tin Roof Drink Community. Through their 25+ years of combined hospitality experience and pursuit of unique collaborations, they tackle the issues of sustainability within the industry. As leaders in this conversation, Tin Roof was honored with the industry’s first ever “Sustainable Spirit” award and the 2017 “Golden Spirit” educator award, both presented by Tales of the Cocktail. In 2019, Sprouse opened her first bar, Hunky Dory in Crown Heights, Brooklyn which has a full kitchen and serves food until 1am. On today's episode we talk about her consulting work, finding her footing in Houston, the challenges of being the managing partner, how to find a space and how to secure a liquor license. Photo courtesy of Anjali Pinto. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

If world exploration and travel experience provides a solid foundation for culinary inspiration, today’s guest has prepared and then some. Throw a dart at a map and it’s a good chance you’ll hit a place my guest has visited or even lived in. Clarice Lam was born in Canada and in her travels as a professional model she has been to over 280 cities, has lived in 13 cities in 11 countries on 4 continents. After her ten year modeling career, she attended Le Cordon Bleu in Italy and The FrenchCulinary Institute in New York. After school she spent time at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery and Jean-Georges Spice Market, She then went on to be the head chef at the Chocolate Room, the Brooklyn dessert restaurant that held one of Zagat’s highest ratings, a 28. In 2012, Clarice launched The Baking Bean, an oven-to-door bakery specializing in all-natural desserts and confections based in Brooklyn, NY. Today we’ll be talking about the high pressure world of pastry perfectionism at the world’s top restaurants, starting your own business and we’ll try to get her to decide what her favorite food city in the world is. Clarice welcome to the show. Photo by Evan Sung The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today’s guest is chef Katie Jackson co-chef and partner at the award-winning restaurant Hart's in Brooklyn, as well as the recently opened wine bar, The Fly which has a short but sweet menu centered around rotisserie chicken. On the episode we'll be talking about self editing your dishes, opening a new location in an expanding restaurant group, staffing, the stresses of the job and finding your leadership voice. It's HRN's annual summer fund drive, this is when we turn to our listeners and ask that you make a donation to help ensure a bright future for food radio. Help us keep broadcasting the most thought provoking, entertaining, and educational conversations happening in the world of food and beverage. Become a member today! To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we have brand new member gifts available. So snag your favorite new pizza - themed tee shirt or enamel pin today and show the world how much you love HRN, just go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate Photo Courtesy of Heidi's Bridge The Line is powered by Simplecast.

On Today's Episode Chef Jordan Terry sits down to discuss growing up in Florida, obtaining a degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida, moving to NYC to pursue his culinary career and ending up at Major Food Group. He now is the executive chef for Dirty French on the lower east side. Chef Jordan’s responsibilities span every aspect of the restaurant, from managing the kitchen team of 70 and spearheading new dish R&D to overseeing budgets, finances, food and labor costs. It's HRN's annual summer fund drive, this is when we turn to our listeners and ask that you make a donation to help ensure a bright future for food radio. Help us keep broadcasting the most thought provoking, entertaining, and educational conversations happening in the world of food and beverage. Become a member today! To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we have brand new member gifts available. So snag your favorite new pizza - themed tee shirt or enamel pin today and show the world how much you love HRN, just go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate Photo by Noah Fecks The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Just like his father Eli Zabar, Oliver Zabar got into the business. He went to NYU where we majored in Operations at The Tisch School for Hospitality and Sport management and during college he spent time working with Steven Greenberg and Michael Stillman at The Butter Group. Upon graduating he stayed in NYC and began to work for his father. It was then that Oliver pitched his own ideas for the family brand and developed the concept for Eli’s night shift, a daytime cafe that transforms into a bar in the evening. He recently opened Devon, a cocktail bar located on the lower east side. Oliver is also working on a bakery that will open on the LES next door to Devon. On today's episode we’ll be talking about growing up as part of a NYC culinary power family with that famous last name and how it can help or hurt you, mentorship in NYC and find out how his new concepts are coming along. Photo Courtesy of Carla Vianna of Eater The Line is powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode, Chef Nick Kim Chef and Partner in Shuko located in the East Village, is on the show to discuss omakase and kaiseki menus. Shuko, which Chef Kim operates with his partner and co-chef Jimmy Lau, received 3 stars and was a critic's pick from Pete Wells in the NYTIMES. Both men are alums of 3 michelin starred Masa and and worked at Neta prior to opening Shuko together. Photo Courtesy of Shuko NYC The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Eli Halali is the co-owner of 2 bros pizza with ten locations, The Juice Shop (4 locations) and Taquiera Diana (4 locations) and the recently opened Upside Pizza. On this episode we talk about operating multiple locations, expanding food brands in the most challenging city in the world, working with your brother and yes I’m going to ask him how the hell they make money selling $1 slices of pizza. If you love arguing about NYC pizza culture and want to hear about brand building and marketing from a master - this episode of The Line is for you. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today on The Line we talk with Chef Nico Russell who took his pop-up dream and turned it into a brick and mortar reality. Nico was born in San Jose California and spent time in some of the top fine dining kitchens in the world in San Francisco, New York City and France. When he ran into his childhood friend in France and was considering his next move, they decided to open a restaurant together in NYC. Together they started Oxalis as a roving pop-up and after doing dozens of dinners, opened in Brooklyn in 2018. It was quickly reviewed in The New Yorker and recieved 1 star from the NYTIMES. Photo by Erinn Springer  The Line is powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode Yuji Haraguchi talks about how he took his pop-up focusing on mazemen (brothless ramen) and turned it into a multi-location business operating in New York and Tokyo. After graduating college, Yuji began to work for a fish distributor based in Boston and decided to start cooking his own ramen and mazemen recipes. What began as a pop-up led to family meal tastings at Roberta's, Smorgasborg, a Whole Foods residency and finally his own shop in East Williamsburg. Yuji now has ramen shops and fish markets in both Brooklyn and Manhattan and owns and operates a restaurant in Tokyo and a shop in Kyoto. Photo Courtesy of Yuji Ramen The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today's episode features Chef Jaime Young a New York native that is Executive Chef and partner at Sunday In Brooklyn. Jaime worked at Eleven Madison Park, Grayz, Ten Downing and Craigie on Main. Most recently prior to opening Sunday in Brooklyn, Jaime held the Chef de Cuisine role at Atera under his mentor Chef Matthew Lightner, Seasonality, locality, and sustainability are the most important underlying principles for Jaime. The emphasis on quality and simplicity to showcase the integrity of ingredients is the foundation for the menus Jaime creates in his current position as Executive Chef and Partner of Sunday In Brooklyn in Williamsburg. The Line is powered by Simplecast. Photo Courtesy of Atisha Paulson

On today's show Eli welcomes Chef Dennis Ngo the chef / owner of Di An Di, a Vietnamese restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Dennis left his job as a consultant to pursue being a chef and has since helped open numerous Vietnamese restaurants in New York City, including An Choi, Lucy’s Vietnamese Kitchen, Hanoi House and founded Lonestar Empire, a Texas style smoked brisket operation, which has been at Smorgasburg since 2012. Di An Di, which opened to acclaim in 2018 has become an instant neighborhood favorite. Photo Courtesy of Di An Di The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Jacob Clark grew up in Texas and moved to New York with the dream of learning from the city's best chefs. He has worked Cafe Grey under Gray Kunz, Dovetail with John Fraser, Acme under Mads Refslund, and most recently Carbone. He's also worked as a lobsterman to gain firsthand knowledge of seafood sourcing. At Maison Premiere where he serves as the Executive Chef, he has brought his own Cajun influenced style and love for seasonal seafood to the popular Brooklyn restaurant and cocktail bar. Photo courtesy of Maison Premiere The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Today's guest is Chef Marcus Jacobs from Ohio. He began cooking professionally at 18. He has cooked in San Francisco’s Zuni Cafe and also spent time traveling through southern Japan, working on farms and learning regional Japanese home cooking. Upon returning to the states he found himself in New Orleans and spent six working under James Beard Award-winning Chefs Donald Link, Ryan Prewitt and Rebecca Wilcomb. Marjie’s Grill, opened in Dececember of 2017 has been described by the New Orleans Advocate as Southern cooking that recognizes lemongrass, fish sauce and Thai basil as newer contributions to what constitutes the South. Bon Appetit chose is as one of the Top 50 best new restaurants in America in 2017. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Chef Emily Yuen has worked at Boulud Sud, DB Bistro in Singapore and at La Gavroche in London and Vue de Monde in Australia. Bessou—which means holiday home in Japanese—opened its doors in New York City's NoHo neighborhood in August 2016 and features modern Japanese dishes. The daughter of a chef and immigrant, we discuss working in the Daniel Boulud empire, her favorite flavors to work with and redefining expectations of what Japanese food can be. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode, Chef Clare de Boer of King Restaurant located in Manhattan. De Boer and fellow chef Jess Shadbolt (a guest on ep.65) have created a restaurant that has been described as entering a dinner party cooked by a very talented, very welcoming friend. From the small open kitchen they put out refined dishes with few ingredients returning to cooking with flavor and technique and avoid overly plated modernist style and trend. The restaurant, inspired by Italy and France has garnered critical acclaim including a glowing NYTimes review and Chef de Boer being named a Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs for 2018. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Chef/owner Greg Baxtrom owns the wildly popular Olmstead located in Brooklyn. Greg has worked at Alinea, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Per Se, and Lysverket in Norway, and also worked as a private chef before opening his first restaurant Olmsted in Prospect Heights in spring 2016. The neighborhood restaurant has been named one of Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America, Bon Appetit's 50 Best New Restaurants in America; Food & Wine's 2017 Restaurant of the Year and one of the The New York Times "10 Best Restaurants in 2016" The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Brandon Hoy is one of the founders and current COO of Roberta's Pizza overseeing bi-coastal restaurants, a frozen pizza business, multiple manhattan kiosk locations and a 2 michelin star restaurant nestled into the backyard of the original Roberta's in Bushwick. On this episode he discusses 10 years of Roberta's, his childhood in Napa and his early years in the NYC nightlife scene as a bartender, DJ and promoter before co-founding the immensely popular Bushwick restaurant. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Chef Matt Abdoo the chef/partner of the Brooklyn barbecue restaurant Pig Beach and Pig Bleecker, a full-service smoked food influenced restaurant food in NYC's Greenwich Village. Pig Beach was named one of Eater’s "Essential Barbecue Restaurants," and Pig Bleecker received a strong one-star review from The New York Times. Matt was previously the Chef de Cuisine of Del Posto and was in charge when the restaurant received a coveted four-star review from the New York Times. He has appeared on The Today Show and The Chew. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

My guest today is Josh Ku managing partner of Win Son the popular Taiwanese-American restaurant located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Ku originally from Queens is a first generation Taiwanese American. His parents immigrated here in their mid-twenties so his father could attend school. Ku is not a chef so he’s an unusual and exciting guest for the show. His background is based more in operations and construction. In 2014, Ku and his friend Trigg Brown, a chef, began discussing opening a restaurant together. They visited Ku’s family in Taiwan and ate extensively helping educate themselves about dishes that would end up influencing the food they’ve created at Win Son. They opened in May 2016 and have received praise from multiple outlets including a best of 2016 from The Village Voice. and are currently developing a new project Win Star a casual taiwanese cafe set to open in 2019.The Line is powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode we welcome Angie Rito, chef and co-owner of Don Angie located in the West Village. Chef Rito grew up in Cleveland and has worked in NYC at Torrisi Italian Specialties and Quality Italian. In may of 2018 Pete Wells of the NY TIMES awards Don Angie 2 stars enjoying nearly everything from the design to the food to the drinks to the dessert. Zagat has named Chef Rito one of 13 chefs to watch in NYC and Infatuation named Don Angie one of the best restaurants of 2017. Angie's photo provided by Nicole Franzen. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

On this episode of The Line, Eli welcomes Chef Jess Shadbolt of King New York. After having worked at The River Cafe in London, Jess came to New York and along with her co-chef, opened King to great acclaim. The restaurant was named a top 2017 restaurant by Pete Wells along with a 2 star review from The New York Times. Jess and her co-chef Clare were both named a Food and Wine Best New Chef in 2018. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

Todays' guest is chef Nick Tamburo. Nick began his career in Boston, working at restaurants like Flour Bakery, Savenor’s Butcher and Market and Radius by chef Michael Schlow. Nick then joined the Momofuku team at Noodle Bar before moving to Belgium, where he spent time at In de Wulf, the Michelin-starred restaurant from chef Kobe Desramualts. When he returned to New York, Nick re-joined the Momofuku team at Ko, where he helped reopen the restaurant at their new location as a cook, before being promoted to sous chef. Nick then worked at Blanca in Brooklyn, NY, before returning to the Momofuku team where he is currently the Chef de Cuisine at Momofuku Nishi. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today's guest is chef Chef Ariel Fox the Concept Executive Chef for Dos Caminos. She became the chef at Dos Caminos in October 2017 and currently oversees culinary operations at all five Dos Caminos locations in New York City. Born in Northern California and a graduate of the California School of Culinary Arts’ Le Cordon Bleu she has extensive cooking experience ranging from catering to stand alone restaurants like ACME and STK as well as running the culinary operations for the large hospitality company The ONE Group where she launched multiple restaurants in Vegas, Miami and Manhattan. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's episode of The Line we welcome Chef Patrick Miller of Rucola restaurant and has been working there since it opened in 2011. He was raised in Los Angeles, California and was inspired by the cooking of his mother and Italian grandparents to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. He has worked in San Francisco, Spain, and New York under several chefs who he credits with his cooking style, namely Chef Stuart Brioza (State Bird Provisions), Chef Jason Tallent (Pizzeria Vetri), and Andoni Aduriz (Mugaritz). He is currently starting an Italian liquor company called "Faccia Brutto Spirits" in Brooklyn that will open this fall. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's episode of The Line multi-James Beard nominated and Michelin star Chef Alex Raij discusses her early childhood in Minneapolis as an Argentine Jew, moving to NYC after attending CIA, meeting the man who would become her husband and business partner and how she navigates her days leading the kitchen at 3 (soon to be 4) restaurants. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's episode, Chef Emma Bengtsson talks about her childhood in Sweden, moving to NYC to join the team at Acquavit, and obtaining two Michelin stars. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today's guest is Nick Curtola. Nick is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. He began his formal cooking career at Camino in Oakland. He has also cooked at Franny's, Roman's, and Glady's in Brooklyn and spent a year cooking abroad in Italy. In 2015, Curtola was selected as the executive chef at The Four Horsemen, a 37-seat restaurant in Williamsburg which has received critical acclaim. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's episode, Eli interviews Chef Laura Cole. She grew up in in the suburbs of Detroit and moved to Alaska after graduating college. She opened 229 Parks Restaurant and Tavern, at the entrance to Denali National Park in 2005. She has been at the forefront of identifying, developing and pushing the boundaries of what Alaskan cuisine can be. She appeared on Top Chef season 15 and has twice been nominated in 2016 and 2017 for Best Chef Northwest from the James Beard Foundation The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today’s guest is Chef Christina Lecki. Christina attended culinary school at the art institute of Philadelphia, went for a brief period to culinary school before going to work for Alfred Portale. She later joined The Breslin team under April Bloomfield rising to the level of Chef De Cuisine. While running The Breslin they maintained their Michelin star while serving food to a packed house every single night. She now leads the kitchen for Andrew Tarlow at Reynard located inside the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg. Much of the food, which is all carefully and thoughtfully sourced, is cooked over an open wood fire grill. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today’s guest is Umber Ahmad. Umber's family moved from Pakistan to Marquette a city in Northern Michigan right before she was born. She attended MIT for undergrad for a degree in genetics, went to U of M for a master's in public health and also holds a MBA from Upenn. She has worked extensively as an investment banker and counseled people on how to expand their own brands. When her famous chef client Tom Colicchio caught wind of her baking and tried it, he decided to back her as she opened her own bakery/wholesale business. This lead to the formation of an online bakery operation with international wholesale clients and the opening in 2013 of Mah-Ze-Dahr, her bakery storefront in Manhattan. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Erin Patinkin is CEO and co-founder of Ovenly. She has been recognized as one of New York’s most “badass women” in food in New York City by Zagat and as “one to watch” by Conde Nast. Her writing has been featured in Lucky Peach and Vice. Ovenly: Sweet & Salty Treat from New York’s Most Creative Bakery, was named as one of the best overall books of 2014 by National Public Radio. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today's guest is Vinny Milburn, owner and fishmonger of Greenpoint Fish and Lobster. The company operates wholesale operations as well as a restaurant. Vinny's great-great grandfather founded wholesale fish enterprise, the John Nagle Company, in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in the 1880s. After working as the company’s seafood purchaser and head of wholesale operations, he partnered with Adam Geringer-Dunn to open Greenpoint Fish & Lobster (a restaurant and retail seafood market) in Brooklyn in 2014, a wholesale market in Queens in 2015, and a retail seafood market in Long Island City in 2016. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's episode Chef Daniel Holzman discusses his career and how he came to co-create The Meatball Shop. Daniel recounts his early days growing up in NYC and getting hired at Le Bernardin at age 15, heading to the CIA for culinary school and traveling west to continue his culinary education all before returning home to partner up with his childhood friend Michael Chernow on the multi-unit Meatball Shop restaurant concept that of course specializes in meatballs and offers them in over 125 different ways. The Line is powered by Simplecast

This week Chef Erin Shambura the co-owner and chef of Fausto in Brooklyn stops by. Chef Shambura has previously worked at Mercer Kitchen, Del Posto, Lupa and L’Artusi. In this episode we discuss coming up the ranks in some of the finest Italian restaurants in NYC, getting burnt out and moving to Italy, and what it is like to be in the beginning months of running a newly opened restaurant. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today's episode is all about burgers and growing a brand, and today's guest is one of the first employees of Shack Shack. MARK ROSATI joined the Shake Shack team at the original Madison Square Park location as a Manager in the summer of 2007 and became culinary director in charge of developing permanent menu items and local seasonal specials for Shake Shack locations throughout the United States and in many countries abroad. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today's guest is Max Sussman, chef and co-owner of Samesa Restaurant in Williamsburg. Max was previously the chef de cuisine at Eve the restaurant a beloved neighborhood favorite in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he worked at the Breslin, was the chef de cuisine at Roberta's when it received 2 stars from the New York Times and then led the kitchen at The Cleveland in Manhattan before deciding to pursue his own restaurant concept based around shawarma. He has been nominated for a James Beard rising star chef award, and was both a Zagat and Forbes Magazine 30 under 30. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Brian Goldberg a NY native who has at various times in his life been an Olympic qualifying luger, an investment banker and a CNBC TV reporter, moved to China with a masters in East Asian studies and became infatuated with the jianbing, a northern Chinese street crepe. His obsession led him to open his first jianbing shop in Hong Kong called Mr. Bing in 2012 and a second in 2013. After moving back to NYC, he now has 3 locations of Mr. Bing with a fourth on the way. Today, we’ll be diving deep into Brian’s entrepreneurial drive, the pitfalls and obstacles to launching a QSR in the competitive NYC climate, the history of the jianbing and I’ll also be picking his brain on how to build and grow a successful restaurant group team at the cook and executive level. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Chef Greg Proechel has worked at Eleven Madison Park, Graffit and Blanca where he was sous under Carlo Mirachi when the restaurant earned its second Michelin star. Prior to opening Ferris he was the executive chef at Le Turtle in Manhattan. That restaurant was named one of Eater’s best new restaurants of 2016. The NY Times recently awarded Ferris two stars. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today's guest is Bryan Dayton, the co-owner of Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder and Acorn and Brider in Denver. Bryan oversees day to day operations of all three properties and runs the front of house and beverage programs. He is a master Sommelier and graduate of the Beverage Alcohol Resource Program. In early 2018 along with his partners, they will open Corrida, a Basque/Spanish inspired steakhouse. He previous worked at Frasca Food and Wine in Colorado. Bryan’s restaurants and cocktails have been covered by Bon Appetit, Details, Vanity Fair, Imbibe, GQ, and the Wall Street Journal. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Ariel Arce grew up in Hell’s Kitchen and as a young child was a professional actor and also trained at the highest level in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics Program. After college she went to Chicago and worked at The Office (part of Next restaurant) and Pop’s the oldest family operated Champagne bar in America honing her Champagne knowledge. After opening Birds and Bubbles a fried chicken and Champagne establishment, she has branched out on her own to open Air’s Champagne Parlor, a living room style establishment dedicated to Champagne and sparkling wine and Tokyo Record Bar, a tribute to vinyl, sake and Japan. Both are located in Manhattan. On today's episode we talk about growing up in NYC, learning about hospitality and drinks in Chicago and of course - we’ll be discussing champagne. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's show we welcome the chef Alex Stupak, owner of Empellon in Midtown, Al Pastor in the E.V. and Taqueria in the W.V. He began his career by washing dishes at age 12 and then attended the Culinary Institute of America on a full scholarship and has worked at Tru in Chicago, the Federalist in Boston, Alinea and wd-50. His restaurants have made top ten lists at New York Magazine, NY Times and Empellon Cocina was named a JBF best new restaurant semifinalist in 2013. Alex was named a Best new Chef by Food and Wine Magazine in 2013 and recently wrote his first cookbook called Tacos and Provocations. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's show, we welcome the owner and operator of Nom Wah Tea Parlor and several other NYC restaurants. Wilson Tang took over the flagship Nom Wah in 2011 from his uncle Wally and infused with new life and excitement and a few hints of modernity while maintaining the classic elements of the menu dining room and vibe. In addition to Nom Wah which opened nearly 100 years ago, Wilson operates Nom Wah Nolita and Nom Wah Kuai, both fast-casual concepts; and Nom Wah Tu. In this episode We discuss defying parents wishes and getting into the restaurant business, how a business degree can be helpful in the epic competition of NYC and and navigating the world of expansion. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Today's guest is the co-owner and chef of Speedy Romeo a wood-fired restaurant serving pizza, grilled meats and fish in Brooklyn. He attended the French Culinary Institute and then began working for Jean-Georges. He rose to the level of CDC within the Jean-George restaurant group and then became a chef trainer helping to launch multiple restaurants all around the world taking him to far off locations like Istanbul and Qatar. The Line is powered by Simplecast

On today's episode we are joined by a true chef's chef Akhtar Nawab owner of Alta Calidad, founder of two fast casual concepts Indie Fresh and Choza Taqueria and a Fero in Birmingham Alabama. The busy chef worked extensively for Tom Collichio and was previously the chef of La Esquina. The Line is powered by Simplecast

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Michael McCarty, proprietor of restaurants Michael’s Santa Monica and Michael’s New York. McCarty was an early pioneer of California Cuisine, jump-starting the farm-to-table movement and regional American food. He was a founder of the American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) and an early supporter of the James Beard Foundation (JBF).

Jessica Koslow is the chef and owner of Sqirl in Los Angeles. Jessica started her career in pastry at the James Beard award-winning restaurant, Bacchanalia, in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2011, she returned to Los Angeles and started Sqirl – a breakfast and lunch cafe in tune with the seasons not only through daily dishes, but also through her line of preserves. In 2014, she was named Eater LA’s Chef of the Year, and her first cookbook, Everything I Want To Eat, was nominated for a James Beard Award. Sqirl currently sits on Eater's 2016 list of the 38 Essential Restaurants in America. Koslow is busy with her new restaurant, Tel, which will open in the fall of this year.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Ali LaRaia, the co-founder and executive chef of The Sosta. Growing up in restaurants, Ali developed a love and understanding of the business from an early age. In 2011, Ali started Marianberry Cookies, an E-commerce brand selling a full line of all-natural cookies, that were nationally distributed after just 6 months. Later that year, Ali took her love of Italian cuisine and began to travel through Italy to experience its regions, understand its ingredients and enhance her love and understanding of Italian cuisine through taste. Traveling through Italy, Ali created the base for what has become The Sosta.

Growing up northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura County, surrounded by agriculture, Jessica Largey developed an appreciation for farming and sustainability alongside her love of cooking, ultimately leading her to work at regional farmers’ markets and visiting local farms. She is the Executive Chef of SIMONE, which opens in December in the emerging Arts District of downtown L.A., offering an a la carte menu of seasonal California fare. The Line is powered by Simplecast

A native of France, Chef Laurent Tourondel parlayed his love of food at an early age into a four year program at Saint Vincent Ecole de Cuisine in Montlucon, France where he earned a “d’Aptitude Professionnelle de Cuisinier.” After graduating he received his first post in the kitchen as chef to the Admiral in the French Navy. Following this position he worked at several restaurants in France and then traveled to London where he cooked at the famed Gentleman’s Club, Boodle’s. This was followed by stints at the three-star Michelin Relais & Chateau Troisgros in France and the former Cello in New York City, for which he received three stars from the New York Times. Laurent is currently the Executive Chef and Partner in the BLT ("Bistro Laurent Tourondel") Restaurant Group, which has more than six restaurants in the United States and Puerto Rico: BLT Steak, BLT Prime, BLT Fish, BLT Fish Shack, BLT Burger, and BLT Market. The Line is powered by Simplecast

Noah Arenstein is a lawyer, cook, writer, and event planner based in Brooklyn, NY. Noah is the owner of El Atoradero Brooklyn and Madre Mezcaleria in Prospect Heights and Taqueria El Atoradero in Gowanus. He also co-founded Real Cheap Eats, which sought out the best food under $10 in NYC, and has written for Serious Eats, Saveur and Thrillist.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Hugh Mangum, co-founder and pit master of Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque. Initially a passion project inspired by Mangum’s late father, Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque (named after Mangum’s eldest son) defines a distinct brand of New York-style barbeque that slots neatly into the fast-casual industry. Partnering with Christos Gourmos and stepbrother Micha Magid, Mangum grew the business far beyond its humble start at the Smorgasburg food market in Williamsburg, Brooklyn by launching the brand’s flagship eatery in Manhattan’s East Village in 2012. In addition to his barbeque prowess, many know Mangum from his appearances on Cook Like an Iron Chef with Michael Symon, Unique Eats, and Beat Bobby Flay. He also won Chopped, and appeared in the critically acclaimed movie, Julie & Julia. The Line is powered by Simplecast.

David Massoni brings more than twenty years of restaurant experience to the Three Kings Restaurant Group. He started at the age of fifteen working in his parents’ Zagat rated and Wine Spectator award-winning hotel and restaurant, the Imperial Hotel, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. This year, the Three Kings Restaurant Group made their first foray into Manhattan, with the openings of Massoni, Barlo and The Heights, all within the ARLO NoMad Hotel. They also added on another Brooklyn outpost, with the opening of Atlantic Social Club, across from the Barclays Center, and have plans to plant their seed in Chinatown this summer, with the openings of The Crown, Rice & Gold and Green Lady, all within the new Hotel 50 Bowery.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Scott Conant broke out onto the restaurant scene in his twenties, running the kitchens of famed Italian spots such as il Toscanaccio, Chianti and City Eatery, which earned glowing reviews under his leadership. Conant officially put his name on the map when he opened the beloved L’Impero in 2002. It garnered a three-star review from The New York Times, the title of “Best New Restaurant” from the James Beard Foundation and praise from top publications such as Gourmet and Food & Wine, which named Conant one of America’s Best New Chefs in 2004. Following the success of L’Impero, Conant has opened restaurants in Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and New York. He has appeared on the Today Show, The Chew, CBS’ The Talk, and Good Morning America, and is a regular judge on Chopped. He has also published three cookbooks: New Italian Cooking, Bold Italian, and The Scarpetta Cookbook.

Tracy Chang’s love for the restaurant industry began at an early age at her grandmother’s Japanese restaurant in Cambridge. Her grandmother, Chin-Fun Shiue, immigrated to Boston in the 1980’s and decided to open not only one restaurant, but several. At an early age, Tracy observed her grandmother’s hard work and leadership that created opportunities for other immigrants. Fast forward to today, and Tracy is excited to feed the Cambridge community and continue her grandmother’s legacy at her own restaurant, PAGU.

Andrew Tarlow owns and operates several businesses in Brooklyn, including Diner, Marlow & Daughters, She Wolf, Roman’s, Reynard, and the bar Achilles Heel. Many media outlets have anointed him as being responsible for shaping the modern Brooklyn dining scene. He owns Marlow Home Goods, which is run by his wife, and also runs Diner's Journal, a quarterly print publication.

A native Philadelphian, and classically trained in Bergamo, Italy, Marc Vetri is known the world over for bringing a bold, contemporary sensibility to classic Italian cooking. He is the chef/founder of Philadelphia’s Vetri Family of Restaurants, which operates a collection of the country’s most critically acclaimed Italian restaurants. Outside of his restaurants, Marc is deeply passionate about giving back to the community, in particular his hometown of Philadelphia. In 2009, he and Jeff Benjamin created the Vetri Community Partnership. The organization’s signature initiative, “Eatiquette,” is a school lunch improvement program currently serving the Philadelphia and Austin areas. Culinary classroom and after-school cooking programs overseen by Vetri Community Partnership further help reinforce lessons learned in the lunchroom. Marc and his business partner Jeff Benjamin are the founders of the “Great Chefs Event,” which brings together scores of the country’s greatest chefs to raise money and awareness for the pediatric cancer charity, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Claire Welle was born outside of Baltimore and attended the Culinary Institute of America. After culinary school, Welle cooked in San Francisco and Washington D.C. She dutifully studied baking, pastry, and bread making under a Tartine alum. Welle also spent time farming at a small organic produce farm outside Saratoga Springs in upstate New York. Since moving to new York City, Welle cooked at Mas (farmhouse), Gwynnett St, Blenheim, and Rebelle. Currently, Welle is proud to lead an exceedingly talented group of people at her humble Brooklyn restaurant, Otway. When she is not in the kitchen at Otway, you can likely find Welle at the Four Horseman or La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels drinking wine.

Ajay Walia is the owner of two, culinary-driven Indian restaurants in San Francisco, Saffron and the Michelin-starred Rasa. With over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, Walia strives to change the perception of Indian food in Western culture. While living in the U.S., Walia realized the misconception Americans had about Indian food and looked to change it in by following his passion for food and dream of becoming a restaurateur. Walia opened Saffron in San Carlos in 2002 with the intention to serve North Indian cuisine, celebrating India’s rich culinary traditions and flavors. The menu is a reflection of Walia’s interpretation of dishes curated from recipes and techniques based on his childhood, family and experiences.

A native of Saigon, Vietnam and raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Chef Ryan McCaskey discovered his passion for cooking at an early age. As a youngster, he would watch his grandmother recreate handed-down recipes, helping her out as he could, and his interest was piqued. He began experimenting and by age 14, McCaskey was the family cook. Fast forward to 2010: McCaskey began plans for Acadia, fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant. Acadia opened in late 2011 and has since garnered accolades from both local and national sources. The most noteworthy accolades in the five years since opening have been a two-star rating by Michelin in 2016, a one-star rating by Michelin after nine months (retained in 2013, 2014, 2015), 2015 5-Star AAA rating, Best New Restaurant - Jean Banchet Awards 2013, and three Semi-Finalist nominations for Best Chef Great Lakes by James Beard Foundation.

Brian Loiacono grew up in Long Island in a large Italian family where boisterous cooking and eating together were integral practices. Work in local Long Island kitchens during high school spurred him to push his limits, and at age 19, Loiacono began a stage at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, chef Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin-starred restaurant in Oxfordshire, England. Loiacono credits this experience with “the ass kicking he needed” as a base for his career, one that spurred him to pursue his craft. Back in New York City, an evening assisting chef Kirk Avondoglio at a City Harvest event led to a career-shifting encounter. Post event Avondoglio and Loiacono went to Daniel Boulud’s three Michelin-starred flagship, DANIEL, where Loiacono was introduced to chef Boulud himself, who would soon be his employer. In 2007, at age 19, Loiacono began working as a cook at DANIEL. In 2008, when Boulud opened Bar Boulud, Loiacono joined the opening team under executive chef Damian Sansonetti, and remained there for the restaurant’s first two and a half years. In 2011, at age 23, Loiacono returned to DANIEL and soon became sous chef. In 2013, Loiacono once again wanted a change and landed in Verona, Italy at Ristorante Perbellini, the new restaurant by two-Michelin star recipient Giancarlo Perbellini, for a short stage. Within a week of his return to the US, Brian joined The Smile team as executive chef at Ruschmeyer’s for its first summer. Word of Loiacono’s return stateside got back to his former boss and mentor, chef Boulud, who asked him to come back to the DB family. At age 25, Loiacono became db Bistro Moderne’s executive chef and remained there until July 2015, a time during which Brian was recognized a New York City culinary leader in Zagat’s “30 Under 30” ranking. In late 2015, Loiacono teamed up with ACME’s owners Jean-Marc Houmard, Jon Neidich and Huy Chi Le to re-introducing ACME as a contemporary bistro, Loiacono combines his Italian-American upbringing with his classic French training to create a seasonal restaurant that showcases a variety of flavors and techniques, yet is quintessentially New York.

Chef Abram Bissell became Executive Chef of The Modern in 2014. Most recently, Abram opened The NoMad as Chef de Cuisine in 2012, directly following his role as Executive Sous Chef at Eleven Madison Park, during which time the restaurant earned three Michelin Stars, four New York Times stars, and membership in the Relais & Chateau association. Earlier in his career, Abram worked in the kitchens of Post Ranch Inn’s Sierra Mar Restaurant in Big Sur, and L’Espalier in Boston. Abram attended the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. He was born into a half Jewish, half Italian family and raised in a fishing community in the Florida Keys, and that is deeply reflected in his cooking. The first dish he learned to make was conch fritters, and that still finds its way onto his menu in present day (but with lobster), and there are elements on various dishes that show his love of Jewish delis.

On this week's episode of The Line, Eli is joined in studio by chef Gunnar Gíslason. Born in Iceland, Gunnar has garnered international acclaim for his creative cooking, and his curious nature, love for reviving traditions, and eye for finding pristine products have been applauded by guests and media alike. Gunnar Gíslason and his family have relocated to New York City where he is the Executive Chef of Agern, located in Grand Central Terminal. Gíslason has teamed up with Danish restauranteur and culinary entrepreneur Claus Meyer to introduce New Yorkers to New Nordic cuisine while using New York’s best available and local produce. Gíslason applies ancient techniques commonly used in Scandinavian cooking, such as salting, fermenting, pickling and smoking, across its menu.

SPIKE GJERDE is a chef, restaurateur and local food advocate based in Baltimore who is committed to supporting and preserving the Mid-Atlantic food system by purchasing solely from the growers, watermen and food artisans of the region. Spike leads a team of more than 250 across six locations in Baltimore including Woodberry Kitchen, Artifact Coffee, Bird in Hand, Parts & Labor, Grand Cru and canning operation Woodberry Pantry, plus A Rake’s Progress and The Cup We All Race 4 to open at The LINE DC hotel in Adams Morgan this May. In 2015, Spike became the first and only Baltimore chef to bring home the James Beard Foundation’s award for “Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic.” He was a finalist both years prior.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Jake Dell, the owner and Vice President of Katz’s Delicatessen, an iconic Jewish deli established in 1888, which the Dell family purchased in 1988. After growing up in the restaurant industry, Jake Dell officially joined the business in late 2009 and is currently in charge of all major operations. Since 2009, Jake has worked to modernize the 130-year-old deli’s systems and processes while continuing to maintain the old world feel and taste for which Katz’s is famous. Most recently, Jake expanded shipping to include national reach and will open Katz's second location in the soon-to-open DeKalb Market. Jake Dell has a B.A. from Tufts University and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. Jake’s favorite meal is Pastrami on Rye (which he prepares himself), side of latkes, and chocolate egg cream.

Elise Kornack is the chef and co-owner of Brooklyn’s Take Root, the 12-seat tasting-menu restaurant she runs along with her wife, Anna Hieronimus. Take Root has received a coveted Michelin star for three consecutive years and was named one of the "Best New Restaurants in America" by Esquire magazine in 2014. Kornack has been a semi finalist for the "James Beard Rising Star Chef" award for the last three years, one of the “50 Most Influential People” in the Brooklyn food scene by Brooklyn Magazine and New York Magazine's critic Adam Platt named her one of five "Best New Chefs 2015" by in the annual "Where to Eat" issue. As of March 2017, Kornack will close Take Root to move her residence to Ulster County with plans to pursue new creative endeavors upstate.

This week on The Line, Eli is joined in the studio by Dianna Daoheung, a first generation Lao-Thai American who co-owns one of the most famous bagel shops in New York City, Black Seed Bagels. Tune in to follow the line of her career from growing up cooking traditional Thai dishes, to balancing the roles of chef and business manager.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Marc Meyer, the executive chef of Cookshop, Vic's, Hundred Acres, and Rosie's, all in New York City. For the last twenty years, Chef Meyer has presented ingredient-driven cuisine and found that the best products are produced with sustainability of the planet in mind. Chef Meyer finds this to be the cornerstone of modern American cooking with roots stretching across the country.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Ayesha Nurdjaja, the executive chef at Hundred Acres, Vicki Freeman and Marc Meyer’s farm-to-table restaurant in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, where she serves a newly revamped menu of enticing Mediterranean dishes that highlight local, seasonal ingredients. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Ayesha is the daughter of an Indonesian father and Italian mother. Growing up, she was always inspired by her father’s cooking and his use of exotic flavors, but her entrepreneurial spirit first led her to pursue a business degree at Pace University. After graduating in 2000, she realized that food is where her true passion lies, so she enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Education. Ayesha graduated from culinary school in 2006 and, after watching chef Lidia Bastianich cook on PBS, walked into Lidia’s restaurant, Felidia, and asked for a job. They brought her on as a line cook and she worked her way up the ranks to become sous chef. Since then, Ayesha has helped lead the kitchen teams at Bar Artisanal and Michelin-starred Picholine under chef Terrance Brennan, and at Michelin-starred A Voce under chef Missy Robbins. She also spent time as executive chef at Il Bordello and most recently at Brooklyn neighborhood favorite Red Gravy, where for three years she offered her take on modern southern Italian cuisine. In 2015, Ayesha met with restaurateurs Vicki Freeman and Marc Meyer, who were looking for a new chef at their restaurant Hundred Acres. Ayesha was drawn to their passion for creating a welcoming place with honest cooking and they hit it off immediately. At Hundred Acres, her new menu draws on the rustic, vibrant flavors found throughout Italy, Morocco and Tunisia.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in studio by chef Marco Canora of Hearth Restaurant, Brodo, and Zadie’s Oyster Room. In the more than a decade since Marco opened Hearth, the restaurant has become an enduring presence in the New York City dining scene, earning a strong local following, positive two-star reviews from The New York Times in both 2004 and 2013, and a prestigious “Outstanding Restaurant” nomination from the James Beard Foundation, regarded as one of the highest honors in the national restaurant industry. In January 2016, Marco reinvented the 12-year-old restaurant with a fresh new look and sharpened commitment to transparency and simple, clean food. The menu focuses on real food and nutrient density, offering quality fats, freshly milled grains, grass-fed butter and sustainable, local fish, all influenced by Marco’s Italian heritage. In 2016, Marco was nominated for the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef: New York City” award. With a newfound dedication to mindful, nutritious eating, Marco opened his takeout window, Brodo, out of a side window at Hearth in November 2014, followed by a brick-and-mortar West Village location in November 2016. Brodo serves nourishing, sip-able bone broths in coffee cups with customizable add-ins such as ginger juice, freshly grated turmeric and quality fats such as butter and coconut oil, buzzed straight into the broth to create rich, frothy beverages. Marco has been recognized by many as a pioneer of the bone broth trend that continues to spread across the nation. In June 2016, Marco opened Zadie’s Oyster Room down the street from Hearth. His ode to New York’s turn of the century oyster houses, it offers a menu of seven different preparations of the bivalve along with wine, beer, cider and other shareable bites in a bright, airy space on 12th Street.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Jean Adamson, owner of Vinegar Hill House. Jean moved from Salt Lake City to NYC in the spring of 1997 to attend the French Culinary Institute. After graduating, Jean began at Balthazar where she worked every station before becoming the first female Sous Chef for the company at the end of her second year. After a stint in Europe, she was the head chef of Balthazar Bakery and later the Sous at Pastis. She later consulted for Frank Prinsinzano to help organize the kitchens of his mini empire, worked as Head Chef at Freemans, and then in 2008 opened her own restaurant in the dusty landmarked neighborhood of Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn. Almost nine years later Jean still feels the values she learned throughout her years cooking and traveling hold weight in her current efforts within her life and her business. She continues to move forward in her practices as a business owner with consideration of the many parts of the restaurant industry and how they affect one another and the world around.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Chef Eduardo Sandoval of Tygershark in Prospect Heights. Tune in to follow the line of Sandoval's career, from growing up in Texas to serving Korean classics with Latin American flair in Brooklyn.

On the season premiere of The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Tracy Young, co-owner and creative director of Kings County Imperial in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Tune in to hear them trace the line of Tracy's career, from working as a private chef aboard luxury yachts, to fusing casual Szechuan cuisine with Brooklyn-sourced ingredients, and soy sauce on tap.

On the season finale of The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Chef Jake Novick-Finder of Gristmill. At just 12 years old, Jake started his first internship at Chanterelle in New York City, followed by extended periods at Gramercy Tavern during Claudia Fleming’s tenure, Union Square Café, and a chocolate shop in Paris. Now, as the executive chef and owner of Gristmill in Park Slope, he creates a seasonal rotating menu sourced from farmers and purveyors in the Northeast, including his mother’s personal farm in Rhinebeck, NY.

Chef Ron Silver opened Bubby’s as a one-man pie delivery service on Thanksgiving Day in 1990. He worked out of a small kitchen on the corner of Hudson and North Moore Street in Tribeca baking pies and selling them to restaurants and his neighbors. And today, Ron’s beloved restaurant and pie shop, beloved by thousands of New Yorkers and visitors alike, celebrates 25 years of feeding its community. Bubby’s now has locations in Tribeca and the Meatpacking District, across from the new Whitney Museum.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Bobby Hellen, executive chef of GG's in the East Village. Growing up in a large Italian family in New York City, Chef Bobby Hellen has always felt most at home in the kitchen. Influenced by his grandmother, a devout Mets fan from Brooklyn who used to take pride in her homemade pastas, sausages, and cured meats, Hellen found cooking at a young age and learned to love the controlled chaos of a kitchen. Tune in to follow the line of Hellen's career from culinary school to "meat prodigy" and beyond!

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que in Red Hook, Brooklyn. After almost 20 years in the security and private protection field, during which he kept a close eye on some of the country's most public figures, Brooklyn native Billy Durney has fulfilled a longtime dream by taking the helm as pitmaster and owner at Hometown Bar-B-Que. Since first learning to smoke meat as a youngster during visits to his grandparents' cabin in rural Pennsylvania, Billy has spent years obsessing over his barbecue, traveling around the United States and abroad perfecting his techniques. Starting in the backyard, cooking for family and friends, he has now realized his lifelong passion for wood, fire and meat.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Chef Rawlston Williams of The Food Sermon. Originally from the Caribbean island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Chef Rawlston Williams draws vibrant flavors and cooking techniques from an array of cultures. He launched The Food Sermon as a catering venture before expanding to a pint-sized corner restaurant in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, earning an extremely loyal fan base and expanding from there.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Deuki Hong, former executive chef of Kang Ho Dong Baekjong and co-author of Koreatown: A Cookbook. Most recently, Hong has formed a hospitality group intended for restaurants from chefs who, like Hong, are young and talented, but may lack resources. The goal is to assemble a cadre of young talent that will be, as he tells Eater NY, “an Avengers of the food world.”

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined by Jay Chan, chef and co-owner of Fancy Nancy in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. From working in the kitchen as part of his high school's culinary program, to stints at Northern Spy and Mile End, to cultivating a genuine neighborhood establishment with fellow Northern Spy alum Kristin Walker, follow the line of Chan's career on this week's episode!

Leading il Buco Alimentari & Vineria’s artisan bread program, Head Baker Sheena Otto bakes all the breads on the restaurant menu, in addition those offered through the Alimentari’s bakery. Born and raised in NYC’s Hell’s Kitchen, Sheena’s path into the culinary world was an untraditional one, though her long-time love of baking did eventually lead her to some of the city’s top bakeries and bread programs. She started her career investigating police misconduct in the NYPD, but confident that she hadn’t yet found her calling, Sheena moved to Washington, DC several years later to explore a career in Law. After a brief stint in DC, she returned to NYC and started working in a hedge fund until 2008, when she was laid off after the stock market crashed. Again in search of her next move professionally, Sheena took a job at a small Mediterranean deli, where her passion for baking was reignited. She became a baker at NYC’s iconic Amy’s Bread and simultaneously staged at SCRATCHBread in Brooklyn. She was hired as Head Boulangère at the Michelin-starred Atera and launched the restaurant’s much praised bread program. After three years, she became the sous chef at beloved Brooklyn bakery Bien Cuit, and honed her bread baking practice of using a slow fermentation process and only the best ingredients, which she now brings to il Buco Alimentari. In addition to il Buco’s classic breads like ciabatta, focaccia fino and filone, Sheena has added her own specialty breads to the menu, including a naturally fermented Buckwheat Rye (made with Anson Mills Rye), a Bourbon Raisin Fennel bread and a flavorful Multigrain bread with pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and flax seeds.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman sits down with Chef Hillary Sterling. Born and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Sterling was inspired to cook by her grandmother, who had a passion for cooking and a knack for resourcefully combining ingredients. Years later, after earning a business degree from Indiana University, Sterling began taking night classes at a local cooking school in Bloomington, which promptly refocused her attention on food. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago in 2003, Sterling returned to New York City and worked in restaurants owned by Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Missy Robbins, and more. Currently, she is the chef at Vic’s, a new neighborhood Italian-Mediterranean restaurant in NoHo.

This week on The Line, Eli gets inside the mind of Jonathan Wu, Chef and Owner of Fung Tu in Brooklyn. Jonathan cites his mom as his greatest culinary influence, and garnering his culinary experience from his travels to Europe, he has managed to create a unique Asian dining experience, putting seasonality at the heart of his cooking.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Matt Hyland of pizza destinations Emily and Emmy Squared. Tune in to hear them trace the line of Matt's career from from college to computers to chef whites.

This week on The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Robyn Sue Fisher, founder of Smitten Ice Cream. With locations in both Southern and Northern California, Smitten believes that the quality, purity, and positive impact of ice cream can and should be better. From a stint in business consulting, to enrolling at one of the best business schools in the United States, to patenting a technique for making ice cream in 90 seconds flat, tune in to follow the line of Fisher's career as an ice cream aficionado and innovator.

On the premiere episode of The Line, host Eli Sussman is joined in the studio by Zahra Tangorra, former head chef/owner of Brucie, which was a Cobble Hill destination from 2010 until closing its doors this past February. Tune in to hear her discuss growing up in her parents' specialty food and catering shop on the North Shore of Long Island (the Lovin' Oven), the miracle that led to her becoming a professional chef, and the challenges of running a successful restaurant for five years. Currently, Zahra is focusing her creative energies on High Five Girl, a feminist lifestyle blog, as well as an in-demand restaurant consulting and catering team.