Podcasts about best chef southwest

Today's guest is Sarah Thompson, executive chef at Casa Playa at Wynn Resort in Las Vegas and a newly minted James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest. Before getting tapped to helm the 300-seat restaurant, Sarah got her start working at celebrated spots like Marea and Cosme in New York City. Today, she's one of the few female executive chefs on the world-famous Strip. Sarah joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about the influence of her family, why she was drawn to fine dining, her tight-knit team, her thoughts on teaching and mentorship, and more.Thank you to Las Vegas for supporting our show. Learn more and book your trip here. For Jubilee 2025 tickets, click here. To get our new Love Issue, click here. Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions and show transcripts. More on Sarah: Instagram, Casa Playa, Wynn Las VegasMore on Kerry: Instagram

On Today's Menu: Private club applications Upcoming blind croissant tasting? Dive bars Paul McCartney Ordering food from the Masters Tournament Wine is on the skids Fake food awards Listener comments Restaurants worth leaving The Strip for Food News You Can Use: ⁠You can grab high-end French groceries at Cafe Breizh⁠⁠⁠ (best baguettes in town) Aroma Latin American Cocina⁠⁠'s Steve Kestler named a finalist in the Best Chef: Southwest category of the 2024 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards Forte Tapas has sadly closed after 15 years The Silver Stamp wins Best Mom and Pop Shop from Entrepreneur Magazine Area 15 distillery has closed District Deli and Coffee opens Bar Ginza opens as a Japanese whiskey bar San Diego pizzeria Mr Moto expanding to southwest Las Vegas Panino named best woman-owned establishment by Yelp Artiface Bar replaced by Doberman Room Recent Ventures & Spots Mentioned:  Life's a Bagel Other Mama Harlo Cafe Breizh⁠⁠ ⁠Aroma Latin American Cocina⁠⁠ The Silver Stamp (That 70s Bar) ⁠⁠Bavette's Steakhouse & Bar⁠⁠

Worth Repeating..."Celebrity Chef" Aaron Franklin was named Best Chef: Southwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2015.  After countless hours spent working the pit, he has earned a reputation as one of the top celebrity chefs in the BBQ. It all began in 2009 when he and his wife Stacy opened up the first location of Franklin Barbecue, a food trailer located just off the interstate in Austin. In just 2 years, they would move to a real brick and mortar location and the restaurant earned a feature on Anthony Bourdain's TV travel series No Reservations in 2012. Very soon Franklin BBQ garnered several mentions from reputable sources as the best BBQ in America.In April of 2015, Franklin published his first cookbook titled Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Manifesto. The cookbook has been dubbed a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, providing readers with a top-to-bottom education on cooking meat and brisket. Aaron's new book "Smoke" is available everywhere, including Amazon.www.bbqradionetwork.com www.holsteinmfg.com

Chef Jacque Siegfried joins this edition of the Chew. Sip. Repeat. podcast. Chef Siegfried, who owns and operates Natv - a Native American restaurant in Broken Arrow, OK - is a 2024 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef Southwest.

On Today's Menu: As a public service, we talk about service… John's perspective on the 2024 James Beard Award nominations Restaurant rundown: Mother Wolf, Balla Italian Soul, Spago, Kaiseki Yuzu, La Popular, Winnie & Ethel's, Forte Tapas, and The George Sportsmen's Lounge What makes the best & worst restaurants in town? Email cheers@eattalkrepeat.com to give us an earful Should John drop a 52 not Las Vegas top restaurants or 50-100 greatest of all time? Food News You Can Use: Coming soon on eatinglv.com… John's idea of what makes the best restaurant in town Award-winning Chef Alon Shaya announced the opening of a new Mediterranean restaurant at the Wynn in 2022… crickets ever since The 2024 James Beard Award nominees came out Congrats to Chef Steve Kessler from Aroma Latin American Cocina, Chef DJ Flores from Milpa Mexican Cafe, and Chef Bryan Howard from Sparrow + Wolf for Best Chef: Southwest nominations; and Oscar Amador Edo from Anima by EDO for Outstanding Chef nomination Filipino pop-up bakery MILKFISH Bakeshop made the list, but pastry awards are a joke Is Edo Gastro Tapas & Wine moving? Ash and Sam tour the new Esther's Kitchen location Recent Ventures & Spots Mentioned:  Mother Wolf: Good, but doesn't give a “can't wait to go back” feeling Balla Italian Soul: Blown away by the crowd & food Forte Tapas Winnie & Ethel's Downtown Diner Spago: Go for the Veal 'Wiener Schnitzel' Kaiseki Yuzu: Raw a-FISH-ionado La Popular At Palms Hotel: You can't go wrong with anything you order The George Sportsmen's Lounge at Durango Resort: FAH-get about it… Incredibly bad food Le Cellier Steakhouse in EPCOT at Disney World

On this episode I chatted with award winning Chef, Andrew Black about his journey from Jamaica to OKC. His stories from around the world, working in the Ritz in Paris, traveling across the country, coming to OKC for the first time and why he stayed in OKC.  https://chefandrewblack.com/ The Oklahoma Hall of Fame at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum telling Oklahoma's story through its people since 1927. For more information go to www.oklahomahof.com and for daily updates go to https://lnkd.in/g_gsxQM The Chickasaw Nation is economically strong, culturally vibrant and full of energetic people dedicated to the preservation of family, community and heritage. www.chickasaw.net Diffee Ford Lincoln. Third generation Oklahoma business, the Diffee family continues to do business the right way, the family way. Go to www.diffeeford.net for all your new and used car needs and follow them on instagram https://lnkd.in/drq7RMu2 This episode is brought to you by Hope is Alive. Hope is Alive exists to radically change the lives of drug addicts, alcoholics, and those who love them. Join us Saturday, September 30th for our “Sobriety Sprint” 5K as we remember, honor, and celebrate those who've lost their lives. This family-focused event will feature a one-mile fun run, inflatables, food trucks, and more. Register to run or honor a loved one at SobrietySprint.com.  #thisisoklahoma

Be sure to check him out here: @pizzeriabianco When Chris Bianco started the diminutive Pizzeria Bianco inside the back corner of a neighborhood grocery store, little did he know that he would be such a driving force in the slow food movement and specifically the artisanal pizza front. Chris, who won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2003, helped spawn a generation of independent and artisanal pizzeria's, lending his advice, wisdom and food philosophies to dozens of fellow chefs and restaurateurs. In 2005, Chris opened Pane Bianco, about four miles from the Pizzeria. Pane features split foccacia sandwiches and other baked goods including Bianco's signature pizza al taglio. Pane Bianco has been voted best sandwich in Phoenix on several occasions. Bianco rounded out the lineup opening an elevated dinner restaurant, Tratto, in Phoenix. Tratto received the only 5 star rating from the Arizona Republic. There are currently two Pizzeria Biancos in the Phoenix area and in 2022 Bianco opened the first Pizzeria Bianco outside of the state in downtown Los Angeles. Recently, Bianco opened a Pane Bianco at the Row DTLA in Los Angeles, just across the street from the Pizzeria. In 2013 & 2014, Pizzeria Bianco was nominated for a James Beard Award in the Outstanding Restaurant category and in 2022 won the award for Outstanding Restauranteur to go along with his Best Chef Award. In 2010, Chris joined with third generation canner Rob DiNapoli to create a line of organic whole peeled tomatoes. The Bianco DiNapoli lineup has grown into a national consumer and food service brand. The New York times has rated Bianco DiNapoli as the best canned tomato in 2020 and 2022. Chris also supports many local and national charities, providing support to many worthy causes. He has supported Alex's Lemonade Stand for many years, started by a young girl named Alex, who was battling her own cancer and yet wanted to raise money to find a cure so that other children wouldn't have to suffer.

Anyone who knows pizza or even knows Arizona cuisine knows Chris Bianco. Bianco skyrocketed to fame when his pizza became world-renowned, making Phoenix an unexpected go-to destination for foodies worldwide. Back in 2003, he was the first pizza maker ever to win the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest. Bianco is often referred to as the father of the modern pizza movement. Twenty years later, he's still winning awards. As recently as last year, Bianco collected a James Beard Award for Best Restaurateur. But what makes his pizzas so good?  For this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we traveled the state visiting the farmers who work with Chris Bianco and discovered just how rich Arizona's agricultural industry is.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

REPEAT DUE TO ANDY TEACHING AMERICAN BBQ IN SOUTH KOREA"Celebrity Chef" Aaron Franklin was named Best Chef: Southwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2015.  After countless hours spent working the pit, he has earned a reputation as one of the top celebrity chefs in the BBQ. It all began in 2009 when he and his wife Stacy opened up the first location of Franklin Barbecue, a food trailer located just off the interstate in Austin. In just 2 years, they would move to a real brick and mortar location and the restaurant earned a feature on Anthony Bourdain's TV travel series No Reservations in 2012. Very soon Franklin BBQ garnered several mentions from reputable sources as the best BBQ in America.In April of 2015, Franklin published his first cookbook titled Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Manifesto. The cookbook has been dubbed a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, providing readers with a top-to-bottom education on cooking meat and brisket. Available May 9, Aaron's new book "Smoke" will be available everywhere, including Amazon (where it can be pre-ordered).www.bbqradionetwork.com www.holsteinmfg.com

"Celebrity Chef" Aaron Franklin was named Best Chef: Southwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2015.  After countless hours spent working the pit, he has earned a reputation as one of the top celebrity chefs in the BBQ. It all began in 2009 when he and his wife Stacy opened up the first location of Franklin Barbecue, a food trailer located just off the interstate in Austin. In just 2 years, they would move to a real brick and mortar location and the restaurant earned a feature on Anthony Bourdain's TV travel series No Reservations in 2012. Very soon Franklin BBQ garnered several mentions from reputable sources as the best BBQ in America.In April of 2015, Franklin published his first cookbook titled Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Manifesto. The cookbook has been dubbed a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, providing readers with a top-to-bottom education on cooking meat and brisket. Available May 9, Aaron's new book "Smoke" will be available everywhere, including Amazon (where it can be pre-ordered).Ingredient Insiders: Where Chefs TalkInside the minds of the world's top chefs and how they source their ingredients.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotifywww.bbqradionetwork.com www.holsteinmfg.com

Chris Shepherd is the former Chef/Owner of award-winning Underbelly Restaurant (and Underbelly Hospitality), which he opened in 2012. He's been awarded “10 Best New Chefs in America” by Food & Wine in 2013, a James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Southwest” in 2014, Robb Report's “Chef of the Year” in 2019, and Underbelly was named one of the best new restaurants in the country by both Bon Appetit and Esquire. In this episode, Shepherd shares why he has so much love for the Houston food community, why he recently decided to step away from Underbelly Hospitality, and his goal in focusing attention on the well-being of fellow industry workers. His Southern Smoke Foundation has distributed more than $10.4 million to food and beverage industry workers in need, via their Emergency Relief Fund. Enjoy this episode as we go Beyond the Plate… with Chef Chris Shepherd.This episode is brought to you by Graduate Hotels. This episode is brought to you by Martin's Famous Potato Rolls.Check out our #BtPlatePodcast Merch at www.BeyondthePlateMerch.com Follow Beyond the Plate on Facebook and TwitterFollow Kappy on Instagram and TwitterMentioned in this episode:Martin's Famous Potato RollsFollow @potatorolls on ig for recipe inspiration.

El Chef Hugo Ortega es uno de los nombres más reconocidos en el mundo culinario en Houston. Gracias a él, podemos disfrutar deliciosos platillos mexicanos a pesar de vivir lejos de nuestro país que tanto extrañamos. Hugo nació en la Ciudad de México y tiene una historia del sueño americano cumplido y bien merecido comenzando su carrera como lavaplatos para convertirse más adelante en uno de los chefs más reconocidos de la cocina mexicana en Estados Unidos.En este episodio Hugo nos lleva por un recorrido culinario por México al platicarnos de cada uno de los conceptos de sus restaurantes, de su niñez cocinando a lado de su abuela en la Mixteca, además de la experiencia de cocinar a lado de Diana Kennedy durante más de seis años.Hugo tiene una pasión desbordada por Oaxaca y todos los extraordinarios ingredientes que ofrece y la muestra en dos de sus restaurantes, Xochi, en Houston y Orígen en Oaxaca. También compartió con nosotros su reciente experiencia en Top Chef, además de su lugar favorito para comer en Houston además de sus restaurantes, por supuesto.A lo largo de su carrera ha adquirido un gran reconocimiento tanto local como nacional e internacional, gracias a su pasión por compartir la cultura y la cocina tradicional mexicana.Hoy es chef ejecutivo y copropietario de cinco de los mejores restaurantes en Houston, Hugo's, Caracol, Xochi, Urbe y Backstreet Café. Ha sido el ganador del premio Best Chef Southwest de los prestigiosos premios de la fundación James Beard, después de haber quedado como finalista por seis años consecutivos.Muchas gracias a Hugo Ortega por haber compartido sus increíbles historias en Ciudad H, estamos seguras las disfrutarán tanto como nosotras.Conozcan todo acerca del Chef Hugo Ortega aquí: Chef Hugo OrtegaMándenos un DM en Instagram:@ciudadhpodcast@ana_beat@yomarianablogPara colaboraciones pueden escribirnos a ciudadhpodcast@gmail.com

Today, I talk to chef Maria Mazon, owner of Boca Tacos in Tucson, AZ, and one of the final five competitors on the last season of Bravo's Top Chef. About two weeks ago, she was named as a semifinalist for the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest, an honor that maybe she manifested in small part with a bit of the conversation you're about to hear. Maria is one of the greatest firsthand examples I've encountered of the power and efficacy of living life as your authentic self. She founded Boca Tacos in the wake of personal crisis. She was ending her marriage with the father of her son, not because she didn't love him, but because being married to a man ran fundamentally against her nature. Up to then, she'd been living as the person she thought she should be, unwilling to admit to the world that she's gay. As soon as she began living as the person she is, things changed drastically for her. You can feel that honesty and singular authenticity in her food. She's made a name for herself making tacos, but they are unlike any tacos you've ever had. She's playful when it comes to the flavors she uses. She borrows ingredients from all kinds of other cuisines. And she's always finding new ways to express herself with her food. As will become apparent in a few minutes, I adore Maria Mazon. Maria Mazon grew up straddling the border between Sonora and Arizona, and by extension straddling the values and expectations of her Mexican Catholic upbringing, and the more generationally and culturally liberal communities she found herself part of in the States. She is the embodiment of balance between those two, someone who's found happiness and success by being honest and unafraid in everything she does. Here we are talking in the little tiendita next to her restaurant where she'd just begun selling her homemade Sona Tortillas to the public. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Today, I talk to Charleen Badman, chef and owner of the celebrated Scottsdale restaurant, FnB, and winner of the 2019 James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest. Since COVID, the James Beard Foundation has suspended its awards, making Charleen the most recent recipient of the honor. When we spoke, it just so happened to be the 12th anniversary of the opening of FnB, an occasion she'd marked thus far by spending the morning in her prep kitchen on her day off making food for the next night's service. This is to say, Charleen is always working. She's never left her kitchen, and certainly hasn't let the accolades for her food go to her head. Her soul is on the line, at the expo pass, and these days, on the dining room floor. She's happiest at work, it seems, and it shows in the ever-changing menu at FnB. The night before our conversation, I invited my new friend Silvana, the subject of my last episode, to join me for dinner at FnB. I think we ate almost everything on the menu that night. Charleen's passion is for vegetables. She has a way of making them sing, bringing out what is naturally great about what's fresh and local to the region. The most skilled cooks, in my opinion, know how to stay out of the way of their ingredients, especially if they're as good as what Charleen is able to source. On top of being one the country's best chefs, Charleen is a dedicated gardener. Around the same time she opened FnB, she began working with local schools to build community gardens and promote nutrition with the students. Out of that effort was born the Blue Watermelon Project, a grassroots group of chefs, farmers, educators, and activists who fight for healthy, nutritious food in schools. The Blue Watermelon Project's 4th annual Feed the Future fundraiser will be held February 26th in Phoenix. Students from across Arizona will be there to taste their guests on their school lunch solutions that are delicious, healthy, and cost- and regulation-compliant. All ages are welcome, and there are fun activities for kids, too. Buy tickets or donate at the link on their Instagram profile, @bluewatermelonproject. Seriously, give them some cash if you can. They're trying to save America one kid at a time. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

I am honored to call chris a friend, he is a great chef and even better human. He has shown us all how to get things done, each step has been with heart, soul and a lot of love for his city and his team! Follow Him: @cshepherd13 Midwest-raised, James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd has helped change the landscape of the Houston culinary scene since opening Underbelly in 2012. He built the restaurant to support the Houston food community and its suppliers by buying local and drawing inspiration from the people and cultures that live in the city. Thanks to Chris’ vision and passion, Underbelly was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, was named one of the best new restaurants in the country by Bon Appetit and Esquire and was named one of 38 essential restaurants in America by Eater. Chris was named one of the 10 Best New Chefs in America by Food & Wine in 2013 and was then awarded the 2014 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest.In 2017, Chris opened One Fifth, a five-year restaurant project that changes concepts every year. He closed Underbelly in March 2018 to convert the building into Georgia James, his take on a steakhouse. He also opened UB Preserv as his culinary interpretation of Houston’s evolution. He continues to tell the story of Houston food, but without limitations of locality and whole animal butchery. He formed Underbelly Hospitality in 2018 to preserve the ethos of Underbelly—learning about diverse cultures through food. In 2019, all three restaurants—UB Preserv, One Fifth Mediterranean and Georgia James—nabbed the No. 1 spot on Texas Monthly's list of the Best New Restaurants in Texas, and Georgia James was included on GQ's list of the best new restaurants in America. He was a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef in 2019 and was named Robb Report's Chef of the Year the same year. Chris’ first cookbook, Cook Like a Local: Flavors that Will Change the Way You Cook—and See the World, will be published by Clarkson Potter in September 2019. Chris began his fine dining career at Brennan’s of Houston, where he spent seven years in the kitchen and then ran the wine program for two. He left Brennan’s in 2006 to open Catalan Food & Wine, which was named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America that same year.Chris' foundation Southern Smoke has donated more than $1.3 million to those in the food and beverage industry in crisis and to the National MS Society, in honor of his friend who lives with multiple sclerosis.

Houstonian, Justin Yu, is a graduate of Houston University and the Culinary Insitute of America, Hyde Park. Yu returned to Houston upon graduation before heading to the West Coast and Europe to stage and further refine his skills. Yu's first restaurant, Oxheart, opened in 2012 and was named one of America's Top 10 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appetit. It was his work at Oxheart that earned him the 2016 James Beard Award for Best Chef, Southwest. In 2016 Oxheart closed to make way for Theodore Rex, which achieved similar acclaim. Today Justin Yu is the Chef/Owner/Partner Theodore Rex Restaurant, Better Luck Tomorrow,  Public Services Wine and Whisky, and Squable. Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra: "Head down, eyes up, always be humble." In this episode with Justin Yu, we discuss: Being humble during the come up. How if you show people how bad you want it, you'll get it. Having a vision, and existing intentionally to achieve it. Start acting like an owner and learning what an owner needs to know. How to get the most out of your culinary degree. What it takes to cook at a high-level restaurant. Creating a culture of accountability to achieve excellence. When you catch a team member doing something wrong, giving them the opportunity to self-correct by asking, "Where do you think you are?" How to make someone feel like they're a part of the team. The reality of chasing Michelin Stars. Using pop-ups to get your start. Not working for money early in your career, but working for other assets like knowledge, experience, and relationships. Think of your personal brand and the story you're writing when you're making life decisions. The meaning of humility. Staying lean and scrappy during the early days. Starting small and scaling into your ultimate vision. The impact of partnering with other small business in your community. Being mindful not to work your staff to death. leaning to delegate the small details so you can focus on the big details. The importance of sharing the stories behind your restaurant. How to share the story behind a dish. Why Yu chose to close his restaurant a year after winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest. Surrounding yourself with great people then getting out of the way for them to do their job. Finding partners with the same values and goals who don't directly compete with your personal strengths. How to healthily disagree with your partners. Making sure you take care of yourself and create a culture of taking care of yourself. Today's sponsor: Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country — they were even named best online payroll by PCMag. And as a listener, you'll get three months free when you run your first payroll. Sign up and give it a try at Gusto.com/unstoppable.  CAKE provides an easy-to-use integrated software and hardware solution to build better dining experiences for restaurant operators and their guests. With mobile marketing and waitlist management to point of sale payment processing, the CAKErestaurant management system helps you grow your business.  Learn more at trycake.com/unstoppable EthicsSuite.com -provide a safe, secure, simple and anonymous communication channel between you and your employees to help you protect your hard-earned reputation and assets. Demonstrate to your team that you are committed to providing a workplace that operates with the highest ethical standards. Staying informed about important issues will help you resolve them internally before they spiral into larger, costly, or public problems.     Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Sense of calm. What is your biggest weakness?  Sense of calm. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? "What food do you love?" What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Staffing. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. "Don't trust anybody. Especially, the Chef" What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?  Take ownership of everything. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM  Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough? Offer Healthcare What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations? Slack If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? always have a sense of human Treat your employees like your family. Don't treat your employees EXACTLY like your treat your family Contact info: trexhouston.com @tetsujustin @trexhouston Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Justin Yu for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!   Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Including Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, the Ozarks is a geographic region known for its mountainous topography, forests and tourism. The region also has a unique culinary history. Host Don Marsh talks to St. Louis native and chef Rob Connoley, the James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef Southwest who is planning to open a restaurant rooted in Ozark cuisine.

Nadia Holguin is 26 years old and originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. She is the chef and owner of Tacos Chiwas in Phoenix, AZ. Currently, she is nominated for a James Beard award for Best Chef - Southwest at Rolands Cafe Market & Bar and is the mother of a 6 month old.

Chef John Tesar, who received classical French training in Paris, originally started his culinary career in his home state of New York.  He would eventually trade the Big Apple for Sin City to work with Chef Rick Moonen at RM Seafood in Las Vegas.  By 2007, Tesar embarked on another major move to then up-and-coming culinary hotspot Dallas to take the helm at the ritzy Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek; there he would earn two five-star reviews. Spoon Bar & Kitchen came next followed by Knife in 2014. Over the past 20+ years Chef Tesar has won countless best of awards, has received 4 semifinalist nods for Best Chef Southwest by the James Beard foundations, has made multiple TV appearances and has authored his own cook book. Show notes… Favorite Success Quote or Mantra. "Stay humble, think everything through, work your ass off, and appreciate others."  In this episode with John Tesar, we discuss:  How the people you associate with will define who you become as a restaurateur.  Always being aware of who is around you and who they know.  How we should become familiar with the standards before breaking lose and getting creative.  How the classic way of climbing the latter to success is no longer the only way. Regardless of the way you break in you need to get people behind you buying into your vision.  Being well aware of how difficult this industry is before committing to it.  Starting with low rent and lawyers in your corner.  Accepting that success doesn't come with its fair share of failures.  How creditability is one of the most important things you can have when trying to open a restaurant.   Bringing on partners that can do everything you can't do and rewarding them with equity.  The threat of things getting too "business driven" at the expense of losing your honesty.  Episode Sponsors Soundtrackyourbrand.comSoundtrack Business lets you play 250 music channels guaranteed to fit any type of business. An easy-to-use dashboard lets you find great music, control all your locations and schedule your sound. RU500.net Go to RU500.net to act on a special offer for all Restaurant Unstoppable listeners. Nick Fosberg. is guaranteeing $500 in new sales for every $100 you spend on advertising. For Every $100 You Invest In Advertising, Nick Will Guarantee You A Minimum Of $500 Back In NEW Sales, Or Your Money Back Guaranteed!       Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Tenacity. What is your biggest weakness? Caring what others thought of him. Maintaining his caring nature.   What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Passion and the potential for loyalty.  What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Staffing Realtors charging too much for overpriced properties.  Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Mutual respect and no drama.  What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Create a family atmosphere.  What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM  Knife: Texas Steakhouse Meals at Home.  What's one piece of technology you've adopted in your restaurant and how has it influence operations? His dry aging technique.  If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? Work hard. Respect others. Listen to others opinions  Contact Info  @ChefJohnTesar facebook/chefjohntesar www.chefjohntesar.com   Thanks for Listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to John Tesar for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!   Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Hugo Ortega is executive chef/co-owner of four of Houston’s top restaurants – Backstreet Cafe, Hugo’s, Caracol and Xochi, and winner of Best Chef: Southwest at the prestigious 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards. (He was a finalist for the award for six consecutive years, 2012- 2017.) Ortega has been recognized locally, nationally and globally for his inspirational story and his passion for sharing traditional Mexican cooking and culture. Ortega’s American Dream story started at Backstreet Cafe, a neighborhood bistro started by Tracy Vaught in 1983. He began his career in the restaurant business first as dishwasher and busboy and later as a line cook before graduating from culinary school and later becoming Backstreet’s executive chef. He and Vaught married, and together, they have created an award-winning Houston restaurant family that also includes Hugo’s and Caracol. Ortega was born in Mexico City, the oldest of a family of eight children. At 15, he began working at one of several Procter & Gamble factories in Mexico to help support his family. In 1984, he immigrated to Houston with no contacts or job leads, but determined to make a life for himself in America. Slowly, step-by-step, Ortega began to set down roots in the bustling oil capitol. He shared an apartment with several friends, and followed up on leads for jobs in nearby restaurants. He was happy to find his first job, as a dishwasher, at a popular bar and nightclub. While the pay was meager, Ortega grabbed at the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the restaurant business and find contacts to help him improve his English. Later, Ortega cleaned the floors in office buildings to supplement his income. With an unexpected turn of bad luck, his roommates moved to California and he lost both of his jobs. He had no income and no place to live. A friend asked Hugo if he wanted to wash dishes and Hugo jumped at the chance. The friend took Hugo to Backstreet Cafe, and this is where the turning point of his life happened. Ortega worked hard, and showed an interest in working in the kitchen. In Mexico, he learned cooking from his mother and grandmother. Ortega was given a position on the line in the Backstreet kitchen, and he continue to advance from there. Impressed by his hard work and dedication, Vaught offered to enroll Ortega in the Culinary Arts program at Houston Community College. He jumped in with both feet. Ortega graduated from HCC’s Culinary Arts program in November 1992 and assumed the role of chef at Backstreet Café, then executive chef in 1995. Ortega is passionate about sharing the traditional foods and culture of his native Mexico with diners. In 2002, he opened the critically acclaimed Hugo’s, which brought Authentic Regional Mexican Cuisine to the forefront of dining. In 2013, the Ortega and Vaught opened their third concept, Caracol, a Mexican coastal kitchen highlighting the richness of seafood found along Mexico’s 16 coastal states; and in January 2017 they opened Xochi, which celebrates the flavors of Oaxaca, Mexico, in the new Marriot Marquis Houston Downtown.

Tyson co-founded Uchi in 2003 as the restaurant’s Executive Chef. Before Uchi, he was a passionate student of the Japanese sushi tradition, training for more than 10 years in a variety of roles from dishwasher to head sushi chef in Tokyo, New York, and Austin, under two different sushi masters. Formative years were spent at Musashino, one of Austin’s top sushi restaurants, where he completed an intensive traditional apprenticeship under owner Takehiko Fuse. The two spent time in Japan, where Tyson experienced the food and gained technical skill. Fuse challenged him to learn the Japanese language, which helped Tyson learn more about the cuisine. He later trained at Bond Street, one of the busiest sushi restaurants in New York City. After Uchi opened in 2003, Tyson was recognized as one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2005. In 2010, he opened Uchiko and in 2011, he celebrated the release of the Uchi Cookbook. Later that year, Tyson also received a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest. https://uchiaustin.com/

In part two of my far-ranging conversation with chef, pizzaiolo, and pizza poet laureate Chris Bianco, we talk about so many things, including his reaction to winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2003. He was the first and only pizza chef to win a regional award. Chris was surprised, to say the least. "I'm incredibly grateful for any recognition from peers," he says, but he also notes that it was unsettling. "I was uncomfortable with it because I never believed in the the best of anything...I'm just a guy that went to work., and I've been fortunate and I've worked hard...It was very humbling and I was very grateful, but it was probably the first time when people came to check me out instead of eating, which kind of broke my heart, you know?"   Chris also reluctantly discusses his very public lifelong battle with asthma, which he credits with keeping him grounded as it gave him "a sense of mortality." But his choice of profession and his work ethic exacerbated his condition. "After years of breathing and inhaling flour, it gave me...they called it like a baker's lung kind of a thing." A doctor gave him a rather explicit warning: "Hey, man, you might want to redirect your energies if you want to hang around."    So Chris stepped away from the oven and set out to achieve the same balance in his life that he had achieved with his transcendent pizza. He started growing and canning delicious tomatoes with two partners. He got married and started a family. But working the oven, which he mans like a ballet dancer, still holds a special allure for him: "I worked a double shift on Sunday. One of my guys went on vacation. And it was great fun for me, and I loved it so much to be at the oven. I just can't do it 18 hours a day, seven days a week anymore."   What would he do for his last supper? Chris says he'd eat cheese (maybe a Stilton) and crackers accompanied by a great bottle of wine, by himself. As for what would happen all over the world on Chris Bianco Day, there was laughter in his voice when he said, "Probably people are writing their mayors right now saying, "Who okayed this?"

In this week's episode, Culture Map Food Editor and host Eric Sandler is once again joined by restaurant consultant Nathan Ketcham to discuss the news of the week from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Hugo Ortega of Hugo's finally winning Best Chef Southwest at the 2017 James Beard Awards, the popular restaurant chain Dat Dog coming to the Houston area, and Chef Paul Qui opening his new restaurant Aqui in Montrose. Eric and Nathan discuss their Restaurants of the week. This week restaurants, Ramen Tatsu-Ya in Montrose, Dolce Neve in the Heights, and Tacodeli on Washington Ave. Eric is then joined by Ronnie Killen of Killen's Restaurants which includes Killen's Steakhouse, Killen's Barbecue, Killen's Burgers, and Killen's STQ. Eric and Ronnie discuss Killen's Burgers being the hardest to manage of the group, the challenges when running a burger place, people's expectations versus what Ronnie wants to execute, what defines gourmet, Killen's STQ's success, and what he said to Houston Texans star J.J. Watt when J.J. called about a reservation at STQ. Plus Ronnie reveals some major info regarding expansion. Hint: a barbecue place somewhere other than Houston. Listen to find out! #WhatsEricEating #EricSandler #RonnieKillen #NathanKetcham #Culturemap #KillensBurgers #KillensSteakhouse #KillensSTQ #KillensBarbecue #HugoOrtega #Hugos #RamenTatsuya #DolceNeve #Tacodeli #Barbecue #BBQ #Burgers #Food #Restaurant #Bar #PaulQui #DatDog

California native, Jasinski is a Graduate of Santa Barbara City College, and The Culinary Institute of America. After being mentored by Wolfgang Puck, Jasinski decided to break off on her own in 2000 and took an Executive Chef role at Panzano, located Denver, CO. While working at Panzano she met her future business partner, Beth Gruitch and in 2004 they teamed up to open Rioja. Needless to say, this has turned out to be an amazing partnership and they've gone on to open three additional restaurants, all of which are located in Denver. Her accolades include: James Beard Foundation, "Best Chef Southwest 2013"; Bravo's Top Chef Masters, "Finalist Season 5"; and James Beard Semi-finalist, "Outstanding Chef Award 2016".

This week’s featured guest on Chef’s Story is Paul Bartolotta. In 1980, Paul graduated from the Restaurant and Hotel Management Program at Milwaukee Area Technical College. His cultural education began with New York restaurateur, Tony May, owner at the time of the Rainbow Room and founder of Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani, the international food society devoted to maintaining the traditions and standards of classical Italian colleagues. Initially instituted as a six-month tour of duty for Paul, this stint evolved into a seven-year education of the highest order. Working in some of the country’s most prestigious restaurants, the aspiring Chef studied all phases of managing a first class restaurant. Paul was Executive Chef/Managing Partner of Spiaggia, located in Chicago, from 1991 to 2000. He developed his culinary artistry in some of Europe’s most distinguished restaurants. Winner of the coveted James Beard Best Midwest Chef Award in 1994 and The James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2009, Bartolotta directed Spiaggia to every major national fine dining award. The honors include a Four Diamond Rating from the American Automobile Association, the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) Award and numerous Critics Choice Awards from Chicago Magazine. Spiaggia has been honored with the prestigious Insegna del Ristorante Italiano del Mondo, presented to Chef Bartolotta by the President of Italy, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, in May of 1997. Spiaggia received the unprecedented and coveted four-star rating from bothThe Chicago Tribune and Chicago Magazine. No other Italian Chef has been awarded four stars in any major market in the United States. Paul’s latest venture is Bartolotta’s Ristorante di Mare, located in the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. This world-class restaurant serves fresh seafood flown in daily from Italy. With a stellar wine list and high reviews from national press, Paul has created a piece of Italy in the desert. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market.