The CHEF Radio Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to Chef Radio! In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to be joined by Chef Alex Kemp of My Loup in Philadelphia, where he brings the warmth of Canadian generosity and hospitality to the city’s vibrant culinary landscape. With roots in French-speaking Quebec, Chef Alex masterfully reimagines French cuisine, weaving together the rich traditions of his heritage with the ebb and flow of Philadelphia’s distinct seasons. His refined techniques and ingenious combinations create an innovative dining experience that’s both rooted in tradition and refreshingly original and his take on company culture is incredibly powerful. Listen in on how this young talent has taken Philadelphia by storm, and as you'll hear, it's not by chance. It was destined.

• (00:00:46) Introduction 
• (00:07:06) Alex’s Recent Travels
• (00:10:13) Early Life and Career
• (00:17:25) Time in Ottawa
• (00:26:36) Finding his Path in Fine Dining
• (00:30:58) Lessons From Joe Beef
• (00:37:06) Meeting Amanda in New York
• (00:40:20) Moving to Montreal and the Influence of Marco Frappier
• (00:45:10) Getting Involved in Philadelphia 
• (00:49:00) The Balance Between Personal and Professional Relationships
• (00:59:45) The Mix Between Inspiration and Innovation
• (01:03:30) Making a Splash In Philadelphia 
• (01:08:00) Menu Items That Encapsulate My Loup
• (01:12:18) What Sets Alex Apart 
• (01:17:55) Alex’s Resilience 
• (01:22:20) Alex And Amanda’s Involvement in the Community
• (01:24:56) Wrap Up Questions

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

We welcome our newest supporter of chef radio, JB Prince, America's most incredible store for all your best kitchen supplies. Listen up how you can save 10% on your order to this incredible Wonderland of chefs kitchen tools, gadgets and equipment

Subscribe, like and share! Oh yeah, and throw in a review while you're at it. Appreciate you all!

In this episode, we dive into the remarkable story of Chef Kyle Knall of Birch in Milwaukee and explore his fascinating journey from the bustling culinary scene of New York City to the vibrant culture of New Orleans, and finally to the heart of Milwaukee. We'll uncover how his deep-rooted love for oysters, inspired by his father, has helped shape his culinary identity. Join us as Kyle shares how he has not only mastered his craft but also fostered a sense of community in Milwaukee, creating a culinary haven that resonates with both locals and visitors alike.

• (00:06:16) Early Days of Kyles Cooking Career
• (00:08:00) Takeaways and Lessons from Working at Highlands with Frank Stitt
• (00:17:38) Time at Gramercy Tavern & Relationship with Mike Anthony
• (00:26:58) Maysville in New York and Kenton in New Orleans 
• (00:35:50) Opening Birch and Going From New York to Milwaukee
• (00:45:15) Elemental Cooking Techniques 
• (00:52:00) Acid and Herbs
• (00:57:25) Jerry
• (01:00:20) Tribute to Kyles Father
• (01:04:19) Navigating the Seasons in Milwaukee
• (01:12:50) Milwaukees Sense of Community 
• (01:18:48) Personal Habits for Success 
• (01:26:57) Conclusions and Final Thoughts

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

We welcome our newest supporter of chef radio, JB Prince, America's most incredible store for all your best kitchen supplies. Listen up how you can save 10% on your order to this incredible Wonderland of chefs kitchen tools, gadgets and equipment

• (00:00) Intro

• (05:24) A Culinary Legacy: Growing Up in a Hardcore Italian Family

• (10:52) The Power of Music and Overcoming Deafness

• (24:05) Finding Balance: The Struggle and Joy of a Chef's Life

• (28:59) Redefining Success Beyond the Kitchen

• (30:16) A New Perspective on Cooking and Humility

• (35:36) The Transformative Moment: Gaining the Gift of Hearing

• (38:13) The Power of Medicine in Overcoming Disability

• (38:52) Finding Value in Dreams Amidst Life's Challenges

• (42:16) The Journey to Humility and Healing

• (42:42) Confronting Trauma and Embracing Vulnerability

• (44:16) The Transformative Impact of Parenthood

• (45:30) The Role of Therapy in Personal Growth

• (46:40) Discovering Anxiety and the Path to Healing

• (49:56) The Evolution of a Chef: From Dreams to Reality

• (52:57) Creating an Ethical Restaurant Model

• (01:02:11) Launching Bambino: A New Culinary Adventure

• (01:10:58) Leadership, Vulnerability, and the Path Forward

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

In this episode of The Chef Radio Podcast, Chef Eli Kulp talks with Marc Vetri, whose newest restaurant, Fiorella, was booming from the time it opened in February to the COVID-19 shutdown. Eli and Marc talk about Marc’s background as a chef and musician in LA, spending a few years in Italy, opening restaurants in Philadelphia, and how things have been going since the shutdown.

Eli Kulp and Christopher Plant visit Pocono Organics during their massive Food Forever event and sit down with multiple farmers and agricultural geniuses to talk about the future of food production and how we can go beyond sustainability. Food Forever is a communications campaign, which started in 2017, to raise awareness about what crop diversity is and how everyone around the world is connected to and benefits from agricultural biodiversity. Eli and Christopher sit down with Ashley Walsh, Cierra Martin, Jeff Moyer and Erik Oberholtzer.

Ashley Walsh is the owner of Pocono Organics and talks about how she got into organic farming, working with Food Forever and Rodale and the creation of her immense organic farm, the home of three story greenhouses. 

Cierra Martin is a representative for The Crop Trust, the creators of the Food Forever campaign. The Crop Trust is an international organization with a mission to safeguard crop diversity for food security. The Crop Trust supports a network of genebanks with are facilities for tasking with conserving and sharing seeds. They're making sure this diversity stays alive at the seed level, but they're also packaging it up and shipping it around the world for breeders that use it every day. 

Jeff Moyer is the CEO of Rodale Institute. “Widely recognized as the birthplace of the organic movement, Rodale Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to growing the organic movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and consumer education.” Jeff talks about the importance of regenerative organic agriculture, farming not just organically and sustainably, but with the future of the soil in mind, and the recently released White Papers. The White Papers are a report on climate change and how a shift from cash crops to cover crops could actually reverse our carbon emissions by putting carbon back into the soil.

Erik Oberholtzer is a chef, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Tender Greens. He is on the Rodale Board of Directors and is a leader of the food forever experience, helping to connect Rodale with The Crop Trust. He discusses the importance of building transparent supply chains, new organic certification regulations, and the nutritional and environmental importance of organic agriculture.

On the first episode of Season 2 of The CHEF Radio Podcast, we join Chef Eli Kulp at a live event at The Viaduct in Philadelphia. He talks with former mayor Micheal Nutter about the importance of the restaurant industry to the life of a city. They also discuss how anyone can support up-and-coming chefs of color, and/or those struggling in the wake of COVID-19.

In part two of host Eli Kulp's conversation with restaurant critic Craig LaBan, we discuss the ins and outs of the critique cycle that new restaurants go through. We also give an inside look at the intricate dance of The Critic and The Chef, culminating in the saga of the short rib bone.

In part one of our two part season finale, we talk with Craig LaBan, restaurant critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer. We discuss navigating the re-opening of the restaurant business, the winding road that brought Craig to his profession, and the responsibilities of journalists, owners and restauranteurs in establishing a more equitable future for people of color in the Food and Journalism industries.

Chef Tom Hunt is a self described Eco-Chef who is focused on reducing food waste. We talk with Tom about cooking from home, food sustainability, and his new cookbook, Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet.

Tom has a weekly column in The Guardian called Waste Not and is the founder of Poco Restaurant in Bristol, England where they serve climate friendly cuisine. He is also the host of The Chef's Manifesto, a podcast about cooking climate friendly cuisine.

Accomplished chef, Mario Carbone joins us for a conversation about understanding the value of hard work, growing a global fine dining restaurant group and how his Italian American upbringing in Queens New York has translated to major success with his restaurants Carbone, Parm, The Grill, Santina restaurant and more.

Mario is one of the founders of Major Food Group (MFG), a new breed of restaurant group seeking to operate restaurants that are respectful of the past, exciting for the present, and sustainable for the future.