The Chef's Cut

In part one of our three-part series on private chef work, Adrienne comes clean to Joe about what she really does for a living and pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to work as a private chef. Plus, we discuss:

• Global Condiment Cup: Mayo takes the crown

• Whisk Takers: Adrienne’s story of going from fine dining to private work

• The longest Adrienne went without repeating a dish

• Some little-known details about private chef work

• The oldest spice in our pantry

• Walk In Confession: Adrienne’s salty surprise

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

This week Adrienne and Joe are joined by Ayesha Nurdjaja, Executive Chef of Shuka and Shukette in New York City. She tells us all about her recent debut as the newest Titan on Bobby's Triple Threat. Plus, we discuss:

• Kitchen Pet Peeves: Dirty floors, painted nails, and not saying hello

• Fork It or Forget It: Zesting lemons… the right way?

• Review Review: Showing up without a reservation at a busy restaurant (and then complaining about it)

• The truth behind NYC reservation hype (is it bogus?)

• Training with Bobby Flay and how Ayesha found her confidence to star on the Food Network

• Walk In Confession: a triumphant story of serving the puree that almost went horribly wrong

Follow Ayesha: @ayesha_rare

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

As summer slowly comes to a close, Adrienne and Joe share some of their favorite flavor combinations that signal fall is just around the corner. Farmer’s market, here we come! Plus, we discuss:

• Fork It or Forget It: Whipped Honey Coffee

• Review Review: Joe had the audacity to take his birthday off from work!

• Line Check: Major fine dining restaurants like Alinea and Noma go on the road in their own versions of pop-up dining

• Walk-In Confession: Joe tells us about the time he launched an entire restaurant at the US Open in just three days

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Adrienne and Joe are back with another guest, and this week they’re joined by two-time Top Chef champion Buddha Lo. He fills them in on his latest culinary ambitions following the move of his home restaurant Huso into a bigger space (Michelin star incoming?). Plus, we discuss:

• Fork It or Forget It: Caviar on Fried Chicken (and the latest in condiment mania)

• Review Review: restaurant no-shows are a big no-no 

• Picking the right knife: suggestions from all three chefs for what you should buy

• Mentor Moment: Buddha’s tough-love training as a young chef

• Walk-In Confession (Top Chef Edition): Buddha tells us how to handle the heat even when your Top Chef dish is burning

Follow Buddha: @buddha__lo

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

The World Condiment Cup has officially begun so Adrienne and Joe kick things off with the results from the first round. Which will move on to the next round: may, mustard, tzatziki, or hoisin sauce? Plus, we debate how 'mother sauces' play into condiment rankings. On this episode we also discuss:

• Fork It or Forget It: French Dip Mania

• Review Review: a Five-Star guest gets all the credit for his homegrown tomatoes and heartwarming positivity

• “The Family Reunion” culinary event recap… which ambitious dish did Adrienne serve?

• Mentor Moment: helping a chef level up (and network outside the restaurant)

• Walk-In Confession (Vacation Edition): Joe admits to bringing a wide assortment of kitchen tools wherever he travels

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Adrienne and Joe are joined by special guest and friend of the show, chef Fariyal Abdullahi. She fills us in on what it’s like to be the executive chef at one of the most sought-after restaurant reservations in New York City, Hav & Mar. Plus, we discuss:

• Fork It or Forget It: Crack Burgers (yes this is a real trend)

• LA vs. New York: Who holds the Ethiopian crown? (How about Washington DC)

• Tips for dining out at an Ethiopian restaurant (and not getting too full)

• Fariyal’s exhausting weekend at the 2025 James Beard Awards

• Review Review: How do you get one-star before you even open your doors? 

• Women running the kitchen in fine dining

• Walk-In Confession: Fariyal gets caught in a fire mishap and Adrienne finds herself in a cloud of smoke

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Fariyal: @fariyalabdul

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

This week of The Chef’s Cut kicks off with an important debate: which condiment in your fridge would come out on top in a battle of the bottles? They tell us which condiment ranks atop their own favorites, and throw it to the listeners to help build a bracket of champions. Plus, we discuss:

• Fork It or Forget It: Dining al fresco

• Whisk Takers: Joe tell us about the biggest career bet he made on himself

• Line Check: Discussing the San Francisco chef who lost his job after calling out an influencer in his own restaurant

• Walk-In Confession: Adrienne shares the story of her most successful kitchen prank

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Adrienne and Joe are back for another episode of The Chef’s Cut, and this time they’re joined by longtime friend and James Beard award winning chef Erick Williams. They find out how he came to be one of the most respected chefs in Chicago, including what brought him to the kitchen at Virtue Restaurant in Hyde Park. Plus, we discuss:

• Review Review: Takeout complaints at Virtue (spoiler: they don’t do takeout at Virtue)

• The worst customer behavior Erick has had to endure at his new establishment, Cantina Rosa

• Walk-In Confession: A last-minute steak run gone (almost) horribly wrong

• Erick’s work as a mentor for young chefs and leadership for growing restaurants

• The people and experiences that changed his trajectory as a chef

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Erick: @cheferickwilliams

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Hosts Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm are joined by Missy Robbins (Lilia, Missi) to talk about her ascent into becoming a Michelin star chef and James Beard Award winner. Plus, we cover:

• The importance of a caring mentor and impact of Tony Manuano (Spiaggia, Top Chef Masters) on Missy and Joe’s careers

• Fork It or Forget It: Seafood and cheese

• Missy's journey through various kitchens and her approach to restaurant design

• One-Star Guest Behavior: booking a small party and showing up with a large group

• Missy’s nightmare moment on Top Chef masters (watch your fingers)

• Walk-In Confessions: Switching out sugar for salt on dessert

• Missy's cameo on the TV show Billions and her thoughts on acting.

Follow the show: @chefscutpod

Follow Missy: @missyarobbins

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

We’re back with another episode of The Chef’s Cut featuring hosts Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm, who tell us exactly how chefs plan their trips around food, including their favorite dining spots and the importance of leaving room for spontaneous culinary adventures. Plus, we discuss:

• Fork It or Forget It: Raw Milk edition (featuring some unpasteurized opinions)

• The latest NYT restaurant review and challenging stereotypes about high end cuisine

• One-Star Guest Behavior: Adrienne shares a story of poor restaurant etiquette – is it time to start letting restaurants review diners too?

• Walk-In Confessions: Joe recounts a harrowing kitchen mishap

Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham 

Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Celebrity chef Eric Adjepong joins hosts Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm to dive deep into the realities of food television, leadership in the kitchen, and the secrets behind surviving the restaurant world.

🔥 In this episode:

• The mentors who shaped Eric’s culinary journey

• Lessons from working with Bobby Flay

• Why top chefs struggle to cook at home

• Navigating personality clashes and communication styles

• The challenge of handling bad reviews with grace

• Why Eric still hasn’t watched The Bear

• His biggest kitchen fail involving onions and dessert 😅
  

Follow the chefs:

• Eric: @chefericadjepong

• Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

• Joe: @insta.flamm

In the latest episode of The Chef's Cut, hosts Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm share how they got their start as chefs — and the paths that brought them to New York and Chicago.

They dive into:

• Big debate: Is rhubarb ever worth the trouble?

• Why they both love Le Creuset (how could you not?)

• The challenges of transitioning from culinary school to a real working kitchen

• A brutal one-star review from someone who didn’t even eat at the restaurant

• Adrienne’s honest confession: the time she accidentally sent out raw salmon

This episode blends humor, honesty, and behind-the-line insight from two acclaimed chefs.

🔗 Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

🔗 Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

In this episode of The Chef’s Cut, recorded live from the 2025 James Beard Awards launch party at BLVD Steakhouse in Chicago, hosts Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flam sit down with celebrity chef Stephanie Izard (Top Chef, Girl and the Goat) to talk about what it’s really like to win a James Beard Award.

🎙️ Topics covered in this episode include:

• Is it more memorable to win Top Chef or a James Beard Award?

• Stephanie’s lasting impact on the Chicago restaurant scene

• Behind the scenes at a James Beard Awards after party — and how to have the best time

• Which is tougher: innovating food or beverages in today’s industry?

• Stephanie’s earliest memories from Girl and the Goat (including some wild outfit choices!)

• A full recap of the 2025 James Beard Awards winners

👩‍🍳 Follow the chefs on Instagram:

Stephanie: @stephanieizard

Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

Joe: @insta.flamm

Award-winning chef Kristen Kish joins hosts Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm for a deep, fun, and unfiltered conversation about her Top Chef memories, Chicago food roots, and the biggest lessons from the kitchen. In this episode, they dive into:

• The power of kitchen mentorship, featuring the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy

• Kristen, Adrienne, and Joe’s first impressions and early memories of one another

• The buzz around the Charlie Trotter tribute pop-up event

• A new round of Fork It or Forget It featuring Raspberry Espresso

• Tom Colicchio’s hidden tradition from the Top Chef finale

• Kristen’s shocking Walk-In Confession about her worst kitchen mistake

• Burning foie gras, forgetting meat, and other culinary disasters

• Her honest journey writing "Accidentally on Purpose," her personal memoir

🎧 Whether you're a Top Chef fan, an aspiring chef, or love insider food stories — this episode is packed with flavor, failure, and fun.

🔗 Follow the Hosts & Guest:

👩‍🍳 Kristen Kish: @kristenlkish

👩‍🍳 Adrienne Cheatham: @chefadriennecheatham

👨‍🍳 Joe Flamm: @insta.flamm

Chefs Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm reunite as former Top Chef finalists and launch their brand new podcast with a behind-the-scenes look at their journey—from competing in the kitchen to becoming co-hosts and close real-life friends.

🎙️ In this debut episode of The Chef’s Cut, Adrienne and Joe dive into everything from food industry headlines to hilarious kitchen horror stories, including:

• 🍽️ Gregory Gourdet’s bold return to NYC’s dining scene

• 📺 Padma Lakshmi’s new cooking show—and how much the winner actually takes home

• 😂 Review Review: People who complain about sunshine

• 🥒 Fork It or Forget It: Pickle Lemonade + NYT’s hot take on Caesar Salad & French Fries

• 🔥 Joe’s tofu-in-a-wok story (spoiler: it nearly took off his eyebrows)

• 😱 Adrienne’s unforgettable Brillo Pad disaster that made it to the dining room

💬 Tune in for this fun, unfiltered, and flavorful conversation between two Top Chef stars turned podcast co-hosts.

📱 Follow Adrienne: @chefadriennecheatham

📱 Follow Joe: @insta.flamm

Each week, Top Chef alums Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm give you a seat at their table as they have hilarious, vulnerable, and oftentimes messy conversations with other chefs, restaurateurs, celebrities and friends about what it means to build something bigger than yourself.

New episodes out every Tuesday