Everyone wants the spotlight.

Until it actually hits.

Andre sits down with Emmanuel Chavez from Tatemo in Houston to talk about what happens when your restaurant gets attention before you’re ready for it.

Tatemo went from a tortilla operation to a full tasting menu fast. Recognition came with it. So did pressure.

This conversation gets into what it takes to run a tight kitchen with almost no space, how leadership changes when expectations spike, and the mistakes that come with building something in real time.

• What early success actually feels like• How to run a tasting menu in a small kitchen• Why leadership matters more than technique

Follow Chefs PSA and send this to a chef who thinks they’re ready.

Emmanuel Chavez on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.comVisit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.comSponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Chef Andre Natera sits down with Emmanuel Laroche, host of the Flavors Unknown podcast and author of A Taste of Madagascar, to explore the global story behind vanilla production and the process of writing a food book.

Laroche shares his experience traveling to Madagascar, where roughly 80% of the world’s vanilla is produced, including the realities of hand pollination and the challenges of sourcing ingredients in remote regions.

The conversation also covers Madagascar’s broader food ecosystem, including pepper, honey, cocoa, and caviar, and explores why many farmers grow vanilla for export rather than local use.

Laroche breaks down his writing process and explains how aspiring authors can move from concept to published book through traditional publishing channels.

• How vanilla is grown and why it requires hand pollination• How to write and publish a food book• Why understanding ingredients changes how chefs cook

Follow Chefs PSA and share this episode with someone interested in food, travel, or writing.

Flavors Unknown on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Chef Dan Kennedy spent over 20 years in high end kitchens, most recently as head chef at Pasta|Bar Austin before the concept closed in February 2026. He is now working on Morri, his own concept in Austin.

In this episode, Andre Natera and Dan Kennedy argue that social media has replaced technical skill with aesthetic performance, and duck is the clearest casualty.

• Why duck is almost always undercooked and how proper skin rendering changes the entire dish
• Why wagyu and high-fat cuts need more heat than most cooks give them, not less
• How to build a tasting menu around timing and satiety instead of story and ego

Kennedy covers proper rendering technique, skin drying and aging, heat control, extended resting, and pre-service prep decisions that determine outcome before service starts. They also cover lamb, octopus, and grilling over binchotan and wood embers, using cake testers and feel over thermometers, and finishing with fat and flaky salt. On tasting menus, Kennedy favors 5 to 9 courses with canapés, cold starters, and two desserts, structured around deliciousness over narrative. The episode closes with reactions to America's Culinary Cup, commentary on Pasta|Bar's closure, and Chef's PSA merch.

This episode is sponsored by Rational USA. Learn more at https://rationalusa.com

Guest

• Dan Kennedy on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/cocinero_dk/

• Dan's Hip Hop Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6WjAtI8aeONJSnk1FUAeYf?si=vvki6CM9SUSJ-k1BuOm15g

Links

• Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
• Shop Chef's PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
• Visit Chef's PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
• Sponsored by Rational USA → https://rationalusa.com

Chef Andre Natera sits down with identical twin chefs Brandon and Jonathan Dearden to discuss rivalry, restaurant leadership, culinary school value, and the realities of running profitable restaurants.

Both twins competed on Top Chef and built careers in very different directions. Brandon pursued fine dining and stages at elite kitchens, while Jonathan focused on leadership roles and restaurant management

The conversation covers lessons from high-intensity kitchens like Alinea, the real value of culinary school, hiring pitfalls with impressive resumes, and how menu engineering helps restaurants stay profitable.

They also discuss competing on Top Chef, the importance of building a chef brand online, and how AI tools are beginning to influence restaurant operations.

What You Will Learn

• The real return on investment of culinary school

• What Michelin-level kitchens teach about discipline and systems

• How restaurant owners engineer menus for profitability

Brandon on Instagram

Jonathan on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Chef Andre Natera sits down with Dallas chef Josh Sutcliff and food commentator Drew Stephenson to unpack the viral debate surrounding the Dallas dining scene.

After Drew’s Instagram post sparked widespread reactions among chefs and diners, the conversation expanded into a deeper look at restaurant success, Michelin expectations, and the economic realities of running restaurants in Texas.

They discuss the polarizing response to Mamani, why tasting-menu-only restaurants often struggle in Texas, and the operational realities of Dallas restaurants, including large spaces, high rent, and limited kitchen infrastructure.

The episode also examines how chefs balance creativity, identity, and profitability while navigating diner expectations, influencer culture, and the evolving fine-dining landscape.

Restaurants discussed include Lucia, Sushi Cozy, Petra and the Beast

Drew Stephenson on Instagram

Josh Sutcliff on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Chef Andre Natera sits down with Jam Sanichat, chef-owner of Thai Fresh in Austin, Texas, to explore how restaurant culture, wage models, and culinary traditions intersect.

Jam explains why she eliminated tipping at Thai Fresh and replaced it with a transparent service fee designed to provide stable wages and reduce front-of-house and back-of-house pay disparities.

The conversation also traces her journey from teaching Thai cooking classes and selling prepared foods at farmers markets to building Thai Fresh into a full restaurant and cooking school with vegan desserts, gluten-free ice cream, and a sustainability-focused sourcing philosophy.

Jam shares how she crowdfunded a memoir-style cookbook through Kickstarter, breaking down the strategy behind a successful campaign including reward tiers, promotional planning, and production timelines.

For cooks and chefs interested in Thai cuisine, Jam explains the five-flavor balance that defines Thai cooking and discusses pantry staples like fish sauce, pandan, and curry paste that help create bold, layered flavor.

This episode blends restaurant economics, cookbook publishing insights, and practical Thai cooking knowledge for anyone curious about the intersection of hospitality business and culinary tradition.

Thai Fresh Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thaifresh/

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → https://chefspsa.substack.com/
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → https://shop.chefspsa.com/
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → https://chefspsa.com/
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

Most chefs should not open a restaurant.

James Trees explains why ownership is finance and leadership, not cooking. From prime cost and food cost velocity to EBITDA, triple net leases, and delivery app traps, this episode is a restaurant business masterclass.

If you are thinking about opening your first restaurant, learn the numbers first.

• How prime cost actually works

• Why food cost velocity matters more than percentages

• How to negotiate leases and protect downside

Built for chefs serious about ownership and profit.

Follow Chefs PSA and share this episode with a chef who wants to open a restaurant.

James Trees Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

A Michelin-trained chef faces thyroid cancer and the real possibility of losing his taste.

Chef Jake Rojas shares his diagnosis, treatment, feeding tube recovery, and how the experience reshaped his priorities around health and leadership. From El Paso competitions to three-star kitchens in Las Vegas, this is a conversation about discipline, identity, and why flavor is the only thing that truly matters.

• What Michelin kitchens teach about execution and respect

• How serious illness reframes leadership and priorities

• Why deliciousness outweighs presentation and hype

Built for chefs who want longevity, not just accolades.

Follow Chefs PSA and share this episode with a chef who needs permission to prioritize their health.

Jake Rojas on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com