amanda cohen

Our second Andrew Talks to Chefs Special Conversation: In recent years, there's been an intermittent debate in the industry about whether or not team members should be credited on restaurant menus for their contribution to dish ideation. Classicists wave away the notion, while more progressive cooks and chefs often express an openness to the idea, if not an outright endorsement of it. Regardless of all the chatter, very few chef-restaurateurs have actually implemented a program to credit anyone other than the chef on their restaurant's menus. Last year, Amanda Cohen of New York City's Dirt Candy restaurant began doing it regularly, so we invited her and Andrew Duong, a Dirt Candy sous chef who's been cited on the menu for his dish development, on the pod to discuss their experience to date.

Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related news.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Dave and Ethan share stories from their recent trip to Los Angeles – including attending both The Nightmare Before Christmas Live-To-Film Concert Experience events that Weird Al performed at and how they attended the exclusive VIP after-party. Dave and Ethan also talk about their other Weird Al-related-adventures, including visiting Weird Al's  early apartment complex, having lunch with former podcast guests, and getting in trouble at the Funko Store.

Dave and Ethan conclude their interview with Joseph C. Krause, the Weird Al superfan that produced the first-ever Weird Al tribute album, Prosthetic Lips. He discusses how his band Zelda and the Unibrows were also featured on the second Weird Al tribute album, Me, Myself and I, and how made headlines after protesting a rock concert.

This week on Inside Julia’s Kitchen, host Todd Schulkin welcomes pioneering Chef Amanda Cohen of New York City’s vegetable-focused restaurant Dirt Candy. They discuss how female chefs’ battle for recognition and how vegetables are a lot of fun. Plus, Amanda shares her Julia Moment. 

Image courtesy Amanda Cohen.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Inside Julia's Kitchen by becoming a member!

Inside Julia's Kitchen is Powered by Simplecast.

The pandemic has underscored the importance of fostering a more resilient food system, from supply chains to safety nets. As we near the end of 2020, we’re asking, what are the top policy priorities as we look towards the new year and the new administration? We look closely at the connection between federal policy and local food, exploring three federal policy priorities that would strengthen regional food systems and preserve local culinary culture. Hear from experts about their proposals for forging more holistic government contracts that prioritize regional,  independent and sustainable farms; deferring principal payments on Farm Service Agency loans as a means to support native farmers and stimulate tribal economies; and passing the RESTAURANTS Act to help independent restaurants make up for lost revenue. 

This episode is part of a three-episode mini-series created in collaboration with The Rockefeller Foundation. To learn more about the Foundation's Food Initiative and global commitments, visit rockefellerfoundation.org/commitment/food.

Have a question you want answered? Email us at question@heritageradionetwork.org

This project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. 

This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

Whether it’s for a Rosh Hashanah brisket or an end-of-summer barbecue, more and more people are buying meat from local suppliers. This week on Meat and Three, we spotlight the people who prepare our meat before it reaches our plates. We hear from butchers who are working to introduce consumers to new cuts and create more localized food supply chains. We investigate an innovation in retail that allows for socially distant shopping and we explore the staggering distances some small meat producers have to travel to reach a slaughterhouse. Plus we hear from one master of charcuterie who isn’t using meat at all. 

Keep Meat and Three on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate. 

Meat and Three is powered by Simplecast.

“I’ve been incredibly surprised by where my career has taken me,” says Amanda Cohen, chef/owner of the vegetable-focused Dirt Candy restaurant in New York City. “I never would have expected it would take me to Congress.” Earlier this week, Amanda testified before the Small Business Committee of the House of Representatives on behalf of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. Amanda is part of the leadership of the IRC, which is  working to get Congress to pass the $120-billion Independent Restaurant Revitalization Fund. We talk to Amanda about her work on behalf of the 500,000 independent restaurants and 11 million restaurant workers in the U.S., as well as the steps she’s taking to keep her own restaurant alive. She also updates us on Lekka Burger, the Tribeca fast-casual spot she’s involved with, her thoughts on food media, and why she’s not moving back to her native Canada any time soon. 

Thank you to the folks at Breyer’s CarbSmart and Sonos for supporting today’s show. 

Also, tune in to find out why Brooklyn-based pastry pro and gelato enthusiast Maya Peredo thinks Lokelani Alabanza of Saturated Ice Cream in Nashville, Tennessee, is the Bombe. 

On the heels of her revealing New York Times editorial, chef Amanda Cohen of NYC's Dirt Candy and Lekka Burger, joins Andrew to discuss the emotions of owning temporarily shuttered restaurants, the creative challenges that await when restaurants are permitted to reopen, and non-obvious (and not strictly monetary) ways restaurant patrons can support the industry at this perilous time.

Our great thanks to S.Pellegrino for making these special reports possible.

LINKS

Andrew Talks to Chefs official site

Chefs, Drugs, and Rock & Roll (Andrew's most recent book)

Dirt Candy

Lekka Burger

Amanda's Cookbook & Dirt Candy merchandise

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Our guest is Amanda Cohen who is the chef and owner of Dirt Candy in Lower East Side and co-owner of Lekka Burger in Tribeca in Manhattan.  Amanda has been cooking vegetarian food for the last 20 years, since when vegetarians were in the absolute minority.  She is a James Beard Award-nominated chef and definitely a pioneer of the vegetable-forward movement in the US.  

Amanda visited Japan in December 2019 to discover vegetarian food culture in the country.  Japan is a Buddhist society and had the heavily restrictive meat consumption policy that lasted 1200 years until the end of 19th century.  

In this episode, we will discuss what Amanda discovered in Japan, how she applies the discoveries to her dishes in New York City, what vegetarian cuisine means in our modern society and much, much more!!! 

Japan Eats! is powered by Simplecast.

We’re at 11th annual Cayman Cookout at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, to catch up with Amanda Cohen. She’s the chef-owner of the groundbreaking vegetable restaurant Dirt Candy, and is also one of the most-respected voices in the restaurant industry. We reach into our archives to 2011, revisiting episode 66 and the synthpop sounds of Computer Magic. She gave us a live, in-studio preview of her then-upcoming EP, Electronic Fences. Check out her latest work, a music video cover of Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds.”

Snacky Tunes is powered by Simplecast.

Good day, from the 11th Annual Cayman Cookout. In this star-studded, revelation-packed, 4-interview compilation recorded at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, some of the most celebrated chefs on the planet join Andrew for intimate conversations: Le Bernardin's Eric Ripert talks about how practicing Buddhism and living in New York City have affected him as a chef; Dominique Crenn shares details of her tomboy youth, including her willingness to take on bullies, by force when necessary; Emeril Lagasse, Amanda Cohen & Andrew Zimmern trade shop talk on the relative value of lawyers vs. agents, how to spot a bad business deal, and the importance of putting food in cultural & historical context; and Nancy Silverton takes us through her storied career, from her early days in 1970s California, to two new projects planned for 2019 & 2020. And it all takes place against a majestic setting worthy of a James Bond movie. Pour yourself some rum and enjoy! Here's a thought: If you like what you hear, please tell your chef-fascinated friends, subscribe to Andrew Talks to Chefs (it's free) on iTunes or Stitcher, follow us on your favorite social media platforms @ChefPodcast, and/or rate or review us on Apple's podcast store. Thanks for listening!

Andrew Talks to Chefs is powered by Simplecast

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

How are things for women in the food world? Eater Editor in Chief Amanda Kludt stops by the studio to give us her state of the state. She talks about chefs and restaurateurs to watch, food media and gender parity, and the impact of #MeToo. We also talk to Amanda Cohen, the chef/owner of Manhattan's award-winning vegetable restaurant Dirt Candy, about RestaurantHER, a special Grubhub project to support female-led restaurants. Be sure to visit restauranther.com to discover how you can help raise money for Women Chefs & Restaurateurs, which works to advance female leadership in restaurants. Chef Amanda is treasurer of WCR's Board of Directors. Check out Grubhub's map to find female-fueled restaurants in your neighborhood. And then eat in them often!

Thank you to Emmi, the maker of delicious cheeses from Switzerland, for supporting this episode of Radio Cherry Bombe.

Radio Cherry Bombe is powered by Simplecast

**PLEASE DON’T BE CONFUSED: OUR FIRST 94 EPISODES ORIGINALLY AIRED ON OUR FORMER HOST NETWORK, AND STILL FEATURE THEIR STATION ID’S AND ADS. BUT ANDREW TALKS TO CHEFS HAS BEEN AN INDEPENDENT PODCAST SINCE 2019, AND WE’VE  NOW AIRED SEVERAL HUNDRED EPISODES, AND COUNTING! SO … THE ONLY CURRENT, COMPLETE, AND OFFICIAL SITE FOR THE PODCAST IS ANDREWTALKSTOCHEFS.COM (PLEASE VISIT AND BOOKMARK), WHERE YOU CAN FIND ALL EPISODES, ANDREW’S MUSINGS, NEWS ABOUT PERSONAL AND VIRTUAL APPEARANCES, AND RELATED INFORMATION. THANKS!**

Amanda Cohen has been chef-owner of downtown New York City's groundbreaking vegetable restaurant Dirt Candy for nearly a decade. Dirt Candy began as a 350-square-foot labor of love and grew into its current, much larger home two years ago. Recently Amanda shifted to an all-tasting-menu format, so we thought it was a perfect time to check in with this always thoughtful, entertaining chef. (Fans of Andrew's prior podcast, The Front Burner with Jimmy and Andrew, will remember her as one of our most frequent and favorite guests.) Amanda takes us through her career, the unique challenges of being a vegetable-focused chef, the omnipresent turbulence of the hospitality business, and the joys of using her restaurant to support causes she believes in.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

Front Burner regular Amanda Cohen, chef-owner of New York City's Dirt Candy, joins us to discuss a variety of subjects: the relationship between chefs and critics (from the New York Times to the civilian critics of Yelp and other open formats), the case for no-tipping, and the pleasures of her restaurant's Monday night Canadian Beer Hall, which is wrapping up its first season next week.

The Chefs Council is hereby called to order! We've asked a few past guests who were especially fun/funny/insightful to be a part of a recurring roundtable and three of them--Dirt Candy's Amanda Cohen, Sous Chef author Mike Gibney, and The Finch's Gabe McMackin--join us for the inaugural gathering, an all-shop-talk episode on the subject of Spring Fever! We kick around the season that inspires more chefs than any other and explore why so many cooks and diners love it so. And we extend spring's spirit of renewal and reinvigoration with a discussion of our guests' favorite new ingredients and get them to share their travel and exploration plans for the coming months. Pour yourself a glass of rose and listen in.