Show 698, September 26, 2026: Chef Aaron Sanchez, Johnny Sanchez, L’Auberge Casino Resort, Lake Charles, LA & Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible – Last Call

Posted on September 28, 2026 by Adam Bell

“Aarón Sánchez is an award-winning chef, TV personality, author, and philanthropist. He is the host and executive producer of Talking Sabor (PepsiCo’s first ever streaming series, premiered on Hulu), El Toque de Aarón on Discovery Familia and Hogar de HGTV, served as a longtime judge on FOX’s MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, and is the chef/owner of restaurant Johnny Sánchez in Lake Charles, LA. Aarón is the founder of the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund. He is also a partner and creative director for COCINA Media.”

Look for Chef Aaron currently on Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible – Last Call.”

Saturday night Chef Aaron is presenting Memas Albondigas with Fideos.

Show 695, September 5, 2026: Culinary Team USA 2027 for the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition with Head Chef Vincenzo Loseto

Posted on September 7, 2026 by Adam Bell

Vincenzo Loseto who is the Chef de Cuisine at Press Restaurant

“On July 26th, Team USA 2027 competed in the Bocuse d’Or Americas competition in New Orleans, Louisiana, alongside esteemed culinary teams representing eight countries from across North, Central, and South America. Following an intense five-and-a-half-hour competition, Team USA captured Gold, marking the fourth time that Team USA has taken first place at the Bocuse d’Or Americas. They are now actively preparing for the Bocuse d’Or Finals in January 2027 in Lyon, France.”

“Led by Head Chef Vincenzo Loseto and Commis Tyler Higson, with Head Coach Chef Mathew Peters, and Jury Member Chef Robert Sulatycky, Team USA completed the competition’s two signature challenges, the platter theme and the theme on a plate.”

“The platter theme highlighted ingredients and preparations inspired by a national tribute, requiring competitors to present a composition featuring halibut fillet with a tomato and shrimp garnish, a sweet corn garnish, and a sauce Choron. Team USA’s plate theme centered on a bone-in ribeye paired with brisket, sour cherries, sweet potato gnocchi and Royal Kona coffee beans into the dish.”

“This is an incredible honor, not just for Tyler and I, but for everyone who has believed in and supported this team,” said Head Chef Vincenzo Loseto. “Winning Gold at the Americas is an unforgettable moment and we are proud to represent the United States. Now we are focused on what it will take to compete at the Finals in Lyon”.

Chef Vincenzo takes a break from his intense Chef Vincenzo takes a break from his intense training regimen to join us. Commis Tyler Higson will join us at a future date. regimen to join us.

Show 695, September 5, 2026: Team USA 2026 / 2027 for The Pastry World Cup – Coupe de Monde de la Patisserie

Posted on September 7, 2026 by Adam Bell

Donald Wressell of Guittard Chocolate Company

Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, The Pastry World Cup, is recognized as the most prestigious Pastry Competition in the World.

“Born from the vision of legendary chef Gabriel Paillasson in 1989, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie was created with the support of the French M.O.F. association and the French Pastry Chefs Federation, to elevate pastry to its highest artistic expression.”

“Every two years in Lyon, France, the world’s finest pastry chefs gather to represent their nations in a celebration of craftsmanship without equal.
With 52 countries competing and more than 200,000 visitors attending the Finale, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie stands as the most prestigious event in international pastry.”

“Through spectacular challenges — from intricate chocolate and sugar sculptures to ice carving and refined plated desserts — teams are invited to push the boundaries of innovation under a unifying theme. Each creation tells a story, blending artistry, precision, and flavor while reflecting a growing commitment to sustainability and responsibility toward the future.”

“Judged over hours of intense competition, chefs are evaluated not only on technique and taste, but on their ability to work as a team and to express a powerful artistic and cultural narrative.”

“Judged over hours of intense competition, chefs are evaluated not only on technique and taste, but on their ability to work as a team and to express a powerful artistic and cultural narrative.”

Team USA 2027 will be competing in Lyon. These world class pastry artists all volunteer their time to compete representing the USA. Joining us with the overview of the Pastry World Cup is Chef Donald Wressell, The Training & Ops Director for Team USA 2027 and Chef En-Ming Hsu, a previous Gold Medalist at the World Pastry Cup where she served as the United States Pastry Team’s Captain in 2001.

Show 694, August 29, 2026: Corey Thomas, Executive Chef, August, New Orleans

Posted on August 31, 2026 by Adam Bell

“Restaurant August, under the direction of Executive Chef Corey Thomas, is a contemporary Creole restaurant creating unique dishes with a focus on Louisiana ingredients and inspired by classical training. Located in a historic 19th-century French-Creole building in New Orleans’ Central Business District, the main dining room caters to the most unique dining experience. The interior is rich with original architectural details, gleaming hardwood floors, soaring columns, mahogany paneling, and antique mirrors.”

“In 2005, long-time friends Chef John Besh, Timmy Reily, and Octavio Mantilla purchased Restaurant August. Since then, Restaurant August has garnered prestigious critical acclaim while staying true to its roots of cooking and serving from their hearts.”

Restaurant August is celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year and Chef Corey Thomas takes a brief break from his busy kitchen to join us.

“At Restaurant August, Chef Corey crafts stunning dishes that marry French techniques with the vibrant, locally sourced flavors of Louisiana. Before taking the helm in 2022, he honed his skills at New Orleans’ iconic Commander’s Palace, played a key role in Shaya‘s James Beard Award victory, and gained valuable experience exploring Italian cuisine at Domenica.”

“Corey Thomas is a Louisiana native, born and raised in Monroe, a small town in northeast Louisiana. Although Corey’s journey in the kitchen came later in life, he always carried his love for Louisiana culture and cuisine that was part of his family heritage in Eunice and Ville Platte everywhere he went.”

“When Corey landed in New Orleans in the early 2010s, he began his culinary career at the well-known New Orleans establishment, Commander’s Palace. Corey honed his skills in the kitchen over the next three years, before assuming the role of sous chef at Shaya Restaurant in 2015. During his time at Shaya, the restaurant won the prestigious James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.”

“In 2017, Corey transferred to Domenica to learn about Italian cuisine before traveling to Italy for his own wedding. He fell in love with the food and culture of Italy during his travels, and returning home made his transfer a permanent position at Domenica. Corey committed himself to providing excellence at Domenica through incredible Italian dishes and impeccable service.”

“In early 2022, Corey joined the family at Restaurant August as the Executive Chef with great enthusiasm to utilize French techniques and sourcing thoughtful ingredients from Louisiana and surrounding areas.”

August reopens tonight after some minor enhancements and renovations.

Show 692, August 15, 2026: Delacroix, New Orleans, with Chef Wiley Lewis

Posted on August 17, 2026 by Adam Bell

“Delacroix restaurant is the only standalone restaurant on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans where guests can see and hear the river as they dine. The establishment is inspired by the food, culture and people of coastal Louisiana who shaped the historic fishing and hunting village of the same name in St. Bernard Parish, Delacroix. It’s a space where Louisiana’s coastal heritage lives on and is shared with each guest.”

“At Delacroix, guests experience soulful, coastal dishes with depth, made using homegrown techniques and seasonal ingredients.” A centerpiece is the showcased raw oyster bar where there are always at least a couple of Gulf Oysters available.

“Under Chef Wiley Lewis’ leadership, Delacroix’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that food is storytelling. It connects us, grounds us and brings us home.” Chef Wiley takes a break from her busy kitchen to join us.

“Chef Wiley Wilkinson Lewis is a Louisiana native whose culinary roots run deep through both North Louisiana and the bayous of the south. Raised in Shreveport, her passion for food began at an early age, inspired by her grandfather, Chef Carl Wiley Jones, whose family gatherings, homemade desserts and love of hospitality left a lasting impression. Surrounded by Louisiana’s rich outdoor traditions, Chef Wiley developed a lifelong connection to the ingredients, stories and culture that continue to shape her cooking today.”

“Following time spent working as a fishmonger, sales representative and social media manager with Inland Foods, Chef Wiley returned to the kitchen with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper appreciation for Louisiana’s culinary traditions. Now the Chef de Cuisine at Delacroix, she brings her heart, heritage and soulful approach to cooking, celebrating the flavors and stories of South Louisiana through every dish she creates.”

Show 689, July 25, 2026: Show Introduction with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Adam Bell

We’re live from New Orleans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center covering the Americas Selection for the Bocuse d’Or Americas competition. Eight top-flight culinary teams, from eight different countries in North & South America, are competing to determine which five teams move on to the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition in Lyon, France in January of 2027. This bi-annual event is regarded as the most prestigious culinary competition in the world. Think of it as the Olympics of the culinary world!

Each team is comprised of a chef, commis and coach. Commitment, rigor and teamwork are essential. A distinguished jury of international chefs conducts the judging.

We’ll be meeting acclaimed chefs and culinary personalities from New Orleans along with Ment’or’s Culinary Council members. Ment’or sponsors Team USA 2027 with the goal of qualifying in New Orleans to move on to Lyon.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Show 689, July 25, 2026: New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute with Chef Instructor Matt Serkes

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Adam Bell

Matt Serkes of the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute

Chef Instructor (Bread and Pastry Arts) Matt Serkes is on staff at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI.) We’ll meet him.

“New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that equips individuals with the skills, confidence, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to excel in culinary & hospitality careers and passions. Through accessible, high-quality education and programs, NOCHI inspires and supports learners at all levels.”

“With accelerated vocational-style programs, continuing education and professional development, and enthusiast courses for home cooks of all skill levels, NOCHI is at the forefront of culinary and hospitality learning.”

“NOCHI envisions centering New Orleans as a global leader in culinary and hospitality learning by advancing career growth, industry innovation, and economic impact.”

Show 689, July 25, 2026: Executive Chef Meg Bickford, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Adam Bell

Meg Bickford of Commanders Palace on air at the Morial Convention Center

Meg Bickford is the Executive Chef of the legendary Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. She joins us.

“Native to the region and its Creole and Cajun cuisines, Chef Meg Bickford assumed the role of Executive Chef at Commander’s Palace in October 2020. Bickford graduated from the John Folse Culinary Institute and was subsequently hired by Commander’s, where she went on to serve as Executive Chef of Café Adelaide. In her time at Café Adelaide, Bickford was chosen as one of Louisiana Cookin’s “Chefs to Watch.””

After 18 years with the Commander’s Palace Family of Restaurants, Chef Bickford remains eager to keep the traditions of Commander’s alive while regularly adding innovative (and delicious) items to the menu.

Commander’s is renown for their unequaled Jazz Sunday Brunch and intimate Chef’s Table experience unusually placed in the heart of the bustling Commander’s kitchen.

Show 689, July 25, 2026: Ian McNulty, Food Journalist, NOLA.com, Times-Picayune, New Orleans

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Adam Bell

“Food journalist Ian McNulty is a writer for The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate and NOLA.com covering restaurants and food culture. His commentary series Where Y’Eat airs weekly on NPR affiliate WWNO, and he is a frequent contributor to WWL radio in New Orleans.”

“Ian is the author of two books – “Louisiana Rambles: Exploring America’s Cajun and Creole Heartland,” a travel narrative about south Louisiana culture, and “A Season of Night: New Orleans Life After Katrina,” an account of the first months in the city after Hurricane Katrina.”

He also attended the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary ompetition in Lyon in 2025 supporting Team USA 2025.

Ian joins us to close our NOLA show special.

July 25: Live from New Orleans and the Bocuse d’Or Americas competition

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Adam Bell

Podcasts

Hour One: Saffron NOLA, New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute, Mawa McQueen
Hour Two: New Orleans & Co., Commander’s Palace, Dooky Chase, Ian McNulty

Segment One: Show Introduction with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Restaurateur & Chef Ashwin Vilkhu, Saffron Nola & The Kingsway, New Orleans
Segment Three: New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute with Chef Instructor Matt Serkes
Segment Four: Chef & Restaurateur Mawa McQueen, Mawa’s Kitchen, Aspen, CO
Segment Five: New Orleans & Co. with Alice Glenn, Executive Vice President
Segment Six: Executive Chef Meg Bickford, Commander’s Palace, New Orleans
Segment Seven: Edgar “Dook” Chase IV, Restaurateur & Chef, Dooky Chase, Chapter IV, New Orleans
Segment Eight: Ian McNulty, Food Journalist, NOLA.com, Times-Picayune, New Orleans

We’re live from New Orleans covering the Americas Selection for the Bocuse d’Or Americas competition. Eight top-flight culinary teams, from eight different countries in North & South America, are competing to determine which five teams move on to the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition in Lyon, France in January of 2027. This bi-annual event is regarded as the most prestigious culinary competition in the world. Think of it as the Olympics of the culinary world!

Each team is comprised of a chef, commis and coach. Commitment, rigor and teamwork are essential. A distinguished jury of international chefs conducts the judging.

All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!

Ashwin Vilkhu of Saffron NOLA and The Kingsway

“Ashwin Vilkhu is a celebrated chef and restaurateur known for bringing modern Indian cuisine to New Orleans through his acclaimed restaurant Saffron NOLA where dishes draw on his Indian heritage and global influences, reinterpreting traditional Indian recipes with a Southern twist. He’s was a 2025 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: South.”

“Chef Ashwin’s latest, The Kingsway, is a fine dining Asian establishment. Inspired by the deeply personal flavors of childhood dinners and the cultural crossroads of Asia, The Kingsway offers a contemporary interpretation of tradition—refined, intentional, and rooted in heritage.”

The Kingsway is hosting Team USA’s wrap party after the Bocuse d’Or Americas Selection.

Chef Ashwin Vilkhu joins us.

Chef Instructor Matt Serkes is on staff at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI.) We’ll meet him.

“NOCHI envisions centering New Orleans as a global leader in culinary and hospitality learning by advancing career growth, industry innovation, and economic impact.”

Chef Mawa McQueen is a prominent restaurateur with popular properties in Aspen and Boulder, Colorado. She is also a Ment’or Chefs Council Member and an enthusiastic supporter of Team USA 2027 on the road to Lyon. She joins us.

“In addition to her four restaurants in Aspen – Michelin recommended Mawa’s Kitchen, Mawita Tapas & Wine Bar and two locations of Crepe Therapy Cafe– in the past year Chef Mawa has opened two additional Crepe Therapy Cafe locations in Boulder, Colorado, just outside Denver where the University of Colorado Boulder is.”

“Mawa’s Kitchen is the MICHELIN Guide Recommended flagship restaurant of owner and executive chef Mawa McQueen, a James Beard Award semifinalist nominee and 2020 & 2022 Colorado Governor’s Minority Business Award Winner. The menu at Mawa’s Kitchen is hyper seasonal and reflects Mawa’s international heritage serving up Afro-Mediterranean cuisine with French-American flair.”

Alice Glenn is the Executive Vice President of New Orleans & Co.

She joins us to conclude our on-location New Orleans show.

“New Orleans & Company is the official destination sales and marketing organization for New Orleans’ tourism industry. Founded in 1960, their mission is to inspire, promote and encourage travel to New Orleans for the economic, social and community benefit of New Orleans and its people. The vision is to ensure New Orleans remains the most remarkable, unique, and welcoming city in the world.”

“Alice Glenn is the Executive Vice President of New Orleans & Company, the official destination sales and marketing organization for the City of New Orleans. She oversees enterprise strategy, culture, operations, government relations, and strategic partnerships that advance inclusive economic development and strengthen New Orleans’ position in national and global markets. Her career spans 20+ years at the nexus of business, government, and civil society, building coalitions that translate policy and philanthropy into sustainable growth.”

“Before joining New Orleans & Company, Alice founded and led Glenn & Associates, LLC, advising organizations on strategy, fundraising, advocacy, and community affairs to scale impact and mobilize multi-sector stakeholders. She has held roles with United Way, Loyola University New Orleans, and the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and served in the public sector as Legislative Assistant to the Louisiana House Speaker Pro Tempore.”

Meg Bickford is the Executive Chef of the legendary Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. She joins us.

“Edgar “Dook” Chase, IV., is the Owner / President of Chase Hospitality Group and Chase Concessions, LLC., a partner in Chase North, the premier food and beverage operator and management concessionaire at the Louis Armstrong International Airport, and the proprietor of two of their concepts, Leah’s Kitchen and Dook’s Burgers. Chase Concessions also operates eleven other concepts at MSY, as well concepts in Boston Logan International Airport and Nashville International Airport.”

“Meanwhile, Chef Dook is also continuing the legacy of his late grandmother, Chef Leah Chase, serving as the Executive Chef and operator of his family’s restaurant Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans.”

“Chef Dook has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. After studying economics and finance at Dillard University, New Orleans, Chase received his Master’s of Business Administration from University of New Orleans, and went on to receive his culinary degree from Le Condon Bleu Paris, France. In addition to his formal training, he spent much of his youth learning the craft from his grandmother, while working in his family’s flagship restaurant, Dooky Chase’s in Tremé.”

“Chef Dook has developed growing concepts, such as Leah’s Kitchen, Dook’s Place, and Dook’s Burgers as a tribute to his grandmother’s legacy of service and hospitality, featuring dishes inspired by her classic Creole cuisine. The latest restaurant, Chapter IV, opened with his wife, Gretchen in January 2023, and named for his fourth generation of service, features modern takes on classic Creole breakfast, brunch, and lunch offerings in downtown New Orleans.”

He also attended the Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition in Lyon in 2025 supporting Team USA 2025.

Ian joins us.

Podcasts

Hour One: Saffron NOLA, New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute, Mawa McQueen
Hour Two: New Orleans & Co., Commander’s Palace, Dooky Chase, Ian McNulty