The Repertoire Podcast

On this episode of The Repertoire Report, Ray Delucci starts with a rant about recipes and why they matter so much to a food business. He makes the case that well-written, tested recipes are the base of consistency, efficiency and profit in any kitchen. He explains how to write them so they actually work: list ingredients in the order they're used, write for someone with basic cooking knowledg...

*Edit Note: Around 29:04, the video is cut for a minute due to a technical error. The video will resume after a minute. Wonder wants to own every part of how you get dinner: restaurant brands, kitchens, ordering, delivery, meal kits, food media, and now robotics. On this Repertoire Report, Ray Delucci walks Justin Khanna through what Wonder is today. They cover 25+ chef-licensed concepts under one...

Why does money scare chefs? On this solo episode of the Repertoire Report, Ray Delucci argues that kitchen culture has taught a generation of cooks to fear money. He looks at why "follow your passion, the money will follow" is bad career advice, and why chefs should stop feeling guilty about side gigs, private chef work, food development and brand deals. Ray also covers a Substack by Fur...

Is fine dining really dead—or is the restaurant industry simply changing? In this episode, Justin and Ray break down the evolving definition of fine dining, what chefs actually think about today’s biggest food and beverage trends, and the New York Times’ 2026 list of America’s best restaurants. They also discuss Dominique Crenn’s move to Melbourne and what it says about the increasingly global nat...

Ray Delucci tackles imposter syndrome head-on — why the restaurant industry bakes it in, how "paying dues" culture holds talented cooks back, and what it cost him personally as a 21-year-old restaurant manager convinced he'd be fired any day. It's a direct response to a 22-year-old sous chef's Reddit post, and a case for why confidence, not ego, is one of the most valuable to...

Interested in Chef Tech Stack? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more here.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want 1-on-1 Coaching with Repertoire? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here. Justin Khanna and Ray Delucci break down the week in food and restaurant news, starting with Michelin's new Southwest Guide — a surprisingly conservative debut that returned to Las Vegas after 17 years and handed Utah its very first star. They dig deep into Monte, the 14-month-old Salt...

Apply for Coaching with Repertoire Written version of this episode on the Repertoire blog My episode on “Cook to Chef” from 2019 7shifts FREE 2026 Industry Report Reps Series of Skill Exercises from Repertoire Episode with Chris Spear Sorcerer’s Apprentice book by Lisa Abend The E-Myth Revisited book by Michael Gerber Useful, Not True book by Derek Sivers Seth Godin’s Freelancer Post Balaji’s Foun...

Interested in Chef Tech Stack? ⁠⁠⁠Learn more here.⁠⁠⁠ Want 1-on-1 Coaching with Repertoire? ⁠⁠⁠Apply here. The restaurant industry is changing faster than most operators can react — and this week Ray goes solo on four stories that show exactly where it's headed. First, a Wall Street Journal piece on chefs, plumbers, and contractors turning client work into media companies. Private chef Olivia...

Noma is back in Copenhagen — and this time with a new leadership structure, a creative-director role for René Redzepi, and a menu format that scraps the old three-season model for 12 microseasons. Justin and Ray dig into what the reopening actually signals for the industry: whether the Wall Street Journal's "controversial celebrity chef" framing does a disservice to the team doing th...

Ray Delucci breaks down whether it's actually worth joining the hospitality and food industry in 2026, why networking might be the most undervalued skill in this business, Sweetgreen's stunning fall from a $5 billion valuation, ongoing food safety outbreaks hitting Chipotle and Qdoba, and a first look at A24's Anthony Bourdain biopic "Tony."If this episode was helpful, please...

Interested in Chef Tech Stack? Learn more here. Want 1-on-1 Coaching with Repertoire? Apply here. Missed last week's episode? Catch up here. Free Restaurant Industry Report Download 7shifts' FREE 2026 Data Report: What Restaurant Employees Want Justin and Ray dig into the BBC's new three-part series The Rise of the Rock Star Chef, reuniting Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, and Heston...

In this clip, Ray breaks down the need for more chefs in food media, says goodbye to kitchens, shares a crazy update on Cyclospora, and addresses the issue of cheesemongers going away. Interested in Chef Tech Stack? Learn more here. Want 1-on-1 Coaching with Repertoire? Apply here. Links: Food Media Needs More People Who've Actually Worked in It There Are No Dead Ends in the Food Industry (Red...

Interested in Chef Tech Stack? Learn more here. Want 1-on-1 Coaching with Repertoire? Apply here. Missed last week's episode? Catch up here. 7shifts Restaurant Employee Report Watch the webinar. 📚 Show Notes Chef Bertrand Grébaut / Septime Action Bronson x Septime ( F ck That's Delicious*) Mario Carbone "Michelin Is Lying" Clip (Go-To Food Podcast) DoorDash / SevenRooms "Ch...

Ray breaks down one of the most unsettling trends emerging in hospitality: AI surveillance in restaurant kitchens. As more operators experiment with AI-powered cameras to monitor employees, they discuss where the line is between improving operations and invading worker privacy. He also reacts to Reddit discussions on financial stability as a line cook, the challenges of being a people-pleaser in r...

Justin and Ray break down René Redzepi's latest return to the spotlight and why the Noma story continues to raise more questions than answers. They discuss Jason White's response, whether the industry's conversation around accountability has actually evolved, and what this latest chapter means for restaurant culture. They also cover Seattle's Walrus and Carpenter labor dispute, dis...

In this solo episode of The Repertoire Report, Ray Delucci breaks down the latest hospitality industry headlines, starting with Noma’s planned reopening in Copenhagen and René Redzepi’s return as creative director amid renewed scrutiny around kitchen culture and alleged abuse. Ray reflects on what accountability actually looks like in fine dining, why the industry continues to wrestle with the “ge...

Want to learn more about Chef Tech Stack? Fill out this form to learn more. n this episode of the Repertoire Report, Justin Khanna and Ray Delucci dig into the latest restaurant industry news: Tom Colicchio closing Craft after 25 years in New York City, rising restaurant costs, changing diner behavior, and what these shifts mean for chefs, operators, and hospitality professionals. They also break...

In this Repertoire Report episode, Justin Khanna and Ray Delucci break down the latest hospitality industry news, culinary trends, and restaurant insights for chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, and hospitality professionals. Topics include Epicure’s massive 4.1 million recipe dataset, AI in recipe development, flavor modeling, culinary creativity, and what artificial intelligence can — and can’t — under...

n this episode, Ray breaks down why the Australian-based restaurant chain Guzman y Gomez left and why this was a positive for the company. He also gives advice on determining whether you are the problem in the kitchen or the kitchen itself. He then discusses Starbucks canceling its AI-inventory tool, the rise in grocery inflation, the stunning new GLP-1 restaurant report, and a unique discount bei...

This week on The Repertoire Report, Justin Khanna and Ray Delucci break down a packed week of hospitality industry news, restaurant operations, and chef career insights. We cover Michelin’s upcoming arrival in South Australia, what it means for the country’s existing hatted restaurant system, and why global recognition still matters for chefs and restaurants. Then we get into the practical side of...

In this episode, Ray breaks down why restaurants feel "slower" and the data backing it up. He also shares how caring for your staff and avoiding turnover is a crucial financial decision. He then gives updates on some QSR/Fast-Casual restaurants, shares with creators how to help those with limited food options, and discusses a looming protein powder shortage. Links: Slow Restaurant Discus...

In this episode, Ray and Justin react to the debate over Repertoire accounts, restaurant pricing, and the reality that restaurants face of losing profitability. They then give advice to a CIA grad who regrets attending culinary school, discuss hotels to gain better career leverage, and share some culinary tech updates. #chefs #culinaryschool #cooking #restaurant Links: Reddit Culinary School Warni...

In this episode, Ray breaks down why a city might say no to the Michelin Guide and how that decision affects the broader food scene. He also weighs in on the restaurant pricing convo that led the NY Times and Eli Sussman to go viral, the current dishwasher crisis, and the DOJ's investigation into agricultural price gouging. Links: Buffalo Rejects Michelin Guide Eli Sussman Response The NY Time...

In this episode, Justin breaks down how Chefs are talking directly to audiences and why this is so valuable. He also covers some Michelin news, answers a fan question on food safety, covers Magnus Nilsson's new venture, and analyzes the number of Michelin-starred chefs who attended culinary school. Ray shares a dire warning by Jose Andres and also gives a restaurant industry update. Links: Chr...

In this episode, Ray interviews Namrata Hegde on her time staging at Noma, misconceptions over "staging culture," and the reality of traveling to another country to work at the best restaurant in the world, for free. We then discuss the problems still facing kitchen culture, and why it feels like restaurants are so far behind when it comes to employee welfare. ' Link: Namrata Hegde’s...