Copper & Heat Radio

How have chefs and the restaurant industry contributed to the near-extinction of abalone, the prized mollusk often associated with fine dining? Indigenous tribes up and down the coast of what is today California have been eating abalone for thousands of years. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the influx of non-native folks led to the hunting, fetishization, and overconsumption of abalone. From San...

What does the popularity of culinary foam say about the types of food – and the kinds of chefs – we value? When Geraldine DeRuiter wrote about her meal at “the worst Michelin starred restaurant, ever,” she didn’t expect to start a global controversy. The tasting menu she had at Bros, in Lecce, Italy, was a bizarre, avant garde dining experience, the pinnacle being the “Chef’s Kiss” dish, a plaster...

In this season of Copper & Heat we're exploring the concepts of value and craft in the world of food. Why are some cuisines considered more valuable than others (and therefore command a higher price point)? Is food art, craft, or both?  Why is restaurant labor considered "low-skill" and undervalued?  We're exploring these questions and more in season 4 of Copper & Heat. Follow along wherever you g...

We're still working on season 4, but in the meantime we're sharing some shows that we love! Today's guest episode is from the So You Want to Run a Restaurant podcast powered by Back of House . Back of House connects restaurant operators with the technologies and ideas they need to move their businesses forward. This episode, " Fighting Burnout and Building a Retail Brand " is a conversation with C...

We're sharing a special preview of the new podcast, What’s Your Problem? from Pushkin Industries.  What’s Your Problem? explains the problems really smart people are trying to solve right now, from creating a drone delivery service to building a car that can truly drive itself. Jacob Goldstein, former host of Planet Money, talks with innovators about the future they’re trying to build – and the pr...

The Copper & Heat Creative team has been busy this holiday season producing a new ASMR podcast for Tastemade and Mastercard. Each episode, a chef takes you through their favorite holiday recipes with lots of stories and sounds. So whatever you’re doing this holiday season, put on some headphones, sit back, get cozy, and listen to the soothing sounds of the kitchen. We've posted one of the episodes...

In this Pre-Shift, we talk with Jazmin Villalta and Enrique Soriano from Cocina del Corazon about how grassroots growth has allowed them to thrive while sticking to their values. Where to find them: Their website Instagram Facebook Check out One Star Podcast Network the first podcast network dedicated to representing voices and stories from the service industry with shows created by service indust...

In this Pre-Shift, we talk with Zoe Adjonyoh about how she found her niche and followed her purpose as she’s built her business. Where to find Zoe: Her website Instagram Her cookbook Check out One Star Podcast Network the first podcast network dedicated to representing voices and stories from the service industry with shows created by service industry workers. Sponsors for this episode: Chefstream...

In this Pre-Shift, we chat with Jenny Dorsey about how she has developed her voice and how she practices kindness with herself. Where to find Jenny: Her website Instagram Twitter Studio ATAO Check out One Star Podcast Network the first podcast network dedicated to representing voices and stories from the service industry with shows created by service industry workers. Sponsors for this episode: We...

In this episode of Pre-Shit, we're demystifying different kinds of organizing and collective action and talking about why unionizing is so hard in the restaurant industry with Jesse Kadjo and Tsehaitu Abye. Guests: Jesse Kadjo - Labor Organizer for City of Oakland Union & host of Leap Year Podcast @jessekadjo Tsehaitu Abye - Community Organizer for One Fair Wage @tsehaitu_ @1fairwage_official More...

In this Pre-Shift we hear about the successful unionization efforts of the Tartine Union in San Francisco from one of the people that was there from the beginning, Matthew Torres. Plus, we hear a little more about the general steps to unionizing from Tsehaitu Abye, a community organizer from One Fair Wage. Guests: Matthew Torres - Tartine Union @TartineUnion @tartineunion Tsehaitu Abye - Organizer...

In this Pre-Shift we’re talking about DEIA - diversity, equity, inclusion, and access - what it is, and how one restaurant has worked to implement better practices. Guests: Terri Evans - owner and operator of Windy City Ribs & Whiskey @windycityribsandwhiskey Dr. Erinn Tucker - Director of the Global Hospitality Leadership master’s program At Georgetown University and Co-Founder of DMV Black Resta...

In this Pre-Shift we’re talking about privilege and bias - what those words mean, how they play out in our lives, and what we can do to be better. Guests: Chef Jenny Dorsey - chef, activist, and founder of Studio ATAO @chefjennydorsey @studioatao Dr. Erinn Tucker - Director of the Global Hospitality Leadership master’s program At Georgetown University and Co-Founder of DMV Black Restaurant Week @e...

We're so excited to be a part of the brand new One Star Podcast Network . This week, we're bringing the amazing Sidework Podcast to our feed. Take a listen to hear an interview with activist and baker Cass Vogel about her struggle to organize and unionize her coworkers @donutfriendunited . ⁠ We'll be back with Pre-Shift episodes in a couple weeks. In the meantime, check out the other awesome shows...

In this Pre-Shift, we’re talking about how we can learn new ways to cope with stress.   Guests: Laura Green - counselor and owner of Healthy Pour @healthy.pour More resources to help with coping with stress: Healthy Pour Resources page How to Build a Self-Care System by Ashtin Berry Building a Self-Care Action Plan by the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center L...

In this Pre-Shift, we’re talking about how we can support each other through mental health challenges.  Guests:  Hassel Aviles & Ariel Coplan - co-founders of Not 9 to 5 @not9to5_ More resources to help support your friends and coworkers: QPR Institute Suicide Prevention Training Mental Health First Aid Course Primary Concerns of the Hospitality and Culinary Industry course from Not 9 to 5 Not 9 t...

In this Pre-Shift we’re talking about boundaries - why it’s so hard to set them, how to figure out what our boundaries are, and how to have those awkward and sometimes scary conversations. Guests: Hassel Aviles and Ariel Coplan - Co-founders of Not 9 to 5 @not9to5_  Grace Guber - hospitality professional and host of The Family Meal podcast @theguberosity Rachel Ramsey - owner and operator of Measu...

In this Pre-Shift, learn about valuing the work you do and negotiating a pay raise or promotion.   Guests: Rachel Ramsey - owner and operator of Measured HR @rachelrramsey  Adan Callsen - owner of Under the Table Boise from @under_the_table_boise More resources to help with negotiating:  “15 Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer” by the Harvard Business Review Minority Negotiations: Breaking Glass Cei...

For this first Pre-Shift, we’re talking about why it’s so hard for us in hospitality to give and receive feedback effectively and how we can do the work to be better.  Guests:  Laura Green - licensed counselor and hospitality industry professional at Healthy Pour @healthy.pour Zach Ferguson - hospitality industry professional and podcast host at Restaurant Tales Podcast @restauranttalespodcast Mor...

In this Pre-Shift, we’re talking about how, despite all of the challenges to dealing with conflict, we can reframe the idea of conflict and how we approach those tense conversations with coworkers.  Guests:  Laura Green - licensed counselor and hospitality industry professional at Healthy Pour @healthy.pour Rachel Ramsey - owner of Measured HR @rachelrramsey More resources to help with conflict re...

Named for the pre-service meetings where staff gets all the updates, specials, and other details, Pre-Shift is about getting you tips, tools, and resources of working in hospitality.  We're focusing on the issues that hospitality workers face every day - from coping with stress to setting boundaries, from intersectionality to community organizing. We've talked to experts to get advice to help you...

The systems that the restaurant industry is built on don’t work - they’re built on power imbalances and devaluing the labor of hospitality workers. More folks than ever are questioning these systems and looking to make change in the industry. As we’re trying to make changes to labor and wage issues in restaurants - who are we looking to as leaders? Are we looking to the chefs that are just now get...

On March 9th, Chef Irene Li, owner of Mei Mei Restaurant in Boston, opened their finances to the public at an event called Open Book Open House. The purpose? To get people having more open and honest conversations around restaurants and money. But just a week after the Open Book Open House, restaurant dining rooms closed due to COVID and all of a sudden restaurant finances were on everybody’s mind...

Mei Mei in Boston has been an open book restaurant since 2017. They train their entire staff on the finances so that everyone can have a voice in making the restaurant run more efficiently. But on March 9th, Chef Irene Li, owner of Mei Mei decided she wanted to take the education a step further and open their books to the public. What do the finances of a small independent restaurant really look l...

What happens when you get sick or injured and you work in a restaurant? You keep working. At least, that’s how it’s always been. With low wages, lack of access to benefits, and usually nonexistent paid leave, the workers living paycheck to paycheck can’t really take care of their health. Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit in Atlanta, Georgia, is attempting to mitigate those challenges in their local Geor...