The CHEF Radio Podcast

In this episode of CHEF Radio, we invite local coffee roaster and owner of Caphe, Thu Pham, into the studio to talk about her growth from being a one-woman show to running a full-blown coffee shop in the Kensington neighborhood of Philly. Her recently opened spot has been the talk of the town as it's Philadelphia's only purely Vietnamese and Southeast Asian coffee shop, where she focuses on showca...

Raised by two chefs, Michael Vincent Ferreri was destined to do great things. Michael left everything behind in upstate New York to start fresh here in Philadelphia, where he began working with Michael Solomonov at Zahav, Joey Baldino at Zeppoli and Tyler Akin at Stock and Res Ipsa. After blowing up the scene with Res, Michael took over the kitchen at Irwin's in South Philadelphia where, through h...

As a true pandemic story, Kismet Bagels came on the scene in 2020 after Alexandra & Jacob began experimenting with bread and bagels out of sheer boredom in their home kitchen after the pandemic took away both of their incomes as well as access to foods they craved. Just as kismet, aka destiny, brought these two childhood crushes together after 20+ years apart, bagels became their livelihood and pa...

In this episode, Diana Widjojo of Hardena restaurant, located in South Philly, sits down with Eli to discuss the rich history of the restaurant that she now runs alongside her family. Hardena is truly a family run operation that started with her mother, Ena, relocated from Queens New York to open the restaurant and start cooking for the local Indonesian population. Listen as Diana speaks about how...

Join us as Chef Eli talks with former NYC Steamfitter turned self-taught chef, Marcus Anthony, about how his Jamaican heritage has influenced him to embrace and share the central flavors of Jamaica with chefs and home cooks alike after starting his own business, Wah Gwan.   Named from the ubiquitous Jamaican greeting that literally means "What's going on?", Marcus has set out to inspire people in...

Take a listen to the chef/owner of Philadelphia's hottest restaurant, Her Place, where Amanda cooks food that is inspired by her love for the classics as well as the many great chefs that she has worked for in Philadelphia, New York, Montreal and even Italy. When listening, it'll be very easy to hear her passion come through the speakers and you can understand why people are so excited to eat her...

Chef Randy Rucker of River Twice restaurant sits down with Eli to talk about his journey as a chef, which led him from Texas through New England and now Philadelphia. Using his personal approach to food, Randy finds creativity through the stories of the farmers, growers & fisherman that supply his restaurant.   

This week we invite friends of Adan Trinidad into the studio to pay tribute to his life as a chef and friend after he recently passed away suddenly. Adan was a beloved member of the Philly dining scene and a testament to the positive impact that an immigrant can have on the people around them. Live life today because tomorrow's not guaranteed. RIP Adan.

Take a deep dive into the intricacies of operating a post-Covid restaurant with Chef PJ Calapa of NYC's Scampi and The Spaniard. In this podcast you will hear about the early days when PJ and host Eli Kulp were roommates and fellow ambitious cooks navigating the steamy kitchens of Manhattan. PJ, a native of Texas, talks about how his upbringing still impacts the way he eats, cooks and leads his te...

In this episode of The CHEF Radio Podcast, Eli gets down and dirty with chef Michael Thor of the Whiskey Kitchen in Raleigh, North Carolina. Michael and Eli share a common past as both chefs were critically injured within months apart of each other and both while opening a new restaurant. Thor as he goes by, talks candidly about his experiences as a chef who has suffered a severe spinal cord injur...

Jezabel Carega is the Owner of Jezabel's Cafe, a restaurant that incorporates dishes and furniture that represents her Argentinian roots and culture. Jezabel is also the Founder of Fuerza for Humans, an organization committed to supporting those with mental health issues in the food industry. On this episode, Eli Kulp sits down with Jezabel to talk about her Argentinian upbringing, her childhood m...

Monica Glass is a nationally recognized pastry chef with experience working in and consulting with Michelin restaurants, hotels, bakeries, cafes, catering, and cultural institutions. She has been recognized with "Best Pastry Chef" awards from Food & Wine Magazine, Boston Magazine, and Zagat, as well as being named a Food Network's ChoppedSweets Champion in 2021. On this episode, she joins Eli in t...

Jamila Robinson is the Food Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, a position she took on after serving as editorial director for Atlantic Media, managing content development for USA Today and overseeing food coverage for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jamila is also Chair of the James Beard Foundation's Food Journalism Awards Committee and the North American Academy chair for the San Pellegrino...

This week host Eli Kulp has a bonus episode! Listen in as he speaks with founders of two companies innovating the food/restaurant industry. First, he speaks with Nabeel Alamgir, whose company, Lunchbox, provides restaurants with the tools and tech to get off the predatory third-party apps and reclaim their digital sales and direct to consumer ordering. Check out Lunchbox here: https://lunchbox.io/...

Ryan and Eric Berley are owners of The Franklin Fountain. Drizzled with drollery and sprinkled with the forgotten flavors of the American past, the Franklin Fountain is a beloved handmade ice cream and candy shop at the corner of Market and Letitia Streets in Old City, Philadelphia.    Growing up in the quintessential small town of Media, PA, the Berley family's love of antiquing instilled in Ryan...

Adam Erace is a freelance writer and restaurant critic who has written for Courier Post, Philly Weekly, Philly City Paper, as well as national magazines such as Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Travel and Leisure, Details, and Fortune. In addition to his magazine writing, he is also the co-author of several cookbooks, most of which are dedicated to recipes and stories of Philadelphia restaurants and cu...

Eli Kulp sits down with Philadelphia restauranteurs Jim and Kristina Burke, owners of Fishtown based Italian restaurant Wm. Mulherin's Sons. Since adopting Mulherin's in 2019, Jim has been executive chef, while Kristina handles FOH duties and pretty much "everything else." The couple previously founded James in 2006, which served award winning modern American cuisine in the Bella Vista neighborhoo...

Eli Kulp sits down with Chef José Garces, a Philadelphia based chef who is considered one of the leading culinary authorities on Spanish and Latin American cuisine. After being born to Ecuadorian parents and being raised in a culturally diverse neighborhood in Chicago, José spent time in Spain where he learned the craft of Spanish cooking, and brings those influences back to Philadelphia in the fo...

Host Eli Kulp sits down with Nick Kennedy, chef and co-owner of several Philadelphia restaurants including Suraya, Pizzeria Beddia, R&D Cocktail Bar, and Condesa. Nick describes his authentic training in Italian and Lebanese cuisine has inspired his current restaurant ventures, his memories of working alongside Eli in New York City, and how to keep restaurants afloat in the era of Covid-19.

Host Eli Kulp chats with Beverly Kim, co-owner of two Chicago restaurants - Parachute and Wherewithall. The daughter of Korean immigrants, Kim brings traditional Korean cuisine alongside her husband and business partner, Johnny Clark. Together, they have developed Parachute into a Michelin star award winning restaurant, additionally receiving a prestigious James Beard award for Best Chefs in the G...

In this episode of CHEF Radio Podcast, host Eli Kulp sits down with Heather Thomason to discuss the importance of genetics in farming, selling sustainable products, and being a woman in a male dominated field. Heather specializes in whole animal butchery   and is the founder of Primal Supply Meats, a Philadelphia-based butchery and local sourcing company. Since 2016, they've been building a supply...

On this week's episode of THE CHEF Radio Podcast, host Eli Kulp is joined by Emilio Mignucci to discuss the challenges of operating a family business, the culture and flavors of South Philadelphia, and his ongoing relationship with his Italian heritage.   Emilio is a third generation owner at Di Bruno Bros. and serves as the Vice President of Culinary Pioneering. He's always on the quest for the l...

On this episode of The CHEF Radio Podcast, host Eli Kulp sits down with two cheese experts, Sue Miller and Tenaya Darlington. Sue Miller is the owner of the local farmstead, Birchrun Hill Farms , where they produce the famous and delicious Fat Cat cheese. Tenaya Darlington is an author, educator and food blogger, also known as Madame Fromage. She is the cheese curator at TRIA in Philadelphia and y...

This week on the CHEF Radio Podcast, host Eli Kulp talks to Chef Hooni Kim, owner of DANJI and HANJAN . He recently released his own cookbook called My Korea this past April. Eli and Hooni discuss how he became a renowned chef and an international cooking show icon, the distinct flavors and intricacies of Korean food, and his charity Yori Chunsa . Yori Chunsa, which means Chef Angels in Korean, co...