The Repertoire Podcast

In this episode, Ray breaks down how restaurants are using CPG-branded foods to totally transform their brand. He also discusses the Wegmans surveillance controversy, how TikTok is used in food R&D, how Portillo's loyalty program is boosting sales, and why you should not leave the food industry.#restaurant #chef #portillos #careeradvice #momofuku #davidchang Links: Wegmans Issue (Grubstree...

In this episode, Justin and Ray react to Wonder and its goal of creating automated kitchens. They also break down the new food pyramid and how this affects school lunches, and give advice to a chef looking to break out on their own early in their career. Justin offers questions you should ask yourself in 2026 to ensure you have a productive and efficient year in your career. Questions: Individual...

In this episode, Ray discusses how the City of Buffalo is contemplating paying the Michelin Guide for recognition, and what it could mean for the city. He also covers how Sweetgreen could bounce back in 2026, the worrying trend of surveillance pricing, DoorDash integrating with ChatGPT, and much more. Links: Buffalo Getting MICHELIN Guide? Smaller Slop Bowls (Bloomberg) DoorDash + ChatGPT Partners...

Justin and Ray spend 90 minutes discussing their predictions for the food industry in 2026. They go over the realistic outcomes they believe will happen in the next year, and make some wild predictions based on their reporting over the past year.#restaurant #linecook #foodindustry #2026 Links: DoorDash AI App (Zesty) Want us to do a workshop? Email us: hello@joinrepertoire.comIf you come across so...

In this episode, Justin and Ray discuss 2025 in the food industry. They discuss how fast-casual concepts failed, prevailing consumer trends in dining out, and lessons learned for restaurant operators. They also look at CPG lessons, the death of food influencers, and much more. #restaurant #restaurantindustry #costofliving #business #finance MICHELIN Guide Southwest Andrew Yeung X Post YUM! Brands...

In this episode, Justin breaks down Michelin's new Grapes designation and what it means for the wine industry. He also shares a Bloomberg review of EMP that is surprisingly critical, as well as the rise of private dinner clubs in 2026. Ray shares what makes a four-star restaurant, in the New York Times Critics' own words. He also discusses how pizzas are getting smaller and more expensive,...

In this episode, Ray breaks down the risk Italian pasta faces due to tariffs and how implementing this policy could literally halt pasta exports from Italy. He covers Chipotle's new Thanksgiving strategy, AI-slop Thanksgiving recipes, and how restaurants are winning diners over to grocery this holiday. He also discusses the disgusting story about a Campbell's Soup VP, the odd case of a din...

Eating out feels unaffordable—and the data backs it up. In this episode, Justin and Ray unpack why menu prices keep rising, why value perception has flipped for fast-casual, and what the future may hold. We also explore Picnic, a workplace lunch app that could shift weekday demand, and the Seattle Times' recent review of Canlis.#affordableproducts #costofliving #savingmoney #restaurant 0:00 In...

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In this episode, Justin and Ray react to Alinea losing its third star and what this means for the Michelin Guide in 2025. Justin then breaks down how Michelin's "meta" has changed and how restaurant owners should be looking at the Guide. Ray breaks down the claim that "Dining Out Is Dead" and discusses the beef price-fixing accusations by the DOJ against major beef companie...

In this episode, we dive into the Uncrustables lawsuit against Trader Joe’s and what it signals for the future of food product development, intellectual property, and the battle between CPG giants and private labels. As Smucker’s defends its iconic crustless sandwich, we explore how legal strategies are becoming a new line of defense in a fiercely competitive grocery landscape. We also cover the b...

In this episode, Ray breaks down the recent AWS outage and the devastating impact it had on restaurants. He discusses the Trump administration's proposal on beef imports from Argentina and the fight over Prop 12 in the upcoming farm bill. Ray also covers Nestle's announcement of 16k job cuts, the rally in Beyond Meat's stock, and a new cookbook utilizing recipes from gravestones. AWS Outage Disrup...

In this episode, Ray and Justin dive into the recent viral video by More Perfect Union, discussing how Sysco has become the largest food distributor in the country, and how this may affect the similarity of flavors amongst restaurants. Their answers may surprise you, especially when it comes to Sysco's perceived reach. Justin shares about social media users wanting more in-person experience an...

In this weekly report: Tyson Foods has settled a record-breaking lawsuit, in which it was accused of conspiring with other pork producers to fix prices. The government shutdown may have effects on the food industry, EJ Lagasse gets 3 stars in the NY Times, and Amazon is creating its own grocery brand for low-cost consumers. Ray breaks down the recent Restaurant Performance Index, and shares some l...

In this episode, Justin breaks down the recent collaboration between Airbnb and Chef's Table and how utilizing Airbnb events could be a major win for chefs. He also discusses the Food & Wine awards, the impact of LLMs on restaurant recommendations, a new book he's interested in, and more. Ray discusses the coming matcha shortage, some consumer data from the National Restaurant Associat...

In this episode, Ray breaks down a New York Times Article, sharing how sushi has become a dietary commodity. He discusses Starbucks' massive layoff announcement, the cut to a USDA hunger report, why Americans are not eating breakfast, and offers advice to a Reddit user leaving the restaurant industry. 7shifts Restaurant Tech Video 7shifts Digital Prep List Report + Quiz Links: Sushi as Commodi...

In this episode, Ray breaks down how close to 10% of Americans are using Ozempic, and how this is affecting restaurants. He also breaks down the real reason behind Tesla creating a diner, and how the Pumpkin Spice Latte crushed expectations for Starbucks. He discusses the reporting mistakes made by Beyond Meat, breaks down how restaurants performed in July, examines a major food company breakup, a...

In this episode, Justin breaks down how Chefs are now making $100,000 more than ever before and why this trend is a major positive for the industry. He also shares reporting from the LA Times on a new restaurant transitioning from fine dining to casual, a restaurant closure in Washington, D.C., and a Business Insider piece on a Michelin-starred restaurant managing finances during this challenging...

In this episode, Ray discusses an article by Chef Nick Curtin of Alouette. He discusses Chef's view on how foraging has impacted the food system of Denmark, and what we can take away from this impact. Ray then discusses how the Federal Takeover of D.C. has destroyed restaurant reservations. He then looks at how fast casual restaurants are not doing well, how honey is taking over consumer diets...

Eleven Madison Park has decided that meat is back on the menu. Ray and Justin break down why they made this decision, the response from the food world to it, and much more. They also discuss how a Michelin-rated ice cream shop in Taiwan is a litmus test for the upcoming Michelin Guide release, the horrible story of a restaurant being stripped of its Michelin Stars due to the chef being arrested on...

Joshua Weissman is facing a mountain of criticism for alleged poor behavior, plagiarism, and more. Justin and Ray break down the reporting on Joshua Weissman and warn of the lessons learned in the pattern of alleged behavior that has been reported on by one of YouTube's largest food content creators. Ray breaks down Uber's new AI investment, the latest news on beef and poultry pricing, and...

In this episode of the Repertoire Report, Ray starts by discussing the tragic passing of Anne Burrell, emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness in the food industry. He shares personal experiences with mental health struggles in the restaurant industry and stresses the significance of checking in on each other. The second part of the episode addresses the current financial crisis at J...

Links:  Higher Starting Costs: https://www.foodandwine.com/restaurant-opening-costs-increase-post-pandemic-11776163 YouTube: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-21/how-youtube-is-shaping-a-new-generation-of-chefs Travis Kalanick on All In, Discussing Lab Robotics: https://youtu.be/KypnjJSKi4o?si=toidvBcjlt3QF1wp Pipedream: https://x.com/thegarrettscott/status/1944801083177505235 Nuance...

Links:  Eater: https://www.eater.com/food-culture/893018/jose-andres-chef-humanitariancomic-book-hero  Food Dive 1: https://www.fooddive.com/news/us-ice-cream-makers-commit-to-artificial-dye-phase-out-by-2028/753065/  Food Dive 2: https://www.fooddive.com/news/tariffs-meat-drive-inflation-conagra-cfo-says/752918/  Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-09/chocolate-makers-burne...

Links:  QSR: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/why-back-of-house-clarity-for-restaurants-is-key-to-navigating-an-uncertain-economy/  Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-07/starbucks-menu-news-chain-wants-to-get-rid-of-canola-oil-in-its-food?srnd=phx-industries-consumer  Red Lobster: https://www.campaignlive.com/article/popular-ceo-viral-seafood-boils-story-behind-red-lobster...