Chef's PSA

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera investigates one of the most pressing problems in the culinary industry: why people leave. Drawing on an Instagram poll he conducted with his audience, he shares what culinary professionals actually say drives them out of jobs and kitchens, and why the industry’s standard explanations for turnover frequently

Episode Overview In this special episode, André Natera sits on the other side of the mic. This leadership interview was originally planned for South by Southwest and was conducted by Emmanuel LaRoche, host of the Flavors Unknown podcast. LaRoche interviews Natera about his culinary career, the mentorship relationships that shaped his thinking, and the leadership

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera takes on a question that comes up constantly in the culinary industry but rarely gets a direct answer: which matters more, being the best new restaurant or being a restaurant that has lasted? He reflects on conversations with chef colleagues about the pressures facing new restaurants, the

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera makes the case that seasonal cooking is not a trend or a marketing angle but a foundational way of learning how to cook. He explains how following the seasons shaped his own culinary development, forced him to understand ingredient transitions that most chefs never fully learn, and

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera addresses the tension that sits at the center of almost every serious culinary career: the gap between cooking from passion and running a business that survives. He argues that this dilemma is not a choice between creativity and commerce but a failure of preparation, and that the

Episode Overview In this special crossover episode, André Natera sits on the other side of the mic for an interview originally recorded for the Proper Thieves podcast. The conversation covers his unconventional path to success as a chef, the discipline and willpower practices that have defined how he works, and the morning routine he developed

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera shares a collection of practical kitchen tips and techniques drawn from his professional experience that most cooks learn slowly on the job or never learn at all. These are not beginner fundamentals. They are the kind of operational and technical insights that experienced chefs accumulate over years

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera walks through what it actually takes to prepare a professional kitchen for a major event day, drawing on his experience as an executive chef running operations during high-volume occasions like Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day. These are the events that expose every gap in your planning,

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera delivers an unfiltered, honest, and occasionally hilarious take on one of the most contentious topics in professional kitchen culture: brunch. He makes no attempt to be diplomatic. Brunch is operationally chaotic, economically questionable in many contexts, and consistently underappreciated as one of the more genuinely difficult services

Episode Overview In this solo episode, André Natera makes the case for slow, deliberate career building in an industry where social media constantly promotes rapid ascent. He talks about the urgency that platforms like Instagram and TikTok create, how that urgency leads young chefs to make career moves before they are ready, and why the