The Repertoire Podcast

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 down new openings from major names in food, including Kabawa, The Lion’s Den from Chef Michael White, and The Merchant Room from Gavin Kaysen.The conversation also explores Michelin expansion, the pressure of operating in major dining markets, whether restaurants can still make ambitious hospitality work financially, and a petition pushing back on the Culinary Institute of America’s use of AI. If you care about fine dining, restaurant openings, chef culture, food media, hospitality careers, or the business of restaurants, this episode is packed with analysis, context, and honest industry perspective.Links:Craft Closing AnnouncementCraft Closing NY Times PieceKabawaPunk NoirLion's DenThe Merchant RoomVAT PetitionPost Modern Times Donation PagePost Modern Times NY Times Write-UpCIA AI AnnouncementRepertoire Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Get industry insights, links, and podcast extras delivered weekly.🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Pass it on to your team, group chat, or fellow chefs.📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Behind the scenes, quotes, and quick takes.Affiliate Disclosure:We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through Amazon or other affiliate links provided in this episode.Thanks for listening to Repertoire. 👨‍🍳🎧

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 — understand about real-world cooking, seasonality, and kitchen judgment.The conversation also explores who really deserves credit for a Michelin star, the risks of “fake it till you make it” in restaurant hiring, career growth for line cooks, worker-owned restaurant models like Pigdin Cooperative, and the rise of in-person hospitality events from brands like DNNR. If you’re interested in chef career development, restaurant ownership, Michelin Guide culture, AI food tech, kitchen leadership, and the future of the hospitality industry, this episode is packed with practical analysis and honest industry perspective.Epicure AI RecipesJosef Chen X Epicure PostARXIV Paper Findingsdrewthefoodguy's Michelin Instagram PostSeattle Times Pidgin Co-OpDNNR Platform X PostPea-Peeling RobotFake It Till You Make It (Reddit Thread)Repertoire Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Get industry insights, links, and podcast extras delivered weekly.🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Pass it on to your team, group chat, or fellow chefs.📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Behind the scenes, quotes, and quick takes.Affiliate Disclosure:We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through Amazon or other affiliate links provided in this episode.Thanks for listening to Repertoire. 👨‍🍳🎧

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 being offered by Giordano's.#burritos #glp1 #restaurants #reddit Want to learn more about Chef Tech Stack? ⁠Fill out the following form to learn moreLinks: Guzman y Gomez Leaves US MarketDo I Suck in the Kitchen? (Reddit Thread)Starbucks Ends AI Inventory CountingGrocery Inflation Is RisingNational Restaurant Association GLP-1 ReportGiordano's Unique DiscountRepertoire Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Get industry insights, links, and podcast extras delivered weekly.🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Pass it on to your team, group chat, or fellow chefs.📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Behind the scenes, quotes, and quick takes.Affiliate Disclosure:We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through Amazon or other affiliate links provided in this episode.Thanks for listening to Repertoire. 👨‍🍳🎧

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 service with a deep dive on ticket rail management, expediting, mise en place, and how cooks can keep their board organized during a rush.We also discuss Clover Reserve and the next wave of restaurant tech, rising beef prices through the lens of hot dogs and consumer value perception, Beyond Meat’s pivot into protein beverages, the economic challenges facing Portuguese restaurants in the U.S., and why Norbert Niederkofler’s “Cook the Mountain” philosophy deserves more attention.If you’re a chef, cook, operator, hospitality professional, or someone trying to better understand the business and craft of restaurants, this episode is for you.Want to learn more about Chef Tech Stack? Fill out the following form to learn moreLinks: Australia Michelin GuideKitchen Rail AdviceBloomberg Hot Dog ArticleBeyond Protein DrinkPortuguese Restaurant StrugglesJames Beard NominationsCook The MountainClover ReserveRepertoire Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Get industry insights, links, and podcast extras delivered weekly.🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Pass it on to your team, group chat, or fellow chefs.📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Behind the scenes, quotes, and quick takes.Affiliate Disclosure:We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through Amazon or other affiliate links provided in this episode.Thanks for listening to Repertoire. 👨‍🍳🎧

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 Discussion (Reddit)National Restaurant Association Employee Retention DataRestaurant Performance IndexShake Shack SinksTexas Roadhouse ImprovesSweetgreen Declines“Recession Meals” ContentProtein Powder ShortageRepertoire Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Get industry insights, links, and podcast extras delivered weekly.🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share the Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Pass it on to your team, group chat, or fellow chefs.📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Behind the scenes, quotes, and quick takes.Affiliate Disclosure:We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through Amazon or other affiliate links provided in this episode.Thanks for listening to Repertoire. 👨‍🍳🎧