Josh (04:06.35)
We have a lot to catch up on. like, first of all, you have a girlfriend, I didn't know that, among many other things. And I also don't know about your job. I believe you actually, I think you guys use me's, or some part of your company does because I see it pop up.
me to catch you up over the last five years.
Yes. Can you summarize in one minute what the last five years has been?
Yeah, let me start off by saying, yeah, I guess I'd left New York City, April of 2020. Stephanie and kids had already gone down to New York or down to Chapel Hill to stay with my parents, you know, during the pandemic. And it just made sense. And I was at the time I was the director of culinary at Fields of Good Chicken, as you may recall.
That business went overnight, just in some capacity out of business. So I had to, not had to, I wanted to, like we had to come up with a game plan, how we were going to go from, we had just opened another store, I think two. So we were up to six stores in New York city, really trying to build that brand. then overnight it just, it was like, well, what are we going to do? I ended up.
Dan (05:31.018)
staying there for about eight weeks going to the the fields good chicken had a store on 12th, like right near Union Square. And so I was going down there daily meeting with the team, trying to keep that concept open while sending food really just at that point we were it was obviously all to go but we were sending stuff to.
hospitals and, you know, whoever needed it. Cause we had the capacity, we had a team, we had a kitchen. and I sort of just stayed on and really was sort of the chef of that concept for about eight weeks, which is a really interesting time, really just like, I mean, obviously challenging and, but from a restaurant standpoint, it was like a, it was all right guys, we got a rally.
Like who can come to work, who can show up. And that was a challenge too, because there was a lot of people who they either couldn't get into work or they weren't, you know, they, we didn't have a place for them to go to work. And so we had this real small team that kept it together for, yeah, I say about six to eight weeks. then Stephanie, my late wife, who obviously, you know, you know, very well. And, you know, was at the time the chief people officer for Orify brands.
And she also was dealing with, she was having cognitive seizures that led to finding out that she had a tumor, which we found out August of 2019. And she was in this, you know, we were sort of in a, she was trying to hold her job together with Orify and they were like, so amazing.
and accommodating for us during the pandemic and sort of throughout. But I ended up coming down to Chapel Hill and I never, I know we really never returned to New York City, which was, you know, in some ways it was so hard to leave New York City, but, you know, given sort of what we were going through as a family, it made more sense to stay down in Chapel Hill. You know, she was then diagnosed with brain cancer.
Dan (07:58.892)
that summer and it was really her saying, Hey, we're just, we're going to stay down here. I stayed on with fields, good chicken as much as possible. We were trying to launch like a packaged chicken, you know, so was doing a lot of chicken research down in, in, Chapel Hill, you know, trying to really stay on in any capacity and help them pivot. then
I have a great story about how I was let go. Stephanie was still going up to New York City, you know, to touch base with the team or if I was buying LePan Quotidian out of bankruptcy. So she was. That like that was her big focus was like merging these two brands together.
she also helped open a happy monkey in Greenwich, which was orify and John George's collab. so she was going up to New York city a lot during that time while I was really staying down Chapel Hill and. know, I mean, talk about connecting the dots. You put me in touch with Jason Lawless, the chef of Perez down here. puts me in touch with George Bakasha who was.
such a small world.
Opening a restaurant down in Chapel Hill. He had it in name and concept. Getting back to what happens to Stephanie, he went to New York City. For the weekend, and I remember she came back and she was doing that a lot. She was doing it like, you know, at least once a month. And I think it was, you know, a great. Thing for her to be be able to get back and forth and just spend time in New York and.
Dan (09:50.786)
You know, they had a lot of stuff they needed from her, but she comes back Sunday night. I'm like, you know, hey, how was your trip? And. She's just like, you know, what some sums up and she was like, Dan, just so you know, tomorrow you're going to be laid off.
So she told she she had to be able to told you that
Yeah, well, which was helpful. You know, I, you know, I met with the director of HR who was the one who did it, but I knew, you know, I knew going in that I was going to be laid off, which actually made it a little easier.
You know, I have to pause for minute because I obviously, I knew your wife, your late wife Stephanie before I knew you. And there's very few people I've ever met in whole life that had the impact that she had on everybody that she was around and that I've ever met. know, this idea of like a glowing light is something that I never felt so much as I did with Stephanie. And she was just...
one of the most incredible people I've ever met. And when I met you and learned that you were her husband, I'll be honest, the first thing I thought was like, this guy must be incredible because for him to be with Seth, Boy, were you wrong. No, I wasn't. she just was a force in so many ways and just on top of everything and smart and kind. And honestly, my father passed away when I was 16. And maybe I was just too young to
Josh (11:23.01)
to really have that affect me the way that it would if I was older. And obviously people have passed away along the way, but I never told you this, when Stephanie passed, it really hit me maybe more than anybody ever that I've known that passed away. No, actually it did more than anybody, just because how can that happen in somebody so special and so strong? so I just wanted to share that and also
you of course, how incredibly difficult that must have been for you and you have three children who are older now. Can't imagine what that must have been like for you. And also just goes to show how, you know, how strong and resilient of a person you are and your family. And I'm sure your kids are going to, you know, take that on as well. But it's a lot. You know, that all happened during, you know, during COVID. And I remember my wife got diagnosed with cancer during COVID as well and trying to get an appointment.
We had to sort get an in at Columbia with somebody that we knew, Randy, just so that she could get seen. And I can't imagine what that must have been like, you know, for you and your family.
Well, thank you for saying that. think she's so missed by so many people. And I feel like just her professional career alone was just, you know.
I get really sad when I think about that because I just feel like how much she had to give just in this hospitality world that she was so engrossed in. But you know what she did leave me with was a lot, you know, with the kids and even sort of placing us down in Chapel Hill in some capacity where, you know, we did have a big support staff and, you know, during that time it was
Dan (13:18.552)
You know, my dad was a doctor at Duke for 40 years. And so he was able to.
Dan (13:30.2)
be there for her. We had that sort built-in support, which has made it.
I wouldn't even say manageable, but just like, like we were able to sort of move through it and, and try to, know, Stephanie was really like the last two years of her life, which she was just really, really living it. And it was.
Dan (14:01.802)
Also me trying to build this new restaurant and balance life at home and life at work and her life in New York and obviously medical attention. was the last, this February 7th will be three years since she passed away, which is still really hard to believe.
but I feel like
You know, and they talk about widows and I'm in a widowed father's group down here, like being in a fog.
Yeah, can only imagine.
So it's been a... I feel like it's been clearing up.
Josh (14:51.81)
Yeah, I have to imagine the ability to just talk about it is probably most important. How old are your kids?
That's a why didn't that question I have to you know like part of my job is I like I always have to.
beyond stage in some capacity, like as the chef of this restaurant. And that's always the question that gets me. That's like, cause I can keep, you know, I've told this in some capacity, I've been telling this story for the last five years at the restaurant of like,
our life and Stephanie and the kids and New York and
It's hard for people to believe when I tell them. And that's the question that always sort of chokes me up is like, how, like, how many kids do you have and how old are your kids? Cause I have an 11 year old boy, Elliot. He's in sixth grade at the middle school I went to growing up Colworth. He's on the basketball team.
Josh (16:02.638)
It's very wild that he's going to the same school you went to.
Yeah, I mean, it wasn't planned, but it's sort of how it ended up. And he's a really great kid. And then twins who are nine now in third grade, boy, girl twins, Camille and Leon. You know, they're amazing. I couldn't do it without them. You know, people are like, oh, my God, and you have three kids and you're a widow. I'm like, well, thank God I had three kids.
Yeah.
Because I see other widows who aren't.
you know, maybe they have no kids or maybe they have one kid or maybe they only have two kids. And it's because you go from it feels like you go from, you know, for us, it was five of us and it's now four. And again, I have like all this love and support, like, don't get me wrong, I have like family, friends, like it's a team effort for sure. But yeah, so it's, you know,
Dan (17:05.408)
as hard as it is to manage them, you know, and also, you know, own and about to start up another restaurant, manage that, you know, that's a huge component for me now is like, how can I, how can I do that all? So that's, that's sort of my challenge right now, personally and professionally, if that wasn't a minute.
Well, you know, think we might end up going a different direction here anyways. That's okay. Do you, said February 7th is the three years? It's three years. Do you do anything for that? Is there any sort of ritual you do?
Well, the first year coincided with an event that was put on for in honor of her in New York City. That was year one and that was, you know, saying it was sort of a whirlwind, like didn't really, I think you just sort of process it.
Yeah, you're doing a processor. Yeah.
You know, year two was, I think, really just almost like disbelief.
Dan (18:20.098)
Wait, is this really what?
my life is now in our life. And then coming up on year three, I kind of want just the kids to drive it in some capacity, like of what they want to do to honor their mom. And I really feel like it's a daily thing. It's easy to sort of get caught up in like February 7th of, Hey, you know, we're going to do something special for mom. And, know, of course we'll
I think just being together as a unit is the most important part for me. then, you know, just doing stuff that she would like to do. And that's not anything like crazy. like to, I mean, like go down to the like our neighborhood is a very kid, very kid friendly. And there's like courts and fields and just like spend time together out there, go out to eat.
go visit where she's at. Her remains are at St. Thomas More in Chapel Hill, which is, you know, really a place that I go to on my own a lot.
Not bad.
Josh (19:35.128)
Well, Dan, let's, I wanna, well, in the interest of you, because you take care of a lot of people and you've had a lot to go through. And we've been talking about doing this for quite a while. Let's talk about, let's get to you.
Got it. My favorite thing to talk about.
And you know, I was obviously like we can sort of close the loop on, know, the credible person that was your wife Stephanie, who was at USG for a very long time, which I think is where you guys met.
You mentioned that now one of the most amazing things that I get to do is yearly. And I just did it recently up in New York City is that USHG, have these yearly awards now. And which actually they've always had to get back to what you're saying about Stephanie. She was 2017. There was a offsite in Mohonk Mountain House.
where she won the... they named an award after the Sunshine Award.
Dan (20:42.734)
And she won that that year. then they now, and this was year three, they've named the Stephanie Jackson 100 % her award.
my god, that's amazing.
Josh (21:00.462)
That's amazing. I no idea that they did that. I mean, it is no surprise whatsoever knowing Stephanie, but it's really incredible that they do that. And you were up there, I know you were just up there recently to present it. Did you guys meet it at USHD or did you meet at 11 Madison Park? I know she worked there before.
No, to answer your question, we worked there at both because USHG owned 11 Madison.
Oh, at that point, yeah, they still had you as, that's right. It was with Carrie Hefferman,
So I was telling, you know, sort of telling that story to the audience of how Stephanie was in culinary school at CIA. I was too, but we didn't like, we didn't cross paths. She was up there. She ended up becoming the general manager of a restaurant called the Artist Palette in downtown Poughkeepsie for a couple of years. And she read setting the table at some point.
and decided that she wanted to work for Danny Meyer. And so like she did, I mean, I don't know if you were ever on the receiving end of like a handwritten note from her. You know, she wrote him a card and said, you know, how much setting the table like. Resonated with her and that she wanted to work for him, so that's how she ended up at Eleven Madison.
Dan (22:29.726)
And yeah, we met and it's the same sort of, I remember when she walked through the kitchen, was, you know, it felt like a sort of a bright light. Yeah. She ended up having an amazing career with USHG. She became the maitre d' of 11 Madison, and then she became the director of training for the group. Took a little spin at Tiffany's to get, you know, like bring sort of that hospitality spirit to.
modern, you know, a different industry. And then meanwhile, I was at 11 Madison and then I became the sous chef for Union Square events.
That's right, you work with...
John Coran just hired me randomly. Yeah, I did. I did a tasting for Chef John, Chef Callahan. Rest in peace. Kenny Callahan, because he was running the show at in some capacity at Union Square events, like he was helping out. They were doing.
the mess.
Josh (23:28.961)
yeah.
Josh (23:37.496)
Yeah.
they were doing all their stadium stuff out of the Union Square events.
Well, tell me what you're doing today, you're down in North Carolina. I have a general semblance of it. I know the group a little bit because, like I said, I've seen them using me's, but I don't know much about the group. it sounds like you're now starting another restaurant. Are you starting with them? Is it on your own? What are you doing now?
Yeah. So I co-own, and I'm the executive chef is my title at Osteria Georgie in Chapel Hill. Like I said, George Bakasha, who has been, you know, down here for 40 years and has restaurants sort of throughout the state. Now he was opening the place, had the name. came in as chef partner did the menu. You know, it's been a
Almost five years of a lot of twists and turns as any restaurant goes, but we built a really nice clientele. I feel like guests have come to really...
Dan (24:50.902)
rely on us for a great experience. Yeah, it's a Osteria. So it's Italian, a lot of pasta, new salads, arancini. It's a small, really small kitchen. was kind of a tight fit. So having to get really creative with, you know, your space is so key when you're opening a restaurant, you know, especially, you know, we have a nice little footprint right in the
the middle of town, a lot of traffic, open Monday through Saturday, lunch and dinner. And yeah, like I said, we're coming up on five years, April 30th will be the five year anniversary. And then I just sort of made the big decision to try to do this again, about a mile down the road in a different space, obviously. It's a bigger space. It's going to be a different concept.
It's going to be a tavern with an oyster bar called Geo's Tavern. It's a big leap for me.
you know, because it's a
Anytime you're taking on a new project or business or whatever industry, know, it's really nerve wracking. like, and I talked to John Crandus the other day and he's like, that's fine that you're nervous. That's good. Like you should be nervous. Something that's a little bit more, I would say, you know, when you say tavern, although Osteria really means tavern, but this is going to, it's going to really need to be a different
Dan (26:32.77)
got different spaces. So it needs to be a little bit, malleable. Like we're going to be an oyster bar, but we're going to also have tavern food. We're going to have a private dining room, you know, to hopefully put group dining. have a little back sort of garage space. So getting flexible with these spaces, figuring out how we're going to use them, how we're going to keep them busy, you know, how are we going to get the food out to hopefully, you know,
300 upwards of 500 people a day. Where Osteria right now, you know, we can do on an average Thursday, we can do 50 people for lunch and 120 for dinner. So that's a big leap, but it's exciting too. And then I feel like the challenge for me is, is like how I can spend my time wisely, how I can get the, you know, I'm excited about growing my team, like giving
having another opportunity potentially for somebody who has worked at us to Rhea Georgie. But from going from one to two is, you know, it's a big leap.
Yeah, you said one to two is it sounds like Giorgio has a lot, know, obviously he has a lot of restaurants. Is this independent of his or is it do you mean?
This is with Georgia.
Josh (27:52.93)
Gotcha. Meaning that what you're running going from one to two, is it fairly decentralized how you guys, you all run all of the concept development, culinary and things like that between all the restaurants?
Yes and no. I feel like that's where their group could really take a step forward is, you know, getting all the restaurants on the same page. You know, there's certain pockets where, you know, I'll touch, I rely on Jason or, you know, another chef in the group, but there's a couple concepts that, you know, there's multiple of them. They have a concept called Kipos. That's a
sort of their flagship and they have.
I think we have three of those. Not two of those.
Is there any of culinary that's responsible for all of the concepts? Because there's a lot of concepts.
Dan (28:51.598)
Yeah. There isn't. There's actually, do you remember the chef, you know, chef Douglas Rodriguez?
Yes.
So he was originally brought on to be more of a culinary director for the group. But I feel like in some ways what happens, I'm sure this isn't the only restaurant group this happens. It's like, he's now the chef and partner of one of the restaurants and doesn't oversee, you know, he just oversees one. But yeah, it's, I would say it's pretty decent, especially coming from like USHG and Orify where everything's like.
feels very, I mean, I would say corporate. This is their opportunity, I think, to be able to like...
Yeah, or maybe, I mean, seems like he's doing something, something right.
Dan (29:48.232)
But he loves open restaurants. know, that's what he gets. That's what gets him jazz. And I think, you know, I'm hoping that our first sort of go our second go around, you know, can work out like the first one, because as much as I could easily say, yeah, I'm going to go out on my own. I like the support.
You know, I like knowing that it's not just me. You know, it's not just the Dan Jackson show. It's like it's it's a team effort. And so that's what I sort of requested.
No, think that's a great, I mean, seems good. One, seems like it's working. He's been around a very long time. There's a lot of restaurants. I've missed that model very often, but it seems like it's working. Probably creates more of a unique element to each restaurant and to your point, like, maybe feel less corporate. I'm sure there's probably some efficiencies that you can get if you have some sort of culinary director, but certainly seems like something's working there.
I'm Georgia Junior.
I will come down and visit. I can't believe we have not been yet. also, you know, obviously I haven't seen Jane in forever and our friend Tara who lives down there as well. I if you've ever met Tara. I I introduced you to her a couple times. She worked with us at Tabla as well. She lives in the same town, but I'll definitely come down and visit.
Dan (31:07.662)
There's some great restaurants. and you know, I Chapel Hill is lagged behind a little bit, to be honest with you. And this somebody who grew up in Chapel Hill, it used to be in the eighties that like Chapel Hill was the it's where Michelin would have gone first before they went to Durham and Raleigh. You know, there was like some really incredible chefs in the area. And I feel like. I feel like we're back in the upswing of
bringing some, just some like good cooking technique and using like ingredients and just like really working with the community is a big one here. Like if you can win over the community, it's like, that's how you, how you can, you know, to win over Chapel Hill. And yeah, the food needs to be good and yeah, the service needs to be
Professional?
Well, I'm gonna tell you one thing. just, while we were doing this, I went on Gemini, went to Gemini and I said, tell me about the best chefs in Chapel Hill.
Are you doing me?
Dan (32:21.912)
let's go. Wait, hold on. I wanted to give one of them a shout out as one of your. Well.
I was going to I was going to maybe not do the quick fire because of the way this this conversation went. But I'll see if we can jump into it. Now, I think we are going to jump into it because I have enough time. But there's four that came up on the top of the list. One of the four is you, by the way, I don't know. So Dan Jackson of Osteria, Georgia, is one of the four. Do you want to guess who the other three chefs Brandon Sharp?
Just do the chef question.
Dan (32:43.553)
let's go tonight.
Dan (32:55.47)
Andrea Rusing. Last one. Three. My guy, Garrett Fleming. Let's go!
That's it. Garrett of Bumbley. So Andrew Rusing of Lantern, Brandon Sharp of Hawthorne and Wood. Bluebird, Garrett Fleming and Dan Jackson.
I like that group. Yeah, Andrew Rusing's James Beardwater winner. hmm. Brandon Sharp, who to answer your question, like what chef is sort of.
That's a meme.
Josh (33:25.934)
All right, well then let's kick off the let's let's kick off our quick fire. We're going to we're going to change the pace here a little bit. We got you know, we got emotional, which is good and also just really nice to honestly just great to catch up the mix. It's been way too long and I'm glad I'm glad we should have actually planned this as to because quick fires, you know, obviously separate, but I'm glad we got to dig into that and that we have enough time now switch onto this because this we got to move faster, right? We don't have time, but I do want to hear some of your answers, but we'll switch up the order.
Yeah, man.
Josh (33:55.534)
So your first question in this order now is, chef that doesn't get enough shout outs that you think should get way more shout outs.
Yeah, Brandon Sharp for sure. I mean, in Chapel Hill, is him and his group are the sort of leaders in the good industry.
We will tag Brandon. We are going to post about him. Brandon, I'm sure you crush it. I can't wait to eat your food. Next. Greatest dish you've ever had at a restaurant.
Trimping grits, crooks corner, Chappahill North Carolina.
Okay. All right, a technique or recipe that you learn from somebody else that you still use all the fucking time today.
Dan (34:36.6)
This one I was struggling with. I'm just going to say my time at Union Square events where, you you're just, you learn all these little catering tricks for, you know, where you can cook from 10 people to 4,000. I feel like those are the techniques that I'm always like, yeah, here's how we're going to do this. How many people, what cuisine, what's the equipment? Where do we got to set it up? Like all that Union Square events. Thank you.
especially with John.
Josh (35:05.79)
I will give a shout out then of the technique that one that Karangas told me about He told me that he used a bandsaw To cut what was he cutting with bandsaw? Maybe a bunch of
Mac and cheese bites, pigs in a blanket, crab cakes, all of our canapes. All of our canapes. Somebody was sitting band sawing for eight hours a day.
It's so wild. So wild.
Josh (35:29.07)
Okay, we've gotten through three now I'm gonna do this I'm gonna the grilled cheese at the end because you got three kids You got a got a way you do it. Yeah Wildest or most embarrassing kitchen story really one minute though. I'm learning about it. Okay, is No, but I'm gonna cut you off. Okay
gonna get a real minute here, starting.
Union Square events. Every year we did a dinner for 4,000 people at the Javits Center, which was about eight blocks from the kitchen that we cooked in on 28th and 11th. We got everything prepared. I think this was the second year we did it. So we were feeling good. The first course was all antipasti. So we just laid everything out on plates, got everything wrapped, put it in, we had to rent a refrigerated truck because we didn't have any space for 4,000. I mean, we had a big kitchen, but
You know, my job is to get everything ready. So I was like, feeling good. We got everything. The main courses leave. I'm the last person who leaves the kitchen. like, I know all the foods there. They're setting up the four kitchens, each kitchen served a thousand people. They raised like a hundred million dollars that night. And I'm like, my God, we did have such a relief. I get to the Javits Center. I was sort of the one last people.
One of the party chefs comes over to me, Dan Dilworth. Shout out. You got to know Dan Dilworth. And he's like, you're never going to believe what's happened. I'm like, but what could have possibly happened? Like we it was the food left. The refrigerated truck had been turned down to 32 degrees and the whole first course was frozen. So we legitimately had people like ringing crudité vegetables out, just like water dripping and it's like.
Dan (37:13.282)
So that was a pretty embarrassing end.
Okay, well at least it's G rated. That's my problem with this question is most of mine are not D rated.
You know, I don't have any no nerd on me
Okay. All right. So dish that never made it on the menu because it was too hard to execute, but it was really good.
Bill is trying to find that. Like, I always feel like there's a way you can do it. Figure it out.
Josh (37:43.522)
Okay. Something you something you learned by doing the opposite of what former boss did.
I mean, honestly, that's where I like look in the mirror and look at some of the mistakes sort of that I've made in leadership. And I feel like that's where I've really learned like the hardest lesson. And I feel like that's really sort of helped me in my current leadership position. it's more of like a
keeping it positive and professional.
Okay. All right. If you could ban one ingredient, tool, or phrase in the kitchen, what would it be?
I mean, I hate to be this guy, but I feel like the phone is really a challenging tool, something in the kitchen that, you know, it's really hard to regulate. I feel like it's, you know, it's distracting for managers. It's sort of a crutch. I feel like it's something that I I wish I could just sort of just eliminate in some capacity, like, Hey, put your phone away and
Dan (38:59.726)
You can see it after service. you know, as a line cook, I'm thinking my EMP days, we didn't ever have time to, you know, look at Instagram or anything. We didn't have phones on it.
Yeah, I it depends. mean, it probably depends on what you're, you know, what's happening with that phone. Because you can go on the walk and count inventory with your phone. You can look at recipes on your phone. can, you know.
And I think that's a challenge because I think there's people who are like, oh, well, what are they doing? What are they doing on their phone? Oh, well, actually, I'm doing the order on the phone,
Yeah, no, that's where I think it gets, it's funny, we're both parents, and I always find that the minute I'm just taking something away, it's because I couldn't figure out a way to create an environment where they understand the same thing that I do, like TV, or things like that.
My favorite tool, Cake Tester. I love it. I just, you I know it's sort of trendy in the high end, but it's like, it's comforting.
Josh (40:01.253)
yeah, that's a good one.
Josh (40:08.962)
Yeah.
It's like something to have on you and like, it's fun to take temperatures that way. I mean, that's how I.
Yeah.
Josh (40:17.39)
Yeah, it's a good one. accidentally get stabbed. But. All right, mine would be the Kuntz spoon, by the way, like hands down, because you see. No, no, no, no, I mean, that would be like my favorite tool is. the slats is great just for everything, though, it's like it's heavy duty, you can pick things up, you can you can air is a something, but you can also like literally like lift things and and.
Yeah.
Dan (40:28.952)
don't like the Toon Spoon.
Dan (40:33.666)
blotted coonspoon
Josh (40:45.432)
taste things and stir things and it's it's it's the best. All right, let's get to the grilled cheese. But actually, no, I have one before this because there was a question I didn't ask you, which I can, but I've been getting some really good feedback on some other questions here. Each time I do this, I'm learning a little bit more about like what's what's hitting, what's not.
What's the capital of North Carolina?
We asked the question of, know, what's the first thing to start to break down when you scale a concept quickly? So we can talk about that or we can talk. was talking to a friend of mine who's like maniacal about food waste and a good question that we asked was what ingredient or like top two ingredients gets wasted the most in most kitchens? So you can go either one. You can pick the one that you want to answer.
top of mine right now because we're using broccoli
I'm a huge fan of broccoli stems by the way. I don't know why people don't, I'll always just go for that. Like my wife and I have dinner at home, like she's, you know, I'll just eat the stem part. There's a lot of ways for me to.
Dan (41:48.142)
Yeah, you have to. cutting, it's like, if not less than 50 % yield.
Yeah, well, it's funny because you can buy broccoli crowns, right? We're just like without the stem.
You're still getting your people are still cutting those and throwing away.
but i mean that what do you think what do you think the stem of the selling of the crowd
So broccoli stems is a big one for me.
Josh (42:12.878)
I just thought of my biggest pet peeve one. It shouldn't be wasted, but it does all the time is scallion bottoms. Like people chop off like a half inch of the bottom. Like, what are you doing? It's like, you know, then it's like, but it also it happens just with chives and scallions in general. They like they straighten them out and then start cutting and then just lose all the, you know, it's like giving it a haircut.
I mean, that's what a big part of a chef's job is to get creative with those ingredients. If not, you're not gonna be able to run a restaurant for very long, unless it's just like a Chick-Cole.
Cause you want to use fresh ingredients. But if you're, yeah, like you said, if you're broccoli is $3 a pound. Used to be a dollar 50 pounds.
It adds up quick and the yield is on these things. You cabbage is another one. so much in this.
I just got my yearly P &L for this year and it's, you know, lot of our labor and food is all gone up. That's been a tough one. But yeah, food waste, big, you know, it's top of mind.
Josh (43:17.656)
Yeah.
Josh (43:24.526)
Yeah, I think that question's better anyways, so I'm probably going with that. Last one though, because this one I think you, I think, could be wrong, but I think you got one here, is how do you make grilled cheese? You get really specific. Tell me in a way where I can do the exact same thing as you. Brands, pans, everything.
I'm making room
Dan (43:47.854)
Well, one of the things is one is actually something I dreamed of last night was just and I'm like, why not do that? Just like a smash grilled cheese.
So, what was it that did, you know, Melt Shop does that. Did they do that? the two burger buns, they put the two buns upside down.
Yeah, and just smash it.
But okay, but I know, but I wanna know, I mean you got three.
So that's what I'm going to do in the Tavern. The smash grilled cheese, what do you think?
Josh (44:16.014)
Sure, I think that could work. But I want to know what you do at home.
I cheat. I have a grilled cheese like press.
What? is that? Is it a girl kids?
It's a Jurassic Park. It has a little black Jurassic Park. It's almost like a Foreman grill, but small just for grilled cheese. So I cheat there. And then it's whatever bread I have. Usually it needs to be like the square white or wheat. A little bit of butter spread on both sides and then two slices of American cheese press done. Now if it's
googling this.
Dan (45:02.478)
If I don't have that, I'm going to do that just in a pan, butter, you know, you got a little bit of flexibility with the bread. I like to do like a sourdough.
We're kind of American cheese deers.
Walmart I mean whatever that brand is great American foods or something
They make their own American sh-
Josh (45:23.15)
Do you have a brand of bread that you prefer?
God, you gotta edit that Walmart part out. What I get bread wise? We've got like at the restaurant, we bake, you know, bread in house, but we also get in Raleigh, there's a place called Union Sour that we get like our sourdough from our baguettes. And then, yeah, locally, I'm just Raider Joe's, whatever they got.
So hold on, want to I want to know what this thing is. Yeah, is it looking at one that looks like it looks like two handles and it's really long. I'm going to share my screen. One second. This. Is it.
Cheese machine?
Josh (46:12.855)
Is it this one?
No, it's the, it's like the proctor one.
Sorta. like this?
Yeah, but just small. It only fits one sandwich at a time.
So funny. Do they call it a grilled trees press?
Josh (46:31.857)
OK. So it's not like it wasn't like designed to be a grilled cheese press, right? It's just a small press that you use for cheese. Got it. My wife does it in the oven.
But that's I cook at home. That's how I cook at home is like it's like a chop competition for me. It's like, all right, how much time do I have and what's in the fridge?
Yeah, is that what you had growing up? The same?
No, my mom's a really good cook. She's like cooking all day and she also is very involved with the restaurant. She does like the flower arrangements and.
really? That's cool. Did your mom make grilled cheese grow up?
Dan (47:09.836)
My dad made the grilled cheese. Still does. Grandpa makes good grilled cheese. Yeah. It's you know, he's from Ohio, so it's pretty simple.
Oh yeah, yeah. You know, I remember my babysitter, I don't remember which babysitter because we had a bunch, but like there was a babysitter that made PB &J sandwiches and she put butter on the bread. And it was really good. I don't actually do that, every once in while I will, but I've never seen anybody put butter on a PB &J.
My best buddy used to bring to school pimento cheese sandwiches just between white bread.
I crush pimento cheese. Pimento cheese is so good on so many things. By the way, it's also really good on a hot dog. But a pimento cheese sandwich, killer. Also just any burger or chicken sandwich or anything, you put some pimento cheese on it, it's...
Yeah, that's a very southern thing that I learned because I was born in actually New Jersey. We moved down here when I was two.
Josh (48:11.419)
so I'm more southern than you. Virginia.
Where are you born? yeah, for sure. Yeah.
All right, Mr. Dan, this was pleasure. We got a lot more out of this than I even bargained for.
This is going to go viral.
Goodbye. Goodbye.
Dan (48:33.036)
Well, I've been looking forward to this and I really appreciate, you know, our friendship. And I feel like, you know, getting to work with you was was always a lot of fun. I know how much, you know, Stephanie really regarded you. And, you know, it's just amazing to to catch up. And I'm really proud of like what you're doing now, man.
Thank you, I appreciate that. It was a fun time. The honor is all mine.
It's an honor to be here.
