Walk-In Talk Podcast
We are a Food Podcast. We are blessed to have been ranking on Apple Podcast Charts since November of 2022 in the Food Category and have been the #1 podcast spot in the United States for more than a year! Along with the podcast comes amazing food photography by John Hernandez from Ibis Images.
Powered by our partnership with brands like RAK Porcelain USA, Metro Shelving and many other amazing companies - Walk-In Talk Podcast, hosted by Carl Fiadini and team, combines culinary expertise and experiences to provide an insightful and engaging exploration of the food industry.
Our podcast is a must-listen for food industry enthusiasts, as we provide unique insights into everything from recipes to how Chefs are navigating high inflation while also discussing the importance of mental health in the industry.
Walk-In Talk Podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at the food industry. Our show provides a fun and entertaining vibe to our podcast.
Don't miss out on upcoming episodes where we will continue to cook up thought-provoking discussions on important industry-related topics - so come uncover restaurant mayhem with us!
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Walk-In Talk Podcast
Feeding the Passion: Behind the Scenes of the U.S. Culinary Open
Join us on the Walk-In Talk Podcast for an exciting culinary journey as we welcome the culinary genius, Chef Nick Barrington, who shares insights from his illustrious career and the prestigious US Culinary Open. Discover how food can provide comfort and joy during challenging times, as we reflect on the impact of Hurricanes Milton and Helene in the Southeast. Our co-host Jeff returns from New Hampshire with a delightful culinary experience, showcasing a unique ravioli dish inspired by Dan Barber's honey nut squash, featuring delectable ingredients like burnt butter sage and dehydrated apple cider donuts.
In this episode, we explore the resilience and triumphs within the culinary world, from overcoming severe weather challenges to the thrill of winning a championship ring at the US Culinary Open. Chef Nick Barrington reveals the inspiration behind starting this esteemed competition, emphasizing the importance of creativity, excellence, and the meaningful connections forged within the culinary community. Our storytelling brings to life the dedication and passion that fuels these vibrant collaborations, celebrating both personal stories and professional achievements.
As we venture into the world
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Thank you for listening to the Walk-In Talk Podcast, hosted by Carl Fiadini and Company. Our show not only explores the exciting and chaotic world of the restaurant business and amazing eateries but also advocates for mental health awareness in the food industry.
Our podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at the industry. Don't miss out on upcoming episodes where we'll continue to cook up thought-provoking discussions on important topics, including mental health awareness.
Be sure to visit our website for more food industry-related content, including our very own TV show called Restaurant Recipes where we feature Chefs cooking up their dishes and also The Dirty Dash Cocktail Hour; the focus is mixology and amazing drinks!
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Hello Food Fam. This is the Walk Talk podcast where you will find the perfect blend of food fun and cooking knowledge. I'm your host, carl Fiodini. Welcome to the number one food podcast in the country. We are recording on site at Ibis Images Studios, where food photography comes alive and I get to eat it. Here's a humble request Give us a follow on Instagram at walkandtalkshow, please, and thank you. I'm into quality smoked fish dips and spreads and I know you are too. Check out our friends over at Crab Island Seafood Company. Visit them at crabeillandSeafoodDipcom to order yours today.
Speaker 1:It has been a rough start to getting back into the routine of things. After Hurricanes Milton and Helene, everyone is burnt out. It's been a bad situation all around the Southeast. I'm proposing we go back to a bit of a happy place, and for me that is food. Jeff is back in the studio as well and with that comes Scooby Snacks that is what we call them. He'll get into all of that. Our guest today is Chef Nick Barrington, friend of ours, friend of the show, good dude. He is the creator of the US Culinary Open. That is a cooking competition. It is badass and we're going to get into it. He's an all-around good guy. He's here, he's. I mean, I don't know, I'm looking at him, he's cool, he's all right. I want to give a big thank you to Rack Porcelain for all of the tableware goodies that we are playing with today. Tina John, thank you. All right, jefferson.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man.
Speaker 1:My man, you're in the flesh, you're here. Yeah, yeah, where were?
Speaker 3:you uh. Last week I was in new hampshire it was uh previously to going for the hurricane. I had a thing to do with keith saris and we had multiple different uh events to do. One of them got canceled on wednesday but it was a well-needed one to get the heck out of Dodge, especially what we went through last what two weeks ago, wednesday now. So it was good to get out of there and kind of refresh and look at things in a different perspective and it was much needed, like I said, and then come back down and, you know, play with some really good food today.
Speaker 1:Yes, really good food today. Yes, so when we talked about the food and you know, you said, how about raviolis? And I said we just did raviolis and you said yeah, but no, yes, you said trust me, yeah, and I and you were like trust me, bro, and I was like, well, okay, man, good call, thank you, and it's. It doesn't feel like we just had raviolis and it doesn't look like we just had raviolis either, you know, in terms of, uh, you know the, the photography and and whatnot, yeah, good call thank you.
Speaker 3:So I've been looking for a honey nut squash and dan barber's accredited finding this and the farmers that he works with up in new york and he kind of invented this. That certain vegetable was similar to a butternut squash, a little bit more rustic in color as far as that warren's more browns to it flavor profile. I roasted it was just some butter and some garlic, and then I made the semolina dough. I had some black pepper in that, but I wanted to complement it with the burnt butter sage, which is something when I used to work with one of the chefs that's famous for doing a burnt butter sage with a kombucha type pumpkin ravioli. But I wanted to add some more layers to it. So I added some candied pecans, which I know John's favorite.
Speaker 3:And then, because I was in New Hampshire, you have apple cider. That's what we did every single night, keith and I and Dan. In new hampshire you have apple cider. That's what we did every single night, keith and I and dan. We'd have apple cider.
Speaker 3:One of the things I wanted to bring into it was the baked apple cider donut and I wanted to dehydrate that, so it's more of a cookie, so it was a crunch. So, as you're hitting the savory garlic and the burnt butter and the sage, and you were tasting that all of a sudden the crunch came through with a little heat. Slow it down. The heat came through with the candied pecan. The pecan adds you know that texture of crunch. But then that cider donut. Because you reduce the cider there's only a half a cup, so I was taking a cup reducing that down and I had almost a gastrique. Then I added more back to it, and when? The reason why I went to a gastrique is that it caramelizes those sugars naturally, so it intensified almost that cider flavor. That's what I was really looking for to stand out. Look, the chicken was good.
Speaker 1:That was John's favorite. I know I was kind of getting at that. I'm like you know what, John? Look, not for nothing. It wasn't the best For him. It was, though it doesn't count. You know why? Because the raviolis are terrific, they are spectacular, and you have no right to call the chicken as being.
Speaker 3:Anyway, tell me about the chicken dish so the chicken is actually from vicky webster from the happy tales uh farm. It was one of her chickens that she breeds up there in Brooksville. I actually went to the farm Tuesday, met some coony coony pigs that are possibly going to be going to slaughter soon, which is real fun because I get to break that down but she's got chickens and goats running around the whole thing. She had some damage done to it but she's been already started the recovery process for herself, took that chicken, I smoked it for about 25 minutes on the small smoker, then I put it into the oven and finished off the cooking. But what was cool? That I know now why John liked it so much. I hit it with the lemon thyme marmalade. It's the Meyer's Meyer lemon marmalade.
Speaker 1:He's very sensitive to that. He picks up on it real fast, yeah, and I think that's why he kind of like grooved to it.
Speaker 3:But the tri-tip is from Pilot Meats. My buddy worked for me, dropped it off for me and I was trying to test it, that's.
Speaker 1:Ben right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, ben Gerber, I actually marinated it with pineapple vodka that I freshly infused, but I didn't want to go too long because pineapple has that enzyme to break down meat. So what I did was I took um avocado, smoked that for the first time, charred corn I was trying to look for that elote street kind of fare to it, added some peppers to it and then I had pineapple vinegar to give that pineapple flavor. So instead of doing like a chimichurri or aji verde or some kind of sauce you would put on top, I wanted to do something that showcases what's in season right now in florida, prior to milton destroying. So I wanted to go with corn. So that's why I went with corn.
Speaker 3:Yeah, just for people to realize that a lot of our farmers you should see we belong to a group called Florida Fine Farmer, florida Farm Finder. Julia Child was on there and she does that and mans that one. She has like 70 000 members. It's heartbreaking to see what the farmers are going through locally, um, and it's going to affect everybody's pocket eventually. So we're there for them, we're there for you guys. Whatever you guys need, you know, just reach out to us. Whatever we can do to help out, we're definitely going to be there for you. Um, just to finish it up, though, as far as the the food that we ate, food that we ate today, you had your favorite. I found celery root, and it was like we're going to do some celery puree, took some sofrito paper and did that as well, so had your meat too.
Speaker 1:It's that, uh, it's that time of the year, yeah, you know, for the purees.
Speaker 3:Well, it's, it's fall, and then that's what I wanted to kind of, as we had a touch of fall.
Speaker 1:That was so. After these terrible storms, the weather was beautiful for the last week. It's starting to get hot again now and people do not realize how devastating these storms were here in Florida. I mean, listen, it's been terrible in North Carolina. I think a little bit of Georgia got it too, a little bit of Tennessee, and it's terrible. It's also terrible here in Florida. The West Coast, all the way up and down is banged up Inland. I was saying it, it's still flooded in certain areas. I've never seen that before. I think that has to do with how they're releasing the water now, but the Alifi River near my house crested at 25 feet, yeah, five days after the storm.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so there's a place right down the street from me, on 597, and clay pots or pits rather it's a church. I drove by it yesterday and I heard that it was still underwater. It's still underwater, yeah, um, just literally two to five minutes from my house. I drove, I actually posted it. It's got almost, uh, 1300 views on it. I drove around my neighborhood and the just the tree damage alone in the wires that are still down. It's just amazing what you can see from the, what we went through. I mean, my house got damaged. Uh, we just had the insurance claim came out. I had some fence down, stupid things, like my Miyasaki pepper tree. I was telling you guys, it's there.
Speaker 2:It's.
Speaker 3:It's actually sprouting peppers right now, two weeks after the storm. Uh, the other stuff that we saved we put in the garage and so everything was cool. We were without power for seven days and what I did was most of my neighbors who didn't have power I was actually cooking for them. They didn't have a hot meal and that's something that you know. We were talking earlier, chef and I were talking like Mercy Chef and you know the World Center Kitchen and all those guys that are cooking for people that don't have the electricity. That's normalcy for people that don't have the electricity. That's that's normalcy for people. When you have that, it's that sense of I don't have to eat out of a can. My neighbors are eating out of a can, so whatever I could do to make them feel a little bit less, discombobulated two things on that real fast.
Speaker 1:I I don't mind chef boyardee ravioli's, you pop it, you don't even have to heat it, you just simply eat it out of the can, and you have to keep that stuff on hand for this type of thing. I'm just saying it, I'm just putting it out there now. So we're going through this, this, we're still dealing with the, the effects of this, and we're gonna for a long time, and I do want to move into like some better spirited conversation. We've done two or three episodes now where it's we're in the thick of it and it's. You know, pooch was doing his thing. Pooch was here too. Oh, vicky, uh vicky, webster, by the way, pooch said he's gonna take care of you on the cooler. I'm just saying okay, he said he's gonna take care of you on the cooler. Don't text me, don't call me.
Speaker 3:I he'll, he's got you. Yeah, how big was that pig that she donated? It was a good-sized pig yeah, oh, look at the high voice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, see what I did there yeah, this is my broadcasting experience coming into, coming into play there. I wanted to really emphasize the fact was was it was a good size pig I will.
Speaker 3:I just got to give a shout out to amy sins, um, so I got a text from vicky, I think, the day after the storm that she had no power, no water, she couldn't feed the animals, they were dumping milk. Uh, obviously it was like a 9-1-1 right and everybody was going through that. Now that I know where she is and where that place, the farm, it's like out in the beaten path and I called up Amy and said, hey, I need my farmer, needs help. She goes well. Was she willing to stage for my guys? And she had two teams One was ex-Green Beret, one was ex-Seals. She, vicki, was like sure she ended up cooking for the guys and literally she got power.
Speaker 1:I think friday and then or saturday she got power and then sunday she dropped gas containers to my house so that we can run our generator what's funny about the, the whole amy sins thing, is that amy sins put out, puts out a, um, a call to action on facebook about the pig. Yep, so I screenshot the thing and I sent it to pooch, okay? Pooch says, oh yeah, all right, great. And before I know what I'm gonna ask the aim is where's this pig at? Oh, that's vicky, and I was like, wait a minute, we all know each other, like we're all in the same little network group here. Where do you think that?
Speaker 3:started from I know so I got the. I got the call first. Do you want to cook?
Speaker 1:I'm like I'm not there but it's funny because I just happened to see the post and I did the screenshot and sent it off. Anyway, it was.
Speaker 3:It was a funny, uh, funny story yeah, and that's that's what we've done is that we started a community that can help other communities. And you know I am terribly sorry for what's happened in tenn and also in what happened in Canton, black rock and Asheville and stuff like that Black mountain. You know, I have a buddy of mine that was in three weeks ago and he got off the plane because he had to work here in Tampa and the first thing he got a phone call right when he got off his phone, um, the plane was his son was like dad, why didn't you come for me?
Speaker 1:He's like I didn't even know if you were alive. It was the first time you heard from his son. It was a week. We're gonna get stories like this now it's gonna be.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, there's. There isn't going to be any shortage of stories. Um, there's gonna be miracle stories too. So you know I'm waiting. I would like to hear some of the miracles because right now we're still going through some.
Speaker 1:You know, it's all the the train wreck of it and, uh, listen, I had a friend that went through Anna Marie Island.
Speaker 3:She had a house there. Ian destroyed it. She built it back. Helene bulldozed it. Obviously, we know that. And then Milton came and she moved down to Fort Myers and I was texting her that morning it's Cindy ordered the one I actually was telling you about, that shoots for Getty, and I said go get get your butt and go to miami now because it's not going to look good. There was a they were expecting what? 15 feet of surge over there in fort myers and she was in a manufactured home with her father. Yeah, so I mean she got through it there's. I mean nicole cruz was woken up to that huge f3 going through her f3, f.
Speaker 1:yeah, these two I don't want to get in. All right, enough, enough, all right. So look at this. I see that. Look at this, bling Willie. Look at this. I don't know, should I make it?
Speaker 3:Do I have to like me? No, just like that, like that.
Speaker 1:Showcase not your face.
Speaker 3:The ring is much better.
Speaker 1:That's a 35 million. I'm in this, I know, I know what's up, so I'm a winner because it's, I got the championship. I got one of the championship rings from the us culinary open you know, what?
Speaker 1:all right, all right, you also got the, you also got the trophy, my man, well, yeah, but I mean, but I'm wearing the ring. You know what I mean? Wearing the ring, and I don't know if I'm giving it back. No, I'm giving it back. Nick will take your finger with it. He's like, hey, listen, carl, you can't have the ring. Okay, all right, let's welcome Chef Nick Barrington to the program.
Speaker 2:How are you doing my man, I am doing just fantastic Chewing down on some of Jeffrey's little snacks. Did you call them Scooby Snacks?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, they were absolutely fantastic day and I'm voting for the ravioli. I'm going to ravioli because you know what you're talking about you started a food competition culinary. I should say yeah right, yep, so I'm gonna go. So I just want to be clear everybody. The man who started this thing is here. He chose, he chose the ravioli. I also chose the ravioli. I feel like I know what I'm talking about. I'm backing.
Speaker 2:I'm backing up the credit for it.
Speaker 3:I love john's face, john's tea. Did you get that face that he just made? That was that was.
Speaker 1:That said it all. John is sipping his tea. Look at.
Speaker 2:Well, they always tell you, everything tastes like chicken, no All right.
Speaker 1:So the trophy is beautiful. We have a lot of beauty shots of it Absolutely Right. And the ring is just badass too. Blinged out, it is blinged out the backstory on how he got.
Speaker 3:that is just the best we're going to get into all that.
Speaker 1:I'm building some, I know, you are Okay. I want, I wish I can cook, cause I want one of these, you know you just can't cook.
Speaker 3:You have to like be able to reimagine, reinvent. So as you throw down, you cut, you cut you cut me off, you're welcome.
Speaker 1:It was in the middle of it. As usual, per usual, Per usual. Yeah, it's per usual. But yeah, I mean, if I had the culinary chops and all the other skill it takes to be in the kitchen, I would want to be going for one of these. I would go for this.
Speaker 2:We've got to get some walk and talk ones. Oh, there you are.
Speaker 1:I think he knows the guy hooked you up. Oh, there you go. I think he knows we've got to hook you up. Yeah, let's talk about how this all started. So, first of all, you're a passionate guy.
Speaker 2:We met, I don't know, two years ago, a year and a half ago, I'd say about two years ago.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was almost two years. Napa, right, yeah, napa.
Speaker 1:So, you know, been kind of putting together for a while. How did you, how did you start with the idea of hey, you know what I think, I want to, I want to go full in on a culinary uh competition?
Speaker 2:um, it's a really good question. I went ahead and my career has been something else 32 years in the industry, only two jobs, so yeah, so it's been a good ride. So I wanted to find a way of kind of giving back. I mentor a lot of chefs around the country and I did culinary competitions for about 14 years all over, you know, north South Central America, and just wanted to go ahead and find something that I could do to give back to the industry in more of a large format instead of just mentoring, you know, a couple dozen chefs, and came up with the concept of doing a culinary competition, but in a way that they do it in Europe. Not the concept of doing a culinary competition but in a way that they do it in Europe, not in the U S. So, and that's an interesting concept in its in itself- Right, so there are.
Speaker 1:there are culinary competitions here that we're aware of like the world food championship, yeah. And then there's the you know creme de la creme, uh, like the Bocuse door, how, how? Then there's the you know creme de la creme like the Bocuse D'Or. How does the US Culinary Open sit between those sort of you know? Because obviously there's a range of competition.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Right, so where do you fit?
Speaker 2:On the top. That is our goal to be the most prestigious culinary competition in the United States. So we wanted to create something where it was, uh, I kind of say you know, take the kit gloves off, take the you know to remove all the strings and just let them do what they do as chefs. Um, we're not judging them on a knife cuts or technicalities on things. If you're throwing down food and everything at your restaurant, you're getting recognized with James Beard, michelin stars, everything, then that's what we want to do and that's what we're trying to accomplish.
Speaker 1:And that's a thing. You have 12 competitors Out of those 12 competitors you're talking about. I know that there's a handful of Michelin chefs in there.
Speaker 2:James Beard.
Speaker 1:There's Beard chefs in there, thereames beard. There's beer chefs in there. There are, um, you know, food network, um winners. Winners that are, you know, that are part of this competition as well.
Speaker 2:So it's a good mix um yeah, we had 51 applicants for the 12 slots, so it was a really variety, um, and we had a culinary advisory council go ahead and select those, so we wanted a very good mix. The only caveat is I was hoping to introduce and make sure we had a good mix of female chefs in the mix, and we do have five out of 12 that are female chefs Phenomenal, very experienced culinary professionals that are going to throw down some incredible food.
Speaker 1:Okay, how does it work with categories?
Speaker 2:So what we did is we wanted to make something modern. So a lot of the competitions where it's very strict, where it's a specific plate, it's a specific type of food, and we wanted to change that. So they require to use salmon for the appetizer course, but they can do whatever they want with it. Serve hot, serve cold, bring your representation of your food. What do you do? Where are you from? We have a chef coming from Chile that's competing, so he's bringing his culture from Chile to go ahead and showcase what he could do with salmon. And then the second course is an entree course, which is vegan or vegetarian, their choice, and those ingredients are going to be selected. And then we have the third course, which is an entree course, and that one's being sponsored by Cert angus beef, so that will include a, a specific beef cut okay.
Speaker 1:So because of your 14 years of doing competitions, that's where this whole thing, the genesis of this whole thing, kind of comes from it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we wanted to go ahead and celebrate chefs. Those chefs. They're doing 60 70 hours a week just really cooking and throwing, putting their love and passion into what they do. We wanted to celebrate those chefs. That's why we created the name of US Culinary Open. It's open to whoever wants to go ahead and put their food forward and you know feels. You know good enough to be judged by other chefs.
Speaker 1:Now, your wife is also a chef and she's also Polly. She's also part of this whole thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she's the vice president of the U S culinary open. She is the executive director for the Atlanta chefs association, so, and she's been in the industry for 30 some years. So, yeah, she, she's got some chops. She's actually the boss. Yes, yes, I'm going to uh yeah, Kudos to her.
Speaker 3:She's worked in so many different places and so many different roles in management and executive that she can do. She multitasks and she's amazing.
Speaker 1:Nick just crumbled when you said that.
Speaker 3:No, he didn't Trust me, he knew.
Speaker 1:Oh, I know.
Speaker 2:I would not be where we're at, or the US Colony Open would not exist without her. Trust me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, she's just a different person. She supports him and elevates him in everything that he's ever done, and you can see it.
Speaker 1:What does she cook? What's her main?
Speaker 2:You never tell by looking at her, but she's 100% Mexican here, so she can throw down some Mexican food really well Is that her favorite to cook. Yeah, it actually is yeah, she loves the moles and really getting into the rustic, traditional making, the homemade tortillas and those dishes. So, yeah, it's just I love walking home and coming home and opening the door and smelling that I like to say tortilla, tortilla.
Speaker 1:You have to say it like it's a commercial on TV. So what about you? What's your favorite style of cooking?
Speaker 2:Favorite food. What I'll tell you is probably going to go ahead and just be kind of weird, jeffrey, will? It will not. As head to this one. I mean breakfast, it's straight up, true. Breakfast and eggs. I'll tell you straight up, very I love cooking it, I love elevating it, I love doing stuff that nobody would think of. Um my career, I started off doing the fine dining, as everybody chef wants to do the fancy food, the you, the foie gras, the lovely truffles and stuff. And then I got shoved into it. But my mentor had told me I needed to be more well-rounded, so I needed to go work mornings. I'm like, oh God, breakfast and lunch, what is that? So I dove in headfirst and made sure that I tried to elevate breakfast and lunch and it was a challenge but it worked out really well and I absolutely love breakfast. I can. I can throw down some of the best food you can possibly imagine fine dining with breakfast food see, I'm about this, yeah, yeah, you're talking right to me because I dig breakfast food, oh yeah all the time.
Speaker 2:Comfort food, man, it's just you get up.
Speaker 1:You know I can eat breakfast for dinner so what's an elevated dish for breakfast that you do?
Speaker 2:We go ahead and do at the club we do a non-traditional version of cinnamon and French toast, so cinnamon raisin French toast, but we use brie and just fold it in with the dough. So as we go ahead and cook that everything, you get this real creaminess from it. And then we do go ahead and use, depending on what berries are in season. So we'll do like a pecan maple, brittle maple syrup with the berries. Yeah, and it's just. It just can all get up and it's something they don't expect. You put this on a plate and you bring it out and then people are just like oh my God, I thought we were just having French toast with some orange juice or something and coffee, and the room goes silent. Well, there's one that I used to do.
Speaker 3:We used to do creme brulee French toast using brioche and you would actually make creme brulee, but you wouldn't thicken it to that reduction of making brulee, and then we'd actually brulee the actual crust after it was seared. It was ridiculous.
Speaker 1:I guess next week we're going to be doing breakfast. Yeah, it's a breakfast edition, we, I mean I guess next week we're going to be doing breakfast yeah, can we do it, bring it on, it's a breakfast edition well, I mean, you know, we'll do it as a you know, as an ode to yeah to Nick.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there you go can we?
Speaker 1:can we come together on a on a recipe like yeah, we can, yeah, we'll collaborate, yeah what do you call that? It was pretty. It's pretty like insalivating.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, when you were talking about the cinnamon French toast, I was like, Ooh, you know, bimini bread with the honey in the middle of it. That would be just really cool too, so I know it's, it's a walk and talk.
Speaker 2:I mean breakfast edition.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's a breakfast. We're talking. This is what I've been missing. I you know. This is the conversation and the vibe that I've been just really after for the last few weeks, man.
Speaker 3:Um well, yeah, I mean, it's been what we had the one week where milton actually hit and then, last week, so yeah, I gotta come up for air.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just gotta come up for air, come up for a bite, yeah, yeah, that's exactly exactly that's what he did.
Speaker 3:I want to point out when he said about his competition and differences, it's not the technical, it's not the pure usual what we do in the United States. That's key, because what this is doing is testing what a chef that's working the line is doing. That's the key, yeah it is. Not behind a desk, not behind paper and writing menus, and we're not putting a challenge to them and everything.
Speaker 2:I tell them that there's, as you said, there's the Bocuse. That's a very limited group of individuals that compete for that and try out. I was at that tryout earlier this year, coaching, and you only have a very short three or four people are trying out for that. This is we wanted to go ahead and give an opportunity for chefs. We're not trying to throw them a curveball. It's not like everything. Hey, you get a butane lighter and everything and a plastic pair of utensils to cook with. And here's your challenge. You know that's food network type stuff and we didn't want to do that. We wanted to really allow them to do what they do at the restaurants and what they're known for, what they get recognized for, what guests and clients and people are coming back to the restaurants again and again and what restaurant groups hire them to do because they are a fantastic, amazing chef. We want them to go ahead and do that.
Speaker 1:See, this is where I appreciate what you're doing, because you know I'm a foodie right, I'm in the business but I'm a foodie and you can look at the world food championship and you go, okay, I can go and try to get and do something there, right, which is cool. Like I think it's great that there's a niche there, correct? Yeah, like you can get somebody who's very elevated in their career, a career culinarian but then you get somebody like me. I could try out, I can, I can get in there, you know, potentially. Then you're coming to the table with, okay, you, you really do need to have, you know, um, some chops, some chops.
Speaker 2:You have to have the experience.
Speaker 1:You need to be from this, from this industry, and not just from the industry, but you kind of need to know where you're. You have to have been there.
Speaker 2:We, we want to make sure that the elevated chefs that are coming I mean we're not there to go ahead and make anybody look bad. We're going to give the opportunity to those that have the skillset that really can go ahead and showcase what they're doing and really throw together.
Speaker 3:That's your advisory board is actually helping that along too, and that's that's different too, because it's not like oh he's my friend, so I'm just going to invite him in, or she's my friend, it's they have to apply. The advisory board then says yay or nay, and then who's the judges you have?
Speaker 2:yeah we went ahead and I proposed this to amco, the american master chef's order, um about two years ago, and they came back and they were so excited about the idea and the concept of it being modern and, um, you know, and progressive that they wanted to go ahead and actually endorse it. So the american master chef's orders is endorsing it and then we actually have three out of our four judges are certified master chefs that are coming in to go ahead and judge the event and we I think we're up to about, I think we've confirmed about 18 to 20 certified master chefs that are coming to the event.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a big deal. That's huge. What is also a big deal is NAFM. Yeah that they picked it up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we researched for about two and a half three years to try to find a partner, turned down a lot of large names and brands out there because, again, they wanted to monetize the event. This event is a nonprofit. Us Culinary Open is a nonprofit. So we wanted to find something that understood that format and wanted to go ahead and celebrate the chefs in the way we do. Somebody told me about NAFM. We went down and visited them I think that's where we met at NAFM and they were just absolutely amazing at what they do. They support the New Orleans Culinary Institute, cia Johnson Wales. They support the New Orleans Culinary Institute, cia Johnson Wales, the students format. They are also a nonprofit. So we sat down and talked and I loved what they said. And when we met with them they said you're what we've been looking for and that was a perfect thing to hear. You know, hey, that's fantastic, we've been looking for you too.
Speaker 1:It's a major compliment, yeah.
Speaker 2:Because this is not like a rinky-dink show. No, it's 50,000 to 60,000 people. There's only three places in the country that can hold that facility, that event. It's huge. So it's taking out the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. They're back in Orlando in 2027 just because of the size of the event, so it's quite a large to do so. When they said yes, I mean we went, we negotiated for about a couple months and just made sure we kind of dotted all of our i's, crossed, all our t's, and they are tremendous supporters of ours. Uh, we're actually going to be posting out a special code for culinarians to get tickets to the event for free, potentially oh, that's nice so they're gonna have a discount code to be able to go ahead and and bring in chefs to go ahead and watch the event.
Speaker 2:We also have Comey, so the competitors get to bring a Comey with them.
Speaker 3:So they have an assistant? Yeah, you have to translate for him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so exactly Comey, transition assistant or like sous chef, but they have to be between the ages of 18 to 25. We want the next generation coming up behind them and getting an opportunity. So this way they're not bringing their sous chef that's been in the industry 30 years with them and trying to ace this event A lifer yeah. So we wanted to kind of give them an opportunity. So it's a really cool format and everybody's been really excited about the format. Again, this is a celebration. I tell people this is a culinary competition but at the exact same time, it's a celebration of the industry. We're celebrating great manufacturers that give us great products to cook, with great manufacturers and suppliers of food. So it's a celebration of the industry. Yes, it is a culinary competition, but it's really a celebration of our industry as culinary food service hospitality.
Speaker 1:So that leads into something that's huge for us and our relationship is that Walk Talk podcast is the official podcast of the US Culinary Open and obviously, thank you very much for bestowing us with that title my pleasure, you guys are awesome.
Speaker 2:Are you kidding me? No, I'm not kidding you at all. I'm not kidding, I'm not kidding at all.
Speaker 1:I think this is a tremendous opportunity for us and I feel like it's a win-win for everybody. Obviously, we have a pretty good penetration out into the market in terms of audience and exposure, but I'll'll tell you what it's. It's a super cool thing and, as I'm just staring at this beautiful, like you, you're doing everything right.
Speaker 3:I don't even want to touch that. It's so polished.
Speaker 2:Yeah we want to kind of take our time with everything and really, uh, make sure, like you said, we're doing everything right. We took our time. We've been working on this since 2020. So I mean, we could have pulled the trigger a long time ago and went with other places and done things, but, um, like any chef knows, I mean, jeffrey, everything you put food in the window one time. You only have one opportunity for that first impression. So you know we're not making it. Do it any other way than the right way. It's going to be executed properly, 100 percent. Um, and just draw the best people possible, best partners, as walk and talk, you know podcast. And just draw the best people possible, best partners, as walk and talk, you know podcast. And just again, you guys celebrate the industry the same way. So that's why we're trying to pull in those individuals, those companies, the people that we have as partners that celebrate chefs.
Speaker 1:So we're going to be folks. We will be at the show, where our we'll have a 20 foot booth inside the competition area. Yep, we'll be focusing on you know, obviously we're gonna. We're gonna be talking with all the competitors. We're gonna. You know, it's gonna be pretty wonderful. I can't. I'm looking at this thing right, and what I see it is it should be filled with bourbon and I should you know, like an 80s movie, you know, and it should be with the booze and having and drinking out of the chefs.
Speaker 2:We'll just fill it with truffles though. Right, so yes, the chefs are sitting there nodding their head like yeah, yeah, we can do that, I'm okay with that I am with that too.
Speaker 1:But yeah, so I'm very, very excited about this. And the fact is it's like an away game. We're going to Atlanta. You know the NAFM, they go back and forth Orlando and you know they alternate. So you know we're going on a road trip and it's going to be freaking wonderful. We're bringing our whole crew, we're doing the whole thing and it's thank you.
Speaker 2:You're going to have to go ahead and bring in. You're going to have to bring headshots and, you know, do autographs and stuff.
Speaker 1:You know people are going to be there to go ahead and tell me, there might be a book there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm telling you, yeah, I need to see that book and everything at the show, at the show.
Speaker 1:Nick listen.
Speaker 3:I just bring a Sharpie that. So I'm actually going to be at cater stores. From Fort Lickerdale I'm going to fly right up into Atlanta for that day, so the day the competition starts.
Speaker 2:Oh, you're going to be in, you're going to be in show mode. Yeah, a hundred percent Love it.
Speaker 3:A hundred percent.
Speaker 1:I love when Jeff is in show mode. We all do, yeah. So what's going to end up?
Speaker 2:I'm going to tell the story real quick because it's been a minute, but we were.
Speaker 1:We did a show a couple of years ago. It was nafum. Was it nafum?
Speaker 3:or the other one. No, it was nafum that you're going to talk about.
Speaker 1:Okay, like I was, beaker, yeah, it was nafum this is when I thought jeff had a drug problem, because you know we go to this show and um, you know we're set up, it's a huge event and it's just, you know, it's kind of one of our first outings. It was early on in this whole thing and I'm looking at Jeff and I'm talking to John and I'm like he's sweating. He's talking fast. I think he's got like an eight ball in his pocket or something. I don't know what is happening here, but he's going back and forth, he's shuffling over here, over there and he's. He disappears for 30 minutes at a time. He comes back with six people and he's and he's speaking with this. He's speaking in a way where, listen, I know what it sounds like. I mean, I'm checking his pupils. I'm like is this guy?
Speaker 2:it's chef talk. Yeah, yeah, that's all.
Speaker 1:But he wasn't. It was just jeff being jeff, yeah and uh, and and ever since then. That's why we love him. It's the truth, man, ever since then. I'm just like I. I look forward to doing events when jeff can just kind of put his running shoes on. He brings his like little new balance shoes man and he just bang. They're on clouds and there's no new balance so I'll give props to on clouds thank god there's when Jeff can just kind of put his running shoes on.
Speaker 1:He brings his little New Balance shoes man and he just bang, he's out there.
Speaker 3:They're on clouds and there's no New Balance. So I'll give props to On Clouds. Thank God, they're the shoe man. That's where we met Heston Blumenthal's.
Speaker 2:R&D guy. The R&D guy. He was working for Warning, warning, yep.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that was a great show because I ran into believe it or not. Um, uh, hooker, bobby, booker, yeah, booker, no, hooker, hooker, yeah, and he, he goes. Oh, I got a guy for you and he's the one that I gave me the introduction to. Uh, that gentleman I can't remember his name now, but he was the he was the r&d specialist for heston blumenthal that's the killer thing about nafum.
Speaker 2:The nafum show is just brings everybody together. It's insane. I I heard about it for years, never went um. I tell people now and everything it's like going to, uh, you know, toyland for chefs. Man, everything you can possibly imagine, from like a rubber spatula to a computer, computerized pizza making machine it's. It's almost as large as like the nra yeah, it's, it's there, almost it's there, but it's pretty much there. I mean. Yeah, I mean that's where we met pink suit too, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So instead of having you know, it's just minus the food aspect of it. But you have so many people that are doing demos of their equipment with food, you just can't miss everything. The equipment it's just. It is really a special show.
Speaker 1:I do want to be clear, though Jeff does not have a drug problem, jeff doesn't. You know what I mean. It's just the appearance, was that?
Speaker 3:Oh, it definitely was, and I couldn't even get. I remember you called me at one point and you're like where are you? And I'm like booth 1000. You're like where is that? I'm like, I think I'm in Ocala.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let me get a golf cart, I'll be right there. What I heard was you're in a bathroom stall.
Speaker 3:I didn't even get to the other side of that show because it was so huge.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean NAFM jumped in so much with us. We have a 5,000 square foot show floor space with three kitchens in it, so the idea of what they want to accomplish and back us with and support us was just amazing. So I mean, they do a lot for the industry already, but now to jump in with us was fantastic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they had um, and I know this was from, I think, polly but uh, they nafram reached out to us. You know great people. Oh, yeah, what do we need? You know that whole thing um to accommodate, uh, us with power? We do have to get into all that conversation at some point and kind of iron this out we have a booth.
Speaker 3:We have a booth no, like like in clothes, like when we were at that other show, john and I, we have a booth. We have a booth. No, like like enclosed, like when we were at that other show, john and I. We have to get those pictures from patrick, those. That was stellar we'll get there.
Speaker 1:But you know what, though? But here's the thing, and you know we're gonna, we'll geek talk for a second, but oh yeah, a booth, a quiet space, you know, uh, where you control the environment, is really great. But then you're, you're kind of removed from the event. So there's a couple of ways to look at it. I kind of like that, because I like to control the environment and the sound and the lights and that all that. But here's the thing you don't get the action. You know know, when we did World Food Championship, I got to tell you. So what did we do? 35, 40?.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was 45 interviews by 25, I lost my voice.
Speaker 1:Right, oh my God, because you're fighting for the ambient sound in the room.
Speaker 3:Well, we were literally right off stage.
Speaker 2:The only good thing is you guys have your own dedicated 20-foot-by-20-foot box area that's right next to the kitchen space.
Speaker 3:I don't want to be closed in, I just want to be. If there's noise I don't know if you guys are going to be playing music, so that we could Probably not.
Speaker 2:Not much, I don't think they do that.
Speaker 3:If it's not like what we had at World's Youth.
Speaker 2:Some of the people in the booths like to play the music and everything. But we're going to be nice to our people across from us on the show floor and kind of allow people so they can actually Because they do do business there a little bit, so it would be nice if they can hear. But we're flying drones in there too, so it's going to be kind of fun.
Speaker 1:Well, this I like to have the sound of the environment In a case like this I want to hear it yeah it's great. Sometimes we'll take the show on the road, We'll go to a hotel and they'll put us in a space where it's not exactly off the beaten path the W but it's close by To the gym. No, we're right.
Speaker 3:The W what I'm talking about. We were literally by the swimming pool, so it had a very large, gorgeous table. Every time somebody you would walk by and these cameras? They would pause and were, like you know, stopped and we're like, no, you can keep on going. But it was literally. They were part of the show because it was right there by the swimming pool so. I like that. It's live action. I like that.
Speaker 1:I just want to be clear about it live action I like that I just I want to be clear about it.
Speaker 2:I like that, yeah, but yeah, you know it's gonna be different, it's gonna be unique and that's what we want to do. We don't want to be the cookie cutter, um event or competition. I mean, I've been around, seen so many events all the way from the bakus, the acf to food network to these things, and just we want to go ahead and really go ahead and give an opportunity to be unique and original. And there's a lot of chefs out there that just didn't want to put their reputation in certain platforms, everything but they still wanted to go ahead and be celebrated and showcased. So bring it on. Let's go ahead and get those people out of the kitchens and allow them to shine a light on them a little bit.
Speaker 1:Now that, um, now that you've been on the show, formally, formally, right, Um, official, official, official, official. It's official, you're here, you got to spend time with us, eat a little food. I mean, this is the. These are the sort of episodes that we like them all, but we appreciate when the guest comes in studio. Oh, absolutely, because now there's some camaraderie. We build that rapport, the relationship, the whole thing. It's different than just a call-in.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Huge. We love the call-ins, but this is different. You get the break bread. You get the break bread exactly, and here it is. You're here. The next step is having some of the competitors to come on the program. Come on the show yep, and talk about who they are, why they're doing it, what they do.
Speaker 2:That whole component, that passion, yeah, yes, why they're doing it, what they do the whole, that whole component, that passion, yeah, yes, no, it's huge, I mean, and I know a bunch of the chefs are dying to get on the walk and talk and chat, so it's gonna be really good yes, and this is the.
Speaker 1:We're in a business of passion, yeah right, I mean, yeah, obviously there's um spreadsheets and kpis and you gotta you know what's. You know, is it profitable or not?
Speaker 2:that's stuff behind the curtain.
Speaker 1:Right. I mean, we're living in life, we need those things. But here we are. Everyone starts with I want to make food for somebody and them love it. I want to perform quote unquote for my audience. Right For the guest. Yeah, and when we find people who care about that sort of thing and it seems to me chefs that actually get out and do competitions, I think they hit a certain nerve, I think they have a certain build. They really want to. Obviously there might be some ego there. Okay.
Speaker 2:I have no idea, Jeff, what you're talking about.
Speaker 1:Where's my burbot? Some ego there might be some ego you don't need some, but I think it's fueled from I want everyone to see what I can do and I want everybody to be happy with what I put out there.
Speaker 3:So the difference between what Chef is doing in this competition and what I heard was it's craveable food. It's their food that they want to do to showcase them, not what they're making in the restaurant per se, not what they're doing for somebody else. It's actually showcasing themselves and that's where you really get some really phenomenal food, when you have that passion for something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, cause there's certain things that people really specialize. Like you asked me what I like cooking, I said breakfast on some stuff. It's certain things that the chefs have passions about and I don't want to change that. We want to go ahead and them to come in with that passion, that love and that focus of what they do and do exactly that on the plate and I mean and give it to the judges so that it showcases who they are. A lot of times they get told and everything that you have to go ahead and I mean it's show food and food there's you know there's all these rules and regulations and a lot of the competitors were like what?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, we get to do what? And I said, yeah, I mean, you're gonna get to do whatever you feel like, jeff? Um, when are you going to go and get into a competition and represent? You know, walk and talk I've been in competitions, but I don't mean that I mean, like one of these big, like this, like when are you going to jump in?
Speaker 3:uh, as soon as we have to do.
Speaker 2:Get you exactly he's.
Speaker 3:You know he's getting, he's gonna apply and then, well, I can't, I can't apply and be in it and be in the podcast. That's not.
Speaker 1:That's not fair if I win you wouldn't be no oh, I saw it wouldn't be on the podcast okay no but we'd have, like you know, will it be following you around with the camera, like, like we make a whole thing out of it? It'd be pretty good.
Speaker 3:I would need a Comey that's not 35.
Speaker 2:It's interesting. Some of the chefs I mean that was their main problem trying to find a Comey, and just really. So you're going to end, when you're interviewing the chefs talk about their companies, cause it's been very interesting. Some are They've pulled students from culinary schools and giving them a chance to work side by side with them is going to be phenomenal.
Speaker 1:I think that's terrific yeah that's amazing. So the bad thing, jeff. He's so old that his homie would also be probably 40. Do you know what I mean? Like that's, he doesn't know anybody who's in there.
Speaker 3:Oh, I do, I do. I mean, I've got some.
Speaker 1:Don't try to glaze over that awesome.
Speaker 3:No, no. For me I would probably pull Jackson, who works for Keith and he's 21. And he doesn't want to go to school for culinary, but he's got a background in it.
Speaker 2:Working with Keith, that's who I would pull in, yeah some of these chefs are competing and have never gone to culinary school, so I mean it's a very interesting mix. We've got people. We have a gentleman coming from Chile, so we have an outside the US competitor that was selected. We have actually we had four applicants from outside the US and again it says US Culinary Open, but again this is open. So anybody that's culinary that wants to go ahead to Chef and believes they want to go ahead and put their skills forward.
Speaker 3:Feel free to apply. I see Team France that won the burger competition in the world. They're going to hear about this and be like well, we're going there next year.
Speaker 1:I want to be there, Well.
Speaker 2:Chile was supposed to go and they were at the tryouts for the Bocuse Americas.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And they stepped that. They missed it by one slot, so they immediately wanted to apply for US Coming Open and we were more than happy to take them.
Speaker 1:Yeah that's a tough loss, right there, yeah, that's rough, yeah, but you've got to think about it.
Speaker 3:What they're going to be up against, these competitors. It's big. First of all, you're competing against some of the top of the top. Second of all, the judges.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's pretty….
Speaker 2:And they're not judging normally. So this is not again. They're not going for the technical skills and everything. They're judging them on the art of what they're doing and who they are.
Speaker 1:In the world of food, in the world of culinary. What you did with the judges is a huge, huge thing. Yeah, that was pretty unheard.
Speaker 2:I mean, these are not what you consider celebrity judges in a way. A lot of times they're going to pull in somebody that's oh, it's the president of this company or it's this person or this well-known celebrity, and I was like no, we're going to pull in some people that have busted their hump and have really proven the fact that they are the best of the best, and CMCs are pretty much the top of the creme on that stuff. So I have had a mentor of mine that was a CMC and we decided to go ahead and talk to them and they endorsed it. And then I said, said, well then, how would you like to judge? And they were absolutely phenomenal about that. So we have um russell scott I knew you were gonna have him yeah, he was a hands down, uh, rich or no?
Speaker 2:yeah, um, kevin walker, okay. And then we have daryl schuler all right, so, daryl, she was his first, uh, um, african-american certified master chef. And then we have another individual female judge that's coming in the mix. All right, so she works at the French Laundry with Chef Keller Ooh, so she's going to be in the mix, and she's also a corporate chef for Rationale and she's getting her degree at CIA in Napa. They're doing a master's program, so she'll be the first one to get a master's degree from CIA. And this is a secret yeah, this is a little secret one, but yeah, it's on the website. So she is listed as one of the official judges.
Speaker 1:It's not really a secret, Natasha Daniels yeah. Natasha Daniels.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she's phenomenal. I'll tell you what man that booth.
Speaker 3:Rationale had at the NRA show was absolutely stunning. I think I showed you the video. It was 30 seconds and I only went through half of the booth, like half the square.
Speaker 2:Yeah, rationale, jumped in immediately with us. Their philosophy and how they support chefs and the industry was amazing, so we were happy to have them jump on. So their combi ovens will be in the kitchen suites.
Speaker 3:Imagine that 5,000 square feet of kitchen space divided by 12.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean there are three kitchen suites, each one's 17 feet by 11 feet each kitchen suite.
Speaker 1:It's bigger than what they're cooking in at their it's pretty large.
Speaker 2:It's a good large space area. We wanted to give them enough space to really kind of cook with everything that they need to, and give them all the equipment they need. So there's plenty electrical, plenty of water, plenty of everything for them.
Speaker 1:So man, bring it and throw down. Yeah, this is so exciting. And then how long? I mean, I don't know if you can they get three hours to cook.
Speaker 3:That's where you're going, yeah okay yeah, just three hours to cook three hours, three meals, three courses, three courses, three hours. That's it. And is it same? Plate up as the other rules from the other thing we were talking about?
Speaker 2:yeah, so it's just, it was three hours straight from start to finish, including plate up time, and it's only five plates of each. So it's not like they're cooking like the bakusa's 24 and these things and platters and doing these things. No, it's just straight the plates and that's similar to what they do at the restaurant, right? So it's like, hey, let's go and get you prepped and do the plates that you would do in your restaurant, that you would serve to your guests, and you're known for that, you've gotten awards for before, and we're going to allow you to just serve that to the master chefs and I'll pray for you.
Speaker 3:Is it stage where the food won't get cold? So like one competitor will start at a certain time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's staggered it's 25 minutes apart from each other.
Speaker 3:That's important, the biggest question you're going to hear today on the show is are you going to get to eat the scraps?
Speaker 2:You see, yes, we actually moved it up for this reason. We did have four, so it was three tasting judges and one for the media. So it was originally four plates. We moved it to five because we had an idea that we probably will kind of slide one over to the walk and talk area.
Speaker 1:Okay, because that area, I mean it's part of my writer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was like you know we gotta, we gotta feed the crew a little bit on the side.
Speaker 3:So do you guys, you have anybody emceeing for it um, or do you not?
Speaker 2:currently, not currently. We went ahead and looked at and we talked to a couple people, but we decided to go ahead and we're gonna have a couple of moderators during the event.
Speaker 3:Not me, I know one. No, your voice was high, I know Because. I didn't know if you would want to go that way, but I know, rockville Paradiso, yeah, paradiso.
Speaker 2:We looked at a couple and talked to a few of them. But I mean because we're going to keep it a little on the quieter side down there we're going to let the chefs do things, seating for about 185 people in front of the event so you have plenty of room to kind of watch and see then the drones, yeah instead of cameras.
Speaker 2:I mean, again, we took our time doing this, so we camera shots are kind of stationary. A lot of times it's difficult. So, being who I am and I work with the pga tour for events um, we've got a gentleman that does drones, so we've got many drones that be flying over the top of the kitchen suites, so you're going to be able to see the aerial video views of what the chefs are doing in the kitchens and those are going to be projected to a large monitor screens all over the event.
Speaker 1:That's very cool yeah.
Speaker 2:So now you're. If you're standing in front of you know, 25 people deep or whatever, you can't see something.
Speaker 1:You just look over to the TV monitors and you'll be. I have a drone and, um, you know I was looking at, uh some you know my roof after the hurricane and where, where I have a tree and where I have the you know where the peak of the roof peak of the roof is. It's kind of like you know. So if you, if you've never uh, flown a drone before, it has sensors, they're so, yeah, they're really. It's amazing stuff, this thing, and I threaded the needle.
Speaker 1:I'm so proud of myself yeah I threaded the needle in the skill set yeah, but the, the, the it was. It was off the charts. I had neighbors, I felt their presence, because you can hear this thing, it's so loud and uh, and I'm like, no, no, I'm piloting just. Uh, just fine, I'm showing off my skills, it's okay. Yeah, you know, not everybody can do it, just saying, um, how many years are you with nafum, do you have?
Speaker 2:um, this is just the initial year that we put into it, so, um, we're just gonna see how it works out after the end of this year. To see how it is. Um, they were gracious enough to go ahead and sign another contract. They actually come back to Atlanta again in 2029.
Speaker 1:Are you doing Orlando too, or no?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're going to do one in Orlando, hopefully in 2027. Like I said, Natham throws a hell of a party. I mean their kickoff party this year in Atlanta is at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Yeah, and they hired and they went ahead and brought in one republic is the entertainment oh, no kidding so, yeah, they do, they do a, very they do it and they do it very well.
Speaker 2:So it's something again. We like being surrounded by a really good, solid group that knows what they're doing. They've been around a while so they put on a good show, a good operation. We got a lot of parties going on during that time, so it's going to be a. It's going to be a good couple days, is there?
Speaker 1:a certain aspect of this event that is your. You know, that's your darling, your baby. I mean, obviously, besides the trophy in the ring um.
Speaker 3:You need to talk about that because you haven't talked about that yeah, we have um a trophy.
Speaker 2:We looked around while we were building this event for about four years and couldn't find a company in the us to do a good, decent trophy. So we got uh given the heads up on a company in london that does some amazing trophies and and they do professional golf trophies, and talk to the company and they decided to go ahead and do a beautiful trophy for us, a nice silver trophy, so and they do uh some amazing uh tournament trophies yeah, yeah, a couple of rider cup and clary jugs.
Speaker 2:I mean us and british open things like that. So, yeah, they. So the trophy looks amazing. So that was one of the parts to it. And then, while we were doing the tour championship at eastlake, where I'm the executive chef, we went ahead and talked to roy mackaroy and he was asking about the event and Roy said you should do a champion's ring. And I said, well, what do you mean? And so he pulled his phone out and showed us a picture of the ring that they gave him at the RBC Canadian Open for winning back-to-back. And I looked at it. I'm like my God man.
Speaker 2:I mean that's a Super Bowl ring style thing, thing, all blinged out. I said you know, I got and we're a non-profit, I can't afford it, so let me connect you. So they reached out to uh baron, the baron ring company, uh, barons, and then, uh, they told me and everything, they'd love to do it before me. So we worked out a deal and we've got a blinged out us colony open ring. So the champion who wins gets a trophy, gets prize money and the championship ring, which is a one-off the ring is gangster, oh it's insane okay, I mean this this, this ring is serious I remember when you told me the story about what you were doing.
Speaker 3:I just thought it was just so cool how you each layer of everything you thought of yeah, we just wanted to keep on trying to see everything.
Speaker 2:As chefs and everything, we tinker with the dish and we think it's perfect and we keep on going back and everything. Let's add a little this, a little out of this, let's take this out, let's put this back in, and that's kind of what has happened with. The event is just really like you said, tinkering with it just figuring out how can we go ahead and do it.
Speaker 2:So I mean, so what we came up with, like I said, I think, is a really good event. Um, chef forward, we're bringing in students for the event also, so the people that will be there assisting will be culinary students, local and from some of the schools. Um, again, it's just a celebration. That's what this is about. So the ring is part of the celebration, the trophy aspect to it, um, it's going to be fun I think there should be, uh, some media sort of ring you know for a podcast or something, I don't know whatever goodness, all right um.
Speaker 1:So what's the website? How do they find you?
Speaker 2:So you're going to go to wwwusculinaryopencom. There is a link on the front page to go ahead and register to attend. There's also a discount code on there too, so you can go ahead and register on the NAFM website. There's a link there on our usculinaryopencom website to go ahead and get your tickets and register on the NAFM website. There's a link there on our usculinaryopencom website to go ahead and get your tickets and register. On the information. It's got information on the competitors there too.
Speaker 1:It's going to be cool and we're going to be there. We are going to be there Next time we get together. You, sir, are going to cook.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm going to throw down.
Speaker 1:I'm bringing the breakfast edition.
Speaker 3:I'm saying it's going to be February when we get no, no, no, oh, no, we're going to do more yeah no.
Speaker 1:So listen, you know, next time we'll figure out a way to get you here. Yeah, you know, and We'll get it knocked out. Yeah, we, we'll do it all right. Uh, man, I'm glad to see you again. Mr jeffrey john, as always, your photography is stunning, just incredible much. It's master of the lens, willie, you know, willie beddix. Uh, you know, check this guy out, find him. Uh, willie beddix, he's gonna. He's amazing on the video, nick. Yeah, thanks for coming out, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Love it guys, Thank you.
Speaker 1:We are out.
