🎙️ EP142 – The Rise of the Basque Cheesecake. On the road to Etxebarri, Eric chats with José Pelares—chef, entrepreneur, and founder of LA VASCA, Colombia’s cult-favorite Basque cheesecake brand. From nostalgic late-night cheesecake sessions in San Sebastián to adapting the classic recipe for a new audience, the two dig into what makes this dessert so addictive. 🎧 Topics Covered in This Episode:🍰 The Cheesecake Origin Story – How a late-night craving turned into a brand 🇨🇴 Exporting Flavor – Bringing Basque cheesecake to Colombia 🧂 Salt > Sugar – Why the best cheesecakes aren’t that sweet 🍪 Cookie Base Controversy – Breaking tradition or improving it? 🐐 Mamia & Sheep’s Milk – Basque desserts in all their minimal glory 🍠 Sweet Potato, Matcha & Dulce de Leche – Remixing the recipe 💡 Tips for Home Bakers – How not to mess it up 🧀 Cheesecake Cheese? – From secret cheeses to white mold crusts 🍷 Pairings We Love – From Sauternes to Pacharán 📈 Going Viral – Runny centers, arepa confusion, and social media gold📩 Follow & Support Us:🍽️ Everything in one place: linktr.ee/potluckfoodtalks 📸 Instagram: @potluckfoodtalks ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@potluckfoodtalks 💙 Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/potluckfoodtalks 📢 Want to advertise with us? potluckfoodtalks.com/advertise-on-the-podcast🔥 Enjoy!
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23:30
Phil's Return to Dubai + Finding Your True Culinary Identity As Chef?
🎙️ EP141 – Finding Your Culinary Identity? After a stretch of solo episodes, Eric and Phil are finally back together—and Phil’s got stories. In this episode, he unpacks his new role at the Arts Club in Dubai, from chef’s table tastings to 1,000-cover yacht clubs. The two dive into the sacred simplicity of chuleta, a ridiculously rich pastrami bao, and the croissant sandwich that broke their brains. Then, listener Chef Ryan sparks a big question: how do you find your culinary identity? The conversation veers into authenticity, remix culture, and why your story is your style—even if it’s German, Spanish, and Venezuelan all at once.🎧 Topics Covered in This Episode:🇦🇪 Back in Dubai – Phil rejoins the Arts Club with a creative R&D role 🥩 The Basque Way of Steak – Chuleta, salt, and zero bullshit 🥐 Croissant x Pastrami – A sandwich only a pervert could invent 🍜 Tuna Tarts & Tonkotsu Ramen – Why simplicity hits hardest 🧪 Pastrami Science – Brining Wagyu short rib for bao buns 🧠 Remix or Ripoff? – How identity is built through inspiration 📍 What Is ‘Authenticity’? – Tortillas, Thomas Keller, and French-Peruvian food 🌍 German Chef, Japanese Food – Cooking outside your passport 🎭 Chef Impostor Syndrome – Finding your place when you feel like a fraud 🧬 Tell the Story Only You Can – Why all art is autobiographical📩 Follow & Support Us:🍽️ Everything in one place: linktr.ee/potluckfoodtalks 📸 Instagram: @potluckfoodtalks ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@potluckfoodtalks 💙 Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/potluckfoodtalks 📢 Want to advertise with us? potluckfoodtalks.com/advertise-on-the-podcast🔥 Enjoy!
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The Caviar Queen Ft. Jackie Villena
🎙️ EP140 – Chef Jackie Villena, a.k.a. The Caviar Queen, knows more about caviar than most people know about salt. From harvesting secrets to wild pairings, she breaks down the luxury ingredient like only an insider can. She’s cooked in renowned kitchens across the Americas — from Gusto in Bolivia and Barra Lima with Francis Mallmann, to The Inn at Little Washington with Patrick O’Connell — and now serves as Executive Chef at RH’s Champagne & Caviar Cellar, earning her the crown as The Caviar Queen.🎧 Topics Covered in This Episode:🐟 Fisherman’s Butter – Caviar’s humble beginnings⏳ Ten-Year Fish – Why it takes a decade to harvest🍷 Caviar Matures Like Wine – Flavor gets better with age🌍 Caviar Around the World – From Madagascar to China🍩 French Toast & Donuts – Sweet pairings that just work🧈 Brioche, Butter & Bliss – The perfect bite🥩 Tartar Without Capers – Why caviar replaces the classic🥄 Never Use Metal – Caviar etiquette and preservation tips🍗 Fried Chicken & Caviar – The pairing no one expects🏰 The Inn at Little Washington – Jackie’s fairytale kitchen📩 Follow & Support Us:🍽️ Everything in one place: linktr.ee/potluckfoodtalks📸 Instagram: @potluckfoodtalks▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@potluckfoodtalks💙 Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/potluckfoodtalks📢 Want to advertise with us? potluckfoodtalks.com/advertise-on-the-podcast🔥 Enjoy!
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31:45
How much Umami is too much Umami?
🎙️ EP139 – The Umami Conspiracy. From parmesan-in-mayo hacks to kombu-fueled flavor bombs, Phil and Eric dive mouth-first into the misunderstood world of umami. They trace the Japanese origin of the term, bust myths about MSG, and confess the bastardized secrets that supercharge their sauces. Also in this episode: dessert umami bombs, rule-breaking parmesan, and a tomato sauce that hits harder than it should. This one’s full of science, swearing, and savory revelations.🎧 Topics Covered in This Episode:🇦🇪 Back in the Fryer – Phil lands in Dubai 🍄 What Is Umami, Really? – And why no one can describe it 📜 The Japanese Chemist Who Named Umami – A kombu-flavored discovery 🧂 MSG, Sugar & Ajinomoto – The factory-made flavor crystal 🚫 Chinese Restaurant Syndrome – The racist roots of anti-MSG panic 🍟 Shio Kombu on Fries – A flavor bomb you didn’t know you needed 🧀 Parmesan Power Moves – How to hack beurre blanc and mayo 🍅 The Tomato That Punches You – A sauce built to kick your ass 🍫 Dessert Umami – From cheesecake to ganache with blue cheese 🥄 Umeboshi Turnips – A subtle Japanese breakfast that hits deep 🌀 Too Much Umami? – When your pupils become tea saucers 🇮🇹 Rule-Breaking Parmesan – Culinary Crimes Against Italy📩 Follow & Support Us:🍽️ Everything in one place: linktr.ee/potluckfoodtalks 📸 Instagram: @potluckfoodtalks ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@potluckfoodtalks 💙 Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/potluckfoodtalks 📢 Want to advertise with us? potluckfoodtalks.com/advertise-on-the-podcast🔥 Enjoy!
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26:33
Food Science: From Fine Dining to Harvard Ft. Alejandra Touceda
🎙️ EP138 – 🔬From Fine Dining to Harvard Ft. Alejandra Touceda. From her early days dodging crazy chefs, staging at El Celler de Can Roca to now managing the food lab at Harvard University, Alex’s path is anything but linear. In this episode, she dishes on what happens when food meets science.🎧 Topics Covered in This Episode👨🍳 First Kitchen Trauma – Crying cooks, forced coffee, and surviving a toxic brigade.🥘 Traditional Roots – Falling back in love with cooking at La Taverna del Clínic.🌟 Fine Dining Entry – Product-forward learning at Casa Solla.🏛️ El Celler Energy – Why staging there felt like summer camp for the obsessed.📚 Thesis at LCA – Rediscovering forgotten plants through grandma’s recipes.🧪 Nerding Out at Harvard – Teaching food science through pizza elasticity and Harold McGee lectures.🍶 Amazake Hits Different – A ferment that smells like fruit and flowers.🧫 Indigenous Beverages – How Alex’s PhD is mapping microbes in traditional fermentation.📩 Follow & Support Us:🍽️ Everything in one place: http://linktr.ee/potluckfoodtalks▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@potluckfoodtalks📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/potluckfoodtalks💙 Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/potluckfoodtalks📢 Want to advertise with us? http://potluckfoodtalks.com/advertise-on-the-podcast🔥 Enjoy!
After almost 2 decades of working in some of the best restaurants in the world, Phil & Eric have a lot of stories to tell and things to set straight!Put Luck Food Talks are unfiltered, unapologetic conversations about food, the crazy stories inside Michelin Star kitchens, and anything involving the search for the most delicious dishes.With these two experienced chefs, you'll discover some of the best places to eat, how to apply professional techniques at home and just some good old fashioned real talk amongst food-obsessed friends.
South Africa