Hosted by Dan Pashman
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
Host Dan Pashman talks with chef Marcus Samuelsson in a live stage recording at the Museum of the City of New York. Samuelsson discusses his childhood in Sweden with his grandmother Helga, how poverty shaped her cooking techniques, and the passive-aggressive racism he faced growing up. They examine his early career in intense European professional kitchens, why he rebelled against the dominance of French cuisine, and his decision to open his flagship restaurant, Red Rooster, in Harlem after years of studying the neighborhood.
Dan Pashman introduces the episode, explains the reheat format, and sets the stage for the conversation with Chef Marcus Samuelson.
Dan outlines Samuelson’s rise to fame, his flagship restaurant, and his multicultural culinary influences.
Dan explains how listeners can suggest episodes to reheat and the rules of the show’s live format.
Samuelson shares stories of his grandmother, her resourceful cooking, and how it shaped his approach to food.
Samuelson explains why he settled in Harlem, the challenges of opening a restaurant there, and his vision for Red Rooster.
Samuelson discusses his experience as a black immigrant in Sweden, the subtle racism he faced, and how soccer helped him find community.
Dan and Samuelson thank listeners, share final thoughts, and provide show credits and sponsor information.
Samuelson reflects on the loss of his father and grandmother, the emotional toll of immigration, and how cooking became a coping mechanism.
Samuelson details the research, experimentation, and cultural influences that led to his unique fried chicken recipe.
Samuelson discusses the balance between honoring Harlem’s heritage, navigating gentrification, and expanding his brand to London and beyond.
The guest explains how his grandmother used an egg to test the salinity of curing water in times of poverty.
The guest shares how childhood kitchen rituals taught by his grandmother helped him in a three-star Michelin restaurant in Lyon.
Experiencing Swedish Racisminsight
The guest describes the subtle, passive-aggressive racism he encountered in school growing up in Sweden.
Throwing Up Before Shiftsstory
The guest recounts the extreme pressure of working as a commis in Switzerland, where he hid vomiting from the chef.
Challenging French Culinary Dominancedebate
The guest argues that French cuisine was falsely held up as the only standard of excellence while the authorship of other cultures was ignored.
Crafting a Multi-Cultural Fried Chickenstrategy
The guest explains his approach to avoiding a monolithic view of Black food culture while creating the fried chicken recipe for Red Rooster.
“I long to work in a kitchen where the chef's passions ruled. This restaurant held to the highest standards in the industry, but they worked from a playbook set in stone, French stone.”
Chef Marcus Samuelsson was taught in culinary school that French cuisine is the gold standard of cooking. One day, he realized, “somebody lied." Samuelsson, a black Swede and the youngest chef to ever receive a three-star review from The New York Times (at age 23), has forged a new culinary ethos that permeates his restaurants in Harlem, Montreal, and London.
6,118 words · 8 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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