Episode 97: Chef Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy

The CHEF Radio Podcast

It's not every episode that we get to sit down and talk with a pioneer of our industry, and in today's show, we invite Chef Amanda Cohen to sit down and bring her incredible perspective on cooking and life as she reminisces about the vegetable forward journey she has been on over the last 20+ years. In 2008, Amanda opened up Dirt Candy, a groundbreaking vegetarian restaurant that took NYC by storm, and became one of the hottest tickets in town, where curious and passionate guests alike jockeyed for one of the 18 seats available each night. Fast forward 17 years, and Dirt Candy continues to pack it in, albiet in a larger space, each night as her loyal customers and fans show up to eat her clever and cheeky crave-inducing takes on classic combinations.

Here are some other highlights of the discussion:

• Being from Toronto and why it holds a special place in her heart
• Growing up in the cold weather, playing hockey/skating
• Writing a cookbook and waiting until she was ready to say yes
• Why winter is her favorite season for products
• The dish that put her on the map
• The trouble with opening a “New American” restaurant
• Going from an à la carte menu to a tasting menu format
• Being one of the first to do away with the typical tipping system in 2015
• The pricing conundrum of running a vegetable-focused restaurant
• Working at the controversial Pure Food & Wine
• The frustration when customers tell you they “liked it” but then leave you a bad review
• Why her leadership philosophy is “being adaptable”
• How Amanda incorporates her team into the menu design and creates new dishes
• Why the starting pay in her kitchen is $29/hour

Supporters of CHEF Radio:

A huge shout out to our sponsors, Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment, for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

Welcome to our newest sponsor, Meez, which is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though, it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

Check out and follow us on Instagram

Email Eli with any comments, concerns, criticisms, guest requests or any other ideas or thoughts you might have about the show. [e-mail]