Pack Your Knives

Kevin Arnovitz and Tom Haberstroh bring their die-hard fanaticism of the hit TV show Top Chef and combine it with their NBA analytical instincts to draft “fantasy” teams, interview contestants and talk about America’s food and restaurant trends. Follow along weekly as the top cooking competition meets top-shelf analysis. In Season 23, Chef Sara Bradley replaces Kevin as host to provide insight from the mind of former competitor and current kitchen guru.

  1. 1 hr ago

    S23 Ep 13: Plate Expectations

    After Sara introduces Tom to the concept of a coupe, the two step up to the plate and take a swing at the penultimate episode of Top Chef Carolinas. Tom H and Sara enjoy the Tom C 20 Questions game and think it should remain a Top Chef staple, but Tom H has some questions for Sara. Starting with: How in the world did you draft so well? Tom and Sara agree that they should tinker with the scoring system and maybe Sara should spot Tom the first five picks next season. Sara takes issue with a double standard in store-bought goods and Tom shares the scoring standings for this season. How is AI affecting the restaurant biz? Are the three best chefs going to the finale? Once Tom and Sara settle that debate, a PYK secret is revealed… Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 16min
  2. 5 days ago

    Track Your Knives Ep 12

    Track Your Knives, the companion podcast to Pack Your Knives, brings you results of the community's power rankings, fantasy leagues highlights, and data-driven insights. This week, Carly and Kendra discuss how they appreciate the Asheville highlight and Ashleigh Shanti's commentary, plus whether restricting access to ingredients is an advantage. We have a battle at the top of the Power Rankings board & we can't wait to see who comes out on top to secure the dinner at Freight House with Sara Bradley! As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠find-topchef.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and become a subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠packyourknives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get additional data-driven insights on Top Chef. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@find_topchef⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠@carly.sue.bear⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min
  3. Savor Charlotte Edition Ep 4 - Chayil Johnson

    6 days ago

    Savor Charlotte Edition Ep 4 - Chayil Johnson

    The fourth segment of a six-part Savor Charlotte series presented by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. Tom Haberstroh is joined by Chayil Johnson, who you might recognize from his appearance as a guest judge in the season premiere episode of Top Chef Season 23 Carolinas. He’s the executive chef of Community Matters Cafe in Charlotte and a James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southeast. Chayil has embarked on a unique journey to Top Chef and culinary recognition. The New Orleans native runs the kitchen at Charlotte Rescue Mission’s Community Matters Cafe which is a Charlotte hidden gem that also more importantly functions as a non-profit that helps men and women on their journey to recovery. The dishwashers, the cooks, the servers, the baristas, the hosts – they’re all in recovery. Chayil explains why he left fine dining to take on this mission, and why Charlotte is ready to meet its moment of culinary acclaim. Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min
  4. 22 May

    Track Your Knives Ep 11

    Track Your Knives, the companion podcast to Pack Your Knives, brings you results of the community's power rankings, highlights from fantasy leagues, and data-driven insights and oddities. This week, Carly and Kendra start off by talking about which chef has entered GOAT territory, debating whether duos are truly dangerous, and how uncommon it is to have a Quickfire with a shopping budget. Leaders have emerged in power rankings, and the winner will get a chef-curated meal at Sara Bradley's Freight House. At the end of the show, they reveal next week's bonus question.  As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on ⁠⁠⁠⁠find-topchef.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ and become a subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠⁠packyourknives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get additional data-driven insights on Top Chef. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@find_topchef⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠@carly.sue.bear⁠⁠ Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min
  5. 15 May

    Track Your Knives Ep 10

    In this week's Track Your Knives, Carly and Kendra rave about a return to the previous pace of a Top Chef episode. Carly gives a history lesson on mise en place relays before they get into the nitty gritty of power rankings. What happened to players' scores? We see a new entrant into the Top Ten! And then in their review of Fantasy Leagues, we lament Tom's draft while lauding Sara's. As always, listen for shout-outs to high performers!  As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on ⁠⁠⁠find-topchef.com⁠⁠⁠ and become a subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠packyourknives.com⁠⁠⁠ to get additional data-driven insights on Top Chef. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠@find_topchef⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@carly.sue.bear⁠ Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min
  6. 8 May

    Track Your Knives Ep 9

    This week’s Track Your Knives discusses our go to dinner party dishes and how we felt about the Quickfire into Elimination challenge sequence. Carly took a swing in the power rankings that unfortunately didn’t pay off, while two-thirds of power rankers correctly ranked the winner and eliminated chef in their top 3 and bottom 3 rankings. We then chat about the top fantasy league teams by chef count and call out the top teams - how’d you do? As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on ⁠⁠⁠find-topchef.com⁠⁠⁠ and become a subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠packyourknives.com⁠⁠⁠ to get additional data-driven insights on Top Chef. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠@find_topchef⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@carly.sue.bear⁠ Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min
  7. 1 May

    Track Your Knives Ep 8

    This week’s Track Your Knives starts out with a deep dive of Restaurant Wars analysis. With 23 seasons now, there’s plenty of data to break down! In the land of Power Rankings, Carly and four other players kick butt by correctly placing the elimination chef as the most likely to be eliminated. Kendra is still ahead of Carly, but Carly’s coming for her! While no one got a perfect score, we call out those who still did well this week for Power Rankings. On top of that, we get into the interpretation of Power Rankings heading into Restaurant Wars: did those who interspersed teams’ chefs among their Power Rankings do better or worse than those who ranked the teams in two separate blocks? Carly gets another bragging right and Kendra calls out which chefs are earning the most points in Fantasy Leagues. Before wrapping up, we call out the leaders in the different Pack Your Knives Fantasy Leagues. As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on ⁠⁠find-topchef.com⁠⁠ and become a subscriber on ⁠⁠packyourknives.com⁠⁠ to get additional data-driven insights on Top Chef. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@find_topchef⁠ and ⁠@carly.sue.bear⁠ Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min
  8. 24 Apr

    Track Your Knives Ep 7

    We're back for episode seven of Track Your Knives, the data-driven Top Chef companion podcast brought to you by Pack Your Knives. This week Carly analyzed how often desserts land chefs in the top or bottom of elimination challenges and we hypothesized on what will happen next week during Restaurant Wars. Will there only be 7 chefs or will we see a surprise return? As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on ⁠find-topchef.com⁠ and become a subscriber on ⁠packyourknives.com⁠ to get additional data-driven insights on Top Chef. Subscribe to the PYK Substack!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.packyourknives.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rate PYK 5 Stars on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or watch PYK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow PYK on Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @packyourknives⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Check it out here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

About

Kevin Arnovitz and Tom Haberstroh bring their die-hard fanaticism of the hit TV show Top Chef and combine it with their NBA analytical instincts to draft “fantasy” teams, interview contestants and talk about America’s food and restaurant trends. Follow along weekly as the top cooking competition meets top-shelf analysis. In Season 23, Chef Sara Bradley replaces Kevin as host to provide insight from the mind of former competitor and current kitchen guru.

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