The Chef JKP Podcast

The Chef JKP Podcast
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James Knight-Paccheco celebrates the inspirational stories of people within hospitality, their ups, their downs and everything in between. What does it take to keep up in one of the most competitive, mentally and physically stressful industries in the world? Giving incredible insights and advice to the listeners. For more information go to http://www.chefjkp.com

  1. What MENA 50 Best 2026 really feels like inside Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

    FEB 10

    What MENA 50 Best 2026 really feels like inside Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

    Send a text Front row at Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, from a night at Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. There’s a certain kind of tension in the air before the list is revealed. The chefs arrive, the teams gather, the community tightens up, and for a few hours, the region’s hospitality story sits in one room. In this special event episode, Chef JKP speaks to chefs, restaurateurs, writers, and key voices from across the MENA dining scene, capturing the moments that happen between the flashbulbs. What it means to make the list, why the number is “just a number,” how teams earn recognition, and how the region is evolving from imported concepts to truly homegrown destinations. From quick-fire questions to honest reflections on craft, culture, pressure, and pride, this is a snapshot of a historic night for Middle East hospitality.  What You Will Hear in This Episode • Arriving at MENA 50 Best 2026 and the suspense before the reveal • Chefs on what it means to be included, and why teams matter most • The MENA dining landscape and how it compares globally • Writers on the role of awards in putting talent on a world stage • Why the ranking is “just a number,” and what recognition really represents • The shift from imported to homegrown concepts across the region • Community, collaborations, and cooking beyond borders • Standout dishes and moments from chefs across the list  Chapters 00:00 Welcome from MENA 50 Best 2026 and what to expect from the night 00:07 Chef Fabrice on the daily grind and why being recognised “is beautiful” 00:15 The real point of 50 Best nights, community, connection, and not over-fixating on the list 00:24 Mohamed Orfali on pride, responsibility, and leading the region’s food scene forward 00:32 A dream moment on stage, the team behind it, and the “could this be real?” reaction 00:40 Building restaurants without creating new problems, and how small teams grow into leaders 00:49 The reveal is over, a new No.1 is announced, and the room turns electric 00:56 Winning brings more eyes and more pressure, and what it takes to keep earning it 01:04 What the night represents at its best, unity across cuisines and celebrating each other 01:12 The soul of hospitality, love, craft, and why some chefs “deserve” the recognition 01:20 A chair’s view of the region through food, and the cuisines that shaped their palate 01:28 Closing wrap from the night and the final takeaway on where the region is headed Proudly Brought to You by Potatoes USA Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and supports chefs, home cooks, and food lovers with inspiration, nutrition, and creativity. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/ Website: https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com Follow The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants https://www.instagram.com/theworlds50best/ Follow Chef JKP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    1h 29m

  2. JAN 22

    SNACKS Episode 3: What Great Kitchens Get Right About Leadership

    Send us a text Welcome to the third episode of the SNACKS series. SNACKS are short, bite-size episodes from the Chef JKP Podcast, built to spotlight the strongest ideas from our most impactful conversations. In SNACKS Episode 3, Chef JKP brings together insights from Björn Frantzén and Regan Hillyer, exploring leadership, mental resilience, and how emotional state influences performance inside high-pressure kitchens. Björn reflects on leadership from lived experience at the highest level of gastronomy. He speaks about accountability, hiring and training responsibility, and why a leader must first look inward when performance drops. Drawing from his time building world-class restaurants, he explains that what truly separates elite kitchens is not technique alone, but culture, pride, and a team that believes deeply in how and why the work is done. Regan brings a complementary perspective grounded in wellbeing and performance psychology. She breaks down how stress shows up in the body before people are even aware of it, why most leaders miss those signals, and how breath, awareness, and presence directly affect decision-making. She connects leadership to service, explaining why calm is not passive, ego blocks performance, and true leadership is felt more than announced. Together, this SNACK examines why great kitchens rise or fall on the emotional state of the people inside them. From how stress transfers through leadership to how energy carries into food itself, this conversation reframes performance as something shaped long before service begins. WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE • Leadership accountability and owning team performance • Why culture matters more than control • What elite Michelin-level kitchens have in common • Personality, pride, and belief inside great teams • Recognising stress responses in real time • Breath, presence, and decision-making under pressure • Leadership without ego • Why calm is a leadership skill • How energy transfers from kitchen to plate • Creating environments where teams perform with clarity CHAPTERS 01:00 Leadership responsibility and accountability 03:00 Hiring, training, and owning outcomes 05:00 What defines top-level kitchens beyond technique 07:00 Culture, pride, and chef personality 09:00 Recognising stress in the moment 11:00 Breath, presence, and performance 13:00 Leadership as service, not ego 15:00 Energy, food, and emotional transfer 17:00 Final reflections on calm and excellence FOLLOW THE GUESTS Björn Frantzén Personal https://www.instagram.com/bjornfrantzen Restaurants https://www.instagram.com/restaurantfzn https://www.instagram.com/restaurantzen.sgp https://www.instagram.com/restaurantfrantzen Regan Hillyer Instagram https://www.instagram.com/reganhillyer FOLLOW CHEF JKP Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    17 min

  3. JAN 15

    SNACKS Episode 2: The Pressure That Comes After Michelin Recognition

    Send us a text Welcome to the second episode of the SNACKS series. SNACKS are short, bite-size episodes from the Chef JKP Podcast, built to spotlight the strongest ideas from our most impactful conversations. In SNACKS Episode 2, Chef JKP brings together insights from Himanshu Saini and Peggy Pui Ki Li, exploring pressure, recognition, and what really changes after success arrives. Himanshu speaks candidly about what Michelin recognition actually feels like. From the uncertainty of awards season to the pressure that follows, he reflects on how visibility reshapes a restaurant, its guests, and the expectations placed on the chef. He shares the emotional weight of recognition, the responsibility that comes with it, and why peace and patience matter more than chasing the next milestone. Peggy brings a complementary perspective shaped by years of operating at the highest level of hospitality. She breaks down the difference between commercial and fine dining, how attention to detail defines premium experiences, and why leadership, clarity, and mental resilience are essential when operating under constant scrutiny. Together, this SNACK episode explores what happens after recognition. The pressure it brings, the responsibility it creates, and how chefs navigate visibility, expectations, and their own wellbeing without losing focus on the craft. WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE • What Michelin recognition actually feels like in real time • The pressure that follows awards and global attention • How visibility changes guests, expectations, and business • Mental health challenges after success arrives • Managing distractions outside the kitchen • Leadership through uncertainty and responsibility • Commercial dining versus fine dining operations • Attention to detail at the highest level of hospitality • Developing talent and kitchen culture • Staying grounded while navigating recognition CHAPTERS 01:00 The reality of Michelin announcements 03:00 Pressure, nerves, and expectations 05:00 Visibility and changing audiences 07:00 Managing attention beyond the kitchen 09:00 Mental health and balance 11:00 Leadership under pressure 13:00 Commercial versus fine dining 15:00 Talent, culture, and long-term thinking 17:00 Final reflections on recognition FOLLOW THE GUESTS Himanshu Saini Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefhimanshusaini Restaurant https://www.instagram.com/tresindstudio Peggy Pui Ki Li Instagram https://www.instagram.com/peggy_p_li FOLLOW CHEF JKP Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    15 min

  4. JAN 8

    SNACKS Episode 1: How Great Chefs Built Standards Before Visibility Mattered

    Send us a text Welcome to the first episode of the SNACKS series. SNACKS are short, bite-size episodes from the Chef JKP Podcast, built to spotlight the strongest ideas from our most impactful conversations. In Snack Episode 1, Chef JKP brings together insights from the legendary chef Pierre Koffmann and Reim El Houni, offering two perspectives on leadership, craft, and visibility in hospitality. Pierre reflects on building excellence in an era before trends, PR, and performance culture. He shares what it took to shape The Waterside Inn on its rise to three Michelin stars, why a kitchen needs one clear voice, and how originality and restraint defined his approach. Reim brings a modern lens to the conversation with a clear message. If you are not visible, you are invisible. She explains why visibility is now part of the job, how chefs and creatives can turn presence into opportunity, and why preparation, testing ideas, and owning your platform matter more than ever. Together, this SNACK contrasts two generations of excellence. One built quietly through discipline and craft. The other shaped by communication, visibility, and evolving expectations. WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE • Building a Michelin kitchen in a very different era • Life inside The Waterside Inn during its rise to three stars • Leadership, authority, and why one clear voice matters • Cooking without trends, tweezers, or theatrics • Ingredient quality versus presentation culture • Knowing when to back your own taste • Why originality creates attention • Visibility as a modern responsibility • Turning content into real opportunity • What longevity in gastronomy really requires CHAPTERS  01:00 Michelin kitchens before trends and performance 03:00 Leadership at the pass and owning responsibility 05:00 Cooking with instinct, seasonality, and restraint 07:00 Opening your own restaurant and backing your taste 09:00 Originality, risk, and confidence 11:00 Visibility and modern expectations 13:00 Testing ideas before building them 15:00 Creating your own platform 17:00 Final reflections on longevity FOLLOW THE GUESTS Pierre Koffmann Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/pierre.koffmann/ https://www.instagram.com/thefoodheroesfamily Reim El Houni Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/reimelhouni/ https://www.instagram.com/ti22films FOLLOW CHEF JKP Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    19 min
  5. Season 11 - Episode 16 - Why Discipline and Curiosity Matter More Than Talent in the Kitchen | Carmen Rueda Hernandez

    JAN 1

    Season 11 - Episode 16 - Why Discipline and Curiosity Matter More Than Talent in the Kitchen | Carmen Rueda Hernandez

    Send us a text Season 11 closes with a conversation that defines what true creative commitment looks like at the highest level of gastronomy. In this season finale of the Chef JKP Podcast, Chef JKP is joined by Carmen Rueda Hernandez, Executive Pastry Chef of Bricks Dessert and one of the most quietly influential pastry chefs working today. From a small village in the mountains of Spain to the kitchens of El Bulli and The Fat Duck, Carmen’s journey is not driven by titles or shortcuts, but by curiosity, discipline, and an uncompromising respect for craft. This conversation traces her evolution from a young cook obsessed with meat and fish to a pastry chef who found her voice through chocolate, research, and storytelling. Carmen speaks candidly about unpaid stages, 14-hour days, creative pressure at the world’s most demanding kitchens, and the mental resilience required to grow without losing yourself along the way. She reflects on working during El Bulli’s final season, rebuilding The Fat Duck’s menu from scratch, leading experimental research kitchens, and why pastry is not about sweetness but about balance, texture, memory, and emotion. The episode also dives deep into her work in Dubai, where she built Bricks as the Middle East’s first dessert-only fine dining restaurant. Carmen explains how storytelling shapes every menu, why education is still the biggest challenge, and how trust, repetition, and patience are essential when introducing new ideas to diners. At its core, this is a conversation about mastery. About staying curious. About knowing when to push, when to listen, and why greatness is built slowly, choice by choice. A fitting end to a season focused on growth in all its forms. WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE • Growing up in rural Spain and developing curiosity through observation • Choosing culinary school over economics on instinct • Discovering pastry through chocolate and laboratory kitchens • The reality of unpaid stages and long working hours • Working at El Bulli during its final season • Discipline, structure, and calm at the world’s top kitchens • Rebuilding creativity at The Fat Duck through research and psychology • Leading experimental kitchens under extreme pressure • Competing at the World Chocolate Masters • Why dessert is about balance, not sweetness • Building Bricks as a dessert-only fine dining concept • Advice for young chefs on repetition, patience, and mastery CHAPTERS 00:00 Season finale introduction 04:10 Childhood food memories and curiosity 09:30 Choosing culinary over economics 15:20 Early kitchen realities and work ethic 22:10 Discovering pastry through chocolate 30:40 Moving to France and classical training 42:00 Joining El Bulli 55:20 Lessons from the world’s top kitchen 68:10 The Fat Duck and experimental research 86:40 Competition mindset and pressure 104:30 Creating Bricks in Dubai 136:20 Final reflections and advice PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY POTATOES USA Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and champions chefs, home cooks, and food lovers across the world. From nutrition to creativity, they continue to show why the potato remains one of the most versatile and essential ingredients in every kitchen. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/ Website https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com/ FOLLOW THE GUEST Carmen Rueda Hernandez Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefcarmenrueda6 GUEST BUSINESSES Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    2h 2m
  6. Season 11 - Episode 15 - A Christmas Special on Food, Hospitality, and What Really Mattered This Year

    12/25/2025

    Season 11 - Episode 15 - A Christmas Special on Food, Hospitality, and What Really Mattered This Year

    Send us a text Season 11 closes with the annual festive conversation that has become a tradition on the Chef JKP Podcast. In this Christmas special, Chef JKP welcomes back two of MENA region's most respected food writers, Courtney Brandt and Liam Collins, for an unfiltered year-end conversation on everything that shaped hospitality, dining, and food culture in 2025. From Michelin milestones and major restaurant openings to media responsibility, service standards, awards fatigue, and the reality behind hype, this episode captures the mood of the industry at a moment of reflection. It is personal, honest, occasionally controversial, and deeply rooted in lived experience. Courtney shares a landmark year that included working with the world’s first three Michelin starred Indian restaurant, stepping into beverage culture, and witnessing how global recognition reshapes local pride. Liam reflects on his second year as a father, writing with more intention, and how Dubai continues to evolve from an importer of talent into an exporter of culinary identity. Together, they unpack what truly matters right now. Community over noise. Consistency over spectacle. Thoughtful growth over rushed expansion. And why hospitality still begins and ends with people. This festive special moves effortlessly between industry insight and personal storytelling, touching on Michelin, 50 Best, Tatler, food halls, service culture, PR ethics, neighbourhood dining, underrepresented cuisines, and what 2026 might bring. A conversation that feels like being invited back to the table with family. WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE • The biggest hospitality moments of 2025 • Michelin stars, losses, and what they still mean today • Media responsibility and the misuse of “Michelin” language • Why community-led dining is winning over hype • The rise of neighbourhood restaurants and food hubs • Service culture and what truly defines great hospitality • Underrepresented cuisines and where the real innovation lies • PR, influencers, and credibility in modern food media • Festive food memories, traditions, and industry realities • Predictions and hopes for hospitality in 2026 CHAPTERS 00:00 Festive welcome and setting the tone 02:10 A year in review for Courtney and Liam 05:30 Family, food memories, and life beyond work 12:40 Michelin moments and historic milestones 21:30 Awards, recognition, and industry maturity 32:20 Openings, closures, and where the market is shifting 45:10 PR, media ethics, and inflated expectations 58:30 Service culture and what guests truly remember 72:40 Community dining, food halls, and neighbourhood growth 88:00 Underrepresented cuisines and future opportunities 102:10 Predictions for 2026 114:30 Festive reflections and gratitude for hospitality teams 120:00 Closing thoughts and Christmas wishes PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY POTATOES USA Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and champions chefs, home cooks, and food lovers across the world. From nutrition to creativity, they continue to show why the potato remains one of the most versatile and essential ingredients in every kitchen. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/ Website https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com/ FOLLOW THE GUESTS Courtney Brandt Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_courtneybrandt_/ Liam Collins Instagram https://www.instagram.com/itsliamcollens/ FOLLOW CHEF JKP Instagram https:/ Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    1h 43m
  7. Season 11 - Episode 14 - What It Takes to Launch a Restaurant in Today’s Hospitality World | Georgie Woollam Edwards

    12/18/2025

    Season 11 - Episode 14 - What It Takes to Launch a Restaurant in Today’s Hospitality World | Georgie Woollam Edwards

    Send us a text Season 11 continues with conversations that explore the forces shaping hospitality beyond the kitchen. In this episode, Chef JKP sits down with Georgie Woollam Edwards, Founder of Katch International, a London and Dubai based PR and experiential agency that has helped shape some of the region’s most influential restaurant and hotel launches. Georgie’s journey moves from early years in theatre and media to studying culture, storytelling, and communication, before building a career across events, PR, and brand strategy. In 2010, she founded Katch in memory of her late sister, grounding the agency in values of honesty, craft, and emotional connection. Today, Katch operates across the UK, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, working behind the scenes on hospitality brands, global restaurant groups, and landmark openings including Atlantis The Royal. This conversation explores what PR really means in modern hospitality. From storytelling and brand positioning to influencer culture, restaurant launches, reintroductions, and why food, consistency, and people matter more than hype. What You Will Hear in This Episode • Childhood memories and early creative influences • Theatre, media, and learning to work behind the scenes • Studying culture, storytelling, and communication • Founding Katch in memory of her sister • Lessons from events and wedding planning • What PR actually means in hospitality today • Influencers, critics, and brand credibility • Launching and reintroducing restaurants in the Middle East • Building loyal teams and strong company culture • Advice for hospitality brands and creatives Chapters 00:00 Introduction and welcome 05:20 Childhood and creative foundations 12:40 Theatre, media, and storytelling 21:10 Founding Katch and personal purpose 32:00 Events, weddings, and hospitality lessons 45:30 What PR really means today 58:40 Influencers, critics, and credibility 72:20 Reintroducing restaurants to the market 88:10 Team culture and leadership 102:30 Closing reflections and advice Proudly Brought to You by Potatoes USA Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and inspires chefs, home cooks, and food lovers everywhere. From nutrition to creativity, they show why the humble potato remains one of the most powerful ingredients in every kitchen. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/ Website https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com Follow Georgie Woollam Edwards Instagram https://www.instagram.com/georgiewoollams/ Follow Katch International Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katch_int/ Website https://katchinternational.com/ Follow Chef JKP Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    1h 48m
  8. Season 11 - Episode 13 - How Early Food Memories Shaped Path to the Michelin World | Alex Dilling

    12/11/2025

    Season 11 - Episode 13 - How Early Food Memories Shaped Path to the Michelin World | Alex Dilling

    Send us a text Season 11 continues with a story built on discipline, precision and a chef who believes great food comes from craft, culture and the people you grow with. Alex Dilling grew up between London and California, splitting his childhood between home-cooked food, travel, music and skateboarding. Cooking was not the plan until it became the only thing that made sense. From culinary school in London to the demanding Michelin kitchens of New York, Alex built his career inside some of the most intense brigades in the world. He trained under Alain Ducasse teams, worked alongside Helene Darroze, developed his own creative identity at Caviar Russe, and later took the helm at The Greenhouse in London before opening his namesake restaurant at Hotel Cafe Royal. Today, Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal holds two Michelin stars awarded just six months after opening and has become one of London’s most precise, technique-driven and emotionally honest dining rooms. This conversation opens up the world behind fine dining, leadership, creativity, the realities of pressure, and the craft behind dishes that take years to understand and seconds to enjoy. What You Will Hear in This Episode • Growing up between the UK and California • Early food memories with his mother and grandfather • Punk bands, skateboarding and choosing cooking late • Culinary school, externships and finding French classics • Moving to New York with no job and entering Michelin culture • Training under Ducasse and running sections at 21 • Creative freedom and earning a Michelin star at Caviar Russe • Becoming head chef for Helene Darroze at The Connaught at 28 • Leadership, pressure and the realities of managing big teams • Rebuilding The Greenhouse and shaping his identity • Opening Alex Dilling at Cafe Royal • Achieving two Michelin stars in six months • Menu development, technique and perfectionism • Why collaboration fuels growth • His Bangkok project and global work • Advice for young chefs entering fine dining Chapters 00:00 Introduction and welcome to the episode 04:00 Childhood across London and California 08:00 Music, skateboarding and teenage years 12:00 Family cooks and early food memories 18:00 Culinary school and discovering French technique 23:00 Moving to New York with no job lined up 26:00 Entering Ducasse kitchens and learning intensity 33:00 Creative freedom and a Michelin star at Caviar Russe 40:00 Becoming head chef for Helene Darroze 48:00 Leadership, pressure and managing a brigade 55:00 The Greenhouse and redefining French cuisine 67:00 Opening Alex Dilling at Cafe Royal 78:00 Earning two Michelin stars in six months 87:00 Collaborating with Albert Adria 102:00 Bangkok project and a new chapter 112:00 Advice for young chefs and closing reflections Proudly Brought to You by Potatoes USA Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and inspires chefs, home cooks and food lovers everywhere. From nutrition to creativity, they show why the humble potato remains one of the most powerful ingredients in every kitchen. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/ Website https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com Follow Alex Dilling Instagram (Personal) https://www.instagram.com/adills1/ Restaurant https://www.instagram.com/alexdillingcaferoyal/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-dilling-b658b295/ Follow Chef JKP Instagram https://www.instagra Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

    1h 28m
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About

James Knight-Paccheco celebrates the inspirational stories of people within hospitality, their ups, their downs and everything in between. What does it take to keep up in one of the most competitive, mentally and physically stressful industries in the world? Giving incredible insights and advice to the listeners. For more information go to http://www.chefjkp.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Chef JKP Podcast
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    160
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Chef JKP Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Chef JKP Podcast

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