The Repertoire Podcast Justin Khanna

My guest today is Myles Snider, host of the 80/20 Cooking Course and content creator!

In this episode, I'm joined by Chef Ki Chung of Bar Maze in Honolulu.

Chef Suzanne Vizethann talks about her successful breakfast and brunch restaurant, Buttermilk Kitchen. She shares her insights on taking advantage of an underserved market, building a team, and the importance of communication. Additionally, she discusses the operational strategies that set her restaurant apart, including the use of high-quality ingredients, transparency with guests, and implementing new offerings such as espresso and reservations. Finally, she emphasizes the need for clear vision and strategy, and provides practical frameworks for unifying a team.

In this episode of the Repertoire podcast, host Justin Khanna shares his excitement about the return of solo episodes. Khanna highlights some of the most popular stories covered in past episodes, including a Twitter thread by startup founder Nick Huber, about the reality of running a profitable restaurant. The thread features a cautionary tale about a chef turned restaurateur who failed after opening a restaurant for selfish reasons and not being prepared to handle the responsibilities of running a business. Khanna gives his take on the lesson of the story, which is that starting a successful business is not about doing what you love, but rather about doing what gives you the best odds of making great money while managing the less fun aspects of the business. The episode also includes topics such as hostility in hospitality, Oreo’s product release strategy, smart ovens, and checklist for fire spots.

Born in Queens, Akshay Bhardwaj studied business at Fordham University and Baruch College, and then pivoted to his passion: cooking. His ascension in the culinary world was extraordinary; between 2012 and 2017, he worked his way from working the line to executive chef at Junoon. Junoon was awarded one Michelin Star eight consecutive years from 2011, and held the title of the only Indian restaurant in New York City with a Michelin Star from 2018-2019. He was also selected as a Gohan Society Culinary Scholar — and traveled to Japan to study the delicate art of omakase — and became the first Indian chef to be selected for the Forbes “30 under 30: Food & Drink” list. Bhardwaj showcases a menu that reflects the diversity of India, steeped in the classics while offering deft touches of modernity.

In this episode, we talk about Akshay’s journey running a family business, creating an indian fine dining place and how is it different from a “fusion” restaurant, and finally Akshay shares some wisdom for young folks based on his experience.