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The Raw Hospitality Show

Conversations With Boots-On-The-Ground Hospitality Peeps

Robert Marchetti, New York-based hospitality veteran interviews industry icons and boots on the ground 'hospo peeps' (an Aussie term) whose voices are seldom heard.  The show’s aim is to inspire, motivate and entertain t
Monday, June 21, 2021

Ep 12: Nasser Jabber - Founder The Migrant Kitchen

Season 2, Ep. 12
Today’s guest Nasser (Nas) Jabber (from The Migrant Kitchen amongst other things) is proof that resilience, determination, a strong moral compass and doing good for others can positively change your life. This guy’s story is truly fascinating and incredibly humbling.  From growing up in a tight-knit community and loving household , to finding himself living on the streets of NYC, we hear about his tenacity to keep going, even in times of great adversity.  Two global crises nearly ruined him, this latest one propelled him forward, and what started out as a way of emptying his fridges when he was forced to close his operation in order to help feed frontline workers has now become a full time job, empowering the migrants he employs to produce food from their homelands to feed not only those in need but discerning customers across the city.Originally from Ramallah, Palestine, Nasser Jaber came to the United States to study. Working at restaurants to pay his way, Nas discovered that his true passion was food. His talents would take him from waiting tables to training under some of the best chefs in New York City. Inspired by the diverse stories of America’s immigrant communities, Nas developed his acclaimed project Displaced Kitchens. Passionate about culinary diplomacy, Nas has worked with the U.S. government in Turkey and Sweden to provide real solutions to the refugee crisis through food hospitality and farming.We hope you enjoy this heartfelt exploration of a life that has had many twists and turns but ultimately allowed him to find his true calling/
Monday, June 14, 2021

EP 11: Greg Sherry - Co-owner Old Homestead Steakhouse NYC

Season 2, Ep. 11
Today I am joined by Mr Steak aka Greg Sherry, one of the brothers behind the iconic 150 year old Old Homestead Steakhouse in the infamous meatpacking district in NYC.This show is a real insight into why it’s important to be passionate about what you do, stay true to your beliefs and values, the importance of focusing on quality produce and not to diversify and dilute your offering too much.The Old Homestead Steakhouse NYC has been a family run business for the last 70 years when paternal grandfather Harry Sherry purchased the establishment after starting out as a dishwasher at the nearly century and a half old restaurant.  Whilst the area around them may have evolved, one thing that hasn’t changed is what they do.  They know their patrons come to them for one reason, mammoth cuts of the highest quality USDA prime dry-aged beef. It’s a proven model for success and has earned them a loyal following of customers, including a number of high profile diners, Whoopi Goldberg and Axel Rose to name a few.Brothers Greg and Marc have been pioneers in many industry firsts. Always on the cutting edge to introduce new experiences to their patrons, they were the first establishment in the USA to bring prized Wagyu, the most decadent, expensive and exquisite beef on the planet, to their patrons.  Whilst Covid forced them to cease restaurant dining for a while, it also allowed them to evolve their business model and look at new ways to allow people to experience their amazing selection of meat. If you’re not in NYC but hankering for a delicious steak, check out their produce available to order on Goldbelly.It’s a really heartwarming, honest and uplifting story about resilience and reinvention with a couple of celeb stories peppered throughout.  Enjoy.
Monday, June 7, 2021

EP 10: Ming Tsai - Chef, Entrepreneur And Philanthropist

Season 2, Ep. 10
Today I am delighted to be joined by the awesome and very entertaining restaurateur, television personality, celebrity chef, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Ming Tsai. Ming is an absolute legend, famous for beating Bobby Flay on Iron Chef, being named “Chef of the Year by Esquire, winning an Emmy, receiving the James Beard Award for his restaurant Blue Ginger, authoring 5 cookbooks and hosting his weekly cooking show Simply Ming to name a few. We catch up with him from the site of his latest venture BABA, an Asian fusion restaurant based at the Yellowstone Club in glorious Montana. During the show we hear how food is so central to his culture and how he learned early on that he could make people happy through cooking and that’s what set him on his course.  He’s lived a fascinating life and though all his celebrity encounters he remains grounded and passionate about not only what he does, but looking after the people around him. He tells tales of cooking for industry icons like Jacques Pepin and Julia Childs (the latter berating him for having no female staff back in the day), how he got dubbed the Asian expert, the tough decision to close his much famed restaurant after 19 years and his current mission to help improve the health of all people, producing his own line of plant based, highly nutritious, delicious food @MingsBings from which he donates a portion of proceeds to Family Reach and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. We also touch on the impact covid has had on the industry, protocols and his thoughts on how to move forward and with clean air being the next commodity, a much deserved plug for @rensair I hope you enjoy the energy, enthusiasm and optimism from this humble human being.