1 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: guest is Chef Jeffrey Zacharyon. Zacarion landed in the sweet 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: spot where culinary and TV fame meat about a decade ago. 6 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: When he became a judge, John chopped and he won 7 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 1: the coveted Iron Chef title. For the past four years, 8 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: Zacarion has steadily been expanding his activity as a content producer. 9 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: He founded corner Table Entertainment with partner Jared Keller in 10 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: that put him in a good position to produce content 11 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: for Food network parent Discovery and the fledgling Discovery Plus streamer, 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: which has a voracious appetite for shows. Zacarion, in our 13 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: interview discusses the differences between launching a restaurant and launching 14 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: a TV In his mind, there's no question about which 15 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: task is harder. He also reveals that the company has 16 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: cameras on the ground working on a documentary with Tribeca 17 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: about the pandemics devastation of New York's restaurant scene or 18 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: capturing it as it actually happens, he says, and that's 19 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: all coming up today on Strictly Business. Welcome back to 20 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 1: Strictly Business. Here's Jeffreys, a Carrion chef, entrepreneur and head 21 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: of Corner Table Entertainment, a bustling production company that is 22 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: right there in the nexus of food and content. Jeffrey, 23 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining us. Thank you so much, Cynthia. 24 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: It's lovely to talk to you. We've talked before and 25 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: it's always it's always a pleasure. I love you had 26 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: your finger, the true finger on the pulse of what's 27 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: happening in the world of media, because it's an all 28 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: important world that you know, no one seems to be 29 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: able to live without, especially today. It is it is 30 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: just like the food world. It is an incredibly dynamic 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: business where you never know where the next hit, the 32 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: next great idea is coming around the corner. I've always 33 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: been a fan of your appearances on Food Network. I 34 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: always really get the sense that you are speaking as 35 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: a as a both as a as a culinary as 36 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 1: a decorated chef, but also as a businessman. And it's 37 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: in that context that I wanted that we want to 38 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: talk about um your evolution as a TV personality and 39 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: as now for the last couple of years been increasingly 40 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: active as a producer behind the scenes with Corner Table Entertainment, 41 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: and would I would love to start by just asking 42 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: you what you obviously have become one of the most 43 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: recognizable faces on a food network, and I can only 44 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: imagine that that has been good for your business overall. 45 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: But what was it that made you in seen? What 46 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: is it that made you decide to plant your flag 47 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: and launch Corner Table Entertainment and start your own production entity. 48 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: Well that's um. I don't know if it doesn't all, 49 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: it doesn't work seamlessly like that. It's sort of like 50 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: comes in bits and pieces. So I can only get 51 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: telling you that as a TV chef, and as someone 52 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: has been on a lot of shows Chops since two 53 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: thousand I believe ten or whenever White started, I can't remember. 54 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: And then we've had so much success with those shows. 55 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: What happens is, um Cynthia, as you you start to 56 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: get in everyone else's head and you start giving your 57 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: opinions on what will work and what won't work. Correct, 58 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: So as you're asked by the producers, what did you 59 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: like about this? What did you like about that? That 60 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: that airs well? This areed well, this didn't do so well. 61 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: I think we should do more of that. And what 62 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: happens is you have this sort of conversation with the 63 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: people around you and the producers and the executive producer 64 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: and EP be how's your talent and you're not back 65 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: on the scene. You're right up there and they want 66 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: to know how it felt and they see the results 67 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: from from the from the ratings right, And what happens 68 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: is you're actually then producing or co producing. You're like, okay, 69 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: we're gonna have this idea. What do you think you 70 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: run up by your test that you do it? So 71 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: that's it's as simple as that. Honestly, it's just things work. 72 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: You're asking more direction, you're asking more, you know more, 73 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: what you think works, Like, tell me why you would 74 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: like to do this? This work better? That was great, 75 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: it was a great idea. Let's do it again in 76 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: different ways. So it really is a creative process based 77 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: upon doing a couple of things right and getting good 78 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: feedback right. That's the base of everything. And like you said, 79 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: TV is the Food Network and everything else, but especially 80 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: food is all about content. If you don't have content, 81 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 1: a story of beginning to lead a competition, show stand 82 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 1: and stir um uh, some sort of holiday theme. Uh, 83 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: there's all kinds of things. But you know, the Kitchen 84 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: is evergreen and extent that every year and follows the season. Uh. 85 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: And some shows like Chopped or really every green we 86 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: could you know, you can send you know, other than 87 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: throwing a Christmas show on in July, you can show 88 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 1: show this chop any time of the year. So for us, 89 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: it's just a very you know, Jared and I launched 90 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: it in two thousand and SEVENTI is a natural sort 91 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: of ideation about all this creative stuff we've been talking 92 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: about with our executive producers and Food Network, Like we 93 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: talked with David Zaslaw, Kathleen Finch, and Courtney White. They 94 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: run it, and you know, they need all this content 95 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: for Discovery Plus, and they need all this content for 96 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: Food Network. So it's just we've been around so long 97 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 1: and we've been doing this, we know it works, what 98 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,239 Speaker 1: doesn't work. So they asked us to help with content, 99 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: and we decided to just like put it out there. 100 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: And we actually had a great run with the telephones 101 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: that we did in the pandemic. It was just the 102 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 1: timing and we like, you know, we just did it 103 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: um and we produced it like everyone else did. And 104 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: it was sort of like a nice test, a way 105 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: to test the production keeping abilities and what worked and 106 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: what didn't work. We found out some partners how to 107 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: edit and all that stuff. So ow and behold. We 108 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: raised two an a half million dollars with to one national, 109 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: one local, and you know, now we have this production company. 110 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: So it's it's not how we sat down and said, 111 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: what's the five year goal. It was not that at all. 112 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: It was like, we have these ideas, let's let's start 113 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: like writing them down on paper and pitching them because 114 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 1: they need content. So it all comes down to that. 115 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 1: But I love that part of it because that's still creating, 116 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: you know. So you like the you like the idea stage. 117 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: You like being in the at the germ of the 118 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: idea of that what you're going to execute. It's so wonderful. 119 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: And everyone anyone else that does this for a living, 120 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: what I do in that same in a different profession, 121 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: we'll tell you the same thing. Say creating music, and uh, 122 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: it's writing a script, and it's it's so fun to 123 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: sort of collaborate and then see it happen and then 124 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,679 Speaker 1: either fix it or do more of it. So that's 125 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: sort of what we're really loving. And what's great about it, Cynthia, 126 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: is that I was allows me to continue to cook, 127 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: continue to do the shows, have a behind the scenes 128 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: sort of inventory of stuff that like, oh boy, this 129 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: would work right here, this would be a great way 130 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: to like take one of these shows that we haven't 131 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: on Brain and let's do a segment on the kitchen. 132 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: Let's do a seven minute segment. Let's try it and 133 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: see what happens. You know, we don't have to spend 134 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: any money. We're all there. Let's just do it. You 135 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: have their own incubation lab right there. So that's what like, 136 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: we're doing a lot of and you know, we we 137 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: just shot a sizzle. We're doing a restaurant documented with 138 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: Trybic of Productions. Were very excited about that. Um And 139 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: it's all because of just this natural sort of consultation 140 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: with the producers and the people there, because ultimately, your 141 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: boss now is now your collaborator because they need content, 142 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: unique content to stay in the year. You love to 143 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: do content. You're a professional. That's been doing Cookie for 144 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: forty years. You've seen just about everything, and you've been 145 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: working on a show that's very current. So how do 146 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: we keep how do we put into a beak or 147 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: shake it and come up with a great new cocktails. 148 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: So that's that's really what we do and what we're doing. 149 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: So UM, we're very excited about it. Um and you know, 150 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: I were just at the beginning. You know, we haven't 151 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,239 Speaker 1: even started. I mean, Bobby Flay has been uh producing 152 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,119 Speaker 1: his shows sort of I think fifteen years or twelve 153 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: years at least. M What was it? Was it the 154 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: kind of thing did you have to get it? Did 155 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: it sort of start very small? Or did you line up? 156 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: As you said, you did not have a five year plan, 157 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: but did you was it the kind of thing you 158 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: had to line up some backing or some financing? Did 159 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: did food? And we just partnered with with bstv Um 160 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: one of our partners in the in the kitchen, and 161 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: they sort of helped us along and we showed us 162 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: the rope and we just went, you know, we did 163 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: these ideation meetings and we just came up with some 164 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: great shows and we do sizzle reels and it's a 165 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: very simple process because it was so already are you 166 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: doing it? So basically it was we didn't have to 167 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: really raise all this capital, like let's just start real small. 168 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: So basically, Jarrett um Tower, myself and my wife Margaret 169 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: and the four of us, we just did it. We 170 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: you know, just huddled, got it together, wrote it up, 171 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: met with someone who's who has all the capability of 172 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: doing that, just like we did the telephone. You have 173 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,959 Speaker 1: to find someone that is actually in the editing booth 174 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 1: and has all you know, people on the grounds and 175 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 1: people doing the documentaries, you know, boots on the ground, 176 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: and so that's how we started. At one point in time, 177 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: we're gonna probably have boots on the ground also probably 178 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: a big fancy office if they ever open. But in 179 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 1: the meantime, you know, we're just going along with what 180 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: really is important, which is this content, you know, the 181 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 1: idea and how to get that idea to the film 182 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: because there we all give we all have you know, 183 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: expertisees and the people that in the editing who's not 184 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: necessarily understand what we're talking about and what we're talking 185 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: about we don't necessarily understand when when production telling us 186 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: about like the budget and how we work it over 187 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: four days and how you know breaks and how we 188 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: have to do it, and how we have to shoot 189 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: it in the state because of this and not going 190 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: in overtime. So it's all that sort of like nice 191 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: shared value and shared common cause that we don't have 192 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: to be an expert in everything. Well, we're really good 193 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: at content and really good with ideation. So that's that's 194 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: why we're very excited about it. Do you, um, how 195 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: would you compare the process of you know, assembling that team, 196 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: executing on you know, just settling on ideas, you know, 197 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: setting the goal, executing to those goals. How would you 198 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: compare launching a show or a telethone like the telethone 199 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: that you've done, to launching a new restaurant or setting 200 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: up setting up a new business that was in the 201 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: you know, in the in the core cooking world. Well 202 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: and in a restaurant, you know, it's it's far more 203 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: difficult to get the ball across the line. For the 204 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: very re and is you have one goal. You you 205 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 1: come up with a piece of paper, a plan, You've 206 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: sold it to someone that has investment. It's gonna put 207 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: three million dollars stay in a restaurant. That's all you're doing. 208 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: It's that one thing, and if it doesn't work, you're screwed. 209 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: So if they don't like one show, we have another one, 210 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: and then have another one. You might do three or 211 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 1: four pilots and none of them, none of them get 212 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: picked up. But it's a very fluid um sort of roll. 213 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: So I would say the pain is far greater and 214 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: the physical um you know, brick and mortar world of 215 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: opening a restaurant. And I mean that because you're literally 216 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: on your feet a hundred hours a week. The first 217 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: three months are like having a wisdom tooth pulled every minutes. Uh. 218 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: It's just it's it's crazy, nutty and volatile, and you know, 219 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: rife with problems and and legal stuff and lawsuits and 220 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: all this stuff that comes at you. Uh, because people 221 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: are just like, you know, crazy in this world of restaurants. 222 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: But that's the way they're so exciting. But what they 223 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: do provide is they provide a vivid, sort of peaky 224 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: dish of possible content that you can't imagine is gonna 225 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: be there until you actually see it happen. So this, 226 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: you've you've created this, this I don't know vacuum where 227 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: stuff happens. Now you're managing it. Now it's a full 228 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: time job. Now you're waiting for the critics to come. 229 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: And now you hope it works. Now you hope it 230 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: makes money. Now you have to try to pay your 231 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,319 Speaker 1: investors back. So there's so much content that you get 232 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: out of that. Plus you get a marquee that you 233 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't necessarily have if you weren't in brick and mortar. 234 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: It doesn't mean that you can't be in the restaurant business, 235 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: and it can be in a production business and not 236 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 1: being a restaurant business. But if you're in the restaurant business, 237 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:57,839 Speaker 1: the movement to the restaurant the producing business is a 238 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: far more fluid and creative and fun experience because it's 239 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 1: very little downside other than getting rejected all the time, 240 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 1: which is normal, you know, right, just like I said, no, 241 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: that's a no, that's a yes. And if it hits, 242 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 1: it hits, you know. But you I would imagine that 243 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 1: that experience of of launching your own businesses in the 244 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: in the circumstances and the fraud nature that you described, 245 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: like that that is training for combat. That is training 246 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: for the the insanity and and you know the one 247 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: thing producers have to do most is think on their feet. 248 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: It sounds like you've you've been there, uh you know 249 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: back there. You know you've been there with the line cooks, 250 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: and you've been there at the front of the house. 251 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: And you know, I had had all those experiences. And 252 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: you know, the funny thing is is with a restaurant, 253 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: you open up with the menu right and you you 254 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: you go through these tortuous processes of getting in a 255 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,079 Speaker 1: chef and a menu and you think it's great to 256 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: food and all that, and you know, and then someone 257 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: in the restaurant said, you know what I really want 258 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: to gott can I have like a I've just wanted 259 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,679 Speaker 1: to a piece of You know, you have this, man, 260 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: You've done right, it's tested, it's prompted. What it means. 261 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: You test everything and you bring it and you make 262 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 1: five hundred of them. You've got the recipe done that 263 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 1: you order to that recipe, so you have not no 264 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: ship left over in the box. You know your inventory 265 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: is perfect. You don't have you know, poor crimes when 266 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: you don't in the inventory where you don't need poor 267 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: pranks as it's money, so money, very perishable money. To 268 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: be one of these books, because it's two d fifty dollars. Right, 269 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: So it's like, you don't need the books that you're 270 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: not gonna read, so get rid of half of them. Right. 271 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: So you know, you do all this work, you get 272 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: the man. You think it's brilliant and unbelievable, right, and 273 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: then someone comes to a very valued customer summon. That 274 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: is someone that you who has a restaurant or someone 275 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: that is in sort of a business that he goes 276 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: out a lot and he orders, like you know, he's 277 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: on a diet or something whatever, and he orders, can 278 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: I just have a grill piece of chicken with some 279 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: some French fries? I want a chicken free? And it's 280 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: not so as a chef, I make it. I'm like, sure, 281 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: I'll do it, no problem. So you make it and 282 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: then that guy sees you eat it, and then guy, 283 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: can I have that? Can I have this? And then 284 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: that becomes the best seller. You gotta put it on 285 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: your menu. You had no intention of it, and this 286 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: thing you thought was gonna go gangbusters, cells you know, 287 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: so there's no telling how the restaurant works, and you 288 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: need to react to the customers. So the customers starts. 289 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: Using a restaurant is more of a barring grill versus 290 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: fine dining. It's a bar and grill. Now, you're not 291 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 1: gonna force someone fine dining. You didn't see it. It 292 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: didn't see it coming. The time was such they really 293 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: felt more comfortable as this, and they used it the 294 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: order and started to get different. And so they hit 295 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: these seven, seven out of twenty items with them big sellers. 296 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: They had nothing to do with your fancy pants. Right, 297 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: So you do. You've gotta listen to that and get 298 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: off your high horse. It's very that's what you do 299 00:15:55,800 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: in the restaurant world. Right, So your customer is always right, Well, no, 300 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: they're they're always going to use the restaurant their way 301 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: they want to use it. So you have to be 302 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: available to change that. It's far. There's two different things. 303 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: That's a great point brought up. The customers ares right. 304 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: The customer when sort of putting forth in opinion or 305 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: putting forth a critique of something. I'm talking about asking 306 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: for something they want to eat. I'm not talking about 307 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: that's that thing, that's that that's the make it and 308 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: give it to them. I'm talking about the critique or 309 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: this or this is not right or right that I 310 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: want to like this, and blah blah blah. The customers 311 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: usually you have to treat them like they're always right, 312 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: but they're usually misinformed. Right, I want my soup hot. 313 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: I wanted boiling hot. You can't eat boiling hots. You know, 314 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: that's not a critique, that's just just that just doesn't 315 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: make sense because you you pale it your tongue wild 316 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: scorch okay, even at a hundred and twenty degrees which 317 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: is very warm. It's fine stuff like that. You have 318 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: to be really intuitive and that's what you have to 319 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: do in producing. So with trying to figure out what 320 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: the customer is intuitively going to be drawn to. That's relevant, 321 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 1: it's fun, and it's watchable on the first five minutes 322 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: because that's the key. You gotta ground. And then they're 323 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: there at the last five minutes when there's a finale 324 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: or the reveal they call it. You know, advertisers look 325 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 1: at the first ten. In the last ten, they don't 326 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: give a shit about the rest of it. They don't really. 327 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: Then you know that once you hear it here, you're 328 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: probably gonna watch the whole thing. That's what's the measure 329 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: of engagement. It's kind of the fascinating part that I've 330 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: learned is that's you really have to have that. So 331 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: you have to have a wow and a reveal, but 332 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 1: you have to have a wow in the reveal. Be authentic, right, 333 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: So when the customer comes in, if you feel them 334 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: complaining and they're authentic, you take it seriously because you 335 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: know that five or ten or fifteen more people are 336 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: saying the same thing. And you can lose customers out 337 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: of like not listening to that one critique that you 338 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: you've you heard it and it was authentic and you 339 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: check it out and they were right. Most customers don't 340 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: just complain to complain. Most customers have a legitimate misinformation, 341 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: a complaint, or something is actually wrong. There's those three things. 342 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: So you have to learn about all of those. And 343 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: the best way to get customers that are piste off 344 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: back is a call them up or email them say 345 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:19,959 Speaker 1: come on back, we made a mistake. We're so sorry 346 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 1: that right away. If you let it sit, they're never 347 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 1: coming back. Once they come back. Once they come back, 348 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: your best customer, now they know the chef that's to 349 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 1: make you good fun. I'm like, come on, I'll make 350 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: you and they spend money and they're happy like they're 351 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: your best customers. So that's is a big difference in 352 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: the two, but not really. I mean, I'm still trying 353 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,199 Speaker 1: to keep that customer happy by balancing the relevance, their experience, 354 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: the lighting, the music, and keep them coming back. It's 355 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: all entertainment. It's all It's like Hollywood, You're just you. 356 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 1: It's a it's a movie. There's three breakfast luncheon, did 357 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 1: a three Curtains shows a day. There's no difference. So 358 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 1: that's why it's such an easy sort of jump. We 359 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 1: need to take a quick break, but we'll be back 360 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 1: with Jeffreys A. Carrion discussing the details of the new 361 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: documentary he's working on for Tribeca. And we're back with 362 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: Jeffreys A. Carrion. What was it that made TV happen 363 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: for you? Was it something that you aspired to as 364 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: you got successful? I guess I was in two thousand seven, Um, 365 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: so that's an eight. I got it. I got it. 366 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 1: I was in a restaurant, you know, I had great 367 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: reviews and I was working in restaurants. Food that was 368 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: was going gangbusters. It was about I mean now it's 369 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: still was thirty years old, so it was about ten. 370 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: So it's like it was about eighteen years old, seventeen 371 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: years on Flay and you know, um uh Emeral Lagassi 372 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: and you know there's some Tyler of Florence. There was 373 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: some mon key players, and that it really hadn't gotten 374 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: nuts yet, but it was on the on the verge. Sure, 375 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: Iron Chef had started. And in two thousand and nine 376 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: I I Can approached some and said, we know, we'd 377 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: like a judge on we we're casting for the show 378 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: called Chopped. And I'm sort of like on the show, 379 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,479 Speaker 1: I'm very serious, but I'm not a serious character at all. 380 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: I'm like, I have fun. Then the kitchen is really 381 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: who I am. That the Chopped is like, you know, 382 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: show them, you know, to serious show and we have 383 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 1: to be serious. Yeah, but they as it chopped and 384 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: I'm like, I heard the word. That's sort of like 385 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: it was like a little juvenile. First, I'm like, okay, 386 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,719 Speaker 1: what's the premise. I'm like, well, four people will get 387 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:51,400 Speaker 1: a basket of foreign reading. I gotta make an appetize 388 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: in twenty minutes if they you know, whoever, losers gets 389 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: chopped in there's three and two and one and whoever 390 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 1: wins get tent oil of dollars the winner, and I'm like, like, okay, 391 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 1: I thought it was corny and cornball. I really didn't 392 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: like it. And then they said, and the host, and 393 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,399 Speaker 1: it's a dog. In the original uh pilot they did 394 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: there was a dog really not kidding they fed the 395 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 1: losing dish to the dog. Wow. I wonder why that 396 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: never took off, never made it didn't even get it, 397 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: didn't even get to the sizzle reel. So offut of 398 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,439 Speaker 1: it comes, Jeff. I would imagine the chefs on the 399 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: set were like, what the heck? I think I did 400 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: the pilot with Alexe Born and Shelley Rock and dispirit 401 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 1: over myself. I think those are the three my brain 402 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: is gonna probably it's one of the I know is 403 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,959 Speaker 1: Alex and Rocco or me and Rocco and Alex. I 404 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: know Alex was there. They might even Scott Conan too, 405 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: I'm not quite sure. Well over a few days and 406 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:51,719 Speaker 1: I was paid nothing. It was like, you know, if 407 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 1: you want to be on the show, it's like two 408 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: fifty dollars, but that's if they pick it up. So 409 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: I needs he said no, um, and then I want 410 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: to show. And I was the guy that was very 411 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 1: chef be because I was the I think one of 412 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: the most experienced chefs on the show. And I was 413 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,360 Speaker 1: the serious one. So I had the glasses and I 414 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: was I was the one. Every one something was mean 415 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:12,360 Speaker 1: and so I mean it works. So I just kept 416 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: being like mean and tough and you know, I don't 417 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 1: care about your story and the food sucks, You're out. Um. 418 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: I wasn't Gordon Ramsey, but I was a more genteel 419 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: version version of him. Um. Uh So that was two 420 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: thousand nine, and you know that we've just done let me, 421 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: we've done on my uh seven hundred episodes we've filmed 422 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:38,360 Speaker 1: and I just got booked for two more and um, 423 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: you know there's twelve judges. All the original judges are 424 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 1: still there. Uh. So it's been like a juggernaut. And 425 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: then you know it's one of the highest rated shows 426 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: on on TV. And I think just the ad Reverend 427 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: Malone in the last ten years has been extraordinary for 428 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: Discovery and that which was um Script Scripts, which was 429 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: now Discovery. That's basically the intro to that. And then 430 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,119 Speaker 1: from that show two years later, I was I was 431 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 1: asked to do Iron Chef. Did you find the work 432 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,879 Speaker 1: of being on TV, being on camera, speaking, speaking in 433 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: temp extemporaneously did you find that Did you find that easy? 434 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 1: Was that? Was that a learning curve for you to 435 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: be on TV? It was a learning I found it easy, 436 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: but I got better at it because I learned how 437 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:27,719 Speaker 1: to forget about the camera. And when I saw some 438 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 1: pictures of myself just doing like, you know, not even 439 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: when I cameras rolling, I didn't know it was rolling. 440 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: It was actually I was like, well that's very natural. 441 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:38,679 Speaker 1: Let's do more of that. And so I started to 442 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:43,879 Speaker 1: just like become myself. And I worry about like anything 443 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: other than authenticity because people really see it now and 444 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,239 Speaker 1: I think that they understand the authenticity. That's what they 445 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: like it. Because I speak to like their mistakes. I 446 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: speak to like my shortcomings. I speak to like like 447 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:57,439 Speaker 1: I'm really lazy. I don't want to do all this 448 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: prepping and it just it's not worth it and play golf, 449 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So I talked to people 450 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: like they like to be. They want to hear because normal, 451 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: most normal people are gonna actually spend three hours a 452 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: day prepping a meal. Okay, unless you're in Italy and 453 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: you have nothing else to do, right, and you have 454 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:19,120 Speaker 1: all this produce and you can take time to do it. 455 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: So I think it for busy Americans and for busy people. Um. 456 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,199 Speaker 1: I it was authentic, but I learned that, I mean 457 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 1: it sounds weird, and learned to be authentic. I learned 458 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: to relax authentic at the same time. Um, but it 459 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 1: took time. I was very natural speaking because I have 460 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: a lot of information that I want to get out. 461 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,640 Speaker 1: That's easy for me. But the being authentic and then 462 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 1: being authentic under pressure, and then be authentic under pressure 463 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: on the show live what people are interrupting you is 464 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 1: the hardest part of everything. You know, you really need 465 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: a sense of humor because you'll get in your own 466 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: head and you'll you'll you're a short circuit. You'll forget, 467 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: you know, that's just what happens. What's it been like 468 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: being at Food Network in the last couple of years 469 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 1: after the Discovery deal went down, enlarged, you know, kind 470 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: of just enlarged the scope of the bigger company. And 471 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: they've been doing a lot with streaming of Food Network 472 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: content specifically, and now they have Discovery Plus, of which 473 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: Food Network and Cooking is a huge, huge cornerstones of 474 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: how have you got any sense of what that could 475 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: mean long term for Food Network for your brand? I mean, 476 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: I know David zazzels have it, has a vision, he's 477 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,880 Speaker 1: a real is one of the smartest people I've ever met. 478 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 1: And he and Kathleen Finch and Courtney White, I mean 479 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: Courtney and Kathy had been there for years. I have 480 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: a great relationship with him. And then when he came 481 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: in and he's pushing Discovery Plus in the streaming, he 482 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: did it all coalists around this timing, and it's been 483 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: just an incredible ride, I'm sure for the stock and 484 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: for the company, But I think that what he brings 485 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: to us is this this horizontal integration of HDTV and 486 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,719 Speaker 1: all the shows. So like you know you have you know, 487 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,120 Speaker 1: you can build a home, and then the home comes 488 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: in the friend is the home, let's stock it right 489 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: over the pantry at home and the home goes over 490 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: here and like we're gonna demolish the home. Another HB 491 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 1: TV show and then you know there's another home that 492 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 1: comes through here, Well, we're gonna electoral party, and this 493 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,199 Speaker 1: one on this so we have all these people around 494 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 1: us that are basically fomenting lives around the household and 495 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 1: and and and you know, landownership and and homesteading, you know, 496 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 1: and so we're in the homesteading business. And David realizes that. 497 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,719 Speaker 1: So he's tying empty together and he's trying to cross Polly, 498 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: HDTV and the twenty seven channels just in that in 499 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 1: that genre, there's so many. So we can have some 500 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:47,679 Speaker 1: Discovery personalities now on um the food you have a 501 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: guest from you know, Vanilla Ice and the Vanilla Ice 502 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,200 Speaker 1: Project comes on because he loves the cookies, come making 503 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: wings on the kitchen. But this, this integration is fantastic. 504 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 1: There's clearly a deadliest cash for network crossed over just 505 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 1: waiting to happen. It is, it is, and it's gonna happen. 506 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 1: You can just see it. And then we have Shark 507 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,360 Speaker 1: Week and all that. So that that's what David has done. 508 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: And you know, he's he doesn't mess around. This guy 509 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: goes at warp speed, you know, literally, so he makes 510 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: breat mistakes too. I don't know what they are, but 511 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure there are. We don't worry about it. But 512 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:22,920 Speaker 1: this Discovery plus it's like, you know, you see it's 513 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,640 Speaker 1: everywhere there's you know, seventy five or sixty five episodes. 514 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:30,160 Speaker 1: I mean, it's like unbelievable. I'm on a programming content, 515 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,360 Speaker 1: so it's the same thing. It's like, but you we're 516 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: on a rocket ship because of where we're placed in 517 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: that whole Discovery world. And like I said before, the 518 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: one thing we're lacking is we're always lacking new Town 519 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: new content. So it's just so it's like it's like 520 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: a voracious animal just keeps eating up the content because 521 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: like keep beating the thing and it never gets fat, 522 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: just always coming more and more and more. It's like 523 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: a marathon run, right. So it's I need more, I 524 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 1: need more. I need more than five people, and there's 525 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: twenty people, and there's a hundred people that need more, 526 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,919 Speaker 1: and so we're at a hundred two thousand people that 527 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 1: need more stuff all the time. And it's so hard 528 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: to get one thing off the ground. One thing takes 529 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:17,120 Speaker 1: probably unless it's so unless it's a remake of something 530 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: that work before, you just plug and play and you're like, 531 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 1: I'm gonna try it again, because it was it's twolve 532 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 1: years ago worked and we we shelve it. Let's let's 533 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 1: let's put some new bells and whistles on it. Let's 534 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: try that. We do that once in a while, but 535 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: the real good things take time. Is a meeting, and 536 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: there's another meeting, there's another meaning, then there's okay, what 537 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: do you think on the show? Is a sizzle, and 538 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: there's a green light, and then there's a production and 539 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: that's like two years, you know, and so it's like 540 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: it's like writing a book from you need a lot 541 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 1: of balls in the air to keep that, to feed 542 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: that here. And so they have we have reduced the 543 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 1: time because they need to reduce the time. So, you know, 544 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 1: before it's like two years to find Now it's like 545 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: in two months, if you don't have a sizzle, it's like, 546 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: let's go. So what we love that because that's like 547 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: sometimes you think too much, you know, Like I said, 548 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: a person with the chicken fries, just put a chicken 549 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 1: frying of manu and they're gonna sell. I do know that. 550 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: Obviously in the wider world, and particularly in the culinary world, 551 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: there's been a lot of pain in this pandemic, a 552 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: lot of shutdowns, a lot of painful job losses. Do you. 553 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: I know you've done great work with your telepons on 554 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: the hunger issue. What is it? Does America need a 555 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: martial plan? Does there's something that that you can think of, 556 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 1: can that can help the sector that is so beloved 557 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 1: and so important to the fabric of communities? Any any thoughts? 558 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 1: You know, that's great that you let off with that, that 559 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: that we're on both sides of the coin. I'm sharing 560 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: of U the food counts for City Harvests and I'm 561 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 1: on the board and a wonderful organization. That's great, almost 562 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: ten years that I'm doing that. And you know, when 563 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: you can do a telephone and raise a couple million 564 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: dollars and deep people that day or the day after, 565 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: that's job. I mean there's people who may thybe get 566 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 1: fed right away. So City Harvest has done a hundred 567 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: million pounds this year, which is like double what they 568 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: normally do in the whole year last year. So it 569 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: was like incredible what they did. Um And so all 570 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: we have to do is try to feed the beast 571 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: and give more money to him if we can do, 572 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:09,719 Speaker 1: because it's expensive to hire trucks and coreguration. But you know, 573 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: in the mean and in the midst of all that 574 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: they had to move their location. Who knew the pandemics 575 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: a getting hit and it was supposed to move in 576 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 1: artist you know, like oh my god, and all that 577 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: fell through. So it's been a real mess. But that 578 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: was a job one. Just get some food to people, 579 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: good food, vegetables. That's our mantra, no crap. We actually 580 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: reject a lot of stuff. We've talked about you can have, 581 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: you can have the like the you know, the the 582 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: sugar laden cereals. We don't need those, um. So that's 583 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 1: great that we have to do that. The other side 584 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: of it is, um, you know, we're producing this documentary 585 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: with Rebecca Um, which we're doing so that we really 586 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 1: tell the story of why this restaurant industry is so vital, 587 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 1: and I tell it from a New York standpoint. We 588 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 1: hired Mathamelely to do it. We did, you know, crazy 589 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: about Tiffany's and pays had the car Alisle was too great, 590 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: the documentaries um, and you know, Kate karg is involved 591 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: and all that. So it's been really this it's a 592 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: love letter. It's a love letter to New York with 593 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: a real sharp needle to poke people into seeing look 594 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: what's happened. This is this can't go on you. Something 595 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 1: has to be done because they shut the switch out 596 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:26,800 Speaker 1: on us. We didn't you know, we didn't have a flood. 597 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: You know, eleven was one monster's day and maybe a 598 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 1: monster's month. But then everything went like this because you 599 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 1: had finality, and finality coupled with money and the grid 600 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: of the Americans and people in New York City just 601 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: went like this. This is pandemic shutting off. It was 602 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: worse than anything I've seen in forty years. Come back, 603 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: no finality. You don't want to. You know, you're on 604 00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: your you're in your out, you're off your cup, you're 605 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: on your clothes, you're open, you're inside your outside. You can't. 606 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: It's just a disaster. So we're trying to document this 607 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 1: and show what how beautiful restaurants are, what they've fulfilled 608 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: the people, and just you don't feed people feed their 609 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 1: souls is like what people take all their angst out. 610 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 1: They just where they put all their passion. That's where 611 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 1: they spill the beans. That's where they fall in love 612 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 1: and signed contracts that they do all this stuff in 613 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: conjunction to us feeding And what's more intimate than giving 614 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: people food that they putting them up. Know any other 615 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: profession as that intimate, maybe some some forms of acting, 616 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:38,160 Speaker 1: but this is substance, a very basic in the jobs 617 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 1: is form some jobs in New York alone, restaurant is 618 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: it's the largest employer. So we're writing a documentary. It's 619 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: gonna be. It's happening right now. People are on the 620 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: boots with with with cameras. We started about twelve weeks 621 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 1: ago and again quick turn around, a couple of meetings, boom, 622 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 1: let's get cameras. We've get some heat, seed capital, go 623 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,040 Speaker 1: out in the streets. Who we talking on We called chefs. 624 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: Of course they all said yes, and you have these 625 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: incredible vin Yes, I saw it. I was touched, and 626 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: that's just like a little bits and pieces. I saw it, 627 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 1: but um uh, you know, it just captures such a 628 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,560 Speaker 1: critical moment. So we are capturing as it actually happens, 629 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: and we so hope to be on the other side 630 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: when it comes out. I think point to I think 631 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: that's what little really come to do. Thanks for listening. 632 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: Be sure to leave us a review at Apple Podcasts. 633 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: We love to hear from listeners, and please tune in 634 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 1: next week for another episode of Strictly Business