In this solo episode of The Repertoire Report, Ray Delucci breaks down the latest hospitality industry headlines, starting with Noma’s planned reopening in Copenhagen and René Redzepi’s return as creative director amid renewed scrutiny around kitchen culture and alleged abuse. Ray reflects on what accountability actually looks like in fine dining, why the industry continues to wrestle with the “genius chef” myth, and whether diners truly care about the working conditions behind world-class meals.The episode also dives into Wonder’s viral automated “infinite bowl” machine and the larger tension between food tech, automation, and the human element of cooking. Ray then covers Pizza Hut’s $2.7 billion sale, the pressure delivery apps have placed on legacy chains, fast food bankruptcy concerns tied to GLP-1 medications, and how rising gas prices may be cutting into restaurant spending.

Links:

Rene Redzepi Returns

Redzepi Grub Street Article

Slop Bowl Video

Pizza Hut Sold

Prof G Fast Food Issues

Gas Prices & Restaurants

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n this episode of the Repertoire Report, Justin Khanna and Ray Delucci dig into the latest restaurant industry news: Tom Colicchio closing Craft after 25 years in New York City, rising restaurant costs, changing diner behavior, and what these shifts mean for chefs, operators, and hospitality professionals. They also break down new openings from major names in food, including Kabawa, The Lion’s Den from Chef Michael White, and The Merchant Room from Gavin Kaysen.The conversation also explores Michelin expansion, the pressure of operating in major dining markets, whether restaurants can still make ambitious hospitality work financially, and a petition pushing back on the Culinary Institute of America’s use of AI. If you care about fine dining, restaurant openings, chef culture, food media, hospitality careers, or the business of restaurants, this episode is packed with analysis, context, and honest industry perspective.

Links:

Craft Closing Announcement

Craft Closing NY Times Piece

Kabawa

Punk Noir

Lion's Den

The Merchant Room

VAT Petition

Post Modern Times Donation Page

Post Modern Times NY Times Write-Up

CIA AI Announcement

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In this Repertoire Report episode, Justin Khanna and Ray Delucci break down the latest hospitality industry news, culinary trends, and restaurant insights for chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, and hospitality professionals. Topics include Epicure’s massive 4.1 million recipe dataset, AI in recipe development, flavor modeling, culinary creativity, and what artificial intelligence can — and can’t — understand about real-world cooking, seasonality, and kitchen judgment.The conversation also explores who really deserves credit for a Michelin star, the risks of “fake it till you make it” in restaurant hiring, career growth for line cooks, worker-owned restaurant models like Pigdin Cooperative, and the rise of in-person hospitality events from brands like DNNR. If you’re interested in chef career development, restaurant ownership, Michelin Guide culture, AI food tech, kitchen leadership, and the future of the hospitality industry, this episode is packed with practical analysis and honest industry perspective.

Epicure AI Recipes

Josef Chen X Epicure Post

ARXIV Paper Findings

drewthefoodguy's Michelin Instagram Post

Seattle Times Pidgin Co-Op

DNNR Platform X Post

Pea-Peeling Robot

Fake It Till You Make It (Reddit Thread)

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n this episode, Ray breaks down why the Australian-based restaurant chain Guzman y Gomez left and why this was a positive for the company. He also gives advice on determining whether you are the problem in the kitchen or the kitchen itself. He then discusses Starbucks canceling its AI-inventory tool, the rise in grocery inflation, the stunning new GLP-1 restaurant report, and a unique discount being offered by Giordano's.#burritos #glp1 #restaurants #reddit

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Links:

Guzman y Gomez Leaves US Market

Do I Suck in the Kitchen? (Reddit Thread)

Starbucks Ends AI Inventory Counting

Grocery Inflation Is Rising

National Restaurant Association GLP-1 Report

Giordano's Unique Discount

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This week on The Repertoire Report, Justin Khanna and Ray Delucci break down a packed week of hospitality industry news, restaurant operations, and chef career insights.We cover Michelin’s upcoming arrival in South Australia, what it means for the country’s existing hatted restaurant system, and why global recognition still matters for chefs and restaurants. Then we get into the practical side of service with a deep dive on ticket rail management, expediting, mise en place, and how cooks can keep their board organized during a rush.We also discuss Clover Reserve and the next wave of restaurant tech, rising beef prices through the lens of hot dogs and consumer value perception, Beyond Meat’s pivot into protein beverages, the economic challenges facing Portuguese restaurants in the U.S., and why Norbert Niederkofler’s “Cook the Mountain” philosophy deserves more attention.If you’re a chef, cook, operator, hospitality professional, or someone trying to better understand the business and craft of restaurants, this episode is for you.

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Links:

Australia Michelin Guide

Kitchen Rail Advice

Bloomberg Hot Dog Article

Beyond Protein Drink

Portuguese Restaurant Struggles

James Beard Nominations

Cook The Mountain

Clover Reserve

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In this episode, Ray breaks down why restaurants feel "slower" and the data backing it up. He also shares how caring for your staff and avoiding turnover is a crucial financial decision. He then gives updates on some QSR/Fast-Casual restaurants, shares with creators how to help those with limited food options, and discusses a looming protein powder shortage.

Links:

Slow Restaurant Discussion (Reddit)

National Restaurant Association Employee Retention Data

Restaurant Performance Index

Shake Shack Sinks

Texas Roadhouse Improves

Sweetgreen Declines

“Recession Meals” Content

Protein Powder Shortage

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In this episode, Ray and Justin react to the debate over Repertoire accounts, restaurant pricing, and the reality that restaurants face of losing profitability. They then give advice to a CIA grad who regrets attending culinary school, discuss hotels to gain better career leverage, and share some culinary tech updates. #chefs #culinaryschool #cooking #restaurant

Links:

Reddit Culinary School Warning

Nod Mag Chef Hotel Article

Colette AI

Owner (Restaurant Software)

OpenTable Post

Restaurant Trends 2026 (NRN)

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In this episode, Ray breaks down why a city might say no to the Michelin Guide and how that decision affects the broader food scene. He also weighs in on the restaurant pricing convo that led the NY Times and Eli Sussman to go viral, the current dishwasher crisis, and the DOJ's investigation into agricultural price gouging.

Links:

Buffalo Rejects Michelin Guide

Eli Sussman Response

The NY Times Chicken Article

WSJ Dishwasher Crisis

DOJ Pricing Lawsuit

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In this episode, Justin breaks down how Chefs are talking directly to audiences and why this is so valuable. He also covers some Michelin news, answers a fan question on food safety, covers Magnus Nilsson's new venture, and analyzes the number of Michelin-starred chefs who attended culinary school. Ray shares a dire warning by Jose Andres and also gives a restaurant industry update.

Links:

Christian Puglisi’s YouTube

Dan Kennedy’s Substack

José Andrés’ Warning

José Andrés & Eric Ripert Chat

Chef’s Pencil Data

Magnus Nilsson’s New Venture

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In this episode, Ray interviews Namrata Hegde on her time staging at Noma, misconceptions over "staging culture," and the reality of traveling to another country to work at the best restaurant in the world, for free. We then discuss the problems still facing kitchen culture, and why it feels like restaurants are so far behind when it comes to employee welfare.

'

Link:

Namrata Hegde’s Substack

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In this episode, Ray breaks down whether culinary school is worth it in 2026 and why or why not it is a good fit for you. He also breaks down a crazy restaurant lawsuit, the Doritos pricing error, an Expo West recap, and how food companies are regressing on pesticide commitments.

Culinary School Reddit Discussion

Ever Lawsuit

Dorito Pricing

Expo West Recap

Pesticide Rollbacks

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