Episode 80 – Jeremy Fox of Birdie G's and Rustic Canyon
Once an award-winning chef at Ubuntu making acclaimed vegetable-focused food, Chef Jeremy Fox was struggling to deal with his anxiety and imposter syndrome. He spent years stuck in the persona he felt he was expected to be, building a bad reputation along the way.
Today, Jeremy joins host Eli Kulp to discuss his past and lessons learned, career highlights, and more importantly, his future. He recalls those early career days, and how his family and education as a chef inspired his food.
Jeremy and Eli talk about their struggles with anxiety, and how a new generation of chefs is changing how some chefs educate in the kitchen. He’s currently the chef and co-owner of Birdie G’s, a Santa Monica restaurant named after and inspired by his daughter and grandmother, where he’s leading with his newfound perspective on guiding young chefs.
If you’re going to take in anything from this episode (besides the best eats in Philly and LA!), we hope it’s that perseverance is all you need to change your life. Even if you burn all your bridges and hit rock bottom, like Jeremy, it is possible to start over and succeed.
Tune in to hear about Chef Jeremy Fox’s journey from living an unhealthy life of a stressed out “food celebrity” to doing what he always dreamt of doing — running a humble restaurant that people and families just love to eat!
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Eli breaks down Jeremy Fox’s career
- Creating the menu for Ubuntu
- Jeremy’s transition to working at Rustic Canyon and his reputation
- Eli on his time at Torrisi
- Jeremy reflects on his childhood in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia food traditions vs. the west coast
- Jeremy on his experience in Los Angeles
- How Rustic Canyon changed in 10 years
- Jeremy’s grandmother and inspiration for Birdie G’s
- Jewish cuisine-inspired dishes at Birdie G’s
- How fatherhood changed Jeremy as a chef
- The journey to working at Manresa
- Jeremy’s advice to leaders in the kitchen
- The next generation of chefs
- How Jeremy stopped being an intense, confrontational chef
- Managing the stress of making a restaurant successful
- Eli’s experience with anxiety
- Jeremy on his anxiety and helping others
- Dealing with anxiety and effects of the pandemic
Stay connected with Jeremy Fox on Instagram, and grab his book On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen here!
Listen to more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast, and be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly!
Connect with Eli on Instagram:
A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.