Podcast Summary: Bobby on the Beat

Episode: Martha Stewart's The Bedford, Influencer Taste By Will, Green Chile Chicken Soup with Leah Cohen
Host: Bobby Flay
Guest Co-Host: Chef Leah Cohen
Notable Features: Interview and pop quiz with food influencer Will, behind-the-scenes at Martha Stewart's restaurant, soup recipe demo
Date: December 8, 2025

Overview

This lively episode of Bobby on the Beat brings together culinary talent, digital influencer culture, and plenty of behind-the-scenes restaurant insights. Bobby Flay is joined by chef Leah Cohen, best known for her acclaimed Southeast Asian restaurant Pig & Khao. Together they swap stories from their culinary journeys, discuss the evolution of restaurant culture in New York, and taste-test Bobby’s Green Chile Chicken Soup. The episode also features an engaging segment with restaurant influencer Will of “Taste by Will,” who faces Bobby’s culinary pop quiz and shares how food criticism is changing in the digital age. The episode wraps up with Bobby’s first-timer review of Martha Stewart’s restaurant, The Bedford, and Leah’s updates on her blossoming projects.

Main Segments & Key Discussions

1. Leah Cohen: Culinary Origins & Restaurant Evolution

[00:00–07:06]

• Leah's Early Days:
  • Leah shares her unlikely start, including pizza delivery (“not many female pizza delivery people back then”) and potato peeling in an Italian kitchen.
  • Bobby reminisces: “The restaurant business at any level is such an amazing place… it teaches you life skills.” ([02:36])
• Top Chef Revealed:
  • Leah recounts her infamous Top Chef “showmance,” candidly admitting to making out with a fellow contestant (Hosea, who later won that season).
  • “Back then, they were pumping everyone full of alcohol, so we were wasted… we made out one drunken night.” – Leah ([01:11])
• Education & Italy:
  • Tried college, but, “I was more excited to go to work than I was to go to school. So then I went to the CIA [Culinary Institute of America].” – Leah ([03:11])
  • Discussed time in Sicily, culinary influences, and the gendered challenges in Italian kitchens: “They didn’t realize you were a girl… we only had housing for boys.” ([05:06])
• Opening Pig & Khao and Identity in the Kitchen:
  • Leah credits David Chang and Momofuku for paving her path: “He really made Asian food feel cool and approachable… without him, I wouldn’t have felt comfortable opening Pig and Cow.” ([04:05])
  • On being a Filipino-Jewish woman in food: “People look at me and they’re like, oh, what does she know? … Once I felt comfortable as an authority, that’s when I had more fun with it.” ([06:56])

2. The New Era of Food Influencers: Will (“Taste By Will”) Joins the Show

[07:06–13:16]

• Leah & Bobby on Social Media Influencers:
  • Leah: “I used to fight it, but now I think it’s just part of what we do… If you don’t grow with what’s going on, you’ll get left behind.” ([07:12])
  • Bobby discusses accommodating influencers: “Back in the day of the classic restaurant critic… they would never accept a free meal. Now it’s more transparent.”
• Introducing Will and His “Walk-In” Restaurant Reviews:
  • Will explains his approach: “We just try to go to the best restaurants in the city with no reservation.” ([09:16])
  • Will: “It started consuming a lot of food content. I was like, you know what? I’m already going… might as well try my hand.” ([09:37])
  • Bobby admires his vibe: “If they can’t get in, they don’t make a big deal, just go to the next place. I just love his vibe.” ([08:53])
• Pop Quiz Showdown:
  • Bobby grills Will with food trivia (definitions of wagyu, clarified butter, ingredients in a Negroni, Champagne regulations, and more).
  • “Wagyu?” – Bobby
    “Fattiest cut of beef… only from Japan.” – Will ([11:06])
  • “Parmigiano vs. Pecorino?” – Bobby
    “No, but I should.” – Will
    “Parmigiano is cow’s milk… Pecorino is sheep’s milk,” – Bobby ([12:16])
• On Monetizing Influence:
  • Will: “Starting to lean into some brand partnerships, but this year was just about making the best content and growing a following.” ([12:51])
  • “I want to build out this taste brand into something bigger than me.” ([12:55])

3. Restaurant Business Real Talk: Surviving in New York

[13:16–17:45]

• Bobby and Leah on Restaurant Challenges:
  • Bobby reflects on Leah’s original Pig & Khao run: “13 years in a restaurant in NYC is literally like 500 years in dog age.” ([14:17])
  • Leah notes: “If you’re an older brand… you have to be at the top of the social media game. People will forget about you.” ([15:30])
  • On asking for Google reviews: “At first I was like, oh, this is so cheesy… but people want to be heard, they’ll be nicer.” – Leah ([16:05])
  • Leah recounts loyal Pig & Khao customers following to the new Upper West Side spot: “We have a lot of our old customers coming back to us, which is kind of cool.” ([16:29])
• Can You Still Profit in NYC?
  • Bobby: “Even if people come to your restaurant… it’s almost impossible to make a profit these days.” ([17:00])
  • Leah: “It is. With occupancy, cost of goods, labor… all high. It’s very hard, no matter how busy you are, to make money.” ([17:06])
  • Bobby admits, “The financial part is a headache, but the passion is way more valuable.” ([17:45])

4. Cooking Demo: Bobby’s Green Chile Chicken Soup

[17:56–21:24]

• Bobby walks listeners through his spicy, hearty Green Chile Chicken Soup recipe:
  • Roast red onions, garlic, poblanos, jalapeños, and tomatillos.
  • Combine with broth, cumin, and honey; blend for smoothness.
  • Garnish with shredded chicken, tortillas, avocado, lime. ([18:50])
  • “At the very last second, add a bunch of cilantro for some freshness and some herbaceousness… balances out the tartness and spiciness.” – Bobby ([19:03])
• Leah’s verdict:
  • “You know, it does not need more acid.” ([21:13])
  • “The only thing I would say is, I want more of those tortillas for crunch.” ([21:22])
  • Bobby: “You’re a very good judge… you bring dishes to life for the viewer.” ([21:30])
• Judging philosophy:
  • “People think I’m a tough judge.” – Leah
  • “You are tough! Especially on Triple Threat…” – Bobby ([21:52])
  • “Every judge on Triple Threat takes a social media beating… but you become a big character.” ([22:05])

5. On-the-Street Reviews: Martha Stewart’s The Bedford

[22:18–26:41]

• Bobby describes his “Instant Reviews” format—gathering dish recommendations from diners exiting the restaurant before heading in.
• Interviews with real guests at The Bedford:
  • “Bread basket, excellent. It’s very different than any other gourmet restaurant.” ([23:25])
  • “I come every year for my birthday… the bread’s excellent. You gotta have one of the martinis.” ([23:46])
  • Oysters, lobster, caprese salad, scallop crudo, and the “smashed” baked potato all earn top marks.
  • “Everything they told us to order by consensus basically was good.” – Bobby ([26:06])
• Bobby praises Martha Stewart’s approach:
  • “Whenever I’m in the room with Martha Stewart, I learn something new. She’s the smartest person I’ve ever come across.” ([26:13])

6. Leah’s Next Steps: Books and Heritage

[27:07–27:56]

• Leah reveals she’s working on a new Filipino-focused cookbook:
  • “The first one [Lemongrass and Lime] was kind of a guide to acid… this one is fully Filipino.” ([27:20])
• On languages: “Like Italian… when I’m drunk.” ([27:42])

Notable Quotes

• Bobby Flay:
  • “13 years in a restaurant in New York City is literally like 500 years in dog age.” ([14:17])
  • “The restaurant business at any level… teaches you how to adjust in life.” ([02:36])
• Leah Cohen:
  • On Top Chef: “I had, like, a showmance. We made out one drunken night.” ([01:11])
  • “People want to be heard, they’ll be nicer.” (On Google reviews, [16:05])
• Will (@TasteByWill):
  • “We just try to go to the best restaurants in the city with no reservation.” ([09:16])
  • “I have no, like, traditional culinary training.” ([10:39])

Timestamps by Segment

• Leah Cohen's Top Chef & Early Years: [00:00–04:43]
• Italy, Pig & Khao, and Cultural Identity: [04:43–07:06]
• Food Influencers & the Digital Shift: [07:06–09:07]
• Interview & Pop Quiz with Will: [09:16–13:16]
• Restaurant survival in NYC: [13:16–17:45]
• Green Chile Chicken Soup Demo: [17:56–21:24]
• Behind-the-scenes Judging: [21:24–22:17]
• Restaurant Instant Review at The Bedford: [22:18–26:41]
• Leah’s Cookbook & Outro: [27:07–27:56]

Memorable Moments

• Leah openly discussing her Top Chef romance and the wild culture of those early competition shows.
• Will's honest admission of learning as he goes, and performing admirably on Bobby’s spontaneous food pop quiz.
• The warmth and candor between Bobby and Leah as they reminisce on restaurant hardships and laughter over “soup slurping” versus “soup drinking.”
• Bobby’s affirmation of old-school culinary criticism and the need for influencers to truly know their food.
• The wholesome chaos of street interviews with Martha’s biggest fans, all fixated on the breadbasket at The Bedford.
• Leah on keeping tradition alive: “Once I felt comfortable enough that I can say I’m an authority… that’s when I was able to have a little bit more fun with it.” ([06:56])

Tone & Style

Warm, candid, and full of sibling-like banter. Bobby and Leah mix industry honesty with playful jabs, never shying from the tough realities or the silly traits that make food culture so dynamic. The episode is peppered with real-life anecdotes, gentle ribbing (“I live rent free in your brain”—Leah, [20:22]), lighthearted humility, and always a sense of gratitude for the joy (and grind) of the restaurant world.

For Listeners New to the Episode

This episode gives a full tour of what it means to be a chef, critic, and creator in today’s culinary landscape—blending humility, toughness, and adaptability. Whether you’re interested in kitchen culture, influencer trends, or simply hungry for comfort food, Bobby and Leah invite you right behind the swinging restaurant doors.