Curtis Stone — on Being Taken Seriously as a Chef & Knowing When to Walk Away

Summary

Podcast Summary

Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Episode: Curtis Stone on Being Taken Seriously as a Chef & Knowing When to Walk Away
Date: June 30, 2026
Location: Cobi’s, Santa Monica, California
Guest: Curtis Stone (Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur, TV Personality)

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Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and lively episode, Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down for dinner with renowned chef and TV personality Curtis Stone at one of their mutual favorite restaurants, Cobi’s in Santa Monica. The conversation ranges from battle scars in the kitchen, to the evolution of LA’s dining scene, pandemic pivots, the challenges and joys of parenting, the emotional decision to close a Michelin-starred restaurant, and creating a more inclusive kitchen culture. Curtis and Jesse candidly explore the line between celebrity and authenticity in food, the pressures of perception, and how shared meals bind communities together.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. War Stories: Kitchen and Life Mishaps

[04:06–05:38]

• Jesse opens the dinner recounting a recent mishap with a lighter that singed his eyelashes and hairline.
  • “I look like I might have, like, just the beginnings of leprosy… cinched eyebrows. Cinched hairline.” – Jesse Tyler Ferguson [04:30]
• Curtis responds empathetically, sharing that, as a chef, kitchen injuries (cuts, burns) come with the territory.
  • “I’ve cut the end of a finger off…But what’s worse than injuring yourself is when someone else does a number on themselves, and then you’re, of course, responsible for it.” – Curtis Stone [05:04]

2. The Restaurant as Community Through COVID

[05:45–07:10]

• Curtis reminisces about how his butcher shop, Gwen, pivoted during COVID—selling essentials like produce, alcohol, even toilet paper, to help the local community.
  • “We just tried to help everyone out... whatever works.” – Curtis Stone [05:45]
• Jesse highlights how the community rallied around restaurant take-home specials, which recreated a sense of togetherness when dining in wasn’t possible.

3. Parenting: The Picky-Eater Struggle

[08:46–10:37]

• Both dads, Jesse and Curtis, commiserate over having one child (Emerson) who is intensely picky.
  • “My little guy Emerson won’t eat it unless it comes out of a package... He’s basically a redneck. It’s a redneck diet.” – Curtis Stone [10:21]
• Curtis humorously debunks the myth that chef-parents always raise adventurous eaters, sharing a tip from Cat Cora, but admitting every kid is different.

4. The Evolution of LA’s Dining Scene

[13:41–15:54]

• Curtis reflects on twenty years in LA, noting how diverse international talent—chefs from around the world—have developed LA’s food culture.
  • “When I first opened N[o]rd…it was probably 13 years ago, and I’m like, where am I going to find the team? Because I wanted to do something quite elevated.” – Curtis Stone [14:48]
• He observes that now the city boasts everything from stellar bagels to three-Michelin-star gastronomy.

5. The Decision to Close Maude

[16:32–19:48]

• Jesse draws a parallel between the difficulty of saying goodbye to a beloved TV show and Curtis's bittersweet choice to close his acclaimed restaurant, Maude.
  • “By the end of it…I have to shut and it’s going to break my heart. We were still fully booked…I think it’s now, because if I don’t close it while it’s full…it’ll make me really sad.” – Curtis Stone [17:54]
• Curtis describes the grueling creative process of developing a new 10-course menu each month and the importance of moving on while the restaurant was still at its peak.

6. TV vs. Restaurant Chef: Earning Respect

[19:59–22:49]

• Jesse asks if Curtis ever struggled to be taken seriously as a chef due to his TV persona.
• Curtis shares that a comment implying he wasn’t a “real restaurant chef” motivated him to open Maude, partly out of pride and to set an example for his son.
  • “Someone said, well, you would expect him to be better on television, seeing he’s not a real restaurant chef. Which pissed me off... What are my kids going to think of me when they’ll read this stuff?” – Curtis Stone [20:49]
• Despite successes on both fronts, Curtis confirms he’s happiest in the restaurant:
  • "I love the camaraderie with your team. I love the feeling of it’s all about to fall apart, which happens every single night… Most people would want to run from that sort of situation, but I thrive in it."

7. Restaurant Secrets: Challenging Customers & Guest Codes

[22:49–28:45]

• Curtis and Jesse trade stories about unruly customers and restaurant “guest codes.”
  • “We have customer, we’ve had guests just recently…she threw a drink on her spouse...then they went to the parking lot, and my valet attendant told me I thought she was gonna run him over.” – Curtis Stone [22:49 & 24:12]
• Jesse recounts VIP codes like “H2H—Hard to Handle,” and Curtis admits restaurants definitely keep notes on regulars, both for warnings and positive recognition.
  • “I actually read my wife’s notes to her once…in her notes it said ‘is often out of her chair and difficult to drop multiple course menus to’.” – Curtis Stone [27:49]
• Both agree that genuine kindness from customers is most appreciated.
  • “It can be as simple as someone poking their head into the kitchen…‘guys, congratulations, that was fabulous, thank you’…That's always really well received.” – Curtis Stone [29:08]

8. Hiring Philosophy: No Actor Policy & Inclusivity

[30:06–36:58]

• Jesse confirms the rumor that Curtis had a “no actor” policy for servers at Maude.
  • “Everyone that would come in for a job would say, well, I’m an actor…if I don’t book anything, I’ll be available…How on earth can I schedule?” – Curtis Stone [31:17]
• Curtis highlights the value of building a team that is passionate about hospitality as their primary pursuit.
• Discussion shifts to his involvement with Chrysalis, an organization helping formerly incarcerated and unhoused individuals to enter the workforce.
  • “We give people a hand up, not a handout…we hired someone…he’s still with me…It’s made the team at large really rich…when we all sit around a table before service, it’s humbling when you get to speak to people from different walks of life.” – Curtis Stone [33:12–35:19]
• Curtis thoughtfully speaks on the importance of humanizing employees from all backgrounds and breaking down prejudices in the industry.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “My little guy Emerson won’t eat it unless it comes out of a package…He’s basically a redneck. It’s a redneck diet.”
  – Curtis Stone [10:24]

• “If I don’t close [Maude] while it’s full and it feels great, it’ll make me really sad. So that’s what I did.”
  – Curtis Stone [17:54]

• “Someone said…‘seeing he’s not a real restaurant chef’…which pissed me off.”
  – Curtis Stone [20:49]

• “I love the camaraderie with your team. I love the feeling of it’s all about to fall apart…”
  – Curtis Stone [22:14]

• “It can be as simple as someone poking their head into the kitchen at the end of the meal and saying, guys, congratulations. That was fabulous. Thank you.”
  – Curtis Stone [29:14]

• “We give people a hand up, not a handout.”
  – Curtis Stone (on Chrysalis) [33:12]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:06–05:38 | Accidental burns & kitchen injuries | | 05:45–07:10 | Gwen’s pandemic pivot, community building | | 08:46–10:37 | Parenting struggles: raising picky eaters | | 13:41–15:54 | LA Food scene then and now | | 16:32–19:48 | Decision to close Maude, creative burnout, emotional impact | | 19:59–22:49 | Struggles for chef legitimacy, TV vs. restaurant chef | | 22:49–28:45 | Handling difficult customers, restaurant guest codes, kindness in hospitality | | 30:06–36:58 | No actor policy, Chrysalis, hiring inclusively, dignity in work |

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Episode’s Language & Tone

Warm, witty, and candid; both Jesse and Curtis oscillate between heartfelt vulnerability and sharp humor. The conversation is laced with personal anecdotes, restaurant lore, and a sense of camaraderie bound by food, family, and resilience.

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Conclusion

This episode elegantly blends Kitchen Confidential-style storytelling with commentary on community, professional pride, and the real work of inclusivity. Curtis Stone’s honesty about imposter syndrome, what it means to be “taken seriously,” and what lasts after the lights go down (be it on stage or in a restaurant) is both instructive and moving—for food professionals and fans alike.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Spring break planning at our house is. It's definitely an adventure. Our kids have very strong opinions and they're always on different sides of the spectrum. Beckett has very strong opinions about the ocean. It has to be a certain temperature and the wind has to be blowing a certain way if he's gonna get anywhere near it. He doesn't want sand on his feet. Sully, on the other hand, he will roll around in the sand and doesn't care about the water temperature. And he, you know, he could be just sitting amongst seagulls and he's happy. Justin and I, we just want to air conditioning and wifi. Honestly, juggling all the details of a trip can be very stressful. And while I'm thinking about our plans, I also start thinking about our house while we're away. And it hits me. Maybe we could list our place on Airbnb while we're gone. It always sounds great, but I don't know if I can manage all the details myself. That's where Airbnb's co host network comes in. You can hire a vetted local co host to handle all the behind the scenes details, managing reservations, guest communications, and even providing on site. So hosting feels manageable even with everything else going on. So if you're traveling this spring, it might be the perfect time to list your space on Airbnb and maybe earn a little extra cash while you're gone to put toward that extra future travel. Someplace with air conditioning and wi fi. If you're ready to host, but could use a little extra help, find a co [e-mail] host. You know those meals that just immediately take you somewhere? Like, you take one bite and suddenly you're transported to a backyard, Someone's manning the floo fryer, and everyone's waiting for a taste. That's exactly what Boar's Head has managed to do. But at your deli counter. New from Boar's Head, the fryer's turkey breast has the taste of deep fried turkey. And I mean, it's perfectly seasoned. That golden, savory flavor, it really does that thing where one bite kind of takes over and you're like, oh, okay, this is what we're doing now. And the best part is you don't have to host anything. You don't have to fry anything. You don't have to politely ask someone else to handle the hot oil, which, frankly, I'm always happy to avoid. It's just there at the deli, ready to go. So if you're putting together a sandwich or just Standing at the counter, deciding what kind of day you're going to have. The fryer's turkey breast is a pretty great choice. Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite at your local Boar's Head deli counter. Boar's Head, committed to crafts since 1905. Hey, it's Jesse. Today on the show. He is a man of many talents. You know him from Top Chef Masters

and Crime Scene Kitchen. He also happens to have some of my favorite restaurants. Here in la.

It's Celebrity Chef.

Very tall, very Australian, very handsome, Curtis Stone.

[Curtis Stone]

Just recently, they got into a big fight at the table. She threw a drink on her spouse. She demanded that one of my team tell her whether he'd been there with another woman.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Curtis Stone]

Then they went to the parking lot, and my valet attendant told me I thought she was gonna run him over.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is. Dinner's on me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

So today I'm at Kobe's in Santa Monica. This is somewhere that Curtis Stone picked. And I'm actually so glad he did

because it happens to be one of

my favorite restaurants in all of la. I felt very fancy that I share one of my favorite restaurants with Curtis Stone. Means I have good taste. So this is so adorable. It's so cozy inside.

And they married the flavors of Indonesia, Thailand, India. And it's just.

Look at this place. So adorable, so cozy. And a perfect place to have a conversation with Curtis Stone.

Okay, let's get to the conversation.

I told Joanne I would start off by explaining something to you. This is because. Because I'm feeling slightly insecure.

So.

So I'm doing a play right now in New York, and one of my opening night presents was a zipper lighter.

[Curtis Stone]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And so I was filling it with butane.

[Curtis Stone]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Some of it dripped off into the sink. And I didn't realize that. And I went to test the lighter, and all this heat and fire came exploding out of the sink onto my face.

[Curtis Stone]

No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Like, this is four days ago.

[Curtis Stone]

Oh, my God.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So I.

[Curtis Stone]

Now I'm analyzing your face. Like, and they fake eyelashes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now you're gonna see that I look like I might have, like, just the beginnings of leprosy. So cinched eyebrows. Cinched hairline.

[Curtis Stone]

Oh, my God.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Cinched eyelashes. I used to have the most long and luxurious. Yeah, get a good look. Long, luxurious eyelashes. Those are gone.

And then just, like, I put some

makeup on just because, you know, we're on camera. But, like, there's a bit of a.

[Curtis Stone]

It's quite. You got you good.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It got me really good. Anyway, I feel like I just needed to give you a heads up. Have you ever had any? Have you. I assume in the kitchen you've had, like, crazy weird.

[Curtis Stone]

Oh, yeah. All sorts of burns.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Curtis Stone]

Even crate. I have. And I've cut the end of a finger off, and I've cut through a finger with a pair of scissors. So injuries, for sure. But what's worse than injuring yourself is when someone else does a number on themselves, and then you're, of course, responsible for it. So you have to be the first aid, you know, like, has that happened

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

to you in, like, in your kitchens?

[Curtis Stone]

Because if you're the head chef, you're responsible. Like, you're the person.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What's the most common thing people, like with just cutting themselves?

[Curtis Stone]

Normally cuts, and they usually happen on mandolins or a slicer. I've had a couple of bad ones. And of course, we have a butcher shop, so touch wood, nothing crazy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

By the way, that butcher shop got me through Covid. Oh, Gwen. Yeah, you guys were great. Yeah, for sure.

[Curtis Stone]

You know what? We got so much love from the community during that time, because we did. We just tried to help everyone out, and we. We also were like, what's happening? Are we gonna stay in business or are we gonna go out of business? Like, so it was just kind of like, whatever works. And one day a lady came in. She was there to buy meat, of course, but we had an alcohol delivery, and she said, is that for sale? And I was like, sure, it's all for sale. What do you want? Yeah, I broke open a box and got her a bottle of vodka or tequila or whatever it was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She was looking for whatever she needed.

[Curtis Stone]

But that kind of started our market because then we're like, you know what? People can't get toilet paper at the moment. Let's make it available for them. So we just started selling veggies and fruit and all sorts of stuff. And then we'd bake chicken pot pies.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I got one of those.

It was delicious.

[Curtis Stone]

Thanks.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

At that time, it was such a rough time, and, you know, we all come together. That's why I love this podcast so much, is like, you know, this is what we do. We come together as a community, and we. This is how we, you know, when we break bread with people and we share our stories and, like, there's something so wonderful about coming together and eating and having a meal together. And, like, we obviously couldn't do that. And so even having those special things, like, you know, Gwen was doing it with the pot pies and Like, John and Benny's was doing it with. With some of the. They had special items that you get.

And, like, it just felt like that

restaurant culture was something that we could still try and bring home and, like, make something special out of just a regular night at home. It was really, really wonderful.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And I'm glad that you came out on the other end of that.

[Curtis Stone]

I know. Thank God. You know what? I, for the first time ever, was home with my family seven nights a week. I wasn't traveling, and I couldn't go into the restaurant at night. We weren't open. Yeah, I could have if I had wanted to get away from it, but I actually like my family. But I can remember sitting at the dinner table and being like, oh, my God, this is what it's like for most people. They're home for dinner.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. How old are your kids now?

[Curtis Stone]

14 and 11.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah. And we have special ways of making up for not being there in the evening, you know, but it was a really special time for me, bizarrely, through the tragedy of COVID you know, And I think a lot of people found the slowing down kind of cathartic, and I think so.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, I. I became a dad during that time, so I was wild to, you know, welcome in life during that period, but also such a gift that. Because I was meant to be working at the time, and I would have been away for those early moments, and I was, you know, stuck at home. And the best part was I wasn't missing out on anything. There was nothing like that. I was, you know, neglecting it was. It felt like I could actually be at home and not feel guilty about not going to work. Is kind of a gift in that way.

[Curtis Stone]

It's cool. You start as they get a little older, develop a really special friendship with them.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah,

[Curtis Stone]

it gets richer and fuller and better every single year. That's my favorite thing in the world, being a dad. I think it's.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, me too. For sure. 100%. Do you think that they want to follow your steps in the culinary world?

[Curtis Stone]

Well, no, I don't. I've got one boy who will try absolutely anything. Hudson, Very adventurous. And my little guy, Emerson, won't eat it unless it comes out of a package. He's just not interested. I literally said to him one day I cooked for him, and he just took one look at it, and he pushed it away from him, and he said, not eating it. And I was like, what was it? I can't even remember. But I've tried everything with it. Like, I've literally. I thought that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm so happy to hear that because

I was certain you were gonna come in with this. Like, my kids eat anything because I. That's how he raised them.

And my kids are really picky eaters

right now, and I'm struggling with how to push them to try things, but also, you know, give them things that they wanna eat.

[Curtis Stone]

I was on a TV show with Cat Cora when my firstborn was, and she said, listen, whatever you and Lindsey are having for dinner, stick it in a food processor, blend it, and then serve it to them, and I promise you they'll eat everything. And I was like, okay. So that's kind of what we did with Hud. And he ate everything. And I was like, I'm a genius. I know I can write a book. And I would garden with them. And I thought I had it all figured out, and then along, came home and said, indeed. There's just nothing I could do. He won't eat an egg. He's never eaten an egg.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Really?

[Curtis Stone]

You know how limiting it is. There's all these people with allergies throwing things at their unreleased wireless, at their radio right now or wherever you're listening to this podcast. But he just, you know. No, he's very, very independent in the way he thinks about food.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What does he like?

[Curtis Stone]

Anything fried.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Curtis Stone]

Anything white. He's basically a redneck. It's a redneck diet.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Got it, Got it.

[Curtis Stone]

You know, like barbecue. He'll eat barbecue. If it's chicken, it's gotta be in breadcrumbs. It's a real challenge for me to wrap my head around.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Curtis reflects on the criticism that pushed him to open his first fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles. Mod earning a Michelin star, by the way. So I think he proved the naysayers wrong. Okay, be right back. When you're about to leave town for a long stretch, everything suddenly feels really important. What are you packing? What are you forgetting? And what will life look like when you're gone? I'm heading to London this summer to do a production of Jesus Superstar and playing King Herod. And it's one of those trips when you're away long enough that you really have to, you know, get organized. And it made me think about how many people are heading into summer travel right now. Whether it's work, family trips, or just getting out of town for a bit. If you're going to be away, it can be a great opportunity to list your space on Airbnb and earn a little extra cash while you're gone. Let your home work for you instead of it just sitting empty. If the logistics feel like a lot, I totally understand that you don't have to take it all on yourself. With Airbnb's co host network, you can partner with the local co host who can help manage the day to day details like managing reservations, handling guest communication and on site support so everything feels more manageable when you're away. So before summer really kicks in, it might be the right time to get started. Find a co [e-mail] host study and play come together on a Windows 11 PC and for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the unreal college deal, everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox game. Pass ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn [e-mail] studentoffer while supplies last ends

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[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And we're back with more dinners on me.

[Curtis Stone]

Hey mate, how are you?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How are you?

[Restaurant Server]

How about you?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Very good.

[Restaurant Server]

Can I get you guys started off with something to drink by any chance?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I need something sparkly, sparkling.

[Restaurant Server]

We have a nice sparkling water. Want to start off with something like that?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sure, yeah.

[Restaurant Server]

And then do you want still water by any chance?

[Curtis Stone]

I'll have still, yeah. Thanks. Yeah.

[Restaurant Server]

Of course. Anything else like cocktails? Any other beverages for you guys?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Not for me. I know you have a non alcoholic sparkling that I've had before. Yeah. But I don't know if you still have.

[Restaurant Server]

Might be one of our lychee like the Lychee Fizz.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think I'm gonna be good with just the sparkling water.

[Restaurant Server]

Sounds good.

[Curtis Stone]

Yes, thanks.

[Restaurant Server]

Absolutely.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

When did you come to America?

[Curtis Stone]

God, it's nearly 20 years ago now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. Yeah, I think the culinary scene here is great. And by the way, you picked this restaurant today.

[Curtis Stone]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you have you noticed that there has been a shift in like the culinary scene massively in La Yeah, it's changed so much.

[Curtis Stone]

I think LA used to be a good place to eat sushi and maybe a good place to come and get Korean food. But it's really developed into this city that, yes, has a ton of diversity that's available for you and that's cool. And authenticity is important here for sure. But now there's good gastronomy as well, right? Because not that good Thai food or good Korean food or good Mexican food's not gastronomic. But what I mean is that sort of of high end, refined style of cooking. It wasn't really here when I came 20 years ago. I'm not saying I brought it, but I've really seen it flourish and I've seen good restaurants open. And I remember when I first opened Nord, it was probably 13 years ago, and I'm like, where am I going to find the team? Because I wanted to do something quite elevated.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And when you look on this side of town.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah, Beverly Hills. Yeah, yeah, yeah, South Beverly. Anyway, the kitchen ended up being Aussies, a guy from London, someone from Spain, a couple from New York, and you were sort of this very international. People from all over the world came to work in that restaurant. And then once you close or through the course of the 10 years you're open, those guys move on, but they don't leave the city. And that was happening with other good restaurants as well. So you end up with a much bigger base of good cooks that you can hire because you can't run a good restaurant without good cook cooks. You need to have a good team and you need, you need them to have certain level of experience so they know what they're doing. I've seen it really develop. And now there's two and three star Michelin restaurants here and a bunch of great one stars and then also a bunch of great casual, simple, easy. I went to a delicious joint and had a bagel on the weekend and I said to Hudson, this is as good as going to any great restaurant. And it's just down the road, it's Santa Monica. You know, it's like food's. Food's wonderful.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love it.

[Curtis Stone]

I still get excited about it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I've been an investor in certain restaurants I was an investor in all Day Baby, which unfortunately closed shortly after the pandemic. To see all that come together, I saw firsthand how rare it is and how hard it is. I mean, it is sort of like trying to put together a movie or something. Like it's kind of a miracle sometimes that the money comes in and the food is good and like, all those elements that have to come together to make it a successful restaurant. I certainly know the heartbreak of having, you know, believing in something and having it go away and like, you know, Modern Family, even though it ran 11 years and it was incredibly successful, like,

it was very hard to say goodbye to that.

And, you know, with Mod, you said it was about a decade.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you know, Michelin starred and like, it was such an institution. How did you make the decision to close it? And also when that happened, like, what emotions came with that? Yeah, because that was also your first kind of big place here, right?

[Curtis Stone]

It was, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

In la.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah. Look, it was one of those restaurants. We did a different menu every month and it always revolved around a special ingredient. So it was a pretty unique environment that, you know, I'd never experienced a restaurant like that before. But it meant that we had to develop a 10 course menu every 30 days.

[Restaurant Server]

Right.

[Curtis Stone]

And because it was around an ingredient, it always had to be really unique. It was a joy to do. But I always knew that I couldn't do it forever because it just took so much of me and the team. So we sort of, you know, we bumbled along for the 10 years. 11 years, actually. But by the end of it, I said, look, at some point I have to shut and it's going to break my heart. We were still fully booked at that time and I was like, I think it's now because if I don't close it while it's full and it feels great, it'll make me really sad. So that's what I did. But it was, it was. And our guests were like, why? Why are you doing it? And I was like, because it's never going to be the right time. But I just felt like in that moment, that was the time to do it. Oh, look at this.

[Restaurant Server]

I'm gonna put these grilled prawns right over here. At the bottom is going to be that yellow bean sauce. It's going to be topped. The heads are edible. If you guys feel like eating this, this is going to be the kanpachi. This is a raw amberjack with coconut dressing. It's gonna be topped with some leak ash. It's like fried scallions.

[Curtis Stone]

Good man. Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you.

[Curtis Stone]

I love this price.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Me too. I do. I'm so happy you picked it.

[Curtis Stone]

I was so torn about picking it because now I know that it's already impossible to get in here.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know.

That's why I was so happy you picked it.

It's Kind of.

[Curtis Stone]

That's got to be even harder.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Commercial Announcer]

We won't talk.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We won't air the episode.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

D. We'll just keep it secret.

[Curtis Stone]

Just delay it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So we didn't order because they're creating a special menu for us. So everything that's come out, I think, is. I don't think you've had anything to say about this, have you?

[Restaurant Server]

No, no.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They just put this together for us, so.

[Curtis Stone]

Oh, yum.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. We have not seen a menu.

It's gonna be a surprise.

It's gonna be one of those things

we're like, is this the last dish

when we're, like, so full? Was it. Were there any regrets about, like, was there questions about closing mod when it was at such a height? I mean.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah, you know, the team wanted to keep pushing. They wanted to try and get a second star. They wanted to just keep going for it. But I think you've got to be careful with your focus, and if you try and do more papaya salad. Oh, yum.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That looks great. Thank you.

[Curtis Stone]

It can actually distract, you know, Like, I feel like sometimes when you. For me, the. The. The culinary side of board.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

Was so intense. It was taking a lot of my time, but I wanted to spend more time on Gwen. I wanted to develop some other ideas that I could do, and I never wanted to feel stagnant, you know?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you ever feel.

Because, I mean, obviously, so many people know you from your work on tv, being on a judge on what was the Top Chef Masters.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you ever feel like, if you had to pick a lane, so to speak, like, being just a chef in restaurants and, like, being a restaurateur or being a chef on tv. Would you be able to choose? And also, do you ever feel like, because of, you know, your TV Persona, that it's. Did you ever have a hard time having people take you seriously as a. As a chef?

[Curtis Stone]

For sure. Yeah. That's actually why I opened maud. I read something because I'd only worked in great restaurants in Europe, right. Then I moved to the States and did a TV show, and I read something about myself, which you probably should never do. But it was like this. Someone had said.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that. You always remember that. You'll remember word for word for word.

[Curtis Stone]

Someone said, well, you know, you would expect him to be better on television, seeing he's not a real restaurant chef.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, okay.

[Curtis Stone]

Which pissed me off.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Naturally. Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

You know, like. But the truth is, I never had an ego in it, and I was. I was never precious about It. But my son was just born, and when I read that, I was like, oh, my God, what are my kids gonna think of me when they'll read this stuff? So I was like, I'm gonna open a restaurant. And I literally came back from the park, and I got back, and I said to Lynn's, honey, I'm gonna. I'm gonna open a restaurant. And she goes, what? And I was like, yeah. And she's like, do it. You should. Of course, she didn't know what it actually meant that I would never be home and I'd always be at work. Right. But at that moment, I was kind of happy doing what I was doing, because when you do television, it's an interesting thing. As a chef, you get to sort of share your love of food with a really broad audience.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

Well, when you're in your restaurant, it's just the 50, 60, 100 people that come in that night, they're both beautiful, but they're just really different.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

So I was enjoying doing more of the television, and I think I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder when I opened Ward, which is why it was so. If I look back on it, I'm like, well, it was so aspirational because I had something to prove. I was like, oh, yeah, journalists of Los Angeles, you think I can't cook? You know, So I had this, like. Right. The little chip on my shoulder. But the truth is, I'm my happiest when I'm in the restaurant. I really am. I love it. I love the camaraderie with your team. I love the feeling of it's all about to fall apart, which happens every single night. You start your service, it starts off pretty calm, and then as the check start to mount up and the pressure starts to rise, most people would probably want to run from that sort of situation, but I thrive in it. I just love it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Have you ever been called out of the kitchen and yelled at by a customer?

[Curtis Stone]

Oh, my God, I have. We deal with upset customers regularly.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

You know, you just do in the restaurant business.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

Thank God it's not always about the food.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Curtis Stone]

You know, people will get upset because they got. Didn't get the table they wanted or they felt like someone treated them disrespectfully or. And quite often, it's just a misunderstanding.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

There's also alcohol involved in restaurants. That's right. So sometimes you guess totally might misjudge things ever so slightly because they've had one too many glasses of wine.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, you hear These stories about celebrities getting kicked out of restaurants all the time, right? Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

And people will fight. We have customer, we've had guests just recently. They got into a big fight at the table. She threw a drink on her spouse. She. She demanded that one of my team tell her whether he'd been there with another woman. No, you tell me now, has he or has he not been in here? Then things calm down. I'm not gonna say then things calm down. I should say then. Then they went to the parking lot and my valet attendant told me the next day I had this couple. So we were able to trace the fight all the way to the parking lot.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's so good.

[Curtis Stone]

So, you know, we get these juicy stories that we normally just keep to ourselves. Here I am blabbing to you. But look, we never talk about our guests, right? People always ask me about the celebrities that come in and I'm like, if I did that, I would be like one of these places with a photographer out the front. You know, we have all sorts of incredible people come to us for dinner and we really do respect their privacy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Curtis explains why kindness from guests stands out more than anything else. And he reveals how a long standing hiring philosophy shaped the culture of his kitchen in unexpected ways. So good, so good. So good.

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[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

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[Curtis Stone]

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[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And we're back with more dinners on me.

I did a play on Broadway called Fully Committed about a reservationist at a very high end restaurant. So I, I played the reservationist. It's a one man show. So you played. I played the reservationist and also all the people calling into the restaurant trying to get a table. I played the hostess, I play the chef. It was like, you know, four different characters. It's a really great play. But one of the things I got to experience as I was doing research for it was I got to go to a lot of these, like really high end New York restaurants like Grandma Sue Tavern and ABC Kitchen and Jean Georges. And like we. And I got to go into the reservation rooms and watch the reservationists, like open up the lines. And they told me that there are certain codes for, you know, certain customers.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I have a friend who, she could be very loud, right. And she can, you know, after a few drinks, get a little bit boisterous. Anyway, one of our friends told her at one point, they're like, you know, there's a code for, for you in our system and it's H2H H2H. And she says, well, what does that mean? And it's hard to handle. So they know when she makes a reservation, she's got an H2H and they know what to expect. But also like, maybe not give her a table if like don't go out of their way to like, you know, get her in if she needs to get. If she wants a reservation. Is that something you are, I mean your restaurants and employed.

[Curtis Stone]

Absolutely. We're totally guilty. Yes. We keep notes. I actually read my wife's notes to her once.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Really?

[Curtis Stone]

I wish I videoed it. Because she will often. She always knows everyone, so she'll always get up and go and start talking with other tables. Or someone will come and meet her and then she'll go and she'll chat to them. And in her notes it said is often out of her chair.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Curtis Stone]

And difficult to drop. Drop multiple course menus too.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Interesting.

[Curtis Stone]

So I read it to her. She's like, oh my God, that's quite intrusive.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Trying to explain herself.

[Curtis Stone]

It's the truth, babe. You never, you never.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh my God, it's so funny.

[Curtis Stone]

But yeah, no, we do keep notes on our guests because we like to.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

So your point makes special.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It seems like it's more for like the good experience. Not necessarily, you know, you want to be able to provide things and know enough about them. Like you know, anniversaries are always remembered and like birthdays and those things. I just thought the H2H was incredibly.

[Curtis Stone]

To handle. Hilarious. We don't use that code, but we're going to start.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Start using it. Start using it. I mean, if, if customers could know that it's like one thing that they should be doing in a restaurant to like impress the servers or the staff, like, what would that. I mean, obviously, like being generous and being a great tipper and being kind. Is there something that like people do that is like, oh, that's something that's very special that not a lot of people think to do.

[Curtis Stone]

I think it's whenever you have someone that's really kind to the team.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

That's what really stands out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

And it can be as simple as someone just poking their head into the kitchen at the end of the meal and saying, guys, congratulations. That was fabulous. Thank you. You know, it can be that simple.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Simple. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

And we've had bigger gestures. We've had people send a box of beer for the guys in the kitchen at the end of service or a box of cupcakes the next day for family meal, we call it, where they sort of say, you know, dinner was so special last night, we wanted to give you guys a treat. That's so sweet. Little things like that, that. Well, they're not little things, they're beautiful gestures. But yeah, that, that's. That's always really well received.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But also those people are definitely getting a reservation.

[Curtis Stone]

Oh yeah, they get a gold star.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know, it is a two way street. As long as I'm not H2H, that's. I'm good. Remember reading this a long time ago and I forgot to ask about it When I was on your show, you had a no actor policy at mod, right?

[Curtis Stone]

That's right. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm interested. Tell me more.

[Curtis Stone]

No, not as our guests. As our servers.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, I know because a lot.

[Commercial Announcer]

Of course.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Son is your guest.

[Curtis Stone]

Can you imagine we'd have my guests.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You just wouldn't serve them food.

[Curtis Stone]

Sorry. You're an actor. You're out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I should have clarified. As on your staff, as servers. No actor policy. Yes.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah, we did.

[Restaurant Server]

We did this right over here for you guys.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you so much.

[Restaurant Server]

So this is gonna be the butter chicken.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, God.

[Restaurant Server]

Cilantro and yogurt. Third dried finagreek on top. This is the jasmine rice here on the side. Pairs really well with the butter chicken. I'm gonna be back with some more gifts for you guys, okay?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. I Love butter chicken so much.

[Curtis Stone]

So do I.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Have you ever made it?

[Curtis Stone]

I have. I love Indian food.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Me too. I think it's my favorite. So my current favorite on this side

[Restaurant Server]

for you guys, this is gonna be our beef rendang.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, nice.

[Restaurant Server]

This is the slow cooked Indonesian beef. Really nice and tender. Pairs really well with this gulai. This is like the coconut squash curry. And then over here on this side, this is the lime leaf chili. These pair very well together with the beef rendang. I would say make them, mix them them together for a nice bite. Very, very good, guys. And this is going to be the roti, like the non bread we have. Enjoy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It does smell so good.

[Curtis Stone]

I love this curry. The red dang, it's my favorite. So we. When I first started meeting people in la, everyone that would come in for a job would say, well, I'm an actor, yes, but if I don't book anything, I'll be available. And I'm like, how on earth can I schedule? Like I need, we're open five nights a week and I need the same crew so they can learn and develop and understand the 300 wines we have on the list. And so that's kind of where it started. And I was like, let's just really try and get our arms around hospitality as an industry because there are incredible hospitality professionals and it really is a beautiful industry. So we sort of were like, let's really dive deep and support that as much as we can and not have a restaurant where it wasn't so much that we didn't want actors, we didn't want people that saw it as my second choice.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Totally.

[Curtis Stone]

So that's kind of where it started.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I really respect all that, by the way. I think that, you know, it's, it's prioritizing what you were. Obviously something you're very passionate about and, you know, you wouldn't want it the other way around with an actor being like, well, how am I going to act against someone who might not be there on a consistent basis about it? Yeah, exactly. I mean, you also have worked with this organization that I really love, I've known about for a while called Chrysalis, where you employ formerly incarcerated and unhoused people. You started that when you were a mod, right?

[Curtis Stone]

That's right.

[Restaurant Server]

Right.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah. Look, I went to this fancy Hollywood gathering called the Butterfly Ball.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think I've been to that.

[Curtis Stone]

Have you been to it?

[Restaurant Server]

Yeah.

[Curtis Stone]

We'd love to have you back. Yeah, it's. I listened to this guy get up and talk and he was out of jail. And he decided in jail to turn his life around. And then he couldn't. He couldn't get a job. He couldn't, you know, so he fell back into this cycle. Because imagine going for a job and they say, where were you working before this? I'll just come out of jail. It shuts down most interviews, as you can imagine. So he told this story of going through this cycle a few times and then finding Chrysalis in and out of jail. He found Chrysalis and they were like, we'll help you. We'll help you get your first job, we'll help you get presentable, and we'll teach you how to do an interview properly. And he got his first job, and then he moved on to his next job and his next job. And then he found love and ended up having a kid and became a really meaningful, like, contributor to society. And it just made me sort of go, my God, you drive past so many people in Los Angeles where you think your poor soul, you know, but you don't know how to help. And I thought, even if you help one person get back on track. And their whole motto at Chrysalis is, we give people a hand up, not a handout. So that really resonated with me. So I was like, you know what? I'll give it a shot. So we hired someone. We had a dishwasher position open. This guy Darrell came in. He's still with me. Worked with me for 12 years. Beautiful man. Tough past, you know, and we've probably had 30 or so chrysalis employees through our doors at different times. And it's always interesting. So anyway, we've had a wonderful experience working with those people. And I think it's made the team at large really rich. Because I've got guys that have worked only in three Michelin starred restaurants, and I've got people that have only done the best of the best of the best. But when we all sit around a table and break bread before service, it's humbling when you get to actually speak to people from different walks of life and makes you care about each other in a different way. So it's been a gift that's kept giving back to us.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's really incredible because I think in

the moment, it's just you don't realize you might be changing someone's life when you say, sure, take this job and, like, see how we do it, like. But it could. It could absolutely, absolutely change their life.

[Curtis Stone]

Yeah. And I've seen it again and again. You Know, and I think that's. That's what's so beautiful about it. And when you humble yourself and put yourself in the position of, we're all the same, you know, we're all. We're all the same human beings. We've just had different experiences, then you can, you know, I've had some of these guys celebrate Thanksgiving with me, with my family, and welcome them into my home and had them around my kids when they were much younger, right? I've got this one guy, a big tattoo on his face, and if you saw me greet him in the street, you'd be like, oh, my God. How do you know that guy? Yeah, he's one of my pals, you know, like. And that's what's so interesting to me about it. Like, if I had have stopped and contemplated that at the beginning of the journey, I might have thought to myself, is it dangerous? Is it, you know, is it all right to have these people in your business? Is it a threat to the other staff members? And then you sort of just leave all that bullshit to the side and go, you know what? We're all just humans. And, yeah, there'll be bumps, but you know what? We've had issues with people that come from wonderful backgrounds. Do you know what I mean? We've had one staff member, you know, an incident of theft from another staff member. It wasn't one of our guys from Chrysalis. You know what I mean? So we're all. We've all got the propensity to be amazing and terrible all at the same time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's really remarkable. And I think, you know, you also lead by example, which is so important because, you know, by you doing that and sharing those stories, I think it inspires other people to absolutely, you know, follow suit. And I think it's really, really wonderful.

[Restaurant Server]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think it's really remarkable. It's great.

[Curtis Stone]

It's almost as good as this butter chicken. Dang.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Isn't that great?

[Curtis Stone]

It's good.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So good. I'm so glad you did this. I did your podcast, you did mine. We're even now.

[Curtis Stone]

Thanks for having me some. Thanks for picking up the chick.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

Dinner is on me.

Yeah, don't even worry about it. Dinner's on me.

This episode of Dinner's On Me was recorded at CO in Santa Monica, California. Next week on Dinners on Me, you know her as Charlotte York Goldblatt in Sex and the City. And. And just like that, it's Kristen Davis. We'll talk about the influence, her fellow Sex and the city co stars had on her as a person, her incredible volunteer work shedding light on the refugee crisis around the world. And we'll get into her decision to adopt two kids on her own. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing Subscribing to Dinners On Me. Plus, as a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad free. Just click Try free at the top of the Dinners on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinners On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Behr engineered this episode. Hans Dale. She composed our theme music. Our Head of Production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week. Uncovered windows can make your home feel up to 20 degrees hotter. Stay cool and save up to 45% off custom window treatments during the 4th of July VIP access sale at blinds.com from Outdoor Shades to room darkening blinds, finding the perfect fit is easy. Get free samples, expert design help and professional measure and install services or DIY it with confidence and support every step of the way. Shop up to 45% off site wide right now during the 4th of July VIP access [e-mail].