World of Mouth podcast

Yasmina Hayek is the Executive Head Chef at Em Sherif restaurants and cafés, and she is based in Beirut, Lebanon. She grew up in a family where food brought people together, told stories and upheld traditions. As a child, she loved visiting her mother Mireille’s restaurants and that led her to studies at the Institut Paul Bocuse in France, before working in Michelin-starred kitchens, from Paris to Copenhagen. She later returned to Beirut to work at Em Sherif, which has grown from the original restaurant in Beirut to branches in Harrods London, Monaco, in Abu Dhabi and many other locations. In this podcast we will hear about the legacy of Lebanese dining Yasmina Hayek is spreading around the world. At the end of the podcast she will reveal his favourite restaurants in Beirut, Copenhagen and the rest of the world. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan Cole is the chef and co-owner of Salsify at the Roundhouse in Cape Town. Cole was born in 1989 into a Cape Town fishing family. In high school, he worked for three days in a hotel kitchen and decided to attend the South African Chefs Academy to become a chef. He moved to London in 2010 and worked at The Square and La Trompette. Three years later, he returned to Cape Town and worked his way to the award-winning The Test Kitchen with chef Luke Dale-Roberts and later became its head chef. In 2018, Dale-Roberts and Cole opened Salsify at the historic Cape Town Roundhouse in Camps Bay. In this podcast we will hear about Ryan Cole’s love for South Africa’s nature and the farmed produce, and at the end of the podcast he will reveal his favourite restaurants in Cape Town and the rest of the world. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Raue is the chef and owner of restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin and many other restaurants in Germany. He’s one of Germany’s best-known chefs and has redefined German top gastronomy. He was born in Berlin in 1974, and had a rough youth as a member of a street gang in the Kreuzberg district. He saw the kitchen as a way into the working life, and began his culinary training at the age of 17. After a 30 year long career in various restaurants, Tim Raue has been awarded two Michelin stars and was ranked No. 26 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2022 and he was also featured in a episode of the Netflix series "Chef's Table". In this podcast we will hear about Tim Raue’s troubled youth, about not giving up and about his love for his hometown Berlin. At the end of the podcast he will reveal his favourite restaurants in Berlin and the rest of the world. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Torsten Vildgaard is the executive chef at FZN by Björn Frantzén in Dubai. He grew up in Copenhagen, and as a young chef had a dream of joining the small team at newly founded Noma. Finally, after winning the Chef of the Year competition in Denmark, he got the job. At Noma he spent many years as sous chef and head of R&D. After Noma he opened his own fine-dining restaurant, Studio in Copenhagen. In 2023 he joined the Frantzén Group to lead the kitchen at FZN in Dubai, and under his leadership the restaurant earned three Michelin stars in the 2025 Dubai Michelin Guide, a first for the UAE. In this podcast we will hear about Torsten Vildgaard’s passion for reaching the heights in fine dining and his lifelong pursuit of Michelin stars. At the end of the podcast he will reveal his favourite restaurants in Dubai and Copenhagen. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcin Król is the chef and restaurateur of newly opened Cypsèle in Paris. He was born in Poland but left his native country in 2013. His culinary career started when he was 18 years old, working at Noma in Copenhagen. After a year in Copenhagen, and some failed university studies, Marcin Król Marcin started as Sous-Chef at restaurant Boragó in Chile. After Borago, he worked at Stockholm’s Oaxen Krog and Le Chateaubriand in Paris, followed by a move to Tokyo to be a part of the opening team of Noma’s sister restaurant Inua. After a move to Paris, he was running chef Sota Atsumi’s Maison for the past three years. A week ago, at the age of 30, Marcin Król opened his first own project, restaurant Cypsèle, located in the very center of Paris, on Île Saint-Louis. In this podcast, we will hear Marcin Król’s story from rural Poland to the center of the world’s culinary capital, of traveling the world, learning from the very best chefs and finally opening his own place. At the end of the podcast he will reveal his favourite restaurants in Paris. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Cicolini is the chef of SantoPalato in Rome. She was born in Abruzzo, and grew up in the countryside with her young parents and grandparents. She attended medical school, but at the age of 23, she quit her studies to become a chef. Without a chef’s training, she wanted to pursue her personal dream of cooking for people. She worked her way to some of Rome’s most famous restaurants, and opened SantoPalato in 2017. Seven years later, her restaurant has become a benchmark contemporary trattoria, redefining the thousand year old recipes of the Roman kitchen. In this podcast, we will follow Sarah Cicolini’s journey from rural Abruzzo to the kitchens of Rome. We will also hear her tricks on how to master the most iconic of all pasta dishes: the Carbonara. At the end of the podcast she will reveal her favourite restaurants in Rome and the rest of the world. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ivan Brehm is the chef-owner of restaurant Nouri and the creative space Appetite in Singapore. As a chef, he is known for his thoughtful approach to food, creativity and "Crossroads Thinking”, emphasising the connections and interdependence of all things, extending beyond cooking. This comes partly from his multi ethnic heritage and childhood in São Paulo in Brazil. As a young chef, he left Brazil and worked in some of the world’s best restaurants that left a clear mark on his cooking philosophy, like Thomas Keller’s Per Se, Andoni Luis Aduriz’s Mugaritz, and Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck. In this podcast, we will hear Ivan Brehm tell his story, and how he combines cultural exploration, history, anthropology, and culinary traditions into a collective exploration of food and meaning. He will also reveal his favourite restaurants in Singapore and the rest of the world. These recommendations and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Strödel is the chef at restaurant EI in Berlin. She grew up in the South of Germany in the Bavarian Alps, and at the age of 16, started working in restaurants as a front of house. Working in Munich, she switched to the kitchen and then moved to Berlin to work in fine dining restaurants Tulus Lotrek and Nobelhart & Schmutzig. At her current Berlin restaurant EI, she focuses on local produce and does her own take on German heritage cooking. In the podcast she will also tell how her all female restaurant team is still in minority in the male dominated restaurant world. She will also reveal her favourite restaurants in Berlin and the rest of the world. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Esben Holmboe Bang is the chef at three Michelin star restaurant Maaemo in Oslo, Norway. Originally from Denmark, he’s lived in his wife’s homeland Norway for more than 20 years. In 2010 he founded Maaemo to showcase the bounty of exceptional Norwegian produce. Six years later, Maaemo became one of the first Nordic restaurants to be awarded 3 Michelin stars. Today, the restaurant holds a steady position as one of the best examples of Nordic fine dining. In the podcast we will hear Esben Holmboe Bang tell the story of the success of the New Nordic restaurants and about his love for the unique Norwegian seafood and vegetables. We will also hear his favourite restaurant recommendations to Oslo, Copenhagen and the US. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrice Demers is the chef and co-owner of restaurant Sabayon in Montreal, Canada, together with his wife, sommelier Marie-Josée Beaudoin. Demers entered the gastronomic world as a pastry chef, where he was fascinated with the techniques and challenges of baking and desserts. Today, he runs his 12-seat restaurant Sabayon in Montreal together with his wife. In the podcast, we will hear Patrice Demers tell about his love for pastries and about his longing for his own restaurant. He will also reveal all his favourite restaurants in Montreal, New York and Paris. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bo Songvisava is the co-chef and co-owner of Bo.lan in Bangkok. She runs the restaurant with her husband Dylan Jones, and together they are on a mission to reintroduce Thailand its native cuisine. She is also an environmental activist working to fight industrialization and support small-scale farmers who supply her restaurant. Bo Songvisava grew up in a bustling household in Bangkok, as one of five kids in her family. After graduating with a bachelor’s of business in restaurant and catering management, she went to London to work at Australian chef David Thompson’s Nahm, which was a pioneer in reintroducing traditional Thai cooking. At Nahm, she met her future husband Dylan Jones, and after two years, the two moved back to Bangkok to open Bo.Lan, where they are focusing on running a sustainable restaurant and following old Thai recipes. We will hear Bo Songvisava tell about how she composes and balances her Thai meals, and she will also reveal her favourite restaurants in Bangkok and the rest of Thailand. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Niki Nakayama was born in Los Angeles in 1975 to Japanese parents, and grew up in Koreatown in LA. She attended culinary school in Pasadena, then worked at Takao and embarked on a three-year journey to Japan, where she learned the roots of kaiseki at a Ryokan owned by her cousins. Back in LA, Niki Nakayama opened Azami Sushi Cafe, known for its all-female staff and innovative approach to sushi, and in 2011, she opened n/naka, where she combines traditional techniques with California influences, sourcing most of the ingredients locally. Her work has been featured in various media, including Netflix's Chef's Table series as well as Masterclass. We will hear Niki Nakayama tell about how she creates her Japanese inspired dishes, and she will also reveal her favourite restaurants in Los Angeles and Japan. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Orlando is an American chef based in Copenhagen. He has worked with some of the World’s best chefs, like Eric Ripert, Raymond Blanc, Heston Blumenthal, Thomas Keller and René Redzepi. His first own restaurant, Amass in Copenhagen, set the benchmark for social and environmental responsibility, and he has followed this path since. He grew up in San Diego in California, and after working with some of the most famous chefs in the US, he joined Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck in the UK, followed by years of work at Noma in Copenhagen. Matt Orlando is now planning his next restaurant in Copenhagen, opening in the fall of 2025. In this podcast, Matt Orlando will reveal all his favourite restaurants in Copenhagen and the rest of the world. These recommendations and thousands more are available in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wylie Dufresne is the chef and owner of Stretch Pizza in New York. He was born 1970 and grew up in Rhode Island. He trained at the Culinary Institute and started working with chef Jean-George Vongerichten in 1994, taking on the role of chef de cuisine at Jean-Georges. In 1999 he became the chef at 71 Clinton Fresh Food, and in 2003 opened his experimental restaurant WD-50, where he explored the possibilities of molecular gastronomy in his cooking, reaching global fame. In 2013, he opened a second restaurant, Alder, in the East Village. Dufresne then moved on to use his technique and focusing on dough, first at Du Donuts, and then at his latest restaurant, Stretch Pizza, where he pays respect to the classic New York slice. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sven Erik Renaa is the chef and owner of restaurant Renaa in Stavanger, Norway. He was born in Trondheim and developed a passion for cooking from a young age. After completing his culinary education, Renaa started his career working in some of Norway’s top restaurants. In 2000, he worked with acclaimed chef Eyvind Hellstrøm at Oslo’s Bagatelle restaurant, and in 2009, he opened his own restaurant, RE-NAA, in Stavanger, which earned one Michelin star in 2016, a second star in 2020 and a third in 2024. We will hear Sven Erik Renaa tell about which Norwegian seafood he appreciates most, and he will also reveal his favourite restaurants in Stavanger, Oslo and the rest of the world. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicolai Nørregaard is the head chef and co-owner of restaurant Kadeau in Copenhagen and Bornholm. He was born and raised on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. As a child he was influenced by his grandfather’s cooking, who cultivated and grew his own vegetables, caught his own seafood and preserved his own ingredients for the winter months. This way of traditional cooking is what inspired the cooking at Kadeau. Nicolai Nørregaard is also regarded as one of the pioneers of the New Nordic movement, working seasonally in close connection with nature, and challenging and redefining the attitudes towards traditional fine dining. In this podcast, Nørregaard will also reveal all his favourite traditional Danish restaurants in Copenhagen. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roberto Solís is the chef and restaurateur of Nectar and Huniik in Merida, Mexico. He began his professional cooking career in 2003, when he founded Néctar, a restaurant focusing on Yucatán cuisine, in his hometown of Mérida. Years later he worked at top restaurants like The Fat Duck, Noma, Per Se in New York and Les Créations in Tokyo. Roberto Solís has experimented with ingredients used in the traditional regional cooking. He has become known as the father of the new Yucatán cuisine, where his work has transformed the culinary landscape and enriched the culinary movements that have put Mexico at the top of the global food scene. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tam Chudaree Debhakam is the owner and head chef at Baan Tepa in Bangkok. She grew up in a big Thai family, eating her grandmother’s food made with old Thai recipes. After studying food science, Chef Tam decided to change her career to become a chef. She graduated from The International Culinary Center in New York City and worked for Chef Dan Barber at Blue Hill at Stone Barns for two years, learning how to cook with a sustainable food concept. Back in the outskirts of Bangkok, she started Baan Tepa in the garage of her grandmother’s old home and garden. Five years later, Baan Tepa received two Michelin stars and in 2025 Chef Tam was voted Asia’s Best Female Chef. She continues to focus on responsibly grown and sourced local produce, with traditional Thai flavours with a modern touch. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julien Royer is is the chef and co-owner of Odette, a three Michelin-starred modern French restaurant located at the National Gallery in Singapore. He also is chef-patron of Claudine, a French neo-brasserie in Singapore, and Louise in Hong Kong. Born into a family of 4th generation farmers in Cantal, France, Royer spent his childhood foraging and harvesting. Those childhood experiences, combined with a life changing stage as a young chef at Michel Bras in Laguiole, taught him the respect of each ingredient in every dish. Since founded in 2015, Odette has been voted Asia’s Best Restaurant, while keeping its position on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elena Reygadas is the chef at Rosetta in Mexico City. She was born in Mexico City in 1976, first studied English literature, but switched to cooking during her studies, moved to London and worked at Locanda Locatelli for many years. After moving back to Mexico City she opened Rosetta in the Roma district and now runs four other restaurants, including a bakery, Panaderia Rosetta. She is also involved with several food-related social causes, supporting initiatives like small-scale producers, sustainable agriculture and gender equality. In 2023 Elena Reygadas was awarded the title of The World’s Best Female Chef. The recommendations mentioned in this podcast and thousands more are available for free in the World of Mouth app: https://www.worldofmouth.app/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.