Episodi

  • Private Chef, Public Panic: Dull Knives, Rich Kitchens, and Kids Trying to Get Taken Out by a Sheet Pan
    Jan 10 2026

    Ever wondered what happens when a restaurant chef leaves the safety of their own kitchen… and walks into a stranger's house to cook?

    In this episode, we break down the chaos of in-home private catering vs. in-house restaurant catering—and spoiler: one involves predictable ovens, actual counter space, and fewer toddlers playing Frogger behind you.

    You'll hear about:

    • the horror of mystery ovens that cook like they're powered by vibes

    • why rich people somehow own gorgeous homes and criminally dull knives

    • guests who "just want to chat" while you're sweating over 10 plates and a sauce

    • the universal truth that everyone is late, always

    • the moment you almost accidentally baptized a child with hot food

    • and why people think private chefs show up with a magic wand and cook filet mignon from scratch in 12 minutes

    It's networking, it's nerve-wracking, it's weirdly wholesome… and yes—there is a brief but important discussion about dipping your nuts (walnuts, relax).

    If you've ever hired a private chef, thought about it, or simply enjoy listening to professionals spiral politely in someone else's kitchen—press play.

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    55 min
  • Don't Order Appetizers for Dinner, Don't Smoke Weed with the Owner, and Other Kitchen Survival Rules
    Jan 3 2026

    We're back from hiatus, we disappearred for a month and came back with war stories.

    December nearly killed us—but at least we got content.

    In this comeback episode, we break down the hidden labor behind catering chaos:
    why appetizers are harder than full dinners, how small teams quietly carry massive events, and what really happens when people treat food service like a magic trick instead of a job.

    Along the way:
    – a sous chef gets fired for speedrunning career suicide
    – rich members complain from their third homes
    – weddings go off the rails (featuring gator tacos)
    – and everyone is one bad request away from snapping

    This episode is a masterclass in restaurant survival, entitlement psychology, and why no one understands how much work goes into feeding people—until it's too late.

    In this episode, we unpack the absolute madness of December in food service:
    13+ caterings, 130-hour weeks, a sous chef who tried to overthrow the executive chef and invite the owner to smoke weed (in Idaho), and a wedding featuring alligator tacos, chicken strips for adults, and a bride bullied into tears.

    We talk about why appetizer-only parties are a logistical nightmare, why rich members never come into town, how you end up grilling 200 chicken breasts at 2am on your birthday, and why buffet math is fake and made to hurt chefs.

    If you've ever worked in restaurants, catered an event, or wondered why food people look permanently tired—this one's for you.

    Spoiler: nobody is special, but everyone is exhausted.

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    47 min
  • Stories From the Server Grave: Diaper Demons, Wine Snobs & Capitalism Crybabies
    Nov 28 2025

    Welcome back to You're Not Special, where the only thing scarier than Halloween… is the dinner rush. In this Part 2 of Stories From the Server Grave, Erin Loman Jeck and Dr. Sizzle drag you through the restaurant underworld: the ghosts of terrible tippers, the cursed brides, the salt-allergic liars, and the guy who thinks "mid-rare enough" is a temperature.

    This episode serves up: 🔥 A capitalist philosopher who leaves a 25¢ tip like he's Benjamin Franklin 🔥 The woman allergic to salt, garlic, onions, soy, joy, and flavor 🔥 A Bridezilla who wants "emotional support skills" with her mimosa 🔥 Grandma eating Costco ice cream straight from the tub like a feral queen 🔥 A steak-sending sociopath who flips his plate AND his brain 🔥 The Ansel-system fire disaster that baptized the whole kitchen 🔥 The diaper-changing table monster that should be banned from society 🔥 Friends who "forgot their wallets" (and their dignity) 🔥 Ice bucket baptisms, wine snobs who don't know wine, and servers plotting revenge

    PLUS: Comfort-food confessions, garden flexing, trout-and-pancake nightmares, and Erin and Aaron going FULL therapy session on childhood casseroles.

    It's unhinged. It's disgusting. It's heartwarming. It's why servers drink. Pull up a chair, tip at least 20%, and remember: You're not special. But these stories? Legendary.

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    42 min
  • Behind! Corner! Hot! — Restaurant Lingo That Will Traumatize You Forever
    Nov 7 2025

    Ever wondered what the hell restaurant people are yelling all day? In this episode of You're Not Special, Erin Loman Jeck and Dr. Sizzle pull back the swinging kitchen door and unpack the real glossary of the industry—the acronyms, the insults, the battle cries, and the PTSD triggers that keep restaurants running and servers crying in walk-ins.

    We're diving into:

    • Why FOH is chaos in yoga pants and BOH is a cult.

    • The origin of 86… and why it always means your favorite dish is dead.

    • FIFO, the religion your fridge violates daily.

    • What POS really stands for (hint: not "point of sale").

    • VIPs, PPA, MEP, MOD, and other restaurant terms that make servers question existence.

    • The eternal war between auto-fire servers and cooks who just want one peaceful day.

    • Why "on the fly" is both a kitchen term and an emotional cry for help.

    • "Behind," "Corner," "Hot," and other things we scream in grocery stores by accident.

    • Plus: the crew's own top-secret lingo, including RFN, innuendos, Han Solo tickets, and why someone's always "swinging their cock" in the window.

    It's the restaurant dictionary you didn't know you needed—equal parts hilarious, filthy, educational, and deeply, spiritually chaotic. Whether you've worked in a kitchen or you've only watched The Bear, this episode will make you appreciate your servers… or fear them.

    Order up. It's about to get spicy.

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    54 min
  • Snow Machines, Green Sweaters & Sandwich Empires: The Bear S4 Recap
    Oct 10 2025

    Hello and welcome to the You're Not Special podcast—where the menu is set and the drama's made to order. This week, Aaron Loman Jack and Dr. Sizzle close out their Bear binge with a full Season 4 breakdown:

    • Carmy soul-searching and maybe quitting just after building the damn place.

    • Sydney still half-in, half-out (and yes, we're still arguing about her loyalty).

    • Richie's redemption arc, wedding-dad vibes, and possibly folding more than napkins with Jessica.

    • Marcus finally getting his flowers—literally Food & Wine calling him one of the best new chefs.

    • Ebra's side hustle and whether he's building an empire… or just cutting The Bear out of the deal.

    • The Great Green Sweater Apology Tour (ClaireBear 2.0).

    • Family fights, freezer meltdowns, snow machines in summer, and a walk-in full of secrets.

    It's healing, it's chaos, it's characters growing (or not)—and it's us yelling about why Tina still can't hit 3 minutes, why Pete can't catch a break, and why Carmy better not walk away just yet.

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    47 min
  • Non-Negotiables and Nervous Breakdowns: The Bear Season 3
    Oct 3 2025

    Order up! In this episode of You're Not Special, Erin Loman Jeck and Dr. Sizzle sink their teeth into Season 3 of The Bear—the season of chaos, cracked egos, and Carmy's iron-fisted "non-negotiables."

    We dish on:

    • Servers quitting en masse and the eternal battle of front vs. back of house dysfunction.

    • Carmy's descent into menu madness—changing dishes daily, banning repeat ingredients, and blowing $12K on butter like it's Monopoly money.

    • Richie's emotional rollercoaster: ex-wife's wedding invite, yelling matches, and moments of accidental wisdom.

    • Sydney's indecision and panic spirals—does she even want to be there?

    • The sandwich window that somehow keeps the lights on while fine dining bleeds cash.

    • Why Uncle Jimmy's mobster math might make more sense than Carmy's culinary dreams.

    • And those "non-negotiables": pressed shirts, hygiene checks, no surprises, no fun… oh, and you're not special.

    It's loud, it's messy, it's too real. Season 3 proves that running a Michelin-level restaurant isn't just about plating perfection—it's about surviving the mental breakdowns behind the line.

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    46 min
  • Rats, Walk-Ins, and $800K Dreams: The Bear Season 2 Breakdown
    Sep 26 2025

    Erin and Dr. Sizzle are back with hats on, hair unwashed, and knives out for The Bear Season 2—the season where fast casual implodes into fine dining fever dreams.

    We dig into:

    • The $300K-in-tomato-cans discovery and Uncle Jimmy's "sure, here's $800K, don't screw it up" loan.

    • Rats, black mold, and the cursed walk-in door that refuses to be fixed (until it eats Carmy alive).

    • Carmy catching feelings for Claire while Sydney catches feelings about Carmy catching feelings.

    • Richie's Michelin-level glow-up at Ever: from screaming jagoff to polishing forks and quoting Olivia Colman.

    • Tina and Ebra at culinary school, Marcus in Copenhagen, and why education = survival in this kitchen.

    • The brigade system explained (a.k.a. "organized chaos, but French").

    • Why soft launches matter—and why this one implodes into panic, puking, and pipe-smoking line cooks.

    • That brutal walk-in meltdown: Carmy's inner demons, Claire's heartbreak, and the sound of tickets printing while your life crumbles.

    It's rats, rage, risotto, and redemption (sort of). The Bear Season 2 isn't just about building a restaurant—it's about tearing your soul down to the studs and hoping the inspectors sign off before you collapse.

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    54 min
  • PTSD by Ticket Machine: Surviving The Bear Season 1
    Sep 19 2025

    Erin and Dr. Sizzle are back—SD card corruption be damned—and diving fork-first into The Bear Season 1. From Carmy's descent into deli purgatory, Richie's anime-level rage issues, and Sydney's "here's a binder, fix your life" moment, to THAT ticket-machine-from-hell episode that triggered every chef, line cook, and server on earth.

    We cover it all:

    • Why Richie belongs in a cartoon (but maybe not a kitchen).

    • Sydney's loyalty problem (and risotto crime).

    • The unwritten rules of kitchen family dysfunction.

    • What a brigade system actually is (and why Carmy needed one yesterday).

    • How spaghetti, tomato cans, and a shady stash of cash set the stage for The Bear.

    It's loud, it's messy, it's way too real—and it's exactly why we couldn't stop watching.

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    38 min