Episode 161: Damarr Brown (Virtue restaurant, Chicago); Greg Baxtrom on the industry's hiring crisis

Damarr Brown, chef de cuisine of Chicago's acclaimed Virtue restaurant, has spent most of his young life and career in the same city. For several years, he cooked for Virtue's executive chef-owner Erick Williams at MK, then spent time in the kitchen at Alinea Group's Roister, and since the inception of Virtue has been back in collaboration with Chef Williams. On this episode, Damarr discusses his early life and first interest in food and cooking, the decisions he's made on the path to his current success, and his apparel line, Say It How You Feel It.And in our weekly news and commentary segment The Line Up, chef-owner Greg Baxtrom of Brooklyn's Olmsted and Maison Yaki, discusses the current industry hiring crisis from the point of view of one independent owner-operator.Andrew Talks to Chefs is sponsored in part by meez; please check out this revolutionary new interactive recipe database and tool for professional chefs and cooks.Please consider supporting Andrew Talks to Chefs via our Patreon page–we have just eliminated tiered contributor levels and invite one and all to support us at a minimum of just $2 per month. Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!