Episode 55: Amy Brandwein

In the three-and-a-half years since opening her Centrolina restaurant in Washington, DC, Amy Brandwein has earned rave reviews and a devoted following (she was also the subject of an article by Melissa Clark last month in the New York Times). It’s an extra-remarkable accomplishment since Amy didn’t set her sights on chefdom until age 30, switching careers, and eventually homing in on Italian food. Andrew and Amy sat down recently to go over her story, from baking pies as a child to assimilating the Italian culinary mindset as an adult to developing her own strongly held convictions about authenticity as a chef. Here's a thought: If you like what you hear, please tell your chef-fascinated friends, subscribe to Andrew Talks to Chefs (it's free) on iTunes or Stitcher, follow us on your favorite social media platforms @ChefPodcast, and/or rate or review us on Apple's podcast store. Thanks for listening! Andrew Talks to Chefs is powered by Simplecast 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!