86 the Attitude, Not the Steak: A Guide to Sending Food Back Without Dying Inside
Release Date: 12/26/2024
Michelin Stars, James Beard, and Why Your Food Still Tastes Like Burnt Toast
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
You like your chefs on a pedestal? We prefer them behind the line, sweating bullets over a broken ticket machine. In this special (and slightly unhinged) episode of You’re Not Special, Aaron Loman Jack and the gang crack open the cult of Michelin stars and James Beard Awards—those glitzy, anxiety-inducing badges that have chefs chasing perfection like it’s a fix. We’re talking: Why the Michelin Guide started as a damn tire company pamphlet How anonymous inspectors decide if your food is gold or garbage The mental cost of chasing a third star (spoiler: some chefs snap) What the...
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Burnt Out & Blown Away: Michelin Meltdowns, Kitchen Chaos & Oyster Penance
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
What do you get when a TEDx speaker and a firecracker chef walk into a podcast after a 12-hour shift? This episode. Buckle up as Erin and Dr. Sizzle dissect Burnt—Bradley Cooper’s sweaty kitchen redemption arc—with the kind of side-splitting, spicy banter that’ll leave your spatula curled. They cover everything from: Michelin-star madness and chef rage (read: flying pans and fish apologies) Why sous vide isn’t a food saver—and what Erin used to think it was Escargot vs. hamburger helper: the comfort food identity crisis Chef power dynamics, knife nerdiness, and... knife...
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Love on the Line: Meatballs, Meatheads, and Burnt Sausage
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
What happens when front-of-house meets back-of-house and sparks (or grease fires) fly? In this Year Not Special episode, Erin, Dr. Sizzle, and guest couple Nathan and Heather spill the tea (and maybe some sauce) on what it’s really like to date your coworker in the chaotic world of restaurants. From walk-in flings to fire alarms, meatballs on the ground, and the unforgettable scent of burnt garlic rage — we’ve got it all. Plus: why shift drinks are basically relationship therapy, how not to clean up after a kitchen fire, and the reason no one wants a “burning sausage” in their life...
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Chefing, Crying & Culinary Crimes
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
Ever wondered what happens when you force a real-life chef to sit through a Netflix food show? Spoiler: it’s not inner peace—it’s inner rage, garnished with profanity and sprinkled with truth bombs. In this episode, Erin and Dr. Sizzle dig into the drama (and trauma) of reality cooking shows, from David Chang’s flavor fusion face-offs to Gordon Ramsay’s rage fests. Erin is here for the chefing vibes and culinary creativity. Dr. Sizzle? He’s reluctantly hate-watching and dragging everyone from Fluffy to foodies with glitter nails. They tackle hard-hitting questions like: Is salt a...
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Spit, Sass, and Shenanigans: The ‘Waiting’ Review Nobody Asked For
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
In this unfiltered tribute to Ryan Reynolds, bad tipping, and restaurant PTSD, Erin and Dr. Sizzle dive fork-first into the 2005 cult classic Waiting. Expect a full menu of spicy memories—from hungover brunch shifts and cigarette-stained bar sections, to dick games and the myth of “secret sauce.” They dish on: Why 20-something servers are basically feral raccoons with drink tickets The true horror of airplane seat "mystery moisture" The magical powers of the angry waitress smile Why kitchen crews would rather be vulgar than violent (choose your chaos) Stanley Tucci's...
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Ghosts, Parsley, and Passive-Aggressive Paper Towels: A Spiritual Sh*tshow in the Kitchen
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
In this supernatural soup of absurdity, Erin, Pants, and Dr. Sizzle take a woo-woo detour into the world of haunted restaurants, ghostly dishwashers, and poltergeist-approved parsley sabotage. From bathroom paper towels that activate themselves mid-pee, to the Great Ghost of Jalapeños who may or may not hate bartenders, this episode has all the vibes of a séance... if the séance was hosted during brunch. You'll hear: A haunted margarita tank room A skeptic slowly unraveling “The Learning Tube” meets “The Paranormal Mop Squad” Why ghosts apparently hate fresh herbs And the...
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The Reunion Tour: Toast Points, Tequila, and Trash Can Turkeys
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
In this reunion episode of You're Not Special, the gang's back together—and absolutely nothing (and no one) is safe. Fueled by overpriced tequila and spicy nostalgia, Erin, Dr. Sizzle, and Pants relive their most chaotic restaurant moments, from resurrecting the sacred Learning Tube™ to dodging deranged toast point orders like culinary ninjas. You'll get insider dirt on: A hotly contested Eggs Benedict disaster The mysterious Dick Towel tradition Who really should be banned from brunch forever And the birth of the fake gay metal band: Heavy Bucket of Fruit Also featuring:...
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He Wanted to Ride Me Like a Horse & Other Five-Star Shenanigans
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
Grab your wine and clutch your pearls—this episode of You're Not Special is a wild ride through the outrageous (and disturbingly true) world of restaurant horror stories. From entitled grandpas grabbing cheeks to a woman demanding someone microwave her shoes (yes, really), Erin and Dr. Sizzle hold nothing back. We’re talkin’ creepy celebrities, projectile wine glasses, the mysterious case of the water allergy, and one dude who thought using someone’s face as toilet paper was a compliment. Hospitality? More like Hostile-ity. ✨ This episode is messy, unfiltered, and absolutely...
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Toast Points & Trust Falls: Kitchen Chaos, Dirty Jokes, and Restaurant Revelations
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
Ever wondered what happens when your whole kitchen crew jumps ship and you’re left with strangers, salad drama, and a black-and-blue mystery steak? Welcome to another wild ride on You're Not Special, where Erin, Dr. Sizzle, and company spill the (wine-soaked) tea on the chaos of restaurant life. They dish on the secret recipe for building trust in high-stress kitchens, the politics of toast points, and why flirting with your sous chef might just be strategic. It's the perfect blend of unfiltered humor, behind-the-scenes antics, and a reminder that in restaurant fams—you're either in the...
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Party Like It’s Your Job… Because It (Almost) Is!
YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL PODCAST
Some people go to work; others go to party—and somehow, those two things overlap more than you’d think! In this episode, we dive into the wild, the weird, and the why-is-this-even-happening moments that make every event unforgettable (for better or worse). From unexpected VIP encounters to after-hours chaos, get ready for behind-the-scenes stories that prove the real party starts after the party. Grab a drink (or a coffee for recovery) and tune in for the funniest tales from the trenches of event life!
info_outlineThis week on You're Not Special, Erin and Dr. Sizzle dive into the culinary battlefield of sending food back to the kitchen. From questionable steak temps to cockroach hash browns and spring mix surprise bugs, they share the highs, lows, and WTF moments of restaurant life. Is the customer always right? (Spoiler: No.) Will your food really get "special sauce" if you complain? (Probably not.) Join us for a passive-aggressive welfare warfare on entitled diners, kitchen karma, and why ordering a well-done filet mignon should be illegal. Bon appétit—if you dare! 🍴🔥