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Holding the Star: Chef Michael Collantes on Michelin Pressure, Perspective, and What Comes Next

Walk-In Talk Podcast

Release Date: 01/23/2026

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This week on the Walk-In Talk Podcast, we’re on location with Chef Michael Collantes, chef-owner of Soseki, a one-Michelin-star restaurant that has not only earned its star, but held it through consistency, leadership, and discipline. Another restaurant in his group, Sushi Saint, has also been recognized with a Bib Gourmand, highlighting a different but equally demanding standard of excellence.

This conversation goes beyond accolades. We unpack what it really takes to sustain a Michelin star behind the scenes, the pressure that follows recognition, the creative balance between starred and Bib-level restaurants, and how leadership evolves once the spotlight is on.

As listeners already know, Chef Michael has officially joined the Walk-In Talk Media team. In this episode, we begin setting the framework for what that means. Not as a replacement voice, but as an added perspective that strengthens the platform. As a working chef operating at the highest levels, Michael brings credibility, trust, and access that helps open doors to Michelin-level and James Beard–recognized chefs, while staying firmly aligned with Walk-In Talk Media’s mission of honest, chef-first storytelling.

This is a candid, grounded conversation about ambition, burnout, consistency, mentorship, and why the work behind the plate matters just as much as what lands on it.

🔑 Episode Takeaways

  • What holding a Michelin star actually demands day to day

  • The unseen pressure chefs face after recognition, not before it

  • The difference between Michelin-star standards and Bib Gourmand excellence

  • How leadership changes once awards enter the picture

  • Why consistency, not creativity, is often the hardest challenge

  • How chefs protect their teams from burnout at the highest level

  • Why chefs trust conversations led by other chefs

  • How Chef Michael’s role with Walk-In Talk Media strengthens future storytelling

  • What listeners can expect more of from the platform in 2026

🤝 Walk-In Talk Media Partners & Supporters

Support for Walk-In Talk Media is made possible by the following partners:

❤️ Cause Partner

  • The Burnt Chef Project – North America
    Providing free, confidential mental health support, education, and resources for hospitality professionals.
    https://www.theburntchefproject.com