Photo: Conner Roach, @theclikguy
New York City, known for its vibrant food culture and world-renowned culinary talents, is about to get even more delicious with the premiere of Chefs and the City. This exciting new reality show provides an insider’s look into the personal and professional lives of some of the city’s top chefs. Season one is currently airing every weekday at 10AM.
Produced by Sydney Scotia, the cast is led by Jesse Henderson, a celebrated private chef in New York City known for his innovative dishes and charismatic personality. Jesse, along with other talented chefs, will navigate the high-stakes world of culinary arts, balancing the heat of the kitchen with the intricacies of their personal lives. Viewers get a front-row seat to the challenges and triumphs of chef life in New York City.
One of New York City’s unique culinary features for Jesse is diversity. “There is no place in the world more rich in diversity than NYC. I couldn’t be more grateful to live in a city where I know I could never eat at every single place if I never left for the rest of my life”, he tells Popernative. “My appetite knows no bounds either, so it is not uncommon to be out to two dinners a night a couple nights a week. This is a city that accomodates those that eat to live but rewards those that live to eat,” he tells Popternative.
Seasonality is another highlight of the New York City cuisine scene: “After living in Los Angeles where it is perpetually sunny and tomatoes are in season nearly year round, it gives cooks in the city an entirely different appreciation for seasonality. This requires cooks that only have access to what’s available specific times of year to be more creative throughout their cooking and presentation.”
Photo: Conner Roach, @theclikguy
On what audiences can expect from Chefs and the City, Jesse says, “This first season of Chefs and the City has such a well rounded peer into the inner workings of the culinary world here in NYC. The audience can expect to feel like they are along for the ride and almost an active participant in everything from the sourcing of the best ingredients to making new life long friendships on the subway to sitting down for a nine course dinner in an environment that few have access to. Beyond all of that, I think that the audience will be captured by the incredibly supportive relationships that these chefs find themselves in with each other. Tensions can run high in the culinary world so in order to bear one another it requires all to be thick as thieves.”
The series also had a unique “silent premiere” held in Lower Manhattan last week. Guests at this event wore headphones to watch the premiere episode, creating an intimate and immersive viewing experience that highlighted the show’s personal and culinary storytelling.
The series is also be a chance for audiences to gain a better understanding about the world of private chefs: “I think what is most surprising to people as the veil has continued to be lifted off of the “chef world” is that there are so many ways to engage professionally as a chef. In a place like NYC where opportunities are endless and we have the ability to carve out our own lanes, the idea of a private chef isn’t limited to meeting the day to day needs of one individual or a handful of clients,” says Jesse.
Photo: Conner Roach, @theclikguy
“Ultimately, a private chef can just be someone who creates culinary experiences of any format for any type of independent venture in that of a pop up, activation for a brand or coursed/seated dining experiences for private clients. That’s why I love what I do with my business, Kitchen Refinery. It affords me the opportunity to flex creatively in my culinary pursuits experimentally all while collaborating with unique clients that crave experience for themselves and guests alike.“
We ended our conversation with Jesse by asking him about the best advice he has received regarding the culinary world: “To know how to eat well, one must first know how to wait” – Marco Pierre White.
To add to the excitement, Popternative will be featuring an exclusive clip from Chefs and the City on our Instagram page. Don’t miss out on this exclusive content—head over to our Instagram and follow @chefsandthecitynyc for a sneak peek at what’s to come in this 30-episode first season.
Get ready to embark on a culinary journey like no other. Season 1 of Chefs and the City is currently airing 10AM every weekday. Catch it on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
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