Chef Michelle Wallace, Afterhours
This podcast episode delves into the culinary philosophies and experiences of our esteemed guest, Michelle Wallace. Central to our discussion is the exploration of her innovative approach to integrating diverse culinary influences, particularly as she reflects on her aspirations to impress the legendary chef Leah Chase with her unique take on fried chicken and gumbo. Throughout the conversation, we engage in a series of thought-provoking inquiries, including the challenges of culinary experimentation, the balance between success and failure in dish creation, and the humorous yet poignant reflections on personal growth within the culinary landscape. As we traverse through various topics, including the peculiarities of barbecue etiquette and the significance of cultural culinary exchanges, Michelle's insights illuminate the dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation in modern cooking. We conclude this enriching dialogue with heartfelt acknowledgments of the inspirations that drive us in our culinary journeys, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in the art of barbecue.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Painted Hills Natural Beef
- Dakin Bop
- Popeyes
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcript
Welcome to Barbecue Nation with JT and Leanne.
Speaker A:After Hours, the conversation that continued after the show was done.
Speaker A:Hey, everybody, it's jt and this is a special version of Barbecue Nation.
Speaker A:It is brought to you in part by Painted Hills Natural Beef.
Speaker A:Beef you can be proud to serve your family and friends.
Speaker A:That's Painted Hills Natural Beef.
Speaker A:Welcome to After Hours here on the Nation.
Speaker A:This is the fun part of the show.
Speaker A:Well, all our shows are fun, but this is the fun part of the show.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And the end.
Speaker B:And our guests really don't know what the questions are ahead of time.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:And that's true.
Speaker A:And they're totally.
Speaker A:I don't want to say.
Speaker A:Irrelevant, irrelevant, irrelevant.
Speaker A:But they may be irreverent.
Speaker A:How's that?
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Are you ready?
Speaker C:Yes, sir.
Speaker A:Okay, easy one first.
Speaker A:If you could cook for and dine with a historical figure, who would it be and what would be on the menu?
Speaker C:A historical figure?
Speaker C:Anybody I would want to cook for?
Speaker C:Probably chef Leah Chase out of New Orleans.
Speaker C:Know if you guys familiar with her.
Speaker C:But also on the menu, I would want to impress her with my fried chicken.
Speaker C:I know that she's known for her fried chicken and, like, gumbo.
Speaker C:I would try to do, like, my version of that because I like to add smoky elements to my gumbo, like smoked crab legs and stuff.
Speaker C:So I would try to impress her with those two things, and then there would be some food with, like, some Asian cuisine.
Speaker C:Fun fact.
Speaker C:I studied in China for, like, a month during my culinary studies, and so I love bringing in Asian flavors and mixing it with barbecue as well.
Speaker C:And so I would try to impress her with some things like that that I learned in China.
Speaker B:That's good.
Speaker A:There you go.
Speaker A:What would you say your success to failure ratio is when you're creating a new dish?
Speaker C:Like, 75.
Speaker C:25.
Speaker C:I fail 75% of the time, and 25% of the time, I'm stel.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:You make up for it.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:I mean, like I said earlier, I'm not afraid to try anything.
Speaker C:And I'm like, yeah, that didn't work.
Speaker C:Yeah, that didn't work.
Speaker C:And so, Yeah, a solid 25, 30% of the time.
Speaker C:I'm your girl.
Speaker C:I'm shining.
Speaker A:That sounds decent.
Speaker A:Like that.
Speaker A:If Leanne declared you supreme ruler of barbecue for one week, just one week, what would you, as the supreme ruler, decree?
Speaker C:Okay, that's a great question.
Speaker C:As the ruler, I would decree.
Speaker C:What would I decree?
Speaker C:Oh, that's a tough one.
Speaker C:That's a tough one.
Speaker A:Wait till you get the next One.
Speaker C:What's one of my pet peeves?
Speaker B:Yeah, that's a good way to look at it.
Speaker C:What's one of my pet peeves?
Speaker C:I would decrease.
Speaker C:Oh, oh, here you go.
Speaker C:I would decree that if you are taking a picture or video of your brisket that you can't smash it down.
Speaker B:Hallelujah.
Speaker C:That's not impressive to me.
Speaker C:So that's what I would decree.
Speaker C:You cannot press down your brisket.
Speaker A:Wasn't it.
Speaker A:Wasn't it?
Speaker A:John Marcus, when he was on the show, said something like that.
Speaker A:And he said they.
Speaker A:They cut into it and then they squeeze.
Speaker A:And I won't.
Speaker A:What he said the adjective he used.
Speaker A:Squeeze all juice out of it.
Speaker A:Couldn't agree more.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:What does a fantasy day for Michelle Wallace look like?
Speaker C:Oh, that's a.
Speaker C:I dream of this day often.
Speaker C:But, yes, I would wake up in probably another country on a vacation.
Speaker C:I would sleep in.
Speaker C:I would find somewhere that is serving some good, like, hot bowl of noodles or some tacos.
Speaker C:I would drink that with some beer or some champagne.
Speaker C:And then how else would I end the day?
Speaker A:I would have a pedicure or something.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Mani, pedi, massage.
Speaker C:And then I would just find more food to eat.
Speaker C:There you go.
Speaker C:There you go.
Speaker B:Sounds like a good time.
Speaker A:If you could erase one mistake from your past, Michelle, what would it be?
Speaker C:Oh, that's a lovely question.
Speaker A:Some people don't think so.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker C:I mean, obviously our mistakes get us to where we are, if you are able to learn from it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker C:But it's.
Speaker C:So that is a hard one, because then how can I take something away?
Speaker C:But I would focus on the time where I was just too shy or having so much fear that it stifled me.
Speaker C:And I feel like at the very beginning of my career, that was me.
Speaker C:Like, I was, you know, a little.
Speaker C:Like, I was afraid to speak up.
Speaker C:I was a little afraid to kind of do the things right.
Speaker C:That puts you in position.
Speaker C:I would take that away.
Speaker C:So I don't know if there was one mistake that I made specifically, but I know that there were times where I've been looked over because I've been so kind of shy and reserved and afraid to speak up.
Speaker A:Or were you two.
Speaker C:No, I was in my 20s.
Speaker C:I was just, you know, going probably too far, sharing too much.
Speaker C:You know, as a twin.
Speaker C:Like, my twin was she growing up, she was the track star, and she was a thing, and I was more reserved and just.
Speaker C:And so that bled over into my 20s, and there was a moment, there was a time where I was just kind of, like, shy and reserved.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:We'll take your word for it.
Speaker A:If we put your skills to music, what would the music be?
Speaker C:Something of Stevie Wonders.
Speaker C:I listen to him all the time in the kitchen.
Speaker A:Is that your guitar?
Speaker C:No, that's my boyfriend's guitar.
Speaker C:I don't know how to play.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:But I did.
Speaker C:I played the violin for, like, three years in high.
Speaker C:In middle school.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Just.
Speaker A:Just checking.
Speaker A:If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
Speaker C:If I were an animal, I would be.
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker C:If I were an animal, I would be probably.
Speaker C:I'd probably be, like, a bear.
Speaker C:Strong.
Speaker C:I look cuddly, but, like, strong and, you know, can attack too.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:All right.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:What's your least favorite food to cook?
Speaker C:Turkey.
Speaker B:That was quick.
Speaker C:That was very quick.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker C:You know, and I've cooked a lot of turkey in my life, but I never am.
Speaker C:Just.
Speaker C:I just think it's such a boring protein.
Speaker C:And I don't care what you.
Speaker C:If you fry it, smoke it, bake it, like, I just think it's a boring protein, that's all.
Speaker A:I think the best thing you can do to have fun with the turkey is drop it out of a helicopter when it's frozen.
Speaker A:There you go.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Just a couple more here.
Speaker A:Would you say you're.
Speaker A:I know the answer to this, and I know Leanne does too.
Speaker A:Would you say you're more of a sweatshirt or a formal wear girl?
Speaker C:Oh, sweatshirt.
Speaker C:Give me a hoodie.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:What's one thing you miss about your 20s?
Speaker C:Oh, the amount of bills that I didn't have in my 20s was great.
Speaker A:There you go.
Speaker A:When you retire, what do you want to do?
Speaker A:I mean, that's like 200 years from now.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker C:When I retire, I probably will still be cooking.
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker C:What would I want to do?
Speaker C:It's hard, man.
Speaker C:I can't see myself not working unless, like, I have a crazy amount of money in the bank.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker C:But I still.
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker C:I would probably still do something where I'm interacting with people in some way, so maybe I'd be, like a tour guide of restaurants or something, you know?
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Okay, two more.
Speaker A:What's your favorite movie?
Speaker C:My favorite.
Speaker C:Oh, my favorite movie is probably.
Speaker C:Oh, it's probably like Devil's where it wears Prada kind of.
Speaker C:I watch it all the time.
Speaker C:And then this movie called Life.
Speaker C:That is just so funny.
Speaker C:It's hilarious.
Speaker C:I love that one, too.
Speaker A:Okay, last question.
Speaker A:What would your last Meal be if you were on death row.
Speaker C:Probably fried chicken, champagne and French fries or something.
Speaker A:Yeah, you can eat as much as you want.
Speaker A:You're not going to put on any weight at that point.
Speaker B:Who cares?
Speaker C:I have a crazy addiction to fried chicken.
Speaker C:It could be Korean fried chicken, Southern fried chicken.
Speaker C:If it's fried chicken, who do you.
Speaker B:Think makes the best fried chicken?
Speaker B:What's the best fried chicken chicken you've ever had besides your own?
Speaker C:Who makes the best fried chicken?
Speaker C:I'm going to start a war here.
Speaker C:There's this Korean fried chicken here in Houston that I love.
Speaker C:It's called Dakin Bop.
Speaker C:It's just so crispy and flavorful to the bone.
Speaker C:But I like simple Popeyes, to be honest with you.
Speaker B:I like Popeyes, too.
Speaker B:And I did a food styling commercial for them last year.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And they actually, you.
Speaker B:They make all.
Speaker B:They batter it there in the store.
Speaker B:It's amazing what they go through to make their chicken.
Speaker B:It's the real deal.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:I can appreciate good Popeyes.
Speaker C:Good hot Popeyes.
Speaker B:I agree.
Speaker A:It's not Colonel Sanders anymore.
Speaker C:No, no, no.
Speaker A:Michelle, thank you for being with us.
Speaker A:You've been a delight and continued success.
Speaker B:You've worked hard for it, and I can tell your hard worker through and.
Speaker C:Through, so thank you, Ms.
Speaker C:Leanne, listen, you know, I bow down to the great.
Speaker C:You definitely are an amazing and inspirational and, you know, you keep us women going, man.
Speaker C:You set the trial, you set the bar very, very high, and I appreciate that.
Speaker B:Oh, well, thank you much.
Speaker A:Yes, she does.
Speaker A:She's not very tall, but she can get up there, I'll tell you that.
Speaker C:Not in her stature, but she's tall in her capability.
Speaker A:Yes, she is.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:All right, we're going to get out of here.
Speaker A:We want to thank Michelle Wallace for being with us and, of course, Leanne for being this and putting up with me all these years so far.
Speaker A:And we will do it again next week right here on the Nation.
Speaker A:Remember our motto, turn it, don't burn it.
Speaker A:Take care, everybody.
