Omakase Sessions

Episode 4: We had one of Austin’s most respected chefs and outdoorsmen at the counter, Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due. Earning a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand AND a MICHELIN Green StarFrom fishing as a kid to hunting, whole-animal butchery, James Beard winning books, and building one of the most thoughtful food philosophies in Texas. Jesse’s perspective on food runs deep.We talked:🔥 Hunting, fishing, and respecting the full life of an animal🔥 Pecan-fed wild hogs and why stress changes flavor🔥 Writing cookbooks, self-publishing, and creative control🔥 Teaching through butchery classes and passing knowledge forward🔥 Turkey hunting psychology (it’s way harder than you think)🔥 Sustainability, invasive species, and feeding people responsibly🔥 And yes… he ate his way through a mini omakase with me

Episode 3: We had one of Austin’s most iconic pitmasters at the counter, Chef Evan LeRoy of Leroy & Lewis.From the early food truck days in an empty lot with no shade or bathrooms…to becoming Texas Monthly #2, earning a MICHELIN star, and now releasing his first cookbook! Evan’s journey is unreal.We talked:🔥 Building a pitmaster “coaching tree”🔥 The steak experience (and why it had to be tableside)🔥 What makes “new school barbecue” different🔥 His favorite bites in Austin🔥 Hunting, whole-animal butchery, chili philosophy🔥 And yes… he tried shirako with me

Episode 2: Madeline Hollern. Step inside the mind of Austin Monthly’s Editor in Chief. We talk storytelling, navigating Austin’s fast changing culture, her creative process, and what really makes a great Austin story. Inspiring, honest, and full of behind the scenes gems. This one’s a must listen for anyone who loves Austin.

Episode 1: Erin Russell joins Chef Saine inside Toshokan in Austin, TX. Erin is a food writer and single mother by choice. Today we talk about Austin restaurants and what it takes to become a single mother on your own. We share food, stories, and laughs in this first episode of Omakase Sessions.