EP- 170 Chef Cynthia Sestito: Jay Z's Former Chef Tells All

Wabi Sabi - The Perfectly Imperfect Podcast with Candice Kumai

Candice Kumai

Health, Mental Health, How To, Nutrition, Wellness, Health & Fitness, Wabisabi, Education

4.8 • 780 Ratings

🗓️ 7 October 2024

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Wabi Sabi Podcast: Special Episode with Chef Cynthia Sestito This episode of The Wabi Sabi Podcast dives deep into the 20-year journey of Chef Cynthia Sestito and Candice Kumai. From pioneering on Top Chef season one to transforming the culinary arts scene in New York, Los Angeles, and the Hamptons, Cynthia and Candice have been trailblazers in their fields, breaking boundaries and celebrating their heritage. Chef Cynthia Sestito, a powerhouse in the industry, has spent over a decade cooking for Jay Z and other hip-hop legends. She played a pivotal role in opening the iconic 40/40 Club and worked on memorable projects like the music videos for “Bonnie & Clyde” and “99 Problems.” Hear her behind-the-scenes stories of traveling with Jay Z’s entourage across Germany, Paris, Mexico, Los Angeles, and New York. Don’t miss this incredible episode & Share with a friend: Support marginalized women in the food and media industries by subscribing to Candice’s YouTube channel. Your subscription helps elevate voices that deserve recognition in an often-overlooked industry. Follow Cynthia on Instagram @CynfulFood. Also, check out her work at The Cookery by Cyn and Trudy in the Hamptons: The Cookery. Candice Kumai is a 7x bestselling author and has written for Vogue, Bon Appétit, and Cosmopolitan. She has appeared on Iron Chef, Selena + Chef, Top Chef, and has contributed to the TODAY Show for over 15 years. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Candice is a proud Japanese-American who is committed to empowering marginalized women.

Transcript

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0:00.0	They had bad bread. They had like that potato bread. They had all this awful shit around. And I said,
0:05.6	oh, I'm going to make some fabulous food. And they said, no, no, no, I'm going to do that. So he came
0:10.9	down and he said, what do you think you can cook better than I? I said, honey, you wait and see. You're just
0:14.5	going to die. And so at the end of the day, he gave me a kiss and he said, you're not kidding. I said, I know. I got you. Hey, friends, welcome to the Wabi
0:22.1	Saabby podcast. This is a special episode with my dear mentor and friend, Cynthia Sistito,
0:29.7	who I indeed met on Lombard Street in 2006 during the first episode taping of Top Chef season won. God bless Andy Cohen. He was our EP
0:44.4	and he really was there on set with us. Nobody had made it yet. There was no such thing as Top Chef.
0:51.9	There was no winner. There was just 10, 12 crazy people living in a house together for the first season.
1:01.0	I'd also like to preface on this show that Cynthia and I both operate under extreme integrity.
1:08.7	And we have a lot of respect for every person that we mention on this
1:12.7	podcast today. We also understand that we value people's privacy and we are merely sharing the
1:23.0	experience of those who work in the service industry. For Cynthia and I, both, that's the food industry.
1:29.7	She is a wonderful human being that I've always wondered, why doesn't this woman have her own show?
1:37.1	Mostly because she's the most entertaining, funny, witty, charismatic person I've ever met in my life. I can't believe that we almost
1:47.9	didn't meet because Top Chef Season 1's cast was completely full when she submitted her
1:54.8	submission tape. A lot of things will happen by chance in your life and sometimes you won't
2:00.8	see how and why they pan out until later on.
2:05.2	But here we are almost 20 years later and we're talking about our experiences.
2:10.8	Yeah, the food industry, if you look at Anthony Bourdain's life and biographies, you'll find it was much crazier when she was in it and when I was in it
2:20.7	compared to nowadays. So open your ears and your mind and your hearts to Cynthia's story
2:27.6	and get to know Cynthia Sestito, my friend and my mentor, who is also the funniest person that I know. Welcome Cynthia
2:38.8	Sistito to the Wabi-Sabi podcast. Here we go. Hey, you guys, welcome to the Wabi Sabi
	...

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