In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Hollywood, California to sit down with Charbel Hayek—Lebanese-born chef, Top Chef Middle East & North Africa winner, and the creative force behind LAYR, a restaurant that channels the hospitality, flavor, and spirit of the Levant through a distinctly Los Angeles lens.

Charbel began cooking in Beirut at just 14 years old, working alongside his mother before refining his craft in France and later training under Josiah Citrin at the two-Michelin-starred Mélisse. At 24, he won Top Chef MENA, launching him into international recognition. Now, at 28, he’s opening ambitious, large-scale restaurants across Los Angeles and Miami while remaining deeply grounded in his roots.

We dive into:

• Growing up in Beirut, shaped by resilience, nightlife, instability, and an unbreakable cultural pride.

• Starting young, putting in the hours early, and why the first ten years of sacrifice define your trajectory.

• Winning Top Chef at 24—and why television is not a ticket, but an opportunity you must be ready for.

• The immigrant mentality: loving where you’re from while recognizing the scale of opportunity in America.

• Fear as fuel—why he runs toward intensity instead of away from it in high-pressure kitchens.

• Balancing old-school French discipline with modern leadership and hospitality.

• Reclaiming Lebanese cuisine on the global stage—modernizing dishes without losing their identity.

• Why sharing food—mezze, tabbouleh without bulgur, grape leaves braised with lamb neck—is about connection, not just flavor.

• Opening multiple restaurants at once and accepting that entrepreneurship comes with risk, doubt, and relentless work.

• Rap music, Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” and how cultural energy fuels competitive fire.

Charbel and I talk about partnership, ambition, discipline, faith, and the responsibility of leadership. We get into what it means to open restaurants in today’s fragile industry, how Covid reshaped risk tolerance, and why saying “yes” to opportunity—when aligned with your values—can change the entire arc of your career.

At its core, this is a conversation about identity and intention—about carrying your culture with pride while building something new in one of the most competitive food cities in the world.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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