You like your chefs on a pedestal? We prefer them behind the line, sweating bullets over a broken ticket machine. In this special (and slightly unhinged) episode of You’re Not Special, Aaron Loman Jack and the gang crack open the cult of Michelin stars and James Beard Awards—those glitzy, anxiety-inducing badges that have chefs chasing perfection like it’s a fix.

We’re talking:

• Why the Michelin Guide started as a damn tire company pamphlet

• How anonymous inspectors decide if your food is gold or garbage

• The mental cost of chasing a third star (spoiler: some chefs snap)

• What the fork a James Beard Award really means—and why it matters more

• Who’s hoarding the most stars and why you’ve probably never heard of them

• And why every restaurant crew should get the damn credit—not just the dude with his name on the door

We’ll take you from roadside sandwich shops to culinary temples in the clouds, through the grit, the glory, and the absolute gaslighting of the gourmet world. If you've ever wondered who decides if a restaurant is "worth the detour," or if stars are just glittery shackles, this episode’s your jam. Bring a napkin—this one gets messy.

And remember:
You’re not special—unless a dead man’s foundation or a French tire company says you are.

What do you get when a TEDx speaker and a firecracker chef walk into a podcast after a 12-hour shift? This episode. Buckle up as Erin and Dr. Sizzle dissect Burnt—Bradley Cooper’s sweaty kitchen redemption arc—with the kind of side-splitting, spicy banter that’ll leave your spatula curled.

They cover everything from:

• Michelin-star madness and chef rage (read: flying pans and fish apologies)

• Why sous vide isn’t a food saver—and what Erin used to think it was

• Escargot vs. hamburger helper: the comfort food identity crisis

• Chef power dynamics, knife nerdiness, and... knife blue balls?

• And how shucking a million oysters might just be the ultimate sobriety program

If you’ve ever been screamed at in a walk-in, romanticized kitchen life, or just love a good F-bomb-laced laugh, this one’s your five-star course. Come for the movie review, stay for the rebel energy.

👉 Rated “Yes, Chef” for explicit language, food nerd tangents, and totally unfiltered storytelling.

What happens when front-of-house meets back-of-house and sparks (or grease fires) fly? In this Year Not Special episode, Erin, Dr. Sizzle, and guest couple Nathan and Heather spill the tea (and maybe some sauce) on what it’s really like to date your coworker in the chaotic world of restaurants.

From walk-in flings to fire alarms, meatballs on the ground, and the unforgettable scent of burnt garlic rage — we’ve got it all. Plus: why shift drinks are basically relationship therapy, how not to clean up after a kitchen fire, and the reason no one wants a “burning sausage” in their life (trust us).

🍻 Come for the romance, stay for the kitchen disasters.

🎧 Warning: Contains salty language, hot takes, and possibly a ghost of a meatball.

Ever wondered what happens when you force a real-life chef to sit through a Netflix food show? Spoiler: it’s not inner peace—it’s inner rage, garnished with profanity and sprinkled with truth bombs.

In this episode, Erin and Dr. Sizzle dig into the drama (and trauma) of reality cooking shows, from David Chang’s flavor fusion face-offs to Gordon Ramsay’s rage fests. Erin is here for the chefing vibes and culinary creativity. Dr. Sizzle? He’s reluctantly hate-watching and dragging everyone from Fluffy to foodies with glitter nails.

They tackle hard-hitting questions like:

• Is salt a spice or a spiritual experience?

• Why are “home chefs” a culinary crime?

• And is there really no crying in the kitchen, or do we just shove that emotion into the walk-in?

This episode is part roast, part rave, and all real—from burnt potatoes to kitchen PTSD. If you’ve ever cried over cold fries or judged someone for saying “foodie,” you’re in good company.

🔪 Bring your appetite and your sarcasm—because we’re serving piping hot opinions with a side of sass.

In this unfiltered tribute to Ryan Reynolds, bad tipping, and restaurant PTSD, Erin and Dr. Sizzle dive fork-first into the 2005 cult classic Waiting. Expect a full menu of spicy memories—from hungover brunch shifts and cigarette-stained bar sections, to dick games and the myth of “secret sauce.”

They dish on:

• Why 20-something servers are basically feral raccoons with drink tickets

• The true horror of airplane seat "mystery moisture"

• The magical powers of the angry waitress smile

• Why kitchen crews would rather be vulgar than violent (choose your chaos)

• Stanley Tucci's peasant food tour and why it sent Dr. Sizzle into a full-blown wrist-bracelet-fueled rage spiral

• Bonus: A sneak peek into their upcoming “watch-along” series featuring kitchen-themed movies and shows—from culinary disasters to food network fails. Also, unsolicited shade at Guy Fieri. You're welcome.

Come for the food movie breakdown, stay for the “did I pee myself or was that a spilled drink?” moment of self-reflection.

In this supernatural soup of absurdity, Erin, Pants, and Dr. Sizzle take a woo-woo detour into the world of haunted restaurants, ghostly dishwashers, and poltergeist-approved parsley sabotage. From bathroom paper towels that activate themselves mid-pee, to the Great Ghost of Jalapeños who may or may not hate bartenders, this episode has all the vibes of a séance... if the séance was hosted during brunch.

You'll hear:

• A haunted margarita tank room

• A skeptic slowly unraveling

• “The Learning Tube” meets “The Paranormal Mop Squad”

• Why ghosts apparently hate fresh herbs

• And the mystery of the possessed Hollandaise sauce

🌀Bonus topics: vibrating shelves debunking ghost myths, emotional energy fields, and why John Legend has nothing to do with John Lennon (you’ll get it when you listen).

🎧 It’s creepy, it’s hilarious, it’s weirdly heartwarming—and like any great ghost story, it ends with a skeptical chef being haunted by a Red Bull-powered paper towel dispenser.

💀 Come for the hauntings, stay for the sass.

In this reunion episode of You're Not Special, the gang's back together—and absolutely nothing (and no one) is safe. Fueled by overpriced tequila and spicy nostalgia, Erin, Dr. Sizzle, and Pants relive their most chaotic restaurant moments, from resurrecting the sacred Learning Tube™ to dodging deranged toast point orders like culinary ninjas.

You'll get insider dirt on:

• A hotly contested Eggs Benedict disaster

• The mysterious Dick Towel tradition

• Who really should be banned from brunch forever

• And the birth of the fake gay metal band: Heavy Bucket of Fruit

Also featuring: microwave misuse, haunting boss laughs, and the world's most passive-aggressive Red Bull peace offering.

This episode has all the flavor of a triple shot poured by a heavy-handed bartender and the bite of a sassy server who's finally had enough.

Hit play, relive the madness, and remember: What happens in the walk-in... stays in the walk-in.

Grab your wine and clutch your pearls—this episode of You're Not Special is a wild ride through the outrageous (and disturbingly true) world of restaurant horror stories. From entitled grandpas grabbing cheeks to a woman demanding someone microwave her shoes (yes, really), Erin and Dr. Sizzle hold nothing back.

We’re talkin’ creepy celebrities, projectile wine glasses, the mysterious case of the water allergy, and one dude who thought using someone’s face as toilet paper was a compliment. Hospitality? More like Hostile-ity.

✨ This episode is messy, unfiltered, and absolutely unmissable.
💀 Caution: May cause spitting out drinks and deeply questioning humanity.
🍷 Bonus points if you’re drinking 1942 on the rocks while listening.