Chefs tend to have a love-hate relationship with restaurant critics, who have the power to make or break them. Critics try to enter restaurants undetected, while chefs try to spot them, then ensure a flawless experience and a good review. This week, we have a story about one critic’s very unusual encounter with a famous chef, and the bombshell article that followed. MacKenzie Chung Fegan was a relatively new critic at the San Francisco Chronicle when she visited The French Laundry, a restaurant of worldwide acclaim helmed by the celebrity chef Thomas Keller. When Keller asked to speak with her, MacKenzie assumed she knew why. But she was in for a big surprise. 

Read MacKenzie’s story in the San Francisco Chronicle here. 

This episode contains explicit language.

The Sporkful production team includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O’Hara, Kameel Stanley, and Jared O'Connell. Publishing by Shantel Holder.

Interstitial music in this episode by Black Label Music:

• "Can You Dig It" by Cullen Fitzpatrick
• "Saturn Returns" by Ken Brahmstedt
• "After Party" by Brannu
• "Lost And Found" by Casey Hjelmberg
• "Loud" by Bira
• "Nice Kitty" by Black Label Productions
• "Legend" by Erick Anderson
• "Minimaliminal" by Jack Ventimiglia

Photo courtesy of Dave Dugdale/Flickr/(CC BY 2.0). 

Right now, Sporkful listeners can get three months free of the SiriusXM app by going to siriusxm.com/sporkful. Get all your favorite podcasts, more than 200 ad-free music channels curated by genre and era, and live sports coverage with the SiriusXM app.