Chef Andre Natera sits down with Jam Sanichat, chef-owner of Thai Fresh in Austin, Texas, to explore how restaurant culture, wage models, and culinary traditions intersect.

Jam explains why she eliminated tipping at Thai Fresh and replaced it with a transparent service fee designed to provide stable wages and reduce front-of-house and back-of-house pay disparities.

The conversation also traces her journey from teaching Thai cooking classes and selling prepared foods at farmers markets to building Thai Fresh into a full restaurant and cooking school with vegan desserts, gluten-free ice cream, and a sustainability-focused sourcing philosophy.

Jam shares how she crowdfunded a memoir-style cookbook through Kickstarter, breaking down the strategy behind a successful campaign including reward tiers, promotional planning, and production timelines.

For cooks and chefs interested in Thai cuisine, Jam explains the five-flavor balance that defines Thai cooking and discusses pantry staples like fish sauce, pandan, and curry paste that help create bold, layered flavor.

This episode blends restaurant economics, cookbook publishing insights, and practical Thai cooking knowledge for anyone curious about the intersection of hospitality business and culinary tradition.

Thai Fresh Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thaifresh/

LINKS & RESOURCES

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Most chefs should not open a restaurant.

James Trees explains why ownership is finance and leadership, not cooking. From prime cost and food cost velocity to EBITDA, triple net leases, and delivery app traps, this episode is a restaurant business masterclass.

If you are thinking about opening your first restaurant, learn the numbers first.

• How prime cost actually works

• Why food cost velocity matters more than percentages

• How to negotiate leases and protect downside

Built for chefs serious about ownership and profit.

Follow Chefs PSA and share this episode with a chef who wants to open a restaurant.

James Trees Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

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Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com

A Michelin-trained chef faces thyroid cancer and the real possibility of losing his taste.

Chef Jake Rojas shares his diagnosis, treatment, feeding tube recovery, and how the experience reshaped his priorities around health and leadership. From El Paso competitions to three-star kitchens in Las Vegas, this is a conversation about discipline, identity, and why flavor is the only thing that truly matters.

• What Michelin kitchens teach about execution and respect

• How serious illness reframes leadership and priorities

• Why deliciousness outweighs presentation and hype

Built for chefs who want longevity, not just accolades.

Follow Chefs PSA and share this episode with a chef who needs permission to prioritize their health.

Jake Rojas on Instagram

LINKS & RESOURCES

Subscribe on Substack → ⁠https://chefspsa.substack.com/⁠
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → ⁠https://shop.chefspsa.com/⁠
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → ⁠https://chefspsa.com/⁠
Sponsored by RATIONAL USA → https://rationalusa.com