Kick off your festive season with a full Thanksgiving feast and a side of brutal industry honesty. In this episode of The Go To Weekend podcast, Kate Austin is joined by chef and development maestro Anna Søgaard, ex head chef of Bistro Freddie and current head of tastings and development at luxury caterer Rocket. While Kate confesses she has never cooked a Thanksgiving before, Anna walks her through the all American classics: roast turkey, roasties instead of mash (when in England), controversial sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows, tart clementine cranberry sauce and a seriously indulgent sourdough stuffing that behaves like bread and butter pudding’s savoury cousin.

Around the stove they swap stories of homesickness, Friendsgiving traditions and the kind of feasting that only Denmark can deliver. Think all day Christmas lunches, crackling topped pork, rice pudding with hidden almonds and that very Danish obsession with brown gravy colouring. Kate remembers cooking in Copenhagen and being wheeled home after dessert, while Anna shares how her own half Danish, half American background shaped the way she cooks and celebrates. It is cosy, chaotic and full of those tiny cultural details that make holiday rituals feel so personal.

Between basting the turkey and blowtorching marshmallows, the chat goes deep on life after the pass. Anna talks about becoming head chef at Bistro Freddy, the pressure of having your name above the door, navigating sexism as the only woman in the room and the moment she knew it was time to walk away. She explains why she chose creativity and stability over restaurant ownership, her role at Rocket, and the story behind Superb, the women led supper club raising money for underfunded charities and giving brilliant female chefs a platform. If you love big roasts, big conversations and women backing other women, this episode is your new weekend listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the Go-To Weekend season finale — and we’re going out with a bang. We kick things off, as always, with High, Low & Regret (and a little spicy industry gossip: Straker and Carrie? Victor Garvey’s surprise closure? Drake at Claridge’s?!). Then it’s onto the “slutty chef” internet sensation, TikTok’s royal wedding.

Finally, a powerful interview with chef, author and Bourdain confidante Laurie Woolever. From the raw realities of 90s New York kitchens to her deep reflections on addiction, fame, and legacy, Laurie doesn’t hold back. Plus, her NYC black book picks, weekend go-to recs, and the one thing she cannot stand. Don’t miss this bold, brilliant finale — and thank you for spending your weekends with us.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Go-To Weekend, we’re serving up strawberries, F1, and the sizzling energy of the summer heatwave – all powered by Square. From the sun-soaked courts of Wimbledon to the big screen buzz around the new Brad Pitt F1 flick, we’re in peak weekend mode. There’s celeb-spotting chaos, sweaty closing hours, and ice cream recommendations you need to know about.

Plus, as always, we kick things off with your favourite trio: High, Low & Regret. Then we’re joined by the sensational Rahel Stephanie – better known as Spoons – whose Indonesian supper clubs have London in a chokehold. We talk food, identity, Jakarta hotspots, and the future of her culinary empire. It’s a spicy, thoughtful, hilarious chat, with a few cocktails thrown in courtesy of Hepple. Plus, Rahel reveals her ultimate weekend picks in our Square-backed Little Black Book. So grab your ice cream, plug in, and get ready for a scorching Go-To Weekend.

------------

Find out more about Square here - www.square.com

Get hold of Hepple Gin, the greatest Gin in the world here; https://hepplespirits.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.