Karen Ackunowicz on Boston’s Food Scene, Bib Gourmand, and the Importance of Powerlifting!!
4/27/202651 min
Adrienne and Joe are joined by Bib Gourmand award-winning Chef Karen Akunowicz to talk about the Boston food scene, excellent food at a great value, and the importance of finding balance in and out of the kitchen (if that’s even possible). In this episode, we also discuss:
Fork It or Forget It: Lobster Rolls (cold or hot?)
The booming Boston food scene and how Karen got her start as a Houston’s bartender
Prominent female chefs in Boston and the example they set
Her restaurants (including Fox & the Knife) achieving Bib...
Clips
Showing 10 of 12Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAdrienne Cheatham· Host0:00
[laid-back music] Today on The Chef's Cut, we have a guest who is a true badass. She is a powerlifter, she's a former bartender, a social media comedian, and, oh yeah, she just happens to be an award-winning celebrity chef who is also nicknamed the Queen of Pasta. We're talking about how she got started.
Karen Akunowicz· Guest0:21
And that is Houston's.
Adrienne Cheatham· Host0:22
Houston's.
Karen Akunowicz· Guest0:23
And you know- I, I knew you were gonna say it [laughs] ... Houston's. I did. I lo- I love Houston's.
Adrienne Cheatham· Host0:28
What community means to her.
Joe Flamm· Co-host0:30
You're making that magical moment- You're, it's ma- ... is what you're doing ...
Adrienne Cheatham· Host0:33
magic You're making a magical moment in South Boston with an Amaro cart. What makes the perfect lobster roll.
Karen Akunowicz· Guest0:38
Hot buttered lobster, but the pu- they put mayo on the bun.
Adrienne Cheatham· Host0:41
Oh.
Joe Flamm· Co-host0:42
Mm.
Adrienne Cheatham· Host0:42
If you haven't figured it out yet, it's Chef Karen Akunowicz, the James Beard, Best Chef winning, Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded, power lifting powerhouse behind some of Boston's most loved restaurants. But first, Chef's Cut Nation, we need 10 seconds of your time. Please rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts. Your support is the reason we've grown so quickly, and your support will help us keep going. [laid-back music] Chef Karen, thank you so much for joining us today. We are so excited to talk with you.
Karen Akunowicz· Guest1:18
Thanks for having me, guys. I'm a big fan.
Adrienne Cheatham· Host1:20
We do this segment called Fork It or Forget It, right? And fork it means you like it, forget it means you're gonna kick it to the curb.
Karen Akunowicz· Guest1:29
Okay.
Adrienne Cheatham· Host1:29
And