Repertoire is a traveling video podcast series hosted by Sammy Monsour—a Michelin award-winning chef, two-time cookbook author, food activist, and instructor in the Culinary Institute of America’s Master’s in Sustainable Food Systems program.
Each episode, Sammy sits down with some of the most influential chefs in the world for unfiltered conversations about food, culture, creativity, and sustainability. From kitchen rituals and philosophies to personal stories and behind-the-pass realities, Repertoire dives into the ideas and experiences that shape who we are as cooks and as people. Expect big laughs, honest talk, and plenty of delicious moments along the way.
🎙️ New episodes every other Tuesday—audio streaming everywhere + full & short video episodes on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
In this episode of Repertoire, I travel to Washington, D.C.'s Navy Yard to sit down with Kyle Bailey—chef, restaurateur, and one of the Mid-Atlantic's leading voices in sustainable seafood and Chesapeake Bay cuisine.
Kyle has spent his career building restaurants that celebrate seasonality, craftsmanship, and the people harvesting our food. Named Food & Wine's People's Best New Chef, he co-founded the Washington, D.C. chapter of Dock to Dish, helping forge direct relationships between Chesapeake watermen and local restaurants. Whether he's curing charcuterie, shucking his own proprietary oyster, or championing underutilized species, Kyle's cooking is driven by a deep respect for both product and producer.
We dive into:
- Why seafood became his life's work, and how the Chesapeake Bay continues to shape his cooking philosophy.
- The story behind developing his own oyster varietal and what it means to build lasting partnerships with oyster farmers.
- Why Dock to Dish represents more than sustainability—it's about strengthening local economies and reconnecting chefs with the people catching their food.
- His lifelong obsession with charcuterie, preservation, and learning to utilize every part of an animal.
- Childhood food memories—from fried whole-belly clams on family trips to Maine to an enduring love of the humble hot dog—and why nostalgia often shapes our favorite meals.
- The realities of training young cooks, teaching creativity through repetition, and why great dishes are earned through countless imperfect first attempts.
- How responsible sourcing extends beyond seafood into farming, animal welfare, and building a more resilient regional food system.
- The balance between craft, hospitality, and leadership, and why curiosity remains one of a chef's greatest assets.
Kyle and I nerd out on oysters, charcuterie, local food systems, and the invisible work that goes into building restaurants rooted in integrity. It's a conversation about honoring tradition while constantly refining your craft—and why the future of American cuisine depends on stronger relationships between chefs, producers, and the communities they serve.
Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
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