Joe Rogan Experience #1765 - Philip Frankland Lee

Philip dropped out of culinary school after realizing he was relearning basics he’d already mastered on the line, and that top restaurants would retrain him their way anyway; he argues kitchens are craft shops where you earn your place by doing, not by degrees.

He distinguishes a cook (who executes dishes) from a chef (who designs menus, coordinates teams, manages operations, and solves problems), likening chefs to orchestra conductors rather than star soloists.

By serving a fixed progression to a set number of guests, Philip can buy exactly what he needs, minimize spoilage, and design a coherent experience where each course tells part of a story instead of chasing à la carte crowd‑pleasers.

Building and managing a wood fire forces cooks to truly understand heat, timing, and ingredients; Philip’s Scratch Bar runs almost entirely on a hearth where everything—from meat to fish to vegetables—passes through flame or coals for distinct textures and smoke profiles.

He describes a young cook’s “bagel and cream cheese” notion that sounded simplistic; by workshopping it (rye-like crackers, house cream cheese, smoked roe, sea urchin, onion accents) they turned a cliché into a world‑class, bite‑size course.