This Chef Meet-Cute Is the Cutest
When a job interview goes wrong—but oh-so-right. Hot Side's Max Baroni and Goodstory's Lydia Keating are on Radio Cherry Bombe today.
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“Is it okay if the garlic gets a little crushed?” Lydia asked the chefs.
“Nope!” They replied.
It was around then that she realized she wasn’t going to get the gig. And then came the disaster of the cubed squash…
This week on Radio Cherry Bombe, Kerry Diamond talks to Max Baroni and Lydia Keating, who she met on a Kerrygold brand trip to Ireland. She loved the content creators’ infectious, positive energy and their meet-cute story, which could be the plot of a romantic comedy.
After Lydia traveled around, became a surf instructor, and trained at Ballymaloe, our dream culinary school on the coast of County Cork, Ireland, she then wandered her way to New York, where she showed up to stage at The Four Horsemen in Brooklyn. (To “stage”—a French word pronounced stah-zhh”—is a trial run/job interview at a restaurant.) Right away, she locked eyes with a tall chef who tried his hardest to boost her chances at getting the job. Unbeknownst to her, he’d been following her on social media, where she was a running influencer, and developed a bit of a crush. But that cubed squash, well, you’ll have to listen to hear how it ends.
Now Lydia is building community IRL by hosting a run club called Goodstory that meets for a lap in Prospect Park before heading to a local bar for an open mic, where the runners read essays and tell stories. The first print issue of the Goodstory literary magazine is coming later this year. Meanwhile, Max is sharing recipes on Instagram (you want that coconut salmon) and on his Substack, called Hot Side. We’ll be following along as they both head to Paris in a few weeks for Lydia to run the marathon while we take notes of everywhere they eat. Priorities.
Thank you to Kerrygold for supporting our show!
Also discussed this week:
Matty Matheson would be so much fun on a deserted island
Never underestimate the power of restaurant supply metal mixing bowls
… or sizzle trays
Alison Roman’s Fennel and Grapefruit Salad from Dining In still slaps
The Gjelina cookbook is canon for Max
More Than Cake is canon for Lydia
More Cherry Bombe Podcasts
🎧 Our Favorite Spice Girl, Sana Javeri Kadri Of Diaspora Spice Co., Is Now A Cookbook Author
🎧 Padma Lakshmi On Her New Show, America’s Culinary Cup
🎧 Cookbook Author Ella Quittner Is “Obsessed With The Best”
🎧 Chocolate Chip Scones With Danielle Sepsy Of The Hungry Gnome
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Both Lydia and Max's "shoot your shot" approach to life is exactly what I needed to hear today.
I resonated with Lydia's experience of trying a new sport after being a D1 athlete and realizing you don't need to be defined by one thing. Good luck in Paris!
Max, I loved what you said about caring less and being your authentic self. Going to try to apply this in my journey.