Scott Conant and the Power of the Necklace

Scott Conant and the Power of the Necklace

June 9, 2026 · 52 min

About this episode

Scott Conant shares his journey from aspiring plumber to celebrated chef, discussing the impact of emotional fan encounters and his views on television fame.

Scott Conant wanted to be a plumber, but getting shut out of a vocational school class set him down a different path. The 2004 Food & Wine Best New Chef and Food Network star reveals the exact dish that convinced him to devote himself to Italian cooking, the emotional fan encounters — from a grieving mother to a man struggling to stay alive — that reshaped how he thinks about television fame, how the best thing he's ever done in his professional life isn't in a restaurant, and why Alex Guarnaschelli calls him the "most human" of the Chopped judges. Visit foodandwine.com/tinfoilswans for more Episode Art Courtesy of Food & Wine /Ken Goodman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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