Podbit · Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Achatz doesn't wake up with recipe ideas. His process is research-heavy: studying forgotten dishes, eating at markets in Japan or Mexico, or starting with a painting — a Caravaggio, then a Mondrian — and trying to replicate its aesthetic on the plate. When he smells a tomato, his mind goes somewhere. Everything passes through a food filter.
Where this was said
At 51:15 · chapter starts 48:30
Years after the cancer was beaten, Achatz still lives with its aftermath. Radiation from collarbone to nose caused lasting atrophy: the flap of tissue that covers the windpipe during swallowing no longer folds properly, making every meal a careful logistical exercise. Seven years ago, radiation-related gum recession caused a severe infection that required pulling all his lower teeth, further restricting his ability to chew. The irony is multilayered: the world's most celebrated chef cannot eat freely. When he dines at other restaurants, colleagues who recognize him inevitably want to serve him the entire menu. The social awkwardness of declining, navigating, and explaining is a constant companion. Achatz discusses it with characteristic composure, describing his relationship with food now as simply 'complex.'
When Alinea closed for renovation in 2016, Achatz ran a pop-up in Madrid to keep all 100 employees paid rather than laying anyone off.
Robby Hoffman isn't fearless — she's terrified all the time. The difference is she does it anyway, because not doing it feels worse than the fear itself.
John Mulaney texted Robby Hoffman out of nowhere saying he'd been a fan for a while and wanted to make a Netflix special with her. Robby called it 'shocking, horrifying, anxiety-inducing, surreal and thrilling' — and said yes.
Mulaney is buttoned-up, suit-wearing, classy. Robby is gritty, raw, and undefined. Together they made the collab nobody expected. Batman and Robin. Eminem and Dido.
Music had Pope Gregory forcing notation. Comedy has had 'magical thinking' — he's just got funny bones. But jokes work through discoverable, teachable mechanics. Writing down the rules doesn't kill the magic; it gives more people access to it.
Howard Ashman had one insight nobody else had: animated Disney films should be Broadway musicals. The third song of every great musical is the character sitting alone explaining what they want. That's 'Part of Your World.' That structure — combined with Alan Menken's compositions — generated Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, and turned Disney Animation into the most profitable creative engine in entertainment history.
The Lion King musical has been running for 30 years across Broadway, London's West End, and global touring companies. It has grossed over $11 billion in total revenue — more than Avatar, more than Avengers: Endgame, more than any album, more than any video game. It generates an average of $350 million in revenue every single year. Disney owns it outright.
The anonymous French artist Invader has hidden 1,500 pixelated mosaic artworks across Paris alone, with thousands more scattered across 80+ cities — affixed to the Eiffel Tower, the Hollywood sign, and even sent to the International Space Station. He might be even busier than Banksy.
The Flash Invaders app turns city streets into a treasure hunt, letting players scan Invader's hidden mosaics for points. Players have collectively logged over 47 million flashes. Unlike most mobile games that glue you to a screen, this one forces you to look up and engage with your surroundings.
New York draws thousands of young, talented performers every year chasing Broadway stardom — but the hard truth is that most of them never make it. Zelig Williams was one of the rare exceptions.
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