About this episode
Send a textSeason 11 closes with the annual festive conversation that has become a tradition on the Chef JKP Podcast.In this Christmas special, Chef JKP welcomes back two of MENA region's most respected food writers, Courtney Brandt and Liam Collins, for an unfiltered year-end conversation on everything that shaped hospitality, dining, and food culture in 2025.From Michelin milestones and major restaurant openings to media responsibility, service standards, awards fatigue, and the reality behind hype, this episode captures the mood of the industry at a moment of reflection. It is personal, honest, occasionally controversial, and deeply rooted in lived experience.Courtney shares a landmark year that included working with the world’s first three Michelin starred Indian restaurant, stepping into beverage culture, and witnessing how global recognition reshapes local pride. Liam reflects on his second year as a father, writing with more intention, and how Dubai continues to evolve from an importer of talent into an exporter of culinary identity.Together, they unpack what truly matters right now. Community over noise. Consistency over spectacle. Thoughtful growth over rushed expansion. And why hospitality still begins and ends with people.This festive special moves effortlessly between industry insight and personal storytelling, touching on Michelin, 50 Best, Tatler, food halls, service culture, PR ethics, neighbourhood dining, underrepresented cuisines, and what 2026 might bring.A conversation that feels like being invited back to the table with family.WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE• The biggest hospitality moments of 2025• Michelin stars, losses, and what they still mean today• Media responsibility and the misuse of “Michelin” language• Why community-led dining is winning over hype• The rise of neighbourhood restaurants and food hubs• Service culture and what truly defines great hospitality• Underrepresented cuisines and where the real innovation lies• PR, influencers, and credibility in modern food media• Festive food memories, traditions, and industry realities• Predictions and hopes for hospitality in 2026CHAPTERS00:00 Festive welcome and setting the tone02:10 A year in review for Courtney and Liam05:30 Family, food memories, and life beyond work12:40 Michelin moments and historic milestones21:30 Awards, recognition, and industry maturity32:20 Openings, closures, and where the market is shifting45:10 PR, media ethics, and inflated expectations58:30 Service culture and what guests truly remember72:40 Community dining, food halls, and neighbourhood growth88:00 Underrepresented cuisines and future opportunities102:10 Predictions for 2026114:30 Fes
