Chef Jonathan Waxman is Our Guest DJ

Top Chef Masters. His fellow chefs – and competitors — lovingly called him “Obi Wan” for his Zen-like approach. He is considered one of the founders of California cuisine and I like to think that “chill” demeanor came from the West Coast (he’s now based in NYC and is behind the restaurant Barbuto).

I learned a lot in his Guest DJ Project set — that he plays trombone, that aspiring chefs somehow get to room with “models and fashion photographers” when they study in Paris, that he cruised around Europe in a Ferrari listening to The Police in a soul searching moment and that Steely Dan is his musical inspiration to both keep things simple and keep pushing the boundaries.

In this bonus clip, he talks about how the melting pot of cultures here in SoCal influenced his cooking style.

Bonus Clip: Jonathan Waxman on KCRW’s Guest DJ Project by KCRW

Enjoy Jonathan Waxman, the music lover, and check out his set in the archives here.

Jonathan Waxman Guest DJ Project Set List

1.) God Only Knows- The Beach Boys

2.) Sexual Healing- Marvin Gaye

3.) Naima- John Coltrane

4.) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic- The Police

5.) Deacon Blues- Steely Dan

RR