Q&A: Best & Worst Fall Ingredients, Max's Wedding, An Egg Roll Debate, Late Night Eating, Raisins & Ranch

Jordan Okun (0:11)

Max is still hot and bothered from people calling out as pre-dinner showering.

Max Shapiro (0:17)

So sorry that anytime you ever see me at dinner, you'll know that I just showered.

Jordan Okun (0:22)

Not the point. This is part of the detachment from reality.

Max Shapiro (0:26)

All I have to say, I do understand, but I just want to say, you're welcome to everyone.

Jordan Okun (0:31)

For what? The content?

Max Shapiro (0:32)

For being clean.

Jordan Okun (0:33)

Okay, yeah, he's clean.

Max Shapiro (0:36)

Unbelievable.

Jordan Okun (0:38)

All right, first question. Yeah. Bubbler Bubbles in Jordan, Jordan the door. People are calling me Jordan the door.

Max Shapiro (0:46)

Thank God it's not the Jordanator.

Jordan Okun (0:47)

Okay, yeah, thank God. Jesus Christ. You know, LA Chef Con, they reached out, they are apologizing.

Max Shapiro (0:53)

Too late. It happened.

Jordan Okun (0:55)

I do not accept any apologies for the Jordanator. Yeah.

Max Shapiro (1:01)

All right.

Jordan Okun (1:02)

Bubbler Bubbles in Jordan the door. What is your biggest accomplishment with each other, i.e. Max getting Jordan into stemware?

Max Shapiro (1:12)

I have not gotten him into stemware, but that's an example.

Jordan Okun (1:15)

I was into it at that Sushi Nakazawa. I started to appreciate it. Yeah.

Max Shapiro (1:19)

Yeah. I think, I think, do you want to go first or do you want me to go first?

Jordan Okun (1:24)

Well, you've done so much for me, but what do you think is the biggest accomplishment?

Max Shapiro (1:31)

I would say that I've somewhat improved your pronunciation of words somewhat.

Jordan Okun (1:36)

You think so? Oh boy.

Max Shapiro (1:38)

But I think that you'd like to not say them correctly.

Jordan Okun (1:43)

Untrue. I'm trying my hardest out here. This is just who I am.

Max Shapiro (1:47)

I've spent a lot of time discussing balance, texture, technique and how ingredients work together. And I think some of that has finally implanted itself in your brain.

Jordan Okun (1:56)

Right. I know the petunias now. The petunias you look at.

Max Shapiro (2:00)

Well, that's a fortified wine.

Jordan Okun (2:02)

I would have never known the petunia rating on wine without Max.

Max Shapiro (2:07)

Yeah. And I think that you look at composed dishes differently now than you used to.

Jordan Okun (2:13)

Okay.

Max Shapiro (2:15)

I think I've opened your eyes to the world of fine dining a little bit more. I think I've shown you the way of sushi so that you no longer believe South Beverly Grill has the best sushi outside of Japan.

Jordan Okun (2:27)

Oh, boy. Well, no. The best sushi now outside of Japan is Jones on Third's Chinese chicken salad sushi. Okay. Well, I take it back.

I did.

Max Shapiro (2:38)

Well, I take it back.

Jordan Okun (2:40)

Look, that's good. That got a ton of engagement. People really freaking out and excited about this Jones on Third Chinese chicken salad sushi. But I have to say, I love Joan with all my heart. If Joan was only 30 years younger, her and I could have had a shot.

But the Osaka stack at Hillstones still reign supreme as the best sushi outside of Japan.

Max Shapiro (3:13)

Okay. So I take it back. He's learned nothing.

I've gotten you to drink more alcohol and possibly even appreciate it to some degree.

Jordan Okun (3:22)

Some degree. Some degree.

Max Shapiro (3:24)

I think, correct me if I'm wrong.

Jordan Okun (3:26)

This list is long, man.

Max Shapiro (3:27)

I think I've made you more comfortable giving useful criticism rather than just saying something was good or bad.

Jordan Okun (3:32)

Okay.

Max Shapiro (3:35)

I think I've expanded your food vocabulary. Your lexicon has definitely improved.

At least I think it has.

Jordan Okun (3:42)

Isn't that the same as the pronunciations?

Max Shapiro (3:44)

You're just trying to add things to this list. No, no, no.

Jordan Okun (3:48)

What else?

Max Shapiro (3:48)

I think that's, I think that's it.

Jordan Okun (3:50)

That was it?

All right. My biggest accomplishments with Max is one of the following, and I will let Max decide which is the biggest one, okay? I don't have a long list like him. I can't improve Max's life that much. He was so, he was so evolved compared to me. No. Intellectually.

Max Shapiro (4:11)

No, no, no, no.

Jordan Okun (4:11)

Intellectually.

Max Shapiro (4:12)

No, I think you've done a lot of good.

Jordan Okun (4:15)

Okay, so you decide, and then let me know if I leave anything out. Yeah, yeah.

Max Shapiro (4:20)