Learn about some of the assistants to your favorite celebrity chefs on this HRN Community Sessions segment! Mariana Cotlear, former assistant to José Andres, sits down with Laura Ryan, assistant to chef Tom Colicchio, and Mandy Oser, former assistant to chef Eric Ripert. Learn how all of these women came to work for such high-profile chefs despite their different career paths. Find out how the world of food relates to subjects like law and politics. What is an average day like for a celebrity chef assistant? Listen in to find out why chefs are generally very charitable, and how camaraderie often leads to collaboration in the kitchen. Learn what aspects of the job are the most trying and challenging. Thanks to our sponsor, Hearst Ranch, and thanks to The California Honeydrops for today's music!

"A big reason I didn't end up in the kitchen is because I can't do the same thing everyday." [11:00] -- Laura Ryan, assistant to Tom Colicchio

"My position is unique; you can take it to a lot of different areas in the industry." [14:35] -- Mandy Oser, former assistant to Eric Ripert

Valentine's Day is coming up; find out what to cook for your date on this week's Cooking Issues! Dave Arnold and Nastassia Lopez are back in the studio, and they're tackling your culinary questions. Find out the best way to cook a savory cheesecake in a circulator! Why is espresso often served with carbonated water? Dave offers some suggestions for juicing greens, and talks about thickening hot sauce with different starches. What qualifies as true buttermilk? Dave also talks about some ways to balance a vinaigrette, and shares his Valentine's Day recipe ideas! This episode has been sponsored by The Brooklyn Kitchen.

"Whenever you go by buttermilk in a store, it's cultured buttermilk. It's not real buttermilk." [32:40] -- Dave Arnold on Cooking Issues

Today on The Morning After, Jessie Kiefer is joined by guest co-host Elizabeth Chubbuck of Murray's Cheese, and they're talking with Master Captain Kelli Farwell of the Water Table. Tune in to hear the show introduced with a dramatic 'Front of House' segment involving dislocated hips and restaurant bathrooms. Later, Kelli talks about her restaurant experience, and why she decided to get in touch with her seafaring New England roots with her floating tavern, the Water Table. Learn about the boat that houses the Water Table, and its history as a touring cruise ship on Lake Michigan. How does the Water Table fit into NYC's current health code? To wrap up the show, Elizabeth Chubbuck redecorates Chardonnay's! This program has been brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

"I've been on dinner cruises that look like a big party, and I don't anticipate that [for the Water Table]." [20:30]

"When you spend fifteen years watching people eat, you get a good idea of what they want." [27:45]

-- Kelli Farwell on The Morning After