When we asked nearly a dozen of the Upstate’s chefs about their musical preferences in the kitchen, we were blown away by the sheer volume and diversity of opinions.
We shouldn’t be surprised, though. It’s been thoroughly reported that restaurant dining room music and volume are almost a science for some chefs.
“I try to match the crowd’s energy and keep the volume one click above the guest volume,” says Adam Cooke of Topsoil.
But their opinions about what they’re prepping and cooking to behind the scenes are almost more intense—from the style, tempo, genre, and even the artists that will have them walking out. Cooking at home has its own unique playlist for some.
The one commonality? If they’re cooking, music is on.
“I guess I would just say a silent kitchen is probably a deadly one,” says Katie Chaney of Curean. “I do think a silent kitchen is definitely one [in which] you’re not communicating. You’re not having fun.”
What do you listen to in your restaurant kitchen?
“Mostly it depends what I’m cooking. I do like to listen to music from the cuisine. I believe that art inspires art. I like to think I’m channeling the spirit of the culture. When I make a curry, I listen to Hindustani or Carnatic, Sufi, Bollywood. When I make dim sum, I listen to the Hero soundtrack. I love the guqin and erhu (Chinese instruments). My staff thinks I’m crazy, but I love it. Django Reinhardt (a jazz guitarist) was a staple at Passerelle. If I’m in a cafe, I want to feel like I’m in France, even though I’m home. It’s a transcendental thing for me.
“If I really need to focus when I’m in the weeds—straight classical. (I don’t need lyrics clouding my brain and distracting me.) Or something in a language I don’t understand. I really dig some Viking rhythms and some Kung Fu ska.” – Teryi Musolf, Camilla Kitchen
“I like classical music when I’m prepping food, EDM when I’m in the zone, and I have an everyday playlist that is mix of everything. Working in a kitchen, you gain an appreciation for all kinds of music.” –Michael Sibert, White Wine & Butter
“When I cook, I listen to a lot of hip hop, Texas rap, reggaeton and regional Mexican music. My food is best consumed when Bad Bunny, Drake, Grupo Frontera, That Mexican OT, Cardi B, and Megan thee Stallion are playing in the background. I feel empowered when I hear people singing and rapping about overcoming obstacles and being great and not caring how anyone feels about it.” –Dayna Lee-Marquez, Comal 864
“For prep, lots of steady beats and interesting vocals but nothing too distracting. You need something to keep the pace and tempo up in the kitchen, but it can’t add anxiety.” –Adam Cooke, Topsoil
“Believe it or not, I listen to so many different genres. When I begin the day I listen to Judge Judy! Sometimes inspirational gospel, reggae and Afrobeat. Much of this has to do with keeping the mood light and progressive. Sometimes the words make me reflect on life and it keeps my energy positive. Some days I listen to jazz and classical—depends on the day and the energy.” –Eugena Talley, The Herbal Farmercy
“We listen to ’90s rock a majority of the time. Personally, it’s my go-to genre, and lucky for me a lot of the crew are musicians that grew up in that era so we probably listen to far more than anyone actually should. We do like to switch it up from time to time and you never know what mood may strike us. Indie rock, electro, Dean Martin, ’90s rap, R&B, Huey Lewis and the News, old blues, jazz, Jimmy Buffett, you name it, we’ve played it.” –Joe Cash, Scoundrel
“I am a huge Lil Wayne fan. I’m a huge Drake fan. I love UGK. . . The only thing is that music is very fast paced, it’s got a heavy beat. . . And so, you know, you’re moving with those songs. You’re not relaxing. . . But sometimes with baking you are in the practice of slowing down and being more meticulous, so sometimes we gotta pump the brakes on the jock jams and the TI and put on something slower.
“I’ve worked in a lot of different kitchens, and I really enjoy hearing Latin music as well. I used to work with somebody in my kitchen, and whenever we were stressed, I would ask her to put on merengue.” –Katie Chaney, Curean
“Music is a huge part of my life. I listen to a bunch of different genres but my favorite artist is Lady Gaga. I’m a super fan. I also love Fleetwood Mac, Lenny Kravitz, indie rock and French indie. I love Adele, Doja Cat, and Bad Bunny. Not a huge fan of country but I appreciate Dolly, Reba, and Carrie.” –Jacque Metras, The Rabbit Hole
What’s on your home playlist?
“Love rock in general but also love to listen to some Imagine Dragons. Also, kids love it so they sing along with me. The Beatles, Oasis, but also some Caamp, The Lumineers, Noah Kahan, Hozier. All of those songs are more relaxed than the ones I could listen to at work. Music like that where everyone can sing along and have a great time, cooking or waiting to eat.” –Nico Abello, Table 301
“At home and work I like to listen to the same fast-paced, hardcore pop-punk bands. It’s a great tempo to get moving to, and being a musician myself I move with the tempo. Favorite band to jam as loud as possible would be Dance Gavin Dance, or Eidola.” –Ryan Smutzki, Juniper
“At home, it’s pure salsa because I love to keep up the energy and dance with my wife and daughter. Salsa brings lots of energy even if you don’t know what they’re saying.” –Wilberto Sauceda, KO Restaurant Group
Sound off—what won’t you listen to in the kitchen?
“If Talking Heads comes on, I will leave the room. I had a coworker that would play them on repeat in the kitchen, and now I can’t stand them.” –Metras
“I have a strict No Drake rule. Can’t stand it. Other than that, it’s open season.” –Cash
“There’s almost nothing that I can’t listen to, but anything too repetitive frustrates me, like two hours of ska.” –Cooke
“Something I like to listen to but not . . . in the kitchen cooking is rap. Even if I like it, I cannot listen to it while I’m cooking—home or work, same feeling.” –Abello
“I can’t stand country, or any new pop mumble rap—like listening to nails scratching on a blackboard.” –Smutzki
“Heavy rock—I can’t. I like old rock and roll like Guns ‘n’ Roses, Metallica, the soft versions.” –Sauceda
“I do not like rap (except some Beastie Boys occasionally). The new stuff doesn’t make sense to me at all.” –Musolf
“I don’t particularly hate any kind of genre, [so] it wouldn’t be weird for me to blast Jelly Roll and sing along to “Son of a Sinner” or blast Carole King and cry-sing to the Tapestry album she released in 1971.” –Lee-Marquez
