Food Network Star Exposes The Truth About American Cheese, TV Fame, and a 1.8 Billion Dollar Burger Empire...

We sit down with Chef Eric Greenspan, who rebuilt American cheese with real dairy and zero fillers, then chose craft over cameras to grow a product, launch kitchens, and return to the line with a new Hollywood deli. 

This is a raw and unfiltered talk on distribution, brand, and why skill beats clout.

• origin and decline of American cheese
• building a premium slice with aged cheddar, cream, and butter
• how sodium citrate works without fillers
• distribution through Chef’s Warehouse and select opcos
• TV breaks, Guy Fieri’s “misfits” and authenticity
• choosing brand focus over easy airtime
• advice for young chefs on craft and humility
• opening Mish, a Jewish deli in Hollywood
• family, restaurants, and the service mindset

Find Eric at Chef Greeny on Instagram — C-H-E-F-G-R-E-E-N-Y. Or go to Eatnewschool.com

Welcome to the show! Burnt Hands Perspective

Chapters

• 1:20 Meet The Chef Behind New School
• 2:09 Reinventing American Cheese
• 4:09 What Makes It Different
• 7:06 Distribution And How To Get It
• 10:44 TV, Misfits, And Finding A Lane
• 15:09 Brand Versus Opportunity

Transcript

SPEAKER_02: 0:56

Bernhand's perspective, we are back right now with a legend. If you don't know now, you know. Miss Greenspan. What up, what up, what up, what up? Tell us about yourself, brother. Right away, real quick.

SPEAKER_01: 1:03

Tell us about myself. Yeah, we'll show you. Okay. How long do we have?

SPEAKER_02: 1:06

Let's go about what is your career? What do you do? And then we'll get into the dirt.

SPEAKER_01: 1:11

Uh the Instagram bio says I am a creator and curator of delicious. Okay.

SPEAKER_02: 1:17

So I'm a clarifying taste myself. Yeah, so we're similar.

SPEAKER_01: 1:20

Similar in that way. I'm a chef by trade, so like I'm a cook at the end of the day. You know, I've owned restaurants. I I have a I make the best American cheese in the world. Okay. Called New School. That's what I make a premium American cheese. Okay. So I do that. I do a ton of consulting stuff. I do. You might have seen me on the Food Network. I do some food network stuff.

SPEAKER_02: 1:42

Sure. I just want to make a channel. So tell what's this American cheese day? What is that? So you're making a loaf of American cheese or a sandwich or something.

SPEAKER_01: 1:48

No slices and shreds. I take so look, American cheese for a hundred years is done. So American cheese started as like a premium product. Did you know this? Like when Kraft was making it as a premium product, it was a way to avoid like refrigeration while shipping cheese back in the day. And then like when they started putting sodium citrate in it, which is like the magic that brings it all together, right? Everybody started everybody big cheese started realizing that that like you can like once you have sodium citrate in it, you can kind of fuck with everything else. And so it just kind of went like this for like a hundred years. Turned to wax. And it turned to garbage. We just went like that.

unknown: 2:25

Right.

SPEAKER_01: 2:25

So we so like where they take like cheese enzyme, like dairy mixes, we use aged cheddar. And when they use water, we use cream. And when they use oil, we use butter. And then we don't use any phosphates or like fillers or starches or anything.

SPEAKER_02: 2:40

So you're legitimately making fucking cheese.

SPEAKER_01: 2:42

It's actual cheese, still pasteurized, still processed. So it melts like American cheese, like you remember, like childhood, but it eats like a fucking adult.

SPEAKER_02: 2:51

So grilled cheese is out of control with this. Well you have that cheese.

SPEAKER_01: 2:54

You have the grilled cheese cookbook too. I do have a grilled cheese cookbook. That's actually what inspired the whole thing. I wrote a grilled cheese cookbook and I made the first chapter about making American cheese, and I wanted to put a recipe for making American cheese, and I looked at everything that was in it and I was like, eh, can't put that in a freaking cookbook. Like, take one teaspoon of phosphoric acid. You know what I mean? You're like, I'm sorry, what? You know, you can do that. You have to go to a science lab to get this stuff. Great. So it got me thinking, why not make this stuff like out of real ingredients?

SPEAKER_00: 3:22

So you guys are distributing that across the country.

SPEAKER_01: 3:24

All over the country. Food service mostly. Chef's warehouse, a little Cisco, a little US foods, a little dabble here and there. Well now you know where to get?

SPEAKER_02: 3:32

Yeah, exactly. So most most big houses are.

SPEAKER_01: 3:36

Oh, it'll work in the Italian deli, dude.

SPEAKER_02: 3:37

No, well, yeah, sure. But you know, there's so many people watching this that that it's irrelevant because they're trying to figure out where to get it, right?

SPEAKER_01: 3:43

So I mean it's Chef's Warehouse is our is our main distributor, um, national with them.

SPEAKER_02: 3:48

Chef's warehouse, is that through U.S. foods? No, it's called the Chef's Warehouse. That's what it is, straight up.

SPEAKER_01: 3:52

It's a separate distributor, yeah. We are we're we got a couple US foods, you know, opcos that are using us, a couple Cisco ones are using us, like LA and San Diego and a couple other things. Well, the good news with that is GFI, we work at GFI, we work at PFG.

SPEAKER_02: 4:04

Because you're coded in their system, it's easy for them to just push it somewhere else. Right. So, anyone out there, if you want to get into this cheese, look it up, check them out, get into that.

SPEAKER_01: 4:12

If you're not melting new school American cheese on your burger, you're it's frankly criminal.

SPEAKER_02: 4:19

Criminal.

SPEAKER_01: 4:19

Now that you know that it exists, it's like you melt cheddar and drink, it's like gnarly. So ignorance is no longer an excuse. No, you just lack of lack of opportunity. No longer an excuse.

SPEAKER_02: 4:29

Right.

SPEAKER_01: 4:30

So putting it in your face. There you go.

SPEAKER_00: 4:32

It's still fuzzy. It's very fuzzy.

SPEAKER_02: 4:34

So that's that's amazing. So when you got to the food network and all that stuff doing that shit, did you were you dreaming of cheese then? I mean I've always dreamed of cheese.

SPEAKER_01: 4:43

Did I know I was gonna make a premium American cheese? Absolutely not. I roll with the punches, dog. Yeah, I take a lot of punches, like you know, in this business, if you don't pivot, if the shark stops swimming, it drowns.

SPEAKER_02: 4:54

You know, that's the biggest thing I tell a lot of people coming up in the world is they want to know how to be the best right now. And I said there's no such thing because the best right now changes right now. Right now, we just talked about was 30 seconds ago. Yeah, yeah. There's no thing. Shouldn't go shrooms? Yes, sir. Shouldn't go to hell right now. Well, you know what I'm saying, so you all.

SPEAKER_01: 5:15

Yeah, no, exactly. Look, like I said, the swimming shark eats, but the but the static shark drowns. You know what I mean? So you always gotta be willing to put, no, I don't know about I mean I look, I've been making grilled cheeses for a long time. So like, you know, it made sense that when I thought about it, I was like, hey, I should start a company. I just you know, it wasn't like I want to start a company. So I wasn't like always thinking about that. But when I finally was like, I was reaching for a premium American cheese, and there was nothing reaching back. And so I'm the kind of guy who's like, well, then I'll do it myself.

SPEAKER_02: 5:45

There you go. And not only that, and you're supplying your own demands, it's perfect. Correct. So now Rule number four, I know you've heard this.

SPEAKER_01: 5:53

Never get higher on your own supply. Never go high on your own supply.

SPEAKER_02: 5:55

Unless it's cheese. I broke that shit a long time ago. Unless it's cheese. So now when you went to the food network, but what type of chef were you at the time that you've been cooking all your life?

SPEAKER_01: 6:04

I'd already I think I did my well, Food Network was not my first foray into television. My first foray in a television was a show called Fix This Kitchen. It was like sponsored by IKEA, and it was like a kitchen redesign where it was like we went in and in like one week, like with the help of a local contractor and a designer, we redesigned your kitchen. And it was on like 10, it was on like 11 o'clock on Saturdays. It's like, oh, what are we watching? College football or fix this kitchen? Yeah. But that I was like the chef on that, who like I was like, here's what you told you. Oh, you want to use these burners. Sure. Uh that was fun. Um, and then I did Iron, and then I I got asked to do the next Iron Chef.

unknown: 6:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 6:46

So by the time I had started doing food network stuff, I was already a pretty established, like, fine dining chef.

SPEAKER_00: 6:52

Well, didn't it help, like, with you being based in LA where those opportunities came? Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_01: 6:56

I mean, I think that like, look, producers come into your restaurant, you know, restaurant. Producers come into your restaurant, like, and like it was funny, my restaurant, the foundry, I used to expedite from the dining room. Basically, like there was no separation of the kitchen. It was like an open kitchen deluxe. And uh, and so, like, you know, like when you came to my restaurant, like, I'm not a subtle person. Right? I know. No, I don't know. Yeah, well, I wouldn't say so. So when you came to my kitchen, you would like, you're you're in there with me. Welcome aboard the Eric show, you know what I mean? And that's the best part. Right, and so yeah, like that didn't that didn't hurt like they came in. Um, you know, then we won Iron Chef, and then I did a couple episodes of Guys and we got along, and they started asking me to judge and be a part of that. And you know, once Guy's the homie, pretty good. Like guy, guy like made a bet probably 10-15 years ago. Like Guy made a bet on the misfits. Like guy was like, I want Aaron Mae and Bo McMillan and Christian Petroni and and you know, and and and and like and like started kind of plucking chefs who weren't necessarily like of the cut of the ilk right that the that the food network at the time was. It was like the island, you know that Christmas sign, like the island of misfits? Like I was the fucking like the elf with the fucking horse bottom. You mean like that's like that's the shit. So God kind of like collected all the all of the misfits, and then we won. You know what I mean? Like everybody turns out he was smart, like you guys work and know what the hell you're doing. Yeah, and and we had and it was and it was and it was and it always has been, and it continues to be authentic. Yeah, it continues to be like an authentic love for what you're doing and for the community and the people. And because like Guy Fieti is the godfather, and he when he brings the people around, like it's a nice hug to be in.

SPEAKER_02: 8:47

You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, he came into my restaurant one time many years ago. I was a victim of what you're talking about on the food network on the other end. I didn't fit their mold, and they didn't have the misfit mold by by then. So I went all the way up into the meeting rooms and all the boardrooms, and then we had a disagreement because one of the producers thought I was too cut from the, you know, I was too cut from their cloth a little further away. I'm not cut from their cloth, I was too far away from it. So you you're absolutely right in saying that with that network in particular. It is what it is, you know what I mean? It's that's what they have their own.

SPEAKER_01: 9:22

Uh needs to go back to school and go do something else, right? Because like that shit's the cherry on top, right? Sure. That's the lottery ticket, lucky for you. And there's a lot of people in industry now who like are constantly looking, like, that's what I want to be. They want to be in front of the camera. They want to be, you know, especially with the cameras in your face and in your pocket and all that stuff. But at the end of the day, like, real success comes from from honing your craft and and and really doing what you're supposed to do. And then when that stuff comes, I love these guys. I know they're so you guys are back! Yay! Are you making burgers again? You are? When?

unknown: 10:00

I went to the colour.

SPEAKER_00: 10:01

Little uh, yeah, they're done? Yeah, they're gonna be.

SPEAKER_02: 10:08

So the best part about this live shit is this exactly. It's fun.

SPEAKER_00: 10:10

Yeah, yeah. So we have one of our teams here at World Food from Japan, and they made a burger and they had jelly.

SPEAKER_01: 10:16

But they made a burger last year with my cheese.

SPEAKER_00: 10:17

Yeah. Oh, they did. They used my cheese.

SPEAKER_01: 10:19

Last year they used my cheese, and they did better than they did today. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. I'm just saying the cheese dog. I'm just saying that if somebody, if like run your restaurants, cook your food, do your thing, right? And and if you do all that and you happen to be entertaining as well, someone might find you might. But like it was funny, like, guy would invite me, you know, when I launched Mr. Beastburger, right, which is the fastest growing restaurant in the history of restaurants, for better or for worse. But like, we opened up 1800 fucking virtual units in a year and a half. Like it was nuts. And and I had to was working hard, right? Or when I opened up the Tesla Niner, same thing. Like guy would be like, hey, come on up and do this show or do that show. I'm like, bro, like, I can't, like, I'm I'm I'm busy, you know, and like I got I got stuff to do. I'm doing myself, I'm doing my thing. And he's like, man, he's like, yeah, he's like, you know, be careful of your brand. Like, don't lose your brand. And I was like, guys, you don't get the ranch next, like, my brand is not, like, I'm not you. There's only one you.

SPEAKER_02: 11:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 11:18

And and I respect and appreciate all the opportunities you've given me and the love and the support. Like, I'm not getting a ranch next to your ranch by being a judge on your show. Right. Right? I get the ranch next to your ranch by forging my own destiny.

SPEAKER_02: 11:34

Yeah, right. You gotta take a look at the city.

SPEAKER_01: 11:35

And that's not gonna be, you know, that's gonna be that's selling cheese. You know what I mean? That's opening up my deli. That's like focusing on my craft.

SPEAKER_02: 11:42

Like you said, when you have a restaurant in Delhi, a product, a brand, that has to be plan A. The TV thing should be plan B. And if plan B comes along, great, but you still gotta have plan A. You still gotta sell, you got your kids to feed, you got bills to pay, you have a you have a retirement plan in place.

SPEAKER_01: 11:57

Look, you can't, I always say, like, you focus on the things that you can control. Right. Those are things that you can control.

SPEAKER_02: 12:04

You can't control so and so you can't control fortune. And not only that, but you can't control the production room, you know, the product the producer's mind. You can't control what their decisions are. The only thing you can control is what you deliver, right? But you can't control what you deliver for yourself when you're producing yourself, you know?

SPEAKER_01: 12:17

And that's great.

SPEAKER_02: 12:19

What do you have as far as advice to people like we're talking about right now? Because what you're saying is true. It's the younger generation of chefs who think that they don't have to fucking go through the trenches. I don't understand.

SPEAKER_01: 12:32

If you're an imposter, you're an imposter. And at some point that shit catches up to you. Oh, it's and in this world these days, there's a ton of imposters. Yes. But if you hone your craft and you put your head down and you work and you learn and you're humble, and you are at you know, and you are and you are actually a a student of your game, that's how you don't get stopped. Right.

SPEAKER_00: 12:55

Well, and leading to that, you bet through all these phases. Now you're going back into the restaurant.

SPEAKER_01: 13:01

Back into restaurants. My kids said they don't need me a baseball practice anymore, so I'm in. I told my kids, I'm like, I'm like, I've known you your whole life. You have no idea who I am. And they're like, what do you mean? I'm like, your father has a very specific temperament and manner that is suited for a very specific environment. And that environment is not writing cookbooks and hanging out with y'all. Yeah. It's in the trenches. I'm crazy in that. Right. You put me in the right environment, you put me in a restaurant environment, and like, I'm in my zone. You're ready to shot. And you guys have never seen that. Right. And so, in reality, you you love me, you don't know who I am. You're about to see who I am. Right. So I just signed a lease, and in about four months, we're opening up uh a Jewish deli in Hollywood. Good for you, baby. Yeah, called Mish. That's weird back in it. Perfect. It's been eight years, bro. Back in the zone. Back in it, yeah. Oh, I'm so ready.

SPEAKER_00: 13:52

How old are your kids?

SPEAKER_01: 13:53

Eight and eleven.

SPEAKER_00: 13:53

Okay, so yeah, they've never been in the restaurants. Are they gonna help? Are you gonna put them to work? Probably.

SPEAKER_01: 14:00

I don't know, it's kind of like keeping your daughter off the pole, you know what I mean? Like you kind of want to keep you kind of want to keep them out of the restaurant. Yeah, some ways, but in other ways it's like you know, one of them, and I won't say who, like, is uh is poised for this kind of work. That's how we say it's kind of a savage.

SPEAKER_02: 14:16

Um So the problem is though, we're we're always stuck in that bound that boundaries, right? Because I want my kids to be in a restaurant, but in the same hand, I don't. Because if they don't have what it takes, that's individual. That's not something you can teach.

SPEAKER_01: 14:28

I mean, I'll get my you can teach them what it takes. The question is, do they really want to do it? That's what I mean. You can't take a look at it. Like, look, if you really want to do it, I'll let you do it. But I'm certainly gonna try to pay for as many schools and opportunities and write as many emails and text messages as I can to give you whatever your opportunity it is that you want. Right, yeah. And if it turns out that if you actually want an opportunity in the restaurant business, you happen to happen to have the right dad. You know what I mean? But I would certainly like to, you know, I vote no.

unknown: 14:57

Right.

SPEAKER_01: 14:57

But it's you know, but it ain't my choice.

SPEAKER_00: 15:00

My daughter works for him in his restaurant, right? So she's 17, she's worked there for over two years now, and she loves it. But I mean, she's gonna be a dentist. Right. So she does it, she loves it, she loves it.

SPEAKER_02: 15:10

She short-lived.

SPEAKER_00: 15:11

She wants to bartend, like she loves that permit.

SPEAKER_02: 15:13

It's that service industry I think all kids should be part of. I mean, it's really important to understand. With maniacs like us.

SPEAKER_00: 15:22

Yeah. I mean, we had a good time. Well, we've always had a good time at the restaurant. Right. So, like I said, I said it earlier. We know how to have a good time. I said it earlier on the stage over there when we were hosting, but I was like, I am so incredibly grateful that there were not cell phones in the bar.

SPEAKER_01: 15:38

For real. Or it might have kept you alive.

SPEAKER_00: 15:40

No, I haven't ever had a job on TV that I had being that. Like, that would have been no way. There's no way to do it. I didn't have some on MySpace. There are still some MySpace.

SPEAKER_02: 15:54

Nobody was good hanging with you guys. That was awesome.

SPEAKER_00: 15:58

It's awesome to have you.

SPEAKER_02: 15:59

It's an honor to have you here. We know you're busy. Anyone watching who knows you, if you don't know him, look him up. Where can we find you? What you got for plugs on where you're at?

SPEAKER_01: 16:06

Uh just find me at Chef Green on Instagram. That's always the best, chance. Say it one more time. Chef Greeny. C-H-E-F-G-R-E-E-N-Y. Chef Green. Crazy, got you. Or New School. Or go to New School. Che Newschool.com. Eatnewschool.com. Eatnewschool.com. Check him out. Get news.

SPEAKER_02: 16:22

This guy's a maniac in all the good ways. The best. Honor to have him on here. Appreciate you, brother.

SPEAKER_01: 16:27

Appreciate you guys. See you out there. Yeah, go catch it, man.