Salt Lick with David McMillan & Derek Dammann

Change is in the air for the final Salt Lick episode of the year. For starters, David has a new co-host and business partner. Derek Dammann, renowned chef, farmer and co-owner with David of the new Grille-Nature on Montréal's West Island, joins the program and the pair will be podcasting in the new year from a studio nook in the restaurant. Just hours away from Christmas break, the chefs are admittedly exhausted and use this time to review their opening menu, describing the creative choices made, shout-out farmers and suppliers who help elevate the offerings, and describe the chaos of the first few weeks—along with touching moments, like watching their kids work together on the line. Speaking of Montréal's most talked-about restaurant opening, the chefs aren't wasting any time to announce an expansion: a fast-casual concept attached to Grille-Nature, and details are shared later in the episode. Special thanks to Lesley Chesterman for her contribution to Salt Lick's first year. You can follow her writing on Substack at Lick My Plate. Follow David & Derek on Instagram. Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original production.

David invites a friend from Maine onto the podcast to explore how the scrappy chef grinded his way onto the 2025 New York Times 50 Best Restaurants list while cooking on a glass-top home stove. Sam Richman of Sammy's Deluxe in Rockland, Maine is candid about his wildly diverse journey from washing dishes and making cheeseburgers as a teen in New Hampshire, to working pastry at The Fat Duck in the English countryside when it topped the World's 50 Best, to Manhattan's WD-50 as the (unfortunate) molecular gastronomy craze heated up, and finally landing on a quiet corner of the New England coast where he's blossomed. As a younger chef, Sam describes a road trip-pilgrimage up to Montréal to meet David, inspired by the first Joe Beef cookbook. This conversation is a testament to the power of mentorship in cooking; if these classical bonds between chefs remain strong, mentees become peers. Follow SammysDeluxe, David & Lesley on Instagram.  Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.

What began as an episode devoted to the noble oyster took a sad turn with the news that our guest's mentor had passed away. This edition of Salt Lick featuring Patrick McMurry is dedicated to the memory of Rodney Clark, the Toronto restaurateur and founder of Rodney's Oyster House. Patrick, the Guiness World Record holder for fastest oyster shucker, shares his experiences working for Rodney over eight years and how his legacy lives on in seafood market restaurants across the country run by other protégés. Through his Oyster Master Guild, Patrick trains food professionals to understand, appreciate and properly serve the molluscs; he explains tips for effective shucking, how he wins competitions, and why the right knife is key. Oysters have been depicted in literature for centuries; a luxury, aphrodisiac or fertility stimulant. Patrick shares poems from MFK Fisher and, to conclude, one of Rodney's favourites, The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll. Follow Patrick, David & Lesley on Instagram.  Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.    

Having written multiple books themselves, David and Lesley invite one of North America's most renowned cookbook authors to discuss her adventures, creative process and the challenges of publishing. Naomi Duguid has published nine cookbooks, her latest being the James Beard-nominated Miracle of Salt: Recipes and Techniques to Preserve, Ferment, and Transform Your Food; her 2016 book Taste of Persia won the prestigious award. The trio are candid about what it takes to write a cookbook and the challenges of maintaining creative control. David takes us behind the scenes of his first Joe Beef cookbook, while Lesley gets real about how much of her writing gets trimmed by editors. Naomi takes the hosts on a journey through her many travels, taking great lengths to balance honest storytelling from trusted local sources while avoiding politics entirely. Follow David & Lesley on Instagram.  Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.    

A short bonus chat show as Lesley and David prepare to welcome some high-profile guests. The hosts have wine on their mind; specifically, a recap of Lesley and boyfriend/wine writer Jean Aubry's trip to David's vineyard where they assisted with the harvest of  Chardonnay, Pinot and Gewürztraminer grapes. David explains the fermentation process ahead as he expects to produce about 8,500 litres of wine from this year's crop. They also spend some time analyzing the 50 Best Restaurants list, and how one in ten are located in Montréal; did any benefit from a Chesterman bump? David also gushes about a former Joe Beef colleague who was named best sommelière in North America, as both agree that concerns over the negative effects of drinking wine may be blown out of proportion. Follow David & Lesley on Instagram.  Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.