December 6, 2022 • 39 mins
When we first started recording in early 2020, a guest was lined up who was excited to dig into the chicken sandwich wars but then covid shutdown came and the war on chicken sandwiches ended and the episode never happened. Cut to almost three years later and the topic is back! Chef Pyet DeSpain (Next Level Chef) is here to defend the Chic-fil-A chicken sandwich while Chef Nekia Allen is arguing in favor of Popeye's. Pickle brine, 11 herbs and spices, can something be TOO crispy? A lot of things are covered and our honorable judge Richard is put the test yet again.
*After this episode the guests were so sweet they went to Popeye's and got us all lunch. Gems!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Creamy, Creamy, crunch Crunchy food Court, food Court, Food Court
with Blaze Argue in the food Court Court with Blase
(00:24):
Cross Food Welcome to food Court, a production of I
Heart Radio. I am Richard Blaze, and I will be
your host and your judge in this courtroom of sorts.
I'm gonna settle your food fights, and We're gonna have
(00:46):
fun doing it. Joining us in the court today, we
have two women who are already friends and immediately had
some ideas on what they disagree on, which is always
a good sign that it's going to be a good debate.
The first is a traveling I've at chef who I
had the honor of meeting when she competed on Next
Level Chef. It's Piette de Spain. And in the next corner,
(01:12):
do we have corners? We have a women right here
in southern California, a friend of Piatt's. It's chef Nikia Allen.
Does me alright? I can tell that the Friends with
Opinions this is a it's a spinoff of the show.
It's Friends with Opinions who are about to debate. And
I listen to two of you have a lot to say,
and I can't wait to hear it. Today, we're reviving
a topic that got extra hot. I like that, Crystal.
(01:35):
Just before everything shut down, we're talking about chicken sandwich wars.
Of course we all know it. Spicy chicken sandwich war
is kind of as well. First, let's get to know
each other a little bit more, Piette, what have you
been up to since you won Next Level Chef? The
question is what have I not been? Wow? I love it.
(01:56):
So I had a pop up here Unless Angeles. So
I did a pop up for two days. We sold well,
we've fed three hundred people, sold out both nights. We
had Indigenous dancers come, Indigenous artists, Native American artists come.
The food was amazing. So I did that. Been traveling
around doing a lot of keynotes speaking on teaching people
(02:19):
what indigenous food waste actually is, and food sovereignty, regenerative agriculture,
how all that ties in, and why indigenous food should
be considered at the dinner table. Oh, I love that.
First of all, the keynote speaking game is something that
is to be pursued, right, Yeah, And you know I
didn't know. I mean I knew that I wanted to
like like inspire people, but I didn't know to the
(02:40):
effect of how to do that, and they were like, yeah,
just show up and tell your story. And I do
and they're like, wow, you're a phenomenal public speaker. I'm like,
I didn't even prepare for that, but it's because it's
it's my story and I know I know how to
tell it, so I love it. How are people taking
to the indigenous fusion cuisine that sort of blends Native
(03:00):
in and Mexican foods. People are loving it. Actually, it's new.
Not a lot of people understand what it is yet,
and so because it's new, everyone's super interested. Everyone wants
to try it. They're like, when are you going to
have a pop up in my city? Are you going
to do another one? Everyone just really wants to eat
the food. So I'm trying to plan out some events
(03:20):
that the public can actually come and attend to. We're
talking with mortgage work here in l A to try
to get into there, and there's a lot of pre
planning that goes into that. So um. But yeah, I'm
really really excited to be a chef that is able
to bring Indigenous food to the table, be proud of it,
and then open up the gateways to all the other
(03:41):
chefs that are wanting to pursue that same you know, yeah,
it's pretty special and it's and I mean just for
aiming from the food the fact. Yeah it's new, but
it's original, like like it's really like this is this
is American quisine. That that's to me, that that's the story.
And I can't wait to listen to one of your
keynote talks the Kia. What about you now, you're kind
of are you known for like comfort foods? From what
(04:02):
I understand, it can be that. I guess I think
I just bring comfort wherever I go. I'm a sudden girl.
I can't help it. So I feel like that's just
what I carry. I carry that peaceful spirit and my
middle name is joy. So if I'm not bringing joy
and comfort, then I'm not living in my purpose, right.
I just happened to make food that's very much about
(04:23):
communal experiences. I'm about bringing different people to the table
to have excellent conversations. I mean, the food is definitely
gonna be good because I'm making it, but it takes
a backseat to what happens when people break bread at
the table, Like no matter where you're from your told
you I'm a status, you're a race who you love
when we all said at the table, we're on the
same page and everybody's got to eat, and that's just
(04:44):
my philosophy. So we're doing a lot of that, a
lot of big tables with people and just loving on people.
I love it. So like when I'm I'm envisioning, you know,
we're saying southern food, comfort food, and I'm envisioning what's
on that table. But break it down like it's a
meal where you you invited a couple of people over
what's what's on this table? Food wise? It would surprise you.
It's an amalgamation of everything that I am, which is
(05:05):
so diverse that what Silkell is. So you're gonna get
some vegan options and not even know that it's vegan.
You're gonna get a whole roast of qualified with Harrissah.
I love it. I love it, one of my favorites.
You're sure, you're definitely gonna get a whole side of
salmon that's got some creole seasonings on it. It's gonna
be delicious. You're gonna get an avocad of cramont that's
going to be began. You don't even know it's vegan
because it's so damn good exactly. So you're gonna get
(05:27):
a little bit of everything. You're gonna get a so
cow girl on a table at amalgamation of different cultures Moroccan, Um, Spanish,
and uh, definitely some corn bread. Of course. The best corner,
oh there is then you and you round it out
with the with the southern dish right there in the
corn bread. We just had a cornbread debate. It was yeah,
he was weighing on the cornbread debate that we had here.
(05:47):
Should there be sugar in corn bread? The argument was
sugar or not, as long as it's a general sugar
in the mix. And then honey on top of I listen,
I'm here for it. Someone wasn't in that debate, but
no spoilers and how that went down. Um, I love
the too that you said New Orleans spice on the salmon.
(06:10):
Do you have a store bought You probably make your own,
but do you have a store bought spice blend like
I've been using the Tony Shash rays, right, isn't it?
It's so good? Yeah, it's so good. You can anything
you put that on. It's going to be good fire. Yeah,
and it's not too spicy. It's I had a little
(06:30):
harrissa as well, which can be which can be, which
can be too spicy sometimes not never can never be
too spicy. I mean you just gotta mix it, right, Yeah,
all right, there we go. Alright, listen, I love a
good throwback because you know, we all remember chicken Sandwich
wars and and everything that was going on. But before
we get into that yet, you've been crushing it on
these keynotes. But you're also jumping on a yacht later
(06:52):
or you're captain. You're the captain. I am the captain. Now, yeah,
I'm gonna ride on selboat later are my friend's sailboat,
and I will more than likely be driving and you know,
whipping the boat around, which is a new hobby of mine,
I guess. But we've been sailing quite a bit this summer,
and so when I'm traveling in between. The one thing
(07:13):
that really like grounds me is coming back to l
A and like going out for a sunset cruise. And
my friend lives on the boat. He's also Native American
and it's like he grew up on a Navajo reservation,
lived in Arizona most you know, most of his life,
but he traveled all over the world, decided he wanted
to come to l A on a sailboat and now
he lives on his sailboat. And I'm like, you're pretty
cool man. Yeah, well, speaking of cool, you're both pretty cool.
(07:36):
I mean, the vibes are immaculate right now here. So
then and I know that next level chef, there was
this whole like your social media chef, your professionals, which
it's a little you know, we're all everything to be honest, right,
So what are your tips? Since you are so cool
and hip, what are your social media? What are your
social media tips? Because my my, so the way that
I like to operate my social media is to keep
(07:58):
a lot of my personality and and across the board
on social media. With these influencers, everything is so curated
and perfectionized if that's a word, and edited, and I
don't like doing that. I don't like the super filtered things.
I like the raw photo that just like us and
our wild selves and our wild beings just doing whatever
(08:19):
we want to be doing, Like even when it comes
to food. You know, in the past, I would you know,
do a whole cook out and then take these very
like immaculate photos, but the messy ones are cute too, yeah,
or just like of the ingredients being beautiful, the way
that they are sitting on the counter, like just I
like those type of photos. I always say, like, people
want to know how much you care before they care
how much you know, So that means like they want
(08:42):
to get to know you and who you are behind
all the beautiful food shots. I find that even on
my social media, whenever I go live or I'm on
stories and they see my face, not even the food
that I make, I get the highest engagement. I'm like, oh,
you want to know, but what I think, say what
I have when I'm doing today, you want to know.
We're sure stories I'm shopping are okay. So the more
(09:03):
that I do that, the more that people connect with me,
and no matter what I'm sailing or you know, presenting
to them, they're all for it because they've gotten to
know Nikia Joy That's right, I love it. I love it.
Tips that I will take away and I will should
I stop posting golf content, Crystal, Yeah, that's your personality, okay, Yeah,
(09:23):
there's my there's my social there's my social media dilemma
right now. It's like, I like playing golf. I take
pictures while I do it, and it's me. I'm not
getting paid to do it, and it's what I enjoyed.
But does you get a lot of engagement? Not necessary.
I'm not crushing the golf community just yet. But enough
about that up yet. Tell us here at the food court,
the case that you've brought into the courtroom. Here here jury.
(09:47):
So this is a thing. I love Chick fil A
like on another level, love Chick fil A from even
their salads are good. If no one like it's a
weird thing, even their salads from a as food restaurant,
I feel like they have the best salads from fast
food restaurants. They're the best dressings. But most of all,
the chicken sandwich. Any day, anytime, call me, I'm there,
(10:10):
Classic Chick fil A, Classic Chick fil A crispy chicken sandwich.
They do have a little spicy version of it as well,
but for me, it's the combo of the waffle fry
and the chicken. But then when you put the waffle
fries on the chicken sandwich, we're gonna get We're getting
into the debate. I gotta shut you down there. I
feel like that's getting deep into the debate. Waffle fries
(10:32):
making a quick appearance. The key of that means that
you do not probably think that the best chicken sandwiches
Chick fil A, Absolutely not. I do not, cheff a Blaze.
I do not because I think that Popeye's has a
hand down, hands down, They've had it from the beginning.
There was no real debate. I think people who didn't
know we're debating because they had not experienced the truth
that is, that's crispy, spicy sandwich. Period of story. Okay, listen,
(10:54):
I have to say there is a Popeye's right next
to the studio here, and I do remember when people
who are lined up down the street for a Popeye sandwich.
That being said, man, I've been to plenty of Chick
fil A drive through sometimes even right now. Are instand
my one of my first like pandemic, Like like in
the second week of the pandemic, I was just driving somewhere.
I was like, what is going on here? There's all
(11:15):
these cars and I was like, oh, there, it's something
related to the pandemic. No, they were online a Chick
fil a. There was a hundred cars online of Chick
fil A, So this is good. Now, listen, I have
to tell you we we we are friends, were getting
to know each other, all right, But in this court
I turned my own feelings off. So have I enjoyed
the Chick fil A and the Popeye sandwich? Yes, but
(11:35):
my verdict is based just on the arguments you're making,
not on my own personal feelings. And for some of
our viewers they've never maybe they've never had a Chick
fil A or a Popeye' chicken sandwich. How how could
that be placed for me? But here's how we do
it in our court, just like in most courts around
the world. Before we debate, we have a quick trivia round,
all right, So the winner of the trivia round is
(11:57):
going to get to decide whether they present their argument first.
For second, Now you both have buzzers in front of you.
That's going to help our our our listeners know who
answered first. So Nikia, your buzzer sound is all right?
It's the clown car clown car, uh, and Pete yours
is the spraying. It's a pogo stick? Is that? Does
(12:21):
I say that? Rights a pogo stick? And the clown
car um and just so if anyone wants to know,
that's generally my kid gave me. This is probably get
this urban offitters or something like. That's gotta be right.
It's my favorite sound. Right, So truth beats sold. This
is the first time we've had the actual morn. I
usually just do it, just usually do but we're in
(12:45):
season three and the budget has increased. It actually has it.
This is my own personal alright, So here we go.
Trivia is gonna start. We have your your sounds, so
our listeners know who's going to chime in. The winner
gets to decide who goes first. Question one, this is
multiple choice, just chiming when you have the answer. Colonel
Sanders had a lot of jobs before he had success
(13:07):
with fried Chicken. That's right. Colonel Sanders was a real person.
How old was he when he finally had success selling
his recipe? Was he a fifty years old? B sixty
five or C seventy? That's gonna be pet Okay, I'm
going to say bet B sixty five sixty five is
(13:28):
absolutely correct. Nice you have to stain chiming in their
sixty five. No, I am just curious. Did you know
that are you just taking like be because it's it
was a guest. It was guest educated guest. He was
sixty five years old, and he would sell his recipe
(13:49):
and name to restaurants for for a five cents royalty
on every chicken sold. But also like his actual like
pictures of him, you know, making the chicken. He looks sixty. Yeah,
I forgot, I forget what he was gonna say, leave,
I was gonna you look like there's a real person,
(14:09):
and you know what the logo is his face and
I'm fifty, and clearly don't look. Are you surprised that
I'm fifty? Okay, No, I'm the thing. It was a
different time because the Golden Girls were like fifty three. Yeah, Sanders,
like fifty years ago probably could have been fifty. I'm running, running,
running can later. Fifty is the new forty. Thank you, Piatt,
(14:35):
Thank you alright. That means Pat, you're up one zero.
Question to which popular fried chicken chain was originally called
Chicken on the run. That's here, Pope. Popeye's Chicken is
absolutely correct. Oh, she know her history. After several months
her chicken history, I was gonna say, you know, seventy two,
(14:56):
it's a good year. It's a good year. After several
months of lackluster performance, he reopens the restaurant as Popeyes
after the Popeye Doyle of the French connection. That was
a deep dive answer that there, like Copeland, I did
my research book. This is this is gonna got hot.
This is gonna be hot. Debate right here, I'm questioning
(15:16):
my readiness for the debate. Now are you checking the
answer checking? We have a we have a very prestigious
team that does all of our fact check She's right
there alright. Question three, what fast food chain? This is
for the wind By the way, it's tied up one one.
Question three, what fast food chain was a sponsor of
(15:37):
Iron Man, the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Here's a hints. While Tony Stark, probably my favorite Avenger,
was in a military custody, he had two requests, a
press conference and an American cheeseburger. Okay, yeah, sorry, sorry,
(15:57):
yeah they are at the same time. Okay, And I'm
American cheese burger and it's a fast food chain McDonald's.
McDonald's is a incorrect answer, but a really smart one.
Nikia for the steel, I'm gonna say In and Out,
No big Mac. It was a big Mac. I think
McDonald's McDonald's. Alright, alright, so neither neither one of well,
(16:21):
neither one of you got But here's what we're gonna do.
It's my court, so I get to make the rulest.
You get a second chance, you get a second guest.
It's a it's a American fast food restaurant that's not
McDonald's or In and Out that also serves burgers. Okay, yeah,
that's her. Was it? Get it together? What's going on?
You know what? We haven't had two guests in studio
(16:43):
at the same time. It's got to be it is
burger that was the second. That was my second because
or a quarter pounder with cheese, which is whopper. Okay,
got it? It was between those two. I prefer all
my marvel nerd friends are gonna be so me. You done,
we have done, We have done burger king versus McDonald's.
(17:03):
So way in you just said burger king, burger king
over that. I have to be honest. I've said this.
My first job was that McDonald's, but I prefer burger king. Yeah,
I mean, the friggame is on point, but the burgers
is the lack lust the whoppers. The whoppers a classic.
What Richard said was if it was a whopper versus
Big Mactibate, it would have been a different That is true.
(17:23):
The big Mac is the spread on the Big Mac.
The sidebar here, I've done tastes spread on big Mac
versus in and out spread blind, blindfolded Big Mac sauce
winds all the time. Ye surprised. I know for Californians,
we're all like, what I love that just scored the
spread in my mouth directly I spread shot. Also follow up,
(17:48):
since we had it with the colonel, how old is
the Burger King? There's an image of the Burger King too.
He's got a lush, gingery beard as he fifth years old,
sixty five years old or seventy, it's happening right now.
Chime in how old? I mean? Alright, So I'm going
(18:08):
to say he's in his fifties, because there's no gray
on gray, it's all ginger. Maybe forties. I'm gonna say forties,
forties and fifties. So the correct answer is about looks great. Hey, listen, no,
no disrespect. You're saying that's when the mascot was and
(18:34):
let's be honest, there's probably probably touching up the beard facts.
You know. It's yeah, he's he's pretty popular guy. I
like that. I like the bird like. Okay, here we go.
That means that Nikia has won the trivia round. So
you get to make the big decision. Do you want
to present your chicken sandwich case first? Or would you
like pet to go first? I mean, the throne goes
(18:54):
to chef. She's the winner, she goes first. Digress, all right,
you go first, take the home field approach. That means, Piette,
you're going to get to argue on behalf of Chick
fil A Chicken sandwiches. Right after this break and we
(19:16):
are back. Thank you so much for joining us in
the food court. To recap today, we have the case
of the Chicken sandwich Wars Chick fil A versus Popeyees.
But only one can reign as supreme king of the
Chicken Sandwiches. The way this works is that each of
you will have three minutes to state your case. During
this three minutes, you need to lay out your case,
not focus on your opponents. Use the first three minutes
(19:38):
to be positive and just let everyone know why your
case is the best. But don't worry, you'll have time
in the two minute rebuttal round where you get to
say all of the low negative things that you want
about your opponent's case. Is everyone clear on how this
is gonna work? Fantastic Piette to Spain. You are up first.
You got three minutes to let us know why Chick
(19:59):
fil a rocks. Your time starts now. Okay, So when
it comes to the chicken sandwich, Okay, the highlight is
obviously the chicken. So let's talk about the chicken on
a Chick fil A. There's a pickle brine involved. If
you did not know, they brine their chickens and pickles.
Pickle brine, you know, the pickle juice, which I think
is a great little addition to the acidity factor but
(20:21):
also really tenderizes that chicken before you put it into
the batter. There's an eggwash batter. There's some obviously some
flour that's been spiced and seasoned, but the finish on
the chicken isn't too crispy, which is what I appreciate
because when you are like in a rush, or even
if you're like sitting down ready to really devour chicken sandwich.
(20:42):
There's nothing worse than having too crispy, because there's a
such thing as a too crispy. It's a there's a
there's a such thing as a too crispy if you
don't have enough sauce to counter it. Okay, So with
the particular sandwich Chick fil A, I think it's a
perfect crisp on there. There's perfect spice on it, It's
perfect little city brine on it, which gives that real
good flavor to the chicken. And then the second part
(21:05):
of the chicken is going to be the bread. So
the bread on the Chick fil at is a soft bread.
It's semi sweet. It's not overpoweringly. It's not a brioche,
but I don't think it needs to be, because the
highlight is a chicken anyways. And I like the texture
of It's kind of like that fluffy like wonder bread vibe,
that bounce back, you know. I like that. And then
(21:27):
we have the pickles. Gotta have the pickles on the sandwich.
And then the sauce. The Chick fil a sauce, hands down,
it is probably one of the better sauces out there
in my opinion. The mix between the barbecue and the
honey mustard. Honey mustard is one of my all time
favorite dipping condiment sauces. It doesn't matter if it's a fry,
a waffle, a swoop, potato fry, a tater taught like,
(21:49):
honey mustard is going to be one thing that I
always get that mixed with the barbecue sauce. It's a sweet,
it's a tangy, it's got a little spice in there,
and it's really even and out. You have the acidity
from the pickles, a little sweetness from the bread, and
then that chicken in between. The highlighted for me, I
am obsessed with that chicken sandwich. And then oh you're
(22:12):
gonna cut me off. She's good. I got seven seconds,
so sicks and now alright, so now let's let's add
a layer to the chicken sandwich. If you may put
the waffle fries on your chicken sandwich for the extra
little crunch that you may not that you may want,
but that heartiness with the yeah, yeah, with those waffle
(22:36):
fries done on the sandwich. Waffle fries on your sandwich
in between the buns and the chicken done. That's all right.
Resting your case, Sorry for the premature bell there. That's
cut me off. That is, I like it breaking down
very chef, very chefly here. We got a lot of
(22:58):
that cidity to pickle. Brian talking about not too crispy.
That's gonna be a big part of this overall debate, right,
is it about can you have something that's can you
have something that's too crispy? I don't know, you know,
Polynesian sauce. We didn't even talk about the Polynesian sauce.
The body says as great, but that's what Chick fil
A is known for though when it comes to condiments.
So don't you think I feel like it's the it's
(23:18):
the Chick fil A sauce itself. For me, the Polynesian
sauce is great, but I prefer the honey mustard and
combination of the barbeco. I listen, I love honey mustard.
I just I think we had to shout out Polynesian sauce. Yeah,
it deserves a shout out. And then the controversial take.
I remember, like in high school a long time ago,
and I would have a ham sandwich. I'll put potato
(23:39):
chips on the ham sandwich, And I thought I was
the next level chef when I did that as a
freshman in high school and fry on the sandwich. I
like that actually, because you know is can it be
too soft? I guess that's something we're gonna get into. Nikia.
You have now three minutes to let us know why
Popeye's chicken sandwich is the best. Your three minutes starts, no, beautiful, Well,
(24:04):
I will tell you this much. When you talk about
a chicken sandwich, the most important part is the chicken.
And the bottom line is you go to Popeyes because
it has the best fast food chicken there is. And
if you've got the chicken right, then you're perfect. I mean,
if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And their chicken
saladch when't something they concocted in some mystery, you know,
(24:25):
lab They already had the best elements in the house.
They already have their eleven herbs and spices that are
so top secret that their employees that make of the
seasoning they live in two separate buildings. They don't even
take their lunches together because that top secret. They don't
even know each other, and that they work for Popeyes.
That's those eleven urbs and spices are all throughout the
entire saldwich. You've got the dredge on the chicken, you've
(24:48):
got the seasoning of the flower, you've got the chicken itself.
And then they're spicy mayo. Guess what it is, just
mayo and those same eleven herbs and spices. If it
ain't broke, don't fix it. Like they literally have everything
that they need to make the perfect sanwich and to
take it to the next level. They've got that delicious
brioche bun. They said, you know what, We've got the chicken,
but it deserves a throne. Okay, we've got the chicken.
(25:09):
It deserves the throne. So the throne is a brioche bun.
It's next level. You've got everything that you need for
that chicken sandwich, and it is crispy. You don't need
to add anything to it to make it crispy. It's
the right amount of crispy because they've got the right
oils that are mixed in together. They've got the peanut
and the canola. They've got that with there no minimum
than at least twelve hours of marinating. Like they marinated
(25:32):
for twelve hours minimum. And then they go in with
the dredge and the flour and then they fry it
so it's juicy on the inside, super crispy on the outside,
and they've got those three pickles. They always add one
more pickle than all of their competitors. It was very strategic.
They made sure that there's by standard, it's one extra
pickle than everyone else. So you've got the briny, crisp pickles,
(25:53):
the spicy mayo, and that brioche bun. You really really
cannot go wrong with that sandwich. Period. Even if you
get it not spicy, it's still solid because they are regular.
Herbs and spices are top notch and that's how they
make their chicken already. Period. So my cases, that sounds
just the best. That's why they were lining lip on
a block because they already knew it was the best
there was in the game. Period. That was my case.
(26:18):
Well stated, there we go. So now you kind of
got a pickle prine versus the eleven herbs and spices
both are pretty unique. Wow. I love when we get
chefs on you. You're really getting you're talking about flavor
and texture and spices. We've got a little history. Three pickles,
the key I have a place we do we put
five pickles. I'm just saying I don't. Do you think
it's too much? I will come to that place because
(26:39):
I always add extra pick and then I don't want
to say I think you're right. L two pickle, two picks,
two pickles, almost as direct, almost as in direct response.
And I did not think this was gonna you know, well,
the court will have to decide whether or not condiments
can really enter into the debate. But I think you
make what they have to. So it's kind of a
(27:01):
honey mustard versus spicy mayo argument as well. Right here mayonnaise.
You know there's usually mayonnaise and honey mustard too, right,
it's usually a part of it mustard sauces. Also, I
have to say, Crystal, are you hungry right now? Literally
it was a little just time to see that we
came here and they were not chicken sound welcome, Welcome
(27:21):
to the podcast world. If you didn't bring it, we'll
see season four. We're ready for it to level up.
We're our own chicken more. Depending on who wins, this
battle will be sponsored by one of these fund establishments.
We are here for you. Right here, we go so
it's pretty close here after one round, so we're heading
into the rebuttals. Pet you're going to be up first.
You got two minutes now to letting Nikia know why
(27:44):
Popeye's chicken sandwhich is not all that You're two minutes
starts now. I do want to address the sauce factors.
I do, I do, I do, I do preferably Chick
fil A sauces over Popeye sauces. I feel like any
sandwich needs a sauce. You don't matter what sandwich it is,
unless it's like a juicy, dripping, like you know sandwich
(28:06):
that the meat is already super juicy itself. I think
a chicken sandwich definitely needs a sauce. What sauce are
you putting on your chicken sandwich? Is it the spicy mayo?
That's it? Side? I feel like it needs the British
bun does definitely add in a little bit of a
sweetness to that chicken sandwich. But for me, I love
the tenderness of the chicken from Chick fil A. That
(28:28):
tenderness is on point, and I think I think you
said the chicken is the highlight, but also the dredge
is a great compliment to it. But sometimes it could
be a little dry over there Popeyes just a little bit,
just a little bit, you know, and then ratio Chicken
to bun ratio. Chick fil A is always on point.
I'm never disappointed with the chicken to bun racio. You know,
(28:49):
you gotta think about that part too. And I do
love the fact that they do have their eleven spice
recipe that you know, is top secret. There's a lot
of debates over that people, you know, infringement, all copyrights,
all the things going on over there. And people were
really excited about that chicken sandwich. But the question is
Chick fil A has always had the chicken sandwich. You know,
(29:12):
if they had like some major breakout of a new
chicken sandwich, I think that would be just as much
hype over it. But you don't need to come out
with a new one. You know, it could be debatable.
But also the Lord's calories come on now, when you
lay sandwich, the Lord takes all those calories away. I
don't know about this. Just like she was cutting cut
(29:34):
me off again, I was just kidding. But yeah, I
don't really have much of a debate against that, other
than just the bun to. The chicken ratio for me,
is always on point on Chick fil A. It's a
little dry sometimes over that Popeyes and my and and
my experiences. I do appreciate the extra pickle because I
didn't have to ask for it. There you go, God
making an appearance the Lord's calories. I've never heard that
(30:00):
from the large calories. Is that like official Chick fil Ao?
Like a temperature versus texture, right, like the temperature of
the you know, the juicy nous factor versus versus the
texture seems to be a big part of this ratio.
That's a that's another thing to really really think about,
the perfect ratio abundant chicken. Very very interesting here, Okay, Nikia,
(30:23):
Now you've got two minutes to let Pieto why Chick
fil A's chicken sandwich is so basic? The two minutes starts. Now, well,
here's the thing. I mean, I didn't want to have
to bring this set. But if you need sauces, is
it good chicken? And it is a good chicken sandwich.
If the chicken sandwich can stand on its own, it
doesn't need twelve millions like sauces available at Chick fil A,
(30:43):
then I think the chan there are sandwich is superior.
So Chick fil A great, You've got lots of options.
People who have issues with making decisions go right over
to Chick fil A. But Popeyes will tell you we're
gonna make it the way it's good and trust us,
and people have trusted us this long. So just eat
the swich the way we make it, and you can
add but you won't. But I'm telling you that soundmuch
(31:04):
just juicy, and all you need is what's already built
on that sound much period. The spices are there, the
level is there, the juiciness is there. The bun to
chicken ratio is perfect, which is why they chose the brioche.
It has a bit of that bounce back, but it
also can substain to that ali which is that moisture barrier.
So it locks in the moisture, but it also make
sure your sounduch just not dry out. So I don't
(31:25):
know who sundmuch you was eating, but it wouldn't pot
By because Popeyees is juicy. And how that's my case
there you go alright, shot too dry, not too dry.
Even herbs and spices, we're looking them up right now.
Sage ground sage. It's like a random one of like
(31:45):
Marjoram or something. It probably is. It's probably some random
one offered. It's Creol season plus a bunch of other
stuff they don't want to take. Yeah, the spices coming
into play right here. Okay, like, oh, it's personally probably
not just kidding. Yeah, the secret is I eat a
debate chicken sandwich wars. My stomach is grumbling and rumbling,
(32:09):
and I'm so hungry. Right now, it's right around lunchtime.
You've both given me a lot to think about. I'm
gonna go retire to my chambers and mold this over
until then, let's take a quick break. We are back
here in the food court. It is Piatte versus Nikia,
(32:30):
and we have Chick fil A versus Popeyes. It is
the crispy chicken sandwich that's nicely spiced versus Chick fil
A's perfect bun to chicken ratio, the juice factor, and
the pickle Brian. There's lots of things going on over here.
I don't know where I'm gonna go yet, and I
think we need an additional sixty second to really really
(32:52):
finalize your case right here as to why Popeyes or
Chick fil A has the best chicken sandwich. Nika, you're
gonna go for sixty seconds? Why is Popeyes have the
best chicken seal? If it's not broke, don't fix it.
So here's the thing. If the chicken is already good,
you're just adding a throne to it, which is that
brioche bun, period, and it already has the same herbs
(33:12):
and spices that they've been used since nineteen seventy two.
Mr Copeland himself thought of it, and it's worked this far.
So I'm just saying, if you've got that, if you've
got the right recipe, you've got the formula already, there's
no need to change and other than to level it
up and give it that brioche bun THROWNE got it.
So because it's a fried chicken place and have the recipe,
they've got the recipe and now it's just translates to
(33:33):
their sandwich. Absolutely, we'll hear that and put that into
the argument. Piette, you have sixty seconds left to to
perhaps persuade or convince me that Chick Fila has the
best chicken sandwich. Okay, so sauce, that's all I gotta
say the sauce. You have to have a sauce in
(33:53):
the chicken sandwich. I feel like I feel okay, and
we have your chicken. If you want fried chicken, just
go eat fried chicken. You know, just I'm just saying,
if you want to just eat fried chicken, just go
eat fried chicken. But we're there for the sandwiches. What
is it about. It's the sauce. It's the balance between
that little bit of spice from the barbecue, the sweet
(34:14):
the like acidity with your chicken. Like it's just a
well balanced sauce you can use on everything. But most importantly,
it really highlights the flavors in the chicken sandwich, Like
in that chicken that is well thought out well, it
is also Brian for a long time, and the pickle
juice to add that tenderized nous of the chicken. The
(34:35):
bottom line, Okay, here we go. This one's tough, Crystal.
I'm sorry I'm stalling a little bit over you because
the topic is they're they're both really delicious. Let's be honest.
Both debate debaters did a great job presenting their case
and then you got to get into the specifics. So
it's you know, ones perhaps crispier, ones, perhaps juicier. So
(35:00):
that's sort of like they know, void that sort of
argument out, one's got the spices, one's got the pickle brine.
That kind of, you know, eliminates that spicy mayonnaise is delicious,
honey mustard is delicious. That sort of takes it out.
I mean, this is almost needs a head to the
appeal court. But but we have to make a decision.
(35:24):
There has to be a winner. And at the end
of the day, this really, this really came down to
a little bit more of the sort of the the
interesting unique quality of one of these sandwiches and what
it brings to the game. And this court will decide
in favor of halfy. You're going to kill me for
this Chick fil a? Okay, what was the factor at
(35:54):
the end of the day, because again, yeah, well thank
you for asking me. Yeah, they're both delicious, we know that, right,
So kind of goes to like when you think of
of of fried chicken sandwich, you you are thinking of
the crunchy and the spicy and the mayonnaise, and when
you think of the Chick fil a sandwich, it's like
such an anomaly that it's kind of like soft and
kind of mushy, but then also delicious that it's just
(36:18):
unique and to me at the end of the day,
that's that's where we're going with it. It's not because
of the waffle fries. How dare you do that? It's
a good's a clutch move. It's the next level chef.
Let's be honest. It's adding the crispiness that Popeyes already has.
But I digress. And also I think and I think
that's part of it. And the kid is that like
(36:39):
if you said, which one has the better fried chicken?
I think the I think that that let's go to
Popy because I don't think has a six piece or
something right like right, So I think it's the odd
uniqueness of the Chick fil a sandwich as much as
that well doesn't pain me. I want I take either
right now. Let's be honest, I'm get get some door
(37:01):
dash working. Can we get them as a sponsor? Actually,
I think after this, Nikia, we go buy Popeye. They're
they're nearby Hollywood Popeyes rushing it for lunch for sure.
For sure, it's probably gonna be a line. Right. I
hope you haven't lost any any respect that you had,
of course not. I will say the eleven eleven and
(37:24):
herbs and spices. I mean that is truly a hand
on the competition, for sure. I will tell you that
for sure, because when you bite into that juicy chicken,
it kind of amalgamates with the spicy auli that they have,
so it's like it creates its own sauce, within its
own entity. That's why it's so delicious. I like, it's good.
It's good. It's good for me. It's the balance of
(37:46):
the sweetness with the sauce. For me. I want to
sweet sauce, girl, I'm I'm a sweet dropping barbecue sauce.
You already know, you already know you've eat my food
you had. I'm a sweet savory I'm eat acidic versus
spicy and crispy. Over here, man, that was a tough one. Listen,
thanks so much for joining me in the food court today.
(38:06):
You can find piet on Instagram at Chef Piette, and
you can see where to catch her classes and find
out how to book her at Piet's plate dot com.
For chef Nikia, she's at chef Nikia on Instagram and
visit at chef Nikia dot com to see what she's
cooking up and how to book her talents. Listen, everyone,
what do you think I I know that at least
of you, I think I got that one absolutely wrong.
(38:29):
You can let me know fair enough. Let me know
on Twitter and Instagram at Richard Blaze or at Richard
Blaze official on TikTok, and you can find the show
on Instagram at food Court pod to let us know.
Food Court is a production of I Heart Radio. I'm
Richard Blaze. My producer is Crystal Bamahi. Food Court was
created by Christopher hasiotis the rest of my food Court
clerks or Jonathan Dressler, David Wasserman, and Jasmine Blaze. The
(38:52):
theme song is by Jason ni Smith. For more podcast
from My Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite show
that was so fun, That was a lot of fun.
You came, you came ready with the facts. I mean
was founded a night with
Creamy, Creamy, crunch Crunchy food Court, food Court, Food Court
with Blaze Argue in the food Court Court with Blase
(00:24):
Cross Food Welcome to food Court, a production of I
Heart Radio. I am Richard Blaze, and I will be
your host and your judge in this courtroom of sorts.
I'm gonna settle your food fights, and We're gonna have
(00:46):
fun doing it. Joining us in the court today, we
have two women who are already friends and immediately had
some ideas on what they disagree on, which is always
a good sign that it's going to be a good debate.
The first is a traveling I've at chef who I
had the honor of meeting when she competed on Next
Level Chef. It's Piette de Spain. And in the next corner,
(01:12):
do we have corners? We have a women right here
in southern California, a friend of Piatt's. It's chef Nikia Allen.
Does me alright? I can tell that the Friends with
Opinions this is a it's a spinoff of the show.
It's Friends with Opinions who are about to debate. And
I listen to two of you have a lot to say,
and I can't wait to hear it. Today, we're reviving
a topic that got extra hot. I like that, Crystal.
(01:35):
Just before everything shut down, we're talking about chicken sandwich wars.
Of course we all know it. Spicy chicken sandwich war
is kind of as well. First, let's get to know
each other a little bit more, Piette, what have you
been up to since you won Next Level Chef? The
question is what have I not been? Wow? I love it.
(01:56):
So I had a pop up here Unless Angeles. So
I did a pop up for two days. We sold well,
we've fed three hundred people, sold out both nights. We
had Indigenous dancers come, Indigenous artists, Native American artists come.
The food was amazing. So I did that. Been traveling
around doing a lot of keynotes speaking on teaching people
(02:19):
what indigenous food waste actually is, and food sovereignty, regenerative agriculture,
how all that ties in, and why indigenous food should
be considered at the dinner table. Oh, I love that.
First of all, the keynote speaking game is something that
is to be pursued, right, Yeah, And you know I
didn't know. I mean I knew that I wanted to
like like inspire people, but I didn't know to the
(02:40):
effect of how to do that, and they were like, yeah,
just show up and tell your story. And I do
and they're like, wow, you're a phenomenal public speaker. I'm like,
I didn't even prepare for that, but it's because it's
it's my story and I know I know how to
tell it, so I love it. How are people taking
to the indigenous fusion cuisine that sort of blends Native
(03:00):
in and Mexican foods. People are loving it. Actually, it's new.
Not a lot of people understand what it is yet,
and so because it's new, everyone's super interested. Everyone wants
to try it. They're like, when are you going to
have a pop up in my city? Are you going
to do another one? Everyone just really wants to eat
the food. So I'm trying to plan out some events
(03:20):
that the public can actually come and attend to. We're
talking with mortgage work here in l A to try
to get into there, and there's a lot of pre
planning that goes into that. So um. But yeah, I'm
really really excited to be a chef that is able
to bring Indigenous food to the table, be proud of it,
and then open up the gateways to all the other
(03:41):
chefs that are wanting to pursue that same you know, yeah,
it's pretty special and it's and I mean just for
aiming from the food the fact. Yeah it's new, but
it's original, like like it's really like this is this
is American quisine. That that's to me, that that's the story.
And I can't wait to listen to one of your
keynote talks the Kia. What about you now, you're kind
of are you known for like comfort foods? From what
(04:02):
I understand, it can be that. I guess I think
I just bring comfort wherever I go. I'm a sudden girl.
I can't help it. So I feel like that's just
what I carry. I carry that peaceful spirit and my
middle name is joy. So if I'm not bringing joy
and comfort, then I'm not living in my purpose, right.
I just happened to make food that's very much about
(04:23):
communal experiences. I'm about bringing different people to the table
to have excellent conversations. I mean, the food is definitely
gonna be good because I'm making it, but it takes
a backseat to what happens when people break bread at
the table, Like no matter where you're from your told
you I'm a status, you're a race who you love
when we all said at the table, we're on the
same page and everybody's got to eat, and that's just
(04:44):
my philosophy. So we're doing a lot of that, a
lot of big tables with people and just loving on people.
I love it. So like when I'm I'm envisioning, you know,
we're saying southern food, comfort food, and I'm envisioning what's
on that table. But break it down like it's a
meal where you you invited a couple of people over
what's what's on this table? Food wise? It would surprise you.
It's an amalgamation of everything that I am, which is
(05:05):
so diverse that what Silkell is. So you're gonna get
some vegan options and not even know that it's vegan.
You're gonna get a whole roast of qualified with Harrissah.
I love it. I love it, one of my favorites.
You're sure, you're definitely gonna get a whole side of
salmon that's got some creole seasonings on it. It's gonna
be delicious. You're gonna get an avocad of cramont that's
going to be began. You don't even know it's vegan
because it's so damn good exactly. So you're gonna get
(05:27):
a little bit of everything. You're gonna get a so
cow girl on a table at amalgamation of different cultures Moroccan, Um, Spanish,
and uh, definitely some corn bread. Of course. The best corner,
oh there is then you and you round it out
with the with the southern dish right there in the
corn bread. We just had a cornbread debate. It was yeah,
he was weighing on the cornbread debate that we had here.
(05:47):
Should there be sugar in corn bread? The argument was
sugar or not, as long as it's a general sugar
in the mix. And then honey on top of I listen,
I'm here for it. Someone wasn't in that debate, but
no spoilers and how that went down. Um, I love
the too that you said New Orleans spice on the salmon.
(06:10):
Do you have a store bought You probably make your own,
but do you have a store bought spice blend like
I've been using the Tony Shash rays, right, isn't it?
It's so good? Yeah, it's so good. You can anything
you put that on. It's going to be good fire. Yeah,
and it's not too spicy. It's I had a little
(06:30):
harrissa as well, which can be which can be, which
can be too spicy sometimes not never can never be
too spicy. I mean you just gotta mix it, right, Yeah,
all right, there we go. Alright, listen, I love a
good throwback because you know, we all remember chicken Sandwich
wars and and everything that was going on. But before
we get into that yet, you've been crushing it on
these keynotes. But you're also jumping on a yacht later
(06:52):
or you're captain. You're the captain. I am the captain. Now, yeah,
I'm gonna ride on selboat later are my friend's sailboat,
and I will more than likely be driving and you know,
whipping the boat around, which is a new hobby of mine,
I guess. But we've been sailing quite a bit this summer,
and so when I'm traveling in between. The one thing
(07:13):
that really like grounds me is coming back to l
A and like going out for a sunset cruise. And
my friend lives on the boat. He's also Native American
and it's like he grew up on a Navajo reservation,
lived in Arizona most you know, most of his life,
but he traveled all over the world, decided he wanted
to come to l A on a sailboat and now
he lives on his sailboat. And I'm like, you're pretty
cool man. Yeah, well, speaking of cool, you're both pretty cool.
(07:36):
I mean, the vibes are immaculate right now here. So
then and I know that next level chef, there was
this whole like your social media chef, your professionals, which
it's a little you know, we're all everything to be honest, right,
So what are your tips? Since you are so cool
and hip, what are your social media? What are your
social media tips? Because my my, so the way that
I like to operate my social media is to keep
(07:58):
a lot of my personality and and across the board
on social media. With these influencers, everything is so curated
and perfectionized if that's a word, and edited, and I
don't like doing that. I don't like the super filtered things.
I like the raw photo that just like us and
our wild selves and our wild beings just doing whatever
(08:19):
we want to be doing, Like even when it comes
to food. You know, in the past, I would you know,
do a whole cook out and then take these very
like immaculate photos, but the messy ones are cute too, yeah,
or just like of the ingredients being beautiful, the way
that they are sitting on the counter, like just I
like those type of photos. I always say, like, people
want to know how much you care before they care
how much you know, So that means like they want
(08:42):
to get to know you and who you are behind
all the beautiful food shots. I find that even on
my social media, whenever I go live or I'm on
stories and they see my face, not even the food
that I make, I get the highest engagement. I'm like, oh,
you want to know, but what I think, say what
I have when I'm doing today, you want to know.
We're sure stories I'm shopping are okay. So the more
(09:03):
that I do that, the more that people connect with me,
and no matter what I'm sailing or you know, presenting
to them, they're all for it because they've gotten to
know Nikia Joy That's right, I love it. I love it.
Tips that I will take away and I will should
I stop posting golf content, Crystal, Yeah, that's your personality, okay, Yeah,
(09:23):
there's my there's my social there's my social media dilemma
right now. It's like, I like playing golf. I take
pictures while I do it, and it's me. I'm not
getting paid to do it, and it's what I enjoyed.
But does you get a lot of engagement? Not necessary.
I'm not crushing the golf community just yet. But enough
about that up yet. Tell us here at the food court,
the case that you've brought into the courtroom. Here here jury.
(09:47):
So this is a thing. I love Chick fil A
like on another level, love Chick fil A from even
their salads are good. If no one like it's a
weird thing, even their salads from a as food restaurant,
I feel like they have the best salads from fast
food restaurants. They're the best dressings. But most of all,
the chicken sandwich. Any day, anytime, call me, I'm there,
(10:10):
Classic Chick fil A, Classic Chick fil A crispy chicken sandwich.
They do have a little spicy version of it as well,
but for me, it's the combo of the waffle fry
and the chicken. But then when you put the waffle
fries on the chicken sandwich, we're gonna get We're getting
into the debate. I gotta shut you down there. I
feel like that's getting deep into the debate. Waffle fries
(10:32):
making a quick appearance. The key of that means that
you do not probably think that the best chicken sandwiches
Chick fil A, Absolutely not. I do not, cheff a Blaze.
I do not because I think that Popeye's has a
hand down, hands down, They've had it from the beginning.
There was no real debate. I think people who didn't
know we're debating because they had not experienced the truth
that is, that's crispy, spicy sandwich. Period of story. Okay, listen,
(10:54):
I have to say there is a Popeye's right next
to the studio here, and I do remember when people
who are lined up down the street for a Popeye sandwich.
That being said, man, I've been to plenty of Chick
fil A drive through sometimes even right now. Are instand
my one of my first like pandemic, Like like in
the second week of the pandemic, I was just driving somewhere.
I was like, what is going on here? There's all
(11:15):
these cars and I was like, oh, there, it's something
related to the pandemic. No, they were online a Chick
fil a. There was a hundred cars online of Chick
fil A, So this is good. Now, listen, I have
to tell you we we we are friends, were getting
to know each other, all right, But in this court
I turned my own feelings off. So have I enjoyed
the Chick fil A and the Popeye sandwich? Yes, but
(11:35):
my verdict is based just on the arguments you're making,
not on my own personal feelings. And for some of
our viewers they've never maybe they've never had a Chick
fil A or a Popeye' chicken sandwich. How how could
that be placed for me? But here's how we do
it in our court, just like in most courts around
the world. Before we debate, we have a quick trivia round,
all right, So the winner of the trivia round is
(11:57):
going to get to decide whether they present their argument first.
For second, Now you both have buzzers in front of you.
That's going to help our our our listeners know who
answered first. So Nikia, your buzzer sound is all right?
It's the clown car clown car, uh, and Pete yours
is the spraying. It's a pogo stick? Is that? Does
(12:21):
I say that? Rights a pogo stick? And the clown
car um and just so if anyone wants to know,
that's generally my kid gave me. This is probably get
this urban offitters or something like. That's gotta be right.
It's my favorite sound. Right, So truth beats sold. This
is the first time we've had the actual morn. I
usually just do it, just usually do but we're in
(12:45):
season three and the budget has increased. It actually has it.
This is my own personal alright, So here we go.
Trivia is gonna start. We have your your sounds, so
our listeners know who's going to chime in. The winner
gets to decide who goes first. Question one, this is
multiple choice, just chiming when you have the answer. Colonel
Sanders had a lot of jobs before he had success
(13:07):
with fried Chicken. That's right. Colonel Sanders was a real person.
How old was he when he finally had success selling
his recipe? Was he a fifty years old? B sixty
five or C seventy? That's gonna be pet Okay, I'm
going to say bet B sixty five sixty five is
(13:28):
absolutely correct. Nice you have to stain chiming in their
sixty five. No, I am just curious. Did you know
that are you just taking like be because it's it
was a guest. It was guest educated guest. He was
sixty five years old, and he would sell his recipe
(13:49):
and name to restaurants for for a five cents royalty
on every chicken sold. But also like his actual like
pictures of him, you know, making the chicken. He looks sixty. Yeah,
I forgot, I forget what he was gonna say, leave,
I was gonna you look like there's a real person,
(14:09):
and you know what the logo is his face and
I'm fifty, and clearly don't look. Are you surprised that
I'm fifty? Okay, No, I'm the thing. It was a
different time because the Golden Girls were like fifty three. Yeah, Sanders,
like fifty years ago probably could have been fifty. I'm running, running,
running can later. Fifty is the new forty. Thank you, Piatt,
(14:35):
Thank you alright. That means Pat, you're up one zero.
Question to which popular fried chicken chain was originally called
Chicken on the run. That's here, Pope. Popeye's Chicken is
absolutely correct. Oh, she know her history. After several months
her chicken history, I was gonna say, you know, seventy two,
(14:56):
it's a good year. It's a good year. After several
months of lackluster performance, he reopens the restaurant as Popeyes
after the Popeye Doyle of the French connection. That was
a deep dive answer that there, like Copeland, I did
my research book. This is this is gonna got hot.
This is gonna be hot. Debate right here, I'm questioning
(15:16):
my readiness for the debate. Now are you checking the
answer checking? We have a we have a very prestigious
team that does all of our fact check She's right
there alright. Question three, what fast food chain? This is
for the wind By the way, it's tied up one one.
Question three, what fast food chain was a sponsor of
(15:37):
Iron Man, the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Here's a hints. While Tony Stark, probably my favorite Avenger,
was in a military custody, he had two requests, a
press conference and an American cheeseburger. Okay, yeah, sorry, sorry,
(15:57):
yeah they are at the same time. Okay, And I'm
American cheese burger and it's a fast food chain McDonald's.
McDonald's is a incorrect answer, but a really smart one.
Nikia for the steel, I'm gonna say In and Out,
No big Mac. It was a big Mac. I think
McDonald's McDonald's. Alright, alright, so neither neither one of well,
(16:21):
neither one of you got But here's what we're gonna do.
It's my court, so I get to make the rulest.
You get a second chance, you get a second guest.
It's a it's a American fast food restaurant that's not
McDonald's or In and Out that also serves burgers. Okay, yeah,
that's her. Was it? Get it together? What's going on?
You know what? We haven't had two guests in studio
(16:43):
at the same time. It's got to be it is
burger that was the second. That was my second because
or a quarter pounder with cheese, which is whopper. Okay,
got it? It was between those two. I prefer all
my marvel nerd friends are gonna be so me. You done,
we have done, We have done burger king versus McDonald's.
(17:03):
So way in you just said burger king, burger king
over that. I have to be honest. I've said this.
My first job was that McDonald's, but I prefer burger king. Yeah,
I mean, the friggame is on point, but the burgers
is the lack lust the whoppers. The whoppers a classic.
What Richard said was if it was a whopper versus
Big Mactibate, it would have been a different That is true.
(17:23):
The big Mac is the spread on the Big Mac.
The sidebar here, I've done tastes spread on big Mac
versus in and out spread blind, blindfolded Big Mac sauce
winds all the time. Ye surprised. I know for Californians,
we're all like, what I love that just scored the
spread in my mouth directly I spread shot. Also follow up,
(17:48):
since we had it with the colonel, how old is
the Burger King? There's an image of the Burger King too.
He's got a lush, gingery beard as he fifth years old,
sixty five years old or seventy, it's happening right now.
Chime in how old? I mean? Alright, So I'm going
(18:08):
to say he's in his fifties, because there's no gray
on gray, it's all ginger. Maybe forties. I'm gonna say forties,
forties and fifties. So the correct answer is about looks great. Hey, listen, no,
no disrespect. You're saying that's when the mascot was and
(18:34):
let's be honest, there's probably probably touching up the beard facts.
You know. It's yeah, he's he's pretty popular guy. I
like that. I like the bird like. Okay, here we go.
That means that Nikia has won the trivia round. So
you get to make the big decision. Do you want
to present your chicken sandwich case first? Or would you
like pet to go first? I mean, the throne goes
(18:54):
to chef. She's the winner, she goes first. Digress, all right,
you go first, take the home field approach. That means, Piette,
you're going to get to argue on behalf of Chick
fil A Chicken sandwiches. Right after this break and we
(19:16):
are back. Thank you so much for joining us in
the food court. To recap today, we have the case
of the Chicken sandwich Wars Chick fil A versus Popeyees.
But only one can reign as supreme king of the
Chicken Sandwiches. The way this works is that each of
you will have three minutes to state your case. During
this three minutes, you need to lay out your case,
not focus on your opponents. Use the first three minutes
(19:38):
to be positive and just let everyone know why your
case is the best. But don't worry, you'll have time
in the two minute rebuttal round where you get to
say all of the low negative things that you want
about your opponent's case. Is everyone clear on how this
is gonna work? Fantastic Piette to Spain. You are up first.
You got three minutes to let us know why Chick
(19:59):
fil a rocks. Your time starts now. Okay, So when
it comes to the chicken sandwich, Okay, the highlight is
obviously the chicken. So let's talk about the chicken on
a Chick fil A. There's a pickle brine involved. If
you did not know, they brine their chickens and pickles.
Pickle brine, you know, the pickle juice, which I think
is a great little addition to the acidity factor but
(20:21):
also really tenderizes that chicken before you put it into
the batter. There's an eggwash batter. There's some obviously some
flour that's been spiced and seasoned, but the finish on
the chicken isn't too crispy, which is what I appreciate
because when you are like in a rush, or even
if you're like sitting down ready to really devour chicken sandwich.
(20:42):
There's nothing worse than having too crispy, because there's a
such thing as a too crispy. It's a there's a
there's a such thing as a too crispy if you
don't have enough sauce to counter it. Okay, So with
the particular sandwich Chick fil A, I think it's a
perfect crisp on there. There's perfect spice on it, It's
perfect little city brine on it, which gives that real
good flavor to the chicken. And then the second part
(21:05):
of the chicken is going to be the bread. So
the bread on the Chick fil at is a soft bread.
It's semi sweet. It's not overpoweringly. It's not a brioche,
but I don't think it needs to be, because the
highlight is a chicken anyways. And I like the texture
of It's kind of like that fluffy like wonder bread vibe,
that bounce back, you know. I like that. And then
(21:27):
we have the pickles. Gotta have the pickles on the sandwich.
And then the sauce. The Chick fil a sauce, hands down,
it is probably one of the better sauces out there
in my opinion. The mix between the barbecue and the
honey mustard. Honey mustard is one of my all time
favorite dipping condiment sauces. It doesn't matter if it's a fry,
a waffle, a swoop, potato fry, a tater taught like,
(21:49):
honey mustard is going to be one thing that I
always get that mixed with the barbecue sauce. It's a sweet,
it's a tangy, it's got a little spice in there,
and it's really even and out. You have the acidity
from the pickles, a little sweetness from the bread, and
then that chicken in between. The highlighted for me, I
am obsessed with that chicken sandwich. And then oh you're
(22:12):
gonna cut me off. She's good. I got seven seconds,
so sicks and now alright, so now let's let's add
a layer to the chicken sandwich. If you may put
the waffle fries on your chicken sandwich for the extra
little crunch that you may not that you may want,
but that heartiness with the yeah, yeah, with those waffle
(22:36):
fries done on the sandwich. Waffle fries on your sandwich
in between the buns and the chicken done. That's all right.
Resting your case, Sorry for the premature bell there. That's
cut me off. That is, I like it breaking down
very chef, very chefly here. We got a lot of
(22:58):
that cidity to pickle. Brian talking about not too crispy.
That's gonna be a big part of this overall debate, right,
is it about can you have something that's can you
have something that's too crispy? I don't know, you know,
Polynesian sauce. We didn't even talk about the Polynesian sauce.
The body says as great, but that's what Chick fil
A is known for though when it comes to condiments.
So don't you think I feel like it's the it's
(23:18):
the Chick fil A sauce itself. For me, the Polynesian
sauce is great, but I prefer the honey mustard and
combination of the barbeco. I listen, I love honey mustard.
I just I think we had to shout out Polynesian sauce. Yeah,
it deserves a shout out. And then the controversial take.
I remember, like in high school a long time ago,
and I would have a ham sandwich. I'll put potato
(23:39):
chips on the ham sandwich, And I thought I was
the next level chef when I did that as a
freshman in high school and fry on the sandwich. I
like that actually, because you know is can it be
too soft? I guess that's something we're gonna get into. Nikia.
You have now three minutes to let us know why
Popeye's chicken sandwich is the best. Your three minutes starts, no, beautiful, Well,
(24:04):
I will tell you this much. When you talk about
a chicken sandwich, the most important part is the chicken.
And the bottom line is you go to Popeyes because
it has the best fast food chicken there is. And
if you've got the chicken right, then you're perfect. I mean,
if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And their chicken
saladch when't something they concocted in some mystery, you know,
(24:25):
lab They already had the best elements in the house.
They already have their eleven herbs and spices that are
so top secret that their employees that make of the
seasoning they live in two separate buildings. They don't even
take their lunches together because that top secret. They don't
even know each other, and that they work for Popeyes.
That's those eleven urbs and spices are all throughout the
entire saldwich. You've got the dredge on the chicken, you've
(24:48):
got the seasoning of the flower, you've got the chicken itself.
And then they're spicy mayo. Guess what it is, just
mayo and those same eleven herbs and spices. If it
ain't broke, don't fix it. Like they literally have everything
that they need to make the perfect sanwich and to
take it to the next level. They've got that delicious
brioche bun. They said, you know what, We've got the chicken,
but it deserves a throne. Okay, we've got the chicken.
(25:09):
It deserves the throne. So the throne is a brioche bun.
It's next level. You've got everything that you need for
that chicken sandwich, and it is crispy. You don't need
to add anything to it to make it crispy. It's
the right amount of crispy because they've got the right
oils that are mixed in together. They've got the peanut
and the canola. They've got that with there no minimum
than at least twelve hours of marinating. Like they marinated
(25:32):
for twelve hours minimum. And then they go in with
the dredge and the flour and then they fry it
so it's juicy on the inside, super crispy on the outside,
and they've got those three pickles. They always add one
more pickle than all of their competitors. It was very strategic.
They made sure that there's by standard, it's one extra
pickle than everyone else. So you've got the briny, crisp pickles,
(25:53):
the spicy mayo, and that brioche bun. You really really
cannot go wrong with that sandwich. Period. Even if you
get it not spicy, it's still solid because they are regular.
Herbs and spices are top notch and that's how they
make their chicken already. Period. So my cases, that sounds
just the best. That's why they were lining lip on
a block because they already knew it was the best
there was in the game. Period. That was my case.
(26:18):
Well stated, there we go. So now you kind of
got a pickle prine versus the eleven herbs and spices
both are pretty unique. Wow. I love when we get
chefs on you. You're really getting you're talking about flavor
and texture and spices. We've got a little history. Three pickles,
the key I have a place we do we put
five pickles. I'm just saying I don't. Do you think
it's too much? I will come to that place because
(26:39):
I always add extra pick and then I don't want
to say I think you're right. L two pickle, two picks,
two pickles, almost as direct, almost as in direct response.
And I did not think this was gonna you know, well,
the court will have to decide whether or not condiments
can really enter into the debate. But I think you
make what they have to. So it's kind of a
(27:01):
honey mustard versus spicy mayo argument as well. Right here mayonnaise.
You know there's usually mayonnaise and honey mustard too, right,
it's usually a part of it mustard sauces. Also, I
have to say, Crystal, are you hungry right now? Literally
it was a little just time to see that we
came here and they were not chicken sound welcome, Welcome
(27:21):
to the podcast world. If you didn't bring it, we'll
see season four. We're ready for it to level up.
We're our own chicken more. Depending on who wins, this
battle will be sponsored by one of these fund establishments.
We are here for you. Right here, we go so
it's pretty close here after one round, so we're heading
into the rebuttals. Pet you're going to be up first.
You got two minutes now to letting Nikia know why
(27:44):
Popeye's chicken sandwhich is not all that You're two minutes
starts now. I do want to address the sauce factors.
I do, I do, I do, I do preferably Chick
fil A sauces over Popeye sauces. I feel like any
sandwich needs a sauce. You don't matter what sandwich it is,
unless it's like a juicy, dripping, like you know sandwich
(28:06):
that the meat is already super juicy itself. I think
a chicken sandwich definitely needs a sauce. What sauce are
you putting on your chicken sandwich? Is it the spicy mayo?
That's it? Side? I feel like it needs the British
bun does definitely add in a little bit of a
sweetness to that chicken sandwich. But for me, I love
the tenderness of the chicken from Chick fil A. That
(28:28):
tenderness is on point, and I think I think you
said the chicken is the highlight, but also the dredge
is a great compliment to it. But sometimes it could
be a little dry over there Popeyes just a little bit,
just a little bit, you know, and then ratio Chicken
to bun ratio. Chick fil A is always on point.
I'm never disappointed with the chicken to bun racio. You know,
(28:49):
you gotta think about that part too. And I do
love the fact that they do have their eleven spice
recipe that you know, is top secret. There's a lot
of debates over that people, you know, infringement, all copyrights,
all the things going on over there. And people were
really excited about that chicken sandwich. But the question is
Chick fil A has always had the chicken sandwich. You know,
(29:12):
if they had like some major breakout of a new
chicken sandwich, I think that would be just as much
hype over it. But you don't need to come out
with a new one. You know, it could be debatable.
But also the Lord's calories come on now, when you
lay sandwich, the Lord takes all those calories away. I
don't know about this. Just like she was cutting cut
(29:34):
me off again, I was just kidding. But yeah, I
don't really have much of a debate against that, other
than just the bun to. The chicken ratio for me,
is always on point on Chick fil A. It's a
little dry sometimes over that Popeyes and my and and
my experiences. I do appreciate the extra pickle because I
didn't have to ask for it. There you go, God
making an appearance the Lord's calories. I've never heard that
(30:00):
from the large calories. Is that like official Chick fil Ao?
Like a temperature versus texture, right, like the temperature of
the you know, the juicy nous factor versus versus the
texture seems to be a big part of this ratio.
That's a that's another thing to really really think about,
the perfect ratio abundant chicken. Very very interesting here, Okay, Nikia,
(30:23):
Now you've got two minutes to let Pieto why Chick
fil A's chicken sandwich is so basic? The two minutes starts. Now, well,
here's the thing. I mean, I didn't want to have
to bring this set. But if you need sauces, is
it good chicken? And it is a good chicken sandwich.
If the chicken sandwich can stand on its own, it
doesn't need twelve millions like sauces available at Chick fil A,
(30:43):
then I think the chan there are sandwich is superior.
So Chick fil A great, You've got lots of options.
People who have issues with making decisions go right over
to Chick fil A. But Popeyes will tell you we're
gonna make it the way it's good and trust us,
and people have trusted us this long. So just eat
the swich the way we make it, and you can
add but you won't. But I'm telling you that soundmuch
(31:04):
just juicy, and all you need is what's already built
on that sound much period. The spices are there, the
level is there, the juiciness is there. The bun to
chicken ratio is perfect, which is why they chose the brioche.
It has a bit of that bounce back, but it
also can substain to that ali which is that moisture barrier.
So it locks in the moisture, but it also make
sure your sounduch just not dry out. So I don't
(31:25):
know who sundmuch you was eating, but it wouldn't pot
By because Popeyees is juicy. And how that's my case
there you go alright, shot too dry, not too dry.
Even herbs and spices, we're looking them up right now.
Sage ground sage. It's like a random one of like
(31:45):
Marjoram or something. It probably is. It's probably some random
one offered. It's Creol season plus a bunch of other
stuff they don't want to take. Yeah, the spices coming
into play right here. Okay, like, oh, it's personally probably
not just kidding. Yeah, the secret is I eat a
debate chicken sandwich wars. My stomach is grumbling and rumbling,
(32:09):
and I'm so hungry. Right now, it's right around lunchtime.
You've both given me a lot to think about. I'm
gonna go retire to my chambers and mold this over
until then, let's take a quick break. We are back
here in the food court. It is Piatte versus Nikia,
(32:30):
and we have Chick fil A versus Popeyes. It is
the crispy chicken sandwich that's nicely spiced versus Chick fil
A's perfect bun to chicken ratio, the juice factor, and
the pickle Brian. There's lots of things going on over here.
I don't know where I'm gonna go yet, and I
think we need an additional sixty second to really really
(32:52):
finalize your case right here as to why Popeyes or
Chick fil A has the best chicken sandwich. Nika, you're
gonna go for sixty seconds? Why is Popeyes have the
best chicken seal? If it's not broke, don't fix it.
So here's the thing. If the chicken is already good,
you're just adding a throne to it, which is that
brioche bun, period, and it already has the same herbs
(33:12):
and spices that they've been used since nineteen seventy two.
Mr Copeland himself thought of it, and it's worked this far.
So I'm just saying, if you've got that, if you've
got the right recipe, you've got the formula already, there's
no need to change and other than to level it
up and give it that brioche bun THROWNE got it.
So because it's a fried chicken place and have the recipe,
they've got the recipe and now it's just translates to
(33:33):
their sandwich. Absolutely, we'll hear that and put that into
the argument. Piette, you have sixty seconds left to to
perhaps persuade or convince me that Chick Fila has the
best chicken sandwich. Okay, so sauce, that's all I gotta
say the sauce. You have to have a sauce in
(33:53):
the chicken sandwich. I feel like I feel okay, and
we have your chicken. If you want fried chicken, just
go eat fried chicken. You know, just I'm just saying,
if you want to just eat fried chicken, just go
eat fried chicken. But we're there for the sandwiches. What
is it about. It's the sauce. It's the balance between
that little bit of spice from the barbecue, the sweet
(34:14):
the like acidity with your chicken. Like it's just a
well balanced sauce you can use on everything. But most importantly,
it really highlights the flavors in the chicken sandwich, Like
in that chicken that is well thought out well, it
is also Brian for a long time, and the pickle
juice to add that tenderized nous of the chicken. The
(34:35):
bottom line, Okay, here we go. This one's tough, Crystal.
I'm sorry I'm stalling a little bit over you because
the topic is they're they're both really delicious. Let's be honest.
Both debate debaters did a great job presenting their case
and then you got to get into the specifics. So
it's you know, ones perhaps crispier, ones, perhaps juicier. So
(35:00):
that's sort of like they know, void that sort of
argument out, one's got the spices, one's got the pickle brine.
That kind of, you know, eliminates that spicy mayonnaise is delicious,
honey mustard is delicious. That sort of takes it out.
I mean, this is almost needs a head to the
appeal court. But but we have to make a decision.
(35:24):
There has to be a winner. And at the end
of the day, this really, this really came down to
a little bit more of the sort of the the
interesting unique quality of one of these sandwiches and what
it brings to the game. And this court will decide
in favor of halfy. You're going to kill me for
this Chick fil a? Okay, what was the factor at
(35:54):
the end of the day, because again, yeah, well thank
you for asking me. Yeah, they're both delicious, we know that, right,
So kind of goes to like when you think of
of of fried chicken sandwich, you you are thinking of
the crunchy and the spicy and the mayonnaise, and when
you think of the Chick fil a sandwich, it's like
such an anomaly that it's kind of like soft and
kind of mushy, but then also delicious that it's just
(36:18):
unique and to me at the end of the day,
that's that's where we're going with it. It's not because
of the waffle fries. How dare you do that? It's
a good's a clutch move. It's the next level chef.
Let's be honest. It's adding the crispiness that Popeyes already has.
But I digress. And also I think and I think
that's part of it. And the kid is that like
(36:39):
if you said, which one has the better fried chicken?
I think the I think that that let's go to
Popy because I don't think has a six piece or
something right like right, So I think it's the odd
uniqueness of the Chick fil a sandwich as much as
that well doesn't pain me. I want I take either
right now. Let's be honest, I'm get get some door
(37:01):
dash working. Can we get them as a sponsor? Actually,
I think after this, Nikia, we go buy Popeye. They're
they're nearby Hollywood Popeyes rushing it for lunch for sure.
For sure, it's probably gonna be a line. Right. I
hope you haven't lost any any respect that you had,
of course not. I will say the eleven eleven and
(37:24):
herbs and spices. I mean that is truly a hand
on the competition, for sure. I will tell you that
for sure, because when you bite into that juicy chicken,
it kind of amalgamates with the spicy auli that they have,
so it's like it creates its own sauce, within its
own entity. That's why it's so delicious. I like, it's good.
It's good. It's good for me. It's the balance of
(37:46):
the sweetness with the sauce. For me. I want to
sweet sauce, girl, I'm I'm a sweet dropping barbecue sauce.
You already know, you already know you've eat my food
you had. I'm a sweet savory I'm eat acidic versus
spicy and crispy. Over here, man, that was a tough one. Listen,
thanks so much for joining me in the food court today.
(38:06):
You can find piet on Instagram at Chef Piette, and
you can see where to catch her classes and find
out how to book her at Piet's plate dot com.
For chef Nikia, she's at chef Nikia on Instagram and
visit at chef Nikia dot com to see what she's
cooking up and how to book her talents. Listen, everyone,
what do you think I I know that at least
of you, I think I got that one absolutely wrong.
(38:29):
You can let me know fair enough. Let me know
on Twitter and Instagram at Richard Blaze or at Richard
Blaze official on TikTok, and you can find the show
on Instagram at food Court pod to let us know.
Food Court is a production of I Heart Radio. I'm
Richard Blaze. My producer is Crystal Bamahi. Food Court was
created by Christopher hasiotis the rest of my food Court
clerks or Jonathan Dressler, David Wasserman, and Jasmine Blaze. The
(38:52):
theme song is by Jason ni Smith. For more podcast
from My Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite show
that was so fun, That was a lot of fun.
You came, you came ready with the facts. I mean
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