Turnip the Beat

Too many cooks may spoil the broth, but for most chefs, you can never have too many beats. We tapped local chefs to find out what music keeps them (and their staff) grooving from brunch through dinner.

Jamie Bissonnette

At Toro and Coppa, Bissonnette spins an eclectic mix of punk, metal, jazz and some indie jams to keep everyone motivated. “I’m an aging 37-year-old hardcore kid, and my cooks are young and into a lot of pop…. Fitz and the Tantrums is perfect for all of us.”

1. “Big Take Over” – Bad Brains

2. “How the Gods Kill” – Danzig

3. “Coffee Mug” – Descendants

4. “MoneyGrabber” – Fitz and the Tantrums

5. “Sunday” – The Oscar Peterson Trio

Michael Scelfo

Alden & Harlow’s chef/owner says hip-hop and R&B (and even the occasional Nick Jonas tune) act as a “really functional and positive player” in his kitchen. But jammers beware. “If I see subpar work or disorganization in the kitchen, I generally pull the plug. Literally.”

1. “New Flame” – Chris Brown

2. “Know Who You Are” – Pharrell and Alicia Keys

3. “Hold On” – SBTRKT

4. “I Don’t Mind” – Usher

5. “Look at Me Now” – Chris Brown

Will Gilson

The crew at Puritan & Company goes old school with pop hits from the ’80s that put everyone in a good mood, Gilson says, adding, “The tempo of the music helps us with rhythmic movements, and it gets our creativity going.”

1. “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” – Starship

2. “Separate Ways” – Journey

3. “This Is How We Do It” – Montell Jordan

4. “Danger Zone” – Kenny Loggins

5. “The Heat Is On” – Glenn Frey

Dave Becker

“Music is key,” says the chef of Juniper and Sweet Basil, whose kitchen staffs enjoy everything from ska to ‘80s dancehall music. “The louder the music, the less talking. I can get a lot done when I’m not talking.”

1. “Crazy Love” – Van Morrison

2. “Moondance” – Van Morrison

3. “Musta Got Lost” – The J. Geils Band

4. “ABC” – Jackson 5

5. “Jackson” – Johnny Cash

Daniel Bojorquez

The chef at La Brasa is known to bust out reggae, salsa and blues, and the open kitchen gets guests in on the fun.

1. “My Medicine” – Snoop Dogg

2. “Don’t Owe You a Thang” – Gary Clark Jr.

3. “Kinky Reggae” – Bob Marley

4. “Subterranean Homesick Blues” – Bob Dylan

5. “Zealots” – Fugees

Jason Albus

Pandora is an essential member of the crew at Fairsted Kitchen, where the kitchen listens to everything from Motown to rap. “I think silence is deafening. People tend to work a little better with music,” chef Albus says. “Plus, I like that feeling you get when that song you love to hear comes on.”

1. “Sweet Jane” – Velvet Underground

2. “Hold On” – John Lennon

3. “No Quarter” – Led Zeppelin

4. “Heirloom” – Basenji

5. “Riot Van” – Arctic Monkeys


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