In The Weeds with Ben Randall · Chef Ben Randall

Episode 481: My Crazy Is SO Good

April 7, 2026·1 hr 41 min·5 clips

Ben Randall discovers a medication is erasing the manic energy that fuels his career and identity.

Ben Randall and Stephen Cadwell host this episode of "In The Weeds," focusing on gardening updates and personal health struggles. Randall, a personal chef, shares a client's decision to move to London due to the current U.S. political climate. The hosts discuss the phenomenon of "brain drain" and its potential impact on a country's future. Randall details his experience with a shoulder injury that led him to try acupuncture and wet cupping. A rash developed after a cupping session, which his doctor diagnosed as shingles. He was prescribed the antiviral medication gabapentin for nerve pain but initially received no pain management. Randall notes that gabapentin can cause psychological side effects like brain fog, mood changes, and irritability. He describes an unusual shift in his relationship with food since starting the medication. Normally, Randall experiences specific cravings, like hunger for "corned beef hash eggs toast" or "popcorn," but now feels general repulsion toward foods he knows are good. He connects this to gabapentin's effect on his mental state, contrasting it with his typical disciplined, hyper-focused work mentality. Randall reveals a family history of mania and manic depression, which he feels he has harnessed productively in his career. The episode begins with casual gardening talk, covering seed starting, Chicago's erratic spring weather, and last frost dates. Randall plans a "lazy" planting method using seeds, dirt, and straw to deter squirrels. He describes an ambitious tomato arbor project inspired by an Instagram post. The hosts also briefly review an 80s-themed pizza museum in Denver and muse on naming conventions for pubs and ska bands. The tone is conversational and confessional, blending lighthearted hobby chat with raw personal narrative. Listeners interested in gardening, the realities of freelance culinary work, or personal health journeys will find relatable content. Those seeking a tightly focused topic or avoiding discussions of chronic pain and medication side effects might skip it.

As heard by us

A funny, uneasy check in on a drug, motivation, and restaurant life.

Ben Randall turns a restaurant world check in into a candid look at what the drug does to a working mind. The talk lands in a strange middle space: funny, uneasy, and oddly practical.

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Why you'd press play

You want a raw check-in on how medication can flatten your drive.

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