In "A Day at NYC's Most Exciting Mexican Restaurant," Bon Appétit spends a day behind the scenes with Chef Yara Herrera, owner and Executive Chef of Hellbender in Ridgewood, Queens. As a first-time owner and executive chef, Yara navigates the daily challenges of running her own restaurant, from meticulously checking closing checklists and unpacking fresh deliveries to preparing signature Mexican dishes. The video highlights the intricate process of making salsa macha, crafting churro batter, expertly breaking down fish for aguachile amarillo, and prepping labor-intensive empanadas, all while fostering a collaborative team environment and ensuring consistency before service begins.

The video explores the long-held belief among New Yorkers that swimming in the East River is dangerous and unhealthy. The host, Jack Coyne, investigates the historical context of New York Harbor's pollution, detailing how, after colonization, overharvesting of oysters and the dumping of human waste and industrial refuse rendered the waters lifeless by the mid-1900s. While the Clean Water Act of the 1970s led to improvements, a significant sewage problem persists due to the city's combined sewer system, which overflows untreated sewage and stormwater into the harbor during heavy rain. Coyne joins the Billion Oyster Project, an organization working to restore a billion oysters to New York Harbor to naturally filter its waters, to conduct water quality tests, showing that the water can be clean on clear days but becomes unsafe after rainfall. He also meets with Urban Swim, which organizes safe open-water swimming events, demonstrating that with proper precautions and support, swimming in these waters is possible and is becoming a powerful form of environmental advocacy.

I Cavallini executive chef and co-partner Nick Curtola, also behind Michelin-starred The Four Horsemen, walks through a busy day at his Brooklyn restaurant. He emphasizes a cooking philosophy reliant on exceptional fresh produce, sourced from the Union Square Farmers Market in Manhattan. The video showcases intricate preparations for dishes like fried eel toast, inspired by Venetian chicchetti; hand-rolled trofie pasta with pesto and Belper Knolle cheese; and nervetti, a multi-day braised beef tendon terrine served with onion salad and savory jelly. Another highlight is a bluefin tuna toro dish with Risina beans, roasted tomatoes, and chervil gremolata. Curtola explains the dedication to traditional Italian techniques, the experimental process behind creating unique offerings, and his commitment to developing his culinary team.