I think you're completely misinterpreting this. > All the great chefs know each other. Do right by one and they tend to hook you up with the others. > Which i

I think you're completely misinterpreting this. > All the great chefs know each other. Do right by one and they tend to hook you up with the others. > Which is to say: if you’re lucky enough to be able to do the above, do not fuck up. Bourdain is specifically saying there is not nepotism--that you must "do right by" a chef (in context, you must be GREAT at your job) in order to get hooked up with others--and the converse, "do not fuck up," because if you do, your bad reputation will now precede you. This is not nepotism--nepotism would be if he said "if you get a chance to work with a great chef, great, you're home free, because now they're your friend and will recommend you to other chefs regardless of how good/bad you are."