Episodes

In this episode we dive into the world of pop-up dining with Chef Jonathon Merrick of Family Meal Boise, an in-home pop-up restaurant he runs. You get a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs of running the successful pop-up, and gain insights into menu creation, guest interactions, and the intricacies of hosting unique dining experiences. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the dynamic world of pop-up dining. Key Takeaways: Pop-Up Dining Experiences:Evolution ...

This week on Chefs Without Restaurants we're diving into the world of food and beverage marketing with Tony Moore. Tony, a seasoned marketing executive and the host of the "Winning at Work" podcast, brings his extensive experience, sharing invaluable insights into the intricacies of brand marketing in the food industry. Episode Highlights Understanding Grocery Store Product Placement: Tony shares strategies for effective product placement in grocery stores and the role of brand ambassadors. Di...

In this solo episode, host Chris Spear delves into the 'More, Better, New' principle, a concept coined by entrepreneur Alex Hormozi. Chris applies this philosophy to his own business, discussing its impact on decision-making and efficiency, particularly in the realm of marketing his personal chef business. This episode offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs and culinary professionals looking to streamline and enhance their business strategies. ALEX HORMOZI Alex's free courses $100M Offers a...

Do you want to get more reviews for your business? If so, this is the episode for you. I’ll tell you step-by-step how I started to get at least one review from almost every customer. This tactic uses printable QR codes, takes less than 15 minutes of work, and costs nothing. Listen to learn how you can employ this technique. Buy the Thank You Cards mentioned in this episode CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS If you enjoy the show and would like to support it financially, please check out our Sponsorship ...

This week, my guest this week is Larry Lynch, president of the United States Personal Chef Association. Topics Discussed: Food safety Regulations, the health department, and cooking in your home Customer acquisition Events and meal prep Pricing Chef-for-hire platforms and hireachef.com LARRY LYNCH AND THE UNITED STATES PERSONAL CHEF ASSOCIATION The USPCA Website Hire a Chef The USPCA's Instagram, X(Twitter) and Facebook CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS If you enjoy the show and would like to support ...

What is Good Food? On last week's podcast I spoke with chef Rollie Wesen. He's the executive Director of the Jacques Pépin foundation, as well as an assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. During our conversation we spoke about what "good food" is. This touched on seasonal cooking, and families having a sit-down meal together (or not). This side conversation didn't fit into our full-length conversation, but it was something we're both passionate about, so ...

This week on I speak with chef Rollie Wesen. He's the executive Director of the Jacques Pépin foundation, as well as an assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Rollie is married to Claudine Pepin, Jaques daughter. In talking with Jacques, they thought it would be a great idea to start a foundation while he was still alive, and create something that would have a lasting, positive affect on the world. Jacques decided that he wanted the foundation to focus on...

This week we have chef Corey Siegel. You'll hear how Corey went from finishing dead last in his culinary SkillsUSA competition, to representing team USA with master chef Rich Rosendale at the Bocuse d'Or. This episode is a behind the scenes look (or is it listen?) into the world of cooking competitions at the highest level. But you also might know Corey from his TikTok and Instagram videos where he cooks a recipe after the ingredients and equipment magically seem to fall from the sky. We talk a...

This week I have Kara Mae Harris of the blog Old LIne Plate, where she's been exploring Maryland foodways since 2010. Last year, Kara released a book titled Old Line Plate, the same as her blog. It was a collection of some of her favorite posts throughout the years. But it’s more as a historical document, than a straightforward cookbook. This October Kara's back with a new cookbook called Festive Maryland Recipes. For this book, Kara worked with a recipe developer to make sure the recipes were ...

On this week's podcast we have Tiffani Thiessen. She’s probably best known for her roles as Kelly Kapowski on Saved By the Bell, and Valerie on Beverly Hills 90210. But today she’s not here to talk about acting. We’re talking about her new cookbook Here We Go Again (her second cookbook), which will be released on September 26th. The book tackles the topic of leftovers and how to creatively recycle and upcycle them. So, if you’re someone who cooks, which is pretty much everyone, this show is for ...

On this week's podcast we have Scotland's national chef Gary Maclean, a role he was offered after winning season 16 of Masterchef: The Professionals. Gary recently released The Scottish Kitchen, a cookbook of traditional Scottish recipes adapted for a North American audience using ingredients they would be able to find. Topics Discussed Haggis- What it is and how to modify the recipe in North America The importance of culinary education and teaching children about food and nutrition at a young ...

In this episode of Chefs Without Restaurants, we have Brad Leone. Brad is known for his prominent role at the Bon Appétit test kitchen. Over time, he climbed the ranks to become the Test Kitchen Manager. It was during this period that Brad's magnetic personality and cooking prowess shone through in the form of the video series It’s Alive! This series, known for its humor and laid-back style, garnered a devoted fanbase and revolutionized Bon Appetit's online video content. My personal favorite is...

This week I want to talk about how complacency can kill your business (or at least hurt it). I run a personal chef business, and have been doing it for 11 years now. When I started out doing it on the side, I was a little scrappy. I did guerrilla marketing. I did a lot of networking. I was regularly sending out my email newsletter. As my business and customer base grew, I slowed down on some of those tactics. Fast forward to this summer...business kind of sucks, and I realized that I hadn't bee...

On this week's podcast, we have Justin Khanna, the founder of Repertoire, a hospitality education company, and the host of The Repertoire Podcast. We talk about measurable metrics for success in the kitchen, including working clean. We also dive into the realm of podcasting itself. Justin shares valuable insights on guest outreach and workflow management. We discuss the dynamics of working with PR agencies, and why it's not always about landing guests with huge followings. We also talk about be...

On this week’s show, I have Lisa Donovan and Julie Belcher of Rêverie Retreats. These retreats are the kind of trips that I want to take. Travel to the Loire Valley... Take a French pastry lesson with an acclaimed baker...Have a natural wine tasting. Plenty of time to eat and relax. Maybe make some new friends. You’ll learn how and why Lisa and Julie started this, and how you can join them on one of these excursions. We talk about how they select the partners and purveyors they work with, natur...

This week my guest is Nick DiGiovanni. Nick was a MasterChef finalist on season 10, which he did while attending Harvard. Since then, he’s been creating food and cooking content online. His YouTube channel recently passed the 10 million subscriber mark, and he has over 11 million followers on TikTok. His videos are both educational and funny, often done in collaboration with other celebrities and and YouTube personalities. He’s made slushies with Mr Beast, chili with Kevin from the office, and ...

This week, my guest is Lior Lev Sercarz. Lior is the chef, spice blender, and owner of La Boîte, a spice shop in New York City. He's previously released the cookbooks The Art of Blending, The Spice Companion and Mastering Spice. This week, he released his 4th book, A Middle Eastern Pantry. In this new cookbook he focuses on the everyday ingredients used throughout this vast region, including Turkey, Tunisia, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Armenia, Jordan, and more, as he offers an homage to the pan...

This week on Chefs Without Restaurants I speak with Ryan Gray and Janice Tiefenbach of Elena, Gia, and Nora Gray restaurants in Montreal. They recently released a cookbook called Salad Pizza Wine. During our conversation, Ryan and Janice shared their insights on the evolving Montreal food scene and how they've embraced change in their own establishments. We discuss the importance of cultivating a healthy restaurant culture for both staff and customers, emphasizing the crucial role of leadership....

This week I have Krimsey Lilleth. She’s the author of The Cajun Vegan Cookbook, and was the owner of Krimsey‘s Cajun kitchen, the world's first vegan Cajun restaurant. Due to Covid, Krimsey made the tough decision to close her North Hollywood restaurant in Spring 2020. She knew she wanted to share her recipes with her fans so they could re-create their favorite dishes at home, which is what inspired her to write her first cookbook. Last year I released my full episode with her, which can be fou...

In this episode, I speak with Andre Uribe, a personal chef and the co-owner of Sustainable Meals Oregon. We delve into Andre's journey as a chef and his foray into video and storytelling, which now includes his own audio and video podcast, Chef Therapy. During our conversation, Andre talks about how he crafted his business model, devised a pricing structure, and strategically positioned himself in the market. His culinary enterprise places a strong emphasis on meal prep using locally sourced in...

This week I speak with chef Matt Collins about payment methods and deposits, with a side or horror stories. Whether you work in the food industry or not, if you receive payment for your services, you won't want to miss this. We cover various options for payment methods, including cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, Paypal and Square. We talk deposits: when to request them and how much to ask for. Additionally, we discuss fees and gratuity. Tune in to gain valuable insights and practical tips on handling...

On today's show, I have Nicolas and Stephen Servis, identical twin brothers who founded Servis Events, a private dining service based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. You’ll learn how the brothers pivoted during the early days of the pandemic to start their business. Nicolas and Stephen's passion for farm-to-table cuisine flourished during their time as chefs de partie at The Mainland Inn, where they tackled full animal butchery, gardening, and more. Later, while volunteering at Quarry Hill Farm,...

Do you or someone you love have a food allergy or intolerance? Or maybe you're a chef who cooks for people and wants to get better at accommodating customers with dietary restrictions. In this episode of Chefs Without Restaurants, Chris speaks with Kayla Cappiello, the author of the new book "Easy Allergy-Free Cooking," about food allergies and how to cook delicious meals that are safe for those with dietary restrictions. Kayla has celiac disease, is lactose intolerant, and is allergic to tree ...

This week on Chefs Without Restaurants we have chef Kyle Shankman. Kyle is the chef and owner of Speak Easy Supper Club, an exclusive dining experience in the Atlanta area. As tickets for Speak Easy are hard to come by, Chef Shankman also finds a way to feed folks as a private chef and cooking class instructor. A chef for two decades, Kyle has run multiple restaurant kitchens as an executive chef and consultant, taught hundreds of cooking classes for home cooks, been the personal chef to A-List...