Season 1

Chef Charles Hunter III on Using Social Media and a Blog to Launch His Personal Chef Business

Dec. 29, 2020

This week we speak with Charles Hunter III. He’s a personal chef, recipe developer and food blogger based in Nashville, Tennessee. He’s the owner of The Salted Table Company, an in-home catering company that prepares meals f…

When Passion Doesn't Pay The Bills - Pastry Chef Ryan Dumapit

Dec. 21, 2020

On this weeks show I have Ryan Dumapit. He has a degree in pastry arts, and food service management. But Ryan doesn’t have a singular path in the food industry. In fact, he also went to school for IT, and has worked for a po…

In Pursuit of Better BBQ - Chef Alex Smith

Dec. 14, 2020

On this week's Chefs Without Restaurants podcast, I speak with chef Alex Smith. While Alex has been in the food and beverage industry for over 20 years now, he’s only spent the last 10 years cooking. He started out in the fr…

Pastry Chef Monica Glass on Exploring Opportunities Outside of Restaurants

Dec. 7, 2020

On this week's Chefs Without Restaurants podcast, I speak with Philadelphia pastry chef Monica Glass. Upon graduating from Penn State, Monica moved to New York City to embark on a career in public relations. But after a brie…

Caterer Sam Hefter Brings the Taco Party to the People

Nov. 30, 2020

On this week's Chefs Without Restaurants podcast, I speak with Sam Hefter, the chef and owner of Hefter Catering in Kansas City. Sam's catering business focuses on upscale taco bars. We talk about how he came up with that i…

A Discussion with Chef and Food Writer Amethyst Ganaway

Nov. 23, 2020

On this week’s Chefs Without Restaurants podcast I have Amethyst Ganaway. She’s worked in the food business for more than 10 years, in both the front and back of the house. Besides being a chef, she also does food writing. Y…

On the Farm - A Discussion with Photographer Aliza Eliazarov About Heritage Breed Animals and Their Portraits

Nov. 16, 2020

On this week’s Chefs Without Restaurants podcast I have renowned photographer Aliza Eliazarov. On November 17, she has a book coming out called On the Farm: Heritage & Heralded Animal Breeds in Portraits and Stories. The boo…

Vietnamese-American Chef Tu David Phu Talks About His Upbringing, His E-Commerce Food Store, and What Community Means to Him

Nov. 9, 2020

On the podcast this week, I have chef Tu David Phu. Tu is a first generation Vietnamese-American, born and raised in Oakland, California. You might know him from season 15 of the Bravo Tv show Top Chef . He’s also a San Fran…

A Conversation with Pastry Chef Kate Holowchik of Lionheart Confections

Nov. 2, 2020

This week I speak with pastry chef, and self-proclaimed culinary renegade Kate Holowchik. After working her way through some of Boston's eclectic kitchens, she's now finding her personal voice with the launch of Lionheart Co…

Mr. Bake - Talking About Sweets, Cooking on TV and Representation in the Food Media

Oct. 26, 2020

This week I speak with Kareem Queeman, better known as Mr. Bake. He’s the owner and operator of Mr. Bake Sweets, a small dessert studio located in Largo, MD. He’s been baking for 20+ years. In the years that Mr. Bake Sweets …

25 Years at Crook's Corner Restaurant - A Conversation with Chef Bill Smith

Oct. 19, 2020

On the show this week, I have chef Bill Smith. Bill was the chef at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina for 25 years, before retiring in January 2019. I wanted to talk to Bill about his time working at Crook’s Corn…

Discussing the State of the Catering and Personal Chef Industries with Chef Brendon Hudson of Liliahna Catering

Oct. 12, 2020

On the podcast this week I have chef Brendon Hudson. He’s owner and chef of Liliahna catering company. Brendon was recently voted Best Chef by Baltimore Magazine’s readers poll. We discuss the state of the catering and perso…

Chef Kimberly Schaub Discusses Being a Research and Development Chef, and Kitchen Culture

Oct. 5, 2020

On the podcast this week I have chef Kimberly Schaub. She’s spent much of her culinary career in the research and development field, working for companies like Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and Bulletproof 360 . She also spent s…

Charging For Your Services, Content Creation and So Much More - A Discussion with Chef Justin Khanna part 2

Sept. 28, 2020

This is part 2 of a discussion I had with chef Justin Khanna. If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, I suggest listening to it first, as this episode jumps right into the middle of our discussion. On the podcast this week I …

The Transition From Restaurant Cooking to the Personal Chef and Events Business - A Discussion with Chef Justin Khanna part 1

Sept. 21, 2020

On the podcast this week I have chef Justin Khanna. He's the co-founder of Voyager's Table, a bespoke event production company. He’s also the host of The Repertoire Podcast (formerly The Emulsion podcast), and has a YouTube …

Mike Tholis of Rendezvous Farm - Leaving the Chef World for The Farming Life

Sept. 14, 2020

On the podcast this week I have Mike Tholis. Mike is the owner of Rendezvous Farm in Frederick, Maryland. Before starting his farm, Mike was a chef for 5 years in Washington D.C. restaurants, and has also worked as a butcher…

Chef Matthew Jennings - Getting Healthy, Moving to Vermont and His New Job and Business Ventures

Sept. 8, 2020

On today's show, we have Matthew Jennings, a chef and consultant who is also the Vice President of Culinary at Healthy Living Market & Cafe in Vermont. Along with Jason Rose, Matt is the founder of Full Heart Hospitality. Pr…

Jensen Cummings of Best Served - Celebrating the Unsung Hospitality Heroes, Investing in Your Staff, and the Future of the Hospitality Industry

Aug. 31, 2020

On the podcast this week I have chef Jensen Cummings, the creator and host of Best Served Podcast. On his show he talks to hospitality industry leaders to learn about the trials and triumphs of their lives and careers. A fif…

Chef Jamie Simpson of The Chef's Garden and The Culinary Vegetable Institute - Adapting the Business, and Selling to the Home Consumer

Aug. 24, 2020

On this week’s podcast we have chef Jamie Simpson. He is the chef liason at The Chef’s Garden, and the executive chef of the culinary vegetable institute. The Chef’s Garden has been delivering amazing produce and specialty p…

Line Cook Thoughts with Ray Delucci and Chris Spear - Starting a Personal Chef Business, Building a Community and Food Industry Issues

Aug. 17, 2020

On this episode, Chefs Without Restaurants founder Chris Spear speaks with Ray Delucci of the Line Cook Thoughts podcast. The episode originally aired on January 12, 2020. The discussion revolves around starting a personal c…

Brandon Baltzley - Leaving the Restaurant Industry for a Career in Fitness and Nutrition

Aug. 10, 2020

On this podcast I have Brandon Baltzley. Brandon is the owner of Brandon Baltzley Fitness & Nutrition, as well as a personal trainer and wellness coach at Planet Fitness, and the co-owner of The Buffalo Jump restaurant on Ca…

Chef Kisha Washington - A Discussion About The Personal Chef Business, Her Platform For Chefs and a Culinary Non-Profit

Aug. 3, 2020

On today’s podcast we have Kisha Washington. She is the executive Chef and Owner of 3 culinary industry businesses. The first is The Key Ingredient, which is a private dining and chef table experience. The second business is…

Hari Cameron of Grandpa Mac, and Chef Consultant at Arcobaleno - Talking Pasta, the Move to Fast Casual, and Content Creation

July 28, 2020

On this week’s podcast I speak with chef Hari Cameron. Hari is the chef consultant at Arcobaleno, as well as the chef partner at Grandpa Mac. I met Hari a few years ago when he was the chef and owner of a(MUSE.) restaurant i…

Chef Carolyn Crow of Black Bunny Bakery - Baking Resources, Depart of Health Regulations, and a Discussion About Deliciousness

July 20, 2020

On this week’s podcast we have chef Carolyn Crow. Carolyn is the owner of Black Bunny Bakery, as well as an event planner for the city of Gaithersburg, Maryland. We discuss how she’s been juggling event planning, programming…

Los Angeles Chef Christina Xenos of Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services

July 14, 2020

On this episode, we have Christina Xenos. She is a Los Angeles-based personal chef, and owner of Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services. She’s also a recipe developer, does cooking classes and is the co-author of Opa. The health…

PolyScience Chef and Marketing Coordinator David Pietranczyk on Modern Kitchen Equipment, Impostor Syndrome and Virtual Conferences

July 8, 2020

On this episode of the Chefs Without Restaurants podcast, we have David Pietranczyk. He’s the chef and product expert at Breville Polyscience. He also does some of their photography, videography and marketing. We discuss · …

Certified Master Chef Rich Rosendale Discusses Ghost Kitchens, Culinary School, Cooking Competitions and Diversifying Your Business Portfolio

July 3, 2020

On this episode, we have Certified Master Chef Rich Rosendale. Rich has a number of business ventures including Rosendale Collective, RC Culinary Lab, Rosendale Events, the Rosendale Online learning platform, and the Leesbur…

Jeff Givens of Southern Skies Coffee Roasters - Building His Coffee Business, and Lots of Coffee Talk

June 30, 2020

On this episode, we have Jeff Givens, owner of Southern Skies Coffee Roasters. We talk about how he started his business, his successes and some challenges, including marketing. We dive into coffee talk, getting into brewing…

Las Vegas Chef Phillip Dell - BBQ Competitions, Diversification and Building a Personal Brand

June 26, 2020

On this episode, we have we have Las Vegas Chef Phillip Dell. Phillip is a personal chef, culinary instructor, BBQ competitor, Chopped Champion, consultant and even has his own BBQ sauce. We discuss how he’s diversified, and…

The Challenges of Opening a Brewery, and the Impact of Covid-19 - A Discussion with Mathew Townsend of Jug Bridge Brewery

June 22, 2020

On this episode, we have we have Mathew Townsend from Jug Bridge Brewery. Jug Bridge is one of the newer breweries in Frederick, Maryland. We discuss some of the ups and downs he’s experienced since opening, many of which ar…

Talking Sous Vide with Jason Logsdon and Mike LaCharite from The International Sous Vide Association

June 15, 2020

On this episode, we have we have Jason Logsdon and Mike LaCharite from The International Sous Vide Association. We discuss sous vide basics, how their organization was started, and their upcoming sous vide conference. There …

The Cooking Priest - Father Leo Patalinghug on Hospitality and Connecting People Through Food

June 9, 2020

On this episode, we have we have Father Leo Patalinghug, who’s known as ‘the cooking priest”. Father Leo is a Catholic priest, and the host and founder of Plating Grace, which is meant to strengthen families and communities …

Opening a Restaurant During the Covid-19 Pandemic - NC Chef Jeremy Law of SOCO Farm and Food

June 5, 2020

On this episode, we have chef Jeremy Law. Jeremy and his wife Kimberly run SOCO Farm & food. For the past 10 years, they’ve been operating SOCO on their farm in Wilson, North Carolina. They have decided to move SOCO to Green…

My Healing Table - Chef Hanan Rasheed on Bringing Palestinians and Israelis Together Over Food

May 29, 2020

Palestinian Chef Hanan Rasheed started My Healing Table to bring Palestinians and Israelis together around a communal table of food, hoping to find some common ground. Hear her tell her story. =========================== Han…

Amira Alvarez of The Unstoppable Woman Discusses Setting Financial Goals

May 26, 2020

On this episode, Chefs Without Restaurants founder Chris Spear speaks with Amira Alvarez of The Unstoppable Woman. Amira is our first podcast guest that’s not in the food and beverage industry. Her mission is to teach entrep…

From The Olive Garden to Hell's Kitchen - Chef Benjamin on Starting a Food Business During the Covid-19 Pandemic

May 22, 2020

On this episode, we speak with chef Benjamin from Dallas, Texas. Starting his culinary career at The Olive Garden in Montgomery, Alabama, Benjamin worked his way up the culinary ladder, from cooking on a cruise ship, to cook…

Food Sales Rep Jacob Pratt Discusses the Affect of Covid-19 on the Food Industry

May 18, 2020

On this episode, we speak with Jacob Pratt. Jacob is a sales rep with International Gourmet Foods. Prior to working there, he’s spent most of his career working in, and running, kitchens. We discuss the impact of Covid-19 on…

Story on the Pass - Telling the Back-Story of a Chef Through Their Recipes

May 11, 2020

On this episode, Chefs Without Restaurants founder Chris Spear speaks with Billy Trakas of Story on the Pass. Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, Story on the Pass is aimed at revealing the backstory of a chef through a re…

Easy Cooking Tips for Families with Chef Chris of Perfect Little Bites

May 10, 2020

This episode is a little different than the other episodes. On this episode, chef Chris Spear of Perfect Little Bites gives some easy cooking tips to a group of moms from a local MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group. They ha…

Chef Christian Blouin of Hootch & Banter Restaurant Talks Covid-19, Kitchen Culture and Culinary Inspiration

May 8, 2020

On this episode we have Christian Blouin , the executive chef of Hootch & Banter restaurant in Frederick, Maryland. Christian is the first restaurant chef we’ve had on the show. Obviously, we talk a lot about the impact of c…

Philadelphia Chef David Pollack and His Non-Profit Organization Cooking Without Kidneys

May 4, 2020

On this episode we have David Pollack, a chef in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania region. After experiencing kidney failure in 2003, and undergoing dialysis, David finally received a kidney transplant. Like all people with kid…

Andrew Wilkinson of Pizza Llama Talks About Adapting His Food Truck Business During Covid-19

May 1, 2020

On this episode we have Andrew Wilkinson from Pizza Llama . Most people know Andrew as the cohost of this podcast. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Andrew has taken a temporary leave from the podcast, as he’s focusing on his bu…

Rachel Armistead from The Sweet Farm Talks About Changing Her Business Due to Covid-19

April 27, 2020

On this episode we have Rachel Armistead from The Sweet Farm . Many people know The Sweet Farm from their fermented products such as sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles and ginger beer. They were the first business licensed to sell …

Baker Katrice Scott of Two Sweet Bakery Talks About Her Cookie Business

April 20, 2020

On this episode we have Katrice Scott. Katrice is one half of Two Sweet , the custom confections business she started in Frederick, Maryland with her twin sister Karin. On this episode: · Transitioning for baking at …

Chef Terence Tomlin's Road to Recovery After Suffering Two Strokes and Becoming Paralyzed

April 17, 2020

On this episode we have chef Terence Tomlin . He was the executive chef at the restaurant Hawthorne in Washington DC. In November 2017 he suffered two strokes while working at the restaurant, leaving the right side of his bo…

Distiller Mark Vierthaler of Tenth Ward Distilling Company

April 13, 2020

On this episode we have Mark A. Vierthaler . Mark is the head distiller at Tenth Ward Distilling Company in Frederick, Maryland. Some of the spirits they produce are a genever style gin, absinthe nouvelle, caraway rye, and a…

Gettysburg Chef Josh Fidler on Cooking in a Smaller Market

April 7, 2020

On this episode we have chef Josh Fidler . Josh is a chef in the Gettysburg, Pa area. He was the chef and owner of Fidler & Co in Biglerville, and most recently consulted on the menu and kitchen at GearHouse Brewing Co in Ch…

Anthony DiGiulian on Pasta, Italian Food and Home Cooking

March 31, 2020

On this episode we have our good friend Anthony on the show. This episode is a little different. Our guest isn’t a professional chef, and doesn’t even work in a foodservice setting. He is a very serious home cook, who’s pass…

Continuing The Chefs Without Restaurants Podcast During the Covid-19 Pandemic

March 31, 2020

Things are changing every day during the Covid-19 global pandemic. We have decided to continue with our podcast, even if it means changing the format a little, and how we conduct the show. I have added some resources and lin…

Drew Pumphrey of The Smoking Swine BBQ and Smoked Meats Emporium

March 24, 2020

On this episode we have Drew Pumphrey. Drew is the owner of The Smoking Swine BBQ and smoked meats emporium. His food truck is based out of Baltimore, Maryland, and services the surrounding areas. He recently began working o…