Episodes

As 2022 comes to a close, I want to thank all of the listeners, guests, and people who have supported this podcast. As I get ready to continue with shows in 2023, I want to know what you want to hear. Please take 5 minutes to fill out this survey. It's only 7 questions and is anonymous. I'm going to use this information to make the Chefs Without Restaurants podcast even better. THE CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS PODCAST FEEDBACK SURVEY CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS If you enjoy the show and would like t...

This is the olive oil episode. This week, I speak with David Garci-Aguirre, the master miller at Corto. This one ingredient probably touches more dishes than any other ingredient except salt. But how much do we know about it? David likes to say that it's the ingredient that farm-to-table forgot. Nobody knows where it came from, who made it, or how it got made. But on this episode, we're going to change that. Did you know that much of the oil on the market is already rancid when you purchase it?...

Chef Imrun Texeira is the chef and owner of Wanderlust, a personal chef service based in Toronto, Canada focused on blind tasting menus. Whether you currently have a personal chef business, want to start one, or are any type of culinary entrepreneur, this episode is packed with valuable tips on growing a food business. Imrun’s worked in some of the world's best and most influential restaurants, including Noma in Copenhagen. Most recently, he was named as a recipient of the Top 30-Under-30 Award...

On this week's episode, we have chef Nikko Cagalanan. Born and raised in the Philippines. Nikko grew up in a family that loved food. His dad cooked. His aunt cooked. And his grandmother, Mansueta, cooked. Sure, he didn’t always want to be in the kitchen, but food was an integral part of their family. Eventually, he moved to the United States, landing in Massachusetts. Cooking wasn’t his career back then. Nursing was. But, like many of us who feel the kitchen calling us, Nikko decided he wanted ...

On this week's episode, we have chef Russ Zito. Russ has been a culinary instructor at Johnson & Wales University for 26 years. You might have heard our "What is a Chef" mini-episode. Chef Zito was one of my instructors and my senior advisor when I was a student at Johnson & Wales University. But a lot has changed since I graduated in 1998. I wanted to find out how the school, and the curriculum, have changed (or stayed the same) since I've been gone. He talks about the newer courses and classe...

Thank you for three years and 100,000 downloads. This week marks the three-year anniversary of the podcast, and last week we hit 100,000 total downloads, so I thought I'd do something a little different. This is a re-post of the first podcast episode. The show was co-founded with Andrew Wilkinson of Pizza Llama, and back then, Andrew took on much of the hosting duties. He was with the show for the first four months. On the show, Andrew and I talk about the foundations of Chefs Without Restauran...

On this week's show, we have chef Carla Hall. She was a contestant on Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef All-Stars. Carla spent 7 years co-hosting ABC’s Emmy award-winning, popular lifestyle series “The Chew”. She's been on multiple Food Network programs, was a judge on Netflix's Crazy Delicious, and is a culinary contributor to “Good Morning America”. She's the author of four cookbooks, in addition to a number of cookbooks put out by The Chew. We discuss her Top Chef experience, and why she wanted ...

On this episode, we have chef, author, and TV personality Mary Ann Esposito. She's the creator and host of the nationally televised PBS series Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito. The author of fourteen cookbooks, most recently, Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook!, Mary Ann has worked beside world-renowned chefs Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Martin Yan, and countless others. When not filming, Mary Ann can be found giving hands-on cooking classes. Her new book takes the reader on a seasonal home gar...

This week's guest is Shannon Smith. She’s a cook, teacher, and traveler based in Tulsa, OK. She's traveled to more than 50 countries, meeting and cooking with people, from home cooks to restaurant chefs, while documenting it on her blog. She also uses her travels to teach women how to cook, and helps to finance their businesses using micro-loan programs. Her charity work includes Vizavance, a program that provides eye care to the homeless, as well as Hope Haven Rwanda, a school for impoverished...

On this week's "What is a Chef?" episode we have chef Russ Zito. Russ has been a culinary instructor at Johnson & Wales University for 26 years. I asked him what his definition of a chef was, and his response revolved around leadership, mentorship, and exchanging ideas. This segment will not be included in our full conversation which will be released in a few weeks, so subscribe now so you can catch the rest of our conversation. RUSS ZITO Russ's Instagram Russ's Twitter CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURAN...

Clark Barlowe is a seventh-generation North Carolinian. Growing up learning how to hunt ginseng with his grandfather, Clark learned to look at the plants around him for the potential nutrients and delicious ingredients that they held while respecting their limitations and responsible foraging. He was formally trained as a chef at Johnson and Wales University. After stages at The French Laundry and El Bulli, followed by positions at Chez Pascal and Clyde’s Restaurant Group, Clark refined his exp...

This week we have a "What is a Chef?" episode with Carla Hall. Carla is a chef, cookbook author, two-time Top Chef contestant, and former co-host of The Chew. Our full conversation will be released in a few weeks. Subscribe to the podcast now so you don't miss it. CARLA HALL Carla's Website Check out Carla's Books Carla's Instagram Carla's YouTube Channel Carla's Facebook Page CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS If you enjoy the show, and would like to support it financially, check out our Patreon, or yo...

This week’s guest is Jorge Gaviria, founder of Masienda, and author of the new book Masa. On the show, you’re going to get the Masienda origin story, and find out why it all started with the corn. Jorge explains nixtimalization, which is the process of turning corn into masa, and how to nixtamilaze and grind your own corn at home. For those who just want to buy the masa harina, I asked him about water temperature, hydration, and the differences between the corn types. We also talk about brand p...

This week's "What is a Chef" episode is with Clark Barlowe. He’s a chef, former restaurant owner, cooking instructor, forager, and now... law student. Stay tuned for my full episode with him which will be released soon. CLARK BARLOWE Clark’s Website Potential Pantry Clark's Instagram CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS If you enjoy the show, and would like to support it financially, check out our Patreon, or you can donate through Venmo or Buy Me a Coffee. Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter V...

Chef Taffy Elrod shares her story of closing her restaurant due to COVID-19 and transitioning into food writing and recipe development. In this episode, she discusses the challenges of running a small business during the pandemic, working with food brands, and how chefs can pivot to content creation. Tune in for valuable insights and advice on navigating the post-restaurant world.

This week, I speak with Luladey Moges. She's the author of the new cookbook Enebla: Recipes From an Ethiopian Kitchen. Growing up, first in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and then in the United States, she learned the art of traditional Ethiopian cuisine from her grandmother, mother, and aunts. She has long been an enthusiastic home cook, introducing the tastes of Ethiopian cuisine to her friends in North America. At the same time, her career in hospitality and fine dining management has t...

This week, in preparation for Season 5 of Cobra Kai, we're re-releasing our episode with Dan Ahdoot. who plays Anoush on the show. He’s a standup comic, actor, writer, producer, and podcast host. He's also the host of Food Network's Raid the Fridge. He's garnered fans as a character actor on the shows The Crew, Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, Shameless, Workaholics, and Disney Channel’s Kickin’ It. On his podcast Green Eggs and Dan, he takes a new look at “you are what you eat,” and brings listene...

This week we have a short episode about how to make better sourdough bread. This was part of a much longer conversation with Andy Roy of Twin Bears Bakery in Frederick, Maryland. At Twin Bears, they make 100% naturally-leavened bread. When I asked about how to make better bread at home, Andy shared his tips for making better sourdough, which isn't just reserved for home bakers. The rest of our conversation will be released shortly. Below you can also find links to the books Andy mentions in the...

This week's guest is chef Anna Voloshyna. She's a Ukrainian-born, California-based chef, blogger, and culinary instructor. Her upcoming cookbook Budmo! (out September 27th) celebrates classic Eastern European recipes with a modern, creative twist. On the show, we discuss her upbringing and life in Ukraine, where she lived until she was 21. We talk about the food she grew up with and loves, but also the current war with Russia. Food is political, and you need to understand some of the history to...

This week I talk about how you can grow your personal chef business using vacation rental properties like Airbnb and VRBO. This has been where the majority of my business has been coming from for the past five years. I’ve talked about it as part of other podcast episodes but thought it warranted a standalone episode. If you want to make more money cooking as a personal chef or caterer, tune in to find out my top tips for acquiring more customers staying at rental properties. Do you have tips y...

This week's "What is a Chef" episode is with Taffy Elrod. She’s a chef, restaurant owner, cooking instructor, recipe developer, and food writer with 20 years of experience in the food industry. Stay tuned for my full episode with her which will be released soon. Taffy Elrod Taffy’s Website Taffy’s Instagram Taffy’s Twitter CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS If you enjoy the show, and would like to support it financially, check out our Patreon, or you can donate through Venmo or Buy Me a Coffee. Get th...

This week's guest is Daniel Liberson of Lindera Farms, a nature reserve in Delaplaine, Virginia. There, Daniel forages for items local to the area, and creates fermented pantry items for both restaurants and home cooks. His products include vinegar made from ramps, paw paws, and Virginia berry, as well as items like crab apple verjus, pecan tamari, and applewood soy sauce. Besides discussing vinegar-making and fermentation, we talk about business topics like the cost of running restaurants, how...

This week's guest is Josh Sharkey. He's the founder of Meez, an online recipe tool that helps you save time, cut costs and improve execution. Josh talks about how he started Meez, and gives a rundown of its functions and how it works. Josh has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University, and has worked in some of the best restaurants in the U.S. Besides an overview of Meez, we also discuss the customer experience, how he built and grew his business, some of his favorite resources, and wha...

This week's guest is Eli Kulp. He's the co-founder and culinary director of High Street Hospitality Group, as well as the host of both The Chef Radio Podcast and Delicious City Philly Podcast He has been a finalist for JBF Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Best New Chef- Food & Wine Magazine, Chef of the Year- Eater and Philadelphia Inquirer. We recently released our "What is a Chef" episode with him. On this full episode, we discuss how one moment can change your whole life. Hear Eli talk about the Amtr...