This week I have a bonus episode with Andris Lagsdin of Baking Steel. During our full conversation , we talked primarily about pizza making, and how he created the Baking Steel. While recording the episode, we discussed health and wellness, abstaining from alcohol, and why he no longer follows a vegan diet. I also asked him about vegan cheeses. I thought that part of our conversation was great, but it didn’t make sense to leave it in as part of the whole show. However, I had always intended it t...
Mar 22, 2022•14 min•Season 3Ep. 137
This week, we have a mini-episode about what it means to be a chef. This is something I'm asking many of the guests as part of my upcoming season 3 interviews. I thought it would be great to get as much insight on this as possible, from many different people in the food and beverage industry. Today's answer comes from 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 caree...
Mar 15, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 136
This week, we have a mini-episode about what it means to be a chef. This is something I'm asking many of the guests as part of my upcoming season 3 interviews. I thought it would be great to get as much insight on this as possible, from many different people in the food and beverage industry. Today's answer comes from Matt Collins. Born in Freehold, NJ, Matt has been cooking since he was a child. As a student of the culinary arts program at Freehold High School, he excelled and ran the cafe at 1...
Mar 08, 2022•9 min•Season 3Ep. 135
On this episode we have cookbook author and food writer Cathy Barrow. She has written for the New York Times , Garden and Gun , The Local Palate , Modern Farmer , Saveur , Southern Living , NPR, and National Geographic , among others. Her first cookbook, Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry , won the prestigious IACP Award for best single-subject cookbook. She has also written the cookbooks Pie Squared , and When Pies Fly . Cathy's newest book Bagels, Schmears, and a Nice Piece of Fish: A Whole B...
Mar 01, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 134
This week I have Baking Steel founder Andris Lagsdin. It’s the inspiring story of how Andris built his successful business. He spent a number of years working in restaurants, which included being on chef Todd English’s management team. Tired of the restaurant industry, Andris decided to go work at his family’s steel manufacturing business. But it was an a-ha moment that led to the creation of what’s now known as the Baking Steel. In addition to hearing his origin story, we also talk about pizza ...
Feb 25, 2022•41 min•Season 3Ep. 133
This week, we have a mini-episode about what it means to be a chef. This is something I'm asking many of the guests as part of my upcoming season 3 interviews. I thought it would be great to get as much insight on this as possible, from many different people in the food and beverage industry. Today's answer comes from David Pollack. He's a chef in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania region. After experiencing kidney failure in 2003, and undergoing dialysis, David finally received a kidney transplant....
Feb 22, 2022•8 min•Season 3Ep. 132
This week, we have a mini-episode about what it means to be a chef. This is something I'm asking many of the guests as part of my upcoming season 3 interviews. I thought it would be great to get as much insight on this as possible, from many different people in the food and beverage industry. Today's answer comes from Virginia Willis. She was the TV kitchen director for Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, and Nathalie Dupree and executive producer for Epicurious TV on the Discovery Channel. She’s made c...
Feb 18, 2022•4 min•Season 3Ep. 131
This week I have James Beard Foundation Award-winner, chef Virginia Willis. She was the TV kitchen director for Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, and Nathalie Dupree and executive producer for Epicurious TV on the Discovery Channel. She’s made cookies with Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson, foraged for berries in the Alaskan wilderness, harvested capers in Sicily, and beguiled celebrities such as Jane Fonda and Bill Clinton with her cooking -- but it all started in her grandmother’s country kitchen. Virginia ...
Feb 15, 2022•57 min•Season 3Ep. 130
This is a mini-episode about showing your work. I made this episode for the new creators out there. Whether you’re blogging, podcasting, or posting photos on Instagram, there are going to be people out there (usually strangers) who will be critical of your work. Some of it might be justified, but some might just be mean. Regardless, you need to rise above it and keep pushing on. Do the work, and show your work. Sponsor Looking to make better pizza? How about bagels, bread, or English muffins? Th...
Feb 11, 2022•7 min•Season 3Ep. 129
This week I have personal chef and cooking instructor Matt Finarelli. Matt was a guest on our show way back in March 2020. In fact, he might’ve been the last in-person show that we recorded before the Covid shut down. If you’re interested in hearing that episode, it was number 24, and you can find the link here . Due to the situation with Covid, Matt didn’t feel comfortable going into people's homes to cook or provide lessons. But, like most people, he needed some form of income. So, Matt turned...
Feb 08, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 128
This week, we're joined by Lana Lagomarsini. Lana is the chef and owner of Lana Cooks, a personal chef business based in the New York City area. Lana comes from a fine-dining background, having cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Gramercy Tavern, Daniel, and Momofuku Ko. Like many chefs, when restaurants began shutting down due to Covid, Lana explored the personal chef sector. After this podcast aired, Lana was one of the chefs featured on the Netflix series Pressure Cooker. On the show, we disc...
Feb 01, 2022•54 min•Season 3Ep. 127
This week, we have a mini-episode about what it means to be a chef. This is something I'm asking many of the guests as part of my upcoming season 3 interviews. I thought it would be great to get as much insight on this as possible, from many different people in the food and beverage industry. Today's answer comes from Justin Khanna. He is the co-founder of Voyager's Table, a bespoke event production company. He’s also the host of The Emulsion podcast, and has a YouTube channel that has more than...
Jan 21, 2022•5 min•Season 2Ep. 126
This week, we have a mini-episode about what it means to be a chef. This is something I'm asking many of the guests as part of my upcoming season 3 interviews. I thought it would be great to get as much insight on this as possible, from many different people in the food and beverage industry. Today's answer comes from Cody Marwine. He's the owner and chocolatier at The Perfect Truffle in Frederick, Maryland. My full conversation with Cody will be released in the upcoming months as part of season...
Jan 12, 2022•5 min•Season 2Ep. 125
This week, we're wrapping up 2021, and ready to welcome in 2022. Listen to this episode for an update on the Chefs Without Restaurants podcast, and what you can expect in 2022. Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and safe holiday. Sponsor Looking to hire employees for your restaurant? This week's sponsor is Savory Jobs , a job site only for restaurants. For just $50, get unlimited job postings for an entire year. Use discount code SAVORY10 to save 10%. ========================== CHEFS WITHOUT RES...
Dec 28, 2021•6 min•Season 2Ep. 124
This week, we're joined by David Orozco. David owns Orozco Nutrition, a nutrition and wellness practice in Atlanta Georgia. David’s been in practice for close to 20 years as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and he’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and Exercise Physiologist. He’s also the host of One Small Bite , a podcast that seeks to help people build a positive relationship with food and their body through an anti-diet, self-compassion driven approach to vulnerable conversations ab...
Dec 21, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 123
On this episode, we're joined by Louis Remolde, otherwise known as The Single Baker. Louis is someone who's worked in the food and beverage industry in Philadelphia, PA since he was 14 years old. At the age of 39, he decided to get sober, and eventually started his own baking business, as well as a personal training business. Louis talks about his path in the industry, and how he came to start his business. You'll learn about how he landed cooking spots on local tv stations, and eventually a spo...
Dec 13, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 122
On this episode, we're joined by Gabrielle Jenkins. She's the chef and owner of Pot Liqueur, a catering, personal chef, and meal prep business that serves the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland & Virginia) area. We discuss her culinary style, inspiration, and what she wished she knew before starting a business. We talk about culinary school, and who some of her favorite local chefs are. Sponsor Looking to hire employees for your restaurant? This week's sponsor is Savory Jobs , a job site only for ...
Dec 07, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 121
On this episode, we're joined by Jerrod Cline of Bub-B-Que, a food truck based in Frederick, Maryland. Jerrod was the 2nd guest we had on the podcast way back in Dec 2019. The food world, and the world in general, has changed so much in two years. I wanted to get Jerrod back on the show and hear how things have changed for him. From rising food costs to pivoting, we talk about running a food truck in the year 2022. Jerrod talks about how he's changed his menu, and what he thinks about competitio...
Nov 30, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 120
On this episode, we're joined by chef Dave Arnold. He’s the host of the Cooking Issues podcast, author of the cocktail book Liquid Intelligence, and creator of the Searzall and Spinzall . Dave is also the founder of the Museum of Food and Drink , and the man behind the NYC bars Booker & Dax and Existing Conditions, sadly , both of which are no longer in operation. As I kind of expected going into this show, I let Dave lead the way. I leaned into all those weird and intriguing food science to...
Nov 23, 2021•42 min•Season 2Ep. 119
On this episode, we're joined by chef Dave Arnold. He’s the host of the Cooking Issues podcast, author of the cocktail book Liquid Intelligence, and creator of the Searzall and Spinzall . Dave is also the founder of the Museum of Food and Drink , and the man behind the NYC bars Booker & Dax and Existing Conditions, sadly , both of which are no longer in operation. As I kind of expected going into this show, I let Dave lead the way. I leaned into all those weird and intriguing food science to...
Nov 16, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 118
On this episode, we're joined by chef Pete Carvelli. Pete’s the founder of Twelve (Plants), a plant-based pop-up and personal chef business in Rhode Island. Formerly, both a photojournalist and reporter, Pete currently works as an attorney. But a desire to be a better cook led him to get his Professional Plant-Based chef certification in 2019. From there he did two successful chef collaboration dinners, and Twelve (Plants) has evolved to offering multi-course plant-based pop-ups, as well as priv...
Nov 09, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 117
In this episode, Chris Spear chats with Chef Zoe Adjonyoh, the pioneering force behind Zoe's Ghana Kitchen. Zoe is not only a chef but also a writer, entrepreneur, and advocate for the decolonization of the food industry. Since 2010, she has been redefining modern West African cuisine through her pop-ups, supper clubs, and her restaurant in Brixton. Her recently republished cookbook, Zoe's Ghana Kitchen , serves as a gateway to Ghanaian flavors for both those familiar and new to the cuisine. Chr...
Nov 02, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 116
Is culinary school worth it? On this episode, we’re joined by Ray Delucci. Ray’s the founder of the Line Cook Thoughts community, and host of the podcast of the same name. Having recently left the restaurant industy, Ray now works in culinary research and development, and food manufacturing. You might have heard my full discussion with him last week. During our time talking, I asked him about culinary school. Ray’s a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, so I wanted to know if he’d do i...
Oct 26, 2021•12 min•Season 2Ep. 115
This week my guest is Ray Delucci. He’s the founder of Line Cook Thoughts, a platform that shares the stories of food service workers. This is done through his website, social media, and podcast of the same name. Ray is an advocate for a better foodservice industry in regards to lifestyle and work environment, and believes that these workers’ stories should be heard. Ray is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and has been working in kitchens since he was a teenager. He recently left...
Oct 19, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 114
This week my guest is Emmanuel Laroche. Emmanuel has more than 20 years in the food ingredient industry, and is currently in charge of marketing for a company that manufactures flavors for food and beverage companies like Unilever and Nestle. In 2018 Emmanuel launched the Flavors Unknown podcast. Every other week he speaks to the chefs, pastry chefs, and bartenders who are creating tomorrow’s trends. Full disclosure… I was a guest this Spring, and you can hear me on episode 65 . Emmanuel has a m...
Oct 12, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 113
This week my guest is Hanna Raskin. Hanna spent the past 8 years as food editor, and chief critic for The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C. During her time there, she was nominated for four James Beard Foundation awards, winning the organization’s first-ever prize for local impact journalism. She recently left the newspaper to begin publishing The Food Section, a twice-weekly Substack newsletter that will bring original, inclusive, and independent food journalism to underserved cities and sta...
Oct 05, 2021•46 min•Season 2Ep. 112
This week my guest is chef Keith Sarasin. With his business, The Farmers Dinner , Keith and other guest chefs bring a multi-course dinner out to the farms of New England. Keith also has a deep love and respect for Indian cooking, which he expresses through his Indian-inspired pop-up experience Aatma . On his More Than Masala podcast, he and co-host Ragini of Third Culture Cooks , take a deep dive into a singular spice. And while we didn’t even get into it on the show, Keith has published a numbe...
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 111
This week I have a short episode with chef Steven Lash , owner of Blue Duck personal chef service. If you haven't heard our full episode yet, you can go back and listen to Episode 107. I really enjoyed that one, and we received a lot of positive feedback. After the outro, I kept recording, and we continued our conversation, which is what you will hear in this episode. We talk about culinary school and education, microgreens, and the foods that Steven won't eat. He shared advice for those looking...
Sep 21, 2021•16 min•Season 2Ep. 110
This week, my guest is Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants. He’s a marketer, author, speaker, consultant, and business coach. He’s owned his own marketing firm since 2008, and since then he’s helped hundreds of companies market with a purpose. In 2016 he changed his focus to restaurants, and today helps restaurants all over the world with their ROI Engine marketing platform. Matt also has a podcast called MP TV, and has released a number of books including the recent book titled Restau...
Sep 14, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 109
Over the last 20 years, Erin Kanagy-Loux has worked in various arms of the hospitality industry, most recently as the Executive Pastry Chef for Union Square Events, and Reynard at the Wythe Hotel. She’s a first-generation Japanese American that grew up with a heavy sprinkle of Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch Heritage. Her memories, experiences, and love of flavor have shaped the unique cultural background she draws her creative inspirations from. She is most recognized for her work in celebration a...
Sep 07, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 108
