Chefs Without Restaurants
Join Chris Spear as he interviews food and beverage entrepreneurs who have built successful careers outside of traditional restaurant kitchens.
From personal chefs, caterers, and food truck operators to cookbook authors, research chefs, and farmers, each guest has paved their own way in the culinary world. Through candid conversations, they share the challenges, lessons, and successes of creating a business on their own terms.
With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry—including running his own personal chef business, Perfect Little Bites—Chris is dedicated to helping chefs and food entrepreneurs navigate their own unconventional paths in the industry.
If you're looking for inspiration, business insights, and real stories from those who have stepped beyond the restaurant world, this podcast is for you.
🎧 New episodes available—subscribe now and start exploring the road less traveled in the culinary industry!
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 44 minutes
- Episodes
- 259
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Jensen Cummings of Best Served - Celebrating the Unsung Hospitality Heroes, Investing in Your Staff, and the Future of the Hospitality Industry
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…
Chef Jamie Simpson of The Chef's Garden and The Culinary Vegetable Institute - Adapting the Business, and Selling to the Home Consumer
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 amazin…
Line Cook Thoughts with Ray Delucci and Chris Spear - Starting a Personal Chef Business, Building a Community and Food Industry Issues
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 aro…
Brandon Baltzley - Leaving the Restaurant Industry for a Career in Fitness and Nutrition
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 Buff…
Chef Kisha Washington - A Discussion About The Personal Chef Business, Her Platform For Chefs and a Culinary Non-Profit
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 experienc…
Hari Cameron of Grandpa Mac, and Chef Consultant at Arcobaleno - Talking Pasta, the Move to Fast Casual, and Content Creation
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…
Chef Carolyn Crow of Black Bunny Bakery - Baking Resources, Depart of Health Regulations, and a Discussion About Deliciousness
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 ev…
Los Angeles Chef Christina Xenos of Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services
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-…
PolyScience Chef and Marketing Coordinator David Pietranczyk on Modern Kitchen Equipment, Impostor Syndrome and Virtual Conferences
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 …
Certified Master Chef Rich Rosendale Discusses Ghost Kitchens, Culinary School, Cooking Competitions and Diversifying Your Business Portfolio
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 …
Jeff Givens of Southern Skies Coffee Roasters - Building His Coffee Business, and Lots of Coffee Talk
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 t…
Las Vegas Chef Phillip Dell - BBQ Competitions, Diversification and Building a Personal Brand
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 …
The Challenges of Opening a Brewery, and the Impact of Covid-19 - A Discussion with Mathew Townsend of Jug Bridge Brewery
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 …
Talking Sous Vide with Jason Logsdon and Mike LaCharite from The International Sous Vide Association
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 sou…
The Cooking Priest - Father Leo Patalinghug on Hospitality and Connecting People Through Food
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 …
Opening a Restaurant During the Covid-19 Pandemic - NC Chef Jeremy Law of SOCO Farm and Food
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 deci…
My Healing Table - Chef Hanan Rasheed on Bringing Palestinians and Israelis Together Over Food
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.
=======…
Amira Alvarez of The Unstoppable Woman Discusses Setting Financial Goals
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 m…
From The Olive Garden to Hell's Kitchen - Chef Benjamin on Starting a Food Business During the Covid-19 Pandemic
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 …
Food Sales Rep Jacob Pratt Discusses the Affect of Covid-19 on the Food Industry
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 t…