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
Should You Work For Free?
This week I talk about working for free. More specifically, I discuss why giving away free food, and doing events for free didn't work out for me. I'm not saying that there isn't a place for it. But …
The Future of The Chefs Without Restaurants Podcast
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…
All About Olive Oil with Master Miller David Garci-Aguirre of Corto
Start and Grow a Successful Personal Chef Business with Imrun Texeira
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 s…
Bringing Filipino Food to Charleston with Nikko Cagalanan of Mansueta’s
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, co…
A Look at Culinary School Today with Johnson & Wales University Chef Instructor Russ Zito
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 on…
Community, Collaboration, and Education- Three Years of Chefs Without Restaurants
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 differ…
Chef Carla Hall Talks Top Chef, the Shift from Caterer to Food Media, and How to Make Amazing Biscuits
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 …
Learn to Garden and Cook Italian Food with Ciao Italia Host Mary Ann Esposito
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 fourte…
Bringing Global Flavors to Tulsa, Oklahoma and Beyond with Chef Shannon Smith
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 ch…
Mentorship and Leadership in the Food Industry - What is a Chef with Russ Zito of Johnson & Wales University
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…
Foraging, Transplanting Ramps, and Snail Farming with Clark Barlowe
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 de…
What is a Chef with Carla Hall
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 i…
How to Make and Use Masa with Masienda Founder Jorge Gaviria
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. Jo…
Chefs as Leaders in the Community - What is a Chef with Clark Barlowe
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 wil…
Overcoming Business Closure: Chef Taffy Elrod's Journey from Restaurant to Recipe Developer
In this episode of the Chefs Without Restaurants podcast, host Chris Spear chats with Chef Taffy Elrod. With over 20 years in the culinary industry, Taffy shares her emotional journey of closing her …
Luladey Moges on Ethiopian Cooking and Her New Cookbook Enebla: Recipes From an Ethiopian Kitchen
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…
Cobra Kai Actor Dan Ahdoot on Persian Cooking, Dining Out and Green Eggs & Dan
How to Make Better Sourdough Bread with Andy Roy of Twin Bears Bakery
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 …
Ukrainian Chef Anna Voloshyna and Her New Cookbook Budmo!
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…