Heat You Can Handle: How a Chef Turned His Hot Sauce Into a Brand
In today’s episode, we chat with Matt Kuerbis, Escoffier Chef Instructor in Plant-Based Culinary Arts and Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management. A chef-educator and entrepreneur, Matt blends classroom teaching with real-world brand building through his hot sauce company, HYCH.Matt opens up about the high-stakes pivot behind “Heat You Can Handle.” He explains why trademark conflicts forced a name change from Hoss Soss, how sharpening the brand promise (flavor over fire) clarified positioning, and the practical steps that took HYCH from farmers’ markets and cooler-only sales to retail shelves in 100+ stores—co-packers, process authority letters, brokers, and 3PL fulfillment—while pricing for shrinking margins at scale.Join us as Matt shares the founder mindset he teaches: conquering “restaurant math” fear, keeping books exit-ready, meeting guests where they are (plant-based, gluten-free, flavor-forward), and taking the very first steps—register the business, define your USP, and validate with real customers. It’s a candid, step-by-step guide for food entrepreneurs who want to turn a product into a brand—and a brand into a business.
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James Beard Winner Charlie Mitchell on Leading Saga After James Kent
In today's episode, we chat with Charlie Mitchell, executive chef of New York's two-Michelin-starred Saga and James Beard Award winner for Best Chef in New York City.Charlie opens up about one of the most difficult transitions in fine dining: leaving Clover Hill, the intimate 20-seat Brooklyn restaurant where he made history as the first Black chef in NYC to earn a Michelin star, and taking the leap to Saga's 63rd floor after the tragic loss of his mentor, James Kent. He discusses going from managing 8 employees to leading 100, the management challenges that blindsided him, and how he's honoring Kent's legacy while making Saga his own.Join us as Charlie explains his "safe to learn" philosophy that's redefining kitchen culture, how Sunday dinners at his grandmother's houses in Detroit still influence his approach to fine dining, and how he balances nostalgia with technique.
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From Burger King to Michelin Star: The BRUTAL Truth About Success with Byron Gomez
In today's episode, we chat with Byron Gomez, executive chef of Denver's Michelin-starred BRUTØ and the first Costa Rican chef to earn this prestigious recognition.Byron opens up about the brutal truth behind his rise from fast food to fine dining, detailing how 23 years of unwavering commitment transformed early struggles into extraordinary success. He discusses climbing through legendary kitchens like Eleven Madison Park and Daniel Boulud's restaurants, and how his immigrant experience as a DACA recipient fueled his determination to break barriers.Join us as Byron explains how he's revolutionizing fine dining through "brutalism" - cooking everything over open fire and achieving zero waste at his 18-seat chef's counter. From his philosophy of "each one, teach one" to his commitment to sustainability, discover how Byron's story proves that relentless dedication and staying true to your roots can lead to groundbreaking success in the culinary world.
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How This Escoffier Grad Built a Resume of Award-Winning Restaurant Jobs
In today's episode, we chat with Connor Fowler, Escoffier graduate, certified sommelier, and rising talent in fine dining.Connor shares how his culinary education at Escoffier's Boulder campus, where he earned the Curtis Duffy Scholarship, led him from polishing glasses to serving wine at Michelin-recognized restaurants. He discusses his transformative externship in Florence that sparked his passion for wine, his journey through award-winning establishments like Rootstock and Frasca Food & Wine, and how he found himself serving guests the night Frasca received its first Michelin star.Join us as Connor reflects on the discipline required for fine dining success, the profound impact of losing his father on his career perspective, and how grief became an unexpected motivator in his pursuit of sommelier excellence and meaningful hospitality.
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Curtis Duffy: How Family Tragedy Forged a ‘Fireproof’ Chef
In today's episode, we chat with Curtis Duffy, James Beard Award winner, Michelin-starred chef, restaurateur, and author of the powerful new memoir Fireproof.Curtis shares how his traumatic childhood in rural Ohio led him to find refuge in an unlikely place: a high school home economics class. He discusses his journey from that first spark of passion to training under culinary legends like Charlie Trotter and Grant Achatz, building Grace into a three-Michelin-starred institution, and the bold decision to walk away at its peak to launch Ever during a global pandemic.Join us as Curtis reveals why writing Fireproof was more challenging than earning any award, how putting his painful truth on paper became his ultimate act of healing, and what it really means to be "fireproof" — not avoiding the heat, but learning to thrive in it.
A show about good food, inspiring stories, and deep dive talks featuring the world’s most innovative culinary educators and thought leaders. Join us as we delve into the lives of the amazing people shaping the world of food and drink. Hosted by Chef Kirk T. Bachmann.
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