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Chefs Without Restaurants

Chefs Without Restaurants

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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!

© 2025 Chefs Without Restaurants
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Episodios
  • Tristen Epps Talks Top Chef, Cultural Cuisine and Finding His Culinary Voice
    Jun 13 2025

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    Today on Chefs Without Restaurants, I speak with Chef Tristen Epps, a Season 22 finalist on Top Chef and a James Beard–recognized chef. From his Trinidadian heritage to a globe-trotting childhood in Guam, Japan, and the Philippines, Tristen’s culinary path was built on a foundation of cultural diversity and bold flavor. He’s a Johnson & Wales graduate, completed the rigorous Greenbrier apprenticeship under Chef Richard Rosendale, and worked closely with Marcus Samuelsson, who became both a professional and personal mentor.

    Our conversation explores culinary education and mentorship, and how institutional bias and discrimination continue to undervalue certain cuisines. We also examine how pricing can reflect, or deny, cultural respect in the food world.

    Tristen shares what it was like competing on Top Chef, and why competitions fuel his creativity.

    TRISTEN EPPS
    Tristen's Instagram and Facebook
    Check out Tristen's website

    Podcast with Top Chef Season 22 contestant Lana Lagomarsini

    CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS
    If you enjoy the show and would like to support it financially, please check out our Sponsorship page (we get a commission when you use our links).
    Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter
    Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube
    The Chefs Without Restaurants Private Facebook Group
    Chris Spear's personal chef business Perfect Little Bites

    PERSONAL CHEF BUSINESS STARTUP GUIDE
    Listen to the podcast here, or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube
    Follow us on Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube
    Reach out at chefstartup@gmail.com

    Get in touch

    Support the show

    Más Menos
    1 h y 2 m
  • Behind the Bar with Kara Newman: Spirits, Cocktail Trends and Home Bars
    May 29 2025

    Want the INSIDE SCOOP on building and growing a food business? Subscribe to our newsletter.

    In this episode of Chefs Without Restaurants, host Chris Spear is joined by spirits expert and acclaimed author Kara Newman. Known for her extensive work as a spirits journalist and for writing innovative cocktail books, Kara shares how she made the leap from writing about pork belly futures to becoming a leading voice in the world of spirits and cocktails.

    They discuss everything from oddball cocktail creations, like a sour cream and onion martini and pot liquor ice cubes, to larger industry trends such as the resurgence of martinis, non-alcoholic beverages, and the use of upcycled ingredients like spent coffee grounds. Kara also talks about her latest venture, The Cocktail Cabinet, a collection of recipe card decks designed to inspire home bartenders.

    Whether you're new to mixology or a seasoned drink maker, this episode delivers great insights and practical advice on how to elevate your cocktail game at home.

    KARA NEWMAN
    Kara's Instagram
    Check out Kara's website
    Get Kara's Books and The Cocktail Cabinet Cards

    CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS
    If you enjoy the show and would like to support it financially, please check out our Sponsorship page (we get a commission when you use our links).
    Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter
    Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube
    The Chefs Without Restaurants Private Facebook Group
    Chris Spear's personal chef business Perfect Little Bites

    PERSONAL CHEF BUSINESS STARTUP GUIDE
    Listen to the podcast here
    Follow us on Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube
    Reach out at chefstartup@gmail.com

    Get in touch

    Support the show

    Más Menos
    40 m
  • A Taste of the Balearics: Jeff Koehler on the Spanish Mediterranean Islands Cookbook
    May 14 2025

    Want the INSIDE SCOOP on building and growing a food business? Subscribe to our newsletter.

    This week, I’m joined by Jeff Koehler, food writer, traveler, and author of The Spanish Mediterranean Islands Cookbook, out now from Phaidon. Jeff has written nine books exploring the intersection of food, culture, and place, including The North African Cookbook, Where the Wild Coffee Grows, and Morocco: A Culinary Journey with Recipes. His work has appeared in NPR, The Washington Post, and Saveur, and he's been honored with the IACP award for literary food writing.

    We talk about Jeff’s journey from the Pacific Northwest to Barcelona, and how he came to split his time between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands. Jeff shares his deep knowledge of the island's culinary traditions, from rustic pantry staples and spreadable pork sausage to fresh seafood and seasonal sweets. You'll hear about daily life in Menorca, what makes each island unique, and why Jeff believes anyone, even those without a Mediterranean market nearby, can cook from this book.

    If you’ve ever been curious about island living, Mediterranean cuisine, or the power of place in shaping food culture, this is an episode for you.

    Episode Highlights

    • Jeff’s move from Seattle to Spain
    • The food culture of the Balearic Islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera
    • Seasonal eating and daily market shopping
    • How necessity shaped island cuisine
    • Tips for recreating Mediterranean dishes at home

    JEFF KOEHLER
    Jeff's Instagram
    Check out Jeff's website
    Get Jeff's book The Spanish Mediterranean Islands Cookbook

    CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS
    If you enjoy the show and would like to support it financially, please check out our Sponsorship page (we get a commission when you use our links).
    Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter
    Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube
    The Chefs Without Restaurants Private Facebook Group
    Chris Spear's personal chef business Perfect Little Bites

    PERSONAL CHEF BUSINESS STARTUP GUIDE
    Listen to the podcast here
    Follow us on Instagram, Threads, TikTok and YouTube
    Reach out at chefstartup@gmail.com

    Get in touch

    Support the show

    Más Menos
    49 m
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