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!
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Want the INSIDE SCOOP on building and growing a food business? Subscribe to our newsletter. 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 Philippi
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 sh
A Taste of the Balearics: Jeff Koehler on the Spanish Mediterranean Islands Cookbook
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, in
Want the INSIDE SCOOP on building and growing a food business? Subscribe to our newsletter. This week on Chefs Without Restaurants, I’m joined by Eden Grinshpan, the chef, author, TV host, and culinary creative behind the new vegetarian cookbook Tahini Baby. You might know her as the host of Top Chef Canada, or from he
Want the INSIDE SCOOP on building and growing a food business? Subscribe to our newsletter. This week on Chefs Without Restaurants, I’m joined by Arash Hashemi, the creator of Shred Happens, a social media movement and brand that’s helping millions eat better through low-carb, high-protein cooking. Arash is also the fo
On this episode of Chefs Without Restaurants, I’m joined by Chef Takeshi Nishikawa, founder of Snow Crane—a Japanese-inspired ice cream shop coming to Hyattsville, Maryland in 2025. After years leading high-profile kitchens like the Michelin-starred Rose’s Luxury and Pineapple and Pearls, Takeshi is now channeling his
