One of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs is their willingness to put themselves out there and make it happen. Eden Grinshpan is not only the co-founder and executive chef at DEZ, an innovative restaurant concept, but also a celebrity chef and host of Top Chef Canada. She joins Socialfly co-founder Courtney Spritzer in the MouthMedia Network studio for a conversation about building her business and career, and describes her journey to success. Plus, a surprise and a brainstorm!

In this episode:

• How Eden’s obsession with cooking shows in high school turned her from a picky eater into a culinary school all-star
• What Eden learned about herself while traveling throughout India and Tibet
• How working at an orphanage in India turned into Eden running their café
• How some footage Eden shot while running the cafe in India led to meeting with Jon Rosen and getting her foot in the door to start Eden Eats on the Cooking Channel
• How Eden transitioned from the constant hustle of running a TV show to going into the restaurant business
• Eden’s experiences opening her first restaurant
• How the desire to get back in the kitchen and to be part of the contemporary Middle Eastern movement led to pop up kitchens at restaurants in Brooklyn and South Beach
• How walking past by CHLOE led to connecting with Esquared Hospitality and led to the opening of DEZ (her Middle Eastern fast-casual restaurant in lower Manhattan, with Samantha Wasser)
• Eden’s partnership with Samantha and how their complementary skills have helped DEZ avoid so many of the pitfalls that many new NYC restaurants struggle with
• The importance of being a reliable neighborhood restaurant, as well as being a healthy and comfortable extension of your customers’ kitchen
• Eden’s cookbook, and how that has shaped her workflow while finding time to dedicate to DEZ and shooting Top Chef Canada
• Why Eden focuses on aesthetics and how food is presented, especially as a fast casual restaurant where presentation is usually not a priority
• How Eden started #showmeyobelly after putting pizza on her pregnant belly, and the speed with which the hashtag blew up on social media
• What’s in store for DEZ and the future of the Fireside Chat Series, where influential female entrepreneurs come in to speak with all proceeds going to a charity of the speaker’s choice
• Eden’s plans to involve her family more in her book, and why she’s hoping to convince her husband to spend more time in front of the camera
• Plus, a 60 Second Brainstorm on how to keep on schedule, prioritize what’s important and worth your time and effort, and the importance of saying no