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From Foster Homes to Top-Rated Chef: Integrity, Hustle, and Heart at World Food Championships
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A bad fish shows up two hours into the final. Cameras are rolling, adrenaline is high, and the plan is crumbling. Chef James tosses the Opa in the trash, pivots to halibut, and tells the judges the truth. He misses the grand prize by a quarter of a point...and walks away with something he’ll never trade: a compass set to integrity.
We sit down with James at the World Food Championships to unpack how a career built on competition transformed into a life anchored in purpose. He traces his path from Miami to Hawaii, where the culture reshaped his leadership: listen first, care for the land, build your team, and measure success by the stage you create for others. That shift shows up everywhere, from bringing a Make-A-Wish teen onto the biggest cooking platform, to the way he runs high-volume catering with Michelin-level detail so the 3,001st plate still feels like the first. Along the way, he shares the designer-crafted chef coat that helped him find his voice again after losing both parents, a reminder that symbols can carry us through dark seasons.
The craft talk gets deliciously tactical: how to engineer surprise without gimmick (hello, pop-rock shrimp), why guests can taste an aggravated plate, and the simple equation that fuels his kitchen: fun translates to love, and love translates to flavor. We dig into mindset and language—“I can, I will”—and the gritty backstory of twelve foster homes before age five, proof that perseverance and perspective are skills you can train. Rapid-fire questions reveal the essentials (paring knife), the forever ingredient (lemongrass), the intimidating technique (sous vide), and the seat he calls the limo (expo), all wrapped in a mantra worth stealing: embrace the uncomfortable and run at it.
If you’re hungry for an honest, high-energy conversation about leadership, resilience, and food that lingers long after the plate is cleared, pull up a chair. Subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who needs a spark...then tell us: what brave swap would you make when the plan falls apart?
Welcome to the show! Burnt Hands Perspective
Support the show
VIRTUAL TIP JAR: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2388325/support
CONTACT US:
www.burnthandsperspective.com
[email protected]
IG @Theburnthandsperspective
Thank you to our location sponsor, Luce Secondo, located in Summit Pointe in Chesapeake, VA www.lucesecondo.com
For sponsorship opportunities, don't hesitate to get in touch with us directly.
*The views and opinions on this show are meant for entertainment purposes only. They do not reflect the views of our sponsors. We are not here to babysit your feelings, if you are a true industry pro, you will know that what we say is meant to make you laugh and have a great time. If you don't get that, this is not the podcast for you. You've been warned. Enjoy the ride!
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By Antonio Caruana and Kristen CrowleySend us a text
A bad fish shows up two hours into the final. Cameras are rolling, adrenaline is high, and the plan is crumbling. Chef James tosses the Opa in the trash, pivots to halibut, and tells the judges the truth. He misses the grand prize by a quarter of a point...and walks away with something he’ll never trade: a compass set to integrity.
We sit down with James at the World Food Championships to unpack how a career built on competition transformed into a life anchored in purpose. He traces his path from Miami to Hawaii, where the culture reshaped his leadership: listen first, care for the land, build your team, and measure success by the stage you create for others. That shift shows up everywhere, from bringing a Make-A-Wish teen onto the biggest cooking platform, to the way he runs high-volume catering with Michelin-level detail so the 3,001st plate still feels like the first. Along the way, he shares the designer-crafted chef coat that helped him find his voice again after losing both parents, a reminder that symbols can carry us through dark seasons.
The craft talk gets deliciously tactical: how to engineer surprise without gimmick (hello, pop-rock shrimp), why guests can taste an aggravated plate, and the simple equation that fuels his kitchen: fun translates to love, and love translates to flavor. We dig into mindset and language—“I can, I will”—and the gritty backstory of twelve foster homes before age five, proof that perseverance and perspective are skills you can train. Rapid-fire questions reveal the essentials (paring knife), the forever ingredient (lemongrass), the intimidating technique (sous vide), and the seat he calls the limo (expo), all wrapped in a mantra worth stealing: embrace the uncomfortable and run at it.
If you’re hungry for an honest, high-energy conversation about leadership, resilience, and food that lingers long after the plate is cleared, pull up a chair. Subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who needs a spark...then tell us: what brave swap would you make when the plan falls apart?
Welcome to the show! Burnt Hands Perspective
Support the show
VIRTUAL TIP JAR: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2388325/support
CONTACT US:
www.burnthandsperspective.com
[email protected]
IG @Theburnthandsperspective
Thank you to our location sponsor, Luce Secondo, located in Summit Pointe in Chesapeake, VA www.lucesecondo.com
For sponsorship opportunities, don't hesitate to get in touch with us directly.
*The views and opinions on this show are meant for entertainment purposes only. They do not reflect the views of our sponsors. We are not here to babysit your feelings, if you are a true industry pro, you will know that what we say is meant to make you laugh and have a great time. If you don't get that, this is not the podcast for you. You've been warned. Enjoy the ride!