Welcome to the Raw Ingredients podcast with your host, Chef "Panini" Pete Blohme! In this episode, Chef Pete is joined by special guest Chef Bell as they explore the diverse career paths available in the culinary world.

With decades of combined experience in the industry, Chef Pete and Chef Bell discuss the various career options available to aspiring chefs, including catering, personal chef services, culinary education, and more.

Throughout the episode, they provide valuable insights on the challenges and rewards of each path, offering practical advice and tips for those looking to pursue a career in the culinary arts. They also share their personal experiences, from traveling the world to hone their craft to working with high-end clients.

Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned professional, this episode of Raw Ingredients is a must-listen for anyone interested in a career in the culinary world. So tune in, relax, and join Chef Pete and Chef Bell as they explore the many different paths that can lead to a successful and fulfilling career in food.

 

Welcome to the Raw Ingredients podcast, a show that delves into the world of culinary arts with some of the most innovative chefs and food enthusiasts. Hosted by Chef "Panini" Pete Blohme, this episode features a special guest, Eric Rivera, founder of the Vintage Hospitality Group in Montgomery, Alabama.

In this episode, Eric shares his journey as a chef and entrepreneur, from running hotel restaurants to creating one of the most innovative restaurant groups in Alabama. Listeners will hear about Eric's passion for bringing diverse flavors and techniques to the table and how he incorporates his multicultural background into his cooking.

As two chefs who are committed to creating unforgettable dining experiences, Eric and Pete discuss the art of menu planning and the importance of using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. The conversation also touches on how to create a dining experience that not only tastes great but also tells a story and creates a lasting memory.

Throughout the episode, the discussion also delves into Eric's unique approach to hospitality and how he creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere for guests. Listeners will learn about the challenges of running a restaurant group during a pandemic and how Eric has adapted to the changing landscape of the industry.

So join Chef "Panini" Pete Blohme and Eric Rivera on this delicious journey as they explore the raw ingredients of culinary excellence on the Raw Ingredients podcast.

 

Nestled between the base of the French Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, this world-famous gambling haven … (checks notes) … apologies. Wrong Monte Carlo. (And, to be fair, we were wondering how Chef Pete managed to interview a geographic region of a European principality).

No, on this week’s Raw Ingredients Podcast, Chef Pete sits down with Masterchef finalist Monti Carlo, who we are reasonably assured is not a region in Monaco because of the amazing journey she will take you and Chef Pete on in this episode. From auditioning to Masterchef to earn basic scale pay (about $50, FYI) to ascending the culinary heights to becoming an advisor to the prestigious James Beard Association.

Chefs Monti and Pete will talk perseverance, hard work, fusion cooking, her upcoming book about inclusivity in the culinary world and why you should always split a pair of 8s on the blackjack table … (okay, admittedly, not the last one, but the writing staff here had this whole gambling metaphor with the other Monte Carlo riff and when it turns out that it wasn’t that Monte Carlo … you get it, right?)

Regardless of what you’re looking for, you can bet it all on this week’s Raw Ingredients Podcast to satisfy your hunger for the perfect podcast.

https://www.instagram.com/themonticarlo

 

Are you mired in a moor of mediocre? Do you long for the glories and triumphs of days past but lack the knowledge and know-how you need to make everything old new again? Well, listeners, you’re in luck this week because for the low, low cost of … well, absolutely nothing … on this week’s Raw Ingredients Podcast, Chef Pete has an off-the-menu special that is tailor-made to satisfy your appetite for amazing advice - it’s the charismatic and riveting Kayla Robison, the chef and culinary influencer that was the driving force behind pushing the renowned Arnold’s of Cincinnati from the plateau it found itself on for years into an enigmatic eatery celebrating a brand new heyday.

Chef Kayla and Chef Pete will give you the recipe for revitalization that you crave - with such daring ingredients including the classic rebranding, the mildly difficult menu redesign, the crowd-pleasing community outreach and so much more - no matter what your vocation may be, the tips, tools and tricks the chefs will prepare for you this week will be a constant staple for you and your business.

So, don’t you want to listen in and figure out how to step your game up from “Meh” to “Mmmmm” - of course you do. Grab your plate and settle in for a heaping helping of this week’s Raw Ingredients Podcast - you’ll be glad you save room for this much-needed meal of a show.

https://www.instagram.com/commandernbeef/

https://www.tiktok.com/@commandernbeef?_t=8bnN61LaCSY&_r=1

There’s a lot of famous Browns out there - from Bad, Bad Leroy to kid detective Encyclopedia, Godfather of Soul James to Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby - but this week, Chef Pete sits down with one of the best Browns of them all … Friend of the Podcast Todd “Get Around” Brown.

Get Around Brown has … well … gotten around as a chef, caterer and restaurant consultant, so he has relevant and useful experience in almost every aspect of the industry and he and Chef Pete talk about his experiences, influences and the challenges facing the culinary industry today. Get Around’s passion for the culinary arts certainly shines through during this entire episode, so grab a plate and hunker down for a heaping helping of this week’s Raw Ingredients podcast.

 

https://www.instagram.com/getaroundbrown

https://getaroundbrown.com

https://getaroundbrown.com/social-media

 

 

We move the map from Eastern Europe slightly south to Lebanon this week, as Chef Pete sits down with Boston restaurateur and owner of Mike’s City Diner Jay Hajj for a delectable dialogue about the importance of cultural heritage within the culinary world.

They’ll chew the fat about the challenges of running a successful restaurant, spoon out advice for aspiring chefs and even indulge in a little name dropping with some of Jay’s remembrances of cooking for some top-notch celebrities like Taylor Swift and Mr. Six Degrees of Separation HImself - the great Kevin Bacon. Was Swift served swiftly? Did he serve bacon to Bacon? You’ll have to listen to find out.

This week’s episode is a delightful little morsel so be ready to have your auditory appetite whetted with this week’s Raw Ingredients podcast.

https://www.instagram.com/jay.hajj/

https://supportlrc.app/donate/

https://www.amazon.com/Beirut-Boston-Cookbook-Rags-Restaurants/dp/1624143423

https://www.mikescitydiner.com/

 

What do you know about Bulgaria? That it is the oldest country in Europe? That it has over 40,000 cultural landmarks? That it is the birthplace of yogurt? Well, maybe you knew none of those things, but after this week’s episode of the Raw Ingredients Podcast, you’ll know all about this beauty of the Balkans after enjoying Chef Pete’s amazing chat with Chef Nina Manchev from Las Vegas’ Forte Tapas.

Get ready for an all-encompassing conversation about the importance of seasonal and local produce, regional herbs and spices you’ll want to stock your pantry with. They’ll also discuss how challenging bringing another country’s cuisine to the American table can be, as well as the cultural significance of being able to celebrate the cuisine of your homeland.

So, grab a plate and get ready to tuck in for this week’s Raw Ingredients Podcast.

https://www.instagram.com/nina_manchev/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/fortetapas/?hl=en

https://www.barforte.com/

https://www.facebook.com/forte.tapas/

https://www.youtube.com/user/ForteTapas

We’ve got an interesting invitee on this week’s Raw Ingredients podcast, as Chef Pete sits down with a fellow chef who has the honor of being a famous first - hailing from the great state of New Jersey, where he owns and operates the landmark Bayway Diner - it’s Chef Michael Giunta, whose Bayway Diner was the first restaurant ever featured on the iconic Food Network series “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (and a shoutout to Best Friend of the Pod Guy Fieri, of course).

 

From learning the craft at legendary culinary haunts that included Le Jardin and The Greenhouse to owning his own successful restaurant and catering business, Chef Mike certainly know his way around a kitchen and is known for his culinary artistry, his willingness to innovate and try new things, and his stick-to-it-ive-ness that has helped him persevere throughout his storied career. You’ll enjoy hearing his inspirational insights and sensational stories as he and Chef Pete talk about what it takes to go the distance in the crazy culinary game.

 

So, tie that napkin around your neck, listeners, and get ready for a heaping helping of this week’s Raw Ingredients Podcast.

https://baywaycatering.com/

 

From her start at Bennigan's to winning a James Beard Award for Best Midwest Chef, this week's special guest on The Raw Ingredients podcast has gone the distance, shown persistence and is a model example for showing what a can-do attitude can, indeed, do - it's the owner and executive chef of the renowned Belfry restaurant in Kansas City - Friend of the Show Celina Tio.   Celina has worked in almost every possible part of the culinary world and has steadily risen through the ranks to earn her award-winning status, so she and Chef Pete have a meaningful discussion about how to mentor the next generation of upcoming chefs and culinary artists and making sure to actively promote diversity and inclusiveness as the absolute necessities they are. Creating positive and supportive work environments doesn't just happen naturally, so the chefs will have you some great recipes to cook up a quality workplace that will have employees beating down your doors to come and join.   This week's episode is one that should not be missed, so grab your plate and come on in to this week's Raw Ingredients podcast - where we always leave you wanting more.  

https://www.instagram.com/celinatio/

 

https://twitter.com/celinatio

 

http://www.thebelfrylounge.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/thebelfrylounge

El Pollo may be Loco, but this week's special guest for The Raw Ingredients is far from Loco in her dedication and drive to continue to develop new ideas and opportunities within the food industry - it's Heather Gardea, Vice President of Research and Development for El Pollo Loco.   Heather, a fellow CIA alumna, and Chef Pete have a free-ranging, wide-spanning conversation about the food industry at large and the many different ways people can be a part of that ever-expanding economic driver. Whether its farm to table, production, distribution, food science and technology, sustainability ... the industry of eating is as expansive as the waists of those of us who help fuel that industry. Heather provides a great perspective of what the industry as a whole looks like and she and Chef Pete will show you that working in the culinary arts is a lot more than just making and serving food.   So, grab a plate and dig in to this week's episode of The Raw Ingredients - we always leave you hungry for more.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-gardea-6a491010/