PeasOnMoss Podcast

English chef Gavin Draper has spent the last decades in Australia cooking and sharing his food philosophy, and now he's putting his passion project in print. Hear how cruising around the world on the QE2 and international travel led Chef Gavin to Australia and how he eventually specialized his craft into gluten-free cooking expertise. Rather than waiting for a publisher to find him, Chef is self-publishing and is hosting a Kickstarter fundraising event to engage clients and future fans.

Connect with Chef Gavin: www.glutenfreerepertoire.com

Check out the Kickstarter, through Oct 7th. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/glutenfreerepertoire/382894059?token=bd2a4689

Chef Mark Crowell is well-known in the Research Chef Association, having served as an active member and contributing the first chapter to the new Culinology textbook, released in 2016. Mark tells how a failed Washington, D.C. restaurant may have been the catalyst propelling him into R&D and making him part of some of the fastest growth at Starbucks. He also talks about the specialty of Culinex and discussing entrepreneurship and food business leadership.

Find out more about Culinex at www.culinex.biz.

Pastry Chef and product developer Kami R. Smith kicks off our first interview series with the Culinology Blog from the Research Chef Association. An active member and leader in the RCA, Kami shares her story of going from production baking to pastry school instructor and to research chef. Throughout her narrative, you can hear her sense of humor and personal drive that have made her the type of chef and mentor she is today. Whether you're considering crossing from restaurants to R&D or you've already started, you'll know exactly what she means when she acknowledges that she might drive food scientists a little bit nuts.

Food scientist and product developer Adam Yee is a graduate of Cal Poly's Food Science and Nutrition program and is already making a name for himself as a podcaster as the host of the Foodgrad.com My Food Job Rocks! Hear why Adam started his podcast with less than 2 years in the industry and why being a product developer is a balance of marketing and factory work.

Pastry Chef Philip Saneski is the co-founder and current president of the Research Chef Association Student Committee. Hear why Phil has chosen a path in product development and why he and several student members of the RCA have collaborated to start the student committee. Phil also compares the RCA to the Institute of Food Technologists, providing some insight about the two organizations and how they can work together - and how the members' skills can be so complementary to each other.

Find out more about Culinology and the Research Chef Association at www.culinology.org. Check out the student committee's blog at www.theculinologist.wordpress.com.

Katherine Langel and Hannah Dressen are two Culinologists working for Culinex in Seattle, WA. They met while students at Southwest Minnesota State University's international program in Malaysia, and they now work together at Culinex. They share how they found the Culinology degree at SMSU. They also talk about the Research Chef Association and the Student Committee and how you can get involved.

Find out more about the RCA at www.culinology.org and check out the Student Committee's blog at www.theculinologist.wordpress.com.

Check out Culinex at www.culinex.biz.

Chef Chris Lobkovich is a force to be reckoned with. With experience working in resort and hotel fine dining, Chris thought he was going to open his own restaurant, as many dream to do. But along the way, he has learned how to listen to customer needs and desires and how to apply his chef experiences in consulting for other restaurants and providing much needed labor for other restaurateurs. Filled with great anecdotes and a quirky self assessment of his skills and where he wants to take his career, Chef Chris' interview provides a fresh perspective of a chef in between gigs.

Chef Michael Bunn has worked almost every category in food service and food manufacturing, and he's not slowing down. From going from cooking on Navy ships to corporate dining and being one of the first Culinology graduate, Chef Bunn's experiences give him a depth of knowledge and keen awareness to common food manufacturing pitfalls. You'll hear his culinary career and some insight about the Research Chef Association annual conference. RCA is celebrating 20 years next year - if you're a product developer/research chef, you should plan to be there - www.culinology.org.

Chef Becky Selengut is part private chef and part comedienne. A Serious Eats contributor and author of cookbooks, including Good Fish and Shroom, Chef Becky shares hilarious and awkward stories of cooking in clients' homes. Chef Becky is also an alumna of the Seattle Culinary Academy and cooked in well-respected restaurants in Seattle, including The Herbfarm, before she started her own business and can now be found teaching classes, private cheffing, and writing books, always weaving in her sharp humor and easy-going style.

Certified Food Scientist and product developer Sherrita Williams had a college roommate that changed her career path when she suggested that Sherrita go into food science. Working with well-known companies like Planters and Kraft, she has developed products that you've probably purchased. With her experience, she maintains a great perspective about the success and failure in the market, and she keeps it real with a quick laugh and swift wit.