In today’s episode, we speak with our guest Ferdinand Metz, instrumental in establishing the Chefs’ Apprenticeship, Certification, and Master Chefs’ Certification programs in the United States. He’s also the first Certified Master Chef in history.

Honored with nearly every major award in the culinary world, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the esteemed “Who's Who in Cooking” by the James Beard Foundation, Metz shares what it’s like to build a career and craft your own food philosophy. He elaborates on his 21-year tenure as President of the Culinary Institute of America, witnessing the graduation of over 30,000 students, as well as leading the United States Culinary Olympic Team to three consecutive world championships over 20 years.

Listen as Ferdinand talks about introducing new qualifications to regions within the industry, valuing quality ingredients in culinary arts, and creating your own legacy.