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Walk-In Talk Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Carl Fiadini
Walk-In Talk Podcast Where the food industry comes to life! Hosted by Carl Fiadini, founder of Walk-In Talk Media, the Walk-In Talk Podcast is the #1 ranked food podcast on Apple Charts—bringing raw, unfiltered conversations from chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, bartenders, and all the hands that feed us. We go beyond the pass, capturing the pulse of the hospitality world with exclusive trade show coverage, compelling mini-documentaries, and intimate interviews with culinary leaders shaping food culture. Whether we're behind the line, on the docks, or in the studio, every episode is a salute to the passion and grit driving the industry. Walk-In Talk Podcast is the Official Podcast Partner for: NY, CA & FL Restaurant Shows, Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and U.S. Culinary Open. Proudly partnered with: RAK Porcelain USA Metro Foodservice SupraCut Systems Aussie Select Crab Island Seafood Pass the Honey The Burnt Chef Project Citrus America Walk-In Talk Media proudly serves as the North American media partner for The Burnt Chef Project, supporting mental health in hospitality.
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- 3 days ago1h 13m
Chef Christian Gill: The Art of Reinvention
Chef Christian Gill's story is about far more than restaurants, television, or beating Bobby Flay. It is a story of identity, loss, resilience, and learning how to rebuild when life changes without warning. Raised by a single mother in Lexington, Kentucky, Christian found his creative voice through theater before earning the title of chef through years of hard work in professional kitchens. He created ambitious culinary experiences at the Cincinnati Art Museum, helped build Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey alongside his best friend and business partner, PJ, and later faced the unimaginable task of leading the restaurant after PJ's sudden passing—just before COVID brought the hospitality industry to a standstill. Christian opens up about grief, therapy, restaurant ownership, and the pressure to keep pushing through when stopping may be the healthier choice. He also shares how six weeks of mentorship under Guy Fieri changed his approach to television, what it took to defeat Bobby Flay with his signature shrimp bánh mì, and why that victory changed the trajectory of his entertainment career. Today, Christian continues to create as a culinary leader with Spiceology while growing The Culinary Gang through consulting, content, collaborations, pop-ups, and one-of-a-kind dining experiences. This is a conversation about becoming yourself, earning your place, and discovering how many times a person can reinvent themselves before finding the next chapter. BRAND PARTNERS Metro Foodservice Solutions & Trimark USA https://www.metro.com Commercial-grade storage, transport, and workflow systems trusted across professional kitchens. TriMark USA TriMark is the largest foodservice design, equipment, and supplies provider in North America, helping operators build, equip, and optimize hospitality kitchens through design-build expertise, sourcing, installation, and service. RAK Porcelain USA https://www.rakporcelain.com Professional tableware engineered for durability and presentation. Citrus America https://www.citrusamerica.com Premium citrus solutions supporting chefs, retailers, and distributors. Crab Island Seafood https://crabislandseafood.com Florida-based supplier delivering responsibly sourced seafood to foodservice partners. Testo North America https://www.testo.com/en-US Precision measurement and food safety solutions for professional kitchens. CAUSE PARTNERS The Burnt Chef Project https://www.theburntchefproject.com Advocating for mental health awareness in the hospitality industry. Operation BBQ Relief https://operationbbqrelief.org Providing meals to communities impacted by natural disasters. Sustainable Supperclub https://www.sustainablesupperclub.com Pop-up dining experiences focused on sustainability and food access. TRADE SHOW & INDUSTRY PARTNERS Florida Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/florida/ New York Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/new-york/ California Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/california/ Pizza Tomorrow Summit https://www.pizzatomorrow.com/ U.S. Culinary Open https://www.usculinaryopen.com/About Cr
- 5 days ago20 min
The Live Fire Report | Episode 1: German Engineering Meets Live Fire — The Grillrost Story
The Live Fire Report with Frederic Casagrande Episode 1 What happens when engineering meets live-fire cooking? In the premiere episode of The Live Fire Report, BBQ champion and pitmaster Frederic Casagrande travels to Château Grillrost in France to sit down with the family behind Grillrost—one of Europe's most innovative live-fire cooking companies. Rather than competing with the biggest grill manufacturers, Grillrost has built its reputation by solving the problems pitmasters encounter every day. From patented accessories and modular cooking systems to products designed to last for generations, every piece begins with one question: How can we make grilling better? Frederic explores the company's unique family culture, German engineering philosophy, rapid product innovation, and why quality—not price—continues to drive every decision they make. This conversation isn't just about barbecue equipment. It's about craftsmanship, independent thinking, and the people pushing live-fire cooking forward. In this episode: • How Grillrost grew from a single custom grill into an international brand • Why family ownership fuels faster innovation • The philosophy behind German engineering • Designing products that last a lifetime • Competing with industry giants by improving—not replacing—the grill • Why the future of barbecue may actually return to its roots: real fire About The Live Fire Report The Live Fire Report is a WITM Original hosted by BBQ champion Frederic Casagrande, exploring the people, craftsmanship, innovation, and culture shaping the world of live-fire cooking. Each episode features conversations with pitmasters, chefs, manufacturers, and industry leaders from around the globe who are advancing barbecue through passion, engineering, and tradition.
- 1 weeks ago56 min
Chef Peter Garces: Everything the Fire Couldn't Take
Chef Peter Garces didn't open By The Chef Pizza because he needed another job. He built it from the remains of a life that had been completely disrupted. Peter grew up in Brooklyn, where his earliest connection to food came from watching his mother cook. That sense of childhood wonder eventually became a serious culinary pursuit, taking him through culinary school, restaurant kitchens, and some of New York's most respected pizza operations. At Roberta's, he was unexpectedly left alone in front of a thousand-degree oven during a busy lunch rush—and made it through without burning a pie. At Apizza Regionale, the pressure nearly broke him, but it also sharpened his discipline. At Pizza Loves Emily, he saw pizza treated with the same creativity and seriousness as any other culinary craft. Then came Mama's Too. Peter became the primary pizzaiolo during a defining period for the restaurant. The pizzas photographed for its New York Times review were his, and when the review was published, the line wrapped around the block. One night, Peter trusted his instincts, ignored an instruction to limit the display, and filled the window with the full range of pizzas. Jerry Seinfeld walked in, discovered the vodka pie, and kept coming back. Peter finally felt like he belonged. Then his Brooklyn home burned down. The fire took nearly everything and forced him to leave the city that shaped him. When he arrived in Central Florida, his New York résumé did not automatically earn him respect, opportunity, or comparable pay. He had to begin proving himself all over again. With help from his parents, his lifelong friend and business partner Nigel Van Groningen, and the resources of Lakeland's Catapult business incubator, Peter launched a mobile pizza operation and quickly transformed it into a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Today, By The Chef Pizza represents far more than pizza. It carries the discipline Peter learned through martial arts, the knowledge passed down by mentors including Chef JJ Johnson, the experience earned inside demanding New York kitchens, and the belief his father placed in him when Peter needed it most. This episode is about family, fire, craft, resilience, fatherhood, and the difference between opening a restaurant and building a legacy. Key Takeaways Childhood wonder can become lifelong purpose when it is paired with discipline and experience. Mentorship matters, but the opportunity still has to be earned through work. Difficult kitchens can sharpen a chef's skills, even when the culture surrounding that education is flawed. Peter's time at Mama's Too gave him proof that he belonged among serious pizza professionals. Losing his home forced him to rebuild his career and identity in a completely different market. A strong résumé may open doors, but consistency is what earns trust in a new community. By The Chef Pizza was made possible through family support, friendship, Catapult, and Peter's willingness to prove the concept before asking others to believe. Peter sees pizza as both science and art—a blank canvas shaped by dough, sauce, texture, color, and restraint. His father's investment meant more than financial help; it represented belief from the person Peter respected most. The restaurant is only the beginning. Peter's larger goal is to build multiple concepts and create lasting security and opportunity for his family. <div class= "min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal ou
- 2 weeks ago48 min
Chef Matt Lawson: When Every Detour Leads to Purpose | Ep. 205
Chef Matt Lawson's life never followed a straight line. For years, he questioned why his path kept moving through entrepreneurship, restaurants, private-chef work, hotels, professional sports, banking, medical innovation, and some painfully difficult seasons. Only now are those pieces beginning to make sense. In Episode 205, Matt shares how a teenage swim-lesson business led him to Dave Ramsey—and how one unexpected answer changed his future: "I'd be a chef." He had never worked in a professional kitchen, yet went on to graduate valedictorian from culinary school and open his first restaurant the night of graduation. His journey later took him from cooking for prominent families and rebuilding major food-and-beverage programs to a period of homelessness that forced him to confront his pride, faith, and direction. The conversation becomes deeply personal as Matt discusses his youngest daughter, Mia, who was born with Down syndrome and required open-heart surgery. When an outdated medical device repeatedly injured her skin, Matt created a better solution—one that received international regulatory approval and was ultimately acquired by 3M. Today, those experiences are converging through the Texas Food Championship, an ambitious culinary platform designed to elevate chefs, create scholarships, support families, strengthen communities, and give the next generation opportunities Matt once received himself. This is a conversation about faith, failure, fatherhood, courage, and discovering that the chapters of life that feel the most disconnected may be preparing us for our greatest calling. BRAND PARTNERS Metro Foodservice Solutions & Trimark USA https://www.metro.com Commercial-grade storage, transport, and workflow systems trusted across professional kitchens. TriMark USA TriMark is the largest foodservice design, equipment, and supplies provider in North America, helping operators build, equip, and optimize hospitality kitchens through design-build expertise, sourcing, installation, and service. RAK Porcelain USA https://www.rakporcelain.com Professional tableware engineered for durability and presentation. Citrus America https://www.citrusamerica.com Premium citrus solutions supporting chefs, retailers, and distributors. Crab Island Seafood https://crabislandseafood.com Florida-based supplier delivering responsibly sourced seafood to foodservice partners. Testo North America https://www.testo.com/en-US Precision measurement and food safety solutions for professional kitchens. CAUSE PARTNERS The Burnt Chef Project https://www.theburntchefproject.com Advocating for mental health awareness in the hospitality industry. Operation BBQ Relief https://operationbbqrelief.org Providing meals to communities impacted by natural disasters. Sustainable Supperclub https://www.sustainablesupperclub.com Pop-up dining experiences focused on sustainability and food access. TRADE SHOW & INDUSTRY PARTNERS Florida Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/florida/ New York Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/new-york/ California Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/california/ Pizza Tomorrow Su
- 3 weeks ago59 min
Chef Ferrell Alvarez: Built from Survival, Driven by Belief | Ep. 204
Chef Ferrell Alvarez has helped shape modern Tampa dining through Proper House Group, the team behind Rooster & the Till, Ash, Alter Ego, Gallito Taqueria, and Dang Dude. But Episode 204 is not just about restaurants. It is about the life that built the chef. Ferrell sits down with Carl Fiadini for one of the most personal conversations in Walk-In Talk history, tracing his path from a fifteen-year-old dishwasher to one of Florida's most respected chef-owners. The conversation moves through mentorship, fatherhood, grief, survival, rebuilding, and the responsibility that comes when people believe in your dream before there is proof it will work. From the early influence of Marty Blitz and Maryann Ferenc at Mise en Place, to building Rooster & the Till with reclaimed wood, used furniture, and $60,000 raised through relationships, Ferrell's story is a reminder that restaurants are never just built with money. They are built with belief. Featured dishes from Ash include boquerones with herb oil, chili oil, fresh lime, and house-made focaccia, along with a look at the creative culture behind Proper House Group. This episode is about Tampa, resilience, leadership, and what it means to give more than you take. BRAND PARTNERS Metro Foodservice Solutions & Trimark USA https://www.metro.com Commercial-grade storage, transport, and workflow systems trusted across professional kitchens. TriMark USA TriMark is the largest foodservice design, equipment, and supplies provider in North America, helping operators build, equip, and optimize hospitality kitchens through design-build expertise, sourcing, installation, and service. RAK Porcelain USA https://www.rakporcelain.com Professional tableware engineered for durability and presentation. Citrus America https://www.citrusamerica.com Premium citrus solutions supporting chefs, retailers, and distributors. Crab Island Seafood https://crabislandseafood.com Florida-based supplier delivering responsibly sourced seafood to foodservice partners. Testo North America https://www.testo.com/en-US Precision measurement and food safety solutions for professional kitchens. CAUSE PARTNERS The Burnt Chef Project https://www.theburntchefproject.com Advocating for mental health awareness in the hospitality industry. Operation BBQ Relief https://operationbbqrelief.org Providing meals to communities impacted by natural disasters. Sustainable Supperclub https://www.sustainablesupperclub.com Pop-up dining experiences focused on sustainability and food access. TRADE SHOW & INDUSTRY PARTNERS Florida Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/florida/ New York Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/new-york/ <p
- Jun 27, 202625 min
Inside Food Safety Ep. 3 | A $20,000 Alert: How One Notification Saved a Restaurant
What happens when a single notification prevents thousands of dollars in product loss? In Episode 3 of Inside Food Safety, we're on location at The Tampa Club with Executive Chef Thomas Mandzik and Eric Moore from Testo North America to discuss a real incident that occurred just one week after a new automated temperature monitoring system was installed. While away from the restaurant, Chef Thomas received an alert that a walk-in cooler wasn't operating normally. What initially appeared to be a minor issue turned out to be a refrigerant leak that could have resulted in the loss of nearly $20,000 in inventory before anyone returned to work. The conversation expands beyond that story to explore why modern kitchens are embracing technology, how automation supports—not replaces—professional chefs, and why food safety begins long before a health inspection. Topics include: How automated monitoring prevented a major inventory loss The true cost of refrigeration failures Why temperature logs alone aren't enough Leadership, systems, and creating a culture of food safety Balancing technology with craftsmanship in today's professional kitchen What restaurant operators can do to better protect their guests, staff, and business Recorded on location at The Tampa Club in downtown Tampa. Special thanks to Alissa Costello for making that happen! Inside Food Safety is hosted by Carl Fiadini and presented in partnership with Testo North America, exploring the people, technology, and best practices shaping safer kitchens across the foodservice industry.
- Jun 19, 20261h 1m
Chef Sherief Shawky: From Egypt to Unox, A Journey Built on Opportunity
Chef Sherief Shawky's journey is anything but conventional. Raised between Virginia and Egypt, Sherief's path began in a family-owned pizzeria before taking him through some of the industry's most demanding kitchens, working alongside award-winning chefs, opening restaurants, leading culinary teams, and ultimately becoming Corporate Chef and Team Leader for North America at Unox. In this episode, Sherief shares the experiences that shaped him—from learning to leave his ego at the door, navigating burnout, overcoming a serious back injury, and making the difficult decision to step away from restaurant operations at the height of his career. We also discuss mentorship, leadership, mental health in hospitality, his work as an ambassador for The Burnt Chef Project, and why he believes food remains the universal language that brings people together. Most importantly, this is a conversation about opportunity—recognizing it when it appears and having the courage to say yes. Topics Covered: • Growing up between Egypt and the United States • Working with Chef Sherry Yard and Chef Jamie Lynch • Lessons learned from high-pressure kitchens • Burnout, injury, and career transitions • Leadership and mentoring the next generation • Mental health and The Burnt Chef Project • Life at Unox • Why food is the ultimate connector Plus, Chef Sherief prepares two incredible dishes in the studio, showcasing the creativity, discipline, and culinary perspective that have defined his career. This is Episode 202 of the Walk-In Talk Podcast. BRAND PARTNERS Metro Foodservice Solutions & Trimark USA https://www.metro.com Commercial-grade storage, transport, and workflow systems trusted across professional kitchens. TriMark USA TriMark is the largest foodservice design, equipment, and supplies provider in North America, helping operators build, equip, and optimize hospitality kitchens through design-build expertise, sourcing, installation, and service. RAK Porcelain USA https://www.rakporcelain.com Professional tableware engineered for durability and presentation. Citrus America https://www.citrusamerica.com Premium citrus solutions supporting chefs, retailers, and distributors. Crab Island Seafood https://crabislandseafood.com Florida-based supplier delivering responsibly sourced seafood to foodservice partners. Testo North America https://www.testo.com/en-US Precision measurement and food safety solutions for professional kitchens. CAUSE PARTNERS The Burnt Chef Project https://www.theburntchefproject.com Advocating for mental health awareness in the hospitality industry. Operation BBQ Relief https://operationbbqrelief.org Providing meals to communities impacted by natural disasters. Sustainable Supperclub https://www.sustainablesupperclub.com Pop-up dining experiences focused on sustainability and food access. TRADE SHOW & INDUSTRY PARTNERS Florida Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/florida/ New York Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/new-york/ California Restaurant Show https://www.therestaurantshows.com/california/ Pizza Tomorrow Summit https://www.pizzatomorrow.com/ U.S. Culinary Open https://www.usculinaryopen.com/About Creative Loafing Tampa Bay https://www.cltampa.com ABOUT WALK-IN TALK MEDIA Walk-In Talk Media is an industry-recognized B2B food and hospitality media company focused on chef-driven storytelling and real conversations inside the business of food.
- Jun 12, 202650 min
Chef Thomas Mandzik on our 200th Episode Celebration Party, Community, and His Next Chapter in Texas | Ep. 201
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-6951710a-0184-832c-9d32-bda2c450a8ea-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-6951710a-0184-832c-9d32-bda2c450a8ea-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-1204" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode 201 picks up just days after Walk-In Talk Media celebrated its 200th episode at Tampa Club. What started as a milestone celebration became something much bigger: more than 120 hospitality professionals, chefs, operators, distributors, manufacturers, brand partners, creators, and friends gathered in one room to celebrate the community that has formed around Walk-In Talk Media. Chef Thomas Mandzik joins the show to reflect on the night, the energy in the room, the food, the sponsors, the Tasty Cam moments, and what it meant to see so many industry people show up for one another. From the Walk-In Talk Podcast ice carving and Crab Island Seafood dip display to the nonstop hospitality from Thomas and the Tampa Club team, the evening became a reminder that this industry is built on relationships. As Thomas put it: "Yes, we're competitors… but we're still all fans of each other." The conversation also looks ahead to Thomas's next chapter. This fall, he'll be leaving Tampa Club and heading to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he plans to open an intimate 20-seat restaurant built around his own vision, artistry, faith, and pursuit of a deeply personal dining experience. In studio, Thomas prepares two foie gras-driven dishes: Foie gras with squab, blue corn grits cake, Three Sisters composition, and jus. Bluefin tuna "ravioli" with foie gras mousse, mascarpone, Parmesan, basil emulsion, blood orange gastrique, yuzu aioli, and tomato ginger water. This episode is about celebration, community, gratitude, faith, risk, and the next chapter for one of Walk-In Talk Media's closest chef voices. Episode Takeaways Walk-In Talk Media's Episode 200 celebration became a true hospitality community moment. More than 120 industry professionals gathered at Tampa Club to celebrate the milestone. Chef Thomas Mandzik and the Tampa Club team helped create the culinary energy of the night. The event highlighted the power of relationships across chefs, operators, distributors, manufacturers, and brand partners. Thomas sees the Central Flor
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About Walk-In Talk Podcast
Walk-In Talk Podcast Where the food industry comes to life! Hosted by Carl Fiadini, founder of Walk-In Talk Media, the Walk-In Talk Podcast is the #1 ranked food podcast on Apple Charts—bringing raw, unfiltered conversations from chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, bartenders, and all the hands that feed us. We go beyond the pass, capturing the pulse of the hospitality world with exclusive trade show coverage, compelling mini-documentaries, and intimate interviews with culinary leaders shaping food culture. Whether we're behind the line, on the docks, or in the studio, every episode is a salute to the passion and grit driving the industry. Walk-In Talk Podcast is the Official Podcast Partner for: NY, CA & FL Restaurant Shows, Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and U.S. Culinary Open. Proudly partnered with: RAK Porcelain USA Metro Foodservice SupraCut Systems Aussie Select Crab Island Seafood Pass the Honey The Burnt Chef Project Citrus America Walk-In Talk Media proudly serves as the North American media partner for The Burnt Chef Project, supporting mental health in hospitality.
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