May 20, 2026 • 56 mins
Text me what you think of today’s episode!
One Italian sub can change your whole creative career, and Joe Garcia proves it. Joe, better known online as Mr. Allright Chef, joins us for a funny, grounded conversation about building a food community without pretending to be a fine dining chef. His whole vibe is simple: good food does not have to be fancy, and you do not need perfect skills or perfect gear to cook meals people love.
We talk about where his passion actually comes from: an Italian and Colombian family where grandmothers feed everyone as an act of love, and where the kitchen is the center of the house. Joe shares how cooking started as pure necessity in his teens, then became the way he brought friends together, and eventually the way he connected with viewers during the pandemic through Facebook Live cooking shows and easy, practical recipes.
From there, the creator journey gets real. Joe opens up about burnout, trying to copy what “works” online, and the confidence shift that came from leaning back into his personality. He also tells the story of auditioning for Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, then pivoting into the South Shore Massachusetts Italian sub hunt that took off fast. We dig into the ethics of food reviews, why he avoids paid influence that could erode trust, and how he uses his platform to support small local businesses. If you love local food, Italian subs, social media storytelling, or the behind-the-scenes craft of editing on CapCut, you will get a ton from this conversation.
Subscribe or follow Assorted Conversations, share this with a friend who loves a great sandwich, and leave a review with your favorite local spot so we can add it to the list.
Guest Links
Assorted Conversations Links
Assorted Conversations Facebook Page
- Stay up-to-date on podcast happenings and share them with your friends
Assorted Conversations Podcast Facebook Community
- A collaborative and supportive community for you to engage with us, our guests and other listeners
- Share your passion, network and connect as we all pursue what makes us happy.
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes content and info
- Special online events for community members
NOW on TikTok
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Instagram
Support Assorted Conversations on Buy Me a Coffee
Say hello or ask a question: aconvospod@gmail.com
Credits
Music Credit: True Living by Patrick Moore
Royalty free music license purchased at soundotcom.com
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_06 (00:00):
Just a reminder, don't forget to hit subscribe or
follow wherever you're listeningto this podcast.
That way you don't miss any ofthe great conversations coming
up.
Thanks, and here's this week'sepisode.
(00:24):
Everyday people following theirpassions.
SPEAKER_01 (00:28):
That's probably like one of the highlights of my life
so far, just being able to becreative like that.
Something I've always wanted.
SPEAKER_00 (00:37):
And then I decided to get another hive, and that
turned into a lot of hives.
As long as I can do that, I wantto be a good citizen.
Help people out.
SPEAKER_06 (00:48):
Putting themselves out there, taking chances, and
navigating challenges along theway.
SPEAKER_05 (00:54):
I I absolutely identified with having stage
ride because, you know, anytimeI went on stage, I just felt
like I was having a hot attack.
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
Very first lap, very first practice session, I
crashed, turned a car upsidedown, made a spectacle of
myself, and I got back on thathorse and started riding again.
SPEAKER_06 (01:11):
As they pursue what makes them happy and brings them
joy.
SPEAKER_02 (01:16):
As long as people are having a good time and I
have the opportunity to putsmiles on people's faces, I I
love what I do.
SPEAKER_05 (01:23):
I have done things that I never thought I could do.
SPEAKER_02 (01:28):
To have somebody tell me how real it looks and
how, you know, from their actualmemory.
Because that's telling me Icaptured what I was trying to
get.
SPEAKER_06 (01:39):
Welcome to Assorted Conversations.
I'm your host, Helen.
Hello and thanks for listening.
I hope wherever you are, springis gently turning into summer.
Here in Massachusetts, we'vegone from, is winter over yet?
(02:02):
to oh my god, it's alreadysummer, with our first 90-degree
days in mid-May.
Enough about the weather.
Let's talk food.
This week I get to sit down witha food content creator, and his
journey from learning to cookout of necessity has taken him
(02:22):
on a wild ride from creatingcooking content to hunter of the
greatest Italian subs on theSouth Shore of Massachusetts.
One thing is for sure, no matterwhat content he's creating, it's
all about the engagement withviewers and helping small local
businesses for this guy.
(02:43):
Grab your favorite snack, take alisten to this week's episode,
and I'll see you on the otherside.
Alright, everybody, get ready tolaugh, learn, and probably get
hungry because today's guest isserving a big flavor with an
even bigger personality.
(03:04):
Known across the South Shore ofMassachusetts and beyond, he's
built a loyal following byproving that great food doesn't
have to be fancy.
It just has to be real,delicious, and made with
passion.
From epic sandwich hunts tocomfort food favorites and
down-to-earth cooking tips, he'sbecome the go-to guy for
(03:25):
approachable food content with aside of humor.
I am so excited to welcome toAssorted Conversations, Joe
Garcia, also known as the oneand only Mr.
Right Chef.
Hi, Joe.
SPEAKER_03 (03:39):
Hi, Helen.
How's it going?
That was a beautiful intro.
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_06 (03:44):
You are very welcome.
You are very welcome.
So how are you tonight?
SPEAKER_03 (03:48):
Well, like I like I said before we started this
podcast, I am full of Italianmeats.
You know, I am eating so manyItalian subs that, you know, I
I'll share just one littlething, you know, before we even
really get started.
I love when people leave meancomments for me, and somebody
commented and said, this guylooks like he smells like an
(04:09):
Italian sub.
And I thought that that was sofunny.
I pinned that call and I thoughtit was great.
So I would like to introducemyself and say, I I am full of
Italian subs and I probablysmell like them.
So, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (04:22):
Well, you know, you are mortadella certified.
SPEAKER_03 (04:25):
Mortadella certified.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_06 (04:27):
That is so funny.
So before I mean, to getstarted, I guess, where did the
name Mr.
Alright Chef come from?
SPEAKER_03 (04:35):
It's you know, it's actually funny.
So um I think I started thischannel in 2019, maybe just like
right inside of 2020, rightbefore the pandemic started.
And I was trying to think of aname for the channel, and I was
like, I want it to be somethinglike chefy, but I I'm not a
chef.
Let's let's make that veryclear.
(04:56):
I am not a chef by trade.
A lot of people call me chef andeverything.
I don't deserve that recognitionor that designation.
I did nothing to deserve it.
But I was like, but I can't callmyself like the amazing chef.
I can't call myself the the goodchef.
I don't know.
It didn't sound good, and then Iwas like, oh, all right, the all
right chef.
That that is that pretty muchencapsulates everything that I'm
(05:18):
going for, you know, because I Ireally wanted to to create not I
don't want to say lowbrowcontent, but I wanted to create
something that was reallyapproachable for people and and
not really, you know, uh becauseat the time I a lot of the stuff
that I was watching on theinternet was people that were
like fine dining chefs, you gotGordon Ramsay, you know, like
(05:38):
stuff like that.
And I think a I think a lot ofpeople find that to be like, oh,
that's for fancy.
Like I can't cook like that, Ican't do that.
And I just really wanted toprove to people that you didn't
really need to be an amazing, anexcellent, a crazy good like
chef to to make really goodmeals.
So that's that's really wherethe name came from.
I, you know, I have a piece ofpaper kind of with like 10 names
(06:00):
scrawled across it, and it'slike good, no, you know,
whatever.
And I I ended up landing on theall right chef.
SPEAKER_06 (06:05):
So we're all right.
Yeah, we're just all right.
Well, good.
So the the I found you onFacebook, but you originally
started on YouTube.
You you mentioned it was achannel.
SPEAKER_03 (06:17):
No, I actually did start on Facebook.
Yeah, so I when I originallystarted, I was actually making,
I don't know if you ever, if youhave an Instant Pot.
I I had just gotten- My brotherdoes.
SPEAKER_06 (06:29):
Oh, okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (06:30):
So I had just gotten an Instant Pot for uh Christmas,
I believe, and I started makingrecipes in it just like
specifically for the InstantPot.
And I was kind of like trying tolike get them to like sponsor
me, even though I, you know, Ihad no followers, I had no
views, I had anything, but I wasjust tagging their Facebook
page, just like every time Imade something was like Instant
(06:52):
Pot, follow me, Instant Pot,like follow me, follow me,
follow me.
Because I really, you know, Ireally wanted to do that.
So yeah, so I did end upstarting on Facebook, and then
the pandemic kind of hit, youknow, it was like we were all
kind of like locked in ourhouses, and I was like, you know
what?
You know, I grew up watching theFood Network.
I mean, like Rachel Ray, 30Minute Meals, that was my jam.
(07:14):
Oh my god, I loved that show.
And so I was like, I should do acooking show on Facebook Live.
Yeah, and and yeah, so then soafter I kind of had that idea, I
I figured out that you can go onFacebook Live.
You know, anybody could just goon Facebook Live.
And so I started doing a cookingshow every, I believe it was
(07:37):
every Wednesday or everyThursday.
I'm not 100% sure.
I can't remember at this point,but yeah, like every Wednesday I
started doing a live cookingshow on on Wednesdays for
everyone who was just kind ofstuck at home during the
pandemic.
SPEAKER_06 (07:50):
Right.
Yeah, and I I I know a lot of alot of people I I've come across
a lot of content, like out ofwork comedians and you know,
folks that loved to cook intheir spare time and and
decided, hey, here's a fun wayto connect at least with my
friends and family and do acooking show.
So yeah, I the pandemic was thecatalyst for this podcast.
So go for it.
(08:10):
Oh, no way.
There you go.
SPEAKER_03 (08:12):
Cut from the same cloth then, yeah.
Yeah.
So and and it seemed, andhonestly, like it was really
popular and it was really cool.
Like, I, you know, I wouldrelease like a recipe, I believe
on Monday.
I'd say, like, this is gonna bethe recipe that I'm making.
If you guys want to like cookalong at home, you know, these
are the ingredients to therecipe.
This is kind of how they're, youknow, whether they're chopped or
(08:33):
or or sliced or whatever, I kindof just released the recipe.
And then we would just do itlive on Wednesdays, you know.
I like you said in the intro, Iwas like, it was kind of trying
to blend like cooking with alittle bit of humor and whatnot.
And it ended up being somethingreally fun.
I think I did it for, I want tosay five months.
Five months in a row, I think Idid it while I and I was also
making, you know, small videosfor TikTok on the side, I
(08:55):
believe I'm pretty sure as well.
So it was kind of a it was kindof a lot, you know.
I was I was really, reallytrying to like push out as much
content as possible.
SPEAKER_06 (09:04):
I I want to flash back.
Where did your passion for foodcome from?
SPEAKER_03 (09:11):
Well, so I I definitely want to say my
family.
Like, so I'm 50% Italian, I'm50% Colombian.
My dad is from Colombia, he camehere when he was like 14, and my
grandparents were here as well.
And on my mom's side, they're100% Italian from Gaeta, shout
out Gaeta, Italy.
You know, it's it's near Naples,a coastal city, absolutely
(09:34):
beautiful.
And so, you know, I grew uparound both of my grandparents,
and you know, in that sort ofenvironment, it's like the
grandmother is like thecaretaker, and her love language
was always food on both sides.
You know, every Sunday we wouldbe at my on my dad's side of my
my mamita's house, and she wouldbe making, she'd be making up
(09:56):
rice and chicharón and andplantains, and just like every
Colombian thing you can imagine.
Empanadas, like that was herlove language, and she she
didn't really speak English, andmy dad never really taught us
Spanish.
So the the language barrier waswas pretty difficult there, and
(10:17):
but you don't really need tospeak the same language to eat
the same food, you know.
So we would sit around and eatand everything like that.
So I always loved eating theColombian food, and then we went
to, and then we would always beat my my mom's mom's house, my
my grandmother's mom's sidehouse, and she's Italian, so
it's like you cannot say no tofood.
(10:38):
It's you're not allowed to.
And it's just like Joe, youknow, get a forkful, come on,
you know.
Oh, you you want ice cream?
No, I don't want ice cream, no,no, no.
Okay, how about some zucchini?
Like, I don't want the zucchini,and she just it would just be
dish after dish after dish.
And she would just name dishesuntil you finally said yes.
You know, so so that definitelyis where my my passion for good
food came from.
(10:58):
It's just like I I grew uparound it.
It was just like always, alwaysgreat food, no matter where, you
know, no matter where I was inmy life was just great food.
SPEAKER_06 (11:06):
So my Italian nonna, it was you know, have something
to eat.
No, no, no.
Have a sandwich.
No, I just, you know, I just ateor I just had dinner or I'm
going out to dinner.
Oh, have a snack.
SPEAKER_04 (11:18):
Yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (11:19):
But both of my both of my grandmothers inspired me.
I would consider myself more ofa baker than a chef.
SPEAKER_03 (11:28):
Cannot bake.
SPEAKER_06 (11:30):
My brothers cook really well.
My sister and I, I think, arethe bakers, and thank God she
married a guy that can cook.
SPEAKER_03 (11:37):
Yeah, that's definitely my household.
I I I cannot bake worth you knowa single damn.
I am so terrible at bakingbecause I don't like following a
recipe.
I follow my ancestors, I followmy heart, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (11:50):
Like I was gonna say, baking, baking is the exact
science.
Cooking is the really creativeside of food.
SPEAKER_03 (11:58):
Yeah.
So I never really I like I stillto this day, I cannot make
dough.
Uh everyone's like, you'reItalian, you must be able to
make pizza.
It's like, nope.
Yeah.
I can't make it.
I don't even do pie crust.
Oh, trust me, you go to thefrozen section, you get that
pre-made pry crust.
That's exactly how I do it.
You know, I'm not playing games.
SPEAKER_06 (12:19):
So as you grew up, how did how did you nurture this
passion for cooking to the pointwhere you weren't just a
consumer, but now you you you'vebecome a creator.
SPEAKER_03 (12:30):
Uh well, you know, I don't wanna I don't wanna say
that I really cooked when I waslike a child, but when I was
like 17, I want to say.
So I was either like just ajunior and senior in high
school.
My parents got divorced, and mymom was no longer living at our
house, and my dad spent likemost of his time at his
(12:52):
girlfriend's house.
So I was kind of by myself alot.
My sister was off at college,you know, so it was kind of just
like me a lot of the time at thehouse.
And my dad was not really thecook in the house, my mom was,
but you know, I grew up aroundcooking all the time, so I kind
of had to take it on my ownshoulders if I wanted to eat.
I had to make food.
(13:13):
And what what what better way toget like your friends to gather
around you and like be at yourhouse when you're alone than
being like, hey, I'm makingburritos?
And everyone's like, Whoa,you're making burritos, dude?
I'm there.
You know what I mean?
So it's like, you know, I'd havethe rice and the beans, and you
know, I'd have the guacamolehandmade, I'd make the salsa or
the pico de gallo.
(13:34):
Like, I would just, you know,make everything and just like
that's kind of really where itstarted, honestly, is like I
just wanted people to be over myhouse.
So, you know, I would alwaysjust be making food, and I kind
of became known as the friend ofmy friend group who was like
always cooking.
SPEAKER_06 (13:49):
So that's awesome.
Born out of necessity, but whenwhen at what point did it become
something you needed to do inorder to eat and became
something that you werepassionate about?
SPEAKER_03 (14:04):
You know, that's actually a really good question.
I mean, I I guess I never reallywas like super passionate about
it, I guess, in like a sort oflike in like a content creation
kind of way until really I mademy channel.
Like so in 2014 is when I movedin with my now wife, you know.
Shout out to her.
(14:25):
We've been together since mygod, we we've been together
forever.
I mean, you know, I we dated inhigh school, we didn't date for
like two more years.
We got back together when wewere like 20, and we've been
together ever since.
So um, yeah, it's it's abeautiful love story.
I love her.
You know, we moved in togetherwhen we were 22, and she can,
(14:48):
you know, I I love you, babe,but she can't, she can barely
toast a bagel.
So suddenly kind of like justbeing, you know, on your own,
living together, is like, oh, weneed to figure out what to eat
every single day for the rest ofour lives.
And and and that's kind of likewhere, like, instead of just
(15:09):
being, you know, just likeeating to survive, kind of
became like, well, I gotta mixit up, you know, like I gotta be
a little bit creative because Ican't eat the same thing every
day.
That's just not in mywheelhouse.
I I'm someone who just likereally, really, really hates
repetition.
I don't like, you know, I don'tlike doing the same things, I
don't like eating the samethings.
(15:30):
I always want somethingdifferent.
And my wife is someone who'slike super routine, she could do
the same thing every single dayuntil the day we die, and she'd
be totally fine with that.
And also, and also didn't reallyhave a we'll say evolved palate
when we first moved in together.
She was more of like a chickenfingers and pretzels with creamy
(15:50):
Caesar, and that was all shedid.
SPEAKER_06 (15:52):
My kind of girl.
SPEAKER_03 (15:53):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So it was kind of like trying toget her to come out of her shell
as well as kind of feed my needto be creative, and that kind of
increased my level of interestin cooking.
And again, like I was the friendwho was known as the one who did
cook.
So I'd have people over to ournew apartment and everything.
And I kind of always wanted tolike, I don't know, like serve,
(16:15):
serve people.
I is that that's what makes mefeel good, is is like, you know,
I I'm I'm just like everyone inmy family, I cannot sit down
when there are guests in myhouse.
I just I learned from the best,you know.
It's like I have that constantneed to just be like, do you
want some pasta?
Do you want some zucchini?
You know, it's just like I mean,it's like my grandmother's
(16:36):
anxiety of not being able tofeed people to just like
totally, totally come.
And my mom too is like, that'sexactly how I am.
So it was like it came from a aplace of like anxious to have
guests there, but then it kindof grew into like, I want you to
try my food.
Like I like, you know, and maybethat's a little selfish of me to
be like, oh, I need the attaboy,like this is so good.
(16:58):
And I'm like, no, no, it's it'sit's just okay, you know, but uh
Yeah, no, I I you know it it'sfunny.
SPEAKER_06 (17:05):
A lot of chefs, uh a lot of a lot of cooks uh uh
often say they make food becausethey want to make people happy,
and and that's really where thatconnection comes from.
It's not that you need theaccolades, it's that you're
making somebody happy becauseyou've put together something
(17:28):
that it just tastes so good tothem.
SPEAKER_03 (17:31):
Yeah, and I I think that, you know, I think a lot of
it comes from like the fact thatlike, as I said with my family,
it's just like everything kindof always revolved around food.
You know, like I I I have mostlywomen in my family, which is so
funny.
The men all the men all dieearly, and the women are just
constantly there, and they allare just such amazing cooks.
(17:53):
And it's like everyone alwayswants to congregate in the
kitchen.
So it's like everybody's alwaysthere, the women are making all
the food and everything.
And I grew up in thatenvironment, so it's like that
always just reminds me of justlike that that like childhood
wonder and just like feelingreally good, just being around
people that you love, and thatwas always connected with food.
Really, you know, I I reallylove that.
SPEAKER_06 (18:13):
Yeah, I the the have you seen the movie Nanas?
Yes, I actually have.
And it that was all hisrestaurant was born out of his
love for what his grandmotherand his mom were doing and and
how they cooked and how they fedeverybody.
And and I think I don't, I Ican't say it's just Italians,
(18:35):
although, you know, I grew up inan Italian household for the
most part.
It really is.
It's it's all about food was allabout love and family and
gathering together.
You know, uh it just it justfood has a unifying way about
it.
SPEAKER_03 (18:53):
It sure does.
Yeah, yeah, I I totally agreewith that.
And it, you know, and again, myyou know, I thought that for a
while I had escaped like, youknow, the the allure of just
like constantly eating andcooking.
And it's just like it has justcome back into my life full
force with this channel over thepast, you know, six or seven
years.
(19:13):
I just like and I accept it, youknow.
I I love it.
I I really do.
It's it's like, you know what?
If this is my station in life,I'm totally fine with that.
I love to cook, I love sharingit with other people, and you
know, that's fine with me.
SPEAKER_06 (19:26):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
So, you know, this really kindof started for you during the
pandemic with the live cookingshow, and it has grown and grown
and grown.
Share with me how it has grown.
SPEAKER_03 (19:41):
So, you know, so when I first started doing my
cooking channel, like I I grew,I don't want to say like super
rapidly, but it it caught ondefinitely.
People were watching my cookingthing live every week, and you
know, it got it got to a pointwhere I was just like spending
so much time doing it and thatit just kind of like overtook my
(20:02):
ability to keep doing it.
So, so after a while, I justkind of like burnt out with it
where I was just like making somuch content and like really
trying to push the numbers, andthe numbers started kind of
stagnating a little bit, and Ikind of just got in my head a
little bit and kind of got alittle bit nervous to be on
camera again.
Yeah and I kind of tapered offwith it.
And so kind of between like 2021and like 2024, I kind of was off
(20:30):
and on with the channel, and youknow, I don't want to say that I
gave up, but I I kind of gave upon it and and that was that was
a big mistake.
I I really do think that thatwas a big mistake, but it just
didn't seem like people reallywere responding well.
And the the market was so kindof saturated with people that
were doing the same thing that Iwas doing that I kind of felt
(20:50):
like I didn't really haveanything special to offer, you
know, and that yeah, and andthat was really discouraging,
but and I and I I don't feelthat way now.
I, you know, I I did at thetime, but I think that, you
know, through definitely throughlike my wife's encouragement and
everything like that, you know,it's kind of like I would go
through periods where I wasposting every single day.
(21:14):
I was trying to do at least fivedays a week.
So I would make my recipes onMonday, I would release it
Tuesday, and so on and so forth,or I'd do like Saturday or
Sunday, I'd cook all day and I'drecord like four or five
different videos.
And and it kind of burnt me outa little bit.
But I think that the the realreason that it kind of like
petered out for me was that Iwas trying really hard to mimic
(21:39):
what other people were doingthat was working for them, but
it wasn't necessarily workingfor me.
And so I think a lot of mycontent ended up being like not
me on the camera, you know,camera face down over, you know,
over the top of my cookingstation with just me like
dubbing over it later on.
And you know, people did seem tolike that.
(22:00):
Content, but I didn't like thatkind of content, and it just
yeah, it burnt me out really,really quickly.
And so I did take a long break,but then I think in 2023, I kind
of was like, you know,definitely with my my wife's
urging, she's like, you know,you put so much work into this,
and you know, I mean, at thatpoint, I probably had like five
(22:22):
four or five hundred videos, youknow what I mean?
Like I put out so much content,and she was like, you know, you
really like this, like youreally have put so much hard
work into it.
Like you really should pick itback up again.
And so I I started posting againand again, and I actually ended
up getting a I ended up gettingan invite to audition for the
(22:45):
show uh next level chef.
Um wow.
Yeah, with Gordon Ramsey.
So that was kind of like holycow! Yeah, so that was kind of
like my like real like, oh wow,like someone saw something in me
through my content that likethey liked enough to like put me
into this casting.
And I ended up making it to thethird round, I believe.
(23:08):
So like I had to do like a wholelike video interview, kind of
like kind of like this, whereyou know we had to do a video
interview and put together likean audition tape basically.
And unfortunately, I didn't Ididn't get the role.
That kind of would have beenlike a dream role at that point
in time.
Like, I don't know if you'veever seen that show, but uh I
don't think I have.
Oh, it's so stressful.
SPEAKER_06 (23:29):
That's probably why I haven't.
He Gordon Ramsey stresses meout.
I'll watch, I'll watch all sortsof cooking shows, but he
stresses me out.
SPEAKER_03 (23:38):
Yeah, you know, just as a basic overview for the
show, it's like, you know,there's three different levels
in the show, and each level is adifferent kind of kitchen.
So the bottom is like a terriblekitchen, not stocked, terrible
tools, and then the next one islike a medium level, and the top
level is like the cool, youknow, the top end, highest level
French like level kitchen.
And and you get an entire trayof ingredients that starts at
(24:01):
the top and it goes all the wayto the bottom.
So when you're in the worstkitchen, you get the you get the
slim pickings from the top.
So you gotta make a dish.
SPEAKER_06 (24:10):
I think I have I think I've seen an episode or
two.
SPEAKER_03 (24:13):
Yeah, and I was like, you know what?
That's kind of right up my alleybecause a lot of my cooking
content was like fridge dumpdinners and just like, hey, you
have random ingredients lyingaround your house.
This is what I would do withthem.
This is the meal that you canmake.
And so that was kind of likeright up my alley.
And and unfortunately, I Ididn't get, you know, I didn't
get into the show, which, youknow, was totally fine because
(24:35):
it kind of really showed me thatlike, oh, like people actually
do like my content and there issomething there.
And so, since like from thenuntil probably like the
beginning of this year, I wasback again, like posting
content, you know, and I startedto kind of like lean into more
of just like me being on cameraand my personality and kind of
(24:58):
letting it show through a littlebit more instead of trying to be
like what everyone kind of wasdoing and being that cookie
cutter.
SPEAKER_06 (25:04):
And and that's probably why it didn't feel
authentic to you when you weredoing, you know, when you were
cooking up a storm for two daysin a row and filming the food as
opposed to sharing the stagewith the food, because I find
your content hysterically funny.
And uh we'll talk uh about thisa little later, but your your
(25:25):
technical editing and some ofthe sound effects and little
clips that you throw in justmake me laugh out loud while I
am watching your content.
SPEAKER_03 (25:35):
Thank you so much.
I really appre I reallyappreciate that.
I, you know, that's that's kindof like just for me.
You know what I mean?
Like it's like I put that inthere for me, and it's like it's
cool that other people do likeenjoy that because like at the
end of the day, like I now I'mdoing it.
I mean, now I'm doing it morefor everyone to enjoy, but like
in the beginning, it was like noone was watching it.
(25:56):
So it was really just me talkingto myself, you know, and like
doing the little silly uh editsbecause I thought that that was
funny.
So I really appreciate yousaying that because yeah, I do I
do put a lot of thought intothose, but um yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (26:07):
Well, I no worry, and you know what?
I I I totally sympathize withcreating content and going, is
it just for me or is it for forother people?
And anytime I get a review oranytime somebody drops me an
email, it's like, wow, you know,I'm not talking into the abyss.
There's actually peoplelistening.
So yeah, I I I totally get howhow reassuring that is.
SPEAKER_03 (26:32):
Yeah.
And it was, I mean, even so,like just talking about getting
the interview with, you know,the the producers for next level
chef.
When I saw your email, I waslike, what?
This is crazy.
You know, like this the wholething with the reviews has been
absolutely insane.
Because like I said, I startedoff just doing me cooking and
(26:52):
doing that kind of content.
And then I, you know, I've morerecently, like we'll say, like
the end of last year, I startedjust taking suggestions from
people and just like, hey,what's like a nostalgia meal for
you?
Like what like what reminds youof growing up?
And because again, like I had Ias I never thought of it as
interesting, but apparently I'vehad I had an interesting
(27:15):
upbringing.
And a lot of the things that Igrew up enjoying, people are
like, what are you talkingabout?
SPEAKER_06 (27:22):
Like an example.
SPEAKER_03 (27:24):
Oh, have you ever had olive loaf?
SPEAKER_06 (27:27):
Oh, it's like baloney with olives in it.
Yeah, no, I don't even know.
SPEAKER_03 (27:33):
It's literally bologna with Spanish olives into
it.
So it looks like, you know, ifyou have that fear of all the
eyes, like it triggers that likeso badly.
SPEAKER_06 (27:42):
I was gonna say, it used to scare me when I was a
kid.
It was right next to thebaloney.
SPEAKER_03 (27:47):
Yeah, so like I grew up eating that.
My mom loved olive loaf, and soipso facto, I loved olive loaf,
or like, you know, I grew upeating octopus salad, and you
know, so when I, you know, stufflike that.
So it's like when people findout, they're like, ugh, what are
you eating?
And I'm like, what?
You don't like olive and creamcheese sandwiches?
(28:08):
What are you crazy?
People were like, that soundslike an actual nightmare.
And I'm like, oh, okay.
I guess I'm the weird one, butyou know, so stuff like that.
I started sharing things fromlike my childhood.
I'm like, listen, this is mynostalgia meal.
My mom, when I was sick andwasn't feeling good, she'd mix
up cream cheese and sliced upSpanish olives and we'd eat them
(28:29):
together.
And it was just like, that waswhat we ate.
Olive loaf, you know, stuff likethat.
So I just kind of posed thequestion to other people and was
like, hey, what's a nostalgiameal for you?
And I got some, I got some wildones.
I was like, what am I eatingright now?
Balogna salad, which I was like,I was very hesitant to try that
one.
People were posting uh Lebanonbologna, head cheese, like just
(28:55):
these crazy dishes.
So I was like, I was online, I'mordering, you know, these weird
delicacy meats from Pennsylvaniaand getting them delivered to my
house like in the dead heat ofsummer so that I could try them
for people.
And people seem to really likethat content.
And I really liked making it toobecause I feel like, again, like
that's how I connect withpeople.
SPEAKER_06 (29:15):
I was gonna say, it's it's it's the connection.
SPEAKER_03 (29:18):
Yeah, so like that was something that was really
cool to me to like you tell mewhat you like, I'm not gonna
yuck your yum because I'll tryanything.
I truly, I don't know if you seegone on my YouTube or anything,
but like I have a video.
I don't know if you've seen thevideos going around of people
eating Surstroming.
It's it is a rotted fish, yeah.
It's like a rotted fermentedfish from from some you know
(29:41):
Norway or or some uh peoplecan't even open it without
gagging.
It was horrific.
My friends bought it for me on acamping trip.
I'm like, you have to try it,you have to try it.
But again, I'll try anythingtwice.
You know, I always say that.
It's like try anything twice.
If you don't like it the firsttime, try it again, and if you
don't like it the second time,you're probably never gonna like
(30:02):
it, so you can probably give upafter that, you know.
So I tried Surstroming twice,and both times I threw up
everywhere.
So, you know, you know, youknow, so this is there's a video
floating around on YouTube, Ibelieve.
Uh if anyone, you know, ifanyone trigger warning cares to
watch me gag, but you know, thatwas a thing that I tried.
And so that kind of became likewhat my channel was like, you
(30:23):
know, trying all of yoursuggestions.
And I kind of ran out of contentideas in like, let's say, like
January, February.
I was like really reaching.
And my my wife's best friend,and I also say she's my best
friend, shout out Allie, Allieand Ryan, shout out you guys.
Her mother was like, if you likeItalian food, which I know you
do, she's Sicilian, she's whichis okay.
(30:45):
Sicilian is not really Italian.
You heard it here first.
Hey, hey, hey, I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_06 (30:49):
And Calibrace.
SPEAKER_03 (30:51):
Oh, okay, Calibre, we'll give it to you.
Calibre's mainland.
Love to hear it, love to hearit.
Sicilian, as my grandmothersays, that's okay.
But uh, she was like, you haveto try out Alfredo Aiello in
Quincy.
It's right down the street fromyou.
And I'm like, okay, you knowwhat?
I got nothing to do today.
I'm gonna go down there.
I'm gonna try their sandwich.
(31:12):
So I'm like, I just pulled myphone out and was like, well,
you guys told me to try it.
So here I am at Alfredo Aiello.
And that video got like 50,000views in like two weeks.
And I was like, or I mean, inthe first couple of days, it got
like a couple thousand views,and I was like, this is crazy.
And people were like, Oh, youthink that's good?
(31:33):
You need to try Magnosis, whichis again in Quincy, like right
down the street from me.
And so I was like, Okay, I'll gotry Magnosis.
And I was like, Well, whenyou're right, you're right.
I don't know if you I don't knowif you've ever been there, but
they have a massive, massiveItalian.
It's it is a crazy Italian sub.
SPEAKER_06 (31:49):
Yeah, I saw that I saw the video.
That and that's actually how Istumbled upon your content,
because you know, you wereactually at a a sub place right
down the street from where Ilive, and you were reviewing
their Italian sub, and theirItalian sub is my favorite
Italian sub.
SPEAKER_03 (32:09):
Oh, that's subgalley, you were saying,
right?
SPEAKER_06 (32:11):
Yeah, subgalley in Abington.
And, you know, ironicallyenough, it was years ago growing
up.
I grew up in Hingham and then wemoved to Weymouth.
Um, but when I lived in Hingham,there was a place called
Subgalley, no connection to theone in Abington.
Oh, okay.
But it was Subgalley on StationStreet in Hingham, and that was
(32:32):
the first Italian sub I everhad.
So that is, and I think they'reclosed now.
That is the the bar that Imeasure all other Italian subs
by.
And Sub Galley and Abington camethe closest, but I really
enjoyed, I mean, who doesn'tenjoy a good Italian sub?
And and I love that you golocal.
(32:54):
I love the the content, youknow, how you review them.
And it's just so cool becausewho doesn't love a good Italian
sub?
And sometimes if you find yourfavorite and you're not close
enough to get your favorite, youwant some other options that
make, you know, highlyrecommended.
(33:15):
So you know that's how I findyou.
SPEAKER_03 (33:17):
Well, I really, that's really cool.
I love that, I love that I wasright in your backyard.
It's like, you know, it's it'sreally funny just because like
I'm just out and about town, youknow.
My idea was really not to Ididn't have the idea originally
to like bring, you know, bringattention to like local
businesses.
I was just eating subs, but I Ireally wanted to like, you know,
(33:38):
show people the South Shore hadreally good food.
And then I I I kind of had anexperience do like very early on
in doing the reviews, and itkind of really changed my
perspective on what I was doingand kind of the impact that I
was having.
Because like again, like I'mjust some guy, you know what I
mean?
Like, I never thought that thiswould become anything.
(34:00):
You know, I was just doing itfor me, and people seemed like-
Yeah, exactly.
And then, you know, I reviewed asandwich, and and I don't want
to mention the place that it wasbecause I don't want to cause
any beef or anything.
I mean, you can very easilyfigure out what I'm talking
about if you look at my page,but I'm just not gonna, I'm not
gonna name drop.
But I reviewed a sandwich and II reviewed it kind of poorly.
(34:23):
And the response that I got itback from that was like, it was
really intense.
And I wasn't expecting theamount of pushback that I was
gonna get.
Because again, like I don'tthink that my word matters at
this point in time.
And and I still have a hard timethinking that people actually
care about what I have to say.
But and so someone from thefamily reached out and kind of
wrote me this, you know, reallyheartfelt message that was kind
(34:45):
of like, hey, like I know thatyou like you're just trying to
be honest and truthful with yourexperiences, and I can
appreciate that, but you reallyneed to be careful with what you
say because this is like a localfamily business, and like my
family business does a lot forthe community.
They're like such a staple,they've been there for 50, 60
years.
People really love them, and thethings that you say can really
(35:06):
drive business away from theseplaces.
SPEAKER_04 (35:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (35:09):
And and I never really thought, I never really
had that perspective when Ifirst started.
And so I was like, that wasreally like a turning point for
me where it's like, listen, likeI never, my intention was never
to drive business away fromplaces.
In fact, I never even had athought about driving business
to these places.
I was just eating thesandwiches.
(35:30):
But, you know, getting thatmessage kind of like really,
really made me change my tunewhere it's like, okay, that's no
longer the the point is notrating the the sandwiches.
I'm not doing like a this is azero out of 10.
Like, I don't like people thatdo that because again, like I
think that there's like theworld to me is not black and
white.
(35:50):
I'm not a black and whiteperson.
I'm such a gray area personwhere it's like things could two
things can be true at once.
And so I was like, okay, so letme like reevaluate how I'm doing
this.
Like, I want to highlight mypersonal opinions, obviously,
but also like the pros and thecons that I found and let people
decide for themselves.
Like, this is the food.
(36:12):
This is what I got.
I did not, you know, have like apredetermined deal with this
person.
This is what they made, notknowing who I am.
This is what they made, this iswhat you can expect, this is
what I liked about it, this iswhat I didn't like about it.
But at the end of the day, itkind of became like, well, I
want to highlight places thatreally deserve the recognition
(36:33):
in these family local ownedbusinesses.
Like, I never want to be theperson that drives business away
from there.
I want to highlight and support,you know, and that's kind of
like where that transformationhappened was like somebody
really put me in my place, and Iwas like, okay.
SPEAKER_06 (36:48):
Yeah, kind of understanding the power of
media, any honey media.
SPEAKER_03 (36:52):
Yeah, and it's and it really has been this like
crazy, crazy whirlwind.
It's like, and I don't even havethat many followers.
You know what I mean?
It's like, I think I have justover 10,000 on TikTok, and I I'm
just about to hit 5,000 onFacebook, and wow, you know, and
me and my wife are like walkingthrough, you know, the grocery
store, and people have beencoming up to me and being like,
(37:13):
hey, you're that chef guy on theinternet.
I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's me.
Like, this is insane, you know,or like getting recognized when
you go into like a deli andthey're like, hey, you look
familiar.
And I'm like, Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (37:26):
Are you gonna review this?
SPEAKER_03 (37:28):
Yeah, you know, and so that's been that's been been
really crazy and you know, uhlife-changing, I guess, you
know.
It's like, yeah, I never thoughtthat it would become this.
SPEAKER_06 (37:40):
How how have the local businesses?
I mean, once once you kind ofpivoted and you and and yet kind
of understood, even though thisuh this was a fun thing for you,
but you understood the powerthat you actually had to drive
business to or away from thesethese sandwich shops, how how
(38:01):
has your relationship with themchanged, if if at all?
SPEAKER_03 (38:05):
I think that, well, I I don't think that I'm
recognizable enough at thispoint for people to like like
like know who I am right off thebat, but I have actually like
like I started my all-right subof the month club because I
thought that that was cool.
Like I, you know, I'm paying forthis with my own money, first
and foremost.
Like I'm making a little bit ofmoney on on Facebook and and
(38:27):
TikTok now, but a hundredpercent of that goes right back
into the channel.
Like, I'm not like you know, I'mnot sitting here dripping myself
out in diamonds or anything.
Like it's not a lot of money.
I have a full-time job.
So, you know, this isn't my thisisn't really my job.
But I was like, you know what?
If I'm making money, like I wantto give back, and so I'll go
back to some of the businessesthat I thought were like the
(38:48):
best sandwiches or whatever, andI'll buy gift cards, you know,
like$50 gift cards, depending onhow expensive the sandwiches is.
Like I put about a hundreddollars into these contests, and
I give away gift cards at theend of the month and just say,
these are the best.
And so, like when I go back intothe businesses, they're like,
You have no idea.
I recognize you immediately.
(39:08):
And it's been like a few timesnow where people have like
commented and been like, Hey, Iwent to go try to get a sandwich
at XYZ.
The line's out the door.
It's a two-hour wait.
People, you know, I've been in asandwich store, and someone's
like, I recognize you, and threepeople behind me are like, oh my
god, that's the reason I'm here.
And I'm like, That's so funny.
SPEAKER_06 (39:28):
And so I've I've written down a couple places
that you know, you've shown thesandwich.
I'm like, Yeah, I'd really liketo try that someday when I'm
further north of here.
And uh yeah, I mean, I I loveyour content.
I watch it and I'm not surprisedthat other people are doing the
same.
So it's nice to hear that you'rehaving an impact on the local
(39:51):
businesses like that.
And not knowing that earlierstory you shared, I thought,
wow, here's a guy who's who'sputting out content, makes me
laugh, and and I enjoy hiscontent, and he's helping small
local businesses.
So really, really cool.
Have you been able to collab orpartner with any of the the uh
(40:15):
the places that you've thatyou've highlighted?
SPEAKER_03 (40:18):
No, I I no one's like really reached out to me to
do so, and I don't necessarilyknow if I would want to do that,
just in the terms like I don'twant I don't want to be paid to
do reviews for anything becauseI feel like at some point in
time people kind of like arelike you're a sellout or like
one.
(40:38):
Yeah exactly, like I feel likebeholden to like give them a
good review, and I and again,like I said before, like I'm not
I'm not out here to disparagebusinesses, like I'm not gonna
be like, this is disgusting,this is horrible.
Like I would never do that.
That's not the kind of personthat I am.
But I also wouldn't want to likefeel in my head, like, well,
(40:59):
this person paid me, so I kindof have to be more favorable to
them.
But I but again, like I'm opento doing so.
I just would be very honestabout like, hey, like this
person reached out to me andlike this was kind of like a
paid review, or at the veryleast, like, you know, I see a
lot of TikToks where likestruggling businesses were like
reach out to like influencersand be like, hey, you know, do
(41:20):
you mind coming in?
Like, I want to drive somebusiness here.
And I absolutely would not minddoing that because again, the
whole the whole point that thishas become is to highlight local
businesses and to drivebusiness.
Like, I can't even imagine howdifficult it is now to like, you
know, with these razor-thinmargins to begin with, and then
the price of everything justgoing up so crazy.
(41:40):
Like, for these places to likestay in business is already
difficult.
And then also, like, again, likea lot of these places, like the
value that they're bringing topeople with some of these
sandwiches is like insane.
And it's like, I think you'retaking a loss on these.
So that for you to keep yourprices low while keeping the the
quality so high is like, youknow, I really think that this
(42:02):
deserves a highlight.
Like, you know, people need tolike come here and see that, you
know, you don't have to spend,you know, you don't have to
drive into the north end andspend$20 on a sandwich from
Monica's Mercado, you know, toget a good Italian.
You can stay in your hometown.
And a lot of these places,people are like, I live down the
street from this place.
I didn't even know it was there.
And it's like, okay, well,that's you know what?
(42:24):
If that's my mission in life,you know what?
I am totally fine with beingthat person, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (42:29):
Yeah, that's awesome.
That's awesome.
Now, I want to take a like aleft turn here.
Sure.
Because in order to do what youdo, yes, you know, you you cook,
you you know, are out and abouthelping, you know, look get
getting exposure for localbusinesses, enjoying Italian
subs along the way, but there'sa whole technical aspect to this
(42:53):
that I'm sure you must havelearned.
So what was that like?
Because your you your contentisn't just a video with you
talking to the camera.
It's you talking to the camera,it's different camera angles.
Sometimes it's voiceover,sometimes there's special
effects or sound effects orb-roll that you put in there.
(43:14):
And it's like, when did you havethe time to learn all of that on
top of filming and and postingyour content?
SPEAKER_03 (43:24):
Honestly and truly, like most of it has just kind of
been on the fly.
So, like when I first started, Iwas using one of those gigantic
Nikon cameras, like uh one ofthose professional Nikon
cameras, and having to set uplike the tripod and like
learning how to do that, thatwas touch and go.
That was really difficult, andjust kind of like learned by the
(43:44):
seat of my pants on there.
In fact, like my first video,the first video I ever made, I
set up the camera, I was readyto rock, I had everything set
up, I put the camera there, Ipressed record, and I just
froze.
I literally sat there.
There for a good like 15, 20, 30seconds.
I couldn't even speak.
(44:05):
I went over, I turned the cameraoff, and I went and cried in a
corner for three days.
I literally, it, it literallysent me into the blackest of
holes.
I was like, I'm not a shyperson.
I, you know what I mean?
Like, I don't, I'm not shy.
I'll I'll cut it up with thebest of them.
And I turned that camera on andI froze.
And it's like that was like sucha hard hurdle to get through.
(44:27):
People don't realize howdifficult it is talking to a
camera that someone's not on theback end of.
You know what I mean?
I'm really glad that this wason, you know, audio for everyone
else, but video for you and me,so we can actually have the
conversation.
But you know, talking to thelike learning to talk to the
camera was actually the firsttechnical hurdle, is even how to
be on camera.
And I think a lot of peopledon't realize how difficult that
(44:49):
is.
And you know, I'm not sayinglike, and it's on it's so easy
now, like blah, blah, blah.
But like over time you you learnhow to do that stuff, you get
used to it.
And then kind of back going backto the technical aspect, it was
like, you know, I already, I'msomeone who's really good with
computers.
Like, I, you know, I jokinglysay to my wife that I'm the
greatest IT troubleshooterthat's ever lived because I am,
(45:09):
and I will pat myself on theback for that.
You know, I I build computers,you know, I do a lot of IT
troubleshooting on those, youknow, software, hardware, stuff
like that.
When I first started, I got aMacBook or a Mac computer, and I
was using, I forget whatthey're, I forget what they're,
it's like movie maker orsomething like that.
(45:30):
Their editing software.
iMovie, there you go.
I started using iMovie, and thatwas kind of where I started to
learn how to actually editvideos and like work with a
timeline and stuff like that.
And then from there it was kindof like learning how to like cut
in sound effects and and kind oflike where like how to like
(45:51):
overlap videos and and do likeuh transitions and stuff like
that.
So it was a hundred percentself-taught.
I probably watched a few YouTubevideos, but I'm kind of like a
learn to do by doing kind ofperson.
I always have been.
So it was kind of likeeverything was learned the hard
way, you know?
It was like just try, just trialand error.
And so like my first few videos,just like everybody, were like
(46:14):
awful.
And then in 2021, I want to say,I was just using the editing
software on TikTok because thatwas pretty intuitive and it was
pretty easy to use, but it wasit was pretty limited in what
you could do.
SPEAKER_06 (46:30):
And then you can't use that on a computer, can you?
It's it's gonna be done on yourphone.
SPEAKER_03 (46:35):
You can now.
I believe you can now, but beingable to do it from your phone is
like such a major advantagebecause you don't have to worry
about like transferring content.
So like everything I have Irecord is on my phone.
So having to like somehow get itfrom my phone onto a memory card
(46:55):
and then onto a computer,because like I mostly use
Windows.
So getting like iPhone video tolike keep its quality and then
move it to a Windows PC, notreally very easy.
So I actually do all of my videoediting from an app called Cap
Cut on my phone.
SPEAKER_06 (47:13):
Okay.
I can't see I have a I I have aproblem doing anything on my
phone because I need glasses.
Sometimes the glasses don't makethings big enough.
SPEAKER_03 (47:24):
Yeah, and no, I mean the phone is very small.
Like if I if I had like an iPador something, it would probably
be a lot easier to edit videos,but yeah, you know, it takes me
it takes me about three hours toedit one of my videos.
I I usually go from like 20minutes of recording to about
four and a half minutes.
I try to keep it under four anda half because people don't have
(47:44):
an attention span on like onlike TikTok and stuff like that.
So, but you know, again, youknow, come yeah, a very, very
early callback to what we weresaying is like my audience is
mostly people of like my age orolder.
And I have fully leaned intothat because we still have
attention spans and can watch afour-minute video.
(48:05):
You know what I mean?
People actually, and I love thatbecause it's like I was always
trying to cut my videos downfrom like 20 minutes to 30
seconds or to one minute, and itwas like you just can't do the
same amount of like, I don'teven know, like you can't do the
same level of content in oneminute that you can in four.
So, you know, so learning how tolike pick the best parts of a
(48:29):
video and like slice them downto like 30 seconds to a minute,
that really helped me withmaking longer form content
because you know, when you'rehaving to condense something so
large into something so small,it and then going from something
so small to something a littlebit larger, it like it really
allows you to have like a littlebit more freer creativity and to
(48:50):
be able to still have that kindof focused, concentrated
content, but also like give it alittle bit more personality or
you know, give it a little bitmore like view into like who you
are as a person, which doesn'treally come across when you only
have 30 seconds.
Right.
SPEAKER_06 (49:05):
You know, yeah.
No, you do you do a great jobwith it.
Like I said, your videos, someof them have made me laugh out
loud.
So where do you see Mr.
Alright Chef going from here?
SPEAKER_03 (49:20):
You know, that's honestly a great question
because like I feel like I'mlike still so in the moment of
like really just like figuringout like what works and what
doesn't work that I haven'treally looked too much in the
future.
I mean, my list, first of all,my list for places to go is
ludicrous.
SPEAKER_06 (49:41):
I mean, I you know, I know just for the Italian
subs.
SPEAKER_03 (49:44):
I, you know, I know people can't see this video, but
like the list is just Wow, it isoh, that's it keeps going.
This is the list.
SPEAKER_06 (49:53):
Is that all for Italian subs or just go in and
try this specific sandwich?
SPEAKER_03 (49:58):
So half of it is just for Italian subs, and then
the other half is like peoplehave been like, hey, you need to
try the shrimp dumplings fromCostco.
You know, it's like, okay, sure,like whatever, you know.
But I but something that I Ireally like is like I love when
people give suggestions becauseit really gives you a chance to
like connect with the audienceand be like, okay, so like for
(50:19):
example, somebody, somebodyrecently just, or somebody who
like one of my like constantcommenters is a guy named Joe
Palmer and or Joe De Palmer, andI just like love his comments
because it's always the same.
It's like, where's the beef?
Where's the beef?
And I'm just like, so now myvideos, I'm like, well, this is
(50:39):
this gets the Joe Palmer Awardfor where's the beef, you know,
like whatever.
Like, or when people like peoplelike comment and like one guy
shout out Ross Scheinheit,commented on every single one of
my videos and was like, you needto go to Moniker's Mercado in
the north end.
So I'm like, I can like connectwith the audience in that way
and be like, hey Ross, I'm hereat Monica's Mercado in the north
(50:59):
end of Boston for you.
Yeah, exactly.
You know, you know, so I I I Ilove doing that.
I like I love the suggestionsthat people give me because it's
like not only does it give me achance to make more content, but
it allows me to like connectwith the audience in that way
that it's like, hey, this one'sfor you, specific person.
I also want to grow things.
Like, I again, like I'm I'm apeople person, so I was kind of
(51:21):
thinking, you know, I have afriend of mine who used to be
one of the tour guides forBoston.
They used to do like the FreedomTrail and like the um like the
North End tours.
Yeah.
And he is another person who'sjust like so funny and just like
truly somebody who just likeloves to entertain and he's
great.
And there's a lot of great foodin the North End.
So I'm thinking maybe like maybesomehow we can do like a food
(51:45):
tour where I get to like me,like, you know, maybe partner
with him, and then the two of usget to like, you know, meet with
people and and actually meetsome of the fans and you know,
get to share food with peoplebecause again, I love to share
the experience and I love toshare the food with people.
You know, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_06 (52:03):
Having an Italian sub in the north end with uh Mr.
All right Chef, are you kiddingme?
SPEAKER_03 (52:08):
I'm signing up.
So I think that that would besomething fun to do, you know.
Even you know, even if it's aone-off, you know.
I, you know, what listen, one ofmy favorite comedians of all
time, he used to do the bustours in New York City.
And after he became famous, hewent back and did like a few bus
tours where people paid ticketsto like go hang out with him and
do the bus tours, but him as acomedian and not an actual bus
(52:31):
tour guy, so it was like a bigjoke.
And I've always that's alwaysstuck with me is like, that
would be s I wish I could havedone that with him, but I also
would like love to be able to dothat with other people because I
a lot of people have been like,hey, next time you're at this
place, like let me know.
Like I'll I'll meet up here.
The sub's on, yeah, the sub's onme.
And it's like, I don't know you,so I don't know if you're gonna
(52:53):
like you know, skin me and hangme on your wall, but I also want
to connect with the fans andlike you know, get a sub with
you.
So like I think that a groupsetting would be a lot better
than you know, like aone-on-one, but yeah, you know,
walking through the north endand you know, grabbing some
sandwiches or whatever.
Like, I you know, I don't knowwhat exactly it would look like,
but maybe something like that,you know, something that has
like that personal touch becauseagain, like that's my bread and
(53:14):
butter is like the personaltouch.
SPEAKER_06 (53:16):
Right.
Oh, so so fun.
So fun.
Joe, I can't thank you enoughfor all your time.
One last thing.
Where can folks follow alongwith you online?
Where can they find you to checkout your content?
SPEAKER_03 (53:30):
Yeah, definitely.
So you can find me on Facebook,TikTok, and YouTube as the
Allright Chef or Facebook is Mr.
Allright Chef.
My Instagram is the all rightunderscore chef, but it's all
the same.
If you just search me up overthere, you can find me on any of
those platforms.
I post every Monday, Wednesday,and Friday is on my video
reviews.
(53:50):
And Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Ipost like a little teaser
trailer, you know, a littlephoto, a little photo review for
people to kind of get a teaserof what's coming for the videos.
So I'm posting, I'm postingpretty much every day.
So if you follow any of thosepages, you're gonna get all of
my content.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (54:09):
Great.
Well, Joe, again, thank you somuch.
I have had so much fun talkingto you.
The the time has flown.
SPEAKER_03 (54:16):
It truly has.
I it has been a greatconversation, Alan.
I really want to thank youpersonally for inviting me on
this podcast, my first podcastever.
This has been a lot of fun.
I was a little nervous at first,but you know, you made me feel
really welcome and reallycomfortable.
And I just want to say thank youas well for even reaching out.
That was really the coolestthing that's happened to me in
the past month or so.
SPEAKER_06 (54:39):
What a down-to-earth, fun guy to have a
conversation with.
Some of my favorite nuggets frommy conversation with Joe.
The connection he has withcreating good food and being
with people he loves.
So many nationalities share thephilosophy that food is love and
(55:01):
kitchens are for congregating.
I also found it interesting howwe learned the value of his
voice.
I can completely identify withnot really thinking what you say
is earth-shattering.
It's just your own ramblings.
But then discovering what youput out into the universe has
power and can affect others.
(55:23):
He is continuing to evolvethrough his content, and I hope
he can turn his future directionwith subtours of the North End
into a reality.
Jump down to the show notes tofollow Joe and check out his
content, whether you livelocally or not.
Now, if you're not local toMassachusetts, don't sleep on
(55:45):
the local food creators fromyour area and beyond.
You will no doubt find some newplaces to try at home, and you
can start building a list ofplaces to try whenever you're
traveling.
Follow Joe, you will mostdefinitely be covered for
Southern Massachusetts.
As always, thanks for listeningand I'll see you in two weeks.
Just a reminder, don't forget to hit subscribe or
follow wherever you're listeningto this podcast.
That way you don't miss any ofthe great conversations coming
up.
Thanks, and here's this week'sepisode.
(00:24):
Everyday people following theirpassions.
SPEAKER_01 (00:28):
That's probably like one of the highlights of my life
so far, just being able to becreative like that.
Something I've always wanted.
SPEAKER_00 (00:37):
And then I decided to get another hive, and that
turned into a lot of hives.
As long as I can do that, I wantto be a good citizen.
Help people out.
SPEAKER_06 (00:48):
Putting themselves out there, taking chances, and
navigating challenges along theway.
SPEAKER_05 (00:54):
I I absolutely identified with having stage
ride because, you know, anytimeI went on stage, I just felt
like I was having a hot attack.
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
Very first lap, very first practice session, I
crashed, turned a car upsidedown, made a spectacle of
myself, and I got back on thathorse and started riding again.
SPEAKER_06 (01:11):
As they pursue what makes them happy and brings them
joy.
SPEAKER_02 (01:16):
As long as people are having a good time and I
have the opportunity to putsmiles on people's faces, I I
love what I do.
SPEAKER_05 (01:23):
I have done things that I never thought I could do.
SPEAKER_02 (01:28):
To have somebody tell me how real it looks and
how, you know, from their actualmemory.
Because that's telling me Icaptured what I was trying to
get.
SPEAKER_06 (01:39):
Welcome to Assorted Conversations.
I'm your host, Helen.
Hello and thanks for listening.
I hope wherever you are, springis gently turning into summer.
Here in Massachusetts, we'vegone from, is winter over yet?
(02:02):
to oh my god, it's alreadysummer, with our first 90-degree
days in mid-May.
Enough about the weather.
Let's talk food.
This week I get to sit down witha food content creator, and his
journey from learning to cookout of necessity has taken him
(02:22):
on a wild ride from creatingcooking content to hunter of the
greatest Italian subs on theSouth Shore of Massachusetts.
One thing is for sure, no matterwhat content he's creating, it's
all about the engagement withviewers and helping small local
businesses for this guy.
(02:43):
Grab your favorite snack, take alisten to this week's episode,
and I'll see you on the otherside.
Alright, everybody, get ready tolaugh, learn, and probably get
hungry because today's guest isserving a big flavor with an
even bigger personality.
(03:04):
Known across the South Shore ofMassachusetts and beyond, he's
built a loyal following byproving that great food doesn't
have to be fancy.
It just has to be real,delicious, and made with
passion.
From epic sandwich hunts tocomfort food favorites and
down-to-earth cooking tips, he'sbecome the go-to guy for
(03:25):
approachable food content with aside of humor.
I am so excited to welcome toAssorted Conversations, Joe
Garcia, also known as the oneand only Mr.
Right Chef.
Hi, Joe.
SPEAKER_03 (03:39):
Hi, Helen.
How's it going?
That was a beautiful intro.
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_06 (03:44):
You are very welcome.
You are very welcome.
So how are you tonight?
SPEAKER_03 (03:48):
Well, like I like I said before we started this
podcast, I am full of Italianmeats.
You know, I am eating so manyItalian subs that, you know, I
I'll share just one littlething, you know, before we even
really get started.
I love when people leave meancomments for me, and somebody
commented and said, this guylooks like he smells like an
(04:09):
Italian sub.
And I thought that that was sofunny.
I pinned that call and I thoughtit was great.
So I would like to introducemyself and say, I I am full of
Italian subs and I probablysmell like them.
So, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (04:22):
Well, you know, you are mortadella certified.
SPEAKER_03 (04:25):
Mortadella certified.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_06 (04:27):
That is so funny.
So before I mean, to getstarted, I guess, where did the
name Mr.
Alright Chef come from?
SPEAKER_03 (04:35):
It's you know, it's actually funny.
So um I think I started thischannel in 2019, maybe just like
right inside of 2020, rightbefore the pandemic started.
And I was trying to think of aname for the channel, and I was
like, I want it to be somethinglike chefy, but I I'm not a
chef.
Let's let's make that veryclear.
(04:56):
I am not a chef by trade.
A lot of people call me chef andeverything.
I don't deserve that recognitionor that designation.
I did nothing to deserve it.
But I was like, but I can't callmyself like the amazing chef.
I can't call myself the the goodchef.
I don't know.
It didn't sound good, and then Iwas like, oh, all right, the all
right chef.
That that is that pretty muchencapsulates everything that I'm
(05:18):
going for, you know, because I Ireally wanted to to create not I
don't want to say lowbrowcontent, but I wanted to create
something that was reallyapproachable for people and and
not really, you know, uh becauseat the time I a lot of the stuff
that I was watching on theinternet was people that were
like fine dining chefs, you gotGordon Ramsay, you know, like
(05:38):
stuff like that.
And I think a I think a lot ofpeople find that to be like, oh,
that's for fancy.
Like I can't cook like that, Ican't do that.
And I just really wanted toprove to people that you didn't
really need to be an amazing, anexcellent, a crazy good like
chef to to make really goodmeals.
So that's that's really wherethe name came from.
I, you know, I have a piece ofpaper kind of with like 10 names
(06:00):
scrawled across it, and it'slike good, no, you know,
whatever.
And I I ended up landing on theall right chef.
SPEAKER_06 (06:05):
So we're all right.
Yeah, we're just all right.
Well, good.
So the the I found you onFacebook, but you originally
started on YouTube.
You you mentioned it was achannel.
SPEAKER_03 (06:17):
No, I actually did start on Facebook.
Yeah, so I when I originallystarted, I was actually making,
I don't know if you ever, if youhave an Instant Pot.
I I had just gotten- My brotherdoes.
SPEAKER_06 (06:29):
Oh, okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (06:30):
So I had just gotten an Instant Pot for uh Christmas,
I believe, and I started makingrecipes in it just like
specifically for the InstantPot.
And I was kind of like trying tolike get them to like sponsor
me, even though I, you know, Ihad no followers, I had no
views, I had anything, but I wasjust tagging their Facebook
page, just like every time Imade something was like Instant
(06:52):
Pot, follow me, Instant Pot,like follow me, follow me,
follow me.
Because I really, you know, Ireally wanted to do that.
So yeah, so I did end upstarting on Facebook, and then
the pandemic kind of hit, youknow, it was like we were all
kind of like locked in ourhouses, and I was like, you know
what?
You know, I grew up watching theFood Network.
I mean, like Rachel Ray, 30Minute Meals, that was my jam.
(07:14):
Oh my god, I loved that show.
And so I was like, I should do acooking show on Facebook Live.
Yeah, and and yeah, so then soafter I kind of had that idea, I
I figured out that you can go onFacebook Live.
You know, anybody could just goon Facebook Live.
And so I started doing a cookingshow every, I believe it was
(07:37):
every Wednesday or everyThursday.
I'm not 100% sure.
I can't remember at this point,but yeah, like every Wednesday I
started doing a live cookingshow on on Wednesdays for
everyone who was just kind ofstuck at home during the
pandemic.
SPEAKER_06 (07:50):
Right.
Yeah, and I I I know a lot of alot of people I I've come across
a lot of content, like out ofwork comedians and you know,
folks that loved to cook intheir spare time and and
decided, hey, here's a fun wayto connect at least with my
friends and family and do acooking show.
So yeah, I the pandemic was thecatalyst for this podcast.
So go for it.
(08:10):
Oh, no way.
There you go.
SPEAKER_03 (08:12):
Cut from the same cloth then, yeah.
Yeah.
So and and it seemed, andhonestly, like it was really
popular and it was really cool.
Like, I, you know, I wouldrelease like a recipe, I believe
on Monday.
I'd say, like, this is gonna bethe recipe that I'm making.
If you guys want to like cookalong at home, you know, these
are the ingredients to therecipe.
This is kind of how they're, youknow, whether they're chopped or
(08:33):
or or sliced or whatever, I kindof just released the recipe.
And then we would just do itlive on Wednesdays, you know.
I like you said in the intro, Iwas like, it was kind of trying
to blend like cooking with alittle bit of humor and whatnot.
And it ended up being somethingreally fun.
I think I did it for, I want tosay five months.
Five months in a row, I think Idid it while I and I was also
making, you know, small videosfor TikTok on the side, I
(08:55):
believe I'm pretty sure as well.
So it was kind of a it was kindof a lot, you know.
I was I was really, reallytrying to like push out as much
content as possible.
SPEAKER_06 (09:04):
I I want to flash back.
Where did your passion for foodcome from?
SPEAKER_03 (09:11):
Well, so I I definitely want to say my
family.
Like, so I'm 50% Italian, I'm50% Colombian.
My dad is from Colombia, he camehere when he was like 14, and my
grandparents were here as well.
And on my mom's side, they're100% Italian from Gaeta, shout
out Gaeta, Italy.
You know, it's it's near Naples,a coastal city, absolutely
(09:34):
beautiful.
And so, you know, I grew uparound both of my grandparents,
and you know, in that sort ofenvironment, it's like the
grandmother is like thecaretaker, and her love language
was always food on both sides.
You know, every Sunday we wouldbe at my on my dad's side of my
my mamita's house, and she wouldbe making, she'd be making up
(09:56):
rice and chicharón and andplantains, and just like every
Colombian thing you can imagine.
Empanadas, like that was herlove language, and she she
didn't really speak English, andmy dad never really taught us
Spanish.
So the the language barrier waswas pretty difficult there, and
(10:17):
but you don't really need tospeak the same language to eat
the same food, you know.
So we would sit around and eatand everything like that.
So I always loved eating theColombian food, and then we went
to, and then we would always beat my my mom's mom's house, my
my grandmother's mom's sidehouse, and she's Italian, so
it's like you cannot say no tofood.
(10:38):
It's you're not allowed to.
And it's just like Joe, youknow, get a forkful, come on,
you know.
Oh, you you want ice cream?
No, I don't want ice cream, no,no, no.
Okay, how about some zucchini?
Like, I don't want the zucchini,and she just it would just be
dish after dish after dish.
And she would just name dishesuntil you finally said yes.
You know, so so that definitelyis where my my passion for good
food came from.
(10:58):
It's just like I I grew uparound it.
It was just like always, alwaysgreat food, no matter where, you
know, no matter where I was inmy life was just great food.
SPEAKER_06 (11:06):
So my Italian nonna, it was you know, have something
to eat.
No, no, no.
Have a sandwich.
No, I just, you know, I just ateor I just had dinner or I'm
going out to dinner.
Oh, have a snack.
SPEAKER_04 (11:18):
Yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (11:19):
But both of my both of my grandmothers inspired me.
I would consider myself more ofa baker than a chef.
SPEAKER_03 (11:28):
Cannot bake.
SPEAKER_06 (11:30):
My brothers cook really well.
My sister and I, I think, arethe bakers, and thank God she
married a guy that can cook.
SPEAKER_03 (11:37):
Yeah, that's definitely my household.
I I I cannot bake worth you knowa single damn.
I am so terrible at bakingbecause I don't like following a
recipe.
I follow my ancestors, I followmy heart, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (11:50):
Like I was gonna say, baking, baking is the exact
science.
Cooking is the really creativeside of food.
SPEAKER_03 (11:58):
Yeah.
So I never really I like I stillto this day, I cannot make
dough.
Uh everyone's like, you'reItalian, you must be able to
make pizza.
It's like, nope.
Yeah.
I can't make it.
I don't even do pie crust.
Oh, trust me, you go to thefrozen section, you get that
pre-made pry crust.
That's exactly how I do it.
You know, I'm not playing games.
SPEAKER_06 (12:19):
So as you grew up, how did how did you nurture this
passion for cooking to the pointwhere you weren't just a
consumer, but now you you you'vebecome a creator.
SPEAKER_03 (12:30):
Uh well, you know, I don't wanna I don't wanna say
that I really cooked when I waslike a child, but when I was
like 17, I want to say.
So I was either like just ajunior and senior in high
school.
My parents got divorced, and mymom was no longer living at our
house, and my dad spent likemost of his time at his
(12:52):
girlfriend's house.
So I was kind of by myself alot.
My sister was off at college,you know, so it was kind of just
like me a lot of the time at thehouse.
And my dad was not really thecook in the house, my mom was,
but you know, I grew up aroundcooking all the time, so I kind
of had to take it on my ownshoulders if I wanted to eat.
I had to make food.
(13:13):
And what what what better way toget like your friends to gather
around you and like be at yourhouse when you're alone than
being like, hey, I'm makingburritos?
And everyone's like, Whoa,you're making burritos, dude?
I'm there.
You know what I mean?
So it's like, you know, I'd havethe rice and the beans, and you
know, I'd have the guacamolehandmade, I'd make the salsa or
the pico de gallo.
(13:34):
Like, I would just, you know,make everything and just like
that's kind of really where itstarted, honestly, is like I
just wanted people to be over myhouse.
So, you know, I would alwaysjust be making food, and I kind
of became known as the friend ofmy friend group who was like
always cooking.
SPEAKER_06 (13:49):
So that's awesome.
Born out of necessity, but whenwhen at what point did it become
something you needed to do inorder to eat and became
something that you werepassionate about?
SPEAKER_03 (14:04):
You know, that's actually a really good question.
I mean, I I guess I never reallywas like super passionate about
it, I guess, in like a sort oflike in like a content creation
kind of way until really I mademy channel.
Like so in 2014 is when I movedin with my now wife, you know.
Shout out to her.
(14:25):
We've been together since mygod, we we've been together
forever.
I mean, you know, I we dated inhigh school, we didn't date for
like two more years.
We got back together when wewere like 20, and we've been
together ever since.
So um, yeah, it's it's abeautiful love story.
I love her.
You know, we moved in togetherwhen we were 22, and she can,
(14:48):
you know, I I love you, babe,but she can't, she can barely
toast a bagel.
So suddenly kind of like justbeing, you know, on your own,
living together, is like, oh, weneed to figure out what to eat
every single day for the rest ofour lives.
And and and that's kind of likewhere, like, instead of just
(15:09):
being, you know, just likeeating to survive, kind of
became like, well, I gotta mixit up, you know, like I gotta be
a little bit creative because Ican't eat the same thing every
day.
That's just not in mywheelhouse.
I I'm someone who just likereally, really, really hates
repetition.
I don't like, you know, I don'tlike doing the same things, I
don't like eating the samethings.
(15:30):
I always want somethingdifferent.
And my wife is someone who'slike super routine, she could do
the same thing every single dayuntil the day we die, and she'd
be totally fine with that.
And also, and also didn't reallyhave a we'll say evolved palate
when we first moved in together.
She was more of like a chickenfingers and pretzels with creamy
(15:50):
Caesar, and that was all shedid.
SPEAKER_06 (15:52):
My kind of girl.
SPEAKER_03 (15:53):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So it was kind of like trying toget her to come out of her shell
as well as kind of feed my needto be creative, and that kind of
increased my level of interestin cooking.
And again, like I was the friendwho was known as the one who did
cook.
So I'd have people over to ournew apartment and everything.
And I kind of always wanted tolike, I don't know, like serve,
(16:15):
serve people.
I is that that's what makes mefeel good, is is like, you know,
I I'm I'm just like everyone inmy family, I cannot sit down
when there are guests in myhouse.
I just I learned from the best,you know.
It's like I have that constantneed to just be like, do you
want some pasta?
Do you want some zucchini?
You know, it's just like I mean,it's like my grandmother's
(16:36):
anxiety of not being able tofeed people to just like
totally, totally come.
And my mom too is like, that'sexactly how I am.
So it was like it came from a aplace of like anxious to have
guests there, but then it kindof grew into like, I want you to
try my food.
Like I like, you know, and maybethat's a little selfish of me to
be like, oh, I need the attaboy,like this is so good.
(16:58):
And I'm like, no, no, it's it'sit's just okay, you know, but uh
Yeah, no, I I you know it it'sfunny.
SPEAKER_06 (17:05):
A lot of chefs, uh a lot of a lot of cooks uh uh
often say they make food becausethey want to make people happy,
and and that's really where thatconnection comes from.
It's not that you need theaccolades, it's that you're
making somebody happy becauseyou've put together something
(17:28):
that it just tastes so good tothem.
SPEAKER_03 (17:31):
Yeah, and I I think that, you know, I think a lot of
it comes from like the fact thatlike, as I said with my family,
it's just like everything kindof always revolved around food.
You know, like I I I have mostlywomen in my family, which is so
funny.
The men all the men all dieearly, and the women are just
constantly there, and they allare just such amazing cooks.
(17:53):
And it's like everyone alwayswants to congregate in the
kitchen.
So it's like everybody's alwaysthere, the women are making all
the food and everything.
And I grew up in thatenvironment, so it's like that
always just reminds me of justlike that that like childhood
wonder and just like feelingreally good, just being around
people that you love, and thatwas always connected with food.
Really, you know, I I reallylove that.
SPEAKER_06 (18:13):
Yeah, I the the have you seen the movie Nanas?
Yes, I actually have.
And it that was all hisrestaurant was born out of his
love for what his grandmotherand his mom were doing and and
how they cooked and how they fedeverybody.
And and I think I don't, I Ican't say it's just Italians,
(18:35):
although, you know, I grew up inan Italian household for the
most part.
It really is.
It's it's all about food was allabout love and family and
gathering together.
You know, uh it just it justfood has a unifying way about
it.
SPEAKER_03 (18:53):
It sure does.
Yeah, yeah, I I totally agreewith that.
And it, you know, and again, myyou know, I thought that for a
while I had escaped like, youknow, the the allure of just
like constantly eating andcooking.
And it's just like it has justcome back into my life full
force with this channel over thepast, you know, six or seven
years.
(19:13):
I just like and I accept it, youknow.
I I love it.
I I really do.
It's it's like, you know what?
If this is my station in life,I'm totally fine with that.
I love to cook, I love sharingit with other people, and you
know, that's fine with me.
SPEAKER_06 (19:26):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
So, you know, this really kindof started for you during the
pandemic with the live cookingshow, and it has grown and grown
and grown.
Share with me how it has grown.
SPEAKER_03 (19:41):
So, you know, so when I first started doing my
cooking channel, like I I grew,I don't want to say like super
rapidly, but it it caught ondefinitely.
People were watching my cookingthing live every week, and you
know, it got it got to a pointwhere I was just like spending
so much time doing it and thatit just kind of like overtook my
(20:02):
ability to keep doing it.
So, so after a while, I justkind of like burnt out with it
where I was just like making somuch content and like really
trying to push the numbers, andthe numbers started kind of
stagnating a little bit, and Ikind of just got in my head a
little bit and kind of got alittle bit nervous to be on
camera again.
Yeah and I kind of tapered offwith it.
And so kind of between like 2021and like 2024, I kind of was off
(20:30):
and on with the channel, and youknow, I don't want to say that I
gave up, but I I kind of gave upon it and and that was that was
a big mistake.
I I really do think that thatwas a big mistake, but it just
didn't seem like people reallywere responding well.
And the the market was so kindof saturated with people that
were doing the same thing that Iwas doing that I kind of felt
(20:50):
like I didn't really haveanything special to offer, you
know, and that yeah, and andthat was really discouraging,
but and I and I I don't feelthat way now.
I, you know, I I did at thetime, but I think that, you
know, through definitely throughlike my wife's encouragement and
everything like that, you know,it's kind of like I would go
through periods where I wasposting every single day.
(21:14):
I was trying to do at least fivedays a week.
So I would make my recipes onMonday, I would release it
Tuesday, and so on and so forth,or I'd do like Saturday or
Sunday, I'd cook all day and I'drecord like four or five
different videos.
And and it kind of burnt me outa little bit.
But I think that the the realreason that it kind of like
petered out for me was that Iwas trying really hard to mimic
(21:39):
what other people were doingthat was working for them, but
it wasn't necessarily workingfor me.
And so I think a lot of mycontent ended up being like not
me on the camera, you know,camera face down over, you know,
over the top of my cookingstation with just me like
dubbing over it later on.
And you know, people did seem tolike that.
(22:00):
Content, but I didn't like thatkind of content, and it just
yeah, it burnt me out really,really quickly.
And so I did take a long break,but then I think in 2023, I kind
of was like, you know,definitely with my my wife's
urging, she's like, you know,you put so much work into this,
and you know, I mean, at thatpoint, I probably had like five
(22:22):
four or five hundred videos, youknow what I mean?
Like I put out so much content,and she was like, you know, you
really like this, like youreally have put so much hard
work into it.
Like you really should pick itback up again.
And so I I started posting againand again, and I actually ended
up getting a I ended up gettingan invite to audition for the
(22:45):
show uh next level chef.
Um wow.
Yeah, with Gordon Ramsey.
So that was kind of like holycow! Yeah, so that was kind of
like my like real like, oh wow,like someone saw something in me
through my content that likethey liked enough to like put me
into this casting.
And I ended up making it to thethird round, I believe.
(23:08):
So like I had to do like a wholelike video interview, kind of
like kind of like this, whereyou know we had to do a video
interview and put together likean audition tape basically.
And unfortunately, I didn't Ididn't get the role.
That kind of would have beenlike a dream role at that point
in time.
Like, I don't know if you'veever seen that show, but uh I
don't think I have.
Oh, it's so stressful.
SPEAKER_06 (23:29):
That's probably why I haven't.
He Gordon Ramsey stresses meout.
I'll watch, I'll watch all sortsof cooking shows, but he
stresses me out.
SPEAKER_03 (23:38):
Yeah, you know, just as a basic overview for the
show, it's like, you know,there's three different levels
in the show, and each level is adifferent kind of kitchen.
So the bottom is like a terriblekitchen, not stocked, terrible
tools, and then the next one islike a medium level, and the top
level is like the cool, youknow, the top end, highest level
French like level kitchen.
And and you get an entire trayof ingredients that starts at
(24:01):
the top and it goes all the wayto the bottom.
So when you're in the worstkitchen, you get the you get the
slim pickings from the top.
So you gotta make a dish.
SPEAKER_06 (24:10):
I think I have I think I've seen an episode or
two.
SPEAKER_03 (24:13):
Yeah, and I was like, you know what?
That's kind of right up my alleybecause a lot of my cooking
content was like fridge dumpdinners and just like, hey, you
have random ingredients lyingaround your house.
This is what I would do withthem.
This is the meal that you canmake.
And so that was kind of likeright up my alley.
And and unfortunately, I Ididn't get, you know, I didn't
get into the show, which, youknow, was totally fine because
(24:35):
it kind of really showed me thatlike, oh, like people actually
do like my content and there issomething there.
And so, since like from thenuntil probably like the
beginning of this year, I wasback again, like posting
content, you know, and I startedto kind of like lean into more
of just like me being on cameraand my personality and kind of
(24:58):
letting it show through a littlebit more instead of trying to be
like what everyone kind of wasdoing and being that cookie
cutter.
SPEAKER_06 (25:04):
And and that's probably why it didn't feel
authentic to you when you weredoing, you know, when you were
cooking up a storm for two daysin a row and filming the food as
opposed to sharing the stagewith the food, because I find
your content hysterically funny.
And uh we'll talk uh about thisa little later, but your your
(25:25):
technical editing and some ofthe sound effects and little
clips that you throw in justmake me laugh out loud while I
am watching your content.
SPEAKER_03 (25:35):
Thank you so much.
I really appre I reallyappreciate that.
I, you know, that's that's kindof like just for me.
You know what I mean?
Like it's like I put that inthere for me, and it's like it's
cool that other people do likeenjoy that because like at the
end of the day, like I now I'mdoing it.
I mean, now I'm doing it morefor everyone to enjoy, but like
in the beginning, it was like noone was watching it.
(25:56):
So it was really just me talkingto myself, you know, and like
doing the little silly uh editsbecause I thought that that was
funny.
So I really appreciate yousaying that because yeah, I do I
do put a lot of thought intothose, but um yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (26:07):
Well, I no worry, and you know what?
I I I totally sympathize withcreating content and going, is
it just for me or is it for forother people?
And anytime I get a review oranytime somebody drops me an
email, it's like, wow, you know,I'm not talking into the abyss.
There's actually peoplelistening.
So yeah, I I I totally get howhow reassuring that is.
SPEAKER_03 (26:32):
Yeah.
And it was, I mean, even so,like just talking about getting
the interview with, you know,the the producers for next level
chef.
When I saw your email, I waslike, what?
This is crazy.
You know, like this the wholething with the reviews has been
absolutely insane.
Because like I said, I startedoff just doing me cooking and
(26:52):
doing that kind of content.
And then I, you know, I've morerecently, like we'll say, like
the end of last year, I startedjust taking suggestions from
people and just like, hey,what's like a nostalgia meal for
you?
Like what like what reminds youof growing up?
And because again, like I had Ias I never thought of it as
interesting, but apparently I'vehad I had an interesting
(27:15):
upbringing.
And a lot of the things that Igrew up enjoying, people are
like, what are you talkingabout?
SPEAKER_06 (27:22):
Like an example.
SPEAKER_03 (27:24):
Oh, have you ever had olive loaf?
SPEAKER_06 (27:27):
Oh, it's like baloney with olives in it.
Yeah, no, I don't even know.
SPEAKER_03 (27:33):
It's literally bologna with Spanish olives into
it.
So it looks like, you know, ifyou have that fear of all the
eyes, like it triggers that likeso badly.
SPEAKER_06 (27:42):
I was gonna say, it used to scare me when I was a
kid.
It was right next to thebaloney.
SPEAKER_03 (27:47):
Yeah, so like I grew up eating that.
My mom loved olive loaf, and soipso facto, I loved olive loaf,
or like, you know, I grew upeating octopus salad, and you
know, so when I, you know, stufflike that.
So it's like when people findout, they're like, ugh, what are
you eating?
And I'm like, what?
You don't like olive and creamcheese sandwiches?
(28:08):
What are you crazy?
People were like, that soundslike an actual nightmare.
And I'm like, oh, okay.
I guess I'm the weird one, butyou know, so stuff like that.
I started sharing things fromlike my childhood.
I'm like, listen, this is mynostalgia meal.
My mom, when I was sick andwasn't feeling good, she'd mix
up cream cheese and sliced upSpanish olives and we'd eat them
(28:29):
together.
And it was just like, that waswhat we ate.
Olive loaf, you know, stuff likethat.
So I just kind of posed thequestion to other people and was
like, hey, what's a nostalgiameal for you?
And I got some, I got some wildones.
I was like, what am I eatingright now?
Balogna salad, which I was like,I was very hesitant to try that
one.
People were posting uh Lebanonbologna, head cheese, like just
(28:55):
these crazy dishes.
So I was like, I was online, I'mordering, you know, these weird
delicacy meats from Pennsylvaniaand getting them delivered to my
house like in the dead heat ofsummer so that I could try them
for people.
And people seem to really likethat content.
And I really liked making it toobecause I feel like, again, like
that's how I connect withpeople.
SPEAKER_06 (29:15):
I was gonna say, it's it's it's the connection.
SPEAKER_03 (29:18):
Yeah, so like that was something that was really
cool to me to like you tell mewhat you like, I'm not gonna
yuck your yum because I'll tryanything.
I truly, I don't know if you seegone on my YouTube or anything,
but like I have a video.
I don't know if you've seen thevideos going around of people
eating Surstroming.
It's it is a rotted fish, yeah.
It's like a rotted fermentedfish from from some you know
(29:41):
Norway or or some uh peoplecan't even open it without
gagging.
It was horrific.
My friends bought it for me on acamping trip.
I'm like, you have to try it,you have to try it.
But again, I'll try anythingtwice.
You know, I always say that.
It's like try anything twice.
If you don't like it the firsttime, try it again, and if you
don't like it the second time,you're probably never gonna like
(30:02):
it, so you can probably give upafter that, you know.
So I tried Surstroming twice,and both times I threw up
everywhere.
So, you know, you know, youknow, so this is there's a video
floating around on YouTube, Ibelieve.
Uh if anyone, you know, ifanyone trigger warning cares to
watch me gag, but you know, thatwas a thing that I tried.
And so that kind of became likewhat my channel was like, you
(30:23):
know, trying all of yoursuggestions.
And I kind of ran out of contentideas in like, let's say, like
January, February.
I was like really reaching.
And my my wife's best friend,and I also say she's my best
friend, shout out Allie, Allieand Ryan, shout out you guys.
Her mother was like, if you likeItalian food, which I know you
do, she's Sicilian, she's whichis okay.
(30:45):
Sicilian is not really Italian.
You heard it here first.
Hey, hey, hey, I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_06 (30:49):
And Calibrace.
SPEAKER_03 (30:51):
Oh, okay, Calibre, we'll give it to you.
Calibre's mainland.
Love to hear it, love to hearit.
Sicilian, as my grandmothersays, that's okay.
But uh, she was like, you haveto try out Alfredo Aiello in
Quincy.
It's right down the street fromyou.
And I'm like, okay, you knowwhat?
I got nothing to do today.
I'm gonna go down there.
I'm gonna try their sandwich.
(31:12):
So I'm like, I just pulled myphone out and was like, well,
you guys told me to try it.
So here I am at Alfredo Aiello.
And that video got like 50,000views in like two weeks.
And I was like, or I mean, inthe first couple of days, it got
like a couple thousand views,and I was like, this is crazy.
And people were like, Oh, youthink that's good?
(31:33):
You need to try Magnosis, whichis again in Quincy, like right
down the street from me.
And so I was like, Okay, I'll gotry Magnosis.
And I was like, Well, whenyou're right, you're right.
I don't know if you I don't knowif you've ever been there, but
they have a massive, massiveItalian.
It's it is a crazy Italian sub.
SPEAKER_06 (31:49):
Yeah, I saw that I saw the video.
That and that's actually how Istumbled upon your content,
because you know, you wereactually at a a sub place right
down the street from where Ilive, and you were reviewing
their Italian sub, and theirItalian sub is my favorite
Italian sub.
SPEAKER_03 (32:09):
Oh, that's subgalley, you were saying,
right?
SPEAKER_06 (32:11):
Yeah, subgalley in Abington.
And, you know, ironicallyenough, it was years ago growing
up.
I grew up in Hingham and then wemoved to Weymouth.
Um, but when I lived in Hingham,there was a place called
Subgalley, no connection to theone in Abington.
Oh, okay.
But it was Subgalley on StationStreet in Hingham, and that was
(32:32):
the first Italian sub I everhad.
So that is, and I think they'reclosed now.
That is the the bar that Imeasure all other Italian subs
by.
And Sub Galley and Abington camethe closest, but I really
enjoyed, I mean, who doesn'tenjoy a good Italian sub?
And and I love that you golocal.
(32:54):
I love the the content, youknow, how you review them.
And it's just so cool becausewho doesn't love a good Italian
sub?
And sometimes if you find yourfavorite and you're not close
enough to get your favorite, youwant some other options that
make, you know, highlyrecommended.
(33:15):
So you know that's how I findyou.
SPEAKER_03 (33:17):
Well, I really, that's really cool.
I love that, I love that I wasright in your backyard.
It's like, you know, it's it'sreally funny just because like
I'm just out and about town, youknow.
My idea was really not to Ididn't have the idea originally
to like bring, you know, bringattention to like local
businesses.
I was just eating subs, but I Ireally wanted to like, you know,
(33:38):
show people the South Shore hadreally good food.
And then I I I kind of had anexperience do like very early on
in doing the reviews, and itkind of really changed my
perspective on what I was doingand kind of the impact that I
was having.
Because like again, like I'mjust some guy, you know what I
mean?
Like, I never thought that thiswould become anything.
(34:00):
You know, I was just doing itfor me, and people seemed like-
Yeah, exactly.
And then, you know, I reviewed asandwich, and and I don't want
to mention the place that it wasbecause I don't want to cause
any beef or anything.
I mean, you can very easilyfigure out what I'm talking
about if you look at my page,but I'm just not gonna, I'm not
gonna name drop.
But I reviewed a sandwich and II reviewed it kind of poorly.
(34:23):
And the response that I got itback from that was like, it was
really intense.
And I wasn't expecting theamount of pushback that I was
gonna get.
Because again, like I don'tthink that my word matters at
this point in time.
And and I still have a hard timethinking that people actually
care about what I have to say.
But and so someone from thefamily reached out and kind of
wrote me this, you know, reallyheartfelt message that was kind
(34:45):
of like, hey, like I know thatyou like you're just trying to
be honest and truthful with yourexperiences, and I can
appreciate that, but you reallyneed to be careful with what you
say because this is like a localfamily business, and like my
family business does a lot forthe community.
They're like such a staple,they've been there for 50, 60
years.
People really love them, and thethings that you say can really
(35:06):
drive business away from theseplaces.
SPEAKER_04 (35:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (35:09):
And and I never really thought, I never really
had that perspective when Ifirst started.
And so I was like, that wasreally like a turning point for
me where it's like, listen, likeI never, my intention was never
to drive business away fromplaces.
In fact, I never even had athought about driving business
to these places.
I was just eating thesandwiches.
(35:30):
But, you know, getting thatmessage kind of like really,
really made me change my tunewhere it's like, okay, that's no
longer the the point is notrating the the sandwiches.
I'm not doing like a this is azero out of 10.
Like, I don't like people thatdo that because again, like I
think that there's like theworld to me is not black and
white.
(35:50):
I'm not a black and whiteperson.
I'm such a gray area personwhere it's like things could two
things can be true at once.
And so I was like, okay, so letme like reevaluate how I'm doing
this.
Like, I want to highlight mypersonal opinions, obviously,
but also like the pros and thecons that I found and let people
decide for themselves.
Like, this is the food.
(36:12):
This is what I got.
I did not, you know, have like apredetermined deal with this
person.
This is what they made, notknowing who I am.
This is what they made, this iswhat you can expect, this is
what I liked about it, this iswhat I didn't like about it.
But at the end of the day, itkind of became like, well, I
want to highlight places thatreally deserve the recognition
(36:33):
in these family local ownedbusinesses.
Like, I never want to be theperson that drives business away
from there.
I want to highlight and support,you know, and that's kind of
like where that transformationhappened was like somebody
really put me in my place, and Iwas like, okay.
SPEAKER_06 (36:48):
Yeah, kind of understanding the power of
media, any honey media.
SPEAKER_03 (36:52):
Yeah, and it's and it really has been this like
crazy, crazy whirlwind.
It's like, and I don't even havethat many followers.
You know what I mean?
It's like, I think I have justover 10,000 on TikTok, and I I'm
just about to hit 5,000 onFacebook, and wow, you know, and
me and my wife are like walkingthrough, you know, the grocery
store, and people have beencoming up to me and being like,
(37:13):
hey, you're that chef guy on theinternet.
I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's me.
Like, this is insane, you know,or like getting recognized when
you go into like a deli andthey're like, hey, you look
familiar.
And I'm like, Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (37:26):
Are you gonna review this?
SPEAKER_03 (37:28):
Yeah, you know, and so that's been that's been been
really crazy and you know, uhlife-changing, I guess, you
know.
It's like, yeah, I never thoughtthat it would become this.
SPEAKER_06 (37:40):
How how have the local businesses?
I mean, once once you kind ofpivoted and you and and yet kind
of understood, even though thisuh this was a fun thing for you,
but you understood the powerthat you actually had to drive
business to or away from thesethese sandwich shops, how how
(38:01):
has your relationship with themchanged, if if at all?
SPEAKER_03 (38:05):
I think that, well, I I don't think that I'm
recognizable enough at thispoint for people to like like
like know who I am right off thebat, but I have actually like
like I started my all-right subof the month club because I
thought that that was cool.
Like I, you know, I'm paying forthis with my own money, first
and foremost.
Like I'm making a little bit ofmoney on on Facebook and and
(38:27):
TikTok now, but a hundredpercent of that goes right back
into the channel.
Like, I'm not like you know, I'mnot sitting here dripping myself
out in diamonds or anything.
Like it's not a lot of money.
I have a full-time job.
So, you know, this isn't my thisisn't really my job.
But I was like, you know what?
If I'm making money, like I wantto give back, and so I'll go
back to some of the businessesthat I thought were like the
(38:48):
best sandwiches or whatever, andI'll buy gift cards, you know,
like$50 gift cards, depending onhow expensive the sandwiches is.
Like I put about a hundreddollars into these contests, and
I give away gift cards at theend of the month and just say,
these are the best.
And so, like when I go back intothe businesses, they're like,
You have no idea.
I recognize you immediately.
(39:08):
And it's been like a few timesnow where people have like
commented and been like, Hey, Iwent to go try to get a sandwich
at XYZ.
The line's out the door.
It's a two-hour wait.
People, you know, I've been in asandwich store, and someone's
like, I recognize you, and threepeople behind me are like, oh my
god, that's the reason I'm here.
And I'm like, That's so funny.
SPEAKER_06 (39:28):
And so I've I've written down a couple places
that you know, you've shown thesandwich.
I'm like, Yeah, I'd really liketo try that someday when I'm
further north of here.
And uh yeah, I mean, I I loveyour content.
I watch it and I'm not surprisedthat other people are doing the
same.
So it's nice to hear that you'rehaving an impact on the local
(39:51):
businesses like that.
And not knowing that earlierstory you shared, I thought,
wow, here's a guy who's who'sputting out content, makes me
laugh, and and I enjoy hiscontent, and he's helping small
local businesses.
So really, really cool.
Have you been able to collab orpartner with any of the the uh
(40:15):
the places that you've thatyou've highlighted?
SPEAKER_03 (40:18):
No, I I no one's like really reached out to me to
do so, and I don't necessarilyknow if I would want to do that,
just in the terms like I don'twant I don't want to be paid to
do reviews for anything becauseI feel like at some point in
time people kind of like arelike you're a sellout or like
one.
(40:38):
Yeah exactly, like I feel likebeholden to like give them a
good review, and I and again,like I said before, like I'm not
I'm not out here to disparagebusinesses, like I'm not gonna
be like, this is disgusting,this is horrible.
Like I would never do that.
That's not the kind of personthat I am.
But I also wouldn't want to likefeel in my head, like, well,
(40:59):
this person paid me, so I kindof have to be more favorable to
them.
But I but again, like I'm opento doing so.
I just would be very honestabout like, hey, like this
person reached out to me andlike this was kind of like a
paid review, or at the veryleast, like, you know, I see a
lot of TikToks where likestruggling businesses were like
reach out to like influencersand be like, hey, you know, do
(41:20):
you mind coming in?
Like, I want to drive somebusiness here.
And I absolutely would not minddoing that because again, the
whole the whole point that thishas become is to highlight local
businesses and to drivebusiness.
Like, I can't even imagine howdifficult it is now to like, you
know, with these razor-thinmargins to begin with, and then
the price of everything justgoing up so crazy.
(41:40):
Like, for these places to likestay in business is already
difficult.
And then also, like, again, likea lot of these places, like the
value that they're bringing topeople with some of these
sandwiches is like insane.
And it's like, I think you'retaking a loss on these.
So that for you to keep yourprices low while keeping the the
quality so high is like, youknow, I really think that this
(42:02):
deserves a highlight.
Like, you know, people need tolike come here and see that, you
know, you don't have to spend,you know, you don't have to
drive into the north end andspend$20 on a sandwich from
Monica's Mercado, you know, toget a good Italian.
You can stay in your hometown.
And a lot of these places,people are like, I live down the
street from this place.
I didn't even know it was there.
And it's like, okay, well,that's you know what?
(42:24):
If that's my mission in life,you know what?
I am totally fine with beingthat person, you know.
SPEAKER_06 (42:29):
Yeah, that's awesome.
That's awesome.
Now, I want to take a like aleft turn here.
Sure.
Because in order to do what youdo, yes, you know, you you cook,
you you know, are out and abouthelping, you know, look get
getting exposure for localbusinesses, enjoying Italian
subs along the way, but there'sa whole technical aspect to this
(42:53):
that I'm sure you must havelearned.
So what was that like?
Because your you your contentisn't just a video with you
talking to the camera.
It's you talking to the camera,it's different camera angles.
Sometimes it's voiceover,sometimes there's special
effects or sound effects orb-roll that you put in there.
(43:14):
And it's like, when did you havethe time to learn all of that on
top of filming and and postingyour content?
SPEAKER_03 (43:24):
Honestly and truly, like most of it has just kind of
been on the fly.
So, like when I first started, Iwas using one of those gigantic
Nikon cameras, like uh one ofthose professional Nikon
cameras, and having to set uplike the tripod and like
learning how to do that, thatwas touch and go.
That was really difficult, andjust kind of like learned by the
(43:44):
seat of my pants on there.
In fact, like my first video,the first video I ever made, I
set up the camera, I was readyto rock, I had everything set
up, I put the camera there, Ipressed record, and I just
froze.
I literally sat there.
There for a good like 15, 20, 30seconds.
I couldn't even speak.
(44:05):
I went over, I turned the cameraoff, and I went and cried in a
corner for three days.
I literally, it, it literallysent me into the blackest of
holes.
I was like, I'm not a shyperson.
I, you know what I mean?
Like, I don't, I'm not shy.
I'll I'll cut it up with thebest of them.
And I turned that camera on andI froze.
And it's like that was like sucha hard hurdle to get through.
(44:27):
People don't realize howdifficult it is talking to a
camera that someone's not on theback end of.
You know what I mean?
I'm really glad that this wason, you know, audio for everyone
else, but video for you and me,so we can actually have the
conversation.
But you know, talking to thelike learning to talk to the
camera was actually the firsttechnical hurdle, is even how to
be on camera.
And I think a lot of peopledon't realize how difficult that
(44:49):
is.
And you know, I'm not sayinglike, and it's on it's so easy
now, like blah, blah, blah.
But like over time you you learnhow to do that stuff, you get
used to it.
And then kind of back going backto the technical aspect, it was
like, you know, I already, I'msomeone who's really good with
computers.
Like, I, you know, I jokinglysay to my wife that I'm the
greatest IT troubleshooterthat's ever lived because I am,
(45:09):
and I will pat myself on theback for that.
You know, I I build computers,you know, I do a lot of IT
troubleshooting on those, youknow, software, hardware, stuff
like that.
When I first started, I got aMacBook or a Mac computer, and I
was using, I forget whatthey're, I forget what they're,
it's like movie maker orsomething like that.
(45:30):
Their editing software.
iMovie, there you go.
I started using iMovie, and thatwas kind of where I started to
learn how to actually editvideos and like work with a
timeline and stuff like that.
And then from there it was kindof like learning how to like cut
in sound effects and and kind oflike where like how to like
(45:51):
overlap videos and and do likeuh transitions and stuff like
that.
So it was a hundred percentself-taught.
I probably watched a few YouTubevideos, but I'm kind of like a
learn to do by doing kind ofperson.
I always have been.
So it was kind of likeeverything was learned the hard
way, you know?
It was like just try, just trialand error.
And so like my first few videos,just like everybody, were like
(46:14):
awful.
And then in 2021, I want to say,I was just using the editing
software on TikTok because thatwas pretty intuitive and it was
pretty easy to use, but it wasit was pretty limited in what
you could do.
SPEAKER_06 (46:30):
And then you can't use that on a computer, can you?
It's it's gonna be done on yourphone.
SPEAKER_03 (46:35):
You can now.
I believe you can now, but beingable to do it from your phone is
like such a major advantagebecause you don't have to worry
about like transferring content.
So like everything I have Irecord is on my phone.
So having to like somehow get itfrom my phone onto a memory card
(46:55):
and then onto a computer,because like I mostly use
Windows.
So getting like iPhone video tolike keep its quality and then
move it to a Windows PC, notreally very easy.
So I actually do all of my videoediting from an app called Cap
Cut on my phone.
SPEAKER_06 (47:13):
Okay.
I can't see I have a I I have aproblem doing anything on my
phone because I need glasses.
Sometimes the glasses don't makethings big enough.
SPEAKER_03 (47:24):
Yeah, and no, I mean the phone is very small.
Like if I if I had like an iPador something, it would probably
be a lot easier to edit videos,but yeah, you know, it takes me
it takes me about three hours toedit one of my videos.
I I usually go from like 20minutes of recording to about
four and a half minutes.
I try to keep it under four anda half because people don't have
(47:44):
an attention span on like onlike TikTok and stuff like that.
So, but you know, again, youknow, come yeah, a very, very
early callback to what we weresaying is like my audience is
mostly people of like my age orolder.
And I have fully leaned intothat because we still have
attention spans and can watch afour-minute video.
(48:05):
You know what I mean?
People actually, and I love thatbecause it's like I was always
trying to cut my videos downfrom like 20 minutes to 30
seconds or to one minute, and itwas like you just can't do the
same amount of like, I don'teven know, like you can't do the
same level of content in oneminute that you can in four.
So, you know, so learning how tolike pick the best parts of a
(48:29):
video and like slice them downto like 30 seconds to a minute,
that really helped me withmaking longer form content
because you know, when you'rehaving to condense something so
large into something so small,it and then going from something
so small to something a littlebit larger, it like it really
allows you to have like a littlebit more freer creativity and to
(48:50):
be able to still have that kindof focused, concentrated
content, but also like give it alittle bit more personality or
you know, give it a little bitmore like view into like who you
are as a person, which doesn'treally come across when you only
have 30 seconds.
Right.
SPEAKER_06 (49:05):
You know, yeah.
No, you do you do a great jobwith it.
Like I said, your videos, someof them have made me laugh out
loud.
So where do you see Mr.
Alright Chef going from here?
SPEAKER_03 (49:20):
You know, that's honestly a great question
because like I feel like I'mlike still so in the moment of
like really just like figuringout like what works and what
doesn't work that I haven'treally looked too much in the
future.
I mean, my list, first of all,my list for places to go is
ludicrous.
SPEAKER_06 (49:41):
I mean, I you know, I know just for the Italian
subs.
SPEAKER_03 (49:44):
I, you know, I know people can't see this video, but
like the list is just Wow, it isoh, that's it keeps going.
This is the list.
SPEAKER_06 (49:53):
Is that all for Italian subs or just go in and
try this specific sandwich?
SPEAKER_03 (49:58):
So half of it is just for Italian subs, and then
the other half is like peoplehave been like, hey, you need to
try the shrimp dumplings fromCostco.
You know, it's like, okay, sure,like whatever, you know.
But I but something that I Ireally like is like I love when
people give suggestions becauseit really gives you a chance to
like connect with the audienceand be like, okay, so like for
(50:19):
example, somebody, somebodyrecently just, or somebody who
like one of my like constantcommenters is a guy named Joe
Palmer and or Joe De Palmer, andI just like love his comments
because it's always the same.
It's like, where's the beef?
Where's the beef?
And I'm just like, so now myvideos, I'm like, well, this is
(50:39):
this gets the Joe Palmer Awardfor where's the beef, you know,
like whatever.
Like, or when people like peoplelike comment and like one guy
shout out Ross Scheinheit,commented on every single one of
my videos and was like, you needto go to Moniker's Mercado in
the north end.
So I'm like, I can like connectwith the audience in that way
and be like, hey Ross, I'm hereat Monica's Mercado in the north
(50:59):
end of Boston for you.
Yeah, exactly.
You know, you know, so I I I Ilove doing that.
I like I love the suggestionsthat people give me because it's
like not only does it give me achance to make more content, but
it allows me to like connectwith the audience in that way
that it's like, hey, this one'sfor you, specific person.
I also want to grow things.
Like, I again, like I'm I'm apeople person, so I was kind of
(51:21):
thinking, you know, I have afriend of mine who used to be
one of the tour guides forBoston.
They used to do like the FreedomTrail and like the um like the
North End tours.
Yeah.
And he is another person who'sjust like so funny and just like
truly somebody who just likeloves to entertain and he's
great.
And there's a lot of great foodin the North End.
So I'm thinking maybe like maybesomehow we can do like a food
(51:45):
tour where I get to like me,like, you know, maybe partner
with him, and then the two of usget to like, you know, meet with
people and and actually meetsome of the fans and you know,
get to share food with peoplebecause again, I love to share
the experience and I love toshare the food with people.
You know, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_06 (52:03):
Having an Italian sub in the north end with uh Mr.
All right Chef, are you kiddingme?
SPEAKER_03 (52:08):
I'm signing up.
So I think that that would besomething fun to do, you know.
Even you know, even if it's aone-off, you know.
I, you know, what listen, one ofmy favorite comedians of all
time, he used to do the bustours in New York City.
And after he became famous, hewent back and did like a few bus
tours where people paid ticketsto like go hang out with him and
do the bus tours, but him as acomedian and not an actual bus
(52:31):
tour guy, so it was like a bigjoke.
And I've always that's alwaysstuck with me is like, that
would be s I wish I could havedone that with him, but I also
would like love to be able to dothat with other people because I
a lot of people have been like,hey, next time you're at this
place, like let me know.
Like I'll I'll meet up here.
The sub's on, yeah, the sub's onme.
And it's like, I don't know you,so I don't know if you're gonna
(52:53):
like you know, skin me and hangme on your wall, but I also want
to connect with the fans andlike you know, get a sub with
you.
So like I think that a groupsetting would be a lot better
than you know, like aone-on-one, but yeah, you know,
walking through the north endand you know, grabbing some
sandwiches or whatever.
Like, I you know, I don't knowwhat exactly it would look like,
but maybe something like that,you know, something that has
like that personal touch becauseagain, like that's my bread and
(53:14):
butter is like the personaltouch.
SPEAKER_06 (53:16):
Right.
Oh, so so fun.
So fun.
Joe, I can't thank you enoughfor all your time.
One last thing.
Where can folks follow alongwith you online?
Where can they find you to checkout your content?
SPEAKER_03 (53:30):
Yeah, definitely.
So you can find me on Facebook,TikTok, and YouTube as the
Allright Chef or Facebook is Mr.
Allright Chef.
My Instagram is the all rightunderscore chef, but it's all
the same.
If you just search me up overthere, you can find me on any of
those platforms.
I post every Monday, Wednesday,and Friday is on my video
reviews.
(53:50):
And Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Ipost like a little teaser
trailer, you know, a littlephoto, a little photo review for
people to kind of get a teaserof what's coming for the videos.
So I'm posting, I'm postingpretty much every day.
So if you follow any of thosepages, you're gonna get all of
my content.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_06 (54:09):
Great.
Well, Joe, again, thank you somuch.
I have had so much fun talkingto you.
The the time has flown.
SPEAKER_03 (54:16):
It truly has.
I it has been a greatconversation, Alan.
I really want to thank youpersonally for inviting me on
this podcast, my first podcastever.
This has been a lot of fun.
I was a little nervous at first,but you know, you made me feel
really welcome and reallycomfortable.
And I just want to say thank youas well for even reaching out.
That was really the coolestthing that's happened to me in
the past month or so.
SPEAKER_06 (54:39):
What a down-to-earth, fun guy to have a
conversation with.
Some of my favorite nuggets frommy conversation with Joe.
The connection he has withcreating good food and being
with people he loves.
So many nationalities share thephilosophy that food is love and
(55:01):
kitchens are for congregating.
I also found it interesting howwe learned the value of his
voice.
I can completely identify withnot really thinking what you say
is earth-shattering.
It's just your own ramblings.
But then discovering what youput out into the universe has
power and can affect others.
(55:23):
He is continuing to evolvethrough his content, and I hope
he can turn his future directionwith subtours of the North End
into a reality.
Jump down to the show notes tofollow Joe and check out his
content, whether you livelocally or not.
Now, if you're not local toMassachusetts, don't sleep on
(55:45):
the local food creators fromyour area and beyond.
You will no doubt find some newplaces to try at home, and you
can start building a list ofplaces to try whenever you're
traveling.
Follow Joe, you will mostdefinitely be covered for
Southern Massachusetts.
As always, thanks for listeningand I'll see you in two weeks.
Popular Podcasts
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com