Ever wondered what it's like to work under the relentless glare of Michelin stars? Brace yourself for a whirlwind odyssey into the world of gastronomic gladiators as we converse with the indomitable Melissa Firpo. With a culinary career spanning a formidable 25 years, Melissa peels back layers of the kitchen's steaming facade to expose the grit and perseverance that fuel her journey—from commanding Michelin-starred bastions to pioneering her gourmet deli.
Melissa also talks about the truth behind being a contestant on Gordon Ramsay's Hells Kitchen reality tv show.
We navigate the labyrinth of kitchen hierarchy, where the heat isn't just from the stoves but the crucible of competition and the quest for respect in a male-dominated arena. Melissa reveals the psychological battlefront of reality cooking shows, where chefs blend their finesse with fortitude to outlast the on-screen frenzy. The conversation cooks up a storm as we probe into how these experiences mold the culinary prowess needed to craft meals that are not just nourishing for the body but also for the soul, underlining the significance of a balanced life for all high-fliers, particularly entrepreneurs.
As the conversation simmers down, we serve a final course of wisdom on establishing a sustainable and health-oriented lifestyle. Learn how tailored nutrition and exercise can be as crucial to a chef's recipe for success as the finest ingredients are to their dishes. Melissa's insights into personalized chef services unravel the artistry of meeting diverse client diets with the same dedication one offers their own family. So, tie your apron strings and join us for a heart-to-heart that goes beyond the pass, proving that whether you're dishing out culinary masterpieces or stirring up your business, the secret ingredient is always a dash of intention and a spoonful of passion.
Follow Melissa Firpo on tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@healthychef1
Network with other entrepreneurs and get access to monthly free live trainings: https://bit.ly/38w3VNi
Download our free Podcast Gear Guide: http://www.LaunchMyPodcastShow.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The show is about to start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
This is, don't Fear, great withWabtower, mina, marketing
strategies and advertisingtechnologies to help you build a
(00:22):
better business.
Hey guys, and welcome back toDFG, the only show that matters
on all of the interweb, andwe've got a really special guest
in studio.
We've got a friend, an oldfriend actually.
I've known you for a while,melissa Furpo.
How are you doing?
Good, how are you?
I am doing well.
Thanks for coming out here, Iguess.
Just give everyone some context, let them know who you are sort
(00:43):
of like, what you're an expertin, and we're going to be
talking about some of thecelebrity stuff that she's been
involved with.
Hopefully, that's okay.
I'm going to put you on the hotseat, if that's all right.
I love the hot seat.
There's nowhere else.
I'd rather be Awesome, awesome.
So go ahead, melissa.
Let them know who you are andwhat you're doing.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Okay so, chef of like 25 years, personal chef now,
worked in restaurants for yearshealth coach a little bit, help
people at the gym a little bitthere, and that's basically what
I do.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Yeah, cooking, cooking, yeah, you live a pretty
cool life, you do a lot ofreally cool things and since
I've known you, you've been likethe chef, right?
Yes, so you grew up on mywife's court, right?
The famous court.
I didn't mention it just incase all of our lovely friends
there don't want to remainanonymous.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
They'll knock at their doors next week Exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
But you were always known as the chef, right From an
early on, like that was yourcareer path.
Right, you went to school.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Yeah, I went to culinary school at the time got
an associate's degree, was aculinary teacher in Manhattan on
14th and 7th yeah, so I've beendoing it for years.
I worked in Manhattan all theMichelin star restaurants.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
And then worked on the islands with a bunch of
Scattle Brothers, Bolsons, allthe big names on the island, oh,
my Own Gourmet Deli for years.
So it's a ton of experiencehere, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Okay, so the restaurant world is known as
being a high stress environment.
Not everyone is cut out to be achef in a restaurant.
I know a lot of people are like, oh, I want to be a chef
Because they know, like vers thehours and the hostility.
People like, oh, I didn't knowit was not just cooking, right,
right, right.
So tell us a little bit forthose that are not familiar with
(02:34):
the sort of like the back endworld, like the secret behind
the door curtain stuff, likelet's peel it off for a second.
Let people know, like, whatgoes on in that kitchen of a
restaurant to make everything asgood as it is on the floor.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
I think it does depend on what, if you want to
say caliber kitchen you'reworking in.
So a Michelin star kitchen isgoing to be different than if
you're working at the diner orif you're working at a local mom
and pop type restaurant.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
You know, it depends yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
But basically it's about 121 hour weeks that I
worked weekends, all weekends,all holidays, and it's hot.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Is it really?
Oh boy, is it hot.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I think my thermometer would go up to about
165 degrees, so there, is oh mygosh.
So there is a learning curvethere, I guess a heat
acclimation curve there.
When you see somebody that'snew or for instance, you would
get culinary students to come inand do their hours, you know me
and the guys would, we'd lookat, be July, be about 130 at 9am
(03:36):
in the morning, and you knowyou see Regretting all life
choices, right, and then you seethe person to start to, you see
it's a glaze.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Oh, is that right?
And they start to zone.
Oh, my gosh.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
And they're like all right, get them the ice.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Right, get them some water.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Get a towel around their neck and a picture of what
you know.
It's crazy.
There's no breaks there's nolunch break.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
There's no benefits.
Health benefits there's no.
You know you're running andyou're in charge of your station
.
So in Michelin Star restaurantsyou know what you have to do.
You get in at the appropriatetime to get it done.
You ask how many covers thereare that night.
Or they're 200, or they're 400.
You prep what you have to prepout, as much as you have to or
(04:15):
as much as in the walk-in, andthen dinner service starts at
you know seven.
And then in the Michelin Starrestaurants at least when I
worked in them there are nodupes.
You know the machines with thetickets.
You have a crazy European chefstanding there ordering you know
five egg roll, followed by youknow one steak, one medium, one
medium rare, followed by two,and you got to keep track of it.
(04:36):
And if you don't, you runaround the front with a marker
and go and keep.
It's all on you.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
So it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
So why on earth would you ever want to do that?
That sounds awful.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
You know what it was like there are no women.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Okay, I worked with one woman.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I worked with one girl In the 25 years.
It's all men.
So I think you know you don'tsee you start off easy.
You start off in salads.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
They don't put you on meat and fish in the beginning.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So I don't know, I think for me it was a challenge.
It was kind of like all thesemen standing there.
And why aren't there anyone you?
Know, women were in pastry,where it doesn't get hot, it's,
you know it's like a heartsurgeon.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
You didn't want that.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
No, I didn't.
Yeah, it was too precise.
If it's off, it doesn't rise.
It doesn't, oh, please I can'tstand anything, you know where,
me if it doesn't taste right, Ican fix it.
There's always something Icould do it's more creative I
feel like on that end where thepastry is more decorative.
I don't want to decorate it.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I got you All right.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So it I just, I don't know.
I just liked it.
I wasn't scared of it.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Okay, scared of the cooking, and you weren't scared
of the environment, you weren'tscared of the pressure.
Being the only woman in thatspace, you didn't mind any of
that.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
No, because after you showed me what to do, I was the
best one in there.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
So I got jobs, whatever job I wanted After I
got you All right.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
So let's let's talk about something here.
You know you were on a prettyfamous show, right?
Are you allowed to talk aboutit?
That's okay, all right.
So you were on Gordon GordonRamsay's show, right?
Hell's Kitchen, yeah, seasonthree, season three, so one of
the earlier seasons.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Years ago.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
And I know we've talked off camera about your
experience there, but I wanteveryone to be able to hear
about your experience, like fromthe very beginning to the end,
because I think it's number one.
It's not what people think now,right, but does he actually
yell at you, yes, so, all right,so that's real, yes, okay, so
he's really screaming at youguys, oh yeah.
Okay, and then like the peoplethat you're cooking to try to
(06:48):
advance in the show like, arethey genuinely like nervous when
he's around?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
I think they are, but I think it.
See, I think if you worked inkitchens and you have a history
of that, truly have a history ofthat, you're used to the
yelling.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Oh, interesting.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Because that's all there is in kitchens.
If you do something wrong, forinstance in a kitchen, european
chefs, they just are not that,they're crazy.
They have their own way, theywant to done their own way.
So, for instance, let's say achef told you, take this fork,
put it down on the table here,then pick it up five minutes
later and put it down here.
(07:23):
And then pick it up fiveminutes later and put it down
there.
Don't ask questions.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Yeah, okay Just do it .
Right, okay, so then in anatural kitchen.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
You're going to get yelled at because your way is
not better than the chef's way,don't pick up the fork and just
go put it over there, eventhough you could don't do it.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
But I would imagine that a lot of people are still
arrogant about that stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
And then they get yelled at and they get thrown
out of the kitchen.
Don't talk, don't answer back.
It's yes, chef, and that's itall day.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
So, in that environment, though, you have to
be confident, right, butthere's a difference between
confidence and arrogance,absolutely Right, and I think
you know, because I think yourexperience is really good for a
lot of people that watch andlisten to this show, because I
don't think anyone is going tobe in as hostile and stressful
as an environment as you arewhen you're in a restaurant,
right, so I think a lot ofpeople can learn from this.
(08:14):
You know what is thatdifference between confidence
and arrogance?
How do you balance the two?
How do you lead Like?
You're in a tough position,right, elephant in the room,
you're a woman in sort of akitchen where there's a lot of
men, so you're already workingagainst that in a way, right,
and now now, on top of it,you're in an environment where
it's so hostile as well.
(08:35):
So how do you make your voiceknown without coming across as
arrogant?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
In kitchens.
I don't think you need.
I think that's the difference.
I don't think you need to haveyour voice known, I think you
just need.
You're there, what station areyou on, and do it.
You have to learn not to you.
Don't speak in kitchens.
The chef tells you oh doactually.
Yes, chef, if you do it all itcomes out pristine.
You're on top of the game Withthe men in the kitchen.
(09:03):
You know, I used to have tocarry up 25 pound bags of flour
from the basement becausetypically in Manhattan
everything's in the basement andthe restaurant's up here.
So you're up down, up down.
Once the men see you carry ittwo or three times or you get
cut and you start bleeding andyou're not crying or you're not
fainting at 160 degrees, theyall gain a level of respect for
(09:25):
you.
Before that point in time, youdo have to prove yourself.
If you don't want to and it'snot for you get out of the
kitchen.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
That's actually like a meme right there.
It's too hot, it's like can'ttake the heat.
Get out of the kitchen.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
We're going to clip that one.
That's great.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
But once they say, oh look, she's trucking up a 25
pound bag of flour.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
You earn their respect.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
You earn respect and then you never have to pick up.
I never had to pick up anotherbag of flour.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Nothing They'll be like.
In fact, they would get thingsfor me.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Oh my God, Melissa, I know you needed the chicken.
I was down there.
I got you the 40 pounds ofchicken you needed to fillet.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Right, because you earned it, you earned it.
Interesting.
Same with the chef.
Yeah, that's really good advice.
You shut up, do your job.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
You can't be the type of person that's going to
listen.
Shut up, do your job.
You'll get moved up when you'rea sous chef.
Then you get more respect.
You could speak more.
If that's not for you, get outof the kitchen.
You're not going to do well.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Right.
So was there ever a time thatyou don't have to name the
restaurant if you don't want todo?
Or the environment?
Was there ever time?
Nowhere you were like this is alot.
This is getting to the pointwhere it might be too much.
This is not the environment Iwant to be in.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
No.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Really so you were really jazzed about this stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I just was good at it yeah.
And I kept moving up and I keptmaking more money back then.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
That's a motivator, I guess.
Yeah, money was always amotivator.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
So I and then I was able to work at any restaurant I
wanted.
Wow, Not many people could saythat.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, I just excelled at it.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
So I kept with it.
It wasn't daunting to me.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Yes, so tell us a story how you got on the show.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
That's funny.
So my mother was watchingHell's Kitchen and I would come
out on weekends and she'd belike you got to see this new
show because reality TV didn'texist.
And I would watch it and saysomething's wrong.
This just doesn't happen in thereal world.
Different things.
And then I was applying forGordon Ramsay's new restaurant,
(11:27):
london, nyc, on Craigslist andright underneath it said apply
for Hell's Kitchen, the TV showand I said oh, whatever, and I
don't know why.
I sent my resume.
It was a click of a button,yeah, but I did.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Because it was easy.
It was easy.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
If you would have said to me when you send this
you're going to be on the show,I would have never sent it,
Really.
I don't want to be on the show.
No, because it looked likesomething was just off.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Oh, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
And like why do I want to be on a cooking show?
I'm cooking in Boullet or DavidBirkin Donut, I'm at the top of
the top.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Why do I?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Well, on that subject real quick.
So what was, back then, thereputation that Gordon Ramsay's
TV show had amongst like legitchefs?
Were they like no, I'm nottouching that, I have too much
pride, I'm a purist or did ithave a good reputation?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I don't think the reality TV game was out long
enough to even have that opinion.
Yet Now a lot of chefs wouldhave that opinion.
It's been out, but it was brandnew.
So, really what it was doingwas showing the outside world a
glimpse of what it was like tobe in the back of a restaurant,
(12:34):
because all that yelling andscreaming is true, that does
happen all day long.
That's all that happens withEuropean chefs Absolutely they
scream.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
So there are chefs that are screaming it's wrong,
like his famous line.
I'm just saying Really.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Oh, screaming all day long, sometimes like remember,
peanuts won't want yeah.
No you just get if they'readdressing you.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
What do you want?
Speaker 1 (12:56):
A hot plate something right, just get to the point,
right.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And then the rest becomes noise.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Wow.
If not, I don't know how you'dwork.
So you develop this skill ofbeing able to tune a lot of that
other stuff out and justzeroing in on what I need to do,
screaming at two or three otherpeople.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I got to keep going.
Yeah, I can't be involved.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, yeah, that building that level of like
resilience is huge, I wouldimagine.
All right.
So you applied to the show, notthinking that you're going to
get in you didn't even reallywant to but because of how easy
it was, you applied to the show.
And then what happens next?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
They called me for an interview.
Twin Talent and Agency calledme into Manhattan, skipped all
the lines, all the mishmash.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
When you say lines like how long was this line.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Well, when they called me, they're like we want
to interview you for the show Iactually was away on vacation in
Arizona.
I'm like who is this?
I forgot that I even sent in.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
You're kidding, I forgot about it.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Oh my gosh, it must have been two months later, a
month later.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I go well, I'm not waiting on any line, like I
don't want to be on the show,like I'm not, you know what's
the process, and they're like no, no, no, don't worry, we're an
agency, you're just going tocome to this address.
I already lived in the city.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And then I went, made an appointment, went and there
was like four or five city blockfilled with people.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Oh my gosh, waiting.
So was that like when youpulled up and you see this?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
They said just walk up the stoop and pass all the
lines and give the guy your name, like a club.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
You must have felt pretty good, though you get to
bypass that whole line, right I?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
would have walked away.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Really.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
There's no way, I was waiting for that.
It's not something you know.
These people wanted to be onthe show.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I didn't necessarily want to be on the show I gotcha,
okay, all right, so you bypassthe lines.
You go into this building rightand they interviewed.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
They said okay, we've got to make a videotape for Fox
.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
So they did a taping immediately.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
And they interviewed me.
Never saw a knife skill.
Looked at my resume.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
But what were they taping then?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
They were just taping .
Where did you work?
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Really.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Yeah, that type of thing.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
What's your experience Interesting?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
How long have you been doing it?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Nothing about cooking , I never picked up a knife.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
The whole interview process.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Not once.
So they never learned whetheror not you actually could cook.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
No, I'm gonna say it's based on looks and
personality.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
On how they want the cast to end up.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Really, that's my opinion.
Okay, so the nuttier you are orthe pretty you are, that's like
your golden then.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I would imagine so, or?
If you're maybe a meek.
They would like a meek.
You know they wanna mix it up.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I see, I see, okay, but if you're just like run of
the mill average individual, youdon't have a chance.
I don't think so.
Okay, I think we justdisappointed a whole lot of
people.
But yeah, that's the truth.
And though I mean for thatreality show for that they were
in awe.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
You know, I believe I came into the interview myself.
I had a skull necklace on atthe time.
I had a crop top, I had cargoarmy, you know, with khaki pants
.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Did you intentionally try to dress for this interview
Like, oh, I know, I'm gonnawear this, I'm gonna wear that.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I guess just like I would if I had a day off.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
So it was just you.
You just showed up as you.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Black heels you know my.
Gucci bag, my hair, my makeupand they're, like you, working
kitchens.
But I would get that anyway bythe chefs.
The chefs would laugh at mewhen.
I came for interviews.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Right, they probably didn't believe you, right.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
No, I hand the rest of the day and they'd look.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
And I'd be like that's why I'm surprised that
they didn't ask you to cook.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Well, the chefs do They'll say come in Saturday
night at six and stodge Stodgewould be coming for free and let
me see what you can do.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Oh, interesting, full stodging, stodging so that's an
industry term.
Yeah, so if I wanna ever try toget a free meal in a restaurant
, I could be like I'm here forthe stodging.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
You will.
The chef would be like, yeah,come stodge.
Really but then you'd have tocook in the back.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
That's very cool, you know, I can fake it till.
I make it.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Yeah, I can fake it.
I don't know.
It's crazy.
And they ask you to go on theline not ever seeing the menu.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Really.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
So you gotta take the menu.
I used to take the menu,depending what station they put
it, you would study itbeforehand.
Well, you don't get to study it, but they'll be like you're
gonna be on fish tonight.
Go work with Rob on fish.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Oh my gosh okay.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
So I'd be like hi, rob, I'm Melissa.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Let me see what's on your station.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Show me, I'd write it down.
Fish, chili, lime salt,tricolor cauliflower truffle oil
.
Okay, I'd write it down.
I'd write it down when it'scold I know what's going on, I
gotcha.
And you just have to wing it.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Really, oh geez.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I thought that they either hired you or didn't.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Okay, but they didn't do that for this show for
Gordon Ransby.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
No, you never cooked one thing.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Okay, so they're talking to you, they're
recording you as they're havingthis conversation with you and
they send it into Fox.
And they just send that intoFox.
Yep, okay, so they sent thisparticular tape into Fox.
You leave that building.
What are you thinking in thismoment?
Are you thinking?
Speaker 2 (17:52):
oh, I got this in the bag.
I tell you, I'll be in contactwith you within a month.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Really.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Okay.
So they say we're gonna be incontact with you in a month, you
walk away.
Are you thinking that they'restill gonna actually call?
No, you're not at this point.
No, you're like, oh, this wasfun, I got to come in, whatever,
right?
Okay, so the call does come in.
Oh, it does, it does.
So let's take it from there now.
So the call comes in.
Mm-hmm, right, and tell us theylike you they liked you,
(18:20):
production liked you.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I believe I'm probably saying this out of
order because it was so long ago, but next was some
psychological testing.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Really yeah.
How would they do that?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Where I went to actually take it if it was
online or I physically had to goto a place, I forget, but I
remember I believe them tellingme it was the police test to
learn your personality type and,I guess, to make sure that
you're not insane and you're notgonna take these knives and go
stab some of them on set andstab someone.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Yeah, on set, you know.
Oh, geez, all right.
So they where they are lookingfor some physical traits, they
are at least trying to filtersome people out that would be
harmful to others.
Okay, all right, so you gothrough the psychological
training.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
And I guess they have to make sure what kind of
personality trait you have,because you could walk up to
Ramsey, I mean as a male orfemale, and punch them clear in
the jaw.
I mean you have to, you know.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Receiving that type of abuse.
That's actually a good point.
Now let's just let's go therefor a second before you continue
.
I would imagine there has to becrazy security there because
Gordon Ramsey on the show.
He's cursing, he's threatening,he's really nasty and that
boils people a little bit and Iwould imagine that's a stressful
environment that is dangerous.
There must be security for himthere.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
I would.
I know there were ambulances onsite that we never saw.
I would say there's about 200crew hiding behind the walls
that you never see besides thecameramen.
But by the point in time thatyou get to that and you're the
12 left, I think they have aclear view on who you are and
(20:04):
that you're not going to do that.
I think that's productions jobway before, because there are
tons of interviews.
There were even interviews with, let's say, Gordon Ramsey.
Came up to you and screamedthis close to you in your face,
what would you do?
You know there was extensiveinterviewing process.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
So do you feel like that, going into the taping now,
the actual show that the crewproduction psychological stuff,
were you prepared for thatenvironment?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I was, because it seemed to me like it was like
any other kitchen besides.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Oh, so it was familiar to you.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
It was familiar.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Okay, I got you the.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Yallings familiar.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
And I felt safe with.
I have to say, I felt safe withthe whole cast that ended up
with you.
I didn't fear anybody was crazy.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Yeah, yeah, all right , so you're now.
So you got the call that.
They said, yes, we like youright At that point in time.
What was the next steps thatthey outlined for you?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Those interviews, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
So it's lots of interviews.
Yeah, so it wasn't just one.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
No no.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Oh my goodness, it was quite blood work.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
I guess to make sure that you didn't have any
diseases or anything that werehappy.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
So medical evaluations, psychological
evaluations, holy cow, just tobe on the show yeah.
Geez okay.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
And then you had to fly out and I don't remember was
it in New York or LA.
You had to have a full blowninterview with the producers of
Fox on like a set stage.
That was intimidating.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Really.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
And if you couldn't, if you froze or couldn't get
through it, you didn't getpicked.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
I gotcha.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
I think I was on.
My mouth has never been so dry,am I?
So you were a little nervous ohmy God beyond.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Oh really.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
But I just focused on what they were asking me Okay,
I went with it, you did.
Yeah, you have to be personable.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
You can't freeze on TV.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
No, no, no, no.
All right, so you get throughall of these.
This is like, I don't know,becoming like an FBI agent.
Yeah, months, it's like youmust've been thinking at some
point in time like what on eartham I doing?
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Oh my, God, I was like I can't.
I was like ma really, youwatched this the only reason why
I applied.
So after that they flew you toLA.
There were 20, then there were15, and then you got picked.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Wow, all right, so you made the 15, you made the
cut, and then they do.
They make you like sign likecrazy, non-disclosures, secrecy,
stuff, like what is that like?
Speaker 2 (22:33):
When you were down to the 12, I believe, they handed
out your contract because youwere picked and they said you
had 48 hours, I believe, to signit.
Everybody, of course, wassigning it at the table and me,
I'm not signing that.
I don't know what's in there.
It was thick, really thick.
So I was like, do you have afax?
And they're like, yeah, butit's a dollar 50 a page.
I don't care how much it is apage.
(22:54):
I faxed it to my lawyer andthen, once he explained it to me
, then, I signed it.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Wow, okay, so you sign this contract that, even
though the show makes probablyhundreds of millions, they make
you pay a dollar 50 a page,which is ridiculous if you think
about it right.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Ridiculous, but I paid it.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I think, yeah, Of course, yeah, so all right.
So you signed the contract Atthis point in time, have you met
the other people on the show,the other contestants, yet?
Speaker 2 (23:21):
You met.
You meet them on set the day oftape.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Really.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Yeah, when they fly you to LA you're in a separate
hotel room and you're notallowed out.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Really.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Yeah, you become like a person.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
It's like you're kidnapped.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Yeah, you become kidnapped.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I mean, I wasn't tortured.
They brought you room service.
They let you for a half hour.
You were allowed out of theroom.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I went to the gym, so it's like jail.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Yeah, kind of.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Okay, so you're in cooking jail, and so you're
getting your half hour ofpersonal time, I guess.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Blindfold, you put you in a car.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Oh, that's real.
Like they legit blindfolded, soyou have no idea where you're
going now.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
No, they put you in a car.
Oh my gosh With otherblindfolded contestants I
believe two or three were in thecar with me Are you talking, so
we could talk, yep, but wecan't see each other, okay.
And then you arrive at yourdestination and they unblindfold
you and you're on set.
It's like a Home Depot turnedinto a set.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Okay, like this big warehouse Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
But it doesn't look like a warehouse.
You know it's got a door.
It looks like a restaurant whenyou pull up to it.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
But in an industrial park.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
I got you, so at this point now you're a hostage.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
They take away your phone.
Oh my gosh your wallet.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
No wonder there's all these psychological and medical
evaluations, because they'reputting you in an environment
that you have like legitimate,like FBI and Secret Service
agents, that you have to gothrough this just in case you're
a hostage somewhere.
And now it sounds like you area chef hostage.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
You cook with them.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Right, okay On camera , but you have to do it on
camera.
Oh wow, okay, that's in thecontract.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Really yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Okay, so once you sign that contract, whatever
happens from you walking intoyou, leaving they own you.
Yeah, oh, geez.
Okay, all right, so theyblindfold you.
It's unveiled, you get to walkin.
You see this place right, and Ibelieve how the show starts up.
Oh, no, well, no, is they oneperson at a time comes up, or
(25:22):
was it everyone at once?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
No, I believe we walked into the restaurant, we
took a look around and then theyshowed us upstairs, which is
where we lived.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Okay, now the intro to the show, because every
season is a custom intro.
I would say you don't know, youhave no idea, you have no idea.
So when do they film thatportion?
You know how, like, everyonegets like their own personal
little clip, whatever Are theydoing that before?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Like you have no clue .
Nope, really, you don't see anyof that till the show airs
months and months later.
You're kidding.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
So it's not like they were like all right, we're
gonna be filming the intro now.
Guys, here's your opportunity.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
We want you to do this.
No, that's all live tea, that'sall natural.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Really, yeah, oh, interesting.
Okay, I did not know that.
Okay, so now you're walking init's taping, now they start
filming this stuff.
How long were the dates Likewhen they were filming all of
these things?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Long Tuh From four in the morning to about 1 am, 2 am
.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
When would you sleep?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
You didn't get much.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
You're kidding.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
That's the torture.
Oh geez, that's the crying.
Okay, ality, right out.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Okay.
So I see, if you got these,these Unfortunate, like I feel
bad now.
But you have these people whothere are no sleep, all right,
and they're like this is likephysical job too, so it's, it's
physically demanding, mentallydemanding, so you're mentally
tired.
You're physically tired, right,and that's why people I get,
I'm assuming, are starting tobreak and they mess with you.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
They ask you to do impossible things like, like
what.
So an example yeah he closes it, just shut it down.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Yeah, yeah, yeah it's great.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
So when that happens with my experience, he would
turn around to used to call methis never got to air.
Okay, would call me Barbie.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Oh, is that right?
I'm me Barbie.
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
So we'd be like Bobby .
He'd be like no, no turbo onthe menu tonight.
I'd be on fish, no salmon, noturbo.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Was that your English accent, by the way?
Yeah, yeah, that was good.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
He looked like a sharp pay and his face and the
door.
You know the sharp pay though.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
He'd be like no turbo , no Sam.
And I look at him I'd be likewhat?
Speaker 1 (27:43):
yeah why?
Speaker 2 (27:44):
why are you making my life easy?
Yeah, something's up.
Yeah, bobby, you stupid, didyou not hear me a death?
Are you tits too big?
Like?
He would fuck with me and I'dbe like, okay, no salmon, no
turbo.
Eight o'clock dinner servicewould start rolling.
He'd turn around, be like aBobby, I have a VIP on table 12.
(28:06):
I need a turbo and a salmon.
Now you have to realize they'renot skinned, they're not
Descaled, they're, they're,they're whole fish in the back.
That is not only wild, wouldnever happen in the real world.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
What?
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Because you have to fillet the fish now.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Oh, okay, you got to prep the whole fish, so all that
stuff is typically, typicallyin a restaurant, prepped in
advance.
Absolutely your portion Saw ohwow, okay, I ran in the back,
yeah got the whole scamming.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Yeah, descaled it Desk and it belated.
Yeah he looked because hedoesn't know what you're capable
of yeah.
He shut the kitchen down.
Every time you prevail at atask, that's meant to make you
fail, oh, it's.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
It's almost like a camera reset in a way like cut
oh my god, you're kidding.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
No, so that's so, you're all so mentally like you
prevail, you fail your pivot.
No matter what you do, you fail.
I Got ya Okay.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Now that's Bringing to light those scenarios, but so
I'm assuming now they'rethey're, they're taking one
scene and then cutting andpasting it so that it's married,
but in reality those two thingsprobably happened Far apart
from each other.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Well, they happen as is, but they can cut and paste
as they want, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Gotcha, okay, all right.
So so day one of the showyou're taping, day one.
Are there people that like, areyou sort of like Looking at the
competition be?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
like I do your dish.
You had to see oh, oh, okay,okay and you had to cook your
dish and you had to taste it.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Okay.
Yeah okay, I got you, so you'recooking your, your signature
dish.
Right, so you got yoursignature dish is.
Are you sizing up thecompetition?
No, like.
Are you be like?
Are you're good?
You're not.
You're not gonna make it like,and not at all.
No, so you're just laserfocused.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
I know it's subjective.
Oh, you're tasting my dish issubjective.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
That's a good point.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
That's a really good point is, but you had to get it
done within a half hour.
Oh, really right.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
So that that makes sense.
Feel like like sorry.
For example, I know you don'teat meat because you don't like
meat, right?
So if someone in that scenariolet's say you were Gordon Ramsay
and someone now serves youhere's my signature dish, it's
some type of meat You'll be likeI don't like meat.
It's subjective because it'sgoing through.
That's not fair.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Then well, that's why it's on the show, right.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
I got you, I got you All right, so, so you get
through this this day.
You got your signature dish,now you finish the day, shut it
down, type of thing, and nowyou're now into the living
quarters, right, and they're.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
they're filming this portion of it always right now
24 hours a day, except when yousleep.
You're allowed to take your micoff.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
It's only sleeping, only sleeping, oh my god shower.
Okay, so you're, you're, you'rein the, in the quarters now
some people are probably likereally excited, right, and some
people are probably arrogant,right, and some people are
probably trying to get inpeople's heads.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
I believe the boys were on one side and the girls
were on the other side.
So you're starting.
You're just asking what do youdo?
Where do you were?
Speaker 1 (31:17):
right, oh, small talk , small talk.
And then.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I started realizing Okay, this is why this show gets
so hostile.
Oh, okay, this one girl waslike I sell stoves for Viking.
Like what do you do?
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Wait a minute, what?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
yeah, I work in the Viking showroom.
I Sell stoves.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Oh my gosh.
See that stuff doesn't getaired.
Everyone the audience is on theimpression.
Here's all trained chefs.
This is what they're doing astheir job.
They're in a, they're inkitchens.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, I remember how they aired mine.
Then another girl, julia.
I'll never forget Julia.
She's out there.
Hey, julia, sorry girl, but sheworked at Denny's.
You know the breakfast place.
No yeah, and she did.
These people are going to win aMichelin Supposingly, yeah, a
(32:09):
Michelin star restaurant inVegas.
Vegas has the most covers youcan have in a restaurant.
Yeah, vegas, it surpasses NewYork City.
That's really yeah, because thehotel restaurants right.
You get thousands and thousandsright every day breakfast, lunch
, dinner, not like if you're youknow, on 42nd and 3rd in
(32:31):
Manhattan and she works at it atDenny's, I said, oh god.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Yeah, trouble, I'm in trouble, yeah, I mean patience
is in trouble.
Yeah, yeah.
So I mean that Right there.
I think we don't have to talkabout anything else for us to
understand now that there's anelement to this that it's
scripted because there's no wayGordon Ramsay is gonna allow a
Denny's waitress or whatever tobe the head chef at one of his
(32:58):
Right.
There's like there's no way.
So then now you're thinking,alright, who other real chefs
that that Gordon Ramsay is like?
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Alright, I wouldn't mind the person worried about
the real chefs.
You're not.
I'm glad for the real chefsbecause when I went around to
them and I'm like where's theparsley pay basil and be, pollen
.
Yes they're not gonna look atme like Julia.
I asked to get me parsley.
She brought me basil.
I didn't even know the diff-.
Now, those are the people I'mworried about, because you're
(33:27):
gonna create havoc.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Oh, it's gonna screw you up.
It's also gonna screw you up,right, oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Double the work.
It's not a teammate.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
Now I don't have a teammate Right.
It's like being in a race andsomebody not knowing how to run.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
I got you, I got you All right.
So at at at any point in time,were you like I definitely don't
think I should have done this,like I wish I wasn't here, or
even though it was a crazy,crazy experience, looking back
you're like no, I don't regretit at all, it was a lot of fun
and you know.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
No, I don't regret it .
It was fun.
I'd never do it again.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Because that was my next question.
All right, right now you get acall from Gordon.
We want you back in the showtomorrow.
No, you're not doing it.
No, what?
Wow?
Speaker 2 (34:09):
But I mean, if they wanted a reunion show where we
all ate babies and saw circus desoleil, I'd be more than happy.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Right, right, or the food network called me up and
was like you want to do, youknow, 30 minute meals, rachel
Ray's retired.
I'm in.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
I'm in.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
I got you, but you don't.
You don't want to subjectyourself to that whole same
process that you did before.
Absolutely Right, okay, allright, that's.
That's.
That's interesting.
So what do you think from thisenvironment?
Now, earlier on, I was saying,like you know, we got
entrepreneurs and whatnot, notthat watch this.
And I genuinely now talkingwith you.
I am a firm believer in this.
I don't think there's any othermore hostile, more difficult
(34:48):
environment than working at a,at a kitchen, the way that
you've just described.
Yeah, this is this is yeah,it's tough.
This that's.
That's a tough environmentright, it's tough industry.
So I think, number one, I thinkentrepreneurs that get to just
you know, are these like andespecially now you got these
like solopreneurs, that they'reworking from home right, they've
got nothing to complain aboutcompared to what you have to do
(35:08):
To be able to really fight andgrind it out there to make
yourself known.
So that's one thing, but two,let's get into this, this really
important topic.
That really is supposed to bethe theme of the show, but, by
the way, I love this, thisconversation here You're, you're
great on camera and you've gotreally cool stories, by the way,
and I think people are going tolove it.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I have lots of stories.
Oh boy, lots of stories.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Yeah, this is going to be like a tell all, by the
way, gordon Ramsay, hell'sKitchen tell all right.
But so we've got this crazyenvironment Now.
I'm assuming earlier on in yourcareer you were working a lot
right and like long, long, longhours.
Now can you have a healthybalance in life where you can be
(35:49):
very ambitious and you can wantto be gritty, right, like the
show says, and have those allthose ambitious dreams, and can
you?
Can you work hard but also havea healthy sort of like
lifestyle and and eat, eat welland exercise Like and, if so,
how?
Like?
(36:10):
What's the secret in doing this?
Because, as you pointed outearlier on in your career, it's
a lot of hours working right.
So how do you create thatbalance between healthy
lifestyle but also stillpursuing your dreams of being a
successful entrepreneur?
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I think the healthy lifestyle.
You just have to be committed.
It's another job.
I mean quite frankly it is youknow, that's the way I think of
it.
So I would say nutrition isyour, is your number one thing.
If you could work out at thegym all day long.
If your nutrition is off, oryou're eating unhealthy or
(36:48):
you're eating.
You know everybody, everybody'sbody, everybody performs
differently to fat, carbs,protein, so on and so forth.
The only way I could explainthat to the audiences, for
instance, when I went vegan fortwo years, I I remember saying
this I go, I am going to be theskinniest bitch there is, like
(37:10):
you know, like kingdom calm youknow.
I see all these skinny bloggersand YouTubers and everything
with the you know high carbHannah and all these people and
they are.
You know the size I was lookingto be.
I gained 50 pounds when I waskidding, I gained 50 pounds.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
Really.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
I had to add fish back in to lose the 50, because
my body does not process thosecarbs the way high carb Hannah
does.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Right, so it's not a one size fits all these things.
So that's a big myth.
Then, because I know and wedidn't, I didn't even know this
right, because I know that a lotof people will sell these diets
and programs thinking you cando this and anyone can do it,
and they'll get the same results.
But what you're saying, it'snot true.
Oh, that is really interesting.
(38:00):
Okay, so you have to find youknow.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
So I obviously found out that high carbs, because
vegan is naturally high carbs.
You beans, rice, potatoes sweetpotatoes, that's what you're
eating.
Oatmeal Now don't get me wrong,it's all healthy right, sure,
sure.
Lentils, beans, it's allhealthy, but I blew up like a
balloon.
Like a balloon.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Interesting Okay.
So you got the opposite resultthat you wanted 100%.
Okay.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
So I said, okay, now I need protein in order to lose
all this weight I gained.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
So I did and I lost it.
So you have to find your rightnutrition for your body to get
to the goal that you want andthen add it in the gym, and the
gym is a job.
If you are not consistent, youare not going to see results,
and that doesn't mean that youhave to be a bodybuilder at the
end of this.
But whatever results you'relooking for, you have to be
(38:59):
consistent.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
I like that.
So be consistent, beintentional, right, and then
it's a job, and then you gottago every day, yeah, and you
gotta say this is the hour.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
Unless you're sick, I won't go from sick yeah.
Besides that, I am at the gym.
I used to go seven days a weekwhen I was younger, but I'm
semi-retired as I like to say,and I only go Monday through
Thursday now.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Okay, I got you Now creating a healthier lifestyle
that includes better intake andexercise.
Do you think that also helpswith your minds and energy?
Absolutely, because those aretwo things that obviously people
in thought leaders andentrepreneurs like they need,
that they need energy, they needtheir mind to be sharp.
So if that's what their endgoal is, can healthy eating and
(39:46):
exercise help that person getthere?
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Absolutely, absolutely it can.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
So then, if it can help you get there, then it
makes it important Absolutely,and we need to prioritize things
that are important in our lives.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Right, okay.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
And I think a lot of people hold off on that until
they get a little bit older.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
Let's say late 40s, maybe early 50s and they have
diabetes or they have high bloodpressure.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
And then they come to me and they're like I've hit my
plateau.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
I can't do it anymore , right, right.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
I got to change.
What do I do?
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Right, that's actually that.
Actually you're making a reallygood point here.
Let's talk about that for asecond because, you're right,
People early on are of themindset of I can do that later,
not realizing that you're-.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
It's work.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
I don't want to do it , right, but now you're creating
a much riskier environment.
Now it's not just a matter of,you know, just like healthier
eating and just basic exercise.
Now you need a serious medicalplan to help combat, like you
were saying, diabetes orwhatever the case may be.
And you know you've alsodeveloped a really great niche.
Now, I know, for people thatdon't know, you are a personal
(40:50):
chef as well, right, and youhave part of what you do, and I
know this is not the only thingbut is that you create really
great meals and meal plans forpeople that have serious
illnesses like cancer.
And that's huge, you know, andI, that's not a space.
I think that a lot of people areable to get in.
Obviously, you've got theexperience and the knowledge to
(41:12):
be able to really come alongsidesomeone, because it's not just
about saying, like, eat a salad,you have cancer, eat a salad.
It's no, it's more complicatedthan that and you understand the
science Right.
So share with us a little bitabout that, like, how did you
get into helping people likethat and what type of benefits
are you seeing people who havethese illnesses experience after
(41:33):
now they've been working with?
Speaker 2 (41:34):
you, I will say it's not a huge group of people,
obviously.
How did I get into it?
I was cooking for my regularclients and they had mentioned
to me that a good friend of themhad had cancer.
She was mom of three and wasjust so tired from her
(41:56):
treatments that she couldn'tcook and she needed food for her
family.
Could I help her?
So when she ended up calling me, I you know.
I said, you know, I just wantto mention this.
You know, take it with a grainof salt, but have you ever heard
of, you know, the theory ofyour body being acidic versus
(42:17):
alkaline?
And she had, but she reallydidn't know about it too much,
too much about it.
So I had explained to her ifyou'd like me to do one meal,
just one, maybe, for youspecifically.
We could.
It is strict, it is not easy,it's very limited, but if you'd
(42:39):
like to try that, that'ssomething I could do for you.
And she was willing, she waswilling to do it.
So that's how I got startedwith it, and then word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Gotcha, yeah, I mean, and so I guess, just like in
the kitchen once very strict.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
It's basically a raw diet.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
The diets are very strict.
You're saying for thatenvironment, that environment,
yeah, it's a raw.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
It's a raw vegan.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Is that right?
Yeah, so so part of I guess, um, but people have been cured.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
I'm not a doctor.
Yes, and you know, but I doknow clients that have gone
alkaline, yeah, and seen a goodresult.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
So you have I mean, you've worked with a lot of
different people.
You've seen it all right,whether it be the restaurant
world or now, you know, being apersonal chef for people.
I love the fact that somethingthat's unique about what you're
doing is you're not just apersonal chef making random
things for people.
You're really custom tailoringa menu to the individual based
(43:39):
on their needs and wants, Right?
So talk a little bit about thatprocess, because I know that
there's a lot of people whowould love that.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
Right, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Right, like so I'm assuming like when, when you
meet someone and they learnabout what you're doing, they,
their eyes probably like lightup.
They're like, oh my gosh, thatis amazing.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
I've been looking for you.
I didn't know you existed.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Right, Right.
You know that type of thing.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
So they will come to me with their needs and wants
dietary restrictions or not.
I'll come up with a menu forthem, personalized to what they
like or what they need, andcreate it.
They'll pick their meals.
I'll send the menu to them.
They'll pick their meals, thenI'll send them a grocery list.
They'll send me the groceries,I cook it and deliver it.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
Wow, okay.
Are you doing this for like,like, like, catered events, or
are you doing this?
Speaker 2 (44:30):
These are like personal meal like family.
They're all in half trays.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Oh, is that right.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
So it's usually for a family and it, you know,
depending on what you order,yeah a half tray will last you
more than one night.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Oh, wow, yeah, so incredible.
Yeah, gotcha, now this, thistype of service.
It sounds like no one can cantouch it, because this is, this
is a highly personalizedexperience.
So this is, this is for acertain type of individual, I'm
assuming.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, I get single people, Iget families, I get women that
just want food for their kids.
Their kids will only eatchicken fingers.
They want the frozen ones andthe Kraft mac and cheese.
Can you please make it homemadeand deliver it to my house?
Yeah, yes, I can.
You're like.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
I'm gonna come to your rescue.
Yes, yes, you're like a chefsuper hero.
Yes, one of the Avengers, Iguess.
Maybe it's a new comic bookcharacter that you create.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
Yes, I want a good one though, like that blue girl
or something.
Speaker 1 (45:26):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
That'd be awesome.
Now, all right.
So you're a chef, you're doingthis for a lot of people, right,
and you're creating thesecustom food experiences for
families.
Now do you do the same thing,the same amount of effort, for
your kids?
I do.
I'm putting you on the spothere.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
I do.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
Do you really yes?
Speaker 2 (45:46):
I do Wow.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
My daughter, who my son won't eat anything.
He's that chicken finger.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
Kraft mac.
Yeah sure, yeah, yeah, yeah,yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
So I'll make chicken cutlets for him, but they're
homemade, Okay, you know theyeat lots of vegetables lots of
fruit.
But my daughter is really theculinary guru.
She'll be like mom.
I want the empanadas that youmade for that client.
Okay, Wow.
And I'll, and I'll make it yes,so every week I will make a
(46:16):
meal or two, two, you know,usually on a Monday a full meal
of what everybody wants orwhatever, and that'll be for the
week.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (46:28):
So they'll have two, and then they'll eat it, and
then I'll make something else.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Yeah, it must be nice to have a mom that can cook
high-end.
Yes, whatever they want andthen she'll cook.
You're a Michelin restaurantquality chef for a mom.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Mom, I want a yoga parfait.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Yeah, she asks me for absolute.
What birya tacos?
Speaker 1 (46:48):
She becoming a little bit of a food snob huh, she is,
she is Wow, okay, okay, she isWow.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
Yeah, so she goes like for two birthday parties.
Yeah, she's like chickennuggets and pizza.
Speaker 1 (46:58):
She's like I'm not having that, she won't eat it.
You're kidding?
No, wow, all right, I mean shewon't be rude.
Speaker 2 (47:04):
Right, but she'll just be like mom, can we eat
before the birthday party,because you know it's gonna look
like Really.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
So she's developed this refined taste she won't eat
.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
McDonald's.
She won't eat any of that.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
Wow, that's amazing, yeah, my son.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
McDonald's all the way.
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
So I have like one of my closest friends His daughter
is it sounds like a lot likeyour daughter and she's just
like has like he subjected herto high end food right Early on
and she just acquired this tastefor like just really good high
end stuff and I told him I'mlike it's your own fault,
(47:39):
absolutely.
It's the other one whointroduced this stuff to her and
now this is like she loves it.
Speaker 2 (47:43):
But you know what too , I myself won't eat any other
way.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Yes, okay, so you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (47:50):
So really I wasn't naturally doing it just for them
, I was really more doing it formyself.
Speaker 1 (47:56):
Gotcha.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
And they fell into the rabbit hole.
Yes, yes you know, because Idon't eat fast food.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
Gotcha, gotcha.
Speaker 2 (48:04):
I don't eat a lot of sugar.
I don't eat.
You know they can have as muchas they want, they're young, but
I don't eat it.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:11):
So naturally, you know.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Okay, all right.
So you think well, you said ityourself.
You said it's really importantfor, you know, people who have
busy lives, and forentrepreneurs and leaders and
everyone, they should beintentional and put some effort
into also creating a healthypersonal lifestyle, because
that'll benefit their work.
Speaker 2 (48:32):
Absolutely Right, okay, I mean, you are what you
eat, right, right, I mean that'swhat they say.
You are what you eat, and youcould only eat so unhealthy for
so long.
Speaker 1 (48:40):
It's gonna.
It catches up to you.
It catches up to you 99% of thepopulation.
Interesting, Interesting.
Speaker 2 (48:46):
You know, in your late 30s, 40s, 50s they all come
to me.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
Yeah, they do.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
And they're like what do I do now?
Speaker 1 (48:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:52):
And you know what I feel like it's harder when
you're in your 40s and your 50sto get set with that routine,
you know, rather than like I'vebeen doing it my whole life.
Honestly, I've been at the gymworking out doing you know all
different things, yeah.
So for me it's a lifestyle.
It becomes more than it becomesa lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
More than anything else.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Gotcha.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
So it's good to start earlier.
That way it doesn't become sucha overwhelming job Right.
Speaker 1 (49:20):
But for the people that haven't started yet, and
they are a little bit older,let's just say it's not too late
.
Everyone still.
There's always still anopportunity, just picking the
intention Right.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
Yeah, I mean, you know, like I said, you don't
have to go to the gym and youknow, get a six pack.
You just have an intention.
Speaker 1 (49:35):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
I need some cardio to be heart healthy.
And I'm just you know, comespring, every night I'm going to
walk for 20 minutes.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
Yeah, you know and I don't know if this is sort of an
angle that you havespecifically, but like really a
great mark, like, all right, soI'm in marketing, right, so I'm
hearing your story and my anglewould be something along the
lines of like, you know, you'renot just cooking food that
tastes good, you're cooking foodto make someone healthy, right?
(50:06):
Absolutely.
I don't know of a lot of peoplethat actually do that.
Where they, it's a chef thatreally takes into consideration
the individual, not just, oh, Iwant to eat this, I want to eat
a burger, right?
You're not just thinking aboutthat.
You're thinking, all right,what's your, what's your health
life right now?
Right, what do you want yourhealth like life to be down the
road?
It's almost like like when youtalk to a financial advisor.
(50:27):
The financial advisor says, allright, how much money do you
want to retire with?
And you're like I want toretire with $10 million.
And then they work backwards.
They're like, all right, let'screate a plan based on that.
It sounds like you're doing thesame thing as a chef advisor,
right?
And you're like all right, thisis what you want to look like,
right, this is what your tastesare like.
All right, we're going tocreate a plan for you that's
going to allow it to taste good,but it's going to help you to
get there Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (50:47):
That's amazing, yeah, and a lot of people do come to
me with goals.
So you know there are a lot ofmy clients are goal oriented.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
Is that right?
Yeah, ok.
Speaker 2 (50:57):
Because, like I said, by the time they come to me,
they're kind of lost.
A lot of them are and they'relike well, what do I do now?
Speaker 1 (51:04):
How do I get there?
Yeah, yeah, do you work withany like personal trainers as
well?
Like to compliment maybe whatthey're doing.
Speaker 2 (51:12):
Yes, I could, if that's something that they
wanted.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (51:16):
Because I see that as being a huge asset to these, to
personal trainers, where youknow they really understand the
gym right and if you, teamed upwith personal trainers we're
talking about, you can createArnold Schwarzenegger all the
time with people.
You know what I mean.
That's your goal, absolutelyRight, amazing, ok, very, very
cool.
So if people are listeningright now and they're like I
(51:38):
need Melissa Furpo to startcooking for me and I just want
to have a because you're veryknowledgeable on this stuff, you
know you are like, you're likea chef, scientist.
So if people want to get intouch with you and they want to
have that initial conversation,how can they do that?
Speaker 2 (51:52):
I would assume either Facebook.
Speaker 1 (51:53):
OK.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
Or TikTok.
Speaker 1 (51:55):
OK, so they can find you, melissa Furpo.
Speaker 2 (51:57):
Melissa Furpo on Facebook Healthy Chef One on
TikTok On TikTok.
Speaker 1 (52:02):
OK, all right, so I'm going to put you a little bit
on the weird question hot seatfor a moment.
Is that OK?
I love it, ok.
And so I've got a question foryou and I have a feeling that
you're not going to like thisone.
But if you're going to cheatfood wise on anything, right,
what is it going to be?
And tell us the truth.
(52:24):
Oh I will have you ever had aMcDonald's Big Mac?
Speaker 2 (52:28):
No, I've never had a Big Mac.
I've never ate Taco Bell.
Speaker 1 (52:31):
What.
Speaker 2 (52:32):
I've never had Wendy's ever.
Speaker 1 (52:35):
Ever, ever.
So you don't know what you'remissing out on.
Speaker 2 (52:37):
I don't, I don't, and if I'm going to cheat, it's
going to be dessert.
Speaker 1 (52:42):
Oh, really, sugar, oh goodness, oh my God, I love
sugar, I love it.
Ok, I got you Like.
Are you like a chocolate girl,or?
Speaker 2 (52:50):
What am I?
I'm like an Italian pastry.
Speaker 1 (52:53):
Oh OK.
Speaker 2 (52:54):
Maybe you know like a bakery, yeah, OK.
Speaker 1 (53:00):
So have you ever like ?
You're driving home, you'relike no one knows, right, no one
knows.
No one's going to see me.
I'm stopping at the bakery.
Come on, you can tell the truth.
No, I am.
No weakness there.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
I, and this is May.
Speaker 1 (53:14):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (53:15):
It's just a personal thing Skinny for me or the
weight I am, how I look isbetter than the donut.
Oh I love the donut, don't getme wrong, but when I get dressed
and I like to wear I don't knowa specific outfit or a cat suit
in the winter, whatever it is,I like to look a certain way.
(53:36):
I've always been that way, sothe food doesn't overpower the.
And then here's the other thing.
I go to the gym so much andworks Like when I'm one of those
people that go to the gym thatyou're like I work hard hard and
(53:56):
intentional.
If I ate like that the biggestthing that pisses me off in fact
I just started changing myroutine up is because I work so
hard not to see a result.
If I'm not seeing major results, I get annoyed.
All that work for what?
(54:17):
Just to look the same way, Ineed my muscle cutting a little
bit.
I need to work on a.
I don't have a six pack oranything, but I said you know
what I think I want to start towork on.
You know like I needintentional gain from the work
that I do.
So the food when I look at thatfood, I think of no gain.
(54:38):
Then you just worked an hourand a half sweating at the gym,
you know, bench pressing orsquatting 200 pounds, and now
you're going to eat the Dunkin'Donut and it's all for nothing.
Speaker 1 (54:52):
It pisses you off it pisses me off.
You.
This little monologue isamazing.
This is, I think, my favoritepart so far of our discussion,
because you just hit on anelement of mindset, right.
That is so important Is numberone is the importance of
creating a priority list.
What's more important to you,right which is hard it is.
(55:14):
That's what I was just about tosay.
Speaker 2 (55:15):
That's really hard because people love to eat and,
like I'm, a chef I cater topeople who love to eat.
Eating is like right, it's likethat comfort, it's social, it
makes people.
If people are stressed, theycould stress eat.
Speaker 1 (55:31):
If people are happy, they happy eat.
Speaker 2 (55:33):
I mean, there's so many elements to eating in our
culture.
Speaker 1 (55:36):
Yeah, but you're not suggesting not to eat, right.
You're talking about just ahealthy eating habits.
Healthy eating habits, right?
Speaker 2 (55:43):
Well, most food isn't healthy Most food that.
Americans like to eat is nothealthy.
Speaker 1 (55:48):
Hamburgers with cheese and bacon are not healthy
.
Everything that comes in a bagtraditionally I eat it.
Speaker 2 (55:54):
I'm not saying, I don't.
Speaker 1 (55:55):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's not healthy.
Speaker 2 (55:57):
None of that is healthy.
Speaker 1 (55:59):
But you said something like amazing and you
said this other goal of mine theway I look is more important
than that doughnuts, and I thinkthat's in life.
We've got to make it get to aplace in life where we're making
those decisions for ourselvesnow, where we got to say you
know what, this that I'mshooting for is more important
than the thing that I'm doingnow.
(56:19):
Right, the thing that I'm doingnow is just either gonna make
it much harder for me toaccomplish what I want to
accomplish, that doughnuts isgonna make my goal of losing
weight so much further out now.
Now I've got to work out evenmore right.
You got to make just figure itin your head, be like what's
more important and just bestubborn about committing to
that right.
Speaker 2 (56:37):
Yeah, I mean, and of course there's different levels
of it.
Personally, I like to go into astore and if I'm gonna go
shopping for clothes, I like toknow that if I like that pair of
pants it's gonna look good onme and when you're a certain
size, it's almost like anything.
Basically, it's not gonna betoo tight or this isn't gonna,
(56:57):
you know, and that just I likethat.
Like that makes me happy.
Someone else could not care,which is fine.
That's fine it doesn't have tobe that extreme.
But that's why I'm the healthcoach, Because I'm extreme.
I would consider my eatingregimen and workout regimen on
the extreme side, notbodybuilding, that's super
extreme.
But I'd say a step down it'sextreme Like.
(57:21):
I eat low carb, low sugar, lowfat.
Speaker 1 (57:26):
But that's your choice, right?
That's my choice.
You've made a decision.
This is what I want and this isthe right sort of like regimen
for me.
You're not saying this is theright regimen for anyone else,
right?
This is custom tailored for you, right?
So people are listening, or ifthey watch the show and they're
like oh, I want a result, butthere's no way, I have the time.
And you're like all right, youdon't have to do what I'm doing,
right, correct?
(57:46):
Yeah, so I think it's they haveto do some sort of cardio.
Yeah, do something.
Speaker 2 (57:49):
Right and you know what.
It depends on what your goal is.
If your goal is, you know whatI have high blood pressure or I
just gained 30 pounds over thewinter I want to lose some
weight.
Then you're gonna go for lowfat, low carb and cardio.
You know, at this point inwhere I am, I don't need to lose
any fat, so I go more weighttraining.
(58:12):
Oh I gotcha Now with slightcardio, just to be hard healthy.
Speaker 1 (58:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (58:17):
So it really, like I said, it's catered to what your
goal is and where you are.
Speaker 1 (58:22):
Yeah, All right, two more questions, because you've
already given us a lot of yourtime here and I appreciate it,
but two more questions for you.
Number one is for the personthat has this really great goal
for themselves.
Right, they've got this amazinggoal and you can agree like, oh
, that's a wonderful goal.
It could be I'm gonna lose thisamount of weight, or I wanna
(58:42):
look a certain way based on myphysique and get into the gym
and I wanna exercise, orwhatever the case may be, it
doesn't matter.
The goal doesn't matter, butwhat matters is it's a big goal,
right, and they're pretty faroff from this particular goal
right now.
You know that most people don'twanna put in that work.
So what's the advice to theindividual that says I want the
(59:05):
results but I'm not willing toput in the work?
Like, what would you say tothat person?
Speaker 2 (59:12):
I think slow and steady wins the race in this,
and I think that you cannot cutout everything.
You know, it's kind of parallelwith I will get a lot of
clients that are looking for agoal, an extreme goal, and
they'll say I just wanna looklike you, like I just want my
body to look.
And I tell them we can do that,but first pick.
(59:36):
I'll give them options.
Pick what's easier for you.
So do you wanna start off onthe food range or the exercise
range?
We need both, but what wouldyou?
And if they're like, well, it'sspringtime, I'm going to a lot
of barbecues and drinking up astore.
I wanna start with the exercise.
Great, every day, seven days aweek, I want you to get out and
(01:00:03):
walk and we start there.
If they're like, you can't cuteverything out today and do what
I'm doing day one.
You're gonna fail.
Speaker 1 (01:00:12):
Because you're gonna get frustrated and you're gonna
quit.
Speaker 2 (01:00:15):
So, whatever we pick, it has to become a lifestyle
change.
I hate the word diet becausediet means I'm on it now it's
temporary and tomorrow I'm goingoff of it.
That's not what I do.
Mine is a lifestyle.
I work out this much.
I do this, I eat this way.
(01:00:35):
And it doesn't really change.
Come summer, come my birthday,come Christmas and Easter a lot
of excuses get when you say diet, I'm going on vacation.
When I go on vacation, give ortake, it stays the same because
it's a lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (01:00:55):
So basically, if you want a different result, you've
gotta change how you're gonnaget there.
And it has to be permanent, sowe start slow.
See, that's important becausethat's hard for people.
I think so hard Because no onewants to run a marathon like
there's very few marathonrunners.
A lot of people like oh, I'llsprint, I'll do the 50 yard
sprint or the 100 yard.
(01:01:15):
That's for me right.
But life's a marathon andthat's the part that people
don't get, and this is why Ithink a lot of people fall short
of their goal and end upquitting.
Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
And I think they do.
It's because of what you'resaying.
Great advice, you don't want todo too much at once.
They go on Jenny Craig or theygo on these Weight Watchers or
whatever, and it's so extremefrom where they've been that
they do it for a little and thenthey go off.
So slow and steady.
Speaker 1 (01:01:44):
Last question for you .
Normally I actually ask aquestion with regards to some
type of book that you read, but,being that I have someone that
is so well versed in restaurantsand, being a chef, I want to
know and because I know thiswould be interesting for a lot
of people is what is yourfavorite restaurant in Manhattan
(01:02:04):
and would you recommend thatrestaurant for people to try?
Speaker 2 (01:02:10):
All right, give me a minute, let me think.
All right, so there are a lotof new ones out there that.
I have not been to.
Okay, but historically, onethat's just a status quo is
Danielle, and it's only for aspecial occasion.
Speaker 1 (01:02:31):
It's pricey yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:02:34):
But I appreciate when they give me a dish.
I know how it's made and I knowthe time it takes to make the
sauce two days or the stock orthe demi-glace or the, so that's
something I appreciate.
Haven't been there in years butI've always loved it, and you
could pick a prefixed with wine.
You're bombed by the time youget out and they do the pairing.
Speaker 1 (01:02:58):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (01:02:59):
And it's little dishes and it's chef's choice.
Oh, my goodness, it's delicious.
Speaker 1 (01:03:03):
That's amazing.
Have you ever been to Mr Chow'sin the city?
I have, so that's like ourgo-to.
We try to go there at leastonce a year or something like
maybe twice a year for specialstuff, because I don't know.
There's some restaurants for uswhere the food is still great.
The memory makes it even better.
Does that make sense?
Yes, and we have a coupleplaces like that, and Mr Chow's
(01:03:24):
is one of those places where thefood is great.
Right, but it's the memoriesthat, I think, just makes
everything sweeter, absolutely.
So I guess I want to end onthat.
Is there a restaurant for youthat, separate from the one that
you just said, could beanywhere in the world, one that
was just such a great experience, great memory, and you feel
like other people might be ableto share in what you experienced
(01:03:44):
?
Speaker 2 (01:03:48):
I kind of like.
Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
Your personal kitchen maybe.
Speaker 2 (01:03:51):
Yeah, right In Manhattan.
I like David Burke andDonatella.
I don't even know if they'restill open, but that's really
one of the first four-starrestaurants that hired me.
Speaker 1 (01:04:03):
Oh wow, is that right ?
Speaker 2 (01:04:06):
So you've got this nostalgia, so I loved it, and
then, when I moved intoManhattan, I went there to work
and they hired me but I haven'tbeen there in years.
But it was a great restaurantand I'm actually going to try
Bad Roman this month.
That's a new one.
Speaker 1 (01:04:20):
OK.
Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
I'm going to try the New Brother building that I
heard's unbelievable.
There's so many and I think 11,is it 11?
Madison Park?
When vegan?
Speaker 1 (01:04:28):
I want to try one of those, Like I want to try a new
vegan restaurant, but there's somany there really are, and we
live in a community around heretoo.
I feel like the restaurantsaround here are really good.
Speaker 2 (01:04:40):
We're fortunate Moronies.
Speaker 1 (01:04:42):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:04:43):
That the tasting menu , though where the chef brings
out whatever they want.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (01:04:47):
Yeah, we've got a lot of good restaurants in this
community, whether it be throughSmithtown, going up St James,
nissa, quagg, like there's somereally nice restaurants up here.
There's always choices, and Ialmost feel like you can go to a
new restaurant every singleweek and for like five years and
still there'll be more outthere.
That's how many there are, sothat's really really cool.
Speaker 2 (01:05:08):
Everybody loves to eat.
They do.
Speaker 1 (01:05:11):
That's the one thing everyone has in common.
Right Is food, absolutely, andthis is why what you do must be
a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (01:05:16):
It is, I enjoy it.
Yeah, I do.
Speaker 1 (01:05:18):
So, melissa, thanks for coming out.
This has been a real joy,honestly, getting to know a
little bit more about yourjourney here, and I know that
there are a lot more storiesthat you have that, my goodness,
people are like I wish theytalked about this.
But we've got a limited time onthe show here and we're
definitely going to have to haveyou back, because you're filled
(01:05:41):
with these amazing experiencesand that's what people love when
you can pull the curtain alittle bit and people can peer
in.
Everyone's like.
People tell them right.
They want to be able to peer inand be like what's going on
behind the scenes of the Kitchenor the TV shows.
They want that.
That's gold and you've got thatgold that people want.
So I appreciate you sharingsome of it.
(01:06:01):
Thank you, yeah, absolutelyThank you for having me.
So just one more time and withit where people can find you if
they want to be able to followyou in some of your social media
or reach out to you about youmaybe being a personal chef for
them.
Speaker 2 (01:06:14):
Yes, facebook.
Melissa Farpa was the best one,and then, of course, tiktok.
That's Healthy Chef one.
Speaker 1 (01:06:20):
Healthy Chef one.
And then Melissa Furpo,facebook.
If they search you up there,they're going to find you and
then they can reach out to youvia those channels.
Speaker 2 (01:06:29):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (01:06:30):
Amazing, and I know you do a lot of local stuff.
Would you ever like?
Do you do like personal chefthings like outside of the state
as well?
Speaker 2 (01:06:39):
I haven't, but I'd be open to yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06:42):
Yeah, because maybe there's someone who's like in
one of the islands they're like,we would like to hire her to
come do like our corporate eventor my family's going on
vacation, because your style ofcooking for a family is probably
appealing to a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (01:06:53):
Yes, yeah.
Or even if they need help withhealth coaching, that's easy to
do all over the phone.
You could do that remotely.
Speaker 1 (01:07:01):
OK, amazing, melissa Furpo.
You're amazing.
You've got a great story.
Thank you for opening up.
This is definitely wasn'tsupposed to be a Gordon Ramsay
tell all, but it's turned intoit a little bit.
But I love the advice that yougave, and this whole show was
littered with amazing goldennuggets, and I think one that
really stood out to me was theimportance of being intentional
(01:07:23):
about your plan and focused onyour goal Absolutely, and you
got to prioritize that stuff.
That's really really goodadvice.
Thank you so much for sharingthat.
That's Melissa.
Go find her on TikTok andFacebook.
Follow her.
She's got really great contentas well and she's blowing up
with stuff, doing a lot ofreally really great things.
So thanks again for coming out.
Guys, until next time, remember, don't fear the process and
(01:07:45):
don't fear grits.
We will see you next time.
Take care, guys.
The show is about to start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
This is, don't Fear, great withWabtower, mina, marketing
strategies and advertisingtechnologies to help you build a
(00:22):
better business.
Hey guys, and welcome back toDFG, the only show that matters
on all of the interweb, andwe've got a really special guest
in studio.
We've got a friend, an oldfriend actually.
I've known you for a while,melissa Furpo.
How are you doing?
Good, how are you?
I am doing well.
Thanks for coming out here, Iguess.
Just give everyone some context, let them know who you are sort
(00:43):
of like, what you're an expertin, and we're going to be
talking about some of thecelebrity stuff that she's been
involved with.
Hopefully, that's okay.
I'm going to put you on the hotseat, if that's all right.
I love the hot seat.
There's nowhere else.
I'd rather be Awesome, awesome.
So go ahead, melissa.
Let them know who you are andwhat you're doing.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Okay so, chef of like 25 years, personal chef now,
worked in restaurants for yearshealth coach a little bit, help
people at the gym a little bitthere, and that's basically what
I do.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Yeah, cooking, cooking, yeah, you live a pretty
cool life, you do a lot ofreally cool things and since
I've known you, you've been likethe chef, right?
Yes, so you grew up on mywife's court, right?
The famous court.
I didn't mention it just incase all of our lovely friends
there don't want to remainanonymous.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
They'll knock at their doors next week Exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
But you were always known as the chef, right From an
early on, like that was yourcareer path.
Right, you went to school.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Yeah, I went to culinary school at the time got
an associate's degree, was aculinary teacher in Manhattan on
14th and 7th yeah, so I've beendoing it for years.
I worked in Manhattan all theMichelin star restaurants.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
And then worked on the islands with a bunch of
Scattle Brothers, Bolsons, allthe big names on the island, oh,
my Own Gourmet Deli for years.
So it's a ton of experiencehere, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Okay, so the restaurant world is known as
being a high stress environment.
Not everyone is cut out to be achef in a restaurant.
I know a lot of people are like, oh, I want to be a chef
Because they know, like vers thehours and the hostility.
People like, oh, I didn't knowit was not just cooking, right,
right, right.
So tell us a little bit forthose that are not familiar with
(02:34):
the sort of like the back endworld, like the secret behind
the door curtain stuff, likelet's peel it off for a second.
Let people know, like, whatgoes on in that kitchen of a
restaurant to make everything asgood as it is on the floor.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
I think it does depend on what, if you want to
say caliber kitchen you'reworking in.
So a Michelin star kitchen isgoing to be different than if
you're working at the diner orif you're working at a local mom
and pop type restaurant.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
You know, it depends yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
But basically it's about 121 hour weeks that I
worked weekends, all weekends,all holidays, and it's hot.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Is it really?
Oh boy, is it hot.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I think my thermometer would go up to about
165 degrees, so there, is oh mygosh.
So there is a learning curvethere, I guess a heat
acclimation curve there.
When you see somebody that'snew or for instance, you would
get culinary students to come inand do their hours, you know me
and the guys would, we'd lookat, be July, be about 130 at 9am
(03:36):
in the morning, and you knowyou see Regretting all life
choices, right, and then you seethe person to start to, you see
it's a glaze.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Oh, is that right?
And they start to zone.
Oh, my gosh.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
And they're like all right, get them the ice.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Right, get them some water.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Get a towel around their neck and a picture of what
you know.
It's crazy.
There's no breaks there's nolunch break.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
There's no benefits.
Health benefits there's no.
You know you're running andyou're in charge of your station
.
So in Michelin Star restaurantsyou know what you have to do.
You get in at the appropriatetime to get it done.
You ask how many covers thereare that night.
Or they're 200, or they're 400.
You prep what you have to prepout, as much as you have to or
(04:15):
as much as in the walk-in, andthen dinner service starts at
you know seven.
And then in the Michelin Starrestaurants at least when I
worked in them there are nodupes.
You know the machines with thetickets.
You have a crazy European chefstanding there ordering you know
five egg roll, followed by youknow one steak, one medium, one
medium rare, followed by two,and you got to keep track of it.
(04:36):
And if you don't, you runaround the front with a marker
and go and keep.
It's all on you.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
So it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
So why on earth would you ever want to do that?
That sounds awful.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
You know what it was like there are no women.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Okay, I worked with one woman.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I worked with one girl In the 25 years.
It's all men.
So I think you know you don'tsee you start off easy.
You start off in salads.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
They don't put you on meat and fish in the beginning.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So I don't know, I think for me it was a challenge.
It was kind of like all thesemen standing there.
And why aren't there anyone you?
Know, women were in pastry,where it doesn't get hot, it's,
you know it's like a heartsurgeon.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
You didn't want that.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
No, I didn't.
Yeah, it was too precise.
If it's off, it doesn't rise.
It doesn't, oh, please I can'tstand anything, you know where,
me if it doesn't taste right, Ican fix it.
There's always something Icould do it's more creative I
feel like on that end where thepastry is more decorative.
I don't want to decorate it.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I got you All right.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So it I just, I don't know.
I just liked it.
I wasn't scared of it.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Okay, scared of the cooking, and you weren't scared
of the environment, you weren'tscared of the pressure.
Being the only woman in thatspace, you didn't mind any of
that.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
No, because after you showed me what to do, I was the
best one in there.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
So I got jobs, whatever job I wanted After I
got you All right.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
So let's let's talk about something here.
You know you were on a prettyfamous show, right?
Are you allowed to talk aboutit?
That's okay, all right.
So you were on Gordon GordonRamsay's show, right?
Hell's Kitchen, yeah, seasonthree, season three, so one of
the earlier seasons.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Years ago.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
And I know we've talked off camera about your
experience there, but I wanteveryone to be able to hear
about your experience, like fromthe very beginning to the end,
because I think it's number one.
It's not what people think now,right, but does he actually
yell at you, yes, so, all right,so that's real, yes, okay, so
he's really screaming at youguys, oh yeah.
Okay, and then like the peoplethat you're cooking to try to
(06:48):
advance in the show like, arethey genuinely like nervous when
he's around?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
I think they are, but I think it.
See, I think if you worked inkitchens and you have a history
of that, truly have a history ofthat, you're used to the
yelling.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Oh, interesting.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Because that's all there is in kitchens.
If you do something wrong, forinstance in a kitchen, european
chefs, they just are not that,they're crazy.
They have their own way, theywant to done their own way.
So, for instance, let's say achef told you, take this fork,
put it down on the table here,then pick it up five minutes
later and put it down here.
(07:23):
And then pick it up fiveminutes later and put it down
there.
Don't ask questions.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Yeah, okay Just do it .
Right, okay, so then in anatural kitchen.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
You're going to get yelled at because your way is
not better than the chef's way,don't pick up the fork and just
go put it over there, eventhough you could don't do it.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
But I would imagine that a lot of people are still
arrogant about that stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
And then they get yelled at and they get thrown
out of the kitchen.
Don't talk, don't answer back.
It's yes, chef, and that's itall day.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
So, in that environment, though, you have to
be confident, right, butthere's a difference between
confidence and arrogance,absolutely Right, and I think
you know, because I think yourexperience is really good for a
lot of people that watch andlisten to this show, because I
don't think anyone is going tobe in as hostile and stressful
as an environment as you arewhen you're in a restaurant,
right, so I think a lot ofpeople can learn from this.
(08:14):
You know what is thatdifference between confidence
and arrogance?
How do you balance the two?
How do you lead Like?
You're in a tough position,right, elephant in the room,
you're a woman in sort of akitchen where there's a lot of
men, so you're already workingagainst that in a way, right,
and now now, on top of it,you're in an environment where
it's so hostile as well.
(08:35):
So how do you make your voiceknown without coming across as
arrogant?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
In kitchens.
I don't think you need.
I think that's the difference.
I don't think you need to haveyour voice known, I think you
just need.
You're there, what station areyou on, and do it.
You have to learn not to you.
Don't speak in kitchens.
The chef tells you oh doactually.
Yes, chef, if you do it all itcomes out pristine.
You're on top of the game Withthe men in the kitchen.
(09:03):
You know, I used to have tocarry up 25 pound bags of flour
from the basement becausetypically in Manhattan
everything's in the basement andthe restaurant's up here.
So you're up down, up down.
Once the men see you carry ittwo or three times or you get
cut and you start bleeding andyou're not crying or you're not
fainting at 160 degrees, theyall gain a level of respect for
(09:25):
you.
Before that point in time, youdo have to prove yourself.
If you don't want to and it'snot for you get out of the
kitchen.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
That's actually like a meme right there.
It's too hot, it's like can'ttake the heat.
Get out of the kitchen.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
We're going to clip that one.
That's great.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
But once they say, oh look, she's trucking up a 25
pound bag of flour.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
You earn their respect.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
You earn respect and then you never have to pick up.
I never had to pick up anotherbag of flour.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Nothing They'll be like.
In fact, they would get thingsfor me.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Oh my God, Melissa, I know you needed the chicken.
I was down there.
I got you the 40 pounds ofchicken you needed to fillet.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Right, because you earned it, you earned it.
Interesting.
Same with the chef.
Yeah, that's really good advice.
You shut up, do your job.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
You can't be the type of person that's going to
listen.
Shut up, do your job.
You'll get moved up when you'rea sous chef.
Then you get more respect.
You could speak more.
If that's not for you, get outof the kitchen.
You're not going to do well.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Right.
So was there ever a time thatyou don't have to name the
restaurant if you don't want todo?
Or the environment?
Was there ever time?
Nowhere you were like this is alot.
This is getting to the pointwhere it might be too much.
This is not the environment Iwant to be in.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
No.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Really so you were really jazzed about this stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I just was good at it yeah.
And I kept moving up and I keptmaking more money back then.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
That's a motivator, I guess.
Yeah, money was always amotivator.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
So I and then I was able to work at any restaurant I
wanted.
Wow, Not many people could saythat.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, I just excelled at it.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
So I kept with it.
It wasn't daunting to me.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Yes, so tell us a story how you got on the show.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
That's funny.
So my mother was watchingHell's Kitchen and I would come
out on weekends and she'd belike you got to see this new
show because reality TV didn'texist.
And I would watch it and saysomething's wrong.
This just doesn't happen in thereal world.
Different things.
And then I was applying forGordon Ramsay's new restaurant,
(11:27):
london, nyc, on Craigslist andright underneath it said apply
for Hell's Kitchen, the TV showand I said oh, whatever, and I
don't know why.
I sent my resume.
It was a click of a button,yeah, but I did.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Because it was easy.
It was easy.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
If you would have said to me when you send this
you're going to be on the show,I would have never sent it,
Really.
I don't want to be on the show.
No, because it looked likesomething was just off.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Oh, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
And like why do I want to be on a cooking show?
I'm cooking in Boullet or DavidBirkin Donut, I'm at the top of
the top.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Why do I?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Well, on that subject real quick.
So what was, back then, thereputation that Gordon Ramsay's
TV show had amongst like legitchefs?
Were they like no, I'm nottouching that, I have too much
pride, I'm a purist or did ithave a good reputation?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
I don't think the reality TV game was out long
enough to even have that opinion.
Yet Now a lot of chefs wouldhave that opinion.
It's been out, but it was brandnew.
So, really what it was doingwas showing the outside world a
glimpse of what it was like tobe in the back of a restaurant,
(12:34):
because all that yelling andscreaming is true, that does
happen all day long.
That's all that happens withEuropean chefs Absolutely they
scream.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
So there are chefs that are screaming it's wrong,
like his famous line.
I'm just saying Really.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Oh, screaming all day long, sometimes like remember,
peanuts won't want yeah.
No you just get if they'readdressing you.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
What do you want?
Speaker 1 (12:56):
A hot plate something right, just get to the point,
right.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And then the rest becomes noise.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Wow.
If not, I don't know how you'dwork.
So you develop this skill ofbeing able to tune a lot of that
other stuff out and justzeroing in on what I need to do,
screaming at two or three otherpeople.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I got to keep going.
Yeah, I can't be involved.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Yeah, yeah, that building that level of like
resilience is huge, I wouldimagine.
All right.
So you applied to the show, notthinking that you're going to
get in you didn't even reallywant to but because of how easy
it was, you applied to the show.
And then what happens next?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
They called me for an interview.
Twin Talent and Agency calledme into Manhattan, skipped all
the lines, all the mishmash.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
When you say lines like how long was this line.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Well, when they called me, they're like we want
to interview you for the show Iactually was away on vacation in
Arizona.
I'm like who is this?
I forgot that I even sent in.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
You're kidding, I forgot about it.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Oh my gosh, it must have been two months later, a
month later.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I go well, I'm not waiting on any line, like I
don't want to be on the show,like I'm not, you know what's
the process, and they're like no, no, no, don't worry, we're an
agency, you're just going tocome to this address.
I already lived in the city.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And then I went, made an appointment, went and there
was like four or five city blockfilled with people.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Oh my gosh, waiting.
So was that like when youpulled up and you see this?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
They said just walk up the stoop and pass all the
lines and give the guy your name, like a club.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
You must have felt pretty good, though you get to
bypass that whole line, right I?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
would have walked away.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Really.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
There's no way, I was waiting for that.
It's not something you know.
These people wanted to be onthe show.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I didn't necessarily want to be on the show I gotcha,
okay, all right, so you bypassthe lines.
You go into this building rightand they interviewed.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
They said okay, we've got to make a videotape for Fox
.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
So they did a taping immediately.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
And they interviewed me.
Never saw a knife skill.
Looked at my resume.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
But what were they taping then?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
They were just taping .
Where did you work?
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Really.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Yeah, that type of thing.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
What's your experience Interesting?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
How long have you been doing it?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Nothing about cooking , I never picked up a knife.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
The whole interview process.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Not once.
So they never learned whetheror not you actually could cook.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
No, I'm gonna say it's based on looks and
personality.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
On how they want the cast to end up.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Really, that's my opinion.
Okay, so the nuttier you are orthe pretty you are, that's like
your golden then.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I would imagine so, or?
If you're maybe a meek.
They would like a meek.
You know they wanna mix it up.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I see, I see, okay, but if you're just like run of
the mill average individual, youdon't have a chance.
I don't think so.
Okay, I think we justdisappointed a whole lot of
people.
But yeah, that's the truth.
And though I mean for thatreality show for that they were
in awe.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
You know, I believe I came into the interview myself.
I had a skull necklace on atthe time.
I had a crop top, I had cargoarmy, you know, with khaki pants
.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Did you intentionally try to dress for this interview
Like, oh, I know, I'm gonnawear this, I'm gonna wear that.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I guess just like I would if I had a day off.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
So it was just you.
You just showed up as you.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Black heels you know my.
Gucci bag, my hair, my makeupand they're, like you, working
kitchens.
But I would get that anyway bythe chefs.
The chefs would laugh at mewhen.
I came for interviews.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Right, they probably didn't believe you, right.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
No, I hand the rest of the day and they'd look.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
And I'd be like that's why I'm surprised that
they didn't ask you to cook.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Well, the chefs do They'll say come in Saturday
night at six and stodge Stodgewould be coming for free and let
me see what you can do.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Oh, interesting, full stodging, stodging so that's an
industry term.
Yeah, so if I wanna ever try toget a free meal in a restaurant
, I could be like I'm here forthe stodging.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
You will.
The chef would be like, yeah,come stodge.
Really but then you'd have tocook in the back.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
That's very cool, you know, I can fake it till.
I make it.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Yeah, I can fake it.
I don't know.
It's crazy.
And they ask you to go on theline not ever seeing the menu.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Really.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
So you gotta take the menu.
I used to take the menu,depending what station they put
it, you would study itbeforehand.
Well, you don't get to study it, but they'll be like you're
gonna be on fish tonight.
Go work with Rob on fish.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Oh my gosh okay.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
So I'd be like hi, rob, I'm Melissa.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Let me see what's on your station.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Show me, I'd write it down.
Fish, chili, lime salt,tricolor cauliflower truffle oil
.
Okay, I'd write it down.
I'd write it down when it'scold I know what's going on, I
gotcha.
And you just have to wing it.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Really, oh geez.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I thought that they either hired you or didn't.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Okay, but they didn't do that for this show for
Gordon Ransby.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
No, you never cooked one thing.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Okay, so they're talking to you, they're
recording you as they're havingthis conversation with you and
they send it into Fox.
And they just send that intoFox.
Yep, okay, so they sent thisparticular tape into Fox.
You leave that building.
What are you thinking in thismoment?
Are you thinking?
Speaker 2 (17:52):
oh, I got this in the bag.
I tell you, I'll be in contactwith you within a month.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Really.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Okay.
So they say we're gonna be incontact with you in a month, you
walk away.
Are you thinking that they'restill gonna actually call?
No, you're not at this point.
No, you're like, oh, this wasfun, I got to come in, whatever,
right?
Okay, so the call does come in.
Oh, it does, it does.
So let's take it from there now.
So the call comes in.
Mm-hmm, right, and tell us theylike you they liked you,
(18:20):
production liked you.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I believe I'm probably saying this out of
order because it was so long ago, but next was some
psychological testing.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Really yeah.
How would they do that?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Where I went to actually take it if it was
online or I physically had to goto a place, I forget, but I
remember I believe them tellingme it was the police test to
learn your personality type and,I guess, to make sure that
you're not insane and you're notgonna take these knives and go
stab some of them on set andstab someone.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Yeah, on set, you know.
Oh, geez, all right.
So they where they are lookingfor some physical traits, they
are at least trying to filtersome people out that would be
harmful to others.
Okay, all right, so you gothrough the psychological
training.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
And I guess they have to make sure what kind of
personality trait you have,because you could walk up to
Ramsey, I mean as a male orfemale, and punch them clear in
the jaw.
I mean you have to, you know.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Receiving that type of abuse.
That's actually a good point.
Now let's just let's go therefor a second before you continue
.
I would imagine there has to becrazy security there because
Gordon Ramsey on the show.
He's cursing, he's threatening,he's really nasty and that
boils people a little bit and Iwould imagine that's a stressful
environment that is dangerous.
There must be security for himthere.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
I would.
I know there were ambulances onsite that we never saw.
I would say there's about 200crew hiding behind the walls
that you never see besides thecameramen.
But by the point in time thatyou get to that and you're the
12 left, I think they have aclear view on who you are and
(20:04):
that you're not going to do that.
I think that's productions jobway before, because there are
tons of interviews.
There were even interviews with, let's say, Gordon Ramsey.
Came up to you and screamedthis close to you in your face,
what would you do?
You know there was extensiveinterviewing process.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
So do you feel like that, going into the taping now,
the actual show that the crewproduction psychological stuff,
were you prepared for thatenvironment?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I was, because it seemed to me like it was like
any other kitchen besides.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Oh, so it was familiar to you.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
It was familiar.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Okay, I got you the.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Yallings familiar.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
And I felt safe with.
I have to say, I felt safe withthe whole cast that ended up
with you.
I didn't fear anybody was crazy.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Yeah, yeah, all right , so you're now.
So you got the call that.
They said, yes, we like youright At that point in time.
What was the next steps thatthey outlined for you?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Those interviews, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
So it's lots of interviews.
Yeah, so it wasn't just one.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
No no.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Oh my goodness, it was quite blood work.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
I guess to make sure that you didn't have any
diseases or anything that werehappy.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
So medical evaluations, psychological
evaluations, holy cow, just tobe on the show yeah.
Geez okay.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
And then you had to fly out and I don't remember was
it in New York or LA.
You had to have a full blowninterview with the producers of
Fox on like a set stage.
That was intimidating.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Really.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
And if you couldn't, if you froze or couldn't get
through it, you didn't getpicked.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
I gotcha.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
I think I was on.
My mouth has never been so dry,am I?
So you were a little nervous ohmy God beyond.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Oh really.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
But I just focused on what they were asking me Okay,
I went with it, you did.
Yeah, you have to be personable.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
You can't freeze on TV.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
No, no, no, no.
All right, so you get throughall of these.
This is like, I don't know,becoming like an FBI agent.
Yeah, months, it's like youmust've been thinking at some
point in time like what on eartham I doing?
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Oh my, God, I was like I can't.
I was like ma really, youwatched this the only reason why
I applied.
So after that they flew you toLA.
There were 20, then there were15, and then you got picked.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Wow, all right, so you made the 15, you made the
cut, and then they do.
They make you like sign likecrazy, non-disclosures, secrecy,
stuff, like what is that like?
Speaker 2 (22:33):
When you were down to the 12, I believe, they handed
out your contract because youwere picked and they said you
had 48 hours, I believe, to signit.
Everybody, of course, wassigning it at the table and me,
I'm not signing that.
I don't know what's in there.
It was thick, really thick.
So I was like, do you have afax?
And they're like, yeah, butit's a dollar 50 a page.
I don't care how much it is apage.
(22:54):
I faxed it to my lawyer andthen, once he explained it to me
, then, I signed it.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Wow, okay, so you sign this contract that, even
though the show makes probablyhundreds of millions, they make
you pay a dollar 50 a page,which is ridiculous if you think
about it right.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Ridiculous, but I paid it.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I think, yeah, Of course, yeah, so all right.
So you signed the contract Atthis point in time, have you met
the other people on the show,the other contestants, yet?
Speaker 2 (23:21):
You met.
You meet them on set the day oftape.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
Really.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Yeah, when they fly you to LA you're in a separate
hotel room and you're notallowed out.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Really.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Yeah, you become like a person.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
It's like you're kidnapped.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Yeah, you become kidnapped.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I mean, I wasn't tortured.
They brought you room service.
They let you for a half hour.
You were allowed out of theroom.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I went to the gym, so it's like jail.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Yeah, kind of.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Okay, so you're in cooking jail, and so you're
getting your half hour ofpersonal time, I guess.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Blindfold, you put you in a car.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Oh, that's real.
Like they legit blindfolded, soyou have no idea where you're
going now.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
No, they put you in a car.
Oh my gosh With otherblindfolded contestants I
believe two or three were in thecar with me Are you talking, so
we could talk, yep, but wecan't see each other, okay.
And then you arrive at yourdestination and they unblindfold
you and you're on set.
It's like a Home Depot turnedinto a set.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Okay, like this big warehouse Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
But it doesn't look like a warehouse.
You know it's got a door.
It looks like a restaurant whenyou pull up to it.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
But in an industrial park.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
I got you, so at this point now you're a hostage.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
They take away your phone.
Oh my gosh your wallet.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
No wonder there's all these psychological and medical
evaluations, because they'reputting you in an environment
that you have like legitimate,like FBI and Secret Service
agents, that you have to gothrough this just in case you're
a hostage somewhere.
And now it sounds like you area chef hostage.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
You cook with them.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Right, okay On camera , but you have to do it on
camera.
Oh wow, okay, that's in thecontract.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Really yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Okay, so once you sign that contract, whatever
happens from you walking intoyou, leaving they own you.
Yeah, oh, geez.
Okay, all right, so theyblindfold you.
It's unveiled, you get to walkin.
You see this place right, and Ibelieve how the show starts up.
Oh, no, well, no, is they oneperson at a time comes up, or
(25:22):
was it everyone at once?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
No, I believe we walked into the restaurant, we
took a look around and then theyshowed us upstairs, which is
where we lived.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Okay, now the intro to the show, because every
season is a custom intro.
I would say you don't know, youhave no idea, you have no idea.
So when do they film thatportion?
You know how, like, everyonegets like their own personal
little clip, whatever Are theydoing that before?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Like you have no clue .
Nope, really, you don't see anyof that till the show airs
months and months later.
You're kidding.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
So it's not like they were like all right, we're
gonna be filming the intro now.
Guys, here's your opportunity.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
We want you to do this.
No, that's all live tea, that'sall natural.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Really, yeah, oh, interesting.
Okay, I did not know that.
Okay, so now you're walking init's taping, now they start
filming this stuff.
How long were the dates Likewhen they were filming all of
these things?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Long Tuh From four in the morning to about 1 am, 2 am
.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
When would you sleep?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
You didn't get much.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
You're kidding.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
That's the torture.
Oh geez, that's the crying.
Okay, ality, right out.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Okay.
So I see, if you got these,these Unfortunate, like I feel
bad now.
But you have these people whothere are no sleep, all right,
and they're like this is likephysical job too, so it's, it's
physically demanding, mentallydemanding, so you're mentally
tired.
You're physically tired, right,and that's why people I get,
I'm assuming, are starting tobreak and they mess with you.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
They ask you to do impossible things like, like
what.
So an example yeah he closes it, just shut it down.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Yeah, yeah, yeah it's great.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
So when that happens with my experience, he would
turn around to used to call methis never got to air.
Okay, would call me Barbie.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Oh, is that right?
I'm me Barbie.
Oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
So we'd be like Bobby .
He'd be like no, no turbo onthe menu tonight.
I'd be on fish, no salmon, noturbo.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Was that your English accent, by the way?
Yeah, yeah, that was good.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
He looked like a sharp pay and his face and the
door.
You know the sharp pay though.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
He'd be like no turbo , no Sam.
And I look at him I'd be likewhat?
Speaker 1 (27:43):
yeah why?
Speaker 2 (27:44):
why are you making my life easy?
Yeah, something's up.
Yeah, bobby, you stupid, didyou not hear me a death?
Are you tits too big?
Like?
He would fuck with me and I'dbe like, okay, no salmon, no
turbo.
Eight o'clock dinner servicewould start rolling.
He'd turn around, be like aBobby, I have a VIP on table 12.
(28:06):
I need a turbo and a salmon.
Now you have to realize they'renot skinned, they're not
Descaled, they're, they're,they're whole fish in the back.
That is not only wild, wouldnever happen in the real world.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
What?
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Because you have to fillet the fish now.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Oh, okay, you got to prep the whole fish, so all that
stuff is typically, typicallyin a restaurant, prepped in
advance.
Absolutely your portion Saw ohwow, okay, I ran in the back,
yeah got the whole scamming.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Yeah, descaled it Desk and it belated.
Yeah he looked because hedoesn't know what you're capable
of yeah.
He shut the kitchen down.
Every time you prevail at atask, that's meant to make you
fail, oh, it's.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
It's almost like a camera reset in a way like cut
oh my god, you're kidding.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
No, so that's so, you're all so mentally like you
prevail, you fail your pivot.
No matter what you do, you fail.
I Got ya Okay.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Now that's Bringing to light those scenarios, but so
I'm assuming now they'rethey're, they're taking one
scene and then cutting andpasting it so that it's married,
but in reality those two thingsprobably happened Far apart
from each other.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Well, they happen as is, but they can cut and paste
as they want, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Gotcha, okay, all right.
So so day one of the showyou're taping, day one.
Are there people that like, areyou sort of like Looking at the
competition be?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
like I do your dish.
You had to see oh, oh, okay,okay and you had to cook your
dish and you had to taste it.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Okay.
Yeah okay, I got you, so you'recooking your, your signature
dish.
Right, so you got yoursignature dish is.
Are you sizing up thecompetition?
No, like.
Are you be like?
Are you're good?
You're not.
You're not gonna make it like,and not at all.
No, so you're just laserfocused.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
I know it's subjective.
Oh, you're tasting my dish issubjective.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
That's a good point.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
That's a really good point is, but you had to get it
done within a half hour.
Oh, really right.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
So that that makes sense.
Feel like like sorry.
For example, I know you don'teat meat because you don't like
meat, right?
So if someone in that scenariolet's say you were Gordon Ramsay
and someone now serves youhere's my signature dish, it's
some type of meat You'll be likeI don't like meat.
It's subjective because it'sgoing through.
That's not fair.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Then well, that's why it's on the show, right.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
I got you, I got you All right, so, so you get
through this this day.
You got your signature dish,now you finish the day, shut it
down, type of thing, and nowyou're now into the living
quarters, right, and they're.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
they're filming this portion of it always right now
24 hours a day, except when yousleep.
You're allowed to take your micoff.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
It's only sleeping, only sleeping, oh my god shower.
Okay, so you're, you're, you'rein the, in the quarters now
some people are probably likereally excited, right, and some
people are probably arrogant,right, and some people are
probably trying to get inpeople's heads.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
I believe the boys were on one side and the girls
were on the other side.
So you're starting.
You're just asking what do youdo?
Where do you were?
Speaker 1 (31:17):
right, oh, small talk , small talk.
And then.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I started realizing Okay, this is why this show gets
so hostile.
Oh, okay, this one girl waslike I sell stoves for Viking.
Like what do you do?
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Wait a minute, what?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
yeah, I work in the Viking showroom.
I Sell stoves.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Oh my gosh.
See that stuff doesn't getaired.
Everyone the audience is on theimpression.
Here's all trained chefs.
This is what they're doing astheir job.
They're in a, they're inkitchens.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, I remember how they aired mine.
Then another girl, julia.
I'll never forget Julia.
She's out there.
Hey, julia, sorry girl, but sheworked at Denny's.
You know the breakfast place.
No yeah, and she did.
These people are going to win aMichelin Supposingly, yeah, a
(32:09):
Michelin star restaurant inVegas.
Vegas has the most covers youcan have in a restaurant.
Yeah, vegas, it surpasses NewYork City.
That's really yeah, because thehotel restaurants right.
You get thousands and thousandsright every day breakfast, lunch
, dinner, not like if you're youknow, on 42nd and 3rd in
(32:31):
Manhattan and she works at it atDenny's, I said, oh god.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Yeah, trouble, I'm in trouble, yeah, I mean patience
is in trouble.
Yeah, yeah.
So I mean that Right there.
I think we don't have to talkabout anything else for us to
understand now that there's anelement to this that it's
scripted because there's no wayGordon Ramsay is gonna allow a
Denny's waitress or whatever tobe the head chef at one of his
(32:58):
Right.
There's like there's no way.
So then now you're thinking,alright, who other real chefs
that that Gordon Ramsay is like?
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Alright, I wouldn't mind the person worried about
the real chefs.
You're not.
I'm glad for the real chefsbecause when I went around to
them and I'm like where's theparsley pay basil and be, pollen
.
Yes they're not gonna look atme like Julia.
I asked to get me parsley.
She brought me basil.
I didn't even know the diff-.
Now, those are the people I'mworried about, because you're
(33:27):
gonna create havoc.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Oh, it's gonna screw you up.
It's also gonna screw you up,right, oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Double the work.
It's not a teammate.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
Now I don't have a teammate Right.
It's like being in a race andsomebody not knowing how to run.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
I got you, I got you All right.
So at at at any point in time,were you like I definitely don't
think I should have done this,like I wish I wasn't here, or
even though it was a crazy,crazy experience, looking back
you're like no, I don't regretit at all, it was a lot of fun
and you know.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
No, I don't regret it .
It was fun.
I'd never do it again.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Because that was my next question.
All right, right now you get acall from Gordon.
We want you back in the showtomorrow.
No, you're not doing it.
No, what?
Wow?
Speaker 2 (34:09):
But I mean, if they wanted a reunion show where we
all ate babies and saw circus desoleil, I'd be more than happy.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Right, right, or the food network called me up and
was like you want to do, youknow, 30 minute meals, rachel
Ray's retired.
I'm in.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
I'm in.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
I got you, but you don't.
You don't want to subjectyourself to that whole same
process that you did before.
Absolutely Right, okay, allright, that's.
That's.
That's interesting.
So what do you think from thisenvironment?
Now, earlier on, I was saying,like you know, we got
entrepreneurs and whatnot, notthat watch this.
And I genuinely now talkingwith you.
I am a firm believer in this.
I don't think there's any othermore hostile, more difficult
(34:48):
environment than working at a,at a kitchen, the way that
you've just described.
Yeah, this is this is yeah,it's tough.
This that's.
That's a tough environmentright, it's tough industry.
So I think, number one, I thinkentrepreneurs that get to just
you know, are these like andespecially now you got these
like solopreneurs, that they'reworking from home right, they've
got nothing to complain aboutcompared to what you have to do
(35:08):
To be able to really fight andgrind it out there to make
yourself known.
So that's one thing, but two,let's get into this, this really
important topic.
That really is supposed to bethe theme of the show, but, by
the way, I love this, thisconversation here You're, you're
great on camera and you've gotreally cool stories, by the way,
and I think people are going tolove it.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
I have lots of stories.
Oh boy, lots of stories.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Yeah, this is going to be like a tell all, by the
way, gordon Ramsay, hell'sKitchen tell all right.
But so we've got this crazyenvironment Now.
I'm assuming earlier on in yourcareer you were working a lot
right and like long, long, longhours.
Now can you have a healthybalance in life where you can be
(35:49):
very ambitious and you can wantto be gritty, right, like the
show says, and have those allthose ambitious dreams, and can
you?
Can you work hard but also havea healthy sort of like
lifestyle and and eat, eat welland exercise Like and, if so,
how?
Like?
(36:10):
What's the secret in doing this?
Because, as you pointed outearlier on in your career, it's
a lot of hours working right.
So how do you create thatbalance between healthy
lifestyle but also stillpursuing your dreams of being a
successful entrepreneur?
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I think the healthy lifestyle.
You just have to be committed.
It's another job.
I mean quite frankly it is youknow, that's the way I think of
it.
So I would say nutrition isyour, is your number one thing.
If you could work out at thegym all day long.
If your nutrition is off, oryou're eating unhealthy or
(36:48):
you're eating.
You know everybody, everybody'sbody, everybody performs
differently to fat, carbs,protein, so on and so forth.
The only way I could explainthat to the audiences, for
instance, when I went vegan fortwo years, I I remember saying
this I go, I am going to be theskinniest bitch there is, like
(37:10):
you know, like kingdom calm youknow.
I see all these skinny bloggersand YouTubers and everything
with the you know high carbHannah and all these people and
they are.
You know the size I was lookingto be.
I gained 50 pounds when I waskidding, I gained 50 pounds.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
Really.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
I had to add fish back in to lose the 50, because
my body does not process thosecarbs the way high carb Hannah
does.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Right, so it's not a one size fits all these things.
So that's a big myth.
Then, because I know and wedidn't, I didn't even know this
right, because I know that a lotof people will sell these diets
and programs thinking you cando this and anyone can do it,
and they'll get the same results.
But what you're saying, it'snot true.
Oh, that is really interesting.
(38:00):
Okay, so you have to find youknow.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
So I obviously found out that high carbs, because
vegan is naturally high carbs.
You beans, rice, potatoes sweetpotatoes, that's what you're
eating.
Oatmeal Now don't get me wrong,it's all healthy right, sure,
sure.
Lentils, beans, it's allhealthy, but I blew up like a
balloon.
Like a balloon.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Interesting Okay.
So you got the opposite resultthat you wanted 100%.
Okay.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
So I said, okay, now I need protein in order to lose
all this weight I gained.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
So I did and I lost it.
So you have to find your rightnutrition for your body to get
to the goal that you want andthen add it in the gym, and the
gym is a job.
If you are not consistent, youare not going to see results,
and that doesn't mean that youhave to be a bodybuilder at the
end of this.
But whatever results you'relooking for, you have to be
(38:59):
consistent.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
I like that.
So be consistent, beintentional, right, and then
it's a job, and then you gottago every day, yeah, and you
gotta say this is the hour.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
Unless you're sick, I won't go from sick yeah.
Besides that, I am at the gym.
I used to go seven days a weekwhen I was younger, but I'm
semi-retired as I like to say,and I only go Monday through
Thursday now.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Okay, I got you Now creating a healthier lifestyle
that includes better intake andexercise.
Do you think that also helpswith your minds and energy?
Absolutely, because those aretwo things that obviously people
in thought leaders andentrepreneurs like they need,
that they need energy, they needtheir mind to be sharp.
So if that's what their endgoal is, can healthy eating and
(39:46):
exercise help that person getthere?
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Absolutely, absolutely it can.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
So then, if it can help you get there, then it
makes it important Absolutely,and we need to prioritize things
that are important in our lives.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Right, okay.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
And I think a lot of people hold off on that until
they get a little bit older.
Speaker 1 (40:02):
Let's say late 40s, maybe early 50s and they have
diabetes or they have high bloodpressure.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
And then they come to me and they're like I've hit my
plateau.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
I can't do it anymore , right, right.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
I got to change.
What do I do?
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Right, that's actually that.
Actually you're making a reallygood point here.
Let's talk about that for asecond because, you're right,
People early on are of themindset of I can do that later,
not realizing that you're-.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
It's work.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
I don't want to do it , right, but now you're creating
a much riskier environment.
Now it's not just a matter of,you know, just like healthier
eating and just basic exercise.
Now you need a serious medicalplan to help combat, like you
were saying, diabetes orwhatever the case may be.
And you know you've alsodeveloped a really great niche.
Now, I know, for people thatdon't know, you are a personal
(40:50):
chef as well, right, and youhave part of what you do, and I
know this is not the only thingbut is that you create really
great meals and meal plans forpeople that have serious
illnesses like cancer.
And that's huge, you know, andI, that's not a space.
I think that a lot of people areable to get in.
Obviously, you've got theexperience and the knowledge to
(41:12):
be able to really come alongsidesomeone, because it's not just
about saying, like, eat a salad,you have cancer, eat a salad.
It's no, it's more complicatedthan that and you understand the
science Right.
So share with us a little bitabout that, like, how did you
get into helping people likethat and what type of benefits
are you seeing people who havethese illnesses experience after
(41:33):
now they've been working with?
Speaker 2 (41:34):
you, I will say it's not a huge group of people,
obviously.
How did I get into it?
I was cooking for my regularclients and they had mentioned
to me that a good friend of themhad had cancer.
She was mom of three and wasjust so tired from her
(41:56):
treatments that she couldn'tcook and she needed food for her
family.
Could I help her?
So when she ended up calling me, I you know.
I said, you know, I just wantto mention this.
You know, take it with a grainof salt, but have you ever heard
of, you know, the theory ofyour body being acidic versus
(42:17):
alkaline?
And she had, but she reallydidn't know about it too much,
too much about it.
So I had explained to her ifyou'd like me to do one meal,
just one, maybe, for youspecifically.
We could.
It is strict, it is not easy,it's very limited, but if you'd
(42:39):
like to try that, that'ssomething I could do for you.
And she was willing, she waswilling to do it.
So that's how I got startedwith it, and then word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
Gotcha, yeah, I mean, and so I guess, just like in
the kitchen once very strict.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
It's basically a raw diet.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
The diets are very strict.
You're saying for thatenvironment, that environment,
yeah, it's a raw.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
It's a raw vegan.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Is that right?
Yeah, so so part of I guess, um, but people have been cured.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
I'm not a doctor.
Yes, and you know, but I doknow clients that have gone
alkaline, yeah, and seen a goodresult.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
So you have I mean, you've worked with a lot of
different people.
You've seen it all right,whether it be the restaurant
world or now, you know, being apersonal chef for people.
I love the fact that somethingthat's unique about what you're
doing is you're not just apersonal chef making random
things for people.
You're really custom tailoringa menu to the individual based
(43:39):
on their needs and wants, Right?
So talk a little bit about thatprocess, because I know that
there's a lot of people whowould love that.
Speaker 2 (43:46):
Right, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Right, like so I'm assuming like when, when you
meet someone and they learnabout what you're doing, they,
their eyes probably like lightup.
They're like, oh my gosh, thatis amazing.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
I've been looking for you.
I didn't know you existed.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Right, Right.
You know that type of thing.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
So they will come to me with their needs and wants
dietary restrictions or not.
I'll come up with a menu forthem, personalized to what they
like or what they need, andcreate it.
They'll pick their meals.
I'll send the menu to them.
They'll pick their meals, thenI'll send them a grocery list.
They'll send me the groceries,I cook it and deliver it.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
Wow, okay.
Are you doing this for like,like, like, catered events, or
are you doing this?
Speaker 2 (44:30):
These are like personal meal like family.
They're all in half trays.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Oh, is that right.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
So it's usually for a family and it, you know,
depending on what you order,yeah a half tray will last you
more than one night.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Oh, wow, yeah, so incredible.
Yeah, gotcha, now this, thistype of service.
It sounds like no one can cantouch it, because this is, this
is a highly personalizedexperience.
So this is, this is for acertain type of individual, I'm
assuming.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, I get single people, Iget families, I get women that
just want food for their kids.
Their kids will only eatchicken fingers.
They want the frozen ones andthe Kraft mac and cheese.
Can you please make it homemadeand deliver it to my house?
Yeah, yes, I can.
You're like.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
I'm gonna come to your rescue.
Yes, yes, you're like a chefsuper hero.
Yes, one of the Avengers, Iguess.
Maybe it's a new comic bookcharacter that you create.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
Yes, I want a good one though, like that blue girl
or something.
Speaker 1 (45:26):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
That'd be awesome.
Now, all right.
So you're a chef, you're doingthis for a lot of people, right,
and you're creating thesecustom food experiences for
families.
Now do you do the same thing,the same amount of effort, for
your kids?
I do.
I'm putting you on the spothere.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
I do.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
Do you really yes?
Speaker 2 (45:46):
I do Wow.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
My daughter, who my son won't eat anything.
He's that chicken finger.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
Kraft mac.
Yeah sure, yeah, yeah, yeah,yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
So I'll make chicken cutlets for him, but they're
homemade, Okay, you know theyeat lots of vegetables lots of
fruit.
But my daughter is really theculinary guru.
She'll be like mom.
I want the empanadas that youmade for that client.
Okay, Wow.
And I'll, and I'll make it yes,so every week I will make a
(46:16):
meal or two, two, you know,usually on a Monday a full meal
of what everybody wants orwhatever, and that'll be for the
week.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (46:28):
So they'll have two, and then they'll eat it, and
then I'll make something else.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Yeah, it must be nice to have a mom that can cook
high-end.
Yes, whatever they want andthen she'll cook.
You're a Michelin restaurantquality chef for a mom.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Mom, I want a yoga parfait.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Yeah, she asks me for absolute.
What birya tacos?
Speaker 1 (46:48):
She becoming a little bit of a food snob huh, she is,
she is Wow, okay, okay, she isWow.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
Yeah, so she goes like for two birthday parties.
Yeah, she's like chickennuggets and pizza.
Speaker 1 (46:58):
She's like I'm not having that, she won't eat it.
You're kidding?
No, wow, all right, I mean shewon't be rude.
Speaker 2 (47:04):
Right, but she'll just be like mom, can we eat
before the birthday party,because you know it's gonna look
like Really.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
So she's developed this refined taste she won't eat
.
Speaker 2 (47:11):
McDonald's.
She won't eat any of that.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
Wow, that's amazing, yeah, my son.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
McDonald's all the way.
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
So I have like one of my closest friends His daughter
is it sounds like a lot likeyour daughter and she's just
like has like he subjected herto high end food right Early on
and she just acquired this tastefor like just really good high
end stuff and I told him I'mlike it's your own fault,
(47:39):
absolutely.
It's the other one whointroduced this stuff to her and
now this is like she loves it.
Speaker 2 (47:43):
But you know what too , I myself won't eat any other
way.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Yes, okay, so you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (47:50):
So really I wasn't naturally doing it just for them
, I was really more doing it formyself.
Speaker 1 (47:56):
Gotcha.
Speaker 2 (47:57):
And they fell into the rabbit hole.
Yes, yes you know, because Idon't eat fast food.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
Gotcha, gotcha.
Speaker 2 (48:04):
I don't eat a lot of sugar.
I don't eat.
You know they can have as muchas they want, they're young, but
I don't eat it.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:11):
So naturally, you know.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
Okay, all right.
So you think well, you said ityourself.
You said it's really importantfor, you know, people who have
busy lives, and forentrepreneurs and leaders and
everyone, they should beintentional and put some effort
into also creating a healthypersonal lifestyle, because
that'll benefit their work.
Speaker 2 (48:32):
Absolutely Right, okay, I mean, you are what you
eat, right, right, I mean that'swhat they say.
You are what you eat, and youcould only eat so unhealthy for
so long.
Speaker 1 (48:40):
It's gonna.
It catches up to you.
It catches up to you 99% of thepopulation.
Interesting, Interesting.
Speaker 2 (48:46):
You know, in your late 30s, 40s, 50s they all come
to me.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
Yeah, they do.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
And they're like what do I do now?
Speaker 1 (48:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (48:52):
And you know what I feel like it's harder when
you're in your 40s and your 50sto get set with that routine,
you know, rather than like I'vebeen doing it my whole life.
Honestly, I've been at the gymworking out doing you know all
different things, yeah.
So for me it's a lifestyle.
It becomes more than it becomesa lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
More than anything else.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Gotcha.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
So it's good to start earlier.
That way it doesn't become sucha overwhelming job Right.
Speaker 1 (49:20):
But for the people that haven't started yet, and
they are a little bit older,let's just say it's not too late
.
Everyone still.
There's always still anopportunity, just picking the
intention Right.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
Yeah, I mean, you know, like I said, you don't
have to go to the gym and youknow, get a six pack.
You just have an intention.
Speaker 1 (49:35):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
I need some cardio to be heart healthy.
And I'm just you know, comespring, every night I'm going to
walk for 20 minutes.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
Yeah, you know and I don't know if this is sort of an
angle that you havespecifically, but like really a
great mark, like, all right, soI'm in marketing, right, so I'm
hearing your story and my anglewould be something along the
lines of like, you know, you'renot just cooking food that
tastes good, you're cooking foodto make someone healthy, right?
(50:06):
Absolutely.
I don't know of a lot of peoplethat actually do that.
Where they, it's a chef thatreally takes into consideration
the individual, not just, oh, Iwant to eat this, I want to eat
a burger, right?
You're not just thinking aboutthat.
You're thinking, all right,what's your, what's your health
life right now?
Right, what do you want yourhealth like life to be down the
road?
It's almost like like when youtalk to a financial advisor.
(50:27):
The financial advisor says, allright, how much money do you
want to retire with?
And you're like I want toretire with $10 million.
And then they work backwards.
They're like, all right, let'screate a plan based on that.
It sounds like you're doing thesame thing as a chef advisor,
right?
And you're like all right, thisis what you want to look like,
right, this is what your tastesare like.
All right, we're going tocreate a plan for you that's
going to allow it to taste good,but it's going to help you to
get there Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (50:47):
That's amazing, yeah, and a lot of people do come to
me with goals.
So you know there are a lot ofmy clients are goal oriented.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
Is that right?
Yeah, ok.
Speaker 2 (50:57):
Because, like I said, by the time they come to me,
they're kind of lost.
A lot of them are and they'relike well, what do I do now?
Speaker 1 (51:04):
How do I get there?
Yeah, yeah, do you work withany like personal trainers as
well?
Like to compliment maybe whatthey're doing.
Speaker 2 (51:12):
Yes, I could, if that's something that they
wanted.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (51:16):
Because I see that as being a huge asset to these, to
personal trainers, where youknow they really understand the
gym right and if you, teamed upwith personal trainers we're
talking about, you can createArnold Schwarzenegger all the
time with people.
You know what I mean.
That's your goal, absolutelyRight, amazing, ok, very, very
cool.
So if people are listeningright now and they're like I
(51:38):
need Melissa Furpo to startcooking for me and I just want
to have a because you're veryknowledgeable on this stuff, you
know you are like, you're likea chef, scientist.
So if people want to get intouch with you and they want to
have that initial conversation,how can they do that?
Speaker 2 (51:52):
I would assume either Facebook.
Speaker 1 (51:53):
OK.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
Or TikTok.
Speaker 1 (51:55):
OK, so they can find you, melissa Furpo.
Speaker 2 (51:57):
Melissa Furpo on Facebook Healthy Chef One on
TikTok On TikTok.
Speaker 1 (52:02):
OK, all right, so I'm going to put you a little bit
on the weird question hot seatfor a moment.
Is that OK?
I love it, ok.
And so I've got a question foryou and I have a feeling that
you're not going to like thisone.
But if you're going to cheatfood wise on anything, right,
what is it going to be?
And tell us the truth.
(52:24):
Oh I will have you ever had aMcDonald's Big Mac?
Speaker 2 (52:28):
No, I've never had a Big Mac.
I've never ate Taco Bell.
Speaker 1 (52:31):
What.
Speaker 2 (52:32):
I've never had Wendy's ever.
Speaker 1 (52:35):
Ever, ever.
So you don't know what you'remissing out on.
Speaker 2 (52:37):
I don't, I don't, and if I'm going to cheat, it's
going to be dessert.
Speaker 1 (52:42):
Oh, really, sugar, oh goodness, oh my God, I love
sugar, I love it.
Ok, I got you Like.
Are you like a chocolate girl,or?
Speaker 2 (52:50):
What am I?
I'm like an Italian pastry.
Speaker 1 (52:53):
Oh OK.
Speaker 2 (52:54):
Maybe you know like a bakery, yeah, OK.
Speaker 1 (53:00):
So have you ever like ?
You're driving home, you'relike no one knows, right, no one
knows.
No one's going to see me.
I'm stopping at the bakery.
Come on, you can tell the truth.
No, I am.
No weakness there.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
I, and this is May.
Speaker 1 (53:14):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (53:15):
It's just a personal thing Skinny for me or the
weight I am, how I look isbetter than the donut.
Oh I love the donut, don't getme wrong, but when I get dressed
and I like to wear I don't knowa specific outfit or a cat suit
in the winter, whatever it is,I like to look a certain way.
(53:36):
I've always been that way, sothe food doesn't overpower the.
And then here's the other thing.
I go to the gym so much andworks Like when I'm one of those
people that go to the gym thatyou're like I work hard hard and
(53:56):
intentional.
If I ate like that the biggestthing that pisses me off in fact
I just started changing myroutine up is because I work so
hard not to see a result.
If I'm not seeing major results, I get annoyed.
All that work for what?
(54:17):
Just to look the same way, Ineed my muscle cutting a little
bit.
I need to work on a.
I don't have a six pack oranything, but I said you know
what I think I want to start towork on.
You know like I needintentional gain from the work
that I do.
So the food when I look at thatfood, I think of no gain.
(54:38):
Then you just worked an hourand a half sweating at the gym,
you know, bench pressing orsquatting 200 pounds, and now
you're going to eat the Dunkin'Donut and it's all for nothing.
Speaker 1 (54:52):
It pisses you off it pisses me off.
You.
This little monologue isamazing.
This is, I think, my favoritepart so far of our discussion,
because you just hit on anelement of mindset, right.
That is so important Is numberone is the importance of
creating a priority list.
What's more important to you,right which is hard it is.
(55:14):
That's what I was just about tosay.
Speaker 2 (55:15):
That's really hard because people love to eat and,
like I'm, a chef I cater topeople who love to eat.
Eating is like right, it's likethat comfort, it's social, it
makes people.
If people are stressed, theycould stress eat.
Speaker 1 (55:31):
If people are happy, they happy eat.
Speaker 2 (55:33):
I mean, there's so many elements to eating in our
culture.
Speaker 1 (55:36):
Yeah, but you're not suggesting not to eat, right.
You're talking about just ahealthy eating habits.
Healthy eating habits, right?
Speaker 2 (55:43):
Well, most food isn't healthy Most food that.
Americans like to eat is nothealthy.
Speaker 1 (55:48):
Hamburgers with cheese and bacon are not healthy
.
Everything that comes in a bagtraditionally I eat it.
Speaker 2 (55:54):
I'm not saying, I don't.
Speaker 1 (55:55):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's not healthy.
Speaker 2 (55:57):
None of that is healthy.
Speaker 1 (55:59):
But you said something like amazing and you
said this other goal of mine theway I look is more important
than that doughnuts, and I thinkthat's in life.
We've got to make it get to aplace in life where we're making
those decisions for ourselvesnow, where we got to say you
know what, this that I'mshooting for is more important
than the thing that I'm doingnow.
(56:19):
Right, the thing that I'm doingnow is just either gonna make
it much harder for me toaccomplish what I want to
accomplish, that doughnuts isgonna make my goal of losing
weight so much further out now.
Now I've got to work out evenmore right.
You got to make just figure itin your head, be like what's
more important and just bestubborn about committing to
that right.
Speaker 2 (56:37):
Yeah, I mean, and of course there's different levels
of it.
Personally, I like to go into astore and if I'm gonna go
shopping for clothes, I like toknow that if I like that pair of
pants it's gonna look good onme and when you're a certain
size, it's almost like anything.
Basically, it's not gonna betoo tight or this isn't gonna,
(56:57):
you know, and that just I likethat.
Like that makes me happy.
Someone else could not care,which is fine.
That's fine it doesn't have tobe that extreme.
But that's why I'm the healthcoach, Because I'm extreme.
I would consider my eatingregimen and workout regimen on
the extreme side, notbodybuilding, that's super
extreme.
But I'd say a step down it'sextreme Like.
(57:21):
I eat low carb, low sugar, lowfat.
Speaker 1 (57:26):
But that's your choice, right?
That's my choice.
You've made a decision.
This is what I want and this isthe right sort of like regimen
for me.
You're not saying this is theright regimen for anyone else,
right?
This is custom tailored for you, right?
So people are listening, or ifthey watch the show and they're
like oh, I want a result, butthere's no way, I have the time.
And you're like all right, youdon't have to do what I'm doing,
right, correct?
(57:46):
Yeah, so I think it's they haveto do some sort of cardio.
Yeah, do something.
Speaker 2 (57:49):
Right and you know what.
It depends on what your goal is.
If your goal is, you know whatI have high blood pressure or I
just gained 30 pounds over thewinter I want to lose some
weight.
Then you're gonna go for lowfat, low carb and cardio.
You know, at this point inwhere I am, I don't need to lose
any fat, so I go more weighttraining.
(58:12):
Oh I gotcha Now with slightcardio, just to be hard healthy.
Speaker 1 (58:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (58:17):
So it really, like I said, it's catered to what your
goal is and where you are.
Speaker 1 (58:22):
Yeah, All right, two more questions, because you've
already given us a lot of yourtime here and I appreciate it,
but two more questions for you.
Number one is for the personthat has this really great goal
for themselves.
Right, they've got this amazinggoal and you can agree like, oh
, that's a wonderful goal.
It could be I'm gonna lose thisamount of weight, or I wanna
(58:42):
look a certain way based on myphysique and get into the gym
and I wanna exercise, orwhatever the case may be, it
doesn't matter.
The goal doesn't matter, butwhat matters is it's a big goal,
right, and they're pretty faroff from this particular goal
right now.
You know that most people don'twanna put in that work.
So what's the advice to theindividual that says I want the
(59:05):
results but I'm not willing toput in the work?
Like, what would you say tothat person?
Speaker 2 (59:12):
I think slow and steady wins the race in this,
and I think that you cannot cutout everything.
You know, it's kind of parallelwith I will get a lot of
clients that are looking for agoal, an extreme goal, and
they'll say I just wanna looklike you, like I just want my
body to look.
And I tell them we can do that,but first pick.
(59:36):
I'll give them options.
Pick what's easier for you.
So do you wanna start off onthe food range or the exercise
range?
We need both, but what wouldyou?
And if they're like, well, it'sspringtime, I'm going to a lot
of barbecues and drinking up astore.
I wanna start with the exercise.
Great, every day, seven days aweek, I want you to get out and
(01:00:03):
walk and we start there.
If they're like, you can't cuteverything out today and do what
I'm doing day one.
You're gonna fail.
Speaker 1 (01:00:12):
Because you're gonna get frustrated and you're gonna
quit.
Speaker 2 (01:00:15):
So, whatever we pick, it has to become a lifestyle
change.
I hate the word diet becausediet means I'm on it now it's
temporary and tomorrow I'm goingoff of it.
That's not what I do.
Mine is a lifestyle.
I work out this much.
I do this, I eat this way.
(01:00:35):
And it doesn't really change.
Come summer, come my birthday,come Christmas and Easter a lot
of excuses get when you say diet, I'm going on vacation.
When I go on vacation, give ortake, it stays the same because
it's a lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (01:00:55):
So basically, if you want a different result, you've
gotta change how you're gonnaget there.
And it has to be permanent, sowe start slow.
See, that's important becausethat's hard for people.
I think so hard Because no onewants to run a marathon like
there's very few marathonrunners.
A lot of people like oh, I'llsprint, I'll do the 50 yard
sprint or the 100 yard.
(01:01:15):
That's for me right.
But life's a marathon andthat's the part that people
don't get, and this is why Ithink a lot of people fall short
of their goal and end upquitting.
Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
And I think they do.
It's because of what you'resaying.
Great advice, you don't want todo too much at once.
They go on Jenny Craig or theygo on these Weight Watchers or
whatever, and it's so extremefrom where they've been that
they do it for a little and thenthey go off.
So slow and steady.
Speaker 1 (01:01:44):
Last question for you .
Normally I actually ask aquestion with regards to some
type of book that you read, but,being that I have someone that
is so well versed in restaurantsand, being a chef, I want to
know and because I know thiswould be interesting for a lot
of people is what is yourfavorite restaurant in Manhattan
(01:02:04):
and would you recommend thatrestaurant for people to try?
Speaker 2 (01:02:10):
All right, give me a minute, let me think.
All right, so there are a lotof new ones out there that.
I have not been to.
Okay, but historically, onethat's just a status quo is
Danielle, and it's only for aspecial occasion.
Speaker 1 (01:02:31):
It's pricey yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:02:34):
But I appreciate when they give me a dish.
I know how it's made and I knowthe time it takes to make the
sauce two days or the stock orthe demi-glace or the, so that's
something I appreciate.
Haven't been there in years butI've always loved it, and you
could pick a prefixed with wine.
You're bombed by the time youget out and they do the pairing.
Speaker 1 (01:02:58):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (01:02:59):
And it's little dishes and it's chef's choice.
Oh, my goodness, it's delicious.
Speaker 1 (01:03:03):
That's amazing.
Have you ever been to Mr Chow'sin the city?
I have, so that's like ourgo-to.
We try to go there at leastonce a year or something like
maybe twice a year for specialstuff, because I don't know.
There's some restaurants for uswhere the food is still great.
The memory makes it even better.
Does that make sense?
Yes, and we have a coupleplaces like that, and Mr Chow's
(01:03:24):
is one of those places where thefood is great.
Right, but it's the memoriesthat, I think, just makes
everything sweeter, absolutely.
So I guess I want to end onthat.
Is there a restaurant for youthat, separate from the one that
you just said, could beanywhere in the world, one that
was just such a great experience, great memory, and you feel
like other people might be ableto share in what you experienced
(01:03:44):
?
Speaker 2 (01:03:48):
I kind of like.
Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
Your personal kitchen maybe.
Speaker 2 (01:03:51):
Yeah, right In Manhattan.
I like David Burke andDonatella.
I don't even know if they'restill open, but that's really
one of the first four-starrestaurants that hired me.
Speaker 1 (01:04:03):
Oh wow, is that right ?
Speaker 2 (01:04:06):
So you've got this nostalgia, so I loved it, and
then, when I moved intoManhattan, I went there to work
and they hired me but I haven'tbeen there in years.
But it was a great restaurantand I'm actually going to try
Bad Roman this month.
That's a new one.
Speaker 1 (01:04:20):
OK.
Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
I'm going to try the New Brother building that I
heard's unbelievable.
There's so many and I think 11,is it 11?
Madison Park?
When vegan?
Speaker 1 (01:04:28):
I want to try one of those, Like I want to try a new
vegan restaurant, but there's somany there really are, and we
live in a community around heretoo.
I feel like the restaurantsaround here are really good.
Speaker 2 (01:04:40):
We're fortunate Moronies.
Speaker 1 (01:04:42):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:04:43):
That the tasting menu , though where the chef brings
out whatever they want.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (01:04:47):
Yeah, we've got a lot of good restaurants in this
community, whether it be throughSmithtown, going up St James,
nissa, quagg, like there's somereally nice restaurants up here.
There's always choices, and Ialmost feel like you can go to a
new restaurant every singleweek and for like five years and
still there'll be more outthere.
That's how many there are, sothat's really really cool.
Speaker 2 (01:05:08):
Everybody loves to eat.
They do.
Speaker 1 (01:05:11):
That's the one thing everyone has in common.
Right Is food, absolutely, andthis is why what you do must be
a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (01:05:16):
It is, I enjoy it.
Yeah, I do.
Speaker 1 (01:05:18):
So, melissa, thanks for coming out.
This has been a real joy,honestly, getting to know a
little bit more about yourjourney here, and I know that
there are a lot more storiesthat you have that, my goodness,
people are like I wish theytalked about this.
But we've got a limited time onthe show here and we're
definitely going to have to haveyou back, because you're filled
(01:05:41):
with these amazing experiencesand that's what people love when
you can pull the curtain alittle bit and people can peer
in.
Everyone's like.
People tell them right.
They want to be able to peer inand be like what's going on
behind the scenes of the Kitchenor the TV shows.
They want that.
That's gold and you've got thatgold that people want.
So I appreciate you sharingsome of it.
(01:06:01):
Thank you, yeah, absolutelyThank you for having me.
So just one more time and withit where people can find you if
they want to be able to followyou in some of your social media
or reach out to you about youmaybe being a personal chef for
them.
Speaker 2 (01:06:14):
Yes, facebook.
Melissa Farpa was the best one,and then, of course, tiktok.
That's Healthy Chef one.
Speaker 1 (01:06:20):
Healthy Chef one.
And then Melissa Furpo,facebook.
If they search you up there,they're going to find you and
then they can reach out to youvia those channels.
Speaker 2 (01:06:29):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (01:06:30):
Amazing, and I know you do a lot of local stuff.
Would you ever like?
Do you do like personal chefthings like outside of the state
as well?
Speaker 2 (01:06:39):
I haven't, but I'd be open to yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06:42):
Yeah, because maybe there's someone who's like in
one of the islands they're like,we would like to hire her to
come do like our corporate eventor my family's going on
vacation, because your style ofcooking for a family is probably
appealing to a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (01:06:53):
Yes, yeah.
Or even if they need help withhealth coaching, that's easy to
do all over the phone.
You could do that remotely.
Speaker 1 (01:07:01):
OK, amazing, melissa Furpo.
You're amazing.
You've got a great story.
Thank you for opening up.
This is definitely wasn'tsupposed to be a Gordon Ramsay
tell all, but it's turned intoit a little bit.
But I love the advice that yougave, and this whole show was
littered with amazing goldennuggets, and I think one that
really stood out to me was theimportance of being intentional
(01:07:23):
about your plan and focused onyour goal Absolutely, and you
got to prioritize that stuff.
That's really really goodadvice.
Thank you so much for sharingthat.
That's Melissa.
Go find her on TikTok andFacebook.
Follow her.
She's got really great contentas well and she's blowing up
with stuff, doing a lot ofreally really great things.
So thanks again for coming out.
Guys, until next time, remember, don't fear the process and
(01:07:45):
don't fear grits.
We will see you next time.
Take care, guys.
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