217 - Ken Daniels - The Blood Sugar Chef - his journey out of diabetes

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Ken Daniels – Certified Sommelier, Chef Instructor, Beverage & Hospitality Consultant

Ken Daniels is a Certified Sommelier, Executive Chef Instructor, and award-winning mixologist with over 20 years of leadership in the food and beverage industry. He is the Owner of Advanced Hospitality Consulting Group, where he helps restaurants,
caterers, and hospitality brands design smarter systems, build stronger teams, and create unforgettable guest experiences.

Ken’s career spans from small “Mom & Pop diners” to corporate fine dining, large-scale event & festival catering, food & beverage consulting, and event crisis/operational recovery.

He holds a Certificate of Culinary Arts from NCSD and an Executive Certificate in Brew Science from the World Brewing Academy. He is also a Cigar & Cannabis Sommelier, and an apprentice cheese Affineur. His past roles also include Whisky Associate
Ambassador for Glenfiddich and a former National Champion Mixologist in cocktail design for Absolut Elyx. In 2021, Ken also built one of the largest national single-barrel spirits procurement programs of whiskey, Bourbon, rum, tequila, and gin.

As a writer, Ken’s work has appeared in The SOMM Journal, The Tasting Panel, and Campestre Wine Magazine, blending technical expertise with a storyteller’s edge. He has spoken at events for Google, Hyundai Korea, the California Craft Brewers
Association, and the Special Events Convention, always focused on bringing practical knowledge to real-world hospitality challenges.

In addition to consulting, Ken is the founder of BloodSugarChef.com — a site dedicated to unapologetically bold, low-carb cooking for real life — and DrinkEatLearn.com, an educational platform exploring food and beverage history, technique, and storytelling.

https://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/about-tspc/meet-the-expert-council

🔥 In this episode of Drop Dead Years, Andy McCann interviews Ken Daniels — Certified Sommelier, Executive Chef Instructor, and founder of BloodSugarChef.com — to explore the intersection of flavor, fitness, and food freedom.

Ken shares his 20+ year journey through the hospitality industry, from Michelin-style restaurants and large-scale event catering to launching AI-enhanced spirits consulting and building one of the largest national single-barrel spirits procurement programs. But behind the culinary success lies a powerful personal health transformation, sparked by burnout and fueled by bold, low-carb cooking.

This episode dives into:

• 🧠 How Ken reinvented his health using low-carb, high-flavor meals
• 🥩 The philosophy behind Blood Sugar Chef and unapologetic real-life eating
• 🍷 His experience as a cigar & cannabis sommelier, mixologist, and beverage historian
• 🍽️ Tips for sustainable eating in a high-stress industry
• 🧂 How to balance flavor, nutrition, and personal boundaries in the kitchen
• 🤖 Using storytelling, systems, and even AI to uplevel food & beverage brands

Whether you’re a foodie, CrossFitter, carnivore curious, or just love a good story about personal reinvention, this one’s packed with wisdom, flavor, and real-life takeaways.

👉 Subscribe now, share with your health-minded friends, and check out more at www.bloodsugarchef.com and DrinkEatLearn.com.

🎙️ Hosted by Andy McCann