March 13, 2025 • 41 mins
Chef Imrun Texeira takes us on a powerful journey through the intense world of professional kitchens, from his humble beginnings as a 14-year-old dishwasher to competing on Top Chef Canada and staging at the world-renowned Noma restaurant. With remarkable candor, he reveals how his multicultural heritage—blending Northern Indian, East African, British, and Canadian influences—shaped his unique culinary perspective and created a distinctive palate that sets his food apart.
The conversation takes a profound turn as Imrun shares his personal struggles during the pandemic, a period that stripped away his direction and livelihood but ultimately led him to discover the Burnt Chef Project. Now serving as an ambassador for this vital mental health initiative, he speaks passionately about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in culinary spaces and creating sustainable work environments where chefs can thrive both professionally and personally.
Joined by Walk-In Talk Culinary Contributor, Chef Kevin Raspberry, who brings his own perspective on industry challenges, the discussion explores the delicate balance between maintaining the high standards and work ethic essential to culinary excellence while eliminating toxic behaviors that have historically plagued restaurant kitchens. Their authentic dialogue offers rare insight into how the next generation of culinary professionals can approach their careers with both passion and boundaries.
Whether you're a professional chef, home cook, or simply someone who appreciates food culture, this episode delivers valuable wisdom about resilience, cultural identity through food, and the critical importance of prioritizing mental wellbeing i
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Thank you for listening to the Walk-In Talk Podcast, hosted by Carl Fiadini and Company. Our show not only explores the exciting and chaotic world of the restaurant business and amazing eateries but also advocates for mental health awareness in the food industry.
Our podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at the industry. Don't miss out on upcoming episodes where we'll continue to cook up thought-provoking discussions on important topics, including mental health awareness.
Be sure to visit our website for more food industry-related content, including our very own TV show called Restaurant Recipes where we feature Chefs cooking up their dishes and also The Dirty Dash Cocktail Hour; the focus is mixology and amazing drinks!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hello Food Fam.
This is the Walk Talk podcastwhere you will find the perfect
blend of food fun and cookingknowledge.
I'm your host, carl Fiodini.
Welcome to the number one foodpodcast in the country.
We're recording on site at IbisImages Studios, where food
photography comes alive and Iget to eat it.
And that is the truth.
Today we've got a seriousepisode lined up for you.
(00:30):
We're sitting down with thetalented Imran Texera, a chef
who's made waves in the kitchenbut who's also making a real
impact as an ambassador for theBurnt Chef Project.
His journey has taken him fromthe vibrant culinary scene in
Copenhagen.
His journey has taken him fromthe vibrant culinary scene in
Copenhagen, staging at one ofthe top restaurants in the world
, noma all the way to thesemifinals of Top Chef Canada.
(00:51):
His story is complete withultra highs and deep lows.
We'll dive into Imran'sexperiences on Top Chef, discuss
how the pandemic turned theculinary world upside down and
explore his mission to championmental health awareness in the
industry.
It's a powerful conversationabout resilience, passion and
(01:12):
the challenges we need to see inthe culinary landscape, and
joining us today in studio iswelcome.
Back to Chef Kevin Raspberry.
He's been busy cooking up somedelectable dishes that we're
excited to talk about.
I've got him on film.
John has captured some greatshots during the photo shoot, so
trust me and check out ourInstagram to see the video and
(01:33):
photos of Chef's dishes and thatwould be at walkandtalkshow.
It's a mouthful.
I am a professional and if youcan do this, do it.
If not, then leave it to us.
That's all I'm saying.
Kevin, welcome back.
I appreciate y'all for havingme back.
My man, you know, I'm happytoday.
(01:54):
I'm so happy today.
You're happy.
I'm happy.
I'm saying I mean, you didthree dishes.
We only wanted two and you'relike no, no, I'm extra, I do
three.
There's always room for more,right?
So, as it turns out, your thirdwas this like a brisket egg
roll, the smoked brisket eggrolls.
Yes, right Now.
You know you might think, oh,brisket egg roll, no, no, no, no
(02:16):
, this brisket egg roll put asmile.
It was an ear-to-ear smile,smile and I actually kind of
wanted to just grab the plate,go sit in the corner by myself
and be left alone, and that's atrue story.
It's that good it is.
But then again, the, the, thepork and the lamb equally as
good.
Just can't go wrong with no,just different.
But can you go ahead andexplain what you did today?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
All right.
So first I started out with thegrilled lamb ribs with the fig
and balsamic reduction, servedwith the wild mushroom risotto
and roasted root vegetables.
That one I was a littlehesitant about because I don't
eat lamb.
But everyone in the world eatslamb except me.
I'm the minority on that part.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Listen, I'm kind of judging you harshly.
I'm judging you harshly.
Number one the dish was great,thank you.
The plate racked porcelain,freaking gorgeous.
Wait to see the pictures.
Where did that?
Where'd you get that?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
lamb from From Peninsula and my good friend
Kurt.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Kurt, yeah, kurt's amazing Kurt's all right, he's
okay, Don't tell him he's.
He's an old guy, that's, hishead is too big as it is.
So Kurt was a chef in SouthFlorida and at one time and
he'll be the first one to tellyou that he was a number I think
he was the number one chef inFlorida at one time, ranked in
Florida.
I should edit that out, but I'mnot.
(03:36):
I'm not Kurt.
I know you're going to listento this.
Thank you, brother.
So the pork.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
The pork.
So it is a stuffed porktenderloin, stuffed it with
Gruyere cheese, fontina cheese,caramelized onions, fresh herbs,
newskies, bacon and apples.
Rolled that up, seared it offand I finished it with the apple
demi reduction and I servedthat with the celery root, yukon
(04:03):
mashed potatoes and suelte withchar.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Chef, I appreciate you coming in cooking today.
We have some awesome footage.
Can't wait to get that editedand out.
Let's usher Chef Imran onto theshow how you doing Chef.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I'm not too bad guys.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (04:19):
guys doing Fantastic.
We met at the NAFM show inatlanta a couple of weeks ago
and you guys were terrific overat burn chef project.
You know you saw that we wereuh, we're all working hard and
and your team brought over Idon't know it must have been
like six cases of of water forus appreciate you very much yeah
(04:44):
, of course gotta stay hydrated,especially in shows like that
well, it's nothing but talking.
It's speaking and more talkingand more speaking, and then,
whatever the you know four milesof trade show that you had to
walk as well it's, it's a lotyeah, it definitely takes its
toll, and I don't know about youguys.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I'm one of those chefs who doesn't always
remember to drink water, so it'salways nice to get those
reminders.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Heard that Chef.
Can you share how your culinaryjourney started and what
motivated you to pursue?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
cooking.
It's a passion for me thatstarted at a pretty young age.
I was always cooking at homewith my family and loved ones
since the earliest memories thatI can remember.
But I guess in the professionalrealm my culinary journey
started when I was just 14,working as a dishwasher in a
small local chain restauranthere in Ontario.
(05:34):
It was there that I first got ataste of what the kitchen
hustle really was and I washooked instantly.
And then over the next 15 yearsas I worked my way up, starting
of course in the trenches ofyears, as I worked my way up,
starting of course in thetrenches of the kitchen and
learning from the ground up.
Of course, as we all know, ittakes a lot of hard work, but my
love for food was always there,driving me forward.
(05:54):
And growing up in amulticultural kind of household
and being now living in Toronto,canada, one of the most
multicultural cities and orcountries in the world, I was
always lucky to experience awide range of flavors from a
pretty young age.
But cooking has always beenmore than maybe just making a
meal.
For me, it's always beencreating that kind of experience
(06:15):
, the power of bringing peopletogether around a table, sharing
a meal and connecting over goodfood is always something that
always inspired me.
So as I've grown in my career,I've always realized that real
magic happens when people areenjoying themselves, laughing,
(06:36):
bonding over a dish that, Ithink, actually tells a story.
So that's always woven in withmy love for travel.
Travel has always been a hugeinfluence for me on my journey.
I've been very lucky to workand travel to almost every
single part of this world, andthere's still a few places that
I haven't hit yet, but that isdefinitely where my kind of two
passions align, if you will.
So every place I visit alwaysintroduces me to new flavors, of
(06:58):
course, new ingredients and newways of cooking, and it's more
than just tasting the food.
It's about understanding theculture behind it and bringing
those influences back to my ownkitchen.
Travel has always helped meshape my approach to cooking,
and it's reinforced the ideathat food is this incredible
universal language thatbasically connects people, no
(07:18):
matter where you're from.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Where are your parents from?
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So my dad was born and raised in Northern India, so
in the Punjab.
My mom was born in East Africaand raised in the UK.
So my parents ended up meetingand getting together in London
in the UK and then they cameover to Canada in the early 90s.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
I bet your palate is awesome.
I bet you have a really uniquepalate.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
It's pretty nuts, especially when you think of the
flavor profiles of justnorthern India but India in
general, how those flavors havemigrated to different parts of
Africa based on the kind ofIndian diaspora and then my
Portuguese roots, the Britishupbringing and then me growing
up in Canada, all these thingscoming into this beautiful kind
of a stockpot, if you will, offlavors coming together.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Could you briefly explain the difference between
the Northern cuisine andSouthern cuisine on the
continent?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
So the main difference is that the food, to
be honest, changes maybe every50 to 100 kilometers across that
country.
Where you think the North ofIndia, it's a bit cooler during
the winter months, you're havinga lot more bread, a lot more
kind of rich curries or gravies,if you will.
So a lot of robust, heavy food,especially when you think of
the kind of farming communitythat are up there.
(08:36):
Compared down to the south,especially where a lot of my
ancestors come from the coastalregion of Goa, you're finding a
lot more influences from thePortuguese settlers that came
down there, a lot more freshseafood, lighter flavors, but a
lot more maybe heat and spicecoming from the chilies, some
vinegar notes and maybe lessbread and more rice coming in.
(08:57):
So it's a very diverse countryin general when it comes down to
the food, the dialect, you nameit.
So, traveling through thatcountry basically every couple
hours you go, no matter whichdirection you're going into,
it's a different cuisine almostevery stop along the way.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Is there a specific dish that kind of transcends the
entire continent?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Oof.
That's definitely a hardquestion because you've seen
different variations of dishesor plays on.
I guess the Indian kind offlavor profiles travel around
the world.
There's the idea of butterchicken or chicken masala and
whatnot.
But I think it's maybe I'm alittle biased because my roots
come from this part of thecountry, but seeing how the
(09:37):
Golan flavors have really comeinto play in different parts of
the South, especially Goa, andseeing how that kind of
inspiration has come into thealcohol production, the use of
vinegar in the cooking andwhatnot, which we might see as
maybe common practices out herein the West, but in that part of
the world, or at least in India, you're not seeing those kind
of influences in different partsof the country.
(09:58):
It's more predominantly from myexperiences in that style of
cooking.
So I would love to see thosekind of techniques that have
been in part of that world forhundreds, if not thousands, of
years, but it's just to thatkind of certain region.
So styles that we've grown upwith or techniques that we've
grown up with knowing, butreally hone into the how special
that type of cuisine is in thatexact area.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Staging at Noma, my goodness, I mean that's top
ranked restaurant in the world.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
How did that shape?
It really pushed everyone thereto adapt in ways I hadn't
really anticipated.
The challenges we faced weredefinitely humbling and it
reminded me of the resiliencerequired in this industry.
It wasn't just about, of course, going over there to refine
technical skills.
It really deepened myunderstanding of different
ingredients, seasonality,sustainability and just maybe a
(11:03):
different kind of perspectivebased on the landscape that we
had to work with.
But for me, one of the mostunexpected experiences was when
I had the opportunity to makestaff meal, so all the interns
there had to pair up withanother one and we would make
staff meal for one week straight.
I ended up preparing Indianfood with this young chef from
New Delhi and it was a naturalconnection to my own background.
(11:26):
I hadn't fully explored thatpart of myself in professional
cooking at that point, but theteam really enjoyed the flavors
and the dishes that we'reputting out and it gave me a
deeper appreciation for howthose flavors have shaped my
culinary journey and, to behonest, based on my time in
Copenhagen, there weren't manygood Indian restaurants, if any,
to begin with, so us offeringup those flavors definitely hit
(11:50):
home with a lot of people andagain gave me a great
appreciation for where I camefrom.
So it helped me really realizethe importance of embracing your
own roots, even when you'reworking in a global environment
like a kitchen.
The thing about being thereduring the pandemic was the
chance to work alongside the topchefs from around the world.
(12:11):
It was a challenging time forus all, but seeing how they
approached the situation withresilience and creativity was
definitely inspiring.
It reminded me how much chefscan contribute beyond the
kitchen, whether it's obviouslythrough the food we're making or
the social impact we can have.
It gave me a fresh perspectiveon the role chefs can contribute
beyond the kitchen, whetherit's obviously through the food
you're making or the socialimpact we can have.
It gave me a fresh perspectiveon the role chefs can play both
in the culinary world but insociety at large.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Chef, a lot of our listeners are foodies.
They love everything about theindustry, the recipes, the
banter that happens with insideof a restaurant, but they may
not know some of the terminology.
Briefly explain what a stage is.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Yeah.
So stage, I guess, is morepigeonholed into the culinary
world, based on the terminology,but it is basically an
internship, so an unpaid workterm where you're going in to
earn, ideally from the best ofthe best to gain work experience
.
So normally I would assume mostrestaurants would take in that
kind of internship if theopportunity arose.
(13:15):
But normally the bestrestaurants are bringing in this
kind of, I guess, free labor.
So that's how you're going tolook at it.
But the opportunity for chefs,young in their career or maybe
looking just to developthemselves as they go throughout
off the back of the individual.
So I had to save up a lot ofmoney to have that experience.
(13:52):
I definitely don't come from abackground where I can just be
traveling and staging around theworld on the regular, so it was
definitely a once in a lifetimeexperience for me and for a lot
of the people that go afterthose kind of opportunities.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
The fact that you were allowed to cook family
meals is a big deal and I don'tknow if everyone listening would
understand the weight of thatyeah, a lot of people don't
understand, right?
Speaker 3 (14:12):
because, like, we're working day-to-day in the
restaurant, if you will, for theamazing guests that are coming
into the restaurant and, yes,that is daunting your court
we're cooking about a 20-25course blind tasting menu on the
regs, but here we're cookingstaff meal for the chefs that
are putting out that operation.
So you're cooking for, again,some of the best chefs in the
world cooking for Rene and theteam, and that's the back of
(14:36):
house, the front of house andsome of the other kind of moving
admin teams.
So, give or take, 80 to 100people and that's two meals a
day that we're cooking a staffmeal for.
So it's a it's a hard gig inits own and making sure that one
that they're well fed, they'rewell nourished, but you want to
make sure that your flavorsdefinitely hit how did the
experience of top chef canadaand noma?
Speaker 1 (15:00):
What's the parallel there?
They're very differentexperiences and, in their own
right, both amazing it caninduce.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
but they're completely different worlds
where, at least, you're workingwithin a team.
When you're at Noma, you're inthis beautiful environment I
think one of the most beautifulrestaurants in the world as well
.
So you're working in thisamazing team, in this amazing
family, if you want to call itthat.
But in Top Chef you're byyourself.
You're in a hotel room byyourself.
I didn't have my phone, mylaptop, I wasn't able to connect
with the outside world per se.
So it was a lot ofinternalization, a lot of the
(15:49):
stuff I had to go through bymyself.
You didn't have the same kind ofsupport mechanisms, right?
You don't have your family,your friends, your loved ones
with you to really lean on inthose times and being in those
rooms of high, immense pressurewhere you're maybe on set for,
say, 15, 16, 18 hours a day,you're maybe only cooking for an
hour or two, but it feels likeyou just worked a 20-hour
(16:12):
service.
It's the, the hours or thepressure really drains you.
So it is very, I guess you youlook at it from like a back end
if you feel the same way afteryou're doing a long service, but
like the bottom line is you'reonly cooking for an hour or two,
but it just drains you becauseof the pressure and everything
Seeing the studio lights, seeingall the different moving parts
(16:33):
and the moving bodies behind thescene.
It's not just the competitorsyou see on screen.
There's probably another 50 to100 people watching and hearing
every single move.
So, yeah, it's a lot ofpressure.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Chef, I have a question what keeps you
motivated to keep going?
And the only reason I askedthat question?
Cause I feel like every chefthroughout their career has
those moments where they justwant to quit and give up and
they're just done with theindustry.
So what keeps you going?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I think it's a it's a passion thing.
A big part of it comes from, Iguess, resiliency and maybe my
past or my childhood, growing upin playing competitive sports.
Right, it's just that tenacityof competition If it's in
competition with yourself or youworking as a team against other
businesses.
At the end of the day it's thatkind of resiliency I think is
(17:22):
beautiful because, no matterwhat if we've seen it through
COVID with business, if we'veseen it through high level
sports, no matter what, it'sabout actually being able to
bounce back from things thatnormally knock you down right.
So, seeing what COVID did to me,what it did to the industry,
different other trials andtribulations I've had throughout
my career, especially losingtop chefs.
I was on Chopped years beforeas well and I lost that episode
(17:46):
as well.
So it's just taking thosethings as learning opportunities
and knowing that when I do winbecause I think it's inevitable,
everybody does win as long asyou're willing to put in that
time.
I just know by the time I dowin, it's going to be big if I
can lose chopped and come back.
If I can lose top chef and comeback, I know the opportunity
(18:06):
when the stars and the universealigns, that W I take will be 10
times bigger.
It's just about staying true tothat kind of mission.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
I know you mentioned you lost these competitions.
Do you look at them as lossesor are you just gaining more
knowledge, more insight?
So for the next opportunity,it's like you already know what
to expect or what they'relooking for.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Yeah, that's it.
So sometimes it is maybe whatthey're looking for or it's
things about myself.
For me, it's always a learningexperience.
Everyone's saying, oh, you tookthat L and I got a lot of that
kind of feedback based on thesecompetitions and whatnot.
And when I think of L, all Ithink is about learning
experiences learning how thesecompetitions are run, learning
how who TV works or, more so,worrying about who I am, what I
(18:48):
want and how I want to representmyself.
Right Cause, yeah, maybe Icould have done stuff
differently.
That would have maybe been morein line for what the judges
were looking for and I couldhave maybe done a bit better,
but at the end of the day, Irepresented myself well and
that's how I wanted to putmyself out there for the most
part, and that's who and whatI'm going to live with at the
(19:09):
end of the day.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Man.
I love that.
There's a lot of connectionsbetween the stresses of the
stage, the stresses of being ona network TV show, and also what
we all had to deal with inCOVID.
We're about five yearspost-pandemic and we're still
talking about how it affectedthe industry and kind of where
we are today.
(19:30):
Chef, did the pandemic guideyou towards this relationship
with the Burnt Chef Project?
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, absolutely massively.
The pandemic had a profoundimpact on my life, both
professionally and personally.
On a personal level, it was atime of obviously deep
reflection and adjustment.
I lost my direction, bothprofessionally and personally.
On a personal level, it wastime of obviously deep
reflection and adjustment.
I lost my direction and, moreimportantly, my main source of
income, as many of us have rightwhich led me to some pretty
dark places.
The restaurant closures and theuncertainty around the culinary
(20:00):
industry made me question a lotabout my future as a chef.
I had to pivot my life andreally rethink everything I
thought I knew about my career.
The pandemic revealed just howfragile our livelihoods are,
especially in our industry.
So many chefs and hospitalityworkers were left in limbo,
without a career path forward.
It was a difficult time andthere were definitely moments
(20:21):
when I felt lost, unsure how toreally rebuild.
But in those dark moments Ialso found clarity.
I realized the power ofinnovation and community, and it
really helped remind me howessential it is to stay
connected not just to ourcustomers, but to our peers and
our teams as well.
The experience ultimatelytaught me resilience and
adaptability and the importanceof leaning on the support of
(20:43):
others when those things feelvery uncertain, and that brought
me towards the Burn Chefproject.
I found myself struggling withthe mental toll of the pandemic,
the loss of sense of directionand whatnot.
But it was during this time Istumbled upon the Burn Chef
podcast, where Chris, thefounder, was interviewing some
(21:03):
of the top chefs in the UK.
They were sharing how they weretaking care of their teams,
putting mental health andwell-being at the forefront of
their businesses, and how theywere navigating the difficulties
of working in suchhigh-pressure environments.
Listening to thoseconversations felt like almost
like a light in the darkness forme.
It was the first time I heardpeople speak so openly about the
(21:28):
struggles I was facing and Irealized that I wasn't alone.
That was a turning point for meand I knew I wanted to get
involved with the projectbecause I saw the importance of
bringing mental health to theforefront of the conversation,
especially in an industry thatoften prioritizes everything
else over the well-being of itspeople.
(21:49):
Being an ambassador means morethan just supporting a cause.
It means actively advocatingfor the chefs and hospitality
workers who need help but maynot know where to turn.
It's about raising awarenessand providing the resources and
the support that we all deserve,and I find that mental health
is just as important as anyother technical skill we develop
(22:11):
in the kitchen, and I'm veryproud to be part of a movement
that's working to change thatnarrative.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Chef you've been in the industry for about 20 years
A program like Burn Chef Project.
Is this something that you'd beable to bring to your team,
your staff and and help spreadthat word?
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Absolutely.
I mean, cause I feel like,especially like with mental
health and everything like that,we don't discuss it enough.
And I feel like, especiallylike being in this industry, we
go through every emotion, everyemotion, just to provide for
everyone.
Like we get satisfaction out ofoffering a service to everyone,
making sure they're happy andeverything, cause, like he
(22:49):
alluded to earlier, food bringseveryone together good times,
bad times, all that but it'slike it takes a toll on us
mentally to where, like, we'rejust broken.
That's why I kind of mentionedearlier about wanting to give up
and stuff like that, because weall go through it.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
So if you're in the kitchen and you're a chef or
you're an aspiring chef, you'rea creative, you want to please
people, you want to makesomething and build it, create
it, somebody enjoy it, andthat's where the joy comes from.
Obviously, you need to make aliving right, so there's that
side of it.
But the reality is you're doingit because you want somebody to
(23:25):
enjoy your creation.
Well, you know, john's aphotographer.
Same situation, we're all inthis the same canoe, if you will
.
And it's a struggle because noteverybody embraces what you do
when you drizzle the long hoursthe volatile workspace your
(23:47):
bosses, the restaurant owners,the ones that aren't on the up
and up.
It's an incredibly stressful wayof life Rewarding sure
Stressful, undoubtedly.
I'm looking at this Burned Chefproject, who I only recently
came across during the fires inCalifornia.
We're really blessed to haveChef on the call with us and we
(24:13):
got to meet, you know, chris,the owner of this project, and a
bunch of the others who are,you know, on the team, and
they're all awesome.
I met about four of them whilewe were at the NAFM show and
every single one of them hadthis really positive, energized
spirit and each one of them hasa story and it's an interesting
(24:35):
story.
So I just wanted to make itclear.
Chef Imran, if you wanted to doa 30,000-foot explanation of
who Burn Chef Project is, Iwould urge you to do so now,
please.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Yeah.
So for those who might not knowwhat the Burn Chef mission is,
if you will, it's a mission tobasically break the stigma of
mental health within theculinary world.
If that's front of house, backof house, you name it.
We're all that classic thing ofone team, one dream, right,
we're all in it together andit's really about focusing on
some of the biggest challengeswithin the culinary industry
(25:17):
today, which is the stigmaaround mental health.
Health, as you mentioned, carlus as professionals.
We're often expected to pushthrough this kind of fatigue,
stress and pressure withoutaddressing the emotional and
psychological toll it takes, andwe're often treated like rock
stars and we've seen that infood media right Expected to
(25:38):
perform on command.
But the truth is and this iswhat we believe is that chefs
are more like athletes and justlike athletes, we need to train,
recover and prioritize ourphysical and mental health and
well-being if we want to sustaina long, healthy career.
So, with the demands that thisindustry offers up, we want to
make sure that we're offeringsupport, if that is based
(26:01):
awareness.
Through the podcast, we've beenin over 150 schools worldwide
talking to up-and-comingculinary students as well.
We've worked with some of thebiggest organizations as well
bringing this kind of support tothe people.
If it's around the clock, 24-7,therapists needed as a crisis
hotline, you name it.
We're trying to bring this freeto the people.
(26:23):
So, for those who are in crisesor need some kind of support,
we are there to take care of it.
We're trying to bring this freeto the people.
So, for those who are in crisesor need some kind of support,
we're there to take care of it,and we want to make sure that
this industry as a whole is aplace for a lot more people to
come into and people canactually be building a
sustainable life around in thefuture.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
What do you believe the number one support mechanism
is for industry people?
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Having that kind of peer support, just having the
open conversations, because Ithink, yes, it's amazing that we
have the crisis hotline.
We work with therapists anddifferent kind of like
organizations around the world,but that, for me, is the closer
to the end that is our lastresort.
Is that I want people thinkingthat they have to hit a crisis
(27:07):
hotline?
It is nice that we have itthere, but I want to make sure
that we are addressing differentthings before it's even a
problem of that stature, if youwill.
So I want people to be able tofeel freely talk to their
colleagues, to their loved ones,to their higher ups, to the
organization as a whole, about,maybe, some of the problems that
(27:28):
they're having.
So, unfortunately, or just so,we're not losing any more lives.
I've had friends, I've hadcolleagues.
We've seen top Michelin starchefs around the world lose
their battle with their ownmental health and that has cost
their lives, and I'm not willingto ever see that happen again,
and I'm doing everything in mypower to make sure that we're
(27:49):
creating environments for thesethings to be discussed so we
don't lose any more of thebeautiful talent that we have
already Chefs.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I'm going to ask both of you this same question what
are some of the biggestchallenges you see in the
culinary industry today,especially regarding our
well-being and mental health?
Speaker 2 (28:06):
That's like a two-part question.
Well, two-part answer.
I'm sorry.
The first thing that I see iseveryone wants it, but they
don't want to put the work infor it.
So you have someone thatapproaches you that wants to put
the work in for it, but onceyou give them that work, they
realize it will drain you.
(28:27):
It will drain you especiallydepending on who you have
teaching you and stuff like that.
Some chefs are not as nice asother chefs, so they may be
aggressive in their way andteaching and stuff like that.
Just to see if you want to dothis because I tell literally
everyone this, this industry isnot built for everyone.
So I hate to say this, but it'slike only the strong survive
(28:52):
and being with being in thisindustry, it will test every
emotion that you have.
So, being that, it's testingevery emotion.
I've seen cooks like there'sthis stigma, no crying in the
walk-in.
I've seen plenty of cookscrying to walk in and stuff like
that.
I get it Like you have to gothrough that just to see if you
(29:12):
want to do this and being.
If this is for you, then you'llpush through.
But at the same time, as men, wedon't talk about our mental
health Like it's a common, likethey say, we don't go to the
doctor and get our regularcheckups and everything like
that, but it's something that'sthat's prevalent and it's it
needs to be addressed.
So I feel like those are kindof the issues that we do face
(29:36):
with that.
But at the same time, I feellike if you have a good support
team around you that wants touplift and build you up, then it
shouldn't be an issue to wantto talk about that and
everything like that.
And it took me a while to getto that point to where I can
openly discuss what issues andchallenges I have.
Prior to that, I would justshut down.
(29:58):
I'm going to be 100% honest.
I would just shut down, not saynothing, because, like you said
, we're built like athletes,like we're supposed to perform.
No one cares what we got goingon outside of work or anything
like that.
Like, if we're here, we're hereto provide a service.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
You know, let me let me jump in here for one second
before Imran gives his answer.
Answer I'm torn on this part ofit because you know, I've been
in positions for the last Idon't know 10, 15 years of
(30:35):
hiring and firing and being incharge of teams.
The people who do right by me,I will sit and listen and aid in
any way that I can when theyearn that from me.
And I don't mean to sound highand mighty, that is not what I'm
(30:57):
aiming for.
We don't have time for peoplewho don't put the effort in.
If you're not serious aboutwhatever role you have in the
organization, I don't want tohear about the challenges that
you have.
I frankly don't care.
Now there's the humanity side ofme that says I mean, of course
I care.
I don't think that we should besubject to you know poor
(31:33):
management or you know ownershipthat are overly greedy and you
know a lot of the things that weactually encounter.
Or you know, dare I say, the.
You know, the restaurantindustry has always had this
element of sexual tension, ifyou will, element of sexual
(31:54):
tension, if you will, betweenyou know hostesses and servers
and back of the house, and it'sthere you're, you're putting a
bunch of kids together to run arestaurant and that's you know.
But I don't know if it'sdifferent back then.
As it is today, I feel likeeverybody needs to pull their
pants up a little bit.
With that said, I feel likealso, we need to kind of like
help those who really want tolearn, grow and who actually
need the help.
(32:14):
Does that make sense?
Am I crazy?
Speaker 2 (32:16):
It makes sense.
In my opinion, it makes senseCause it's like someone would
say they want it, but it's likeit's kind of bad to say this,
like you can look at someone andbe like they're not built for
this.
So then you test them and youchallenge them, like you give
them a little, see what they do,throw a little bit more at them
and see if okay, if they'restill receptive to it, then okay
(32:37):
, they slowly start to gain yourtrust.
But it's like other people,they want what you have but they
don't want to do what you didto get it.
It's like, okay, yeah, you seewhere I'm at right now, present
day.
You don't see the 12, 13, 14,15 hour shifts, me missing every
holiday with my family to getto this point and just see where
(32:59):
you're at right now.
And they don't know what ittakes to get to that moment.
But it's like it takes a lot ofgrind, a lot of effort.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Should you take a six pan to the face.
No, you shouldn't, but I mean.
But when you do, don't tell methat's not going to make you,
that's going to bring you toanother level, even though it's
wrong and it's, you know, it's,it's.
It's really ignorant on theperson who's acting that way,
Clearly, Imran.
Am I crazy?
Speaker 3 (33:29):
There's a line, carl, right, like it's important to
foster and I think, like back toyour original question, I think
one of the biggest things thatwe're missing right now is true
leadership or mentorship right.
It's important to remember thatthis industry is tough.
Like Kevin said, it's hard workand that's part of the job.
(33:49):
We shouldn't be used or abusedin that process and that's the
line right.
We have to understand that itis hard work, there is
dedication, there is long hoursand, from my perspective,
especially being in the mentalhealth space, if you will, it's
ensuring that we're not usingmental health as an excuse to
avoid putting in the effortrequired in this demanding
(34:09):
industry.
I want to make sure that peopleare not getting taken advantage
of in a negative way, of course,when it comes down to racism,
sexual harassment and the widearray of problems.
We're trying to eradicate thoseand create healthy places for
us to talk about making thesework environments better, but
I'm not trying to ever use thisas a way to get out of hard work
(34:31):
, and that is what this industryis made out of, and that's the
thing.
Mentorship is key and easingthat kind of pressure and
providing emotional supportwhile strong network that
actually encourages this kind ofopen communication.
You need to create a workculture that prioritizes
work-life balance.
With that kind of flexiblescheduling and time off, it just
(34:51):
helps prevent that burnout, andI feel it's time to prioritize
the health of people whoactually want to work in this
industry, work hard and makethis industry thrive.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Well said, what are your hopes for the future of the
Burnt Chef Project and how doyou envision its growth and
impact in the culinary world?
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Well, first off, it was very exciting to be at NAFM
and to be in Atlanta with theAmerican ambassadors and
obviously with Chris, thefounder, and it's just great to
see how much has grown withinfive, six years.
And for the future of theproject, my hope is that it
continues to break down thesebarriers in the culinary world,
(35:30):
offering real support for chefsat all levels.
Mental health should be part ofthe conversation in kitchens
everywhere, but as the projectgrows, I envision it offering
more training, more resourcesand real solutions for those
that are struggling.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
All right.
So one thing I want to say, andit's a piece of advice
literally my daughter just gaveme two weeks ago, and I will
give this advice to any persontrying to come up in the
culinary industry Do not loseyourself trying to grow yourself
, because literally sometimeswe'll get in a certain mood, to
where we're trying to dosomething that's not us.
(36:06):
Stay true to yourself andeverything will come out.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
Chef Imran same question what advice would you
offer aspiring chefs aboutnavigating the industry while
prioritizing their mental health?
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Something I love to speak on because it is a very
passionate subject for me, foraspiring chefs.
I would probably tell them thatpassion is key.
I'm sure you both can attest toit.
Passion is key, but so is yourwell-being.
The long hours, the intensepressure that we've talked about
can take a serious toll withoutthat kind of balance.
(36:42):
To stay physically strong byincorporating fitness to prevent
that kind of injury and boostyour energy, prioritizing your
mental health without copingwith the right coping strategies
like meditation, mentorship,professional support all
different notions that we'vetouched on right.
But emotionally you've got tobuild strong relationships and
remember that life outside thekitchen matters just as much.
(37:04):
If it's your wife, it's yourkids, your husband, it's really
about making time for both.
Taking care of yourself is justas important.
It's essential for a lasting,fulfilling career.
And finally, I want people toreally empower themselves and
learn to set boundaries.
It's easy to give everything inthe kitchen, but rest and
(37:25):
self-care are key to long-termsuccess.
Prioritize your health so youcan actually continue doing what
you love for years to come,because I truly believe we
cannot expect the hospitalityindustry to thrive if the chef
and the people within don'tthrive themselves.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
All right, guys.
I just want to thank you bothfor being on the show today.
John, you did amazing, as usual.
Imran, how do we find you andhow do we follow the Burned Chef
Project?
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Yeah, absolute honor to be here today with you guys.
You guys can find me on socialsjust through my name,
imrantexera, and I push all ofyou guys to follow the Burned
Chef Project at the Burned ChefProject on Instagram and most
social channels the Burned ChefProject at theburnedchefproject,
on Instagram and most socialchannels.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
You can find me at Mama Jean Seasonings on
Instagram, on Facebook, and youcan find me on LinkedIn at Kevin
Rasberry.
Where are you working, kevin?
At the Grove of Chilago.
So I want to give a huge shoutout to the Grove of Chilago
Starling Living for allowing meto come out here and be with
Carl and John.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Awesome, I you know.
Listen.
Coming up next for the burnchef project is Colleen,
hopefully Chris and definitelyJamie man.
You guys are awesome.
I want to thank you all again,and John, I want my pictures
like ASAP.
Okay, and we are out.
Hello Food Fam.
This is the Walk Talk podcastwhere you will find the perfect
blend of food fun and cookingknowledge.
I'm your host, carl Fiodini.
Welcome to the number one foodpodcast in the country.
We're recording on site at IbisImages Studios, where food
photography comes alive and Iget to eat it.
And that is the truth.
Today we've got a seriousepisode lined up for you.
(00:30):
We're sitting down with thetalented Imran Texera, a chef
who's made waves in the kitchenbut who's also making a real
impact as an ambassador for theBurnt Chef Project.
His journey has taken him fromthe vibrant culinary scene in
Copenhagen.
His journey has taken him fromthe vibrant culinary scene in
Copenhagen, staging at one ofthe top restaurants in the world
, noma all the way to thesemifinals of Top Chef Canada.
(00:51):
His story is complete withultra highs and deep lows.
We'll dive into Imran'sexperiences on Top Chef, discuss
how the pandemic turned theculinary world upside down and
explore his mission to championmental health awareness in the
industry.
It's a powerful conversationabout resilience, passion and
(01:12):
the challenges we need to see inthe culinary landscape, and
joining us today in studio iswelcome.
Back to Chef Kevin Raspberry.
He's been busy cooking up somedelectable dishes that we're
excited to talk about.
I've got him on film.
John has captured some greatshots during the photo shoot, so
trust me and check out ourInstagram to see the video and
(01:33):
photos of Chef's dishes and thatwould be at walkandtalkshow.
It's a mouthful.
I am a professional and if youcan do this, do it.
If not, then leave it to us.
That's all I'm saying.
Kevin, welcome back.
I appreciate y'all for havingme back.
My man, you know, I'm happytoday.
(01:54):
I'm so happy today.
You're happy.
I'm happy.
I'm saying I mean, you didthree dishes.
We only wanted two and you'relike no, no, I'm extra, I do
three.
There's always room for more,right?
So, as it turns out, your thirdwas this like a brisket egg
roll, the smoked brisket eggrolls.
Yes, right Now.
You know you might think, oh,brisket egg roll, no, no, no, no
(02:16):
, this brisket egg roll put asmile.
It was an ear-to-ear smile,smile and I actually kind of
wanted to just grab the plate,go sit in the corner by myself
and be left alone, and that's atrue story.
It's that good it is.
But then again, the, the, thepork and the lamb equally as
good.
Just can't go wrong with no,just different.
But can you go ahead andexplain what you did today?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
All right.
So first I started out with thegrilled lamb ribs with the fig
and balsamic reduction, servedwith the wild mushroom risotto
and roasted root vegetables.
That one I was a littlehesitant about because I don't
eat lamb.
But everyone in the world eatslamb except me.
I'm the minority on that part.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Listen, I'm kind of judging you harshly.
I'm judging you harshly.
Number one the dish was great,thank you.
The plate racked porcelain,freaking gorgeous.
Wait to see the pictures.
Where did that?
Where'd you get that?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
lamb from From Peninsula and my good friend
Kurt.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Kurt, yeah, kurt's amazing Kurt's all right, he's
okay, Don't tell him he's.
He's an old guy, that's, hishead is too big as it is.
So Kurt was a chef in SouthFlorida and at one time and
he'll be the first one to tellyou that he was a number I think
he was the number one chef inFlorida at one time, ranked in
Florida.
I should edit that out, but I'mnot.
(03:36):
I'm not Kurt.
I know you're going to listento this.
Thank you, brother.
So the pork.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
The pork.
So it is a stuffed porktenderloin, stuffed it with
Gruyere cheese, fontina cheese,caramelized onions, fresh herbs,
newskies, bacon and apples.
Rolled that up, seared it offand I finished it with the apple
demi reduction and I servedthat with the celery root, yukon
(04:03):
mashed potatoes and suelte withchar.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Chef, I appreciate you coming in cooking today.
We have some awesome footage.
Can't wait to get that editedand out.
Let's usher Chef Imran onto theshow how you doing Chef.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I'm not too bad guys.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (04:19):
guys doing Fantastic.
We met at the NAFM show inatlanta a couple of weeks ago
and you guys were terrific overat burn chef project.
You know you saw that we wereuh, we're all working hard and
and your team brought over Idon't know it must have been
like six cases of of water forus appreciate you very much yeah
(04:44):
, of course gotta stay hydrated,especially in shows like that
well, it's nothing but talking.
It's speaking and more talkingand more speaking, and then,
whatever the you know four milesof trade show that you had to
walk as well it's, it's a lotyeah, it definitely takes its
toll, and I don't know about youguys.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I'm one of those chefs who doesn't always
remember to drink water, so it'salways nice to get those
reminders.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Heard that Chef.
Can you share how your culinaryjourney started and what
motivated you to pursue?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
cooking.
It's a passion for me thatstarted at a pretty young age.
I was always cooking at homewith my family and loved ones
since the earliest memories thatI can remember.
But I guess in the professionalrealm my culinary journey
started when I was just 14,working as a dishwasher in a
small local chain restauranthere in Ontario.
(05:34):
It was there that I first got ataste of what the kitchen
hustle really was and I washooked instantly.
And then over the next 15 yearsas I worked my way up, starting
of course in the trenches ofyears, as I worked my way up,
starting of course in thetrenches of the kitchen and
learning from the ground up.
Of course, as we all know, ittakes a lot of hard work, but my
love for food was always there,driving me forward.
(05:54):
And growing up in amulticultural kind of household
and being now living in Toronto,canada, one of the most
multicultural cities and orcountries in the world, I was
always lucky to experience awide range of flavors from a
pretty young age.
But cooking has always beenmore than maybe just making a
meal.
For me, it's always beencreating that kind of experience
(06:15):
, the power of bringing peopletogether around a table, sharing
a meal and connecting over goodfood is always something that
always inspired me.
So as I've grown in my career,I've always realized that real
magic happens when people areenjoying themselves, laughing,
(06:36):
bonding over a dish that, Ithink, actually tells a story.
So that's always woven in withmy love for travel.
Travel has always been a hugeinfluence for me on my journey.
I've been very lucky to workand travel to almost every
single part of this world, andthere's still a few places that
I haven't hit yet, but that isdefinitely where my kind of two
passions align, if you will.
So every place I visit alwaysintroduces me to new flavors, of
(06:58):
course, new ingredients and newways of cooking, and it's more
than just tasting the food.
It's about understanding theculture behind it and bringing
those influences back to my ownkitchen.
Travel has always helped meshape my approach to cooking,
and it's reinforced the ideathat food is this incredible
universal language thatbasically connects people, no
(07:18):
matter where you're from.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Where are your parents from?
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So my dad was born and raised in Northern India, so
in the Punjab.
My mom was born in East Africaand raised in the UK.
So my parents ended up meetingand getting together in London
in the UK and then they cameover to Canada in the early 90s.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
I bet your palate is awesome.
I bet you have a really uniquepalate.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
It's pretty nuts, especially when you think of the
flavor profiles of justnorthern India but India in
general, how those flavors havemigrated to different parts of
Africa based on the kind ofIndian diaspora and then my
Portuguese roots, the Britishupbringing and then me growing
up in Canada, all these thingscoming into this beautiful kind
of a stockpot, if you will, offlavors coming together.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Could you briefly explain the difference between
the Northern cuisine andSouthern cuisine on the
continent?
Speaker 3 (08:15):
So the main difference is that the food, to
be honest, changes maybe every50 to 100 kilometers across that
country.
Where you think the North ofIndia, it's a bit cooler during
the winter months, you're havinga lot more bread, a lot more
kind of rich curries or gravies,if you will.
So a lot of robust, heavy food,especially when you think of
the kind of farming communitythat are up there.
(08:36):
Compared down to the south,especially where a lot of my
ancestors come from the coastalregion of Goa, you're finding a
lot more influences from thePortuguese settlers that came
down there, a lot more freshseafood, lighter flavors, but a
lot more maybe heat and spicecoming from the chilies, some
vinegar notes and maybe lessbread and more rice coming in.
(08:57):
So it's a very diverse countryin general when it comes down to
the food, the dialect, you nameit.
So, traveling through thatcountry basically every couple
hours you go, no matter whichdirection you're going into,
it's a different cuisine almostevery stop along the way.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Is there a specific dish that kind of transcends the
entire continent?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Oof.
That's definitely a hardquestion because you've seen
different variations of dishesor plays on.
I guess the Indian kind offlavor profiles travel around
the world.
There's the idea of butterchicken or chicken masala and
whatnot.
But I think it's maybe I'm alittle biased because my roots
come from this part of thecountry, but seeing how the
(09:37):
Golan flavors have really comeinto play in different parts of
the South, especially Goa, andseeing how that kind of
inspiration has come into thealcohol production, the use of
vinegar in the cooking andwhatnot, which we might see as
maybe common practices out herein the West, but in that part of
the world, or at least in India, you're not seeing those kind
of influences in different partsof the country.
(09:58):
It's more predominantly from myexperiences in that style of
cooking.
So I would love to see thosekind of techniques that have
been in part of that world forhundreds, if not thousands, of
years, but it's just to thatkind of certain region.
So styles that we've grown upwith or techniques that we've
grown up with knowing, butreally hone into the how special
that type of cuisine is in thatexact area.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Staging at Noma, my goodness, I mean that's top
ranked restaurant in the world.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
How did that shape?
It really pushed everyone thereto adapt in ways I hadn't
really anticipated.
The challenges we faced weredefinitely humbling and it
reminded me of the resiliencerequired in this industry.
It wasn't just about, of course, going over there to refine
technical skills.
It really deepened myunderstanding of different
ingredients, seasonality,sustainability and just maybe a
(11:03):
different kind of perspectivebased on the landscape that we
had to work with.
But for me, one of the mostunexpected experiences was when
I had the opportunity to makestaff meal, so all the interns
there had to pair up withanother one and we would make
staff meal for one week straight.
I ended up preparing Indianfood with this young chef from
New Delhi and it was a naturalconnection to my own background.
(11:26):
I hadn't fully explored thatpart of myself in professional
cooking at that point, but theteam really enjoyed the flavors
and the dishes that we'reputting out and it gave me a
deeper appreciation for howthose flavors have shaped my
culinary journey and, to behonest, based on my time in
Copenhagen, there weren't manygood Indian restaurants, if any,
to begin with, so us offeringup those flavors definitely hit
(11:50):
home with a lot of people andagain gave me a great
appreciation for where I camefrom.
So it helped me really realizethe importance of embracing your
own roots, even when you'reworking in a global environment
like a kitchen.
The thing about being thereduring the pandemic was the
chance to work alongside the topchefs from around the world.
(12:11):
It was a challenging time forus all, but seeing how they
approached the situation withresilience and creativity was
definitely inspiring.
It reminded me how much chefscan contribute beyond the
kitchen, whether it's obviouslythrough the food we're making or
the social impact we can have.
It gave me a fresh perspectiveon the role chefs can contribute
beyond the kitchen, whetherit's obviously through the food
you're making or the socialimpact we can have.
It gave me a fresh perspectiveon the role chefs can play both
in the culinary world but insociety at large.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Chef, a lot of our listeners are foodies.
They love everything about theindustry, the recipes, the
banter that happens with insideof a restaurant, but they may
not know some of the terminology.
Briefly explain what a stage is.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Yeah.
So stage, I guess, is morepigeonholed into the culinary
world, based on the terminology,but it is basically an
internship, so an unpaid workterm where you're going in to
earn, ideally from the best ofthe best to gain work experience
.
So normally I would assume mostrestaurants would take in that
kind of internship if theopportunity arose.
(13:15):
But normally the bestrestaurants are bringing in this
kind of, I guess, free labor.
So that's how you're going tolook at it.
But the opportunity for chefs,young in their career or maybe
looking just to developthemselves as they go throughout
off the back of the individual.
So I had to save up a lot ofmoney to have that experience.
(13:52):
I definitely don't come from abackground where I can just be
traveling and staging around theworld on the regular, so it was
definitely a once in a lifetimeexperience for me and for a lot
of the people that go afterthose kind of opportunities.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
The fact that you were allowed to cook family
meals is a big deal and I don'tknow if everyone listening would
understand the weight of thatyeah, a lot of people don't
understand, right?
Speaker 3 (14:12):
because, like, we're working day-to-day in the
restaurant, if you will, for theamazing guests that are coming
into the restaurant and, yes,that is daunting your court
we're cooking about a 20-25course blind tasting menu on the
regs, but here we're cookingstaff meal for the chefs that
are putting out that operation.
So you're cooking for, again,some of the best chefs in the
world cooking for Rene and theteam, and that's the back of
(14:36):
house, the front of house andsome of the other kind of moving
admin teams.
So, give or take, 80 to 100people and that's two meals a
day that we're cooking a staffmeal for.
So it's a it's a hard gig inits own and making sure that one
that they're well fed, they'rewell nourished, but you want to
make sure that your flavorsdefinitely hit how did the
experience of top chef canadaand noma?
Speaker 1 (15:00):
What's the parallel there?
They're very differentexperiences and, in their own
right, both amazing it caninduce.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
but they're completely different worlds
where, at least, you're workingwithin a team.
When you're at Noma, you're inthis beautiful environment I
think one of the most beautifulrestaurants in the world as well
.
So you're working in thisamazing team, in this amazing
family, if you want to call itthat.
But in Top Chef you're byyourself.
You're in a hotel room byyourself.
I didn't have my phone, mylaptop, I wasn't able to connect
with the outside world per se.
So it was a lot ofinternalization, a lot of the
(15:49):
stuff I had to go through bymyself.
You didn't have the same kind ofsupport mechanisms, right?
You don't have your family,your friends, your loved ones
with you to really lean on inthose times and being in those
rooms of high, immense pressurewhere you're maybe on set for,
say, 15, 16, 18 hours a day,you're maybe only cooking for an
hour or two, but it feels likeyou just worked a 20-hour
(16:12):
service.
It's the, the hours or thepressure really drains you.
So it is very, I guess you youlook at it from like a back end
if you feel the same way afteryou're doing a long service, but
like the bottom line is you'reonly cooking for an hour or two,
but it just drains you becauseof the pressure and everything
Seeing the studio lights, seeingall the different moving parts
(16:33):
and the moving bodies behind thescene.
It's not just the competitorsyou see on screen.
There's probably another 50 to100 people watching and hearing
every single move.
So, yeah, it's a lot ofpressure.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Chef, I have a question what keeps you
motivated to keep going?
And the only reason I askedthat question?
Cause I feel like every chefthroughout their career has
those moments where they justwant to quit and give up and
they're just done with theindustry.
So what keeps you going?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I think it's a it's a passion thing.
A big part of it comes from, Iguess, resiliency and maybe my
past or my childhood, growing upin playing competitive sports.
Right, it's just that tenacityof competition If it's in
competition with yourself or youworking as a team against other
businesses.
At the end of the day it's thatkind of resiliency I think is
(17:22):
beautiful because, no matterwhat if we've seen it through
COVID with business, if we'veseen it through high level
sports, no matter what, it'sabout actually being able to
bounce back from things thatnormally knock you down right.
So, seeing what COVID did to me,what it did to the industry,
different other trials andtribulations I've had throughout
my career, especially losingtop chefs.
I was on Chopped years beforeas well and I lost that episode
(17:46):
as well.
So it's just taking thosethings as learning opportunities
and knowing that when I do winbecause I think it's inevitable,
everybody does win as long asyou're willing to put in that
time.
I just know by the time I dowin, it's going to be big if I
can lose chopped and come back.
If I can lose top chef and comeback, I know the opportunity
(18:06):
when the stars and the universealigns, that W I take will be 10
times bigger.
It's just about staying true tothat kind of mission.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
I know you mentioned you lost these competitions.
Do you look at them as lossesor are you just gaining more
knowledge, more insight?
So for the next opportunity,it's like you already know what
to expect or what they'relooking for.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Yeah, that's it.
So sometimes it is maybe whatthey're looking for or it's
things about myself.
For me, it's always a learningexperience.
Everyone's saying, oh, you tookthat L and I got a lot of that
kind of feedback based on thesecompetitions and whatnot.
And when I think of L, all Ithink is about learning
experiences learning how thesecompetitions are run, learning
how who TV works or, more so,worrying about who I am, what I
(18:48):
want and how I want to representmyself.
Right Cause, yeah, maybe Icould have done stuff
differently.
That would have maybe been morein line for what the judges
were looking for and I couldhave maybe done a bit better,
but at the end of the day, Irepresented myself well and
that's how I wanted to putmyself out there for the most
part, and that's who and whatI'm going to live with at the
(19:09):
end of the day.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Man.
I love that.
There's a lot of connectionsbetween the stresses of the
stage, the stresses of being ona network TV show, and also what
we all had to deal with inCOVID.
We're about five yearspost-pandemic and we're still
talking about how it affectedthe industry and kind of where
we are today.
(19:30):
Chef, did the pandemic guideyou towards this relationship
with the Burnt Chef Project?
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, absolutely massively.
The pandemic had a profoundimpact on my life, both
professionally and personally.
On a personal level, it was atime of obviously deep
reflection and adjustment.
I lost my direction, bothprofessionally and personally.
On a personal level, it wastime of obviously deep
reflection and adjustment.
I lost my direction and, moreimportantly, my main source of
income, as many of us have rightwhich led me to some pretty
dark places.
The restaurant closures and theuncertainty around the culinary
(20:00):
industry made me question a lotabout my future as a chef.
I had to pivot my life andreally rethink everything I
thought I knew about my career.
The pandemic revealed just howfragile our livelihoods are,
especially in our industry.
So many chefs and hospitalityworkers were left in limbo,
without a career path forward.
It was a difficult time andthere were definitely moments
(20:21):
when I felt lost, unsure how toreally rebuild.
But in those dark moments Ialso found clarity.
I realized the power ofinnovation and community, and it
really helped remind me howessential it is to stay
connected not just to ourcustomers, but to our peers and
our teams as well.
The experience ultimatelytaught me resilience and
adaptability and the importanceof leaning on the support of
(20:43):
others when those things feelvery uncertain, and that brought
me towards the Burn Chefproject.
I found myself struggling withthe mental toll of the pandemic,
the loss of sense of directionand whatnot.
But it was during this time Istumbled upon the Burn Chef
podcast, where Chris, thefounder, was interviewing some
(21:03):
of the top chefs in the UK.
They were sharing how they weretaking care of their teams,
putting mental health andwell-being at the forefront of
their businesses, and how theywere navigating the difficulties
of working in suchhigh-pressure environments.
Listening to thoseconversations felt like almost
like a light in the darkness forme.
It was the first time I heardpeople speak so openly about the
(21:28):
struggles I was facing and Irealized that I wasn't alone.
That was a turning point for meand I knew I wanted to get
involved with the projectbecause I saw the importance of
bringing mental health to theforefront of the conversation,
especially in an industry thatoften prioritizes everything
else over the well-being of itspeople.
(21:49):
Being an ambassador means morethan just supporting a cause.
It means actively advocatingfor the chefs and hospitality
workers who need help but maynot know where to turn.
It's about raising awarenessand providing the resources and
the support that we all deserve,and I find that mental health
is just as important as anyother technical skill we develop
(22:11):
in the kitchen, and I'm veryproud to be part of a movement
that's working to change thatnarrative.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Chef you've been in the industry for about 20 years
A program like Burn Chef Project.
Is this something that you'd beable to bring to your team,
your staff and and help spreadthat word?
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Absolutely.
I mean, cause I feel like,especially like with mental
health and everything like that,we don't discuss it enough.
And I feel like, especiallylike being in this industry, we
go through every emotion, everyemotion, just to provide for
everyone.
Like we get satisfaction out ofoffering a service to everyone,
making sure they're happy andeverything, cause, like he
(22:49):
alluded to earlier, food bringseveryone together good times,
bad times, all that but it'slike it takes a toll on us
mentally to where, like, we'rejust broken.
That's why I kind of mentionedearlier about wanting to give up
and stuff like that, because weall go through it.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
So if you're in the kitchen and you're a chef or
you're an aspiring chef, you'rea creative, you want to please
people, you want to makesomething and build it, create
it, somebody enjoy it, andthat's where the joy comes from.
Obviously, you need to make aliving right, so there's that
side of it.
But the reality is you're doingit because you want somebody to
(23:25):
enjoy your creation.
Well, you know, john's aphotographer.
Same situation, we're all inthis the same canoe, if you will
.
And it's a struggle because noteverybody embraces what you do
when you drizzle the long hoursthe volatile workspace your
(23:47):
bosses, the restaurant owners,the ones that aren't on the up
and up.
It's an incredibly stressful wayof life Rewarding sure
Stressful, undoubtedly.
I'm looking at this Burned Chefproject, who I only recently
came across during the fires inCalifornia.
We're really blessed to haveChef on the call with us and we
(24:13):
got to meet, you know, chris,the owner of this project, and a
bunch of the others who are,you know, on the team, and
they're all awesome.
I met about four of them whilewe were at the NAFM show and
every single one of them hadthis really positive, energized
spirit and each one of them hasa story and it's an interesting
(24:35):
story.
So I just wanted to make itclear.
Chef Imran, if you wanted to doa 30,000-foot explanation of
who Burn Chef Project is, Iwould urge you to do so now,
please.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Yeah.
So for those who might not knowwhat the Burn Chef mission is,
if you will, it's a mission tobasically break the stigma of
mental health within theculinary world.
If that's front of house, backof house, you name it.
We're all that classic thing ofone team, one dream, right,
we're all in it together andit's really about focusing on
some of the biggest challengeswithin the culinary industry
(25:17):
today, which is the stigmaaround mental health.
Health, as you mentioned, carlus as professionals.
We're often expected to pushthrough this kind of fatigue,
stress and pressure withoutaddressing the emotional and
psychological toll it takes, andwe're often treated like rock
stars and we've seen that infood media right Expected to
(25:38):
perform on command.
But the truth is and this iswhat we believe is that chefs
are more like athletes and justlike athletes, we need to train,
recover and prioritize ourphysical and mental health and
well-being if we want to sustaina long, healthy career.
So, with the demands that thisindustry offers up, we want to
make sure that we're offeringsupport, if that is based
(26:01):
awareness.
Through the podcast, we've beenin over 150 schools worldwide
talking to up-and-comingculinary students as well.
We've worked with some of thebiggest organizations as well
bringing this kind of support tothe people.
If it's around the clock, 24-7,therapists needed as a crisis
hotline, you name it.
We're trying to bring this freeto the people.
(26:23):
So, for those who are in crisesor need some kind of support,
we are there to take care of it.
We're trying to bring this freeto the people.
So, for those who are in crisesor need some kind of support,
we're there to take care of it,and we want to make sure that
this industry as a whole is aplace for a lot more people to
come into and people canactually be building a
sustainable life around in thefuture.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
What do you believe the number one support mechanism
is for industry people?
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Having that kind of peer support, just having the
open conversations, because Ithink, yes, it's amazing that we
have the crisis hotline.
We work with therapists anddifferent kind of like
organizations around the world,but that, for me, is the closer
to the end that is our lastresort.
Is that I want people thinkingthat they have to hit a crisis
(27:07):
hotline?
It is nice that we have itthere, but I want to make sure
that we are addressing differentthings before it's even a
problem of that stature, if youwill.
So I want people to be able tofeel freely talk to their
colleagues, to their loved ones,to their higher ups, to the
organization as a whole, about,maybe, some of the problems that
(27:28):
they're having.
So, unfortunately, or just so,we're not losing any more lives.
I've had friends, I've hadcolleagues.
We've seen top Michelin starchefs around the world lose
their battle with their ownmental health and that has cost
their lives, and I'm not willingto ever see that happen again,
and I'm doing everything in mypower to make sure that we're
(27:49):
creating environments for thesethings to be discussed so we
don't lose any more of thebeautiful talent that we have
already Chefs.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I'm going to ask both of you this same question what
are some of the biggestchallenges you see in the
culinary industry today,especially regarding our
well-being and mental health?
Speaker 2 (28:06):
That's like a two-part question.
Well, two-part answer.
I'm sorry.
The first thing that I see iseveryone wants it, but they
don't want to put the work infor it.
So you have someone thatapproaches you that wants to put
the work in for it, but onceyou give them that work, they
realize it will drain you.
(28:27):
It will drain you especiallydepending on who you have
teaching you and stuff like that.
Some chefs are not as nice asother chefs, so they may be
aggressive in their way andteaching and stuff like that.
Just to see if you want to dothis because I tell literally
everyone this, this industry isnot built for everyone.
So I hate to say this, but it'slike only the strong survive
(28:52):
and being with being in thisindustry, it will test every
emotion that you have.
So, being that, it's testingevery emotion.
I've seen cooks like there'sthis stigma, no crying in the
walk-in.
I've seen plenty of cookscrying to walk in and stuff like
that.
I get it Like you have to gothrough that just to see if you
(29:12):
want to do this and being.
If this is for you, then you'llpush through.
But at the same time, as men, wedon't talk about our mental
health Like it's a common, likethey say, we don't go to the
doctor and get our regularcheckups and everything like
that, but it's something that'sthat's prevalent and it's it
needs to be addressed.
So I feel like those are kindof the issues that we do face
(29:36):
with that.
But at the same time, I feellike if you have a good support
team around you that wants touplift and build you up, then it
shouldn't be an issue to wantto talk about that and
everything like that.
And it took me a while to getto that point to where I can
openly discuss what issues andchallenges I have.
Prior to that, I would justshut down.
(29:58):
I'm going to be 100% honest.
I would just shut down, not saynothing, because, like you said
, we're built like athletes,like we're supposed to perform.
No one cares what we got goingon outside of work or anything
like that.
Like, if we're here, we're hereto provide a service.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
You know, let me let me jump in here for one second
before Imran gives his answer.
Answer I'm torn on this part ofit because you know, I've been
in positions for the last Idon't know 10, 15 years of
(30:35):
hiring and firing and being incharge of teams.
The people who do right by me,I will sit and listen and aid in
any way that I can when theyearn that from me.
And I don't mean to sound highand mighty, that is not what I'm
(30:57):
aiming for.
We don't have time for peoplewho don't put the effort in.
If you're not serious aboutwhatever role you have in the
organization, I don't want tohear about the challenges that
you have.
I frankly don't care.
Now there's the humanity side ofme that says I mean, of course
I care.
I don't think that we should besubject to you know poor
(31:33):
management or you know ownershipthat are overly greedy and you
know a lot of the things that weactually encounter.
Or you know, dare I say, the.
You know, the restaurantindustry has always had this
element of sexual tension, ifyou will, element of sexual
(31:54):
tension, if you will, betweenyou know hostesses and servers
and back of the house, and it'sthere you're, you're putting a
bunch of kids together to run arestaurant and that's you know.
But I don't know if it'sdifferent back then.
As it is today, I feel likeeverybody needs to pull their
pants up a little bit.
With that said, I feel likealso, we need to kind of like
help those who really want tolearn, grow and who actually
need the help.
(32:14):
Does that make sense?
Am I crazy?
Speaker 2 (32:16):
It makes sense.
In my opinion, it makes senseCause it's like someone would
say they want it, but it's likeit's kind of bad to say this,
like you can look at someone andbe like they're not built for
this.
So then you test them and youchallenge them, like you give
them a little, see what they do,throw a little bit more at them
and see if okay, if they'restill receptive to it, then okay
(32:37):
, they slowly start to gain yourtrust.
But it's like other people,they want what you have but they
don't want to do what you didto get it.
It's like, okay, yeah, you seewhere I'm at right now, present
day.
You don't see the 12, 13, 14,15 hour shifts, me missing every
holiday with my family to getto this point and just see where
(32:59):
you're at right now.
And they don't know what ittakes to get to that moment.
But it's like it takes a lot ofgrind, a lot of effort.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Should you take a six pan to the face.
No, you shouldn't, but I mean.
But when you do, don't tell methat's not going to make you,
that's going to bring you toanother level, even though it's
wrong and it's, you know, it's,it's.
It's really ignorant on theperson who's acting that way,
Clearly, Imran.
Am I crazy?
Speaker 3 (33:29):
There's a line, carl, right, like it's important to
foster and I think, like back toyour original question, I think
one of the biggest things thatwe're missing right now is true
leadership or mentorship right.
It's important to remember thatthis industry is tough.
Like Kevin said, it's hard workand that's part of the job.
(33:49):
We shouldn't be used or abusedin that process and that's the
line right.
We have to understand that itis hard work, there is
dedication, there is long hoursand, from my perspective,
especially being in the mentalhealth space, if you will, it's
ensuring that we're not usingmental health as an excuse to
avoid putting in the effortrequired in this demanding
(34:09):
industry.
I want to make sure that peopleare not getting taken advantage
of in a negative way, of course,when it comes down to racism,
sexual harassment and the widearray of problems.
We're trying to eradicate thoseand create healthy places for
us to talk about making thesework environments better, but
I'm not trying to ever use thisas a way to get out of hard work
(34:31):
, and that is what this industryis made out of, and that's the
thing.
Mentorship is key and easingthat kind of pressure and
providing emotional supportwhile strong network that
actually encourages this kind ofopen communication.
You need to create a workculture that prioritizes
work-life balance.
With that kind of flexiblescheduling and time off, it just
(34:51):
helps prevent that burnout, andI feel it's time to prioritize
the health of people whoactually want to work in this
industry, work hard and makethis industry thrive.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Well said, what are your hopes for the future of the
Burnt Chef Project and how doyou envision its growth and
impact in the culinary world?
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Well, first off, it was very exciting to be at NAFM
and to be in Atlanta with theAmerican ambassadors and
obviously with Chris, thefounder, and it's just great to
see how much has grown withinfive, six years.
And for the future of theproject, my hope is that it
continues to break down thesebarriers in the culinary world,
(35:30):
offering real support for chefsat all levels.
Mental health should be part ofthe conversation in kitchens
everywhere, but as the projectgrows, I envision it offering
more training, more resourcesand real solutions for those
that are struggling.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
All right.
So one thing I want to say, andit's a piece of advice
literally my daughter just gaveme two weeks ago, and I will
give this advice to any persontrying to come up in the
culinary industry Do not loseyourself trying to grow yourself
, because literally sometimeswe'll get in a certain mood, to
where we're trying to dosomething that's not us.
(36:06):
Stay true to yourself andeverything will come out.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
Chef Imran same question what advice would you
offer aspiring chefs aboutnavigating the industry while
prioritizing their mental health?
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Something I love to speak on because it is a very
passionate subject for me, foraspiring chefs.
I would probably tell them thatpassion is key.
I'm sure you both can attest toit.
Passion is key, but so is yourwell-being.
The long hours, the intensepressure that we've talked about
can take a serious toll withoutthat kind of balance.
(36:42):
To stay physically strong byincorporating fitness to prevent
that kind of injury and boostyour energy, prioritizing your
mental health without copingwith the right coping strategies
like meditation, mentorship,professional support all
different notions that we'vetouched on right.
But emotionally you've got tobuild strong relationships and
remember that life outside thekitchen matters just as much.
(37:04):
If it's your wife, it's yourkids, your husband, it's really
about making time for both.
Taking care of yourself is justas important.
It's essential for a lasting,fulfilling career.
And finally, I want people toreally empower themselves and
learn to set boundaries.
It's easy to give everything inthe kitchen, but rest and
(37:25):
self-care are key to long-termsuccess.
Prioritize your health so youcan actually continue doing what
you love for years to come,because I truly believe we
cannot expect the hospitalityindustry to thrive if the chef
and the people within don'tthrive themselves.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
All right, guys.
I just want to thank you bothfor being on the show today.
John, you did amazing, as usual.
Imran, how do we find you andhow do we follow the Burned Chef
Project?
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Yeah, absolute honor to be here today with you guys.
You guys can find me on socialsjust through my name,
imrantexera, and I push all ofyou guys to follow the Burned
Chef Project at the Burned ChefProject on Instagram and most
social channels the Burned ChefProject at theburnedchefproject,
on Instagram and most socialchannels.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
You can find me at Mama Jean Seasonings on
Instagram, on Facebook, and youcan find me on LinkedIn at Kevin
Rasberry.
Where are you working, kevin?
At the Grove of Chilago.
So I want to give a huge shoutout to the Grove of Chilago
Starling Living for allowing meto come out here and be with
Carl and John.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Awesome, I you know.
Listen.
Coming up next for the burnchef project is Colleen,
hopefully Chris and definitelyJamie man.
You guys are awesome.
I want to thank you all again,and John, I want my pictures
like ASAP.
Okay, and we are out.
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