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Space Coast Podcast Network
Culinary Stardom: Chef Christopher Morales on NBC's Yes Chef
Chef Christopher Morales shares his culinary journey from restaurant kitchens to reality TV stardom on NBC's Yes Chef and his current work as a private chef for ultra-wealthy clients in the Hamptons. His candid conversation reveals the personal transformation that came through sobriety and how it launched his career to new heights.
• Former restaurant chef who has transitioned to private chef work
• Competed on NBC's Yes Chef alongside Martha Stewart and José Andrés
• Advocates for sobriety in the restaurant industry after personal struggles with alcoholism
• Discusses the challenges of being a chef in relationships due to unconventional schedules
• Served as a judge for Battle Bros Tacos and Treats competition in Brevard County
• Shares behind-the-scenes insights from Yes Chef including bond formed with competitors
• Describes private chef work for ultra-high-net-worth clients paying $700-1500 per day
• Credits sobriety with his Instagram success and television opportunities
• Now offers private dinners, cooking classes, and custom culinary experiences
For private dinner inquiries or cooking classes, visit tastebychefchristopher.com or find him on Instagram @0ui.chef
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Back once again with Space Coast Eats, a delicious podcast, the podcast where we talk about dining, cuisine, food and everything fun here on the Space Coast. My name is Jesse Hall. I'll be your host once again. This is episode 65. Starting it off on this episode with a very, very talented chef, someone who has been on our show before If you have been following us along probably three years ago or so.
Speaker 2:About three years ago. Yeah, something like that.
Speaker 1:He made an appearance then and you were at the chef's table, I believe.
Speaker 2:I was at the chef's table. Yeah, A lot has happened between now and then.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we're going to catch up, but I'd like to remind everybody that this show wouldn't have happened with our great sponsor, asian Time Cuisine. They, I'd like to remind everybody that this show wouldn't have happened with our great sponsor, asian Time Cuisine. They're located in Suntree, in the Fresh Market Plaza, right there off Wickham Road. Go visit. Say something like Space Coast Eats sent you or Jesse told me this place was great, any of which, jimmy the owner, would love to hear that. And yeah, the Hawaiian roll. They have full bar, they do lunch and dinner Just really great cuisine. And again, when you look at Asian, you want fresh right, you want nice portions of fish and I can promise you they do everything else. I don't endorse a whole lot of restaurants in this area because, again, it's my job to be kind of objective. You know I can't really have favorites, but if I want good sushi, asian time is the place.
Speaker 1:Let's get back to some business. The business at hand is with Chef Chris. He's in town just for this episode. I'm kidding, you may be visiting some other people, like your girlfriend and other things, but I'd like to imagine he came just to town. And where'd you just come from? You just flew in from.
Speaker 2:New York? Yeah, from Hamptons. Yeah, how Came just to town and where'd you just come from? You just flew in from New York, yeah, from Hamptons. Yeah. How do you like Long Island? Oh, my goodness, like I've never actually been to the Hamptons and I've never actually went to New York and not visited the city Really. Yeah, I wanted to go to the city yesterday but my principal, like I, did lunch and then headed back, okay, and touched down in JFK and I was like, oh man, like I really want to go to the city. And then, speaking of sushi, I spent like 70 on like 12 pieces of fish. It wasn't even good. It wasn't good. No, I mean it was. It was mediocre at best. But when we're having sushi, we don't want mediocre so why?
Speaker 1:why are you such a critical diner like? I mean do most chefs like go out and you just have to critique everything.
Speaker 2:I mean I don't want to critique everything because I'll ruin the experience.
Speaker 1:I know, you know when my girlfriend and I go out.
Speaker 2:It's like you know what. I know what I'm expecting. If I go to local places, it's like I get a shrimp Cuban Not that I'm going to drop any names, but if I get a shrimp Cuban from grills or something, I know what I'm getting. It's exactly exactly the same every time. I mean, it has to be completely shot out in left field for me to even complain, of course, like burnt raw chicken, over salted, like I'll even eat some salty food, but it's got to be bad for me to be like. This is complete crap.
Speaker 2:Right, because I mean I'll just ruin dinners, Like I'll never be happy, you know. But I make sure one thing that I do if service food ambiance, if it nails it out of the box. First of all, I hate Yelp, I hate Yelp.
Speaker 1:I hate, Google reviews Yelp's a devil.
Speaker 2:I absolutely hate those. Those are just, you know, keyboard warriors.
Speaker 1:No, palettes no.
Speaker 2:But I will say this Like, if it completely like, gives me 10 stars on every single thing, I'll make a review, right, I'll make a review, right, I'll make a review. Just be like yo, you nailed it. You nailed it, because it's hard to nail every single thing and it's not mission. You don't need to be perfect, you don't need to have measuring your plate.
Speaker 1:Wear your flat, wear you don't need to do that to give me a good experience, especially in Brevard. Well, that's very generous, because some people do realize that most mom and pops they're probably not classically trained. Most often even the purveyor may have been a chef, the guys behind the line doing the grunt work. They're probably not classically trained. They may not know all the French mother sauces, they may only know again what the recipes are there on the menu and what they're supposed to prepare. They're probably not going to be a seasonal, only know again what the recipes are there on the menu and what they're supposed to prepare. They're probably not going to be a seasonal, you know kind of menu-type chef.
Speaker 1:You know they don't have that culinary skill set and so, yeah, your expectations have to be in line with where you're going and so forth. However, you know, maybe if you are going to something Michelin star, then of course put on that critique, know, I mean, because that's what they want, like you're going there to see the best of the best, and of course it's all about the ambience, it's all about the service, the wine selection. I mean everything has got everything plays right.
Speaker 2:Everything plays into a star.
Speaker 1:Yeah, even the bus boy. They all have a role and that's why you, and that's how you, earn a star, because from the hostess experience all the way to you know, know, the busboy or any of the staff coming through the dining room. Everybody is under a spotlight, you know, heavily scrutinized.
Speaker 2:I mean, I've been to Michelin restaurants where they, you know, print my name hey, you know, congratulations, or we're glad you're here, mr Morales, and everything is just perfect. But that's what I'm paying for. You know I'm not paying to get full, I'm paying for. You know I'm not paying to get full, I'm paying for an experience. Exactly, there's. There's times where I'm out here I'm like I'm just, I didn't need to eat. But if you go to Michelin, you go, you go, drive out of your way to some places.
Speaker 1:You're, you expect that level Now. I have seen one of your? No, but I got Wendy's and this is my meal. Yeah, is that true for most chefs?
Speaker 2:Most chefs, yeah, like if you're a painter, like rarely you'd paint at your house. Yeah, and everyone's like, oh my God, they go to my girlfriend. They're like hey, becky, you must eat great, you're dating a chef. Absolutely not, absolutely not, absolutely not.
Speaker 3:The poor girl's feeling denied, like yeah I got with this guy just so I could eat well and uh she eats.
Speaker 2:I'm telling you what she. She's got a beautiful figure, but, man, that girl can put down some food. I know right, like and I'm sorry, like if we went on a date and she's eating a salad with a fork and a knife and she's like I'm full, you have no place in my spot in my life just get out.
Speaker 1:Is that how you qualify girls? Absolutely?
Speaker 2:I watch her dislocate her jaw for this big hoagie and I'm like, oh yeah, she's got mayonnaise on the side of her cheek.
Speaker 1:Like I'm going to marry that girl. That's awesome. Are you guys talking about marriage? Absolutely.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't waste my time at this age without that. She's got a nice little smirk. She's in the studio right now. She's an amazing person. One thing, that I will say you know, I've been a private chef, traveling, doing the show, doing all these things. It's, you know, even being a chef in a restaurant, my personal life. It's you need to be, you need to be with someone special that understands that you got to work and like supports you, like that's the biggest thing here is she is so supportive.
Speaker 1:The chefs work opposite 9 to 5.
Speaker 2:Or the complete opposite.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:We work 5 to 9. 5 am to like 9 pm. It's completely opposite. You know you want to celebrate Valentine's Day. Guess what? It's going to be next Monday.
Speaker 2:You know, I didn't celebrate Valentine's Day this year until in like March. I didn't celebrate her birthday until March. Right. You know, obviously you got to keep them separate. Whoever, whoever's listening to this, and if you have a husband or a wife and their birthday is near Christmas or near Valentine's Day, don't group them together. Don't, absolutely don't. Keep them separate. Right? They need to be separate, yeah.
Speaker 1:Because they should be sacred. Yeah. Hold that space sacred for a birthday, you know, because I have a friend who's born on Christmas and he's just like it's the worst Because I and I can't be with my friends because all the family's over and it's like you know. So I never get to have one. Everybody else has a couple holidays, you know, the moms get a Mother's Day, I get Christmas. Yeah. And no, I get it, and especially in the restaurant and service industry in general, hospitality in general. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:You know, the holidays are for the job. Exactly. Exactly, and it's just, that's the way it is. I can't tell you how many New Year's Eves I worked, how many Christmas Eves I worked, thanksgiving.
Speaker 2:Valentine's, Christmas Eve Like Christmas Eve is one of the busiest days. Christmas Eve, Mother's Day Mother's Day is like huge. No, I want to be with my mom on Mother's Day. I want to be with my girlfriend on Valentine's Day, but you're not, it's a lifestyle.
Speaker 1:It is, and you're kind of married to it. Yeah, have you been a restaurant owner?
Speaker 2:I've been a partner. I've been a partner at 28 North and then Amici's beachside many years ago, many years ago yeah I don't really remember that though I don't remember an amici's beachside.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's where um, it's where titan tonic is right now now I do remember, so we built that we built that out. It was foreman's and then, well, I think foreman still lives, there's in like the attic or something. I swear. I swear that place is haunted. But oh yeah, I'd ask my guys like why are there third pans on the ground right now? And they're like chef, I closed the restaurant last night, it wasn't there. We'd go back on the cameras, it'd be pans flying off.
Speaker 2:We're like, yeah, okay that's creepy it's not like Ashley's, though Ashley's, oh my god yeah, for those who don't know, in Rockledge on.
Speaker 1:US1. There was an old restaurant.
Speaker 2:I don't know from the 30s. I don't know if it's always been a restaurant.
Speaker 1:Maybe a restaurant since that time. It's been a couple generations, but I remember that it was featured on Unsolved.
Speaker 2:Mysteries yeah, it was one of those shows where it was and it's creepy. Their food can be great, but I don't want that thing following me home. I'm sorry, I'll burn some sage or there's something with me. I don't. I respect the ghosts and do I believe in ghosts? Yeah, but we'll keep them at bay like I don't yeah, I heard there's some civil war.
Speaker 1:Um, I'm not sure if there were confederates or or which part of the civil war that it was, but apparently they were like either hiding or captive in the basement and I heard they were captive in the basement, and then I also heard that there was a girl that passed away on the railroad tracks.
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you could hear a small girl crying, sometimes in the female bathroom.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, no, I'm good.
Speaker 1:Some restaurants are more than just the food. You get a lot more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dining experience, you know, like medieval times.
Speaker 1:Oh man. So let's talk about more of the experience, because also this year, you just were a judge for one of the Battle Bros events.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, sean asked me again to do the Tacos and Treats fourth annual, which is always an honor. You know, like it's still a small town, like Brevard's small, you know how it is, but being able to, you know, to see people put their best foot forward most of the time it's awesome. And you know they give me tickets to raffle off. And you know I raffle on my social media, on WeChef, on Instagram, and I, basically, you know, I taste on, I do the judging on Saturday and then Sunday I take the winners after I raffle them off and I show them. Hey, like you know, this is what I thought was great. You know these are the ones that are like awesome and then I'll give them a follow because you know these are small businesses. You know there's this Tennessee gentleman that just knocked it out of the park this year For the taco For the treat.
Speaker 2:Oh really. For the treat. Yeah, it was like this like waffle with like this butter pecan, stop con like I it's, oh god man oh, I can go for one right now.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, oh my god like I actually went.
Speaker 2:So when we judge, it's anonymous because we don't know who's who right but I asked you know, hey, sean, like I really want to show, you know this person, you know this truck, oh, it's this person, it's this person. And there's just some, some that just absolutely nail it. And yeah, it's. And I give them a shout out because you know that's their livelihood, that they, they put their heart. And it's not on a plate because it's not my style of plating, it's not myself, but I appreciate, give me a really good taco in the greasiest form of like a paper bag, and I'm happy. Right, you don't need to have tweezers to make me happy, right? My plates, on the other hand, I don't know, but you love your tweezers. Love, I mean, there's there, they're on my they're on my arm for a reason.
Speaker 1:Well, you got a lot of ingredients on your yeah, yeah, it's, you can. If you were to make a dish with all those ingredients on on your skin, what would that look?
Speaker 2:like well, let's see, I got the mushrooms, I got the steak, I got the steak and morels, I love pasta, know is that a prawn or lobster? No, that's a lobster. I got the prawn back here, but I got the herbs.
Speaker 1:It looks like a delicious meal I don't know like it just looks like if you were to put all those ingredients together, look, look like it would be amazing. Yeah, I don't know about the sushi? That'd be interesting yeah, well then, maybe that's an amuse bush. Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, before the main course you'd'd be surprised how often that this arm with all the utensils come in handy, because I don't really know, like fish spat in, like Spanish or squeeze bottle. But I'll ask my dishwasher like hey, don't they? And he looks at me and says oh, come here, I'll show you. And I just point out what I need.
Speaker 1:That is brilliant.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's double use, I guess.
Speaker 1:No, that's a life hack. I think every chef should now take that. If there's one takeaway, do that. Follow Chef Chris's tattoo art and yeah, it looks like again it's all very much culinary food just dedicated.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I go to one girl. She's in Brevard as well. I go to one person Liat at Cocoa Village Tattoo. That's one person that I go to. One girl she's in Brevard as well. I go to one person Liat at Cocoa Village Tattoo. That's one person that I go to. She's done every single one of my tattoos.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Yeah, I see some cilantro on there. She's got the herbs right. What's great is that you could actually decipher which one.
Speaker 2:It's not just splattered on there. And the detail on the Sharpie, one thing like if you never worked in a restaurant. You're like why do you have a Sharpie on you?
Speaker 1:You work in a restaurant, you're like, oh, you date, you date out things. All right. All right, yeah, yeah, if you don't have a Sharpie at hand. But even like you know, you'll see spoons thermometers, you know, because you know most chef jackets will have a couple places. Yeah and yeah. Well, that's, that's an exclusive one.
Speaker 2:Not everybody. It's a very exclusive. Not everybody has that.
Speaker 1:No, we'll get into that as well. So, no, it's great that you judge, it's great that you bring, you know what you have available, all your talents, back home. You share it. And again you've got to lift everybody up because, you know, some people may be inspired by seeing the things that you're doing, um, including, you know, mbc's yes, chef, and we're going to get into that. But there's so much like, again, backstory, because I know this, um, this show has off. You know it often gets, uh, people a little bit of a lift in their career. And you know, again, you said you've never been to the hamptons no, I never, never been to hampton so do you have clientele out there now?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have principals out there. Now I can't really go much into the principals because of exclusivity, but I got this principal because of a chef on the show. I wasn't closed-minded, I wanted to go out there, Even though we were segregated and we couldn't really use any phones. And you know, it was like hey, can I call my girlfriend today? We'll see what we can do.
Speaker 2:I made sure I called her on her birthday, though that was for sure Valentine's Day, I really wasn't worried about. I'm like, look, I just want to make sure I call my girlfriend on her birthday.
Speaker 1:That's kind of a Hallmark thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'll give her chocolate and be like hey, baby, I love you. But yeah, when I went out there I wanted a network Because, remember, these chefs are from all across the United States. You have some from California, northern and southern. You have a chef from Wyoming. Petrina was from Wyoming. She's the governor's private chef.
Speaker 1:That's fascinating.
Speaker 2:She came out of left field. And then you have T, which is tea, and zane, two just pronounced female chefs in the game. They are two of the most badass chefs that I've probably ever met. They throw down um, they're not fine dining, they're not bougie, they're not any, they're just. They'll their flavors, punch you in the face right and uh, we got the honor to cook at the hard rock. Um, in may, may, which hard rock? Uh, hard rock bristol. Oh, very cool. So they invite us there. And we got the honor to cook at the Hard Rock in May.
Speaker 1:Which.
Speaker 2:Hard Rock, hard Rock Bristol. Oh very cool, so they invited us there. They put us up in a hotel no budget because it's a casino Right and gave us a stipend and basically says cook the dish. That was on the first show, oh, fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so Petrina did her gazpacho where she got redemption. It was actually good if she didn't strain it, like the flavors were good, but I don't know what she was thinking. Straining it that's not my thing. But yeah, chefs from all over, you know New York, florida being me, maine, and then you know California and Texas and all that. So it was a bunch of chefs that had issues from all over the world.
Speaker 1:arms are all over the United States just being vulnerable on on national television well, as they introduced, you know, that first episode, they kind of go into everybody's backstory and they bring up you know somebody shoot sue chef or somebody's you know server or somebody else that works with them. And those people they weren't. You know, they were pretty brutal. Like they were just very honest. Like I mean, I remember the gentleman that gave your testimony. You know, he was like you call it, like it is, and I'm just like yeah, that's you know.
Speaker 2:That's me.
Speaker 1:And not for nothing. You know, I feel like a lot of the people kind of just like sat there and just kind of took it and just got to agree with it. You know, nobody was too bashful or were in too much denial to look at that testimony from a friend or associate and be like, yeah, that's kind of me, you know, I mean.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was. I mean I want to say it was hard to listen to, but I knew Nothing. He said wasn't out of the ordinary. Yeah, I want things done my way. That note that I slipped under the door. That says, say nice shit, or I'm making your life a living hell. No, that was exactly true.
Speaker 2:That wasn't made up. I've made sous chefs cry. There was one of my sous chefs that she actually quit because of me and she was crying. She would do well, but she was just so insecure. Maybe I can nominate her for season two of yes, chef, so NBC likes it.
Speaker 1:There's going to be a second season. I'm hoping so.
Speaker 2:It would be great. I think it's picked up. It had mixed reviews at the beginning, right, um, and like every new show does every new show, um, they're like, oh, you know these cry babies, these chefs, but you know what? Tell, tell those people to work and put, put yourself in my shoes for for a day a week. You know, make it, make it your lifestyle.
Speaker 2:And um, yeah, she ended up quitting because of me and uh, I gave her. You know, make it, make it your lifestyle. And um, yeah, she ended up quitting because of me and uh, I gave her. You know, she gave her two weeks and, lo and behold, she's telling everyone you know, it was a pleasure meeting with you. She was like this little sorry little old, poor me, poor me. And then I look at her, I'm like I wish I could say it was a pleasure working for you, but it wasn't. I'd get out of my kitchen and then she like held the door open. I'm like no, and I shut the door and locked it. I was like get out.
Speaker 2:But it was just. You got to have thick skin in this business. You know yeah. I've had plates thrown at me. I feel like I'm on the cusp of. I mentioned it earlier. I'm on the cusp of like old school versus new school. Yeah, explain that, like your chefs, they demand perfection. They'll belittle you, they'll throw stuff, they'll yell, they'll be angry. And then the new ones you sneeze in their direction. They're like oh, you got a booger on me. Oh, I'm suing. That's the world we live in now.
Speaker 1:Complete departure. Yeah, so have somebody made you ever cry?
Speaker 2:Martha Stewart and Jose Andres. No. Yeah, you'll get to see me, you'll get to see me. Yeah, like even when Peter got voted off. I cooked Peter off, yeah, and I got choked up, you know I saw that.
Speaker 2:yeah, it was hard to see and, like I said, it's trauma bonding Like they took everything from us and the most emotional that I feel like I've been lately is is when, you know, my girlfriend made me cry, like seeing her face on her birthday just looking pretty, you know, going out with her friends, and I couldn't be there. It messes with your mind. Yeah, like it's not just oh man, I gotta cook, I gotta do this, I gotta do this. You're cooking at a level against these chefs from all over united states for martha and jose, with mics and cameras in your face and the whys and becauses and all that. And then you get to see something that feels like home, like like to me, seeing my girlfriends. That's home to me, right, and seeing her, I'm like oh man, and I'm like crying my eyes out and I'm like, oh man, I didn't care, like at that point in time, I didn't care. You know what it let the world see I, I'm human, you know I don't.
Speaker 1:It is what it is no, and that's great to be, you know, vulnerable, because most times, uh, you know those that do get that thick skin and nothing can beat it down. Those are usually the biggest softies. They just grew a big shell, you know. They just have the biggest, hardest shell and it's because, you know, um, they don't, they don't want to be an emotional wreck, or maybe you know they they are.
Speaker 1:They do have a sensitive side yeah but in the heat of the moment, and physically like, if you can't, you know, take the heat, get out of the kitchen, as they say, it is so like there's so much stress compounding on you and it's and it's everything, not just getting the plate right, but it's also having you know the expediter you know take out the plates at the right time in the right positions, and so you got to count on them to do their job.
Speaker 1:You got to count on you know the dishwasher to make sure you're going to have you know a new saute pan when you need it. Like all these things have to work, and that pressure is in the back of your mind because if, if, if it fails, you got to run that hot food out you got to, you know, go and get and get a new pan or spatula or whatever else you need, you know.
Speaker 1:So it's, it's really up to you at the end of the day, and that that pressure falls on on the chef, you know, and those guys on the line who have to make it happen yeah, I mean we do.
Speaker 2:Let's say, for example, in a normal restaurant you do 200 covers a night. That's 200 times that. I mean that you have a chance to mess up right. And then you multiply that by which plate's coming off of which you know Garmage, enchimete or whoever it is? There's so many uncontrolled variables that you cannot control.
Speaker 2:And you've got to understand that you cannot control. You can mentor someone and you can teach someone how to saute fish, pan, sear fish or do a risotto or whatever it is that you can teach them, but once that dupe comes in, that check comes in, it's out of your hands. You've got to trust. You've got to trust and track. That's why you go private. Go private. You can only hold yourself accountable If something goes wrong. There's a lot of stress in private too, because of who you deal with and you know who I deal with. But if something goes wrong it's on me. Granted, at the end of the day, like in a restaurant, everyone's like oh yeah, you know it's the chef's fault. They're going to come barking at me. Well, yeah, it is, but then it's my job to go. You know why? My why is my chicken overcooked? You know why is my sauce broken? Let me handle it.
Speaker 2:But from the guest point of view, it's always a chef oh no from the owner's point of view, it's always a chef and I gotta take the blunt for it like I can't. I'm not one of the chefs that point fingers. You know, I'll take it. I will take, take the lashings and then I'll dish them out to whoever didn't do it right now and that's.
Speaker 2:That's something that I need to still learn. I mean, if I were to ever go back into into, you know, public kitchens, it's like public school and private school someone ever told you to to take like a behavioral type of, you know, anger management or anything else.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah Um more times than you count, or has it been just a handful?
Speaker 2:How big is your hand? Yeah, I mean so. One thing that I'm a big advocate for sobriety, like you could see it on the show, you know it's. It shows it on my social media, right. Uh, I'm proud of that, you know. And, and when I first started, I first started putting down the bottle and going to meetings and all that I thought it was just the drink, that was my issue. And then, lo and behold, it's like no, that was just the drop in the bucket. It's all your behavioral issues, it's your anger, your ego. Like I was saying earlier, I'm Cuban, I'm Italian, I'm a chef and I'm an alcoholic. Right.
Speaker 2:Like that's a volatile situation. Sure, that's like just waiting to explode. And you know, being from old school, you know working in Michelin and doing that and working for some of the chefs that I've worked for, you know I expect hard asses, I expect thick skin.
Speaker 2:Hard asses, I expect thick skin and it's a lot of stress and when we stress out we we flip out. And you know I love peter, but you know that was the old me. That was me at 23, 25, even 27 and 30. You know I would just freak out, I'd throw stuff and it's gotten less good um, it's gotten less.
Speaker 2:There is growth. There is growth, but realizing, know, finding my shortcomings and you know where I went wrong and what I do wrong and holding myself accountable. I'm trying to hold all these other line chefs and all these other Comeys accountable. When do I start and hold myself accountable 100%? So recognizing it and making you know.
Speaker 1:Direct amends when I need to, and did you do the whole 12 steps?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, absolutely, Okay, absolutely.
Speaker 1:So you went through the whole program, I went through the whole program, I got the big book.
Speaker 2:Good I got it on my phone. I'm very big on sobriety because it has brought me so many things. It's brought me Instagram the following that I did because those photos you wouldn't see.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's have a look yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:You wouldn't see those photos without me being sober, because I wanted to do something with my time when I was just after dinner, After dinner service. Guess what we would do? We'd go out, we'd get drunk, we'd hang out. Well, I'd go home and I'd edit photos. You know, I would take photos of, you know, some of my dishes. And then it led me to my first Food Network show, and it was. I was like wow, that's cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so talk about that one a little bit.
Speaker 2:Because you still had a temper. Yeah, I had a temper, but it was so short-lived that I didn't have a chance to get angry.
Speaker 1:How many episodes did you last?
Speaker 2:Oh, it was just a single one. It was called Supermarket Steakout. Okay, it was called Supermarket Steakout. I did it. I mean I met some great chefs. I actually have a friend for life now.
Speaker 3:We all talk every once in a while she flew in from Tampa.
Speaker 2:She flew in, drove from Tampa to here eat at the Chef's Table and then drove back to. Tampa. But yeah, I did that and it led to Instagram monetizing my reels and I started getting paid.
Speaker 1:And I was like, wow, cool.
Speaker 2:And then I got a laptop and some lights and some photography and then wrote that off because I'm a 1099 now. Sure. But then tax season came around, but yeah, and then it led to, you know, endorsements. You know I got companies now like throwing knives at me not physically, Not like I would do Right, but you know, I got a knife sponsor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm trying to get another. Can you divulge who that is?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's going to be.
Speaker 1:Nova.
Speaker 2:It's going to be Nova Knives.
Speaker 1:Where are they at?
Speaker 2:They are, I think, overseas.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because you know. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't like some of the best cutlery from Japan or even like who is it Swedish? I think there are some good Swedish companies La Hule from. France. I mean there's some really good cutlery out there.
Speaker 2:You have to seek it though. Yeah, they, they actually ended up um, where are they at? I should know this, um, but yeah, it's, it's. It's actually pretty cool that you know knife sponsors are, or you know knife sponsors and you know my girlfriend and I are working on getting a a new, a new place and um, you know some companies wanting to give me, you know, saute pans and mixers.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's still in the works right now. But, yeah, it's amazing what sobriety can do. And it's not just the physical things. You know, it's the way I am towards, like my girlfriend and other people, relationships Relationships Whether you're intimate with them or not. You know it's the way I am towards, like my girlfriend, like and other people, relationships, relationships Whether you, whether you're intimate with them or not. It's, it's how you deal with people and what my actions and how they affect other people. You know, and Coming to realize that it was, it was an issue for me you know I'm like I'm not hurting anyone.
Speaker 2:You know I was drinking and driving and having a bottle in my car and it's just a slippery slope. You know, one leads to to two, two leads to four, four leads to I don't know how many, because I black out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think. I'm not sure if it was an Instagram post or something that you confessed on yes Chef, where you would create a menu.
Speaker 2:Oh, that was on. Yes, chef.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, so that was episode five.
Speaker 2:I think that was episode five. I'm very open and I'm a big advocate for sobriety in the restaurant. Granted, when I envisioned an alcoholic, I thought it was a homeless guy with a paper bag and a 40 in his paper bag in a shopping cart.
Speaker 1:If you're not functioning, then that makes you an alcoholic.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and it's like no, there's alcoholics from all walks of life, and that's what I learned in the program. Like there's alcoholics, like from all walks of life, and that's what I learned in the, in the program. Like walking into a meeting. There's there's people in suits and ties, and it's you know there. There's firemen, there's you know, school teachers, there's chefs, and it's not just that. But I can't really talk about you know a fireman or anything like that. I can, you know to be sober in a kitchen.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, and we're going to get back into that sobriety. I'm going to just real quick head over to our sponsor, give a little shout out so we'll return. After these quick messages, don't go anywhere. Big thank you to our sponsor, asian Time Cuisine. Asian Time Cuisine, located in Suntory at the Fresh Market Plaza, all the way to the south side. Go see Jimmy, go see the staff. They are incredible at what they do. Such a great sushi bar, fresh ingredients, big portions, creative flavors. Just go there. Lunch, dinner, takeout, you name it. Got a full bar. Good wine selection, really nice sake collection and again, the food is amazing. Head over there, enjoy a time with your family and friends, business associates it's really great for any occasion. And again, tell them Space Ghosts, eat sent ya. Alright, we're back with Chef Christopher Morales.
Speaker 2:Our sponsor looks good. Yeah, I want to try that place now. Oh, you haven't been. No, I haven't been.
Speaker 1:Like I want to try that place now, oh you haven't been.
Speaker 2:No, I haven't been. No, I need to try that I don't get over to that area anymore. I'm Merritt Island, or.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, I get it and there's. Listen, you know when you talk, you know anything, sushi you know, everybody has a favorite place. Oh yeah, we have some really good places from Umami, pacific Rim, I mean, you know, there's some really good talent here, you know, for me I'm just like, I just love the presentation.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and how the flavors go, you know. When I see so much, you know. I mean, how many restaurants have to have a California roll Like we get it? That's the intro level. But if you really want to elevate your menu, let's leave the California roll off and save those, for you know the takeout places. You know because you know it's imitation crab. There's nothing authentic about it. But I'm also like I'm getting to the point. Where is the seaweed?
Speaker 2:snappy yeah.
Speaker 1:Is the sashimi rice. You know the way you know that the rice is a talent.
Speaker 2:It's like that's an art.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it shouldn't be jasmine. No it should be a sushi-grade sashimi rice, short-grain rice, yeah, and so you have to get all the elements right and again then you have to elevate it with some garnish, you have to elevate it with, again, some unique flavors, because everybody can.
Speaker 1:I mean, I can't tell you how many volcano rolls like like everybody seems to have like the same, like same rolls, the same recipes, I'm just like no, I want to find a place that does their own unique thing, their own unique presentations. And uh, man, I don't know if you, if you watch that short clip, they have this uh, sashimi guy, I don't need to see weed.
Speaker 2:Don't give me the rice. Don't give me the rice.
Speaker 1:I want that fish. And if that fish melts in my mouth, I'm talking like super tender, super flavorful, because I'm not one of those that, like doctors, it up with the soy and the wasabi. I'll take some wasabi cleanse the palate. I'll take some pickled ginger cleanse the palate, but I'm not dipping my fish in all those condiments.
Speaker 2:That green wasabi? That ain't even wasabi.
Speaker 1:Right, I want to taste the fish only, and it's got to be about the texture. Oh, texture, it's how it's cut. Right, exactly.
Speaker 2:And the quality of the fish you have some great hamachi, can I be honest with you and the viewers? Yeah. I like crab with the K.
Speaker 1:No, I mean listen if you're getting crab rangoon.
Speaker 2:I don't care if it's like compressed pollock with spray painted red on it, I can eat a whole pack.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to lie, no, for all intents and purposes, for the right thing. I remember one restaurant we had. One of the most popular items was a spicy crab spring roll and it was just the crab meat mixed with the um, you know now spicy mayo yeah we thought.
Speaker 1:We thought it was like so exclusive, you know, so this sashimi, uh the creamy, uh uh sriracha mayo and um, and now of course everybody has it. But back then it was just like the crab, a little scallion mixed with the mayo, rolled up in a fried. Wanton, wanton. And deep fried like an egg roll sliced, and then more sriracha mayo drizzle, and that was our number one seller.
Speaker 2:Of course it would be. Of course it would be.
Speaker 1:I mean I'd have my regulars, they they'd come in, I'd see them on the books and I'd just fire it you know, from the kitchen and by the time they sat down they had their appetizer, and that's how you know. That's how I treated. Um, I guess, but that was an easy one to sell I mean it was just like nobody denied it, and even if they kicked it back, I'm like fine, more for me yeah, I'm, I'm going to go finish it in the back, Exactly, but yeah, so Asian time.
Speaker 1:Great place If you were to choose a cuisine that you had to eat for the rest of your life what would it be Indian?
Speaker 2:Indian, oh, okay.
Speaker 1:That didn't take too long yeah, Indian If there was a cuisine that you had to make for the rest of your career. What would that be?
Speaker 2:Pasta. Really, I'd make pasta Italian.
Speaker 1:Because the pasta is, like you know, pretty from Asian pastas.
Speaker 2:It would be an egg pasta. Sorry, Peter, it would be. It would be definitely an egg pasta.
Speaker 1:I'm going to get him some of that semolina for Christmas. Oh yeah, semolina for Christmas.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, semolina, I'm going to send it over to you. I'm going to send it over to him.
Speaker 1:Not to be confused with semolina poisoning.
Speaker 2:No, no, no. Now, if you had salmon infused with vanilla, would it?
Speaker 1:be semolina. Oh, that's funny. Sorry, Julia, Is it too soon?
Speaker 2:Nay, I mean it was a couple episodes ago.
Speaker 1:No, it's fine, yeah, and what about that one episode? Everybody had the challenge and somebody had to make the pearls, somebody had to clarify. Somebody had you know and there was like and. Kisugi took all the eggs that one episode Like I mean. Yeah, there's been you know, is it gamanship? Is it people just trying to like get a rise and get some attention?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, kisugi knows how to play the game you know um. Even though he's no longer on the show, all I can say is is he knew how to play the game. He knows how to ruffle feathers, he knows how to get under people's skin, um and he always dressed to impress.
Speaker 2:I always saw a shirt and tie underneath, always, always, I mean if he's been on top chef, you know he's been on top chef mexico, top chef boston, um, he's been on numerous other shows, so he knows and I recognize him. The moment that I got in that van I'm like oh boy, but I can say he's the way he is. I mean, obviously you see him call him a pompous douche or a pompous chef and I knew that I was going to have to deal with something. But my strategy during the show, while he was on it, was to use him as a human shield because I knew that if I was on the losing team he'd be the first to go right. And you know, there was sometimes where you know he actually gave me and I'm open about it where he gave me advice on clarification.
Speaker 2:I got that clarification, one where I had to do a consomme and I feel for Michelle this was right after the grilled cheese incident where she served grilled cheese to Jose and Martha. One thing they didn't show, and I hope I could say it, is that we needed four plates for that one and she needed a common denominator and didn't have the right amount of grilled cheese and when to go back for more grilled cheese. And I'm like, girl, we're on a time limit. Get the fuck out, sorry, get out, get out, go, you drop whatever perfect, perfect and I'm like you go and she's like, oh okay.
Speaker 2:And then like, makes a grilled cheese. And then later on she's like, yeah, I was gonna make a tomato soup, girl. There was no tomatoes in Martha's basket. But I will say something about Martha Stewart, her chicken that roasted one blew my mind. I'm glad they cut out a bunch of parts where they just saw me eating, just shoving my face full of chicken. It was hands down.
Speaker 1:I feel like there's a lot of editing, like there's there's a lot of editing.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of editing, um, but hands down, probably one of the best chickens and I'm not saying this to to blow up the show or anything. It was, hands down, one of the best damn chickens I've ever had in my life. And it actually made me nervous when we walked on set and I see her like basting the chicken, or not basting, but lathering it with butter. I'm thinking in my head, oh man, we're going to have to roast chicken, right. And now, if I was serving roasted chicken like you or my girlfriend or anyone, okay, it's roasted chicken, you can do it. But to do a roasted chicken on that level, that's yeah. And I'm like, thank God we didn't have to do it. Yeah, because you guys had to do sides for it. We had to do sides for it. Yeah, I had to do. I was going to do a mushroom bruschetta, just like something I remember and your face was Michelle.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, it was Michelle, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, michelle's the one who used. She was before me, she was.
Speaker 1:Because there was only a couple loaves. We all communicated, everybody had a game plan.
Speaker 2:We all communicated and Lee wrangled me in. He's like just, you know, own that shit and pivot and do what you need to do. And I did Like I don't let a lot of things get to me, like I might bitch about it later on Because you did, you gave her like a little swish yeah, like hey, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:What the hell happened. Oh yeah, and at that I was like, yeah, you're done, you're done, yeah, you're dead. To me now. And then it was a good feeling, like beating her into clarification the next round, because clarifying it's an art too. You know, you don't want to serve impurities to Martha and Jose. They know what a consomme is. Right. You know, and you can't just clarify butter, but then Kitsji needed to do spherification now spherification.
Speaker 2:Lee nailed it yeah, but he used agar agar. Agar agar is more of like a gelification, so almost like um. Uh, it's a seaweed based you know product that it actually um, it's like fruit by the foot. Think of, think of you know fruit by the foot, um, but on a next level. But you know, to use the calcium chloride and sodium alginate bath it needs to be specific ratios and we did not have you know the formula for it. So that's why kintsugis look like I don't know, like bloody teardrops I don't know, it looked like shit, it was so bad and lee.
Speaker 2:Like I looked at lee's dish I mean when it was setting up, because we were able to go back and help our team after we presented and Lee's dish just nailed it and that was the first time I actually was like, oh man, Lee's on my radar now. And then, slowly but surely, you know, Jake ended up being on my radar after the duck, the family meal incident.
Speaker 1:I feel like you know, guys, some of the player strategies have been. I'm just gonna lean back but, I'm just gonna stay alive, not ruffle any feathers where some came in like, no, I'm gonna try to dominate, you know. So there's different shot and it's always kind of fun with the reality shows as far as whose strategy is going to win you know, I mean everything from survivor and I mean no matter what. But everybody has that kind of like.
Speaker 1:I'm just gonna, you know, I'm just gonna be that soft-spoken, I'm gonna stay off, you know, anybody's radar and just you know, put put out enough to be competitive yeah and just just, you know, maybe align myself with somebody else or just, you know, get somebody to, you know to maybe, um, you know, kind of, you know maybe confide in a little bit. But everybody, everybody's so different. And that suck at. Jake and you know had gone to Peter Like, hey, you know, we're going to have each other's back. Was it a mistake that Jake had five coins and he? I mean he could have just saved Peter right away and just give him all those coins, but he's like I'm just going to give three. And that opened up. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:That was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:That was a tough one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he had his specific ones and I knew that I was going to cook off Right. I mean, that lamb was complete trash and it was embarrassing.
Speaker 1:So what happened? The? Oven wasn't preheated. So what happened was?
Speaker 2:what they didn't show, and I'm sure I could say this because the episode aired Was Sorry okay oh, no problem I'll make sure I edit that out not every everything was smooth. Yeah, everything was smooth sailing, like for for my family meal, like everything was smooth sailing. And then I look at the clock, I'm like, all right, it's time to fire my lamb. And when I fired it I put in the oven because I did the whole rack.
Speaker 3:I wanted the whole rack. That was a lot of pounds.
Speaker 2:oh, oh yeah, they were beautiful lamb.
Speaker 1:I mean, was that like a 15, 20-pound rack?
Speaker 2:They were probably like 7 to 10-pound racks. I mean they were French, they were beautiful, dried out, right, and I seared them. Or how did I do them? No, no, no, I seared them and them in the oven. I remember that. And then I'm, I'm doing, I'm like man, like my lamb's not gonna be done right, and then you panicked, and then you went to the fire. I panicked, I cut, I hacked the hell out of it. Panicked, hacked it, put it on the grill.
Speaker 2:It caught fire, you, so I was like this, this is like the surface of the sun, and then I put it in the cast iron, I put it back on the grill everything that I could possibly do to ruin that lamb.
Speaker 2:I did All the mistakes and I was just cruising along to the whole challenge. I was on time with everything. I'm like all right, cool, cool, cool. I want to say it was the ovens, but, like I said, I got to take responsibility for it. Not once am I going to ever say, oh, it was the oven's fault, or oh, this and that, no, I should have made.
Speaker 1:Because there was more than one oven, if one maybe, you know, couldn't. Oh yeah, that was like temperature, it was like four or five ovens all at different temperatures.
Speaker 2:People had stuff in it, right? No, it was it. I take responsibility, like that's. That's. That's the name of the game. Is taking accountability for it right, and cooking myself. Cooking for myself to keep myself on right was, and I just and I hate that it was peter right but I feel like at that point in the show, like it would have been if I cooked emily off, if I cooked right jake off, it would have still been painful because we we became very close by that time.
Speaker 1:You know, we were in it for quite a while because now, uh, you know, at the uh fifth, at the fifth episode, you're going from 12 to 7, hypothetically, and then all of a sudden 6. And so by then you could honestly look at each of those individuals and be like man. It's going to be one of us. Oh, we said that.
Speaker 2:Yeah and things start getting a little bit more'm like we are looking at a winner right now yeah, and it's like we also got closer to right, like you know, seeing each other through challenges, seeing our, our trials and our tribulations. Like you know seeing us, you know suffer, like when jake, when peter, you know, got sent home. Like you can see it on Jake's face he's like fuck man, like that was painful. Like I watched it probably four or five times. Like you know I watched. You know, peter, or I'm sorry Jake, just be like God damn it, I couldn't save him.
Speaker 1:And then I, and that was very noble, even though, like he, chose the deviled egg which I was kind of like I'm not sure if that's you know the best you know, stay out of jail card. You know I mean, but you know, adding the caviar you running over being that kind of guy. Is that the new chris or is that as yeah like, would you have done that like three or four years ago?
Speaker 2:no, so that. So that's a very brand new behavior. No, no, it was all about me, and you know I was close to Peter. You know I was close to all the chefs, you know, or most of the chefs, and you know I feel like I would have done that with anyone. If I was going to get beat. Like I said, it better be the best damn deviled egg, and if I'm going to get beat, I want to get beat. You know? Clean out of the gate.
Speaker 2:Not oh well, you know I could have used this caviar, but I couldn't get the tin open. Those tins, they're a pain in the ass. Oh, I know.
Speaker 1:They're not.
Speaker 2:I mean you need a caviar key most of the time.
Speaker 1:Right the caviar.
Speaker 2:It was Ocetra.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, it was Black Sea, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:It was and, yeah, I had a taste.
Speaker 1:You have to, of course. I got a taste when I'm serving.
Speaker 2:It's only 120 bucks an ounce, right, something like that. Yeah, they're all special order. You would think the Hamptons would stock them.
Speaker 1:They didn't. Well, you'd think that anywhere in the world, including the Hamptons and maybe a couple exclusive restaurants in the city.
Speaker 2:But this is how cool and this is how close we are. I reached out to Julia and I'm like, hey, julia, do you know of any places in the Hamptons right now that has truffles? And she's like, oh, let me see, let me see, and she was giving me all these things and unfortunately, no one get it but the boat, the yacht captain, actually went and got me a truffle paste. This is how this network of these chefs on the show grew to what it is Like. We all knew like there was going to be one winner Right, like there's no doubt about that. But we became like a family.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Like you know it's, I think you're forced to. I mean because you're doing something that's so very unique.
Speaker 1:That's such a small margin of chefs ever get to do is do something you know a competition on, you know a televised program. But so not only do you just come from an elite part of you know the culinary industry, uh, being, you know, considered a top chef. And then of all those, maybe a hundred thousand in the world or in the nationwide, maybe it's a little bit more, you know a thousand maybe in the in the lifespan of, of all reality shows, you know, in the next 20 years and the previous, you know, 20 years, whatever it is, um, we'll have that opportunity yeah and so, just by default, just by being in such a unique circumstance, you know, kind of forces you together.
Speaker 1:I'm not sure if we're able to talk about it, but, um, what's it, what's the accommodations like? I mean, after the show wraps, you guys go back to the same hotel. Is there a hanging out kind of period, or you guys go your separate ways. Is can you talk about what life is like?
Speaker 2:um, you know, being a um recording a show I mean they, they put us up.
Speaker 1:You know, they pretty much take care of everything because when you, when you talk about building um a relationship, it's not just in the competition zone, it's got to be like you know, somewhere before. Yeah, so we have breakfast together, we have what's called reality.
Speaker 2:So if you see us kind of having when we all cheers for the person that got sent home. That's reality, where obviously everything's still going on. But that's real, where we know that there's cameras there, we know that there's mics. But it's real talk. It's not like, oh man, we need to make this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no one's put on a face or a character.
Speaker 2:No, but you know what I can say is they stocked it with purely Elizabeth granola. I mean, that was the first time I had purely Elizabeth.
Speaker 1:I had it for the first time this morning. Seriously, my girlfriend got a bag of this double chocolate oh, the cookie, yes, yes over milk. I felt like it was like uh-huh, like, because I have, you know, granola for breakfast, yeah and uh, I'm like I I should. I felt guilty because I'm like I look at the back of the bag and it's healthy dessert.
Speaker 2:I look at the back I'm like, wow, that that's healthy yeah but they stocked the, they stocked the reality with cookies.
Speaker 1:Oh man, I was in that cookie jar every day um but yeah, no, they, they put us up, you know, and and so there is some time again in between recording, because the recording I feel like it lasted, you know, I mean it was, it was a long time of recording.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right, it was, it was a long time, yeah, so you.
Speaker 2:You guys must be around each other like yeah, we're around each other in the studio, but seven days a week, yeah, seven days a week, yeah, so you know, and that's just, that's gonna breed relationships I mean and as, as you know, chefs got voted off and everything you know from having a conversation with 12 chefs right you have a conversation with now nine, and then now six, and then so forth, and you, you get closer and closer and closer and, um, you start, you know, being more open with these like every one of those chefs knows my girlfriend by name, right?
Speaker 2:you know I know everyone's significant other. I know you know tony. I know you know jake, which is emily's husband. Um, we, we just became this. Like I don't know, it's a brigade, like you know, like I want to be in a kitchen where they're not just my employees they're like my family, because I see them more than I see my family. Right.
Speaker 2:And for that time being, yeah, it was stressful where it was just these chefs, but it was just an amazing experience from you know, from the store, from everyone behind. They were just all so everyone was so nice. I mean it's Canadians behind, right, they were just all so, everyone was so nice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, I mean it's canadians I only met one like angry canadian and I was in the airport with coffee, like I was moving out of the way she goes. I was in line, I'm like and I'm thinking my head oh she's american and she goes, sorry, and I was like oh no, she's canadian, sorry, yeah, you know canadians, it takes a little bit to piss off.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, she was probably like either, you know know, delayed flight or probably been on layover.
Speaker 2:I don't know, it takes a lot to aggravate, but you know what I was like, okay you know what? It's not a big deal. I'll pay for your car. I'll even let you go in front of me. It's not a big deal.
Speaker 1:But the experience it just seems um it just seems really rich and uh, and of course, you know, you know the exposure.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, mbc is different than food network. You know a lot more viewers. Big difference, big difference. And I don't think we actually realized how big it was until chef lee's mom was driving down the 405 and took this real shitty picture of a billboard. It looked like a no offense, lee, if you're gonna watch this, I'm sorry. It looked like a 70 year old took this picture right, like it was just shaky. It was like part of the billboard. I'm not a focus. Oh man, like that's my and they gave me hair, they edited hair on me on the billboard. I was like that's awesome, mind you, when they have the drone shots it's all shiny and everything. And uh, we're like, oh, that's a billboard. And then another one was found. And then another one was found. And then martha posted on her instagram this 10 story billboard 10 story billboard of us no on sunset boulevard, oh wow.
Speaker 2:And we're like oh shit, this is bigger than we thought. And then, you know, we started getting like hey, you know, this is it. Then they debuted our names. They debuted our names in food uh, food and wine oh and we're like, oh shit, like this is, this is big, yeah. And then all of a sudden, like it just started picking up and taking traction, and then and now being, you know, officially pretty much halfway through yeah, we're halfway through and um.
Speaker 1:Are you getting recognized?
Speaker 2:oh yeah yeah, yeah very cool. Yeah, it was pretty cool in the airport yesterday, actually I didn't.
Speaker 2:I wasn't able to actually take a picture of it because I would have been that 70 year old trying to take a picture actually. So in new york city, like I went outside, uh, when I touched down, or was that when I touched down or when I was leaving? No, when I was leaving yesterday. And um, I look over and on top of a taxi is like an electronic billboard right and I just caught the last end of a yes, chef, like little thing, and I was like yo, that's my face, that's my face, essentially, on a moving billboard.
Speaker 1:Because I guess especially any kind of feature billboards are going to be static. So, even if you get off in the third, fourth episode, you're probably still going to be in some of those marketing materials. But as the season progresses and some of these more dynamic marketing solutions like the digital billboard or the intros and other promotional things leading into new episodes. Well, it's just going to be more and more fine-tuned to whoever is still existing, so the marketing must also reflect again who the cast continues to be not the cast that has been so.
Speaker 1:there's even that much more opportunity for exposure and so forth right, but it's all how you use it.
Speaker 2:You can be voted off, like Petrino in the first episode, and still use it as a catapult. It's all how you use it and how you interpret it. If you're that, if you're sour about it, you're like, oh, I got voted off the first episode yada, yada, yada. This is a waste of my time. You're not going to reap anything. You're not going to get the true exposure. You're doing it wrong that you know whether I win or I lose, like I look at it as I won.
Speaker 1:It'll always be on your resume. Yeah, no one can take that away from you.
Speaker 2:No, and it's all how you use it. It's like hey, you know, tillett, like you know, they sponsored the show. It's like hey, like you know, do a photo shoot with me. You know I love your company. I'm not going to do anything to sell me out. I'm never going to go to use a company that I don't like.
Speaker 1:No, and I wouldn't see you exploiting fame just to get a box of product that you don't.
Speaker 2:Now purely. Elizabeth puts me on a box.
Speaker 1:I'm totally down for that. That would be actually a really cool collaboration.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I actually think.
Speaker 1:Chef.
Speaker 2:Chris is blank. I actually think Chef Ronnie is trying to do a collaboration with her.
Speaker 2:Dude that'd be cool yeah yeah, I don't know if he's getting it, you know. But I'm not going to lie Like I never used it before. I'm like, oh, look at this healthy stuff. I'm like, all right, whatever. I was like I'm hungry. I'm, in reality, I'll eat some, and this is actually pretty good. They had the peanut butter one. They had the double chocolate chunk one. It's decadent, yeah. And apparently she was come to find out. She posted she was on set. I never met her. Oh, no way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she was one of the guests that was eating in the restaurant.
Speaker 1:Oh man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, how do they?
Speaker 1:pick those people.
Speaker 2:I want to be casted dude, or you can be like Chef Ronnie and sit there and eat everyone's dish. Is that what he did yeah In, I think, episode three. It was the one with Martha's basket. So no, that was episode two. So there was obviously an uneven number of chefs. Right.
Speaker 1:And he just sat there and ate everyone's dish. I remember that yeah, so everybody had to make three plates, not just for the judges but yeah, yeah, he had to make because he did offer a judge, right, I mean he was giving up and uh, he was, he was not picked. He was not picked, so I mean obviously he wasn't on a team, no, but his vote counts.
Speaker 2:No, no, it wasn't okay, so we just but that was kind of crucial because now he could see what everyone cooked and how everyone's flavors were. And of course you got the Zanes and the Chef T's that are going to be heavy hitters Right, like Chef T man, her restaurant, union 41 in Bristol if you're ever out there, really, oh, get the. What were they called they? Sunday dinner oh my God. Sunday dinner, it's like this wholesome stick to your gut. But it had this collard green gravy on it. Oh my God.
Speaker 1:Say less. Is it more soul food?
Speaker 2:More soul food, yeah, really More soul food. Oh man, I mean some of them, that really touched me.
Speaker 1:I love that cuisine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, chef T was you know I didn't know this about her where her mom told her she was going to be nothing. You know she's not going to be a chef and I found out through the show, you know. And for Chef T to get emotional, you know she's a badass dude. She is a full-on Southern soul, like you know. Obviously, you know being black and and being, you know gay, male and gay and all that it's.
Speaker 2:It's hard to make a name and she owns it right and she I have so much respect for her right that she's like. You know what this is who I am. If you don't like it, kick rocks right and it shows you know not only her, but actually as zane well, where they show their soul and they show how, what they interpret on a plate Right. And it's just like damn you guys are bad ass.
Speaker 2:I was worried about those two. Yeah, I was worried. Those were the two that I was worried about like right off the bat, and I didn't recognize chef T, cause they're big targets, oh big targets, man, big targets, and you and Zane got uh, you know I mean what if I feel like it's almost like one sided.
Speaker 1:I mean you're, you've been like given and her like little jabs. Yeah, yeah, and, and, and she just sits back and takes it. She just shakes her head and she's like yeah, whatever, yeah, I'm coming for you. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, kick yourself off the show, right, yeah. So what's next?
Speaker 1:Because we're kind of wrapping up the hour here. You're going back to the Hamptons, or not? Yeah?
Speaker 2:yeah, so I'm out here, I'm doing a couple private dinners. I'm still in the middle of moving right now, so I want to say that I'm open in June. Right.
Speaker 2:Very select dates. Obviously, you can go on Taste by Chef Christopher, inquire about a private dinner. I do travel, basically whoever sees this, if this reaches you know beyond Brevard and wherever else. I do travel nationwide and worldwide. And then I leave for the Hamptons during the season end of June, all the way through July, and then apparently now I'm going to Aspen with my principal during the season end of June, all the way through July, and then apparently now I'm going to Aspen with my principal.
Speaker 1:So these principals is it a per diem or are they you contract out? How do people book you and what kind of rates could they expect? Or is that? Consultation only. Because it must be very personal. It is If you're building three squares a day for a couple. That's different than one dinner for, maybe, a family of five.
Speaker 2:I'll just give a base thing. It's a broad spectrum. For example, I'm doing a dinner for four. It's $250 per person, plus cost of goods out here in florida. Um, it all depends, like that's a five course.
Speaker 1:Uh, yeah, five course meal yeah, number of courses, what kind of protein, what kind of?
Speaker 2:proteins. You know, if you want it like I've had, you know, clients come to me. Hey, like I really want to impress my girlfriend, like can you do something? I'll it, I'll make it work, I'll do something that usually you wouldn't be able to do. And then in the Hamptons it ranges anywhere from $700, $800 a day to $1,200, $1,500 a day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I would imagine you're not just going to go there for a couple nights and pack up. I mean, they're probably going to keep you for the season. Yeah, I mean I just went last minute.
Speaker 2:I was just in the Hamptons for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday Came back actually for this show Good and came back, did this and then I fly back out again, but it's a different clientele out there, but is it for a family?
Speaker 1:It's for a family Because I know a lot of people socialize.
Speaker 2:It's for a family, it's for the Mr and the Mrs, and then they do entertain.
Speaker 1:So you're responsible for that.
Speaker 2:I'm responsible for that. It all depends. There's clients that I'm able to give them a menu of my vision and then there's other clients that they're like this is what I want, this is how I want to cut. Oh, this is when I want it, this is how I want it. They give you the menu, they give me the menu, they give me specifics, like this is how I want my tomatoes cut. This is what time I want this bougie and healthy right? Um, you know, when you, when you deal with the uh, the ultra high net worth right clients, um, if, for those of you who don't know what ultra high net worth clients, for those of you who don't know what ultra high net worth is, there's rich and then there's wealth, and these are the wealth, Like old money.
Speaker 1:Sometimes, yeah. The Hamptons used to be a lot of old money but now of course there's a lot of tech, like new money with tech and stuff like that. So not everybody comes from a Rockefeller or those kind of families, but essentially we're talking in the bank over probably $100 million.
Speaker 2:It's $30 million. For ultra-high, it's $'s 30 million. Uh, for ultra high, it's 30 million in assets. Yeah, okay, and to them, like for us, like well, you're like, wow, that's a thousand dollars a day. For them, that's like a hundred dollars, maybe ten dollars, you know it's, it's a different oh they're.
Speaker 1:They're probably making just on dividends, yeah, of their holdings, you know, 10 bucks, a second yeah, you know, just like it, just it just rolls in. And know just like it, just it just rolls in and it's just like continually just compounding, compounding. I mean they'll if, as long as they're smart and most of them, you know, with that generational they're just living off dividends, like they're. You don't even touch the principle.
Speaker 2:And and what I will say, as is. Obviously I'm not going to give out who they are, but what I will say is, for as when you, when you think of people with that much money, they are very nice. They are just two amazing people where their staff has been working with them for years. Their boat captain, their yacht captain has been working on their action, His yacht captain's moving cars from one estate to another. They're just good people. Like they're not, you know Well they don't want a lot of turnover. No.
Speaker 1:You know, and that's what I've seen is there's. You know, when you get in some of those wealthy positions, that's a career Like you may even be generational.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Like you, may, you know, be the kid's you know chef, you know one day. And so, yeah, kids, you know chef, but you know one day. And so, yeah, it's, it's very exclusive, but if you get into that, yeah, there's going to be some super expectations, oh yeah, because, why? Why couldn't you know how I like my coffee after the first two days?
Speaker 1:like you know, you're, you're only, you're only serving me yeah you know, so you better know how I like my coffee, how I like this, and and so you get to give them such a very um it's very intimate, Right? You know it's a level of service that most people would never imagine that they could get.
Speaker 2:I have my own kitchen, like I have my own kitchen. There there's a house kitchen, there's the estate kitchen and then I have my own. And you know, I stay down there, I do my thing and they put you up in the cabana. They put me, you, they put me in the housing, staff housing, which is like three miles away. Okay, set me up with a car flight, everything. It's a different experience doing private, you know, and all you really need is like two or three clients a year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no kidding.
Speaker 2:And with that you're well over six figures, if you do it right. If you do it right.
Speaker 1:Right. I mean, if you work, you know the summer in the Hamptons, you know winter, If you do it right, Right.
Speaker 1:I mean if you work, you know the summer in the Hamptons, you know winter and you know steamboat, springs or Vail or you know Aspen, then you could. Yeah, you're only there again, while they're entertaining and doing all things. The rest of the year they're probably in the Mediterranean or doing some somewhere else exotic, where they have another fleet of vehicles and employees. Yeah, you know, I know, I know that type. I've worked in a couple country clubs doing fine dining service. And yeah, you know, there's no cash, there's no credit cards, everything's you know a handshake and you know they may sign a little chit.
Speaker 1:you know that just says that they were there. But you know there's no prices on the menu. No, they just come in and and and they, they're the owners, they're the members, you know, and, and that's just. That's just a country club setting. You know, when you get into a personal residence, yeah, there's, there's, there's no, um, there's no. It's unlike any other kind of service.
Speaker 2:It's uncapped, it's it's just, you know, it's what they want, and they express that, you know they express this is what I want, this is how I want it, you know, and this is what I wanted. Like that's, that's how I met oprah right, like I met oprah through this, like I was, I was doing something down south and I hear, hey, sunny come back here. And I'm like, I think, man, well, I got a dog named sunny and my girlfriend, you know, has a golden retriever right. And I'm like, oh, and I start petting it and I look up freaking oprah winfrey. And I'm like, oh, and I start petting it and I look up Oprah Winfrey and I'm like, oh, hey, how you doing, chick, sonny, stop bothering, gentlemen. I'm like, no, no, no, it's fine. I was like, did you say his name was Sonny?
Speaker 2:I was like, yeah, his name's Sonny. I was like here's my Sonny and I'm like I would pop my phone and just the muscles, just like, and I'm like when you're dealing with that stuff and those type of people, they're there to not have that issue.
Speaker 4:Right. So I'm like no, I just want to show you my dog, Right.
Speaker 2:Like there's nothing different between. There's no difference between me and Oprah besides maybe a little tan and the money Right. But at the end of the day we're all human.
Speaker 1:Right, and we both love dogs. Yeah, exactly, it's okay to have something in common. They're going to have something in common, even if, again, their wealth can buy the city that you sleep in at night. Tell me about it. But, chris, how else can people get a hold of you? Because you may be booked and I'm sure there's a very exclusive clientele that's already lining up to book you. But if somebody did want to see inquire, maybe they want again a special arrangement for Valentine's Day, 202626, or whatever they have you, how can people find you and learn more about you?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So the easiest way to do it is go on my website, tastebychefchristophercom, and if you click on that you can go to contact. You can learn about me. I also sell artwork as well. Contact fill out your name, kind of what you're doing, what you're looking for. Feel um. Contact, fill out your name, kind of what you're doing, uh, what you're looking for. Feel free to email me. My actual phone number is right on there as well. Um, so you can reach me out through that. Um, I can always make something work. Just because you know, these principals out there are paying 700, 1,000, 1,200 a day. That's not what I'm asking for out here. You know it's. It's all curated, special, one-off menus. Um, that I usually don't redo, right. Um, I have done in the past where it's all curated, special, one-off menus that I usually don't redo, right. I have done it in the past where it's like hey, I really want that risotto, I'll do it. I also do cooking classes, that's exciting.
Speaker 2:So if you and some of the girls, all I ask is for you to sign a waiver, because most of the time they're drinking. Yeah. And I don't want to see someone cut themselves and I get sued.
Speaker 1:Well, not only that, see someone cut themselves and I get sued um well that. But you know, there's also a society that's like, oh, this guy has a little fame, you know, maybe I could, you know, um tell somebody he inappropriately touched me, you know yeah, is everybody's lawyer happy now, I mean for the silliest things you just have to protect yourself, because you just never know.
Speaker 1:I mean, if somebody thinks they could get away with it and, um, you know, and get a little fame by bringing you down, it's unfortunate. It does happen and that's unfortunate for the victims, who actually have a very valid case. But all too often you just never know where somebody's intentions may lead to, especially if they're a little inebriated.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's why I'm just like you know what, sign a waiver. Yeah. You drink, but I'll teach you. You know, but I'll teach you basic things like my entry one. I'll teach you how to do risotto, how to break down a tenderloin, how to sear a scallop, Just very simple things where you can do. I give you the recipes.
Speaker 1:I'm real easy, just find me some elk or ostrich.
Speaker 2:Gotta soak it in milk though. You know what I'm learning nowadays when you're in the mountains.
Speaker 1:Elk is abundant. I love elk.
Speaker 2:I'm learning to use a crock pot. Whoa, I was shitting on crock pots for so long. And then I meet Becky and she's like I'm going to make you this crock pot, the first thing she made for me. She was so proud of it. It was like this pot roast. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I'm like, oh sweet, baby jesus. And then she's like, no, no, I think I need redemption. So she did. I think there was a pork loin next right and or not. The pork loin. It was like a pork shoulder and, oh my god, pork shoulder pepperoncinis yes, okay, that's a mississippi, uh what they call it.
Speaker 1:Say it out loud mississippi pot roast, my friend, my friend makes that as well oh man, it's a.
Speaker 2:It's a simple enough recipe. Even I can do it.
Speaker 1:What's great is you set it and forget it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, eight hours later. I don't understand how that works.
Speaker 1:And you could take a pork shoulder. You could take a really rough cut of beef Something again. Well, not the roughest.
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe not the roughest.
Speaker 1:But normally, or even like a whole chicken, yeah, put, but normally, or even like a whole chicken.
Speaker 2:Yeah, put a chicken. We did our turkey in there yeah, add some stock and some onions and some carrots potatoes Come back in.
Speaker 1:You have a meal waiting for you eight hours later. Oh yeah. No, there's plenty of people who have written all kinds of cookbooks, just on crock pot recipes.
Speaker 2:Dude, crock pots are insane and I have a different respect for them. Will I ever serve it to anyone? No. No, unless someone pays me to give them crockpot stuff.
Speaker 1:Highly doubtful. But I mean, but just for entertaining.
Speaker 2:Yeah it's easy.
Speaker 1:You could have three or four crockpots. I think I have at least more than two, I know in my house and just because they just get collected, the girlfriends leave them.
Speaker 2:Whatever else, believe it or not, oh, so my next girlfriend will have a crock pot. Okay, perfect.
Speaker 1:I mean, the girls love them. And it wasn't until I had an ex who, yeah, she taught me a couple recipes. Yeah. I'm like what are you doing with that whole chicken? Like I don't know how to you know they.
Speaker 2:They're so easy, yeah, so easy, oh you just drop it in. Yeah, I'm like here, babe, sous vide this. She's like huh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I couldn't believe how simple it is. So, yeah, don't be afraid of your crockpots. Nope, it's a simple. You know, especially you know it's entry level as far as kitchen utensils go, very easy.
Speaker 2:What else can people contact you? I know you have some really good uh instagram, yeah, so instagram, um, it's a little bit harder to contact me through instagram, just actually because of the show but if they're a fan and they just want, if they want a fan.
Speaker 2:you know we, chef with a zero. Um, boom, right there we with a zero period chef. Um, you'll see my face, yeah, um, you can kind of see, you know up to date. You know I'll always post, like you know, you can kind of see, you know up to date. You know I'll always post, like you know, some snapshots of the upcoming episode, like that one right there is from tonight's episode. Not that one, nope, not that one, that's Food Network. That one.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's tonight's episode Redemption. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I can't really talk about it. But I can't really talk about it, but it looks like there's something in a skillet. What are you tossing there? Okay?
Speaker 4:we can't say we can't say Too soon, too soon. No spoilers, okay.
Speaker 1:No, but certainly yeah. Follow Chef Chris on Instagram.
Speaker 2:Yeah and if you do message me and I don't get you back right away, it's not because I don't want to deal with you.
Speaker 1:But he's a famous chef. No, I just have different mailboxes for different things. No, you have to separate your different lives. All right? Well, I've kept you too long. Thank you so much for-.
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course. Thanks for having me again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean here on Space Coats Eats. We try to get all the locals doing fun things, even if it's not locally here that you're participating, but being able to come back home and talk about all your exploits around the country please feel free to always come back on the show and share more with us.
Speaker 1:We love all the moving parts and all the excitement and the drama. It's really cool to have somebody again of your caliber, not only call Brevard County home, but be able to come back and visit and share all these cool little adventures with us. The world is big out there, all us little folk over here, um, but yeah, once again. Thank you so much, chris. We really hope you enjoyed this episode of space coast eats. Again, my name is jesse and until next time, uh, eat well, okay, guys, talk soon. Thank you.
