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Heard Podcast: Become a Better Chef

Ryan King | Rooted Agency 9 Episodes Jun 30, 2025

Heard is a podcast for chefs and restaurant professionals who want to overcome burnout and build sustainable careers in hospitality. Hosted by food journalist Ryan King, it features conversations about mental health, leadership, and work-life balance with chefs, wellness experts, and industry leaders. The show aims to help listeners become better, healthier, and more fulfilled in their culinary careers, and to bring more rest into the restaurant industry.

Episodes

#8 The Unfiltered, Uncensored, Unmissable Chef Debate Jun 30, 2025 01:07:06 In this raw and unfiltered roundtable, some of the most respected voices in the industry sit down for a powerful conversation that goes far beyond the pass. This is not about plating or prestige, it’s about the emotional toll of life in professional kitchens, the vulnerability it takes to truly connect, and the legacy we leave behind as chefs and leaders. From the illusion of awards to the importa

#7 A Vision for a Better Restaurant Industry | Ben Shewry Jun 17, 2025 01:09:32 What if we told you it is possible to run a restaurant where staff don’t burn out, and the business thrives? Where treating staff correctly equals better performance. In this episode of Heard, Ryan sits down with chef and author Ben Shewry, co-owner of Attica in Melbourne, one of very few restaurants in the world operating as a certified B Corp.Ben’s not interested in trends or empty virtue-signal

#6 Why Do We Romanticize Abusive Kitchens? Jun 3, 2025 00:45:42 Ryan sits down with sociologist Ellen Meiser, who has studied restaurant culture from the inside out. Together, they explore how chefs endure violence, toxic traditions, and relentless pressure, often romanticized as “tough love” or a rite of passage.From the false military roots of Escoffier’s brigade system to the glorification of hustle culture, we unpack how food media and industry norms have

#5 Fixing Health Care in Hospitality | Benefits That Work for Restaurants May 19, 2025 00:36:30 In this episode of Heard, we sit down with the founder of the first affordable health insurance and wellness benefits marketplace built specifically for the hospitality industry. Learn how restaurant owners, chefs, and hospitality workers can finally access affordable coverage—without complexity or high costs. If you're passionate about building a healthier, more sustainable kitchen culture, this

#4 Leading The Line Under Pressure | How Chefs Can Build Loyal Teams May 5, 2025 00:50:31 In this episode, elite performance coach Dr. Julie Gurner shares leadership insights from high-growth startups - reframed for chefs, kitchens, and hospitality teams. Learn how to stay calm under pressure, delegate like a pro, lead through chaos, and build motivated, loyal kitchen crews. For chefs navigating stress, burnout, and fast-paced restaurant life, this episode offers powerful tools to beco

#3 Line of Fire | How to Rest, Recover & Feel Better Apr 21, 2025 00:46:29 Simple strategies chefs can use to make them feel better... Physiologist Oliver Patrick straps biometric trackers to working chefs, revealing the real impact working the line has on the body. The data uncovers what’s truly happening behind the restaurant plates. From elevated stress responses to post-service crashes. Oliver breaks it all down and offers insights into how chefs can properly recover

#2 The Athlete's Playbook | Lessons for Chefs From Sports Psychology Apr 7, 2025 00:45:04 In this episode of Heard, discover what chefs can learn from elite athletes about resilience, high performance, and the dangers of ignoring their mental health. Dr. Tom Ferraro, a leading sports psychologist, shares powerful lessons on pressure, mindset, and recovery—insights that resonate deeply with chefs, restaurant professionals, and anyone navigating the intense demands of hospitality and kit

#1 Lessons Learned | Top Chefs Discuss Hospitality Challenges Apr 7, 2025 00:53:07 Top chefs open up about what’s broken in the hospitality industry, and what it will take to fix it. From toxic kitchen culture and burnout, to leadership, mental health, and business reform, this is an honest look at the challenges chefs face today. Hear powerful lessons from inside the kitchen as industry leaders share what’s changing and how we can build a more sustainable future for chefs, rest

Heard Trailer: The Podcast for Chefs Apr 1, 2025 00:02:34 Heard dives into the fast-paced world of restaurant kitchens—where chefs balance pressure, passion, and performance every day. Hosted by food journalist Ryan King, this chef podcast explores the real stories behind kitchen culture, from burnout and mental health to leadership, wellness, and industry change. Featuring top chefs, hospitality pros, and wellness experts, Heard is a call to action for

Heard Podcast: Become a Better Chef

Episodes

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