Today’s episode Pete sits down with Trina Gregory-Prost.
Trina is the chef/owner of SE7EN BITES in Orlando, Florida with her wife VA. SE7EN BITES servers southern nostalgic food with a modern twist.
Trina’s Grammie was the first person to introduce her to cooking/baking when she was very young. However, cooking was never anything other than a hobby for Trina. Trina’s love was for the Spa industry and Trina was in the Spa industry for 21 years. Trina love the Spa Industry the entire time she was in the Spa Industry. The last 5 years Trina was in the Spa Industry she traveled the world opening multi-million dollar spas.
Towards the end of Trina’s time in the Spa Industry she had her first child and being gone two to three weeks at at time with a new born was not feasible. While Trina would be doing beings nails and such she would hear about people struggling to find a good restaurant to cater their event or family gatherings. Around 2010 Trina went back to school to be a cook to learn the nitty gritty fundamentals on top of already knowing how to cook well. Her dream at this point was to be a private chef once she completed culinary school.
Through the early part of Trina’s culinary story Pete and Trina discuss the age old argument of should you go to culinary school or not and the things that Trina did that other people questioned because her age. Things like internships and externships in different kitchens learning all the could. Trina and Pete talk about the importance of growing your skill set and letting go of your ego to just do whatever it takes to be the most qualified you can be.
Trina graduated culinary school with a culinary degree, a baking and pastry degree and a restaurant management degree. After graduating Trina already was doing catering for three commercial accounts to sell desserts for, therefore was renting space in a commercial kitchen (which was very expensive). Trina’s girlfriend (now wife) talked Trina into renting out her own little space because it would be the same cost to get her own space set up and this would allow them to take on a couple more clients. After Trina and her wife VA rented out their own space and began to build the place out VA says to Trina, not only could you do catering orders but let’s just add a counter and we can serve people who walk in. That is how SE7EN BITES began.
Trina’s wife VA has had fourteen years of experience in the restaurant industry working for the Carrabba’s Outback Group training all the proprietors of how the kitchen was ran. Through the conversations Triana and VA had while creating SE7EN BITES was that you can be successful in the restaurant industry if you will just hang onto the fundamentals of business. You can have great food and go broke because you do not know how to balance a budget.
This is just two highlights of many highlights of this episode that you do not want to miss out on. Share this episode with an up and coming chef or even a seasoned chef. Everyone will benefit from today’s episode of "The Raw Ingredients"
Connect with Trina: Instagram, Facebook,
SE7EN BITES: Website, Instagram, Facebook , Twitter, Goldbelly
Connect with Pete: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, The MessLords, PRFOUNDATION
Pete’s Restaurants: PaniniPetes, SunsetPointe, Ed’sSeafoodShed, Squidink,
Jim Smith is Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission and Executive Chef of The Hummingbird Way. Chef Smith was the Executive Chef of the State of Alabama for eight years serving multiple Alabama Governor’s. As the state chef, he has placed an emphasis on using the best local ingredients and has made strides to encourage support of local farmers and Alabama fishers. He used his position as ambassador of food, to promote farmer’s markets and events that support Alabama food products.
In 2011 he was crowned the King of American Seafood by winning The Great American Seafood-Cook-Off and became the national spokesperson for Alabama Seafood, American Sustainable Seafood, Gulf Seafood and the NOAA. As the winner he traveled the country educating the Americans about the benefits of sustainable seafood. As Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission, Chef Smith is proud to be a part of the great work being done to promote Alabama Seafood and Chef Advocate for Wild American Shrimp. He also works closely with The James Beard Foundation as a Boot Camp for Policy and Change Alum, supporter of James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch Sustainable Seafood program, and Scholarship Programs.
Chef Smith is best known for his appearances on Seasons 14 and 16 of the acclaimed Bravo television cooking competition show, Top Chef. With a top ten finish and fan favorite support he proud of his competitive efforts and has high hopes for the future.
Pete and Jim on this episode talk through Jim’s unique experiences in the food industry and how that gives him the edge in the industry. Pete and Jim open up talking about how Jim’s time as the Governor’s Chef taught him how to be organized and efficient as a cook since Jim would at times be cooking for hundreds of people and have to cook prep the food by himself. Jim gives insight on how executive chefs can stay organized and also, teach their staffs to be organized and lead the way rather than the executive chef handling everything organization wise because one person handling all of that is not going to be scalable as you grow as a business. When you have more people on the team the more chaotic it gets, therefore you must be meticulous in the kitchen if your restaurant is going to succeed long term.
Pete and Jim also discuss opening a restaurant and how Jim was his own investor by cashing out on many assets he had and how that freed him up to run his restaurant the way he desired and knew best. With that though there was great risk and Jim and Pete gives insight to those who are looking to open a restaurant how that process should look as you create a game plan for your restaurant.
Connect with Jim: Instagram, Website
The Hummingbird Way: Website, Instagram,
Connect with Pete: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, The MessLords, PRFOUNDATION
Pete’s Restaurants: PaniniPetes, SunsetPointe, Ed’sSeafoodShed, Squidink,
On today’s episode of The Raw Ingredients Pete talks to his good friend Brian Duffy.
Brian is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has been working in the food industry since he was 14 years old as a dishwasher and busboy at a small restaurant called Castles.
Brian graduated Culinary School in 1994. Brain has opened over 100 restaurants across the country, been on multiple television shows (currently the host of Food Network, “Opening Night”), traveled the world, has cooked for the U.N. and that is just the beginning.
Now Brian is a restaurant consultant who helps restaurants get better around the world.
Brian and Pete talk about the lessons that Brian has learned from over 35 years of being in the restaurant business and the last 10 years being a consultant to restaurants around the world.
“Across the country I see people who want the title (of executive chef) on the chest but do not want the responsibility that comes with that”
Specific topics that Brain and Pete talk about are:
“Stay Hungry, Stay Invested, Continue to Grow. Use things like podcast, books and the most important thing—always share that information you learn.”
In addition, we answer the following questions:
“No matter how high in rank you are, no matter if it’s washing the dishes or sweeping the floor you have to stay plugged in.”
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Connect With Brian: Website, Instagram , Facebook , Podcast , Tik-Tok , Cameo
Brian’s Consulting Services: Duffified Expirence Group
My World Chef: Website, Instagram
Connect with Pete: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, The MessLords, PRFOUNDATION
Pete’s Restaurants: PaniniPetes, SunsetPointe, Ed’sSeafoodShed, Squidink,