Walk-In Talk Podcast

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In this powerful episode of the Walk-In Talk Podcast, Carl Fiadini is joined by two dynamic women reshaping the hospitality industry from the inside out.

Colleen Silk, founder of Hospitality Bites Media and North American Director of The Burnt Chef Project, opens up about mental health, motherhood, and how storytelling became her path to healing and advocacy. Plusbreaking newsHospitality Bites is now officially part of the Walk-In Talk Media family!

Also in studio, Chef Ciji Castro of Domestic Gourmet brings the flavor and the feels with dishes rooted in her Puerto Rican and Cuban-American heritageincluding a modern take on the classic Elena Ruz and ancestral pasteles.

Together, they unpack industry burnout, postpartum struggles, invisible illness, and how empathy, media, and honest conversation are changing the game.

Introducing the SupraCut System - the automated solution that enhances safety, quality, and efficiency, cutting up to 120 perfect citrus wedges per minute, 6 times faster than manual. Patented tech delivers uniform slices, reducing waste and eliminating plastic, while the hygienic, contactless design lowers contamination and injuries, integrating seamlessly to transform your operations and improve profitability - get started at SupraCut.com and ask about risk-free trials.

Elevate your dining experience with RAK Porcelain USA! As the exclusive tableware brand for the Walk-In Talk Podcast, RAK combines exceptional craftsmanship with innovative design. Whether youre a chef, a restaurant owner, or a food enthusiast, RAKs high-quality porcelain products will enhance every meal. Discover the artistry of food presentation and make every dining occasion special. Visit rakporcelain.com today and see how RAK can transform your table

The following brands and companies help us continue supporting the food industry - have a look below! 

Support the show

Walk-In Talk Podcast
Where kitchen culture meets raw storytelling.

Hosted by Carl Fiadini, founder of Walk-In Talk Media, this #1 Apple-ranked food podcast dives deep with chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and frontline pros. From trade shows to short films, we bring the food world to lifeone honest conversation at a time.

Were the Official Podcast Partner for the NY, CA & FL Restaurant Shows, Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and U.S. Culinary Open.

Brand Partners:
RAK Porcelain USA
Metro Foodservice
SupraCut Systems
Aussie Select
Crab Island Seafood
Pass the Honey
The Burnt Chef Project
Citrus America

Walk-In Talk Media proudly serves as the North American media partner for The Burnt Chef Project, supporting mental health in hospitality.

Partner or pitch a story: [email protected]

Send us a text

The heart of the culinary industry isn't found in offices or award ceremonies – it's at the stove. Chef Brent Weathers proves this with every dish he creates and every truth bomb he drops in this refreshingly honest conversation about what really happens behind kitchen doors.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who chase titles and management roles, Brent deliberately chose a different path. By remaining "titleless," he gained something far more valuable: direct mentorship from renowned chefs, opportunities to travel for pop-ups and restaurant openings, and the freedom to focus purely on craft. "I'm literally living my dream," Brent shares, explaining how his happiness comes from cooking rather than administrative duties.

Through his social media series "Brentflix" and "Massaclass," Brent exposes the dysfunction that plagues professional kitchens – from improper food storage to careless handling practices. His unflinching documentation serves a crucial purpose: showing aspiring chefs the unvarnished reality of an industry often glamorized by television. 

 

Introducing the SupraCut System - the automated solution that enhances safety, quality, and efficiency, cutting up to 120 perfect citrus wedges per minute, 6 times faster than manual. Patented tech delivers uniform slices, reducing waste and eliminating plastic, while the hygienic, contactless design lowers contamination and injuries, integrating seamlessly to transform your operations and improve profitability - get started at SupraCut.com and ask about risk-free trials.

Elevate your dining experience with RAK Porcelain USA! As the exclusive tableware brand for the Walk-In Talk Podcast, RAK combines exceptional craftsmanship with innovative design. Whether you’re a chef, a restaurant owner, or a food enthusiast, RAK’s high-quality porcelain products will enhance every meal. Discover the artistry of food presentation and make every dining occasion special. Visit rakporcelain.com today and see how RAK can transform your table

The following brands and companies help us continue supporting the food industry - have a look below! 

Support the show

Walk-In Talk Podcast
Where kitchen culture meets raw storytelling.

Hosted by Carl Fiadini, founder of Walk-In Talk Media, this #1 Apple-ranked food podcast dives deep with chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and frontline pros. From trade shows to short films, we bring the food world to life—one honest conversation at a time.

We’re the Official Podcast Partner for the NY, CA & FL Restaurant Shows, Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and U.S. Culinary Open.

Brand Partners:
RAK Porcelain USA
Metro Foodservice
SupraCut Systems
Aussie Select
Crab Island Seafood
Pass the Honey
The Burnt Chef Project
Citrus America

Walk-In Talk Media proudly serves as the North American media partner for The Burnt Chef Project, supporting mental health in hospitality.

📩 Partner or pitch a story: [email protected]

Send us a text

How do you blend passion and business in the food industry? Paul Pedrow has mastered this combination through his remarkable journey from a high school pizza shop employee to a key executive at Restaurant Events LLC, where he now leads major industry trade show

Introducing the SupraCut System - the automated solution that enhances safety, quality, and efficiency, cutting up to 120 perfect citrus wedges per minute, 6 times faster than manual. Patented tech delivers uniform slices, reducing waste and eliminating plastic, while the hygienic, contactless design lowers contamination and injuries, integrating seamlessly to transform your operations and improve profitability - get started at SupraCut.com and ask about risk-free trials.

Elevate your dining experience with RAK Porcelain USA! As the exclusive tableware brand for the Walk-In Talk Podcast, RAK combines exceptional craftsmanship with innovative design. Whether you’re a chef, a restaurant owner, or a food enthusiast, RAK’s high-quality porcelain products will enhance every meal. Discover the artistry of food presentation and make every dining occasion special. Visit rakporcelain.com today and see how RAK can transform your table

The following brands and companies help us continue supporting the food industry - have a look below! 

Support the show

Walk-In Talk Podcast
Where kitchen culture meets raw storytelling.

Hosted by Carl Fiadini, founder of Walk-In Talk Media, this #1 Apple-ranked food podcast dives deep with chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and frontline pros. From trade shows to short films, we bring the food world to life—one honest conversation at a time.

We’re the Official Podcast Partner for the NY, CA & FL Restaurant Shows, Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and U.S. Culinary Open.

Brand Partners:
RAK Porcelain USA
Metro Foodservice
SupraCut Systems
Aussie Select
Crab Island Seafood
Pass the Honey
The Burnt Chef Project
Citrus America

Walk-In Talk Media proudly serves as the North American media partner for The Burnt Chef Project, supporting mental health in hospitality.

📩 Partner or pitch a story: [email protected]

Send us a text

Dawn breaks over Tampa's shrimp docks as Chef Thomas Parker begins a culinary odyssey that will fundamentally transform how he approaches his craft. This powerful journey, captured in Walk- In Talk Media's debut mini-documentary, takes us beyond the polished restaurant plates to the weathered hands that first touch our food.

At the docks, we meet shrimper, “Morris Gump”, a character straight from central casting whose stories of 45-day fishing expeditions yielding just $1,300 reveal the harsh realities behind commercial fishing. "Can you imagine what kind of turmoil you go through internally on a boat?" host Carl Fiadini asks, highlighting the mental and physical challenges these essential workers face daily. These moments of raw humanity give viewers rare insight into the true cost of seafood.

As Chef Parker moves from the docks to blueberry farms and local markets, he reconnects with what he calls "the lost art" of being a chef—personally selecting ingredients and building relationships with producers. His enthusiasm becomes palpable when foraging for Florida's freshest offerings, culminating in an innovative dish combining Key West pink shrimp, Florida blueberries, and sweet corn. The unexpected pairing showcases Parker's technical prowess through a blueberry harissa glaze and a remarkable poached shrimp and corn cake that demonstrates how deeply understanding ingredients elevates creativity.

What makes this documentary particularly compelling is its authentic, unscripted approach. Even when torrential rain threatened filming, the team embraced the elements—just as farmers and fishermen do daily. "You think the shrimpers or farmers stop because it's raining outside? Heck no," Parker remarks. This resilience permeates the film, adding character and emotiona

Introducing the SupraCut System - the automated solution that enhances safety, quality, and efficiency, cutting up to 120 perfect citrus wedges per minute, 6 times faster than manual. Patented tech delivers uniform slices, reducing waste and eliminating plastic, while the hygienic, contactless design lowers contamination and injuries, integrating seamlessly to transform your operations and improve profitability - get started at SupraCut.com and ask about risk-free trials.

The following brands and companies help us continue supporting the food industry - have a look below! 

Support the show

Walk-In Talk Podcast
Where kitchen culture meets raw storytelling.

Hosted by Carl Fiadini, founder of Walk-In Talk Media, this #1 Apple-ranked food podcast dives deep with chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and frontline pros. From trade shows to short films, we bring the food world to life—one honest conversation at a time.

We’re the Official Podcast Partner for the NY, CA & FL Restaurant Shows, Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and U.S. Culinary Open.

Brand Partners:
RAK Porcelain USA
Metro Foodservice
SupraCut Systems
Aussie Select
Crab Island Seafood
Pass the Honey
The Burnt Chef Project
Citrus America

Walk-In Talk Media proudly serves as the North American media partner for The Burnt Chef Project, supporting mental health in hospitality.

📩 Partner or pitch a story: [email protected]

Send us a text

The sizzle of fat dripping onto hot embers, the aromatic smoke wafting upward, and the unmistakable char marks on a perfectly grilled steak – few things speak more directly to our primal connection with food than cooking over live fire. For Chef Aaron Brooks, this elemental approach to cooking bridges his Australian roots and his current home in Miami's vibrant culinary landscape.

Growing up on Australia's Gold Coast, Brooks found himself drawn to the kitchen rather than the famous surf breaks. Under his mother's guidance, he developed an appreciation for quality ingredients and the joy of bringing people together around a table. "Mom was always getting me to try new things," he recalls, describing how she embraced diverse cultural influences in her cooking. These early experiences laid the foundation for a culinary philosophy centered on simplicity, quality, and genuine hospitality.

Brooks' journey from backpacking Australian cook to executive chef took him through Four Seasons properties in Vancouver, Boston, and finally Miami, where he spent years leading Edge Steak and Bar before making the leap to Sunny's Steakhouse in the city's burgeoning Little River District. This transition allowed him to return to his passion: hands-on cooking with a focus on exceptional ingredients prepared over live fire.

Introducing the SupraCut System - the automated solution that enhances safety, quality, and efficiency, cutting up to 120 perfect citrus wedges per minute, 6 times faster than manual. Patented tech delivers uniform slices, reducing waste and eliminating plastic, while the hygienic, contactless design lowers contamination and injuries, integrating seamlessly to transform your operations and improve profitability - get started at SupraCut.com and ask about risk-free trials.

Elevate your dining experience with RAK Porcelain USA! As the exclusive tableware brand for the Walk-In Talk Podcast, RAK combines exceptional craftsmanship with innovative design. Whether you’re a chef, a restaurant owner, or a food enthusiast, RAK’s high-quality porcelain products will enhance every meal. Discover the artistry of food presentation and make every dining occasion special. Visit rakporcelain.com today and see how RAK can transform your table

The following brands and companies help us continue supporting the food industry - have a look below! 

Support the show

Walk-In Talk Podcast
Where kitchen culture meets raw storytelling.

Hosted by Carl Fiadini, founder of Walk-In Talk Media, this #1 Apple-ranked food podcast dives deep with chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and frontline pros. From trade shows to short films, we bring the food world to life—one honest conversation at a time.

We’re the Official Podcast Partner for the NY, CA & FL Restaurant Shows, Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and U.S. Culinary Open.

Brand Partners:
RAK Porcelain USA
Metro Foodservice
SupraCut Systems
Aussie Select
Crab Island Seafood
Pass the Honey
The Burnt Chef Project
Citrus America

Walk-In Talk Media proudly serves as the North American media partner for The Burnt Chef Project, supporting mental health in hospitality.

📩 Partner or pitch a story: [email protected]