Michael shares his journey from a 14-year-old working at a produce stand to a CIA-trained chef who hit burnout and reinvented his career. That pivot led to the creation of Food, Fire, and Knives — a private chef platform that now serves clients across the country, bringing restaurant-quality dining into homes. What began as side gigs turned into a full-scale business that empowers chefs to regain control of their careers.
This episode dives deep into:
His unconventional founder story
Building a nationwide team of chefs
HR systems and culture building
Leadership lessons
And of course, what it really takes to run a business
🧠 Key Takeaways & Notes
🚀 Origin Story: From Burnout to Breakthrough
Michael fell in love with food early, working at a produce stand, then in fast-casual kitchens.
Dropped out of law enforcement school to pursue culinary school.
Moved to Charleston to “live on vacation” before marriage — but after a personal breakup, he doubled down on building something new.
Started picking up private chef gigs and built a simple website.
After getting double-booked, he brought in another chef — and a business model was born.
“I just thought… what if I go on the other side of this — hire chefs and help them leave the grind too?”
👨🍳 The Business Model: Platform for Chef Empowerment
Food, Fire, and Knives provides autonomy, income, and exposure for chefs.
It offers clients custom, in-home dining experiences with vetted chefs in 48 states.
Michael intentionally built a platform that helps chefs exit the restaurant rat race, especially as many face burnout and physical wear.
📋 HR Deep Dive: Hiring, Training, and Trust
Hiring strangers to represent your brand is scary — but essential.
Trust was built slowly through personal referrals and clear expectations.
Created unique interview questions like:
“Tell me your favorite kitchen story” to assess both skills and personality.
Focused on soft skills: can chefs cook and engage with customers?
Developed automated HR systems, background checks, and orientation workflows.
Relies heavily on Slack for daily communication with contractors to build a sense of team.
“You’re trusting people you don’t know to handle your baby.”
“If they can talk to me, they can talk to a client.”
🌍 Culture & Connection — Even Without a Physical Office
Michael hosts bi-weekly "Coffee Chats” with chefs to keep the team motivated.
Maintains culture through constant communication and peer support in Slack.
Intentionally keeps a flat, responsive culture where contractors feel heard and valued.
“They’re not employees, but they feel like they’re part of the team.”
⏳ Time Management = CEO Skill #1
Learned to protect his time from meeting overload.
Delegates or declines non-impactful meetings.
Stresses the importance of maintaining a personal life and mental space.
“If you don’t enjoy your personal life, you’re not going to enjoy your business.”
💬 Memorable Quotes
“No one cooks like you. No one will care as much as you. Once you accept that — and embrace other people’s quirks — your business grows.”
“Sometimes doing the right thing doesn’t look like the right thing to everyone else.”
“You're going to be the bad guy in someone's story. But no one tells the story from your perspective.”
“Culture doesn't happen by accident — you have to build it when you're not in the same room.”
“The most valuable thing I’ve learned? Create time. Protect your time. That’s what it takes.”
🎯 What It Takes — Michael’s Answer
“It’s about doing the right thing — even if you’re the only one who sees it that way.”
Making tough calls with long-term vision, even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular, is part of the job. You need clarity, integrity, and resilience.
