Wood Fired

Before Hot Drop Sauce landed on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars, founder Andrew Whiting was working full-time, hand-bottling sauce at night, and getting creative about getting it into people's hands—literally. We're talking trunk-of-the-car sales, expensing his own product to pitch clients, and turning every casual interaction into a chance to get feedback (and spark demand). In this episode of Chef x Founder, host Tony Piombo sits down with Andrew to talk about the real behind-the-scenes journey—from sauce experiments during the pandemic to walking onto a national TV set and a three-minute pitch for Gordon himself. This one's packed with lessons for any entrepreneur, including: The unexpected start of Hot Drop Sauce during the pandemic  How to grow a brand without quitting your day job (at first)  How to get creative with product distribution (even while working 9-5)  The psychology of packaging and selling—and how to make people grab your product  What it really took to land on Food Stars and pitch to Gordon Ramsay  How a gift-turned-side-hustle became a brand Why Hot Drop is designed for flavor, not pain—and how that changed everything  Whether you're building a food brand or still dreaming one up, this convo is loaded with insights you'll want to replay. CONNECT WIH ANDREW WHITING: Website: https://www.hotdropsauce.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotdropsauce/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hotdropsauces/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotdropsauce FOLLOW US BEHIND THE SCENES: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef.x.founder Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefxfounder Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chef.x.founder Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChefxFounder CHECK OUT TONY'S WOOD-FIRED OVEN BUSINESS: https://fornopiombo.com/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to the Chef Founder Podcast 00:02 Meet Andrew Whiting: Founder of Hot Drop Sauce 00:53 The Hot Drop Community and Fanbase 01:35 The Art and Business of Hot Sauce 08:46 Andrew's Journey into the Culinary World 13:11 From Holiday Gifts to a Hot Sauce Brand 19:56 Andrew's Background in Sales and Entrepreneurship 23:12 Working for a Distributor 23:52 Sales Strategies and Challenges 25:47 Creating and Branding Hot Sauce 26:25 Feedback and Iteration 27:23 First Sales and Realizations 28:37 Scaling Production 31:18 Balancing Full-Time Work and Entrepreneurship 36:39 Collaborations and Marketing 45:15 Corporate Gifting and Wholesale 49:43 Gordon Ramsey's Food Stars 52:00 The Lengthy Application Process 52:34 The Vetting and Interview Phases 54:25 The Big Reveal: Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars 55:01 Preparing for the Audition in London 56:21 The Audition and Selection Process 1:02 Life on the Show and Meeting Fellow Contestants 1:03 Reflecting on the Reality TV Experience 1:04 The Competition and Elimination 1:06 Impact on Business and Sales 1:07 Pitching and Entrepreneurial Insights 1:10 Networking and Collaborations 1:12 Future Plans and Final Thoughts

What's it like to cook for one of the most iconic wineries in Napa Valley—for over 15 years? In this episode, host Tony Piombo sits down with Chef Jeff Mosher, former executive chef at Robert Mondavi Winery, to talk about life behind the line at a wine country institution and why he made the leap into launching his own private chef business. Jeff shares: What it was like crafting food experiences for guests at a world-renowned winery How he managed large-scale dinners, garden-to-table programs, and global events (with a cooler of secret ingredients) His favorite wood-fired dishes and how R&D in the kitchen keeps things fresh Why personal chef work offers the freedom and creative spark he craved If you geek out over food, wine, travel, or the business of it all, you'll love this one.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Clive, the wood-fired oven chef, on his YouTube channel. Discover his initial motivation for starting the channel and how it has evolved. Clive shares insights into the techniques, methods, and recipes that make his videos a hit among wood-fired oven enthusiasts. Learn about the importance of knowledge and control when cooking with a wood-fired oven, and how Clive's videos help viewers understand the concept and master the art. Don't miss this episode packed with valuable tips and inspiration for wood fired oven cooking!

Anthony Falco is a renowned pizza chef, and responsible for helping to open dozens of wood fired pizza restaurants all across the globe.

Chef Tim joins us to talk about his background with wood fired cooking, along with information for his upcoming live stream cooking class.

Robert Sulatycky joins us to talk about the Corona Virus and how it is affecting the food industry, along with how you can be safe when it comes to food. Robert has a long history with the Bocuse d'Or. Representing Canada in 1999, he placed fourth and was awarded the "Prix Viande" or best meat prize. He was instrumental as coach for Team USA in 2015 taking silver and 2017 taking the gold. He has been appointed head coach for Team USA for the 2019 Bocuse d’Or.

Dario is a winemaker and certified VPN and APN pizzaiolo. Originally from Italy, Dario is one of the owners of Ca' Momi Osteria, a wood fired pizza restaurant located in Napa, California. 

Anthony Falco is a renowned pizza chef, and responsible for helping to open dozens of wood fired pizza restaurants all across the globe. 

Itamar Abramovitch is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and part-owner of Blossom Catering company located in Napa and has been cooking in our oven for over 5 years. 

Robert Sulatycky has a long history with the Bocuse d'Or. Representing Canada in 1999, he placed fourth and was awarded the "Prix Viande" or best meat prize. He was instrumental as coach for Team USA in 2015 taking silver and 2017 taking the gold. He has been appointed head coach for Team USA for the 2019 Bocuse d’Or.

Tyler Rodde is the owner and head chef at Oenotri, a southern Italian restaurant in Napa California that features 20 different types of house-made salumi, a large wood fired oven and a variety of produce sourced from their own farm.