Vollrath Serves Up a New Podcast for the Foodservice Industry
At a time when the COVID-19 crisis has required most of the population to stay home and forced restaurants, bars, and hotels into drastic operational shifts, many of us are left with extra time on our hands. For those with careers in the foodservice industry, where the chaos of a commercial kitchen often forges unique bonds, the past several weeks have been suddenly absent of the tight-knit communities that help them thrive. Whether you're a professional chef navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic or a food enthusiast who just really misses their favorite restaurant, you'll want to listen to Vollrath's new podcast, The Vollrath Feed.
What's So Good About The Feed?
The Vollrath Feed is hosted by Chef Rich Rupp – a corporate chef and product training manager you might recognize from Vollrath's product videos – and Justin Pehrson, the show's producer. In the first episode, "Welcome to the Vollrath Feed," Chef Rupp spends some time introducing himself, sharing his journey from working in a commercial kitchen as a kid to his corporate roles with Vollrath over the years.
Chef Rupp is an engaging host with a calming voice that makes for easy listening (especially in a time when so many things are stressing us out) and proves to be a great conversationalist in subsequent episodes with guest chefs from around the country. Although none of the episodes break the 1-hour mark yet, Chef Rupp and his guests cover a lot of ground.
Some topics are incredibly timely to the COVID-19 crisis. In episode two, "Chicken Soup and Foodservice Altruism," Rupp and Pehrson talk to Chicago-based chef Jereme McGovern about providing free meals for industry workers, and in episode three, "Sanitation and the Future of Food Safety," they (along with guest Chef Seth VanderLaan) discuss what the industry may look like when the pandemic ends.
Other episodes examine broader industry issues without the lens of the pandemic. In episode four, "Total Cost of Ownership and the Power of a Spoon," Chef Ashlea Tobeck (executive food director for the Children's Hospital of Colorado) joins the podcast to discuss healthcare foodservice, purchasing for a large-scale operation, and buying the right equipment. Episode five, "Localism – Fresh is Best," is the longest and most varied episode, as the hosts and Chef Mary Kastman cover the dilution of farm-to-table terminology, her experiences working with other female chefs, balancing a hectic career with life outside the kitchen, buying from local farmers, and the importance of mise en place.
There's plenty of appeal for residential listeners, too. Chef Rupp and Pehrson find time to talk about growing tomatoes and melons, making chicken soup (and Chef Rupp's dumpling recipe), and cooking with stainless steel versus aluminum. The cherry on top? Each episode ends with an inspirational quote from the guest and Chef Rupp that sprinkles some extra motivation on your day.
In a press release1 about the podcast, Chef Rupp said, "The purpose of this podcast is simple: to have meaningful conversations on the evolving nature of our industry. This seems more relevant now than ever."
That's exactly what the podcast delivers in its first several episodes: earnest discussions about the current and future state of the industry, genuine dialogues about trends and culture, and interesting stories about the careers and experiences of Chef Rupp and his guests. You may start listening because of isolation boredom, but The Vollrath Feed offers a unique look at the industry, and I think it's a podcast that will stay on your listening menu even after the restaurants reopen.
Ready to dig in? You can listen to The Vollrath Feed on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify, or directly on the Vollrath website2.
References
- 'The Vollrath Feed' Podcast Provides Engaging and Relevant Advice for the Foodservice Industry. Vollrath Company. Accessed July 2021.
- Vollrath. Vollrath Foodservice. Accessed July 2021.
