Chef Paul Wahlberg: Beyond Wahlburgers | Family, Food & the Life of a Chef

Speaker A: There's something about the restaurant business that gets into your blood. The hours are long, the work is hard, and no matter how many times you've been doing it, there's always something else to learn. Today's guest is Chef Paul Wahlberg. Most people recognize Paul from Wahlburger's Almanova and, of course, his family. But his story started long before any of that. Growing up in Dorchester, Paul found his way into professional kitchens. Washing dishes, working and catering, and eventually building a career doing what he loves. When we spoke recently, our conversation went well beyond restaurants. We talked about mentorship, family, and the incredible connection between food and the people who've shaped our lives. Today we'll also get into Wahlburgers television, his partnership with Publix, and his upcoming appearance at savor in St. Peter. But something Paul said really stuck with me. Our job in hospitality is to make people happy. And after spending most of my life in this business, I couldn't agree more. Paul, uh, welcome to Walk and Talk. I want to start with something you shared during our prep conversation. You were working as a young dishwasher when a sous chef encouraged you to become a chef. Looking back, how different do you think your life might have been if he hadn't taken the moment to say something?

Speaker B: I, uh, look at it in the sense that I probably would have stuck with it, but it was just that thing where it drove the point home right at that time.

Speaker A: Right. But, you know, not everybody receives, you know, uh, information like that. Somebody says, hey, you know, give this a try, or, hey, you know, don't, uh, do it this way. Not everybody takes direction. How did. How did that fall on you that you said, you know what? I'm going to go for it?

Speaker B: You know, I was a junior in high school at this point, early in my junior year, and I'm sitting there like, okay, what am I going to do? Where, like, what's the direction for me? And I just. I didn't see it until someone announced it, because I was already hooked. I just didn't know I already was in love with what I was doing, you know, in those jobs. I loved that. I loved working in that job, because not only did I have the opportunity to kind of, like, work and understand what that was about, I got to create a little bit. And then they were actually taking me seriously because I was working my way up, up the chain. And so it just. Everything just kind of clicked and fed into. Into those things that were going to be important for me, you know, through my lifetime.

Speaker A: Well, especially during that period of time, you know, we're. We're talking about, um, you know, 70s, 80s, 90s. That's basically our up, you know, know, are, uh, upcoming. And when you're thinking, you know, Dorchester, you're thinking how you were, uh, you started off in, uh, with, you know, with catering. And when you're thinking camaraderie and playing football with the guys after a shift, is that really what drew you in, or was it the food?

Speaker B: Well, the food was part. Part of it, but it was. There's an. Like I say, I keep going back to energy. There's an energy in the kitchen that is really difficult to duplicate anywhere else, because you have that ebb and flow of the day. It's like, you come in and, you know, it's. And. And it's true with a lot of businesses, but I see it, you know, especially in with what I do, where the list. So I used to live my life on a clipboard. This is my lit. My prep list. This would have this be. Would. This has to be done. This has to be done. This right? And then you get to the end of the day and you check off, you know, 90% of it, 95% of it. And then you're already starting the list for tomorrow because it never stops. The guests never stop coming in. Hopefully food never stops needing to be prepared, need to. Needing to be prepped and stuff like that. And so it's just, like I said, there's an energy. And then when you're in the throes of service and, you know, nothing goes as planned, there's always a hiccup. There's always this, there's always that. And you're. And you're doing everything you can, and you're succeeding in it. And that's that thing when, you know, and people would say to me, like, what's your best day in the kitchen? I'm like, it's usually the worst day. And you didn't think you were going to survive it. And you and the team made it through. You know, the world is collapsing around you, but you still made it through, and you got through service, and everybody was happy.

Speaker A: I don't want to glaze over the fact that a sous chef, the number two guy in the kitchen, went to you while you're in dish, while you're in dishwasher, and gave you direction. That's a big deal. And that doesn't always happen. That means you, Paul, Chef Paul had to be working hard, in other words, for that sous chef to give you that Respect. That's, that's really a, uh, that's a big, that's a big deal.

Speaker B: It's, I will tell you, it's a little. It, this was a, a pub style restaurant. It was a little closer knit than, than, you know, being, you know, like if you're in a large hotel kitchen or, you know, you're in, you know, that real kind of French brigard style kitchen where, you know, you don't speak to these people until they speak to you kind of mentality. It wasn't really like that. But the one thing I always knew is that I was a hard worker because that was something my parents made sure that you understood.

Speaker A: Well, that's the funny thing about the kitchen life. You could be in a pub or you could be in a, you know, a hotel kitchen that has, you know, 50, uh, 50 chefs and cooks in it. But it's still the same direction that when you work hard, you get recognized. So the fact that it was a pub doesn't dilute what I'm saying. The reality

Speaker B: is

Speaker A: you're doing the work and you got recognized. And that in itself is really amazing.

Speaker B: You, you, you can identify. It's, it's, it's that thing that really kind of set, especially with the younger kids because some younger kids like they're doing a job. I just happen to land in that job knowing that I already want, like, that I, I like doing the job because you know how many times some kid will, or uh, even any person, you put them in a place and they're just not a fit. I worked to fit. You know, it was always, uh, important for me to be able to fit in and to be one of the guys, one of, one of the team. You know, it was important, it was always important for me for that because I felt like my life was easier if I was able to fit in. And I'm not saying change who I was or anything like that. It's just you're there, you're there to work, you're there to get the job done. And it's a job that's not going to go away. Uh, and you can't leave until it's finished. Because I couldn't. Like as a dishwasher, you can't leave till all the dishes are washed. You can't leave till the floor is mopped. This is your checklist. And so going through that and getting that done in a timely fashion, it was always something that was important to me.

Speaker A: Now, were you led by, even in that early stage?

Speaker B: Oh yeah, there was the chef, um, what's his name? Kevin Ford was the first, like, chef that I worked for. He, um, he was the chef of the restaurant when I started there. And so, like, he, like, he left direct. And he was a guy that, you know, that I respected because he was. He was in charge, and he was a nice guy. He said, this is how you do this. This is how you do that. And he showed me, the sous chefs showed me. And naturally, uh, there were times where I was probably being taken advantage of because I was willing to do whatever the sous chef be like, hey, if you clean my station, this is good training for you going forward. And it was just him, hey, you clean my station. I'm going to go hang out with my buddies at the bar. And, um. But it was just. But it was just. You did it because they were in charge. They told you what to do, and you did.

Speaker A: Was strangely, you cleaning his station was training, you know, I mean, it's. It's terrible. It's terrible. But. But it is, right?

Speaker B: Uh, of course it is. And. And again, life is filled with opportunities of learning what to do and what not to do. And. And so when you. When you kind of get to see other bits and pieces, you kind of learn from others mistakes, you kind of learn from others, you know, missed opportunities. And so it's those things that all kind of, like, lead into, you know, what you want to do. And, you know, I made enough of mistakes on my own, but you, you just, you just. I just felt like I fit. It was where I was supposed to be. It's where I belonged. And I loved it. I absolutely loved it.

Speaker A: You have to start on, uh, the dirty side of the business before you get to pretty plating and techniques and ingredients and stuff like that. Right, so that's where you started. So, yeah, you start with the grit, you start with the dirt, and all of a sudden somebody sees you, and hopefully, right. They see you. And it turns into a mentorship scenario. And I want to usher in Chef Mike Penury when we're talking about, like, culinary fundamentals. How, what did he do for you and how did you embrace that?

Speaker B: I had just left culinary school. I'd run out of money. When I was at Newbury College, I was like, okay, I'm running out of money. I have to continue and figure out what I'm going to do. So I got a job at the sharing commander. And like, Panori, um, he ran the restaurant at night, this place. It was called Dirtads, and it was a nouvelle cuisine restaurant that was just being changed over in the hotel at the Commander. And so he was there, and he was this older guy. He was, like, this old hippie and just had this really interesting life. But he really showed me, like, I got to see different things than, like, what I'd been learning in school and what I had seen. And, like, it was just. There was an elegance to what he was doing, and he gave me opportunities to create. And when you get those opportunities to create, then, like, it really starts to kick into overdrive. Like, this is. This really works. This is something I. This really, really brings me in. But you also learn that. That every. Especially now, when you think back then, the chefs were just starting to become, like, personalities because there was nobody on TV except for, you know, the Galloping Gourmet, Graham Kier, um, and Julia Child and shows like that. It's not like today where, like, all of these chefs are household names. You know, they have, you know, the competition shows and all of these different things and networks devoted just to food. So it was a very different world in that thing where those chefs really started to kind of pop and, you know, the Wolfgang Pucks of the world and people like that, that people like, uh, you know, New York, obviously, there were things happening, but Boston, most of the real, like, big chefs were working in hotels, and it still was a few years before a lot of those chefs started leaving the hotels and opening their own restaurants. The Jasper Whites of the world, Lydia Shires and stuff like that and Gordon Hammersley, those really kind of set the tone in. In the Boston Market.

Speaker A: You mentioned something to me, and I really liked. Um, just shows character, right? So I asked you specifically, I said, hey, you know, uh, you're coming up. You're getting. You know, everybody gets beat up in the kitchen a little bit. When did you actually gain confidence in yourself? What was you. Do you remember your answer?

Speaker B: Well, I. Yeah, I still haven't. Um, I look at it in the sense that, like, I can always be better. You can always improve in what you're doing, and you have confidence. Everybody has confidence, and they say, oh, I got that. I got that. I got that, right? But then that really digging deep and, um, like, how can I improve upon what I'm doing? So. And I still question, because food is very subjective. What I think is good and what you think is good could be two completely different things. When it comes to seasoning, it's like, is it salt? Is there enough salt? Is enough acid? So, uh, I ask everybody, please taste this, because at the end of the Day, I don't cook for me. I cook for everybody else. And so you want. You have to cover a lot of ground in order to make it appealing to. For everybody else.

Speaker A: All right, but here I agree with you. But here's the thing. There are chefs out there that, uh. And I'll give you an example. When I was coming up in the restaurant side of things, you know, they'd ask me, hey, come on, Carl, uh, get on the line. We're going to show you a pantry. We're going to show you something. Let's see if you can. If you can do it right. And I remember, uh, one of those times, and there's 30 tickets in the window, and you're just like, you lose yourself and you lose your pace, and all of a sudden, the confidence really goes down the toilet. And, um, it's either at that moment where you say, hey, this kitchen life is for me, or, you know what? I'm going to find another spot in the restaurant. Because, you know, so the fact is, confidence is a huge part of being on the line, doing expo, being the chef. You know, you look at, like, country club chefs or, you know, hotel chefs with a brigade. Uh, a lot of times they don't have to touch the line anymore. You know, they've already earned it, obviously. But it's also like, hey, you always ask yourself, can those cats get on the line and run a service on a Friday, Saturday night? I don't know if you're 10, 15 years removed. That's a tough ask. No,

Speaker B: it is a tough ask. And I've always chosen never to lose that. Am I as good as I used to be? Probably not. But I can get on the line and make food. And there are times where I'm digging in. I'm digging in hard, and I have to remember that I'm significantly older than I used to be. And, you know, and. And I don't feel it, but it. My body will remind me, like, you really go. But that's the best part of it, because it's still that team piece. And being in there, you know, my. My job is always, uh, Like, I'm there to support, uh, I want to be there to support, uh, the team and know that they can count on, like, if they fall, someone's there to help them up. Right? Because it's hugely important to know that, you know, especially when it comes to food. I learned very early on, you know, and it would. You would have, like, the other line cooks would kind of watch you and say, you can't serve that because they knew, they already knew the chef wouldn't accept it. Right. We're not, we're not sending this out, uh, to a customer either. You know, that it's not, you know, it's not seared properly. It's not this, it's not plated. It's not plated well. It's a mess. It's, it's, there's, there's dysfunction on that plate. Right. And so you got that, but then you also realized that. And, and so one of the things that, that I'm very aware of and cognizant of is when I go out to a table, I never, if a guest, if there's a complaint and I'm in the restaurant, I will go out and apologize to the guest, said, sorry, you know, But I'm never going to say, you know, oh, the grill cook doesn't know what they're doing, or, uh, this person doesn't know what. That's not how that works. It ends with whoever's in charge. It ends with me. You know, if I'm, if I'm in the restaurant, you know, I will. And I've, I've always been that way. It's like, I'm so sorry. Please give us another opportunity. We will make you happy. Because that's our mission. That is our job. And, and at the end of the day, that's what keeps the doors open.

Speaker A: That's also where you get the rift between a front of house and back of house, uh, relationship, uh, where the line guys are breaking the chops of, uh, the servers and the servers are going back and everybody's blaming each other. But then the chef has to come in or the GM has to come in and kind of put everybody back in line. Um, which those things come up and everybody wants to point at that as like, it's a horrible thing. And it is, uh, when you're talking about service and when you're talking about guest, um, experience, but when you're talking about personal experience and as you get older and you look back at it, it's, it's an endearing thing. Everybody has to deal with that. Every, I think every kitchen, whether it's a, a pub or a, you know, uh, Michelin restaurant, I think everybody has the same, um, same sort of dynamic.

Speaker B: And I, I will disagree with that because everybody, you re like this, that rift. But you have to do everything in your power as the leader of, of that, of whatever kitchen you're in or whatever part of. Whatever part of that, that machine you are to get rid of it, because at the end of the day, you're all there serving the same purpose and blaming somebody else. And it's funny, we have, uh, like, you know, talk, tell a server. They say, oh, we don't like these people. They're very particular. And I always ask them, like, well, what does that mean? Well, well, they, they want this. This. I said, well, they're the easiest people to take care of because they tell you exactly what they want. You don't have to read their mind. All you have to do is deliver. And so, you know, going in and also taking those people as a, As a personal challenge, I'm going to make those people happy. Regardless of what it takes. I'm going to prove to them that I can make them happy. I'm going to prove to the, uh, others that this is a, this is, this is possible for us to make these people happy. It's all of, you know, how it's. Is this, is this a problem or an opportunity? You know, in all of the basic. It's, uh, you know, how you look at every situation. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? If you look at it as a, as a good learning moment, then it's, then it's a good learning moment. If you look at it as a horrible experience, and it's a horrible experience. You drive your own bus in that situation, and it's how you approach it and how you attack it that makes the difference. And in getting everybody on that same page is huge, because when I walk out into the dining room, like, I have to be all smiles. You. They don't. They don't. And a guest, you learn early on a guest is there for them. Like, they're there for them. And they're not asking you for, uh, you know, they're not asking for the world. They're just asking for good food, good service, a good experience, and you have choices. You have to earn their. You being their choice. I was discussing with someone earlier today when we first opened Almanova, one of the main things I wanted to do is to get, uh, on everybody's list. And what that means to me is this is where you come for Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, birthdays, family things, all of those things you get on their list. Well, where do you go? Where do you go for Easter? We go to Alma Nova. Every Easter we go for Mother's Day, my father's birthday, we always go to Alma, right. Or whatever restaurant that is. And it doesn't matter what type of restaurant it is you want to be on someone's list. This is where we go when we're together. This is where we go when we're happy. This is where we go when we're sad. Right? And those things, because that's how the customers start to add up and that's how repeat business begins to add up, to stack up in your favor because you want to be there and, and you have to evolve, you always have to. Because people change people, you know, uh, and you know, there are restaurants that. It sounds horrible at what I'm going to say. It's like where older people go. Well, when older people start to pass away, they go into a nursing home, they're not as mobile and all that stuff. You still have to replenish those people. So you have to get new people all the time. And so, uh, that's what business really is. It's like, how do you keep evolving and to stay relevant and really keep your base building with, with guests?

Speaker A: And I think food service in 2026 today, it's in an interesting spot, right, because you still have some of the old guard, uh, towards the end of their careers. And then you have a lot of the younger folks coming through and they're taking up the torch. And what I mean by that is when we were coming up, I was accosted by chefs. I was, you know, I had things thrown at me. I, I had all of that. That doesn't go on today. I mean, if it does, I mean it's, it, it's short lived that, you know, the tolerance for that is, um, is, I think very short.

Speaker B: And we grew up and again, it was a, everything was different back then, right? Personalities were different, you know how everything was different. And so when you look at it now, the importance of, there's always been that, that changeover. Any chef that I ever worked for, I owe everything to them because they taught me. And so my mission is to repay that by teaching every person who comes into the kitchen, teaching them how to, how to work, how to handle yourself, you know, what, what to do, what not to do. And so, and because it, you know, at the end of the day, people are always the same, you know, um, but you just have to figure out what, what's the connection. Some people I did well with you. If you, if you put a challenge in front of me, I was going to meet it.

Speaker A: When did you actually realize you wanted to do things differently? You wanted to change direction, you wanted to, you know, not, not be the, the chef or have that, um, or have the atmosphere in the kitchen where it's volatile and everybody's on pins and needles.

Speaker B: Um, when I started walking out into the dining room and then realizing that, like, you're on display going out into the dining room, you have to be focused. You have to be. But it still took me a while because, again, I grew up. And, uh, you grew up in that same type of environment where. Where the pressure was relentless, getting it done, meeting, especially in restaurants, where it's like, everybody has their concerns, and some of it is just that specific thing that's happening right at that moment, or big picture things, especially in the hotels, where there's so many things going on at the same time. And so really trying to work through all of that, it's hugely important. But it was that moment of, like, for me, where going out into the dining room, like, you learned that if you're sitting there and you're, you know, servers not doing what they're supposed to be doing at that moment and causing difficulty instead of, you know, like, exploding as chefs would do, you know, they have to go out into the dining room again, and if you've just, you know, spoken to them in a way, and then they have to walk out in the dining room and they have to fake a smile. Right. There's no. There's no loyalty. There's no continuity. There's no working as a team. So I really had to kind of dig down deep and realize how much the importance of everything. And I already knew it, but I just. Some days, you forget it. That every member of the team is important. The dishwasher is hugely important because I've washed dishes and cooked food at the same time, and it is not a pleasant experience. Right. Uh, for whatever reason that is. Right. So you have all of these different things. Everybody's on the team, and every, you know, every relationship in the restaurant is important because everybody has to be rowing in the same direction. Everyone. And the importance of that, because at the end of the day, everything affects the guest's experience, and nothing is better. It's like, no matter who that person is, uh, that's not how we do it. That's not how we do it. That means everybody's drinking the Kool Aid.

Speaker A: I agree with that. It's easy to look into a kitchen and see mentorship. Oh, I see the dish. The guy washing dishes. He shows up. He works hard. Let's do something with him. Her, whatever. Let's move them up. You don't see that typically in the front of the house, not in the same capacity anywhere, the same velocity. You can have some really amazing servers, bartenders, um, you know, dare I say, host, hostess. But, you know, at the end of the day, you don't really see those. That group being ushered into a mentorship program. Typically.

Speaker B: No, I, I will, I will disagree with that because, you know, it's funny when, when you see the right person, you know it, right? No matter what it is, and you're like, yeah, they get it right in that moment. And the. If you're that person, like, especially in the front of the house where you're, it's, uh, everything's on display. Everything's on display. And each server looks at their station as their. That's their source of revenue, is their station. A good server will do everything in their power to. If they, if they want to maximize their earning potential. And I hate saying it this way, right, because it's, uh, to me, it's again, it's all about the guest. But for them to maximize their earning potential, it's making the guest as happy as possible and knowing that everything should be a yes, yes, we're going to take care. And I tell everybody in the restaurant, we will change whatever dish that is. Especially now, when you. You look at all the allergens and all of the different things and all of the dietary restrictions and the diets, people go on, like, working in the restaurant business is very difficult because you. There's a lot of hoops to jump through. So when you're kind of looking through that, and so a server who knows the menu inside and out and says, yes, I can navigate through this menu and get you what you want, right? I can do all of these things. And then for them to, like the, you know, a food runner, a busser, right? All of them, they're all working in the same universe. It's all about, you know, if we do a better job, we make more tips, we make people happy, where we make more money and we're succeeding, we're doing. Especially when you think about, you know, for a lot of people, server, like the front of the house, like a lot of people, it's a second job, you know, and you've got professional servers who work in the restaurant, but others who will work, you know, they work one job doing during the day, and then they come, they work like on the weekends. They work, you know, as a server, and it's to pick up extra money. Well, they want to maximize that. And the best way for them to do it is to help mentor the team around them. In order to make, to flow to the guest. Because everything at the end of the day has to flow towards the guest, giving the guests a great experience.

Speaker A: I'm gonna have to look into that a little bit. And the reason that there's pushback on that and I'll tell you, um, I spent Most of my 10 years in the front of the house. And uh, how do I want to say that when you look at a restaurateur or you look at a gm, um, restaurateurs or chef. Let's just say a chef is going to say, hey, you know what, 15, uh, years ago I worked in the dishpan. And look at me today I have a restaurant that's a very typical story in the space. Okay. It doesn't happen for everybody, but that's generally like your path. I wonder how many servers end up being a restaurateur, how many servers end up being a gm? Probably more. So the management,

Speaker B: they're a lot more than you think. Because there's a gentleman that I know that came from Albania and he owns multiple restaurants here and he was a front of the house guy and he literally came here with 50 cents in his pocket. And

Speaker A: now

Speaker B: multiple restaurants. Right? And so there it, it does happen. But again, because when you look, you know, finding those professional front of the house people, because for a lot of people it's a transient type of business and you hear the stories like, well, there's, you know, I've worked in every restaurant, every new restaurant in town and you, and you work. So what does that mean? I go there when a restaurant opens, I go there because it's very busy, I make a lot of money. And then when another restaurant opens, uh, usually like I, I kind of like done what I want to do there and I go to another restaurant. It's, it's all different. But again, it's all about the team that you, you start to build. And if everybody's like minded in the restaurant, then that's how you navigate everything and that's how you create that team that's only pushing for the guest experience. But it takes time. There's an ebb and flow in the restaurant, especially when you get to the front. And I can't speak fully for the front, but I know I've been fortunate enough to work with a lot of amazing front of the house people that have gone on to do a lot of amazing things. It's great when everything clicks. There is nothing better. Because you know that everything that you, that, that you've dedicated your Life to. Is working in that direction.

Speaker A: Let's talk about love for a second.

Speaker B: We barely know each other.

Speaker A: You can tell when somebody in the kitchen has stopped caring. You actually mentioned, uh, on our prep call. Uh, and. And. And, man, listen. This comes up every now. Every now and again. And to the. To the average listener, maybe it's cheesy, but the first ingredient really is love. But you can tell when somebody's kind of like, out of love in the. In the restaurant, right?

Speaker B: 100%. Think about this. Think about the conversation that you and I are having right now. Do you think for one second they couldn't hear if you were just going through the paces?

Speaker A: Oh, sure,

Speaker B: right. So it's true. It's true of anything, right? But especially when it comes to food in the service, right? Just a little remember, like, if the server is really on the game, they remember. And you're. You've been there. I went to a restaurant, and I hadn't been there in a year. And this is a very, very busy restaurant in New York. And I. And, uh, I was. We went in there and sat down, had ended up with the same server. And he goes, last year you had X. And I was like, oh, my goodness. And he said, oh, yeah. And. And the reason I remember is because I loved it so much. It was so good. And it was just. They called it dirty chicken. It was basically like chicken still on the bone that I had to pick up and eat with my hands. And that's how the Italians would call that dirt. Like dirty something, because you have to. You're literally touching it with your hands. And it was so good. And it was such a simple preparation, but it was executed to perfection. And I was so happy with it, everything about it. And the guy in the server says to me, he goes, yeah, you had this last year. I said, can I get it again? He goes, oh, absolutely. It's that thing that's like, when people are on their game, no matter what it is they're doing, you can tell. And when people care and they put the love and passion, dedication into it, you can feel it, you can taste it, you can sense it. Everything about it is there. And you know you're in for something amazing.

Speaker A: What's really cool. And this goes for front of the house, back of the house. When you have a regular, or even not even a regular, when you have a guest come in, sometimes you simply remember what the meal is. But what I find interesting is when the guy in line, expo. The people in the kitchen, when they see the Ticket come in, and it's a certain kind of, uh, ask for the dish. They know that it's a specific customer. They know. They go, hey, wait a minute. They were just here two, uh, weeks ago, and they can call it out like that. I think that's amazing.

Speaker B: Those are the connections. It's easy to get caught up in what you're doing, right? If you're washing dishes, you're thinking about, like, who you affect. And sometimes as a dishwasher, you forget how much you affect the customer, which is the end result of the experience. Because you're obviously, if you're keeping up with dishes, you're making sure that the line is stocked and they have the materials to do the job that they need to do, right? If the pots and pans are caught up and everything's done right, and you don't see it because you seem even. Even the guy taking the delivery. The guy who takes the delivery is that first layer of. Of security that you have for the consistency coming in. This is. Yep, this. No, that's not what we. We. That. That's unacceptable. You know, that lettuce is. Is. Is not fully. It's not fresh enough that you know that meat isn't right. This isn't right. That isn't right. The very first levels, and they may never come in contact with the guest. That's the first line of defense for us. Being able to do our job and execute our job correctly. You know, having. Having the host at the front of the house, they're our, uh, first line of defense. When the guest comes in, they set the tone, and they're our last line of defense. Walking out the door. Because when they say to the customer, how was everything? And the customer said, oh, it was great. It was good. Good's not enough. Good's not enough. And a good host, or, uh, you know, a manager, whoever that is up there, will say, was something not right? And then the customer can say, hey, you know what? My food wasn't exactly, oh, this or that. I didn't want to say anything to the server. I don't want to bother the cooks, whatever it is. And people come up, and people are either afraid that they're going to offend someone, or they're afraid to, like, disrupt. Be disruptive, whatever it is. And that host will know how to, uh, how to address. They should know how to address, because everything can happen as long as it stays in the restaurant. Once it gets out of the restaurant, then it's hard to fix. But if they're in the restaurant, you can fix that. That problem. You can. You can come up with a resolution to make them happy. And sometimes it's as simple as, like, you know what? I'm gonna. You know what? We. We should have known. Even when a plate comes back, having a dishwasher show up. Like, we'll show to the cooks. Say this. They didn't eat much. And. And a server will come up, and, like, if a server walks by and they're clearing a table or a bus, I'll go, did they not like it? If they didn't eat it, then something must have been wrong. And you'll get a lot of. Oh, they were full. They've had a lot of food, whatever that is. They're packing up and taking you home. And then you. Then you're like, okay, I understand that. But, you know, the easiest way to know what people eat is to look what comes back. Nobody touches the lentils. They never eat the lentils. Oh, well, maybe we should change the lentils, you know, or whatever that is. And so there are a lot of keys, but every person is part of the team. Every person. You have to remind everybody that your sole function. Your sole function in this, you know, is to make the guest happy, and what the importance of the job that you do makes that guest happy.

Speaker A: That leads me to something a little heavier. Um, let's talk food memories for a second, right? Because in the end, people go out to eat, and there's a lot of reasons for it, but the truth is, people love flavor profiles or just a, uh, fleeting, uh, memory of some nuance in a dish, in a spoonful of something, and it brings them back to their childhood with family. And you and I come from larger families, and it was a Sunday thing or a weekend thing, and you had everybody over the house and all of this. And, uh, there were certain dishes that one grandmother made versus the other grandmother, or maybe it was the grandfather, mother, father, whoever. And then as we get older, we lose those. Those family members. And with them, in a lot of scenarios, there goes the food memory. The food is gone, and it becomes food memory. So I was thinking about this, um, from when we spoke on the phone. I generally do not want to eat those food dishes anymore. This is just my opinion. This is just something where I'm at, and I kind of want to get past it. I want to move back to where I can find those dishes somewhere or I can try to replicate it myself, because the truth is, it's not the same anymore. You know, you lose somebody, and then do you still want to try to find that flavor? Do you still want to go after that. That food memory?

Speaker B: How many times have you heard someone say, what would be your death row meal?

Speaker A: That's a standard, fair question. Yeah, that's a. That's a big question.

Speaker B: Uh, people ask you that, like, if. Like, if this was going to be your last meal, m. What would it be? And so, like, some people can answer it automatically and say, oh, yeah, lasagna, right? I love lasagna. I eat lasagna twice a week. Whatever it is, whatever that response is. Right. And some people have to think about it and. But it's in. And that, like, if this was going to be your last meal on Earth, what would it be? And I would. Immediately, for me, was just go back to anything that my parents made, because it reminds, like, the connection that you have. And that's what. That's the gift I get every single day in the restaurants. Every single day, I get that gift because people will come up to me and said, oh, I came in and you made this special with red snapper. And, uh. And they're describing it in such detail, and I can't even remember it because it was five years ago, and how many times have I made a fish special? Or how many times, like. And so. But they remembered. And you realize that in that brief moment, you impacted a stranger's life in a positive way. If that's not the best thing you could get out of. Out of your day, then I don't know what is. Because that. It justifies your existence in that moment of, like, not. Not your existence, but what you do, what you've chosen to do. A lot of jobs don't give you that satisfaction. A lot of jobs don't. Don't create that type of interaction. So it's, uh, a. It's this blessing, you know. And, Stephen, when we were doing the show and people, you know, would. Someone reached out to us and literally said, that show got us. Got me through chemo. I was going. I was. I was doing chemo. And I watched your show while I was doing my chemo, and it just. It made me feel better and it made me feel safe. I don't even know how to respond to that. Like, that's a blessing that. Like, that you have to take. Like, the gratitude should just be falling out of you. Like, oh, my God, thank you. I'm so glad that I was able to affect you in that manner. But that's what food does, because when you think about your favorite dishes and you think about your favorite experiences, and then you think about the people that are around you and what that means. I get to be part of that. I get when people come up to you. And, uh, early on, someone had said to me, goes, I've been here five times. I've had the same dish all five times. I feel so bad. I'm like, why? Uh, I should have something else on the menu. I go, you're paying me the highest compliment anybody could pay me. I make food that you come back for. That's what it's all about. That's the connection, the impact I want to have on someone. And, you know, sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. You just have to. You have to keep pushing forward to help build that interaction. When people come up to me and say, oh, my father loved that restaurant. My. You know, my father since passed, but he loved going to. He loved what you did. And I come here for that connection. That's amazing. You know, it's like people, you know, going, you know, my dad used to take me to the Red Sox games, and I come here now, and whenever I go to a game, I think of my dad. Right. That's a special moment for you. That's an impactful moment for you, that you like those things that connect, that, you know, especially when people move, uh, you know, when. When people pass, it's like, how do I stay connected to them? How do I keep them in my life? How do I. How do I never, never let that fade? And so food. Food fortunately, puts you in that time. A piece of music will always make you think of a certain time and a certain place in your life, and you just kind of go back, you gravitate towards that, and it's. It's awesome. And I, um. And I get to be part of it. I try to explain that to people, and some people get it, some people don't. But, you know, especially in letting people know that, like, part of the team know that this is what we're doing, it's not just feeding people for. For sustenance. It's really creating. Creating experiences for them to remember and share.

Speaker A: So does it go without saying in your own family, because you're Chef Paul, is it you that has to, you know, take up the. The family recipes, um, and keep them moving on? Or how do you manage that in your own life?

Speaker B: It's. No, it's. It's. It's. It's a group thing, but it's also an individual thing. Because it was funny, we were going to we were filming this thing for whatever it was, and I forget what it was, but there was a dish. I said, I'm going to make this for Mark and Donnie. And I loved it. It was what we. My parents called a corn dish. And it was just shepherd pie, but it was ground beef, sauteed, creamed corn, mashed potatoes. Right. That's all it is simple. And I loved it growing up. It was one of those things I would eat and I would just. And my father would, um. My father made it a lot. And it would be one of those things that, you know, they'd keep feeding me as long as I was sitting there eating it. And I loved it. I made it for Mark and D. And they're both like, man, uh, we hated it. Yeah, we don't. Yeah, they. They tried it and m. Yep. Still don't like it. And it was so funny that it was so impactful for me, but so forgettable for them. It. You just never know what it is. And it was funny. I worked. And I didn't realize this. Well, we were. When we were younger, but I worked for Mark, um, on a couple of films as his, you know, cooking form, as a chef. And he. He loves Thanksgiving dinner. Right, though. Uh, the whole experience. Mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, butternut squash, uh, stuffing, like, the whole deal. And it was that. And this was maybe just that time, but for him, it was that thing. And, like, we all have our favorite dishes and. But to watch him, like, eat it, and then I would make him the, you know, the gobbler sandwiches, and it would. He would just be so happy, and he would be, like, sharing with other people, going, hey, oh, you got to try this. You got to try this. And. And it was, uh, just that thing, but it was that connection for him to, you know, his childhood with the, uh, you know, with the family. And then again, it's. It's. It's. It's each. The individuals. We each create our. Create our own memories from that. And each. Because each person's taste is different, but you do feel responsibility that you wanted. You want to make something. And if you're going to make something that. That our parents made, you want to make sure you duplicate it as best as you possibly can.

Speaker A: Well, I'm going to go on record and say, um, if you were my brother, if, you know, there was a bunch of kids, siblings, and you're the chef in the family, I am looking at you and I'm saying, uh, hey, listen, pal, this is all on Your, this is all on your side.

Speaker B: Yeah, but like I said, like, each, each one of us have our own version of it. And you know how it is. It's like you've got three people in a room, something happens, each person gives you their version of it. It's going to be slightly different. You know, there'd be some certain facts that are always the same, but it's everybody's interpretation of it. And like I said, when I put it out for them, I thought it was going to be home run central. I thought they were going to be like, just like so excited and like, yeah, we never liked that. And I was, I was oblivious to them not liking it because I enjoyed it so much.

Speaker A: Yeah. One of my best friends who's, uh, my number two here at Walk, uh, and Talk Media, um, we've known each other 35 plus years, something like that. And uh, you know, he knew my dad really well and you know, he's part of the family. Long story short, um, after my dad passed, I was out of nowhere, it took a long time. I came across one of his recipes, um, for a chicken franchaise. And I said, hey, John, man, look at this. And he goes, we should do it. And I go, nah, I'm not touching that. No way. He goes, well, I'm going to do it. He goes, you just be quiet and I'm going to do this. So we did it, we filmed it and the whole thing and man, it was spot on, I got to tell you. It was like a time portal. Literally, um, straight back to the, you know, straight back to home. Man, it was really great.

Speaker B: And that's, and that's when, when people tell you that tastes just like my mom used to make or my dad used to make or whatever, and you're like, yeah, like that connection. Because the connection to the people and into what it is that we do and the reasons why we do it is so important. Right? And when you can hit that nerve and make that happen, it's just, it's spectacular. It really is. It really is. And it's what connects us as people and human beings. And that's what I love about, you know, working. You know, you experience so many different people in kitchens, you know, from all different cultures, all different walks of life. And you, there's. They make something, you're like, yeah, I'm never, you know, especially as a kid, and you're like, oh, I'll never eat X or I'd never eat. Why? And then you realize, what have I been missing all These years. This is amazing.

Speaker A: I mean, Paul, we've talked about a lot of stuff today and, and the truth is you have a lot of passion and it comes off in how you speak and what you say. Um, but I got to ask you, and this is a legitimate question that weighed on me after our, ah, prep call. Why are you still doing this?

Speaker B: Of all the questions you've asked me, this is the easiest, because I love it. At the end of the day, I'm serving my purpose in this universe, you know, outside of family, of course, and the importance of those things I am making, I get to make people happy through food. Like, what's better than that? And, um, until I get tired of that, I'm going to continue doing it. You know, I like, you know, people say, what's your exit strategy? The exit strategy is keep doing it. Keep doing it until, you know, I, until I don't want to do it anymore. And that time is not there because again, it comes down to the satisfaction I gain from making people happy through the food, through the camaraderie, teaching people, like, everything about it, you know, still, still want to get people to become, like, to, to, to get people to reach their full potential, right? And really get people hooked the way I'm hooked in this business and what we do, making people happy through food, the experimentation of it, the failure of it, the winds of it, everything in between, it's just, uh, you know, and that's what's great because, you know, that, that, that, that saying, like, you know, you, you continue to learn all through your life. Like, I'm still learning and I'm learning simple things from, from people that I never thought I would learn from, right? Because just. Because you just, you're, you grow up in your closed little universe and then as it expands and you see other things and at the end of the day, it's all about the people. For me, in the experience of that, in, you know, the team and everything about it, it's, uh, it's, it's amazing. It really, really is. And I love, love doing it. Love doing it.

Speaker A: See, I didn't look at it as a meatball question. I looked at it as this. You know, when you're doing something 20, 30, 40 years, right? And, and this is in general generalized, uh, statement in the food industry. That means your back is shot, your hands are shot, um, you know, you, not you. But, but in general, I mean, some people leave this thing with, uh, substance challenges. It's hard to find a reason to stay other than what you said so I don't think it was a meatball question, but I think your answer was about as genuine and good as you could probably float out there.

Speaker B: Uh, well. And trust me, there are days when I put in that long day, I'm going to feel it the next day, right? And I remember that I'm getting a little long in the tooth, as they say, say, but, like, I'm gonna keep pushing forward, I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doing because again, I, um, I love it. And in that, like, that's what was. I'm fortunate because I found what drives me, what makes me tick. Right. That's a blessing. When you look at, you know, people like, you know, I was talking to a friend of mine years ago, said, how's work? He goes, that's work. And I felt so bad for him. M. Because you put so much time into work. You put so much time and effort into, into your craft or your job or whatever, whatever it is that you call it. And I believe that thing. It's like, you know, you find the thing that you love and you never work a day in your life. Well, I try to, like, experience that, but there are some days it's still work and it's still hard and it's still physical and demanding, but the satisfaction I get from it is still amazing. And you know, get, you know, when you, and when you, like I said, you watch other people develop and grow right? In that, like, yeah. And you see that moment and you're able to pass on the things that are important to you and people get it. And you know how it is if you're in a room full of like minded people and everybody's focused on the same thing. It's awesome. It's great when you see it click. It's great when you see someone get it and you're like, yeah. And then like, again, it helps you as an individual know that you're contributing something more than just being there.

Speaker A: I mean, listen, I'm living that life. Uh, I put my, you know, 25 plus years of food industry into it. And, um, you know, being in this, this, um, hospitality, uh, media space now, and the team that I have, you know, with the John Hernandez's and the Putre Veras and, you know, the Will Browns and the Jordans, like, I have a team of people who also, for the most part, come from the business, um, that we're doing this. Is it really awesome to have, you know, chef Paul Wahlberg on the show? Yeah, that's amazing. But you know what's awesome, too, equally, is having the working chef from down the street at the, uh, you know, at the nice restaurant that just popped up, and we get to experience this shared existence. You know, your existence, Chef, is. Is the same existence as, you know, as the chef who was on the show last week, but they're all a little different. And everybody gets, you know, everybody gets to tell their story, and I get to document that, man. Amen. Like, I'm living that life right now, and I'm, you know, I don't want to get long on that, but, you know, in the end, man, um, Chef, I appreciate that you. You, you know, you, uh, carved some time out to share your stories with, uh, with me in the audience.

Speaker B: Well, you know what? Thank you for allowing me, because, you know, when you think about you're an extension of what we do. People go into restaurants and they make their assumptions. You're giving people an opportunity to really see what makes the restaurant world kick, and that's pretty awesome.

Speaker A: Again, amen. So let's talk about what it is you have going on right now. You've got a lot of stuff happening outside of just cooking and running restaurants and whatnot. Can you talk about it?

Speaker B: I'm going to be in Florida, uh, next weekend for, um, you know, for savers and for, um, you know, we were fortunate. We sell Wahlburgers at home. And so us to be able to, you know, uh, say thank you to customers and really have different experiences in the grocery store part of it, it's amazing for me because, again, my, uh, I will spend a lifetime saying thank you to people who come in and support what we do. And so going into, you know, uh, having the Wahlburgers at home has been a great part of what we do, because not everybody can get to a restaurant. And so watching people kind of do what they do with it and then the competition and everything that goes along with it, it's awesome. And so for us to be able to come down to Florida and be part of it, we're going to have a slider competition, and we're also going to make something that's particular. And they said, you know, if you're going to, you can do what you want. And I wanted to really make that burger have a taste of fall. So the sample or the demonstration that I'm going to do, people are going to be able to see, and then to be able to, you know, share that with everybody is going to be awesome.

Speaker A: And actually, we're going to be uh, we're going to be at Savor as well, so we're going to be able to shake a hand, uh, and meet in person, which I'm excited for

Speaker B: that. That's. And again, you know, it's great. You know, when you talk over the phone, it's one thing and kind of the prep that we've done and everything, but I want to say, I want to be able to see face to face, shake your hand and say thank you and also, again, get in front of people. Right. And it's funny because it's different for me in the sense that, you know, because of the show, you've got people who followed us during the show, and everybody comes up and they'll always. They'll say, oh, when your mom was so great, and stuff like that. So you kind of get that connection. And then you get the new kids fans and you get the Mark fans, and you get all of the different connection. So it all kind of comes together. But at the same time, I'm fortunate because, like I said, I get to say thank you to all of those people who have been supportive and make what we do possible. And, you know, part of what we're doing, too, is, you know, coming down with Publix because, like, we love Publix and what they do. And I actually had to. I got the opportunity to do a cooking class with them, um, about a year or so ago, and it was awesome. You know, we got to make different food, and I got to. It was in one of their stores, but they actually had a classroom set up. And so they came in, we had wine, made some different food. But again, it's my interaction, like, you know, with the growth, you know, with the different grocery chains to be able to say thank you and are. Who is our, um, you know, our. Our distributor, um, for the Wahlburgers at home. And they set me up at all of these different stores. And so, you know, and going into Publix, and every time I go into Publix, I get a pub sub. It's. It's. It's just one of those things. But again, saying thank you for people to people for being supportive of us, and then seeing the customers and kind of that interaction and they're always so nice and it's always a lot of fun. And so, you know, I'm really looking. It's going to be a good weekend. I'm actually even going by, um, one of the veterans hospitals because you got, uh, memorial, um, Veterans Day coming up. And so it's important for us to be able to say thank you and be part of all of that. Um, and again, I really appreciate this opportunity with you. You've been fantastic, extremely gracious with my very long winded answers.

Speaker A: Well, let me tell you something. First of all, you're saying all the right stuff, because I am a Florida boy, and, uh, in the end, I'm very pro publics and pub, uh, sub man. That's where it's at. And along with everything else, um, where shopping is a pleasure. It's a real thing, and I'm not getting paid for that. People, this is just what it is here. If you're from Florida, it's alligators and publix. That's what we have going on. Um, I do want to thank Tammy, uh, from Savor St. Pete, for connecting you and I, Paul. Uh, and Gina's been great, kind of helping to facilitate, um, you know, our conversations and whatnot. You're a gentleman. Uh, I. I do look forward to shaking your hand

Speaker B: very well, that whole gentleman thing, but we'll just leave it alone.

Speaker A: Well, I'll. I'll be the judge of that. Uh, Chef Paul, how do people find you?

Speaker B: Come, uh, to the restaurants. Come see me at the restaurants. Uh, see me, you know, when I get to the grocery stores and stuff like that. Um, it's just you. I. I find myself everywhere all the time. So it's the. It's a lot of fun. I was just on, um, Hell's Kitchen, and I got to stand there with a bunch of young chefs and watch them. They. They'd all put these different slides together, and I was just intimidated on how talented they all were. And Chef Ramsay is just, uh, he's an amazing, amazing person. You know, not only to, you know, what he. What he's brought to, you know, food itself, but the experience that he gives with people and, you know, and. And when, you know, going out and doing the shows that he does, it's. He's really amazing. But at the end of the day, he is just a super talented chef and a genuinely nice guy. So, you know, we have a lot of that stuff going on. So I'm all. Like I said, I'm kind of everywhere, all the time, and so I'm very fortunate. Um, we got. My brother's got a golf tournament coming up in the Bahamas. I'm actually going to go down there and cook for that, which is always a lot of fun. And it's going to be for the. For the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation. And so there's always different ways that you can. You can find me.

Speaker A: Well, we'll plug. We'll plug that as well. And let me tell you something. At some point, Jeff, uh, I would love to find out where you're going to be one day and let me film record. I want to. I want to try your food.

Speaker B: Oh, you'll have to get up. You're gonna have to. Done. Done. We'll. So we'll sort something out and we'll make it happen.

Speaker A: Perfect.

Speaker B: Well, I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be down there in a week.

Speaker A: Yeah, but you're not cooking. You're not gonna. You know, I'm not ready for you for that. I mean,

Speaker B: I'm cooking. You'll get to taste one of my burgers. The. The featured burger that we're doing.

Speaker A: Okay, I'll take

Speaker B: it.

Speaker A: I'll take. I'll

Speaker B: start. I'm

Speaker A: gonna start with the burger. But we're gonna. Going to move into. We're, uh, going to move into some elevated stuff at some other point in the future. Okay.

Speaker B: What's more elevated than a great burger?

Speaker A: Oh, my God. No, I love burger. I'm a fat ass. Are you kidding me?

Speaker B: I.

Speaker A: I'm. I'm 35 pounds overweight, and I attribute most of that to burgers. Okay. Like, give me a break. Okay.

Speaker B: But you know something? Um, yeah, we're going to have a blast. And I'm so looking forward to it. And anybody who, you know, is around that just come by, come by and see it and, and just experience it because, you know, it's going to be a lot of fun and I'm super excited about it, and I'm so. And again, it's my opportunity to say thank you and I love that because a lot of people don't get a chance to do that in this universe. And so for me to be able to say thank you in the sincerity, you know, thank you on behalf of my whole family because, you know, it's just great. And I love the interaction with the people because it just, it just really kind of in. And everybody has a different reason for supporting. And so it's always great to hear their stories and where they come from and gaining, you know, and you realize how m much everybody's the same.

Speaker A: Jeff, we will see each other next week. Thank you again. We are out. It.