Chef Sherief Shawky: From Egypt to Unox, A Journey Built on Opportunity

Summary

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Walk-In Talk Podcast with Chef Sherief Shawky: From Egypt to Unox, A Journey Built on Opportunity

Host: Carl Fiadini
Date: June 19, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Walk-In Talk Podcast, hosted by Carl Fiadini, features Chef Sherief Shawky, whose culinary journey spans continents—from an Egyptian-American upbringing, to the pressure-cooker kitchens of iconic chefs, to leading culinary innovation at Unox, a top foodservice equipment company. The conversation explores themes around cultural identity, mentorship, humility, mental health, and seizing opportunities—offering an unfiltered look at the grit, heart, and realities of hospitality.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Growing Up Between Two Cultures

• [01:50] Sherief discusses his formative years in both Virginia, USA, and Egypt after his parents' divorce.
  • Learned to navigate between cultures, religions, and the different values around food.
  • Quote:
    “Here in the States … everyone’s always on the go. In Egypt, I learned religion, food, how to maneuver different personalities. … My pleasure from the kitchen wasn’t just if it tastes good or looks good, but when someone says ‘Man, this is so good. I’ll come here every single day.’” — Sherief [01:50, 04:41]

2. Early Lessons and Entering the Industry

• Sherief’s first culinary steps were in his mother’s pizzeria in New Brunswick, NJ. Initially planning a career in international business, he resisted going to culinary school due to family expectations.

• Quote:
  “You’re either going to do what you love or you’re going to do what people want you to do, and you’re going to be miserable.” — Sherief’s mother’s advice [10:15]

• Injuries and typical kitchen mishaps (lost some skin shredding cheese in a 50-gallon mixer, burning pizzas), but quickly moved up, showing aptitude and resilience.

3. Mentorship and Growing Through Kitchens

• Learned essential hospitality lessons under Chef Bruce at The Frog and the Peach.
  • “Whatever happens in the kitchen you do to a chef is going to come back to you as a chef.” — [14:47]
• Emphasized the impact of varied mentorship:
  • From Chef Bruce (discipline and karma)
  • Chef Sherry Yard (suspend your ego, always prove yourself, “leave that ego outside” [18:00])
  • Chef Max Nosbill (humility after being sent home for insubordination)
• Quote:
  “Sometimes you gotta be selfish in your career.” — Sherief, recalling Chef Sherry’s counsel [19:00]
  • Also described feeling “bomb.com” on the line and learning a tough lesson in humility when sent home in front of the team. His mom told him:
    “You better be there tomorrow morning early, even if you’re off. These opportunities will make you or break you. Always remember: Do your work as you own it.” — [21:17-22:30]

4. The Leap to Corporate Leadership (Unox)

• Burnout and injury (herniated discs) forced Sherief to re-evaluate his life.
  • Story of transitioning from the kitchen to Unox after a wake-up call from his wife; highlights importance of listening to loved ones and choosing health and family.
  • “Pain puts you in a very dark place, but it’s a learning curve. Control what you can control.” — Sherief [26:05-29:35]
• The drawn-out hiring process at Unox and the significance of personality and adaptability to corporate life.
• Memorable exchange about his man bun and a fresh start:
  “Don’t think you’re gonna slide by with me not bringing up the man bun. The only reason you got a professional job at Unox is because you cut that man bun.” — Carl [32:23]

5. The Call for Mental Health & Burnt Chef Project

• Losing a colleague (JoJo) to substance abuse and carrying that burden as a leader.
  • Quote:
    “If you go into a relationship and you’re not 100% mentally, you’re gonna go into a bad spiral … If your emotions get to you and you don’t get your way.” — Sherief [39:55]
• The difficulty of compartmentalizing grief and the challenge of being open as a leader.
  • Quote:
    “If I’m upset, the energy is going to carry throughout the kitchen. I always keep it in, which I learned is not good. So I went to therapy. … That’s why when I found an opportunity with the Burn Chef project, I hopped on it ASAP. … I get to give back to the community.” — Sherief [44:25-47:13]
  • His role as an ambassador and the significance of peer support and removing stigma.
• Memorable moment: Carl and Sherief openly discuss family, support, and breaking the silence around mental health.
  “There’s nothing that anyone can do for somebody that isn’t ready to save themselves.” — Carl [43:56]

6. Philosophy of Food as Connection

• Quote:
  “My grandma used to say, ‘You always need to break a piece of bread with someone to get to know them.’ … When people eat my food, they can remember not necessarily me, but the bites of memories they have.” — Sherief [50:23]
• Food as a universal language, binding people together at all major life moments—birthdays, engagements, weddings, even everyday dining rooms and staff meals.
• Practical insight from Chef Sherry Yard:
  “99% of the time, [guests] never forget the meal if it ends with a great dessert—there’s a chemical reaction when you eat sweets, especially chocolate.” — [54:20]

7. Advice to His Younger Self and Takeaways on Opportunity

• Sherief reflects on his journey and responsibility, credit score humor, gratitude for mentors, and for the American opportunity.
  • “Having a life is more than bringing home a paycheck.” — Sherief [56:07]
  • His journey of family, cultural expectations, and ultimately earning his dad’s pride.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On humility:
  “You thought you were a hot shot?” — Carl
  “To say the least. But it humbled me.” — Sherief [21:17]
• On feedback and ego:
  “Suspend your ego. And communicate is my key word every single time I talk.” — Sherief [24:52]
• On struggles with mental health:
  “When I had my back [injury], my wife had to move the pistol away from the side of my bed from me … It was hard for me to be on here now and admit to this.” — Sherief [44:25]
• On family and cultural pride:
  “Being a chef in Egypt, they look at you like you’re nothing. But now, when [my dad] sees what I do, I think that’s what every parent wants to see.” — Sherief [58:00]
• On food’s universal power:
  “You’ll always be able to communicate not necessarily by language, but by food. … Food or some sort of ingredient is revolved in it.” — Sherief [54:20]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:50] — Sherief’s bicultural upbringing and its impact on his culinary identity
• [03:22] — Crafting refined, heart-driven dishes; discussion of kitchens and religion
• [06:37] — Realizing professional passion and early kitchen adversity
• [14:16] — Importance of mentorship and lessons that last
• [20:38] — A humbling moment: learning humility beats raw talent
• [25:36] — Burnout, injury, and rethinking life beyond the kitchen
• [32:23] — Fresh starts, man buns, and transformation for growth
• [36:23] — Substance abuse in kitchens and stories of loss
• [44:25] — The personal cost of leadership and reaching out for help
• [50:23] — Food as the “common denominator” in life and hospitality
• [56:07] — Reflections on self, family, and what matters most

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Tone & Atmosphere

Authentic, personal, brutally honest yet full of gratitude and humor. The conversation is raw, supportive, and focused on both the struggle and the passion that shape the hospitality world. Both host and guest balance emotional openness with wit and camaraderie, creating a safe space for difficult topics and career wisdom alike.

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Resources & Connections Mentioned

• Chef Sherief Shawky
  • Instagram: [@ChefReef91]
  • LinkedIn: Sharif Shawky (Unox USA)
• Unox North America: [@unox.inc]
• Burn Chef Project: theburntchefproject.com
• Walk-In Talk Podcast/Media: thewalkintalk.com

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Final Thought

Chef Sherief’s story is as much a salute to resilience and humility as it is about culinary excellence. The journey from Egyptian roots to American kitchens to the corporate world is marked by honest introspection, the power of mentorship, and a passionate belief that food is the glue holding communities together.

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Transcript

[A]

Every chef has a story. Some begin in culinary school, some begin in a restaurant, and some begin halfway around the world. Today's guest grew up between two cultures, spending part of his childhood in Virginia and part in Egypt after his parents divorced. What started as a family pizzeria job eventually turned into a culinary career that would take him through some of the industry's most demanding kitchens, alongside award winning chefs hunting high volume restaurant groups, hotels, country clubs, and eventually one of the world's leading food service equipment companies. But this isn't just a story about cooking. It's a story about identity, about pressure, about burnout, about the moments that force us to rethink the future we've been chasing. Along the way, Sharif experienced many of the realities that hospitality professionals know all too well. Long hours, physical exhaustion, personal sacrifice, and the emotional weight that often comes with life inside professional kitchens. Today, he serves as corporate chef and team leader for North America at unox, helping operators, chefs, and organizations across the continent rethink what's possible through technology training and culinary leadership. He's also an ambassador for the Burn Chef project, working to bring greater awareness to mental health challenges that continue to affect our industry. But underneath all of that, he's still a chef, he's still a student, still someone who believes that food remains one of the most powerful ways to connect people. So today we're talking about the journey, the kitchens, the mentors, the leap into corporate leadership, and what happens when opportunity shows up and you're always willing to say yes. Chef Sharif, let's start at the beginning. When you spent part of your childhood in Virginia and part in Egypt. Looking back, how did growing up between two cultures shape who you became as a person and a chef?

[B]

Great question. I mean, what shaped me as a person growing up and in the United States and in Egypt is learning multiple cultures, but yet seeing how everybody treats food and culture and people completely differently here in the States. Growing up, majority of my life here, it, it showed me that everybody here is always on the go. When I grew up in, in Egypt, I grew up, I went there when I was 5 or 6 and I had no idea what to expect. All I knew I was had my dad next to me and I had my brand new bike that was shipped that I looked forward to. And as soon as we landed, I was needed by my grandfather that I've only maybe seen once, and my grandmother and all that. And my dad leaned up to me and he was like, we're gonna have a good time, don't worry. To me, I took it personally, because I wanted to be better than anybody. But at the end of the day, I learned religion, I learned food. I learned how to maneuver different personalities at the same time. Before I forget, Carl, thank you so much for having me. I walk and talk here in Tampa. It's a pleasure being here. And so you can be able to see what my brain, what I think, and translate into food.

[C]

First of all, what you did today in the kitchen, like, we don't have schleppers that come through here. Everybody's high end, and you, you fit that mold. You're cut from that cloth. The dishes were absolutely fire. Talk about what you did for the first dish.

[B]

Well, thank you so much that you think it was fire. I, I, I never like to take praise, but I want to say that it's. It's all about to be humble and be able to speak what I've learned into my dishes. But seared scallops was our first dish that we did. Beautiful U10 scallops, bacon, lardons, braised chipolini, onions with a little bit of veal stock, charred brussels sprouts, pickled cauliflower, and a little bit of summer corn. And obviously, the microgreens, what put it all the way to the top.

[C]

Well, let me just tell you first. Yesterday, I went on a mission, and I met with the driver from Lombardi Seafood, picked up the scallops, and from there, I went to go meet Marvin over at Cahaba Club. We actually went to Timpano, and we had a cocktail over there and an appetizer as he passed off the microgreens. And then we actually met John. We met with Chef Nelly. He sat with us for a little while. Great conversations. Chef. You saw how fast the turnaround on images. When these dishes go back to John in photography, you see how fast they are. So when I tell you, fire. Yeah. And it tastes fabulous, the way it looks on film is just amazing. And I know you saw that.

[B]

I did. And, and I know the first thing that I complimented was the. The veins of the bull's blood. And that, to me, was just like, that's what I strive for. Like, me growing up in kitchens and creating dishes wasn't just about if it tastes good or if it looks good. My pleasure that I got out of the kitchen was walking through the dining room and someone like, man, this is so good. I will come here every single day. And for me, I mean, it has pork in it, and 85 of the dishes that I cook have pork. Do I try it? I probably Try the first time. But would I eat it over and over? No. I mean, it's part of my religion. Have I tried pork, mom, if you ever listen to this. Yes, I have. But at the end of the day, it's. It's. It's. It's all about what's in the heart. You know what I mean? That's. That's for me, but that was one of the challenges that I had to get used to of that. I ever think I'll be using pork or breaking down hogs or cooking with bacon lardons or anything? No.

[C]

I mean, mom cooked a breakfast with no hog. Do you know what I'm saying?

[B]

It's true, but just.

[C]

I'm putting it out there like that. A little ice cube for everybody, right? Yeah. Look, man, I'm not mad at you because I'm there to pick up the pieces, all right? Literally, the pieces of pork. I want to pick up the pieces. I can appreciate what you're saying. It's hard to take a compliment, and it's hard to. It really is hard to embrace that. Maybe not for everybody, but I agree with that. So does John, for that matter. I'll talk for him because he doesn't speak. And it's not because of the equipment either. Long and short is you came here today as humble as could be, and you hit home run after home run, and you have a great personality. And I can see why you've gotten to the place where you're at, because personality, I. Obviously, you have to have your skill set. You don't have a skill set. You're not in the equation. Right. Personality gets you over the finish line.

[B]

That is. That's a very true statement. I mean, piggybacking on that is humble. Right? I mean, one of my.

[C]

Forget all the compliment talk back and forth, you know, the back slaps and all of that. We know that you do a great job in who you are and what you do, but when did you realize professionally that, hey, I'm actually good at this?

[B]

When I graduated high school in Egypt and my dad sat me down, would. Would FaceTime me, my mom and my dad was like, all right, where do you want to go to school? My immediate reaction was like, the United States. I see it in my dad's eyes. He's like, wow, my son is all grown and he's leaving. But at the end of the day, he. He had me for majority of my life, and I felt like it was very important for me to, like, okay, let me go see what the other side of the world has. So when I came to the States, I had two options. I either come up how Egyptians always come up, where you graduate college, your dad buys you a house and everything's handed to you. But culture, it's not, it's not that I'm spoiled or anything, but just how everybody in Egypt grows up. And coming here is, is where when I landed and I met my mom. I've never met my, my little brother. At the time he was only six months old. And my mom's got remarried. And remind you, my mom was never a chef. My mom was vice president of, of Western Union internationally. So she traveled like I'm traveling today, non stop from India to the Middle east, etc, and then when she came, when she retired that she went into Wagovia back in the day, which was Wells Fargo. And long story short, she got into a little incident so she couldn't work, she didn't work there anymore. And then she got married and then she decided like, hey, let's open up a restaurant. Now mind you, my mom from Heart, she's, she's a great person. She's. I'm, I have a lot of her. She's overthinker, just like I am. She always thinks worst case scenario. But in heart, she's wonderful. She's super, super white and pure and she always cares about the people around her before herself. I took that from her. But to finish this is, it's, it's that she always cooked with her heart and you can see it. So when she decided to open up a pizzeria, it was in New Brunswick, New Jersey, right on Rutgers campus. It was called Paulie's Pizza. And she sat me down, she's like, hey, you're in the States, you want a car, you want this, you want that. You need to work. In my head, I'm like, work. You know, I didn't, I didn't work in Egypt, you know what I mean? Like, so I go work at the pizzeria. And she was like, all right, pick a station. I'm like, okay, it's the middle of July, it's Super, super hot. AC's not on. Doors open, back doors open. Pizza. Both ovens are on almost 600 degrees. And she was like, all right, start. Okay, what do you want me to start with? Well, ask the guys. So there was three people. Omar, Louise and Eddie. Those were like our three main chefs in the pizzeria. Omar and Eddie were mainly pizzas, and Luis was doing all the sauteing stuff. So I started off with saute. Two months, three months go by, and it's like getting easier and easier. And then my stepfather pushed me to learn how to make pizzas. And in my head I'm like, I don't want to do this in my, in my brain doing all this. I wasn't going to school for culinary. My main goal was international business. It was already enough for my dad to hear that, oh, you're not going to be an NGO like me.

[C]

Support for Walk and Talk Media comes from Metro Food Service Solutions, trusted by kitchens that need storage and workflow that actually does the job.

[B]

Learn [e-mail] or like his sisters and all that. Everybody's in doctors. And I was like, yeah, not for me. So I go do international business. I do that my first two semesters, and we go. And I go into accounting two. And I was like, yeah, this is not for me at all. So I told my mom and she was like, I told you, you should go into culinary school. And I'm like, culinary school? I can't do that. She's like, why not? I said, because my dad's not going to approve. And then she sat me down. She was like, listen, I'm gonna tell you two things. Take it or leave it. Like, all right. She said, you either going to do what you love or you're going to do what people want you to do, and you're going to be miserable. So I took that to the grave. I'm, it's still in the back of my mind every single day. So I was like, yeah, all right. So I learned how to make pizzas. I injured myself. I, I, we had a big 50 gallon Horber mixer. We used to shred our own cheese. And you see the guys just go in there, grab a piece of cheese. I'm like, yeah, I can do it. I go in there, boom, there goes three. There goes three of my fingers. Cut. Not really cut them, but I lost a good amount of skin. And my mom was right there. My mom was faints. I burned a couple pizzas, you know, do stupid mistakes, all that type of stuff. But at the end of the day, she told me, she was like, go apply for culinary school. So I want to apply to culinary school at Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey. And I, I was doing great. I was striving. And at the same time, every time my dad calls, how's school going? Oh, it's great. You know, I didn't break the news to him yet. I was scared, legitimately, I was super scared because not not because I'm doing anything wrong, but I don't want to disappoint him. But go there and I go into school, first semester, second semester, and boom. I'm like the dean, right? Dean comes up to me. She's my friend, my mom's friend. And she was like, you're doing phenomenal. I'm gonna have you skip a couple semesters, couple. A couple classes. You don't. She doesn't think I need them. All right, cool. She's like, I want you to go apply for an externship. I was like, already? She's like, yeah. She was like, I want you to go work at a place called the Frog and the Peach. All right. And back in the day, the Frog and the Peach in New Brunswick, New Jersey, was one of the first restaurants in New Jersey that got a three star New York Times awards. And it was underneath Chef Bruce, he was half Canadian, half French. So I go there and start working and everything someone teaches me, it just gets easier and easier. So long story short, I start going on the station at the Frog and a Peach and gay. And the guy calls out, and Chef Bruce looks at me, he's like, you got this. I was like, yes, Chef, I got it. Are you sure? I'm positive. I took notes and notes on pictures, how to set it up, how to cure the tuna for the tartare, et cetera, et cetera. And from that moment on, I was like, yeah, the kitchen lights for me.

[C]

Speaking of pizza.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

We had pizza today.

[B]

Fire. All I can say, right?

[C]

I kind of set that up right. I mean, once I heard your story on our pre call and you were talking about pizza and everything, our local official, like, pizza for walk and talk is a company here called Buy the Chef Pizza. And you know, Chef Beater is phenomenal. And I told him that you were coming. I told him all about you, and he was so excited. He was like, oh, man.

[B]

I.

[C]

And he. He was like throwing pizzas at me, like, take all of this.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, we got five pies. I know. It's only four of us. I know.

[C]

Anyway, the long and short of it is I love pizza a lot. And. And I know you do too. And I just, you know, I just wanted to make sure that you knew that there's some depth here on the show.

[B]

I mean, okay, no questions about that pizza. It was absolutely fire. Or nowadays, 20, 26, they're saying it's gas.

[C]

Totally gas. So you've actually had a pretty interesting career. You've worked for some pretty Big name chefs. That means you've been mentored properly. Which one of these mentors changed you the most? And what I mean by that is. And I know it's easy to be like, hey, my mom, my dad. That's not what I'm talking about. Which. Which one of these chefs that mentored you, their teachings, they're still with you today.

[B]

So I can't just pick one, because if I pick one, I'll be a little selfish. I would say breaking it up into stages of my life. And I'm going to start off with Chef Bruce. Chef Bruce. I know I was. I wasn't the greatest to start off with. And he always told me. He's like, remember, whatever happens in the kitchen you do to a chef is going to come back to you as a chef. I never believed that, and I promise you, it happens. You know, like they say, karma. Karma is real. So I was one of those guys where, you know, my first shift at Chef Bruce, I was five minutes late. And he never let it down until two weeks later, until I was the master of herbs. And he always pushed me. He was like, once I did herbs, he's like, well, you're going to be on pastry. And I was like, man, I don't want to be pastry. Why I came here to learn saute. He's like, trust me, you. You'll thank me later. So I learned after the frog and the peach, I went to a hotel. Didn't really learn much at the hotel, but I learned volume. That's why I wanted to go to a hotel, because when you're in culinary school, it's like, you. You have to do a hotel experience. So I did that, and then I worked at Cheesecake Factory for a little bit. I learned how the real grinder works of going in at 7 in the morning, not leaving your station until 4. Great experience. But the highlight of my career is when I had the opportunity to work with Chef Sherriard. It was so. It. How it worked. It was that me and my stepfather bumped heads a lot of. And it came to a point where I was like, you know what? I'm not working at the pizzeria. I'm moving out. And I did it. I was like, I'm gonna go move in with a couple of my friends, and I'm gonna do what I have to do. So I did so. And I went online, and I. And I applied for Chef Sherry Yard at I Pick Theaters in Fort Lee, and I interviewed as a line cook. And when I first met her, she Sat me down. And she was like, what do you want out of this? And I told her, I was like, I want to learn, I want to grow, and most, most importantly, I just want to make this as my career. And she was like, all right, well, I need you to prove it to me just like any other chef. So I worked every single station. You imagine it. Three months later, I become her sous chef. After that, I become Executive Sue. Fast forward a couple years. She's like, I want you to go open up restaurants. And she. She took me to go see Chef Michael Simon. But what I learned from Chef Sherry is to suspend my ego always. She was like, when you come into the building, leave that ego outside. So Chef Sherry told me to prove it to her. Work hard, keep my head down, and take my blinders off. Then I left New York City. My stepfather got diagnosed with Parkinson's, and my mom and them left Jersey to go to North Carolina. And it happened very randomly. They left in March for a couple weeks. Yeah, we're gonna go visit our family in North Carolina. I was like, all right, you're gonna come? No, I'm staying here. And we got a blizzard that time in. In Jersey. So I'm over there shoveling snow, and they're sending me pictures. It's like, 78 degrees outside. I'm like, wow, what a great. You know, what a great place to be at. And then she's like, three days later, hey, we just bought a house. Oh, what do you mean, we just bought a house? She's like, yeah, we bought a house. We're gonna sell the pizzeria, and we're moving to North Carolina. I was like, you guys are. I'm not. And then my mom was like. She started crying. I'm like, why are you crying? She's like, because I want you to be with us. But I was like, what am I going to do there? It's like, I have New York City where, you know, you can make a name for yourself. I'm going to go to North Carolina. And do what? She's like, come visit. So I went and visited, and it was just like, country. Now let me. Let me do this. Now I'm in the Carolinas. Country and the Carolinas are different. But for me, coming from New York City and going to Charlotte, everything to me was open land. We. You don't see that up north. You don't see, you know, cows and all that roaming around in the field on the highways right there. So I told her, absolutely not. So for me, I listened to What Chef Sherry told me is like, sometimes you got to be selfish in your career. So I said, yeah, I'm going to be selfish and I'm going to put my head down and I'm just going to ride the grind of New York City and Jersey.

[A]

This episode is brought to you by Trimark, the largest food service design equipment and supplies provider in North America. Trimark works directly with operators, bringing design, build expertise, supply sourcing, strength, project, project management, installation, and servicing together to power smarter hospitality kitchens.

[C]

Learn [e-mail] Then I went from there.

[B]

I opened up some restaurants with Sherry and met my wonderful, beautiful wife in Delroy Beach, Florida, opening up the IPIC theaters there. Then I left. I pick. And then I worked with Chef Jamie lynch in Charlotte, opened up a couple restaurants with him. I left there, went to a country club, and here I am now with Unox.

[C]

Big names.

[B]

Big names, yeah.

[C]

Sherry Yard, three time James Beard winner, Chef Jamie Lynn. I mean, these are huge names. Would a young chef like yourself at the time coming up like that, your ego had to probably have been pretty gigantic. In our pre call, you mentioned, you know, learning how to leave your ego at the door. What was that moment in your career where humility taught you more than, like, talent actually could.

[B]

This, this story is one of my top because it's always in the back of my brain. It was New Year's Eve, and Chef Max Nosbill was the executive chef at the time at Fort Lee, N.J. and I learned a ton from him. But I was, I was, in my head, I was like, man, I. I did a great job. I held this building together, this, this and that. You know, I got all the prep done, this, this and that, and come service. And I gave Chef Max an attitude in front of the staff. And because I thought I was, you know, I had all my, I thought I had all my ducks in a rope, to say the least.

[C]

You thought you were a hot shot?

[B]

To say the least. Yeah, I, I thought I was, you know, I was the bomb.com on the line. Like, this is my restaurant. But I mean, it humbled me because he came in there, how's this? How's that? And I just looked at him and I just turned the other When I continue cooking. And he's, he's a big guy. He's. I'm six five. He was at least six, seven. He's big, big. He's intimidating, right? And so he sends me home. He's like, get the out of here. Go home. I was like, oh, okay, right so what did I do? I went. I told my mom, and my mom was like, what'd you do? Well, I told her. I was like, you know, in my brain, I think my mom. I thought my mom was gonna, you know, be like, yeah, yeah, don't worry. You know, he's the bad guy. My mom was like, you deserve it. She was like, you better be there tomorrow morning early, even if you're off. I was like, what? She was like, yes. She's like, you pick this bath. Do it. So in my head, I was like, all right. So I went home, and I was in deep thought. I was like, I've never got sent home in my life. I never got ran up. But with Chef Max, I've got ran up. I got sent home. And the cherry on top was when I messed up an order for. I forgot what the movie was. But it was a big movie. It was a big, you know, blockbuster. It was huge. And I think I hit a couple cases, a little what, Too much on Cisco. And next thing you know, the truck comes, and the guy's like, Yeah, I got 26 pallets. I'm like, 26 pallets? Whoa. What do you mean? So I go out there and I try and finesse and, you know, hey, we don't need this. Hey, we don't need that. And Chef Matt comes in here, and he say, bring that invoice or come to my office. All right, go in the office. He closed the door. He reads the invoice. He stands up, and he throws that computer against the wall so fast. And my face just goes white blank. And he's like, you're gonna have to fix this mess up. I'm like, fix what mess up? Then he starts yelling and screaming. I get up and I leave. I literally walked. Like, I'm about to get in my car and walk out. Guess who I called again? My mom. My mom was like, you better turn. Turn your behind right back and go man up to your mistake. She's like, these are the opportunities that will make you or break you. And always remember that. Do your work as you own it. Don't do it just for a paycheck. So I took that, and I never made those mistakes ever again. And I always, till today, leave my ego at the door. No matter what the praise is. I don't want it.

[C]

Yeah, but did you go back?

[B]

Did you go back 110? I went back, and I continued for two years after that.

[C]

Oh, no, no. Okay, that's great. Two years when you went back in into the when you Back. When you went back into the restaurant after you decided to split, what did Chef tell you?

[B]

He brought me into the office and he apologized. He was like, I got out of hand. But you deserved it. And I was like, I agree with you. Yes, Chef. I always said, yes, Chef. I didn't know what to say. I mean, what am I gonna. I don't want to make it up. An excuse to get kicked out again or something.

[C]

There's nothing, you know, to say other

[B]

than, yeah, Chef, for me, it hurt because, you know, when you think you have everything under control and then you, in front of your staff, get sent home, it hurts the ego. It really hurts it.

[C]

Especially. Especially if you feel that your positioning is higher than it actually is. That is a burner.

[B]

That. It is. Yeah, it is. It's true, though. I mean, that's why I tell the two chefs that I have with me, and I'm blessed to have them. Jeff and Jordan, before I even hired him, I was like, you need to know something. They're like, we already worked with you. No, no, no, no, no. Suspend your ego. And communicate is my key word every single time I talk. If you would ask them, they'll tell you. Communication. Keep the kitchen clean and think outside the box.

[C]

So you ended up at Unox after all of. After all of this experience and learning and getting your ass kicked and the whole thing. How did you know you reached a point where something had to change?

[B]

Oh. Oh, yeah.

[C]

Because that's a big change. You're going from the kitchen to a man, like an equipment manufacturer, and on this. And that's like, there's a sales component to that. So now you're doing something where, you know, most chefs are introverted. You know, they leave. They leave the. The restaurant, go have a few drinks or whatever, and it's a whole different life than being in sales for a professional company, bro. You went to the dark side. How did you manage that?

[B]

Well, before. Before we say I went to the dark side, I experienced the dark side.

[C]

I am your father. You went to the dark side?

[B]

I did. But what led me to this was when I got married. I got married in July 7th of 2022, and I was working with Chef Jamie Lynch. I was the regional calling director for the group, and. And they. They hosted my wedding. Everything was on them. Super, super thankful for it. But in the middle of that, I injured my back. I slipped two discs. I was trying to do what every chef dies to do is just to thug it out and just push through it, because we're busy. I always put work ahead at that moment. I never did family and then work, so I always did work ahead. And when I married my wife. Funny story. When I. When I was getting serious with my wife, the first two questions she asked me was like, are you sure you want to get married? 110 and random things. She's like, what is your credit score? I was like, wow. Never, never, never. Never thought that someone would ever ask me, what is my credit score? But I'm gonna tie this in later, and you'll see. My wife is. How do I say it? She's very good with money. I'm the complete opposite. I. I like to spend. I like nice stuff. Not saying that my wife doesn't, but my wife is more of the smarter aspect. She. She completed me, right? So when I got married and I hurt my back, she. She sat me down because I was miserable. I. I don't like drinking, and I was drinking almost every night at home, and I wasn't myself. She. I'll come home. We start fighting. I'm miserable. I'm slamming stuff. I'm yelling at my staff on the smallest stuff. I'm just not me. And she. She told me. She was like, hey, we need to talk. And I got that text. I'm like, oh, boy. So I went home, and she's like, you need to figure this out. She's like, you need to find a new job or fix your back at my head. I was like, all right. That's when everything clicked. So I went to Chef Jamie and Patrick, and I told him. I was like, hey, I. My back's pretty messed up. And Patrick and Jamie, like, go see a doctor. So I went and saw a doctor and went to a specialist, and they started injecting me with a bunch of steroids and shots and this physical therapy, and so I would not leave. So all that stuff. I used to have long hair. I used to have a man bun, I promise you. And during that whole time, one of the things that I was like, I need to start fresh. Once I got my first injection, I went to the barber. I was like, take it off. I went home. My wife was like, wow, what a change. When I went to Jamie the second after Ed, he was like, what happened to your hair? I was like, I need to start fresh. But through all that, I mean, it. It. Pain puts you in a very dark place. But at the end of the day, I take it as a learning curve. I took advantage of it. At some point, once it all clicked and realized that I'm gonna take this for advantage of how I can control pain, how I can control my relationship, how can I control the uncontrollable? Right. Because one of my favorite phases that I've learned in kitchens is control what you can control. Control your controllables.

[C]

Walk and Talk Media is proudly supported by Rack Porcelain usa, creating durable, beautifully designed tableware for chefs and hospitality professionals. Learn more@rack porcelain.com.

[B]

don't worry about other stuff that you have no involvement in. Right? So that happens. I. I resigned from the 5th street group, and I went to a country club, and that was everybody's gateway out. I. I was maybe 31 when I went to a country club, so I was super young.

[C]

And you put yourself to pass here pretty quick.

[B]

Yeah. And when I went interviewed, the guy was like, you sure you want this? I was like, yeah, man, I can. He's like, I know you can offer a lot, but are you sure you want a country club? I was like, yes, this is what I want. So I went in there, I promised X, Y, and Z, and I did everything when I was. When we were. When I was still working with Chef Jamie, we were looking to upgrade some equipment in the kitchen, and one of them was combi ovens. We only had one in the back of prep. And Jamie was like, hey, I think it's time for us to get something new. It's like, cool. So I always knew, you know, the one that everybody knows, which is rationale, and was very new, what Unox was. And. And I learned, and it was pretty. It was pretty. It was really great. When we had it, we started in Charlotte, then we moved it to Charleston, and then we opened up Tempest. I implemented in Tempest, and now in every single restaurant Chef Jamie has, they have Unoxes. So the person that sold us to Unoxes, his name was Corey. He hit me up. He was like, charlotte's very small, so everybody knows when you leave or don't leave, and stuff like that. So he kills me. And he's like, hey, I heard a rumor. I was like, what's the rumor? You don't work with Jamie anymore? I was like, yeah, that's true. Where are you at? I was like, a country club? He's like, you want out? I was like, what do you got? He's like, we got a corporate chef. I was like, okay, tell me more. He's like, you know, nine to five, weekends and holidays. I was like, sold. Sign me up. And he was like, all right, cool. Send me your resume. I applied of everything, and then it was like he was explaining it to me. Yo, you travel, you know, barely travel. You know, go do shows and visit customers. I was like, yeah, cool. No worries. So I went and told my wife, and she was like, yeah, that's great, but you just started this new job. So I was interviewing with Mike Dick Restaurant Group out of Chicago, and it was. It was an opportunity. They were trying to come to Charlotte at the time. And I interviewed and I did really great. And there were. I was in between, right. I was like, should I leave the kitchen or should I stay in the kitchen? So I sat down and I was like, all right, well, let me write it down. Pros and cons. And the pros outweighed the cons when it come to Unox, and. And working back in operations. And I decided to go with Unox. Now, I underestimate when they say it's a very slow process. Right. I interviewed in March.

[C]

Well, wait a minute, though. First of all, don't think you're gonna slide by with me not bringing up the man bun. Okay?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Don't think that we're not gonna circle back to that. The only reason you got a professional job at Unox is because you cut that man button, or else you were never going to be this rendition.

[B]

Well.

[C]

Of who you are today.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

It ain't going to happen. And listen, there's no disrespect to man bots. I get it, but those Italians are not going to go for that.

[B]

Well, I wouldn't say they. They would have definitely went for it, but it was for me that I had my long hair since I was in Jersey, New York, and. And it carried a lot of memories with me. Good, bad, ugly. And I got married, and I was like, I think I need a change. But I had to ask the wife first because you want me to cut my hair? And I. She's like, do whatever you want. So when I cut it, I was like, I went low. Low. So. But now speaking about it, I was. I was just telling her, I was like, I think I want to grow my hair back out. She's like, you do? I was like, yeah, maybe a different look. But I don't know about all that, but real quick.

[C]

So I. After, I don't know, eight, nine years of having a beard, when my kids were a little bit younger, they only knew me with facial hair. Like, pretty thick facial hair. And one day, I really just made a mistake in the shower. Couldn't fix it, man. And I was like, oh, God, I got to really. I Got to just take this whole thing off, all of it. So I went in bottom, you know, with bushy face, and I came out, you know, clean shaven. My wife had the crooked face. My daughter cried. My son looked at me like he didn't even recognize me as it was awful. And coincidentally, and that was years ago yesterday, my daughter's sitting on a couch with me and she's real close and she's kind of playing with me. She said, daddy, don't ever shave your face.

[B]

She's reminding you, don't do it again.

[C]

Like this really just happened like yesterday.

[B]

Yeah, so, I mean, that was. Yeah, I wanted to start fresh with the man bun. So I interviewed with Unox and in my interviews, I interviewed with the president at the time, I interviewed with the head of sales, and I interviewed with the corporate chef manager of the world, Nicole. I. And I was just myself. I. Obviously half of this job is personality and half of this job is speaking to people. So. So my interview was with Nicole. I was like, hey, tell me a story about yourself. Said, you got 30 minutes. All right. Like, you sure? He's like, yeah. So I told him my story and I looked down on the clock. I was like, oh, my God, I am so sorry. He's like, no, no, no, you're good. He's like, all green lights for me. So in my head, I was like, okay, I think I got a good chance at this job. And then, you know, going, getting your contract back and forth, this, this and that and good, got it. I put my notice in and I left. And I looked at Jeff and Jeff and the other chef, Jeff Jordan, I was like, hey, I'm gonna give you guys a call. And they're like, yeah, yeah, sure, why not? Like, I promise me, it might not be now, it might be a couple years later, but I'm gonna give you guys a call. So I, I left and I went to. I went to Unox and my first day was May first of all, 23. And two weeks later was NRA. And that was when reality hit me where I was like, oh, man, did I make a good a right move or not? Didn't know what to expect. All I know is that I told my wife I was only going to be traveling for 30% and ended up. My first travel was like almost six weeks. And she was like, well, what happened to the 30%? I was like, well, I don't know. This is a rare occasion, but yeah, I mean, super, super blessed to be where I'm at now. And it's it's great. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

[C]

You've experienced some really difficult things in the industry, including losing colleagues to substance abuse. Was that an eye opener for you that, you know, wow. Like, this is. This is a rough place, and, you know, it needs to be addressed or approached in a specific way.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, when. When I experienced it my first time, I was. I only heard about it in kitchens, but I've never experienced it in. In real life. I. I had one of our line cooks when I was at Chef Jamie. His name was Jojo or Joey. Great line cook. Super, super tight, talented. He had a great heart, but he. He. He. He went through substance abuse. Right. And I'm. I am in no way to, you know, to. I don't know how to say it, but there's no judgment, right? I mean, we're all in the kitchen. We all do what we have to do, but at the end of the day, I care about my employees, and I learned this from Chef Sherry and. And Chef Charles and Chef Max that be. Treat the people how you want to be treated, right? And saying good morning, good night goes a very, very long way. How are your kids? How are you doing, etc. Etc. So I built that relationship. JoJo joined us right after Covid, and we picked him up from a restaurant that was closing, and he was solid. He was. Man, that guy. That kid could. He could cook any fish, anything. He was ready. It came from New York City as well. Moved to Charlotte with his brother, and he. We started hanging out. I used to take, you know, certain people, hey, let's go grab, you know, dinner. This is. That I knew he was doing. He was coming off of or just came from treatment, so I'd never wanted to take him out to a bar or take anything because I don't want to be, you know, The. The purpose of anybody relapsing. So I took him. I would always, you know, call him, how are you doing? Do you need anything? Etc. Etc. I experienced this personally. We have. One of our family members is very big on substance abuse, and I don't usually share this a lot, but I. I've only met him maybe four times in my life, and he's very. He's my mom's younger cousin, and he's been in and out of jail his whole life. He has two kids. He's out now, but he's always been through substance abuse, so I know what it does. What. What do you. What a person would do to get the fix to Say So I told JoJo, and I was like, hey, listen, if you ever need anything, make sure you call. He's like, yeah, I'm thinking of, you know, getting a girlfriend. I was like, I don't know if you should do that yet. I was like, finish, you know, your treatment. You know, you just passed two months. I was like, go for the six. Like, go for the six and then start seeking, you know, a relationship. Because

[C]

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[B]

if you go into a relationship from what I've experienced and you're not 100% mentally, if you're not 100% mentally, you're going to go into a bad spiral if your emotions get to you and you don't get your way.

[C]

Not to mention you're probably going to find the wrong person. I mean, when you're not in your correct frame of mind, you. You're going to just crutch out on somebody who's. Who's going to bring you down a bad path 100%.

[B]

And then at that point, you're looking to, what do you guys like? To what is your common denominator? And if the person says, hey, you know, right. And. And for me, it was like, okay, well, I was always praying in the back of my mind, like, don't, you know, please don't relapse. Please don't relapse. And so we get. It was a Sunday service, and he. He was late, and I called, no answer. I called no answer. I called, no answer. And I was like, all right, well, this is not him. He usually calls or answers or sends a text or whatever the case may be. And I was like, all right, I'm not gonna overthink it. We're just gonna do, you know, service. And then me being me, which I got from my mom, is overthinker. I kept calling and calling and calling, and I'm like, this is not him. So I gave it to the next day, Monday, I was off, and I reached out to his brother. I was like, hey, this is Chef Sharif. I work with Joe. Just. Just so you know, I. I missed his. He missed the shift. And his brother was like. His brother was like, yeah, he. He probably relapsed. He'll be back tomorrow. And in my head, I'm like, okay, I can't just go knock on his door. So a day goes by and. And he. I text him was like, any News? No, not yet. I'm gonna reach out to the apartment complex so we can go do a wellness check. All right. That's Tuesday. I get a call Tuesday afternoon from his brother. He's like, jojo passed. And in my head, I'm like, man, what could have? You know, you always take the blame on yourself, right? Like, what could have I done? Could have I just went there and knocked the door down or. You know what I mean? Like, and it hit. It hit me really, really hard. And I was just like, obviously, I'm a leader of a kitchen. I can't show my emotions to the team, not because it's not right, but as a leader, if. If I'm upset, the energy is going to carry throughout the kitchen. Right? So I reached out to Chef Jamie and I told him, and he was like, are you okay? I was like, I'll be all right. I was like, I'm more worried about what the staff and how they're going to perceive it. So Jamie was like, I'm going to come to the restaurant. So he came to the restaurant, and we had a. A staff meeting, and we. We addressed it, and Chef Jamie told me. He's like, are you all right? I was like, yeah, I'll be all right. In my head, I'm. It's very hard for me to. To admit to someone if I'm good or not good, even to my mom, because I don't want to give every. You know, I'm not that type of person. I want to put my. My. How do I say it? My. My worries or my. My problems on someone else. Even to my wife. I, I. If it's really bad, I'll. I'll do it. But I. I'm. I'm. I always keep it in, which. Which I learned is not good. So I. I went to therapy. I wasn't my first time. I went to therapy once when I was in New York City. My mom doesn't know this, so this could be a. A conversation for later. But, yeah, I went to therapy and. And Chef Jamie called in the family. If we told Joe's family to come in. We helped out with the funeral. We told. We told everything, you know, whatever we could done. But it's always. It was always in the back of my mind, could I saved him? Could I have done it?

[C]

There's nothing that anyone can do for somebody that isn't ready to save themselves. Yes, there is.0%.

[B]

And, you know, it's the. The hard part is, is that the weekend before we all hung out we had a great time. We went to the mall. I had them all over at my mom's house. We had a great meal. My mom is, My mom was very big of having. Bring your friends over, let me cook for them and send everybody home with food and, and you know, for me, it's just a matter of second gone.

[C]

Tomorrow is not promised.

[B]

And my next thing is to. It is that I always tell people that you never know what tomorrow carries. And I'm. Every time I wake up in the morning, I'm super, super thankful that God gave me another day, even if it's not a full day. But it's always in God's hands and that's how I always live by. But, but back to that. I mean, that's why after all that, I was like, what can I do indirectly to help out? Have I experienced substance use? No. Have I experienced being in dark places 110% more than once when, when I had my back, my wife had to move the pistol away from the side of my bed from me because I, I didn't know I was in so much pain. Was like, what should I do? So she was like, yeah, let me hide this from you. Right? And that to me, scary because I haven't been married a year and I'm, I don't want my wife to think, oh, damn this, this unraveled really quick, you know, and, and for me, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's not pride or anything, but it's, it's tough, bro. It's like I'm trying not to get emotional, but it's, it's, it's. It was hard for me to, to be on here now and admit to this, but that's why when I found an opportunity with the Burn Chef project, I hopped on it asap. And for me, it was just like the cherry on top is that I asked Unox, I was like, hey, do you guys mind if I do this? They're like, no, we're all about it. So for me, it was just like, all right, win, win situation. I get to give back to the community. I get to speak. I get to. I mean, when you become an ambassador, you take all these courses on how to detect it, how to save it, how to do it. So it helps when you see someone. I mean, 80, 99% of the time when you go approach them. No, I'm fine. All right, well, here's my number. Call me if you need anything. And, and once you get to know them, one day Two day. You hang out with them, they usually open up if they trust you, and if they don't trust you, you'll never get it. But for me, one thing that always. And Chef Sherry wrote it to me on one of my birthday cards when I opened up Delray Beach. She said, you have something very, very special about you, that you have people just gather around you for no reason. And I never understood it, and I never. I never knew. But a lot of your mentors and a lot of people that guide you in life notice something about you that you would discover years after. And one of them was that is that I'm good with people. I can communicate with people, I can teach people indirectly, even though I hate teaching people. Like, I hate training. And you can tell. My chefs will tell you like I tell them. I was like, I don't like doing this, but they're like, you're really good at it. Yeah, I guess. But I mean, it was, it was. It was a. Definitely an eye opener. And it's a relief that now that we have something here in the States that can. Anybody can have access to it. It's 100 free, which is dope.

[C]

I think that what the Burn Shaft project does is phenomenal. And we're very fortunate to have a special relationship with Burnt Chef North America, with Tom and Colleen and Jamie and them. And I think that was one of the byproducts, the great byproducts of the partnership between UNOX and Walk and Talk is that there's this common factor of Burn Chef and what that stands for. We're industry people first, and we've kind of landed in this food space with media. And because we have an outlet and because we have an audience, the least that we could do is to help promote something like this when we know. I mean, I have family members who are a mess, and obviously I've worked with enough people who were hitting walls and training off the tracks. So for me, I get it and I love it. And it's really great that you're here and that you're an ambassador and you're being open with your life and you broke some stuff here. Sorry, Mom. Sorry.

[B]

Why didn't you tell me?

[C]

I just did. You and a million other people. Four out of five hospitality professionals have

[A]

faced at least one mental health challenge during their career. Stress, burnout, anxiety. These are everyday realities in kitchens, dining

[C]

rooms and bars across North America.

[A]

The Burn Chef Project North America is here to change that. They provide free, anonymous support, direct care training and self care resources designed Specifically for chefs, servers and hospitality staff. From therapy services to educational modules, they're

[C]

answering the call for help in one

[A]

of the toughest industries.

[C]

It can't be done alone.

[A]

Your financial support makes this possible. Ensuring that every hospitality professional has access to the tools they need to thrive. Join the movement in breaking the stigma. Email us, Canada, theburntchefproject.com for donation details and mailing information or learn more about the mission at the burnt chef chefproject.com

[C]

but yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, it's, it's, it's, it's a terrific program and I'm glad you're, you're proud of it and you're part of it and you're heralding it out there as well.

[B]

I mean, 110% there's, I mean, we need this in more than anything that anybody realizes it. But it's specifically in the hospitality industry.

[C]

You said something that stuck with me. Food is the. Food is the common denominator that brings people together. After everything you've experienced, all the stuff we're talking about here today, actually. Why do you believe that so deeply?

[B]

Why do I believe that so deeply? Well, it goes back to me growing up in Egypt. We, we always gathered for weekends, holidays, religious holidays. Everything was around food. And when I joined the, when I became a chef, I, I realized that walking through the dining room that people celebrate their engagements, their weddings, their, their birthday parties, their graduations, all over what food. That's how everybody connects to one another. And, and my grandma used to say, you always need to break, break a piece of bread. Obviously in Arabic, but I'm translating in English. You always need to break a bread, piece of bread with someone to get to know. So I took that literally into heart in every single way. Is that if I'm going to become a chef, I want to make sure when people eat my food, they can remember not necessarily me, but the bites of memories they have even now. And in my position now, when we do demonstrations or we do anything and you get a crowd in front of you. Why everybody. Everybody wants food. Everybody. Either food attracts them visually or because it's something they like or even drinks. But that's how you can connect to level to level. But even I'll say break the ice at some sort between one chef to another or one customer to another, or from friend to friend or if someone's looking to date. I mean, you don't go ask a girl, hey, you want to go a party? Like, no, let's go on a Date. Well, what does a date include? Either getting coffee, getting drinks, or getting food. When. When you go do a wedding, yes, it's all about the party, but at the end of the day, it's about the cake, about this, about that. When you're doing anything. I mean, here we. We all connected on the pizza. We connected about, you know, different dishes

[C]

people prepared, and family meal in the industry and at home, literally a meal with your family, but then family meal. Like, I think what we do here at the studio is fairly unique in that. I mean, we were together for five, six hours, right? And we're doing the good work. You know, you're cooking your heart out, and we're filming and shooting pictures, and we're doing the podcast, we're doing all this stuff, but to take a break, give it for 10 minutes, and just to sit and enjoy food, whether it's, you know, badass pizza, scallops, whatever it is, that's special time. And that's where you. You learn people, and that's where you're like, hey, this is a good group of individuals. We should do this more. Right. That's how you kind of push it forward.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, even. Even when you go for the Super Bowl. What. Yeah, everybody likes to watch the game, but what does everybody else go there for? All the snacks. I know I do. You know, the buffalo dip, the. The, you know, the. The wings, etc, the pizza.

[C]

I. I don't use sporting events to, you know, make myself, you know, a slob. I do that on my own accord. Well, I. I don't need, you know, a big game to have me eat that kind of food.

[B]

Well, 100%, but I'm just saying.

[C]

In fact, I. No, you make a terrific point. But. Yeah, I mean, everybody kind of, like, circles around. No matter what the occasion, there's food in the center, and if there's not, I don't want to be there.

[B]

But.

[C]

And that's the truth. If you brought. If you invite me to your wedding and the food's bad, I'm gonna be pissed. Like, legitimately. I'm not gonna say anything. I'm still gonna give you an envelope. It's great. But then I'm gonna get in the car and I'm gonna tell my wife, like, what a bunch of cheapos. Like, they didn't. They didn't come. Come with the food. What are you doing?

[B]

100.

[C]

You sit here for three hours, four hours, and come on, you better feed me.

[B]

No matter what part of the world you go, you'll always be Able to communicate not necessarily by language, but by food. Language is that doesn't matter if I'm here, if I'm Asia or if I'm in Europe. Everybody, when you sit down and eat, you can communicate. Good, bad, there's a language. And Chef Sherry always told me, is that, is that why. Is when someone eats dessert after a great meal, 99 of the time, they'll never forget the meal. Because there's a chemical reactions that happens after you eat, when you eat sweets, but it's specifically chocolate that makes the endorphins super, super high. So you're very happy. I never thought of that. Like, who would imagine planning a whole menu? And you're like, no, you must have at least three chocolate desserts on there. I never thought. But now knowing that there's a reason why, you know, Chef Sherry is a legend, not because she can bake or what she's done, but like, even the, the extra mile that it goes, be like they must get dessert. And if they don't order dessert, just maybe we'll give them some petit fours or whatever, you know, so it. Even to whatever you think of it, food or some sort of ingredient is revolved in it.

[C]

I mean, you've been doing this a long time. And if your younger self, you know, the kid that thought he was going to be an engineer saw you now executive chef, corporate chef, all those trials, tribulations, Unaks, all of it. What does he say?

[B]

Wow. I mean, it. I never thought in a million years I'll be on a podcast, but be part of, you know, the walk and talk media with you guys or even have an opportunity to be working with, with Unox. But even with the chefs that I work with, I think it's all thank to God and, and how I took every advantage to heart and didn't let anything fall through the cracks. And being responsible and growing up and understanding that having a life is just more than bringing a paycheck. And that to answer why my wife asked me about my credit score, it is to show how responsible I am and how I'm able to be a husband one day. And I think that was a very valid question. Not to necessarily I could have fudged it or whatever, but I was like, I never had anybody asked me that. But even looking at it now, there's certain jobs out there that ask you for your credit score. And if you don't have a good credit score, unfortunately in the States, you're. You're very limited. Not necessarily jobs, but living, housing, etcetera. Etc. But I would say that thanks to everybody that pushed me and thanks to my family and thanks most importantly to God that was able to put me in these opportunities and take it the right way and be able to go from engineering and thinking that my dad was going to think that I'm like extreme loser to him now. Coming and almost being in tears and seeing what I do and when I was still with Jamie and taken to the restaurants and hearing what people say about me is. Is. I don't even know. I mean, I think that's what every parent wants to see.

[C]

This session of Walk and Talk Media is made possible by Citrus America, delivering fresh Florida citrus and juice solutions to food service professionals nationwide. Learn [e-mail] is see their kids succeed

[B]

and see them lead their own path and be them. But at the end of the day, I think it's. It's very powerful, Very powerful that the opportunity that you get in the United States, to say the least, because being a chef in Egypt is not really like being a chef here. Being a chef in Egypt, they look at you like you're nothing. It's. It's reality. Even though there's a lot of tourism, a lot of great restaurants, but it's not perceived as here. So I think that's why my dad was like, no, you cannot be a chef. But now when he sees it, I'm successful, I have a house, I'm married, and he's able to come stay with me and, and, you know, I take him around and all that. I think it's great. I mean, I never thought in a million years, but at the end of the day, that's why when I, when I coach my little brother, I'm hard on him. I'm hard on him because number one is his dad has Parkinson's, so his dad's, you know, there, but not really there. And I'm. I've been his father figure, to say the least, or older brother figure for a long time. I mean, I used to change his diapers, I didn't go to parties, etc. But I think that doing that and shaping him and him understanding that I love you to death, but we need this. You need this tough love to grow up and, and do.

[C]

So I'm gonna answer this question for you, okay? Your younger self would say, wow, you really matured. Wow, you've taken your experiences and you, you used the hell out of them for the best. And you know what? I'm so happy that you came and Jesus as well, to share this day with us, man. Thank you. Did freaking phenomenal. Thank you.

[B]

Thank you guys very much. And you guys can find me on Instagram @Chef Reef91 and you guys can find unox@unox inc. LinkedIn. Sharif Shockey s H E R I E F Last name S H A W K Y Unox USA. Great. Thank you guys for having me.

[C]

Have a good time.

[B]

I had a last.

[C]

All right, wonderful.

[B]

Thank you guys.

[C]

Amen. All right, so John.

[B]

John, thanks.

[C]

John, my man. Photographer extraordinaire. Do we have any pictures already? Anything done yet? Did you do any editing while we're doing all this work? No? Okay. All right. Unox, thank you for sending out the gang. I appreciate it very much. Dude, you're welcome back here anytime. Eloria. I see you. I see you. All right, thanks a lot. We are out later. Sa.