Fugitive Chefs

Furqan Meerza
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I’m Furqan Meerza — a chef who worked in some of the world’s top kitchens, including Mugaritz and Noma. Like a lot of chefs, I hit burnout. And I realized I needed a different way to stay connected to food — one that didn’t cost me my health or identity. Fugitive Chefs is a podcast for chefs and food creatives who still love this craft, but need change. Each episode features honest conversations with those who’ve stepped away from the traditional kitchen and into something new — from fermentation and R&D to storytelling, drinks, food culture, and more.

  1. From Noma Fermentation to Food Tech: How Lorenzo Tirelli Is Scaling Flavor with Reduced

    17/12/2025

    From Noma Fermentation to Food Tech: How Lorenzo Tirelli Is Scaling Flavor with Reduced

    In this episode, Furqan speaks with Lorenzo Tirelli — R&D Manager at Reduced (Copenhagen), a food tech company transforming upcycled ingredients into deeply flavorful, additive-free fermented broths using koji.Lorenzo’s path is anything but linear. He dropped out of pharmaceutical chemistry in Rome, trained in kitchens across Italy, Uruguay, and France, worked in Noma’s fermentation lab, earned a Master’s in Food Innovation & Health in Copenhagen — and now leads R&D at a venture-backed food tech scale-up.We talk about:• Leaving science for kitchens — and returning to science through food• Early formative cooking experiences, from fire-based cooking in Uruguay to farm-to-table projects in Rome• What actually happens inside Noma’s fermentation lab• Why fermentation is both craft and controlled science• How upcycled supply chains really work at scale• What chefs lose — and gain — when flavor is standardized• Why clean-label, additive-free products still require deep technical rigor• The role of R&D chefs in shaping future food systems• Work-life balance, parenthood, and why many chefs leave restaurants• How to translate chef intuition into scalable food innovationThis is a conversation about fermentation beyond trend, scaling artisanal flavor responsibly, and building a chef-led career outside the brigade without losing identity.🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday.👉 Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who’s questioning their place in the kitchen.🎙 Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast📸 Furqan’s Instagram: https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv🎧 Podcast Instagram: https://bit.ly/43ndATO🎵 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/43vBtbT🔗 Connect with LorenzoReduced: https://reducedfood.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenzo-tirelli-b58a35232/Instagram: @lollo.tirelli

    52 min
  2. Why Kitchen Burnout Isn’t About Hours, It’s About Control

    02/12/2025

    Why Kitchen Burnout Isn’t About Hours, It’s About Control

    Burnout in kitchens isn’t just about long hours — it’s about losing control of your creativity, your time, and your purpose. In this solo episode, former Noma and Mugaritz chef Furqan, now R&D chef at the Basque Culinary Center, breaks down why so many cooks hit the wall — and how to take back control of your career. 🎯 You’ll learn: The real psychology behind chef burnout4 ways to regain agency over your careerExamples from chefs who left restaurants and rebuilt their path🔗 Join the Fugitive Chefs Circle → https://linkin.bio/fugitivechefspodcast/ 📩 Download the free guide Beyond the Pass → https://bit.ly/4rvn6j5 #FugitiveChefs #ChefBurnout #RestaurantCulture #CulinaryInnovation #FoodCareers #RDChef

    12 min
  3. Celiac to CEO: How Dylan McDonnell Built Foodini to Fix Dining for Millions

    25/11/2025

    Celiac to CEO: How Dylan McDonnell Built Foodini to Fix Dining for Millions

    In this episode, Furqan speaks with Dylan McDonnell — founder & CEO of Foodini, an AI-powered platform fixing one of the most overlooked problems in restaurants: ingredient transparency. Diagnosed with celiac disease at age 10, Dylan spent years navigating a dining world that wasn’t built for people like him.Instead of accepting it, he turned that frustration into a company now helping restaurants, stadiums, and foodservice groups protect diners, reduce mistakes, and unlock new revenue. We talk about:• Why allergens and intolerances are a massive market restaurants still ignore• The hidden operational costs of “I think it’s gluten-free”• How Foodini uses AI + dietitians to map every ingredient in every dish• What new regulations in the US and EU mean for the future of menus• Why diners are demanding personalization — and how restaurants can adapt• The truth about food allergies, tech fear, and the rising “food as medicine” movement• How chefs can turn personal struggles into actual food innovation This is a conversation about lived experience → innovation, the future of personalized dining, and how technology can make the food system safer without replacing humans. 🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday.👉 Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who dreams of cooking differently.🎙 Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast📸 Furqan’s Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv🎧 Podcast Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/43ndATO🎵 Spotify: ⁠https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://apple.co/43vBtbT 🔗 Connect with DylanFoodini: https://foodini.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-mcdonnell/

    46 min
  4. How to Know It’s Time to Leave the Restaurant Kitchen (Chef Burnout & Career Change Advice)

    18/11/2025

    How to Know It’s Time to Leave the Restaurant Kitchen (Chef Burnout & Career Change Advice)

    In this solo episode, Furqan shares the moment he realised it was time to walk away from restaurant kitchens and the five signs that tell many chefs the same truth After years in high-pressure environments including Noma and Mugaritz, Furqan found that passion alone couldn’t survive a system built on exhaustion, repetition, and imbalance. Today, as an R&D chef at the Basque Culinary Center, he helps chefs build meaningful careers beyond the pass and this episode breaks down exactly how to recognise when it’s time for change. You’ll learn: • The early warnings of burnout chefs often ignore • The five signs it may be time to step away • Why leaving a top kitchen isn’t failure • The myths that keep cooks trapped in unhealthy systems • Realistic next steps if you’re scared or unsure Whether you’re a line cook questioning your future, a student unsure about the industry, or a chef dreaming of R&D, education, storytelling, or sustainability — this episode is for you. A career in food doesn’t have to mean a life in service. There are other paths. This is where they begin. 🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday. 👉 Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who needs this. 🎙️ Hosted by Furqan Meerza 📸 Instagram (host): https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv 🎧 Instagram (podcast): https://bit.ly/43ndATO 🔊 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A 🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/43vBtbT 🔗 Join the Fugitive Chefs Circle : a free community for chefs navigating life beyond restaurant kitchens. https://tally.so/r/3jOd7Y

    15 min
  5. From Chef to Tech Founder: How David Castro is Fixing Restaurants from the Inside

    11/11/2025

    From Chef to Tech Founder: How David Castro is Fixing Restaurants from the Inside

    In this episode, Furqan speaks with David Castro — a former chef turned restaurant consultant and the founder of Food Hub, a restaurant software redefining how kitchens work. After studying gastronomy at the Basque Culinary Center and working at acclaimed restaurants like Pujol in Mexico City and Cocina Hermanos Torres in Barcelona, David saw a pattern that most chefs ignore: Restaurants fail not from lack of passion — but from lack of systems. Today, through his global consulting work and Food Hub, he’s helping small independent restaurants gain the kind of structure and consistency once reserved for big hotel groups. Not to replace chefs — but to give them what they’ve lost: headspace for creativity! They talk about:  Why most kitchens run on chaos instead of systems  How tech can give chefs more creative freedom, not less  Lessons from consulting projects in the Galápagos, San Diego, and Cancún What every chef can learn from building systems that scale A conversation about structure, creativity, and the next generation of hospitality innovation — built by chefs, for chefs. If you’ve ever felt that restaurant life could be smarter, calmer, and more human — this episode will show you how chefs like David are building that future.  Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday.  Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who dreams of cooking differently.  Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast  Furqan’s Instagram: https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv  Podcast Instagram: https://bit.ly/43ndATO  Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A  Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/43vBtbT  Connect with David Castro LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-david-castro-zabarain-37459421b/ Instagram: @foodhub.io

    47 min
  6. Fermentation as Philosophy: From Fine Dining to Flour and Community

    04/11/2025

    Fermentation as Philosophy: From Fine Dining to Flour and Community

    In this episode, Furqan speaks with Paul Albert — a French chef turned baker, cheesemaker, and fermentation educator. After years in fine dining, Paul left restaurant life to explore the living world of microbes. From discovering sourdough in Brazil to teaching fermentation in Paris and volunteering in Nepal, his journey shows how slowing down can open new creative and human possibilities. They talk about: Replacing the rush of service with nature’s rhythm Teaching fermentation as a language of care and context Finding balance between craft, freedom, and sustainability Why failure (and patience) are the best teachers A conversation about curiosity, transformation, and what happens when chefs let food — and life — ferment at their own pace. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to build a life in food on your own terms — this episode is proof that creativity thrives beyond the pass. 🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday. 👉 Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who dreams of cooking differently. 🎙️ Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast 📸 Furqan’s Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv⁠ 🎧 Podcast Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/43ndATO⁠ 🎵 Spotify: ⁠https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A⁠ 🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://apple.co/43vBtbT⁠ 🔗 Connect with Paul Instagram: ⁠@paul.fermentation⁠ Chapters 00:00 The Freedom of Baking: Choosing Your Hours 12:00 The Science of Bread: From Intuition to Knowledge 14:50 Curiosity and Learning: The Journey of a Baker 17:58 The First Loaf: Learning from Failure 20:33 Transitioning to Independence: From Employee to Entrepreneur 23:21 Teaching Fermentation: Making Knowledge Accessible 26:29 Contextualizing Fermentation: Adapting to Local Needs 29:21 Misconceptions of Fermentation: Understanding the Process 31:16 The Timeless Art of Fermentation 33:25 Community and Craft in Fermentation 34:44 Understanding the Value of Fermented Products 36:52 Transitioning to a New Culinary Path 43:52 Looking Ahead: Future Projects and Social Impact

    52 min
  7. Beyond the Pass: What’s Next After the Restaurant Kitchen

    28/10/2025

    Beyond the Pass: What’s Next After the Restaurant Kitchen

    After 35 episodes of Fugitive Chefs, I’ve spoken with chefs who left the pass — not to quit food, but to redefine what a chef can be. From R&D labs to classrooms, sustainability projects to storytelling and entrepreneurship — these are the five paths chefs are carving beyond traditional kitchens. In this special solo episode, I break down what I’ve learned from voices like: 👨‍🍳 Dan Giusti — from Noma to school food systems 🌎 Vojtech Vegh — building the world’s first zero-waste restaurant 🌊 Ned Bell — fighting for ocean sustainability 🍫 Maximilian Bogenmann — creating chocolate without cacao🧠 Pat Clifford — leading flavor innovation at PepsiCo We’ll talk about: 00:00 Introduction to the Fugitive Chefs Podcast 02:16 The Evolution of the Podcast 05:03 Five Paths of Culinary Innovation 07:52 Building a Community for Chefs 10:49 Engagement and Future Directions 12:10 Spotify youtube outro.mp4 If this resonates with you: 👉 Join the Fugitive Chefs Circle → [https://tally.so/r/3jOd7Y] 👉 Rate & Follow on Spotify, Youtube or Apple Podcasts — it helps others find the show 👉 Connect on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/furqan-meerza-07b9b5112/ 👉 Watch the Beyond the Pass carousel on my profile This podcast began as a way for me to learn — now, it’s a place where we all can. See you inside the circle! 🎧 Fugitive Chefs — stories and strategies from chefs redefining food, creativity, and purpose.

    12 min
  8. Supper Club Culture : Sormeh on Community Over Covers

    14/10/2025

    Supper Club Culture : Sormeh on Community Over Covers

    In this episode of Fugitive Chefs, host Furqan sits down with Sormeh, a private chef and supper club host from Iran, whose journey shows that you don’t need a restaurant to create magic through food. Sormeh’s story begins in her teenage kitchen — where cooking became her safe space and escape — and evolves into building one of Iran’s first supper clubs, introducing a new culture of dining built on intimacy, storytelling, and community. What makes her path so powerful is how she turned fear into fuel — from hosting her first dinners at a loss just to build trust, to inspiring a whole new wave of supper clubs across Iran. We talk about:🍽️ How food became healing — and later, purpose.🏠 Building community and culture through supper clubs.💡 Pricing, trust, and the challenges of creating outside systems.🌍 Redefining what it means to be a “chef” without a restaurant.📱 The role of social media in scaling a one-person creative business.💬 Why success for her means guests leaving with a memory, not just a flavor. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to build a life in food on your own terms — this episode is proof that creativity thrives beyond the pass. 🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday.👉 Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who dreams of cooking differently. 🎙️ Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast📸 Furqan’s Instagram: https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv🎧 Podcast Instagram: https://bit.ly/43ndATO🎵 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/43vBtbT 🔗 Connect with SormehInstagram: @sormehthegourmet Chapters 00:00 The Journey into Culinary Arts 00:27 Cultural Perspectives on Cooking in Iran 05:03 The Concept of Supper Clubs 09:21 Challenges and Pricing in Supper Clubs 14:13 Social Media's Role in Culinary Success 18:28 Defining Success Beyond Traditional Metrics 22:53 Advice for Aspiring Chefs 27:12 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

    36 min
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About

I’m Furqan Meerza — a chef who worked in some of the world’s top kitchens, including Mugaritz and Noma. Like a lot of chefs, I hit burnout. And I realized I needed a different way to stay connected to food — one that didn’t cost me my health or identity. Fugitive Chefs is a podcast for chefs and food creatives who still love this craft, but need change. Each episode features honest conversations with those who’ve stepped away from the traditional kitchen and into something new — from fermentation and R&D to storytelling, drinks, food culture, and more.

Information

  • Creator
    Furqan Meerza
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Furqan Meerza
  • Show Website
    Fugitive Chefs