What if a single bite could send you home again? Chef Ollie Walleck joins us to explore how memory, empathy, and rigor can reinvent what a kitchen feels like—and what guests taste on the plate. From his start as a teenage cook chasing the service rush to leading teams at The Midway in San Francisco, Ollie breaks down the craft behind food that scales to thousands without losing nuance, warmth, or soul.

We get granular about culture change: why the scream-and-throw era doesn’t build loyalty, how radical candor and respect keep teams together, and why calm is the strongest position when the weeds close in. Ollie credits mentors who embodied presence and precision, then shows how he translated those lessons into systems that make large events run smoothly. He argues the most expensive ingredient isn’t caviar—it’s time. Time to think through a dish, teach it, and respect the guest’s time with food that’s clever, consistent, and genuinely satisfying.

We also talk candidly about identity and visibility. As an out trans man, Ollie shares why leadership that’s openly queer matters to hospitality’s future, and why cities like San Francisco feel built from queer joy, not just tolerant of it. The throughline is simple and powerful: judge a chef by what they plate and how they care for people. If you’re a rising cook, a culinary leader, or just a guest who loves thoughtful food—from nightclub snacks to festival service—you’ll find lessons on scalable creativity, systems that hold under pressure, and the kind of kitchen culture that lasts.

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