WEBVTT
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Everybody knows me by chef shot Isaac.
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If I told them my last name, they would know me.
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I graduated from college with a degree in statistical process control, and I work for IBM as a statistician.
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Really?
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So it's like still like night and day.
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This is the Beyond Data Management Podcast powered by HS GovTech.
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Now here's your host, Cameron Garrison.
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Welcome back.
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We are live at uh beautiful uh Lake Lanier in Georgia at the Jihad Conference 2026, posted up here in the corner of a ballroom.
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And special thanks to the folks at Jihá for uh inviting us and uh giving us the space to uh clutter up uh one of their rooms here.
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I've been looking forward to the guests joining us here uh ever since you showed up on the list as somebody who would be available to sit down and uh you go by Chef John, right?
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That's everybody knows me by Chef John.
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I if I told them my last name, they would know.
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They would know who I was.
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And I um it's funny because when uh Danielle sent over the email and the information, she decided like to introduce you to Chef John.
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And I'm like, but if I Google Chef John, like Oh, it'll come right off and you actually did.
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Google actually knew who Chef John was.
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That's awesome.
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So you're fascinating because you are a chef.
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I am a chef.
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And uh you Johnson and Wales, right?
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Johnson Wales University, Florida, Miami.
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I think the big question is so there's a it's a natural progression to what you do now, but it's not the necessarily the day in, day out expression of the art, right?
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So how did you go from because obviously chef being a chef's a passion, right?
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Like if you don't have the passion, it's not for you.
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Without a doubt.
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So you obviously loved it.
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Love it.
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How did you what was your journey to go from the traditional chef path?
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You do a lot of media stuff, to now being well, let's actually give them your title.
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So you're in charge of all like food safety at Kroger, right?
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Yeah, I um uh Chef John, I do food safety and regulatory compliance for Kroger.
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Uh we call it the Atlanta divisions, three states in the South.
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It's Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
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Oh wow.
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That's big that's and you guys have so many stores nationally that like it's a big territory.
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My territory is 182 stores.
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Oh wow.
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We were just talking before we started recording.
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Um so Harris Teeter is sort of a legacy brand in the Carolinas.
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Uh that at least used to be headquartered in Matthews, which is your neck of the woods where I'm from.
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And uh you guys actually bought them some time ago, didn't you?
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Yes, we did.
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Yes, we did.
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Harris Teaters are great stores.
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Oh, we have great stores throughout the country.
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A lot of people who travel East Coast, West Coast don't even realize.
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If you look on the West Coast, we have QFC, Fred Meyer's, Ralph's, like we just talked about in LA.
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And Fred Meyer.
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And Fred Meyer, exactly.
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So is it is it just basically because of the long-standing brand recognition that you buy it and keep the name and don't turn them into Kroger's?
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Exactly.
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That's a it's known in that community for sure.
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So how much is it in the price conscious world uh now where everybody's looking for a deal?
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Um is brand loyalty still a a big player in the grocery space?
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Right, brand loyalty, and we talk about our brands.
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These are our brands at uh under your budget.
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So we're really uh price conscious for those shoppers out there.
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And the the amazing thing when you shop at a Kroger, you'll see the pricing screaming out on you by like neon stickers at five dollars, ten dollars, feeds a family of four.
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So that that really resonates with the consumer.
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Things are tight, right?
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It's really getting harder and harder to source things and keep the deals cheaper just because everything's expensive.
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We try to put all of our money right back into the cost, back into the cost of goods so that it lowers retails for everybody.
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Uh as I was telling you earlier, I I actually just filmed uh eight commercials for WSB TV that is gonna start airing next month.
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WSB TV is channel two here in Georgia and it's touted as the the most watched newscast.
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They're the big, big station.
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It's a big deal.
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So and and the the whole uh premise behind it is it's gonna be our brands are under your budget.
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So we're doing cost conscious meal construction for a family of four under$15,$20.
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You know, I'm never gonna leave that for sure.
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We love we love cooking.
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So how did you like make that leap?
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Because like the corporate world, right, to a degree, and a chef, it just it's an interesting progression.
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Oh, I've had such an amazing career.
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I I've been truly blessed.
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You know, my first half of my career at Kroger, I was in merchandising.
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So that was development, and that's where the chef came in.
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Chef came in in that I have background in statistics, which you probably don't know about.
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I actually I graduated college with a degree in statistical process control, and I work for IBM as a statistician.
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Really?
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Yeah, so it's like so like night and day.
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Yeah, that's two different parts of the brain.
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Completely different.
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And uh when I was young, I was there for three years, and then they offered me a buyout.
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And I was the youngest person in my division to take the buyout, and part of the stipulation of the buyout for for way back then was they were gonna re-educate me.
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So I actually chose to go to Johnson Wells University.
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And IBM paid for it.
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They paid for it.
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Oh, that is that is amazing.
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Unbelievable.
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Right.
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And then you went back to the passion.
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I assume you always had a passion for culinary.
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Ever since I was little, little kid.
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So you have a so if you were doing that first bullet Kroger, I guess you had a test kitchen and everything.
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Yeah, but I I actually worked, we did development, uh, we did uh all chef programs, you know, creating meals out of what we call shrink.
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You know, we as you can imagine, grocery retail, we have a lot of food that goes unused.
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And it's just it's a shame.
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So what we do now is we we freeze it the day that it expires and we give it to food banks.
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Oh, that's second harvest, and it's a you know, we're feeding that's feeding the human spirit.
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We're actually getting food to the people who need it in the communities that we serve, which is amazing.
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Because there's so much waste.
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So actually, we we were at the Niha conference a few weeks ago, and there's a director that we chatted with from uh Marion County, Ohio, which is a fairly small county, and they had started tracking the number of pounds of food that they were having to have thrown away, voluntarily, hopefully, or otherwise.
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And it's in that little county with just a handful of restaurants, it was over 5,000 pounds a year.
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And he had been trying to reach out to food banks to say, hey, if we set something up where it could be frozen before it has to be thrown away, and an establishment can donate it, and you you're doing it.
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Because when you start talking about regulatory, academia, as well as industry, when we team up and have a partnership so that we do it food safe and we do it correctly, industry has a stake in this win for everybody, exactly.
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You know, and it it's not industry against regulatory, we always say it.
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It's a complete partnership because you know, in the day-to-day, the regulators, they shop at Kroger.
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They shop we would hope they all shopped at Kroger, but they they're they're shopping for their friends and family.
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So there's there's been too much, at least historically, where it's like, well, those are the cops.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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And you know, it it's not bad for the brands, is it?
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Not at all.
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Because you actually probably have even more at stake because if you're if something goes wrong, oh yeah, the brand is the one that gets kicked around.
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Without a doubt.
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That's the the partnerships are amazing.
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Like I said, I've been in part of Jihá as well as uh South Carolina Environmental Health.
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So you know the the crew at the Department of Agriculture does all the exactly right.
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And uh, you know, they're happy to see me, I'm happy to see them, and you know, I present at those uh my my last presentation was about um technology in food service.
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You know, a lot of the inspectors don't know that we are coming light years ahead in technology and usually for your own internal audits and tracking for for us, exactly right.
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What is Kroger doing now?
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Because a lot of a lot of restaurants are even chains on the food service side struggle with that still.
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I'll tell you one of the things that they find to be extremely interesting, and it's the technology is so amazing, is we have what what we call the fast system.
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It's called food at safe temperatures.
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And as you can imagine, refrigeration in a grocery retail store, you know, hundred thousand square foot.
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There's there's a lot of it, a lot of refrigeration.
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So, how do you monitor that?
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Once upon a time, you would have to go and take you know electron laser temps.
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Yeah, you temp them every four hours.
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Three or four hours to keep food safe.
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That's a lot of paperwork, that's a lot of manpower, this and that.
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So now we have automated sensors.
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Just living in there every four foot that live in there 24 hours a day.
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And if it goes out of spec, whether the doors open a little too long or a fan is clogged, it alerts us and then we can fix it immediately.
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That innovation in and of itself was massive for what it is that's it's like an internet of things sort of device, right?
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And it you also get a log, right?
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Like you can because it's actually in restaurant environment at least, um, if a cooler goes out overnight, the inspector happens that they're unlucky enough that the inspector rolls in that morning and it opened.
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If they don't have that going on, they don't know that if they can't prove when it went below out of temp, you're exactly right.
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You just have to throw all the food away, and it's a huge loss.
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Ours is all it's all automated.
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It'll it'll tell us exactly when it went out of the spectrum.
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Not the food itself, obviously, but it's the case temperature.
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Right.
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So once the case temperature crests above that 41, time starts ticking.
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Yep.
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So now we know if the alarm goes off, we can move that product safely to another cooler, or we can get refrigerated trucks sent out.
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But it's it's it it's just been amazing for us over the last years.
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They love that presentation.
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Kudos to Kroger.
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I actually wish I'd have seen that presentation because I and I wish a lot of other people in industry had.
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Oh, yeah.
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Because I how do you kudos to Kroger?
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Because I do know and no names, but there are large organizations that everyone would recognize that have not invested.
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Because obviously, there's two ways of looking at even this the temperature thing.
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You can look at it as well, this is not only the right thing to do, but it makes good business sense.
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But there are organizations who look at that and say, Oh, it's a price tag.
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Oh, it comes.
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And they don't want to spend the money.
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It comes at a huge cost, but you know, where where do you put the cost on food safety?
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You know, where do you put the but again?
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We are friends and family, we shop at Kroger.
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Where do you draw the line?
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Eat your own dog food, as the saying goes.
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Exactly.
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And also I the other thing is uh not to not to be pedantic about it, but a lot of times they don't think about, especially big publicly traded.
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You know, Chipotle is a case study.
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Like you you can ignore it, but the the cost to your reputation or if you're publicly traded, the stock price is way more than those sensors would have cost.
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Without a doubt.
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Once you lose that trust of the consumer, very hard to get it back because you know you just said Chipotle.
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You know, some of the companies that I'm sure every all your listeners know, Bluebell, you know, all these I I say Boarshead.
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Boarshead has that's a big brand.
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Yeah, and you know, and it sticks with consumers, right?
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Even years later, they're it it can nag it to people.
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Right.
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Um and and that's what they do.
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You know, you for example, Boarshead, they show how well they're doing with food safety to get that trust back.
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But it only takes one time.
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I tell even the the folks at Kroger, it takes one person having a bad day to do something incorrect to make only two people ill, and it's national headline news.
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That's why it's part of our core values, our core values of uh safety.
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That is food safety.
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That and I hope, because there's a good bit of industry actually we hear from from time to time that listens like this is the way to do it.
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Um but you must have like it's I think it's gotten worse, and and maybe we're guilty of always thinking the time we're living in is like uniquely complicated.
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Probably people have said that going back to the 1800s or before, but it does feel like over the last few years the employment market has gotten difficult in terms of retention turnover.
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There's a training um challenge, isn't there?
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When because you you can't be in every store.
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Okay, you can one place at a time.
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How do you handle it from a training perspective so that you know that everybody's got the message at all of these stores all across you know your territory and the country?
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Again, it comes with that partnership with regulatory as well as industry.
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For example, Kroger, anybody who goes through management training or anybody who's in charge of the store, they have to go through National Registry Food Safety Professionals for to be CPFM certified.
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They can be certified.
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I train them.
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Every run everybody who comes through is CPFM certified.
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And you know, that says a lot about a company that's gonna spend that much, it's timely, it's taking people out of you know, the customer facing right there on store.
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They're in a class with me eight to ten hours, and they get certified, and now we know that they are the top, they know what they're doing with with the food.
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So that's you talk about a management level, but then when you talk about associate level, we have web-based learning.
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They all have to go through the web-based learning on food safety certification before they hit the floor.
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Exactly.
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Technology is a huge part of everything that we do, and it will be going forward.
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That is that's impressive.
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And um, so regulators is um first of all, it's great that you're doing the conferences and things.
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Again, if people would like and get out of their mind that well, I don't know what I should say to them, or don't treat them, you know, almost like they could bite you.
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Um what what are you doing, uh, or would you tell other industries about getting involved in the at the at the level in the markets that they're in or the states?
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Like roll up your sleeves and get involved and be their partner.
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Oh, without a doubt.
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The collaboration, like you come to these events and just one-on-one, just talking, collaborating.
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Oh, I have this idea, or this is something Kroger's thinking about doing.
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Oh, how can we do it safely?
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Can float it and front running.
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Yeah, for yeah, exactly, exactly.
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Um some huge endeavor that we did last year, and we work very closely with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, was uh mobile grocery store.
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We have we have it's it's one of the I think three in the country where we actually house it at a Kroger store, we stock it, we have refrigeration, and we bring it to food deserts.
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And it's easy so they can use uh EBT and and food stamps, and we bring it to them, and it's outstanding.
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And it was a great partnership with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and during our ribbon cutting, the first one was over in Savannah, they were all there as well.
00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.960
So it was great for the community, and it's just just think about that, it's it's huge.
00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:33.440
That's huge.
00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:37.120
It is, and actually, like, why hasn't that been done more around the country?
00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:43.840
Because you hear about the whole conversation about food deserts, and you don't have to build well, what was your experience?
00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:49.200
You don't have to go make an investment in a big box store to necessarily put a dent in that problem, do you?
00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:51.120
No, we just we bring it to you.
00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:53.200
And that it was it successful and was it?
00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.240
It's doing fantastic, yeah.
00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:59.679
The people love it, and it the PR on that is just amazing.
00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:03.360
So yeah, I was gonna say, like, I would think that that almost promotes itself.
00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.119
That's that's really amazing.
00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.799
So, what do you what do you all do?
00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:11.279
So obviously, day in and day out, inspectors go into stores, they do inspections.
00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:21.759
I know that at least historically, if you're a big chain, that you know, used to in the old days, they would rely on the manager or the operator to have to fax in.
00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:23.680
Now some it's email.
00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:29.039
But how do you all review or think of inspections that are done?
00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.200
Because they are a snapshot, obviously.
00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:35.759
You know, it's it's it doesn't prove uh anything conclusively.
00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:42.000
But do you do you guys have a way where you ingest and deal and look at those so that you're aware of what's the regulator saying?
00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.200
Oh, without a doubt.
00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:47.039
So what we do on everything's based on food code, obviously.
00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:49.359
So we have third party Ecolab.
00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.119
So they call it EcoSure program.
00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:56.240
EcoSure, Eco Lab, they come out every other month, so that's another snapshot in time.
00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:06.720
But then we take it one step further and we have every one of our store leaders doing that what we call critical check, anything that can be detrimental to public health every day.
00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:08.640
So you're writing a checklist every day.
00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:09.359
Every day.
00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:19.599
When you know, when you talk about temperature control and cross contamination, they're trained to know what to look for, and then they're out there in the stores looking for it real time.
00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:20.160
That's it.
00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:21.039
That way we can get it.
00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.640
And that's we keep improving upon that, you know.
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:25.200
Yeah.
00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:39.759
And and honestly, the the states in which we operate, if there were ever a consumer complaint or a situation, the State Department is comfortable enough to call us, the food safety managers, and then we we work as a team to resolve.
00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:40.960
That's so they're not.
00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:45.200
Yeah, they're again no fear on your side, they're comfortable enough.
00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.880
It doesn't speak to like just humanity, right?
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.920
Is relationships that's are the the key to everything.
00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:52.799
Without a doubt.
00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:59.680
And they, you know, we were talking um this week alone in that so we are where we need to be.
00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:06.559
Kroger, our management staffs, our associates, where the lack of education is, is with the consumer.
00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:08.240
That's what we keep saying to each other.
00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:11.680
You know, we're like, wow, how can we get the consumers more involved?
00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:21.279
You know, when you talk to just a regular lay person who's out there shopping at Kroger and they're buying a big family pack of chicken, do they know how to properly handle it?
00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:25.200
Are they using a thermometer to leave it in the back of the car too long?
00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.240
Yeah, okay, they've kept it at temp and they defeat all of it.
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:29.839
Exactly, exactly.
00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:32.480
So we're trying to get more into that Kroger.
00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:42.480
Um, I told you we were doing WSB TV commercials, but I just did some audios for our stores that talk about just food safety.
00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:50.480
Hey, if you're gonna go, as you just said, if you're purchasing groceries, bring them home in a timely manner to keep them food safe.
00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.559
Don't keep them in cars and all smart.
00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:57.599
So we we have a whole script that we're growing going through to do PAs and store.
00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:05.680
Even if somebody catches that once or twice, they're gonna remember it and they're gonna tell that is that is that is really, really, really smart.
00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:07.279
So what would you tell?
00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:12.240
So the average consumer, like what is the biggest like you think because you know, the home kitchen?
00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:17.519
We've talked with inspectors before, and they're like, I don't know if my kitchen would pass inspections someday.
00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.640
That's exactly right.
00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:21.599
So, what would you tell somebody who's at home and they're like, you know what?
00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.039
I haven't been paying attention to this, but it is important.
00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.680
I don't want my family to be sick or at risk.
00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:30.880
What would you tell somebody at like what should be thinking about at home?
00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:33.359
How do you have a safe product?
00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:40.000
And I know that's a really big topic, but are like some key things that keep in mind before you're gonna go prepare things at home.
00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:41.680
It was just an amazing conversation.
00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.240
I wish wish we would have recorded this a minute ago.
00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:54.319
We were talking about even the consumer, when they start, when they enter the grocery store, a lot of them they want to go green, so they're bringing those recyclable, reusable bags.
00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.000
Yes, everybody's coming in with their bags.
00:20:56.240 --> 00:21:02.319
If you're thinking about that bag, I'm putting chick raw chicken in there, I'm putting um maybe I'm doing chemicals in there, I'm doing whatever.
00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.240
And you never really clean them or wash them, do you?
00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:12.319
So that's that's one of the the key scripts we have is that hey, it's great to go green, but remember that could be a cross-contamination issue.
00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:17.359
You can grow bacteria, you need to remember to clean and sanitize, put them in a washer every once in a while.
00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:17.680
Yeah.
00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:30.319
So we'd even start as you enter the store, not to mention, as you just said, you know, don't go to the kids' soccer game and think that the milk's gonna be good in the trunk of the car for an hour and a half while you're watching, you know, timely manner.
00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:36.640
So we talk about cross-contamination's big deal, temperature control, and then proper cook temperatures.
00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.240
If you don't have a thermometer and you don't know how to use it, that's that's you are courting disaster ultimately, aren't you?
00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:44.240
Oh, you're definitely, you're not going down the right road.
00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:46.559
So there's a professional chef.
00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:50.880
I so I I mean, I'm average American guy, I'll grill.
00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.680
Pork and chicken scare me.
00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:59.759
I have a thermometer, but like I just live in this anxiety of if I don't have that chicken.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.160
Done enough, you know, it'd be sick.
00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:07.680
Like, but the thermometer, if you if the center of it is up to as it, what is it now?
00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.480
Is it 140?
00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:09.119
160.
00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:10.160
165 for chicken.
00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:10.559
That's it.
00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.759
165 for chicken, yes.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.599
150 something for pork.
00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:14.799
Oh, that's 145.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.559
145 for 145.
00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:16.799
Yeah.
00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:18.400
So temps are king.
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:21.119
As long as you get it up to that, you're you're good.
00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:31.359
I think you know, everybody should own a thermometer, meat thermometer, but also a little, even they give them away here from State Department, even Department of Public Health will give you a little magnet.
00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:36.240
It'll tell you this is a proper cook temperature for pork, beef, ground beef, chicken, etc.
00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:36.720
etc.
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:41.200
And if you can commit those to memory, or you know, then you're gonna be good to go.
00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.400
Yeah, you're gonna be good to go.
00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:48.720
And the other thing is too, I see some people, you know, will that they'll want to touch it with their finger.
00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:50.160
Yeah, that doesn't work.
00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:56.559
You have to take the real temperature, you know, or they cut into it and see if it's like a little uh a little opaque.
00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.599
That doesn't work either.
00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.559
It's all about temperature.
00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:03.279
I mean, if it's raw, obviously you can see that.
00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:08.880
Now, what about so okay, so poking a steak, not just for tip like so is beef a little different?
00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:12.400
Because like you can tell how that steak's just the softness I want it to be.
00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:20.240
But beef is different in that if you don't penetrate the muscle, anything from the exterior is gonna come to the interior if you poke it.
00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:23.759
So if you have a solid steak, anything that sears, you say you grill.
00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:28.000
Once it hits the grill and it sears on the outside, everything else, you're safe.
00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:38.880
It's like because you're just killing whatever's on it from the nothing's gonna penetrate the muscle unless you actually inject it, or some people mechanically tenderize with a fork, you know, pokey pokey pokey.
00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:43.359
You know, I can remember growing up with my mom, London broil, a tougher cut of meat.
00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:49.359
Yeah, you hit it with a fork, ch ch ch but now you got to cook that to a higher temperature because you've penetrated the muscle.
00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.279
It's the same thing with ground beef, right?
00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.559
Because you've blended everything together.
00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:53.839
Exactly right.
00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:54.880
It's 155.
00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:58.160
So what how how do you do a steak on the grill?
00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:04.319
I I know it's not technically food safety topic, but you'll get to talk to an actual professional chef very often.
00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:05.119
Oh, okay, perfect.
00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.039
Like, you know, I I I like ribeyes.
00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:09.680
Um, like should you do the salt, the cigar?
00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:11.359
How do you how do you do a good steak?
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:23.039
Now, if I were gonna do a ribeye, first of all, I would buy buy it in the cryovac, in the cryovac itself, like a half ribeye or whatever, yep, and then wet age it in your refrigerator.
00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:30.960
And what you do is you just take it in the cryovac and you're gonna turn it like once a week, and be people say, you have a steak in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks?
00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:34.160
Yes, it's in the cryovac, there's nothing gonna be able to penetrate.
00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:46.000
It's almost like having a something in a can where it's you're not gonna have any bacterial growth, but you're gonna actually um you're gonna release some of that some of that blood and intensify the flavor of the meat.
00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:48.799
It's almost like a dry aged beef, but we call it wet age.
00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:53.759
So I would do that, and then what I would do is I would do a dry rub.
00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:03.920
My favorite is like a Montreal steak seasoning, let it sit out at room temperature, super hot, screaming hot grill, sear, sear, but that don't I don't finish it on the grill.
00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:06.799
I finish it in the in an oven, very low temperature.
00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:12.720
It's almost a lot of people do that like the reverse sear, you know, yeah, yeah, where they'll do this and then sear it at the end.
00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:19.440
This is my it's an alternative to that where you sear it and then finish it low so that it go comes through all the way.
00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.559
Low and slow in the oven.
00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:21.279
Slow and low.
00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:25.039
So like you would do a roast or something, like a rib roast or something in the oven.
00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:25.680
Without a doubt.
00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:27.359
What do you what temperature do you do that on?
00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.400
Well in the in the oven.
00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:28.960
In the oven.
00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:30.640
Like if you've seared it, what do you do with it then?
00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:32.480
I do that about 250.
00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:38.880
250, and that's when the thermometer is really coming into play because I'll take it out at about 132, 133.
00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:39.519
Let it rest.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:42.000
I'll have a little bit of carryover cooking at 135.
00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:45.839
So it's seared on the outside, nice crust, but then red all the way through.
00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:47.519
So you've just seared on the grill.
00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.240
Yeah.
00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.440
That's interesting.
00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.440
A little bit more involved in the world.
00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:56.799
Yeah, it's a little it extends the time to cook for sure.
00:25:56.960 --> 00:26:07.039
But even if you're in the grill and you say, Oh, well, I'm gonna finish it on the grill, and I'm just gonna turn the grill off or just do whatever, it's still gonna get super hot in there and you have a tendency to overcook.
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:12.799
Whereas if you know the oven's gonna just stay at that exact temperature, I'm gonna get that sear on it, put it in there and keep an eye on it.
00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:18.720
And if you're doing the multiple things for multiple people, you're like, Oh, I'm just gonna take these steaks and put them on the top rack.
00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.599
That grill's hot.
00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:19.920
Oh, yeah.
00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:23.200
And I've I've overdone steaks more than I care to admit that way.
00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:23.920
Exactly.
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:25.680
And I because I'm a medium rare guy.
00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:32.079
So, Morris, who's producing over there, like we need to save that clip just for ourselves personally, because I'm gonna try that.
00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:33.839
I love doing like a rib roast in the oven.
00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.559
Oh, without doubt.
00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:36.640
And uh do it with a that's a great oven.
00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:43.279
We do it in the oven, something like that, like uh say a beef tanner line, very low, a little low fat, yeah, but you know, it's very delicate.
00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:49.039
So we start in the oven, super high heat, and then turn it down.
00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:51.680
So are you searing with the broiler?
00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.839
No, no, searing with a super high heat.
00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:57.519
Just all the way up 225, all the way up, and then turn it all the way down to 300.
00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.240
And let it cook.
00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:00.240
And just let it cook until but that's the key.
00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.279
You gotta keep an eye on it.
00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:06.880
Internal temperature 133, 135, pull it out, let it rest, perfection.
00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.759
Amazing.
00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:10.319
So, um, and sorry for that rabbit shirt.
00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:11.599
That was great.
00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.079
I love that.
00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:17.279
It's um I'm gonna have to try that because uh fall, it's too hot North Carolina to grill in the heart of the summer.
00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:18.960
I'm an indoor pet.
00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:20.480
The here is amazing.
00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:22.960
The last couple of days is it's it's been very hot.
00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:24.160
It's gotten really warm.
00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:27.599
Nobody even wants to go out and smoke anything at this you know, smokers and stuff.
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.799
No, no, it's just too much.
00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:29.599
You know, it's too small.
00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.880
Um, do you do you have a smoker?
00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:32.960
Like do you because that's really popular in Europe.
00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:34.000
What's the best smoker?
00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:34.640
Is it a Tregger?
00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:35.680
Well, I'm not gonna go there.
00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:36.640
Okay, that's fair.
00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:38.319
Yeah, put you on the spot that way.
00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:45.839
Um everybody has a you know, you have green egg, you have matt, you know, the the master belt or uh the different things like Draeger.
00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:47.359
Um they all say they're the best.
00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.799
They all say they're the best.
00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:54.559
I've worked on on all of them, and I always say it's not the tools, it's the mechanic using them.
00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:57.519
So if you know how to use it, you're gonna be all right.
00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.160
Yeah, it does.
00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:59.839
Some are trickier than others, you know.
00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:02.480
That that yeah, that's that's that just makes so much sense.
00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:09.440
Like you can have a$500 grill or a$5,000, and if you're a better cook, yeah, you're gonna beat the expensive grill every time, right?
00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.319
Yeah, that's all.
00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:12.319
Because it is what it's heat, it's a flame.
00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:13.599
It is it's all you're doing.
00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:14.400
Exactly right.
00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:15.279
It's technique.
00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:15.839
Technique.
00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:17.359
It's all about methodology, we say.
00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:19.599
What are um do you get in the kitchen much?
00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:20.880
Because it's a busy job you've got.
00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:22.880
Like you're doing all the trainings and things.
00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:26.880
Is it is the kitchen your happy place, or do you still get in there from time to time?
00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:28.240
Yeah, oh well, I definitely do.
00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:38.880
When we do the commercials and we do, you know, food plating, so we'll we'll prep the food and show picture perfect plates for commercials and different things like this.
00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:43.519
Uh, have the opportunity to cook at some big events over the last few years.
00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:59.920
I'm you know, uh my passion was I was on the King's Hawaiian culinary team, and we would always go down to the uh Miami Food and Wine Festival, South Beach Food and Wine Festival, and we would prepare meals for 3,500 people in one day.
00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:00.480
Wow.
00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:01.680
Outstanding.
00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:04.079
But you know, fast paced, really fun.
00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:05.200
That's a lot of meals.
00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:11.039
I was the food safety guy on that team, so everything you would have to meet with the inspectors down there as well.
00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:15.920
And you have multiple restaurants and people coming down and chefs from all over the country.
00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:17.920
But food safety was first.
00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:20.240
Let's see how you're handling the product.
00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:21.680
Is it under refrigeration?
00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:22.799
How are you gonna cook it?
00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:24.559
What's the temperature you're gonna cook it?
00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:28.799
So uh the public doesn't know behind the scenes.
00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:32.720
There's a lot of safety going on, and so they're already set set for them.
00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:38.960
They actually with the Super Bowl was uh was in San Francisco uh this past January, and there we work with them.
00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:54.480
HSGuptech, the underwriter of the podcast, is the data system out there with them, and they had a team of their inspectors out there for the entire two weeks leading up and during the Super Bowl.
00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:55.359
Oh, that's amazing.
00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:58.079
And and it it's like literally they handled it.
00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:01.119
Well, it's almost now a national level one national security event.
00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:01.599
Right.
00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:08.319
But I just because we work with them, got a appreciation for the hecticness of that.
00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:10.799
And they're they loved it.
00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:18.000
Oh they they didn't get to watch the game, obviously, because they're in the kitchens monitoring things, but they were real time leading up to and during the game.
00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.599
I find it so fascinating.
00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:24.400
That would be something that I would love to do on my bucket list, you know, to be out on that team.
00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:31.039
These these guys and gals in here who are the inspectors, they were just talking in uh during one of the segments about the World Cup.
00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:33.279
You know, World Cup was here in Atlanta.
00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:41.200
They were working 24 hours a day prior to, as you said, during, because you're feeding how many millions of people.
00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:53.119
Yeah, yeah, you know, in different venues, but on not only that, but they're feeding the athletes and you know, all this it's and international athletes, so that's deep.
00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.160
It is real deep.
00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:55.599
There's uh so much to it.
00:30:55.839 --> 00:30:58.160
In fact, um such a huge job.
00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:03.119
It is, and they're so we talk about this on this show all the time.
00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:10.559
There's not enough public awareness about what that job is, what they do, and how important it is.
00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:11.279
It's very important.
00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:24.720
And it also, we we we kid in with the audience, but they very few people grow up or like when they're looking in their high school years at what they want to do, very few people say, I want to be an environmental health specialist.
00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:31.279
I think it's largely a promotion, promotional problem to a degree because there's just not the awareness.
00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:42.079
And if you're a person who uh likes to solve puzzles, is inquisitive, um this it is never a day, never two days that are the same in a job like that.
00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:45.519
Yeah, and in fact, there was um the the major league.
00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:54.160
Sorry, I know you probably have a hard stop, but there's so many uh the the the uh pro sports are really starting to get into this.
00:31:54.400 --> 00:32:11.359
In fact, I know a couple of folks who one guy, Bob Custer, actually, has been on the show a few times from Virginia, actually was uh did a contracting gig with a major league baseball team to put all of the specs in place for their stadiums.
00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:14.880
They're starting to really do the uh athlete locker rooms.
00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.279
Oh, yeah.
00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:27.440
All of that food safety, they've they're putting big protocols in place because as he put it, you've got a hundred million dollar asset and you're going to just feed him any slop without taking care of it.
00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:29.279
That that doesn't make any sense.
00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:30.640
It's exactly right.
00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:35.440
You know, we talk in here, like you say, it it's somewhat of a thankless job.
00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:38.720
You know, it's no news is good news.
00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:40.559
Yeah, the dog in the bark.
00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:45.519
Yeah, the only time you hear about something is if something negative happens.
00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:46.000
That's right.
00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:51.440
Whereas where's the positivity, as you just said, we just fed how many millions of people internationally?
00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:53.440
Yeah, and it was nothing.
00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.519
You know, that's the thing he just said.
00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:59.119
He said there were zero incidents of anything, which is huge.
00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:02.720
That's almost the law of large numbers says that's hard to accomplish.
00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:04.160
Unbelievable, without a doubt.
00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:09.200
You didn't hear anything about it, but that as you said, it needs more uh publicity.
00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:16.720
That hey, do you realize what happened behind the scenes and it was really well done by all the inspectors?
00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:22.960
So what they really need is a uh not sensationalized, but a TV show.
00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:23.680
Oh yeah.
00:33:24.079 --> 00:33:31.839
Problem is though, and I get it, a lot of chains and restaurants especially would probably not like that, right?
00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:42.960
Because that you can you can't if you have a camera following an inspector, and I get it, cameras do change everything, whether you say reality TVs, not really, because you're recording someone, they change.
00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:54.319
But media is how people really learn about things in the world in the modern era, and they're missing from it in in so many ways.
00:33:54.960 --> 00:34:00.000
Though I will tell you, every consumer has got a camera, everybody's a media person now.
00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:01.839
See, right, that's the thing, and that's an issue.
00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:07.039
Right, Instagram and as few incidents as we have across the board.
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:10.880
I'm talking about gr grocery retail, restaurant, country club.
00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:12.559
That says a lot.
00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:13.519
It does.
00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:14.559
How do you deal with that?
00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:25.840
Because when everybody is a citizen journalist with a phone and not everybody's uh either educated to like what should or shouldn't be happening, and not everybody is um fair.
00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:27.360
How would how do you deal with that?
00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:36.880
We actually work with the State Department regulators because they're will typically be involved as well, any type of media that comes from it.
00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:39.679
We come at and we head hit it head on.
00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:41.760
Hey, what do you think you see?
00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:47.360
Let us explain to you what you think you see, and we'll we'll explain the the science behind it.
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:48.159
Interesting.
00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:51.280
You know, and the regulators, we would never do anything without that.
00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:57.440
So if you I don't know if you have some of your stuff like posted, like you talked about, you do the planning and commercials.
00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:05.840
Anything that you think be interesting for folks to see that you mentioned, if you get me the links, we'll put them down in the description uh of that.
00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:16.320
And again, no pressure because some of that stuff's probably internal, but anything that you think or if you've done some media or something that you think would be fun for the audience, just send me a link and we'll embed it.
00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.039
Definitely will.
00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:17.679
You know what I'll do?
00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:20.880
I'll send you our scripts for the food safety for the consumers.
00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:22.800
Oh, that is a that's a great idea.
00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:33.039
And what we did a couple of years ago is we did recipes that we hand out when I do personal appearances and I do cooking for state departments or state fairs or whatever the case is.
00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:39.760
It's a recipe on front, but then the food safety on the back, the proper cook temperatures, why we do what we do, temperature control.
00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:40.400
So important.
00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:41.920
It goes hand in hand.
00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:42.639
That's great.
00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:43.519
Thank you for doing that.
00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:45.440
And what will so you did state fairs?
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:45.840
Oh, yeah.
00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:46.480
I do that.
00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:48.000
That's a crazy fun environment, isn't it?
00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:48.880
I love it.
00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:49.280
It's amazing.
00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:52.400
So are you you're not the guy like Date Fry and Oregos, I assume.
00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:53.280
No, no, no.
00:35:53.599 --> 00:36:01.440
They have a Georgia actually, Georgia Grown does a they do a big booth every year where they have uh stage that have chefs that come out and do it.
00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:02.400
Georgia Grown chefs.
00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:03.920
You do like a whole presentation.
00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:04.639
Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:08.239
Use some product and you know uh farm fresh produce.
00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:09.679
Is it coming up this fall?
00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:11.840
Is it like most states in like September, October?
00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:12.320
I love it.
00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:13.440
Yeah, September, October.
00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:15.360
Yeah, it gets got a little bit of a little cooler.
00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:16.480
A little cooler here, yeah.
00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:16.800
A little bit.
00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:21.760
Yeah, you can get warm, but yeah, that fall air and you go get, I'm a sucker for cotton candy funnel cakes.
00:36:21.920 --> 00:36:23.920
I I I eat like I was in college still.
00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:25.360
Only at the fair though.
00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.000
Only at the fair.
00:36:26.320 --> 00:36:27.679
That's that's we'll go with that.
00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:28.639
Yeah, there you go.
00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:31.440
I'd love to actually like follow up with you sometime.
00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:33.440
Maybe we're in formal studio and things.
00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:36.719
And uh but first of all, kudos to Kroger.
00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:42.239
I I I know that in tough economic times there's been companies who have like cut back on their food safety program.
00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:42.719
Oh no.
00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:44.400
Don't do it, don't do it.
00:36:44.639 --> 00:36:50.800
And by the way, you can't, you would know more being plugged in, right?
00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:54.639
If they're contemplating a rule change, you're in the room.
00:36:54.880 --> 00:37:02.400
And so you either can be prepared or say, hey, this doesn't work for industry because so anyway, I could ramble on all day.
00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:04.239
Thank you so much, Chef John.
00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:09.360
And uh we'll we'll probably be following up with him again sometime in more normal studio environment.
00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:11.119
But really enjoyed that conversation.
00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:12.239
Hope you all did too.
00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:16.880
For all of us here at the Beyond Data Management Podcast, live from Jihad in Lake Lanier, Georgia.
00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:18.079
I'm Cameron Garrison.
00:37:18.239 --> 00:37:22.000
We'll see you in just a little bit with another conversation from Jiha.
00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:23.039
Have a good one.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.840
Everybody knows me by chef shot Isaac.
00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:03.759
If I told them my last name, they would know me.
00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:10.880
I graduated from college with a degree in statistical process control, and I work for IBM as a statistician.
00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:11.279
Really?
00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:14.000
So it's like still like night and day.
00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:23.120
This is the Beyond Data Management Podcast powered by HS GovTech.
00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:26.160
Now here's your host, Cameron Garrison.
00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:27.839
Welcome back.
00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:36.640
We are live at uh beautiful uh Lake Lanier in Georgia at the Jihad Conference 2026, posted up here in the corner of a ballroom.
00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:44.640
And special thanks to the folks at Jihá for uh inviting us and uh giving us the space to uh clutter up uh one of their rooms here.
00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:54.159
I've been looking forward to the guests joining us here uh ever since you showed up on the list as somebody who would be available to sit down and uh you go by Chef John, right?
00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:56.079
That's everybody knows me by Chef John.
00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:58.399
I if I told them my last name, they would know.
00:00:58.640 --> 00:00:59.439
They would know who I was.
00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:07.519
And I um it's funny because when uh Danielle sent over the email and the information, she decided like to introduce you to Chef John.
00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:13.040
And I'm like, but if I Google Chef John, like Oh, it'll come right off and you actually did.
00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:15.200
Google actually knew who Chef John was.
00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:16.159
That's awesome.
00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:20.319
So you're fascinating because you are a chef.
00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:21.280
I am a chef.
00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:23.280
And uh you Johnson and Wales, right?
00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:25.439
Johnson Wales University, Florida, Miami.
00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:37.680
I think the big question is so there's a it's a natural progression to what you do now, but it's not the necessarily the day in, day out expression of the art, right?
00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:42.239
So how did you go from because obviously chef being a chef's a passion, right?
00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:44.480
Like if you don't have the passion, it's not for you.
00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:45.200
Without a doubt.
00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:46.799
So you obviously loved it.
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:47.519
Love it.
00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:52.560
How did you what was your journey to go from the traditional chef path?
00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:56.799
You do a lot of media stuff, to now being well, let's actually give them your title.
00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:59.359
So you're in charge of all like food safety at Kroger, right?
00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:03.599
Yeah, I um uh Chef John, I do food safety and regulatory compliance for Kroger.
00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:06.799
Uh we call it the Atlanta divisions, three states in the South.
00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:09.280
It's Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:10.000
Oh wow.
00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:14.080
That's big that's and you guys have so many stores nationally that like it's a big territory.
00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:16.879
My territory is 182 stores.
00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:17.360
Oh wow.
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:20.400
We were just talking before we started recording.
00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:24.159
Um so Harris Teeter is sort of a legacy brand in the Carolinas.
00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:29.520
Uh that at least used to be headquartered in Matthews, which is your neck of the woods where I'm from.
00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:32.240
And uh you guys actually bought them some time ago, didn't you?
00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:32.800
Yes, we did.
00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:33.280
Yes, we did.
00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:34.479
Harris Teaters are great stores.
00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:36.240
Oh, we have great stores throughout the country.
00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:39.280
A lot of people who travel East Coast, West Coast don't even realize.
00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:43.919
If you look on the West Coast, we have QFC, Fred Meyer's, Ralph's, like we just talked about in LA.
00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:44.800
And Fred Meyer.
00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:46.319
And Fred Meyer, exactly.
00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:53.759
So is it is it just basically because of the long-standing brand recognition that you buy it and keep the name and don't turn them into Kroger's?
00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:54.240
Exactly.
00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:56.400
That's a it's known in that community for sure.
00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:01.919
So how much is it in the price conscious world uh now where everybody's looking for a deal?
00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:06.719
Um is brand loyalty still a a big player in the grocery space?
00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:09.680
Right, brand loyalty, and we talk about our brands.
00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.039
These are our brands at uh under your budget.
00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:17.360
So we're really uh price conscious for those shoppers out there.
00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:28.080
And the the amazing thing when you shop at a Kroger, you'll see the pricing screaming out on you by like neon stickers at five dollars, ten dollars, feeds a family of four.
00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.479
So that that really resonates with the consumer.
00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:31.759
Things are tight, right?
00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:36.479
It's really getting harder and harder to source things and keep the deals cheaper just because everything's expensive.
00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:42.719
We try to put all of our money right back into the cost, back into the cost of goods so that it lowers retails for everybody.
00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:50.240
Uh as I was telling you earlier, I I actually just filmed uh eight commercials for WSB TV that is gonna start airing next month.
00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:55.680
WSB TV is channel two here in Georgia and it's touted as the the most watched newscast.
00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:57.599
They're the big, big station.
00:03:58.080 --> 00:03:58.719
It's a big deal.
00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:04.879
So and and the the whole uh premise behind it is it's gonna be our brands are under your budget.
00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:12.879
So we're doing cost conscious meal construction for a family of four under$15,$20.
00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:17.759
You know, I'm never gonna leave that for sure.
00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:19.120
We love we love cooking.
00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:21.120
So how did you like make that leap?
00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:26.480
Because like the corporate world, right, to a degree, and a chef, it just it's an interesting progression.
00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.079
Oh, I've had such an amazing career.
00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:29.519
I I've been truly blessed.
00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:33.040
You know, my first half of my career at Kroger, I was in merchandising.
00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:35.680
So that was development, and that's where the chef came in.
00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:42.160
Chef came in in that I have background in statistics, which you probably don't know about.
00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:48.879
I actually I graduated college with a degree in statistical process control, and I work for IBM as a statistician.
00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:49.360
Really?
00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:51.680
Yeah, so it's like so like night and day.
00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:53.600
Yeah, that's two different parts of the brain.
00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:54.959
Completely different.
00:04:55.120 --> 00:05:01.199
And uh when I was young, I was there for three years, and then they offered me a buyout.
00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:09.759
And I was the youngest person in my division to take the buyout, and part of the stipulation of the buyout for for way back then was they were gonna re-educate me.
00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:12.240
So I actually chose to go to Johnson Wells University.
00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:13.439
And IBM paid for it.
00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:14.160
They paid for it.
00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:15.759
Oh, that is that is amazing.
00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:16.560
Unbelievable.
00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:19.759
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We hope to see you there.
00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:34.000
Right.
00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:35.519
And then you went back to the passion.
00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:38.480
I assume you always had a passion for culinary.
00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:40.399
Ever since I was little, little kid.
00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:46.000
So you have a so if you were doing that first bullet Kroger, I guess you had a test kitchen and everything.
00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:55.920
Yeah, but I I actually worked, we did development, uh, we did uh all chef programs, you know, creating meals out of what we call shrink.
00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:01.120
You know, we as you can imagine, grocery retail, we have a lot of food that goes unused.
00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:02.879
And it's just it's a shame.
00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:08.000
So what we do now is we we freeze it the day that it expires and we give it to food banks.
00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:14.560
Oh, that's second harvest, and it's a you know, we're feeding that's feeding the human spirit.
00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:19.360
We're actually getting food to the people who need it in the communities that we serve, which is amazing.
00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:21.040
Because there's so much waste.
00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:39.680
So actually, we we were at the Niha conference a few weeks ago, and there's a director that we chatted with from uh Marion County, Ohio, which is a fairly small county, and they had started tracking the number of pounds of food that they were having to have thrown away, voluntarily, hopefully, or otherwise.
00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:45.040
And it's in that little county with just a handful of restaurants, it was over 5,000 pounds a year.
00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:57.120
And he had been trying to reach out to food banks to say, hey, if we set something up where it could be frozen before it has to be thrown away, and an establishment can donate it, and you you're doing it.
00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:19.120
Because when you start talking about regulatory, academia, as well as industry, when we team up and have a partnership so that we do it food safe and we do it correctly, industry has a stake in this win for everybody, exactly.
00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:23.680
You know, and it it's not industry against regulatory, we always say it.
00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:30.639
It's a complete partnership because you know, in the day-to-day, the regulators, they shop at Kroger.
00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:35.519
They shop we would hope they all shopped at Kroger, but they they're they're shopping for their friends and family.
00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:41.679
So there's there's been too much, at least historically, where it's like, well, those are the cops.
00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:42.480
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:45.200
And you know, it it's not bad for the brands, is it?
00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:45.840
Not at all.
00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:53.679
Because you actually probably have even more at stake because if you're if something goes wrong, oh yeah, the brand is the one that gets kicked around.
00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:54.559
Without a doubt.
00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:56.320
That's the the partnerships are amazing.
00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.960
Like I said, I've been in part of Jihá as well as uh South Carolina Environmental Health.
00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:06.320
So you know the the crew at the Department of Agriculture does all the exactly right.
00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:17.200
And uh, you know, they're happy to see me, I'm happy to see them, and you know, I present at those uh my my last presentation was about um technology in food service.
00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:26.480
You know, a lot of the inspectors don't know that we are coming light years ahead in technology and usually for your own internal audits and tracking for for us, exactly right.
00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:27.919
What is Kroger doing now?
00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:32.720
Because a lot of a lot of restaurants are even chains on the food service side struggle with that still.
00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:40.879
I'll tell you one of the things that they find to be extremely interesting, and it's the technology is so amazing, is we have what what we call the fast system.
00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:42.960
It's called food at safe temperatures.
00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:48.639
And as you can imagine, refrigeration in a grocery retail store, you know, hundred thousand square foot.
00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:51.279
There's there's a lot of it, a lot of refrigeration.
00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:53.039
So, how do you monitor that?
00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:57.039
Once upon a time, you would have to go and take you know electron laser temps.
00:09:57.360 --> 00:09:58.720
Yeah, you temp them every four hours.
00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:00.960
Three or four hours to keep food safe.
00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:04.480
That's a lot of paperwork, that's a lot of manpower, this and that.
00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:06.639
So now we have automated sensors.
00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:10.639
Just living in there every four foot that live in there 24 hours a day.
00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:18.240
And if it goes out of spec, whether the doors open a little too long or a fan is clogged, it alerts us and then we can fix it immediately.
00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:25.840
That innovation in and of itself was massive for what it is that's it's like an internet of things sort of device, right?
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:27.759
And it you also get a log, right?
00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:39.440
Like you can because it's actually in restaurant environment at least, um, if a cooler goes out overnight, the inspector happens that they're unlucky enough that the inspector rolls in that morning and it opened.
00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:47.039
If they don't have that going on, they don't know that if they can't prove when it went below out of temp, you're exactly right.
00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:49.200
You just have to throw all the food away, and it's a huge loss.
00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:51.600
Ours is all it's all automated.
00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:54.320
It'll it'll tell us exactly when it went out of the spectrum.
00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.440
Not the food itself, obviously, but it's the case temperature.
00:10:57.679 --> 00:10:57.919
Right.
00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:02.320
So once the case temperature crests above that 41, time starts ticking.
00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:02.720
Yep.
00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:11.440
So now we know if the alarm goes off, we can move that product safely to another cooler, or we can get refrigerated trucks sent out.
00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:15.600
But it's it's it it's just been amazing for us over the last years.
00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:16.720
They love that presentation.
00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:18.320
Kudos to Kroger.
00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:23.600
I actually wish I'd have seen that presentation because I and I wish a lot of other people in industry had.
00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:24.080
Oh, yeah.
00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:27.519
Because I how do you kudos to Kroger?
00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:35.360
Because I do know and no names, but there are large organizations that everyone would recognize that have not invested.
00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:39.759
Because obviously, there's two ways of looking at even this the temperature thing.
00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:44.000
You can look at it as well, this is not only the right thing to do, but it makes good business sense.
00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.440
But there are organizations who look at that and say, Oh, it's a price tag.
00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:47.840
Oh, it comes.
00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:48.720
And they don't want to spend the money.
00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:53.679
It comes at a huge cost, but you know, where where do you put the cost on food safety?
00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:56.159
You know, where do you put the but again?
00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:59.200
We are friends and family, we shop at Kroger.
00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:01.120
Where do you draw the line?
00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:03.279
Eat your own dog food, as the saying goes.
00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:04.320
Exactly.
00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:13.039
And also I the other thing is uh not to not to be pedantic about it, but a lot of times they don't think about, especially big publicly traded.
00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:15.600
You know, Chipotle is a case study.
00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:26.399
Like you you can ignore it, but the the cost to your reputation or if you're publicly traded, the stock price is way more than those sensors would have cost.
00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:27.360
Without a doubt.
00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:32.240
Once you lose that trust of the consumer, very hard to get it back because you know you just said Chipotle.
00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:40.720
You know, some of the companies that I'm sure every all your listeners know, Bluebell, you know, all these I I say Boarshead.
00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:42.960
Boarshead has that's a big brand.
00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:45.600
Yeah, and you know, and it sticks with consumers, right?
00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:48.879
Even years later, they're it it can nag it to people.
00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:49.519
Right.
00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:50.960
Um and and that's what they do.
00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:58.879
You know, you for example, Boarshead, they show how well they're doing with food safety to get that trust back.
00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:00.080
But it only takes one time.
00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:09.039
I tell even the the folks at Kroger, it takes one person having a bad day to do something incorrect to make only two people ill, and it's national headline news.
00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:13.360
That's why it's part of our core values, our core values of uh safety.
00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:14.960
That is food safety.
00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:22.159
That and I hope, because there's a good bit of industry actually we hear from from time to time that listens like this is the way to do it.
00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:31.360
Um but you must have like it's I think it's gotten worse, and and maybe we're guilty of always thinking the time we're living in is like uniquely complicated.
00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:42.639
Probably people have said that going back to the 1800s or before, but it does feel like over the last few years the employment market has gotten difficult in terms of retention turnover.
00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:47.039
There's a training um challenge, isn't there?
00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.279
When because you you can't be in every store.
00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:51.840
Okay, you can one place at a time.
00:13:52.080 --> 00:14:03.120
How do you handle it from a training perspective so that you know that everybody's got the message at all of these stores all across you know your territory and the country?
00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:07.440
Again, it comes with that partnership with regulatory as well as industry.
00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:19.360
For example, Kroger, anybody who goes through management training or anybody who's in charge of the store, they have to go through National Registry Food Safety Professionals for to be CPFM certified.
00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:20.480
They can be certified.
00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:21.360
I train them.
00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:26.399
Every run everybody who comes through is CPFM certified.
00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:35.600
And you know, that says a lot about a company that's gonna spend that much, it's timely, it's taking people out of you know, the customer facing right there on store.
00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:44.559
They're in a class with me eight to ten hours, and they get certified, and now we know that they are the top, they know what they're doing with with the food.
00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:51.679
So that's you talk about a management level, but then when you talk about associate level, we have web-based learning.
00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:56.879
They all have to go through the web-based learning on food safety certification before they hit the floor.
00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:57.519
Exactly.
00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:01.200
Technology is a huge part of everything that we do, and it will be going forward.
00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:02.799
That is that's impressive.
00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:09.120
And um, so regulators is um first of all, it's great that you're doing the conferences and things.
00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:18.159
Again, if people would like and get out of their mind that well, I don't know what I should say to them, or don't treat them, you know, almost like they could bite you.
00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:31.759
Um what what are you doing, uh, or would you tell other industries about getting involved in the at the at the level in the markets that they're in or the states?
00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.559
Like roll up your sleeves and get involved and be their partner.
00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.519
Oh, without a doubt.
00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:41.600
The collaboration, like you come to these events and just one-on-one, just talking, collaborating.
00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:45.759
Oh, I have this idea, or this is something Kroger's thinking about doing.
00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:47.120
Oh, how can we do it safely?
00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:48.559
Can float it and front running.
00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:51.120
Yeah, for yeah, exactly, exactly.
00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:59.679
Um some huge endeavor that we did last year, and we work very closely with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, was uh mobile grocery store.
00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:12.080
We have we have it's it's one of the I think three in the country where we actually house it at a Kroger store, we stock it, we have refrigeration, and we bring it to food deserts.
00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:20.159
And it's easy so they can use uh EBT and and food stamps, and we bring it to them, and it's outstanding.
00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:28.720
And it was a great partnership with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and during our ribbon cutting, the first one was over in Savannah, they were all there as well.
00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.960
So it was great for the community, and it's just just think about that, it's it's huge.
00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:33.440
That's huge.
00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:37.120
It is, and actually, like, why hasn't that been done more around the country?
00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:43.840
Because you hear about the whole conversation about food deserts, and you don't have to build well, what was your experience?
00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:49.200
You don't have to go make an investment in a big box store to necessarily put a dent in that problem, do you?
00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:51.120
No, we just we bring it to you.
00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:53.200
And that it was it successful and was it?
00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.240
It's doing fantastic, yeah.
00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:59.679
The people love it, and it the PR on that is just amazing.
00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:03.360
So yeah, I was gonna say, like, I would think that that almost promotes itself.
00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:05.119
That's that's really amazing.
00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.799
So, what do you what do you all do?
00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:11.279
So obviously, day in and day out, inspectors go into stores, they do inspections.
00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:21.759
I know that at least historically, if you're a big chain, that you know, used to in the old days, they would rely on the manager or the operator to have to fax in.
00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:23.680
Now some it's email.
00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:29.039
But how do you all review or think of inspections that are done?
00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.200
Because they are a snapshot, obviously.
00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:35.759
You know, it's it's it doesn't prove uh anything conclusively.
00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:42.000
But do you do you guys have a way where you ingest and deal and look at those so that you're aware of what's the regulator saying?
00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.200
Oh, without a doubt.
00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:47.039
So what we do on everything's based on food code, obviously.
00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:49.359
So we have third party Ecolab.
00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.119
So they call it EcoSure program.
00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:56.240
EcoSure, Eco Lab, they come out every other month, so that's another snapshot in time.
00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:06.720
But then we take it one step further and we have every one of our store leaders doing that what we call critical check, anything that can be detrimental to public health every day.
00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:08.640
So you're writing a checklist every day.
00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:09.359
Every day.
00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:19.599
When you know, when you talk about temperature control and cross contamination, they're trained to know what to look for, and then they're out there in the stores looking for it real time.
00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:20.160
That's it.
00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:21.039
That way we can get it.
00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.640
And that's we keep improving upon that, you know.
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:25.200
Yeah.
00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:39.759
And and honestly, the the states in which we operate, if there were ever a consumer complaint or a situation, the State Department is comfortable enough to call us, the food safety managers, and then we we work as a team to resolve.
00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:40.960
That's so they're not.
00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:45.200
Yeah, they're again no fear on your side, they're comfortable enough.
00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.880
It doesn't speak to like just humanity, right?
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.920
Is relationships that's are the the key to everything.
00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:52.799
Without a doubt.
00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:59.680
And they, you know, we were talking um this week alone in that so we are where we need to be.
00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:06.559
Kroger, our management staffs, our associates, where the lack of education is, is with the consumer.
00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:08.240
That's what we keep saying to each other.
00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:11.680
You know, we're like, wow, how can we get the consumers more involved?
00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:21.279
You know, when you talk to just a regular lay person who's out there shopping at Kroger and they're buying a big family pack of chicken, do they know how to properly handle it?
00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:25.200
Are they using a thermometer to leave it in the back of the car too long?
00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.240
Yeah, okay, they've kept it at temp and they defeat all of it.
00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:29.839
Exactly, exactly.
00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:32.480
So we're trying to get more into that Kroger.
00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:42.480
Um, I told you we were doing WSB TV commercials, but I just did some audios for our stores that talk about just food safety.
00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:50.480
Hey, if you're gonna go, as you just said, if you're purchasing groceries, bring them home in a timely manner to keep them food safe.
00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.559
Don't keep them in cars and all smart.
00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:57.599
So we we have a whole script that we're growing going through to do PAs and store.
00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:05.680
Even if somebody catches that once or twice, they're gonna remember it and they're gonna tell that is that is that is really, really, really smart.
00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:07.279
So what would you tell?
00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:12.240
So the average consumer, like what is the biggest like you think because you know, the home kitchen?
00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:17.519
We've talked with inspectors before, and they're like, I don't know if my kitchen would pass inspections someday.
00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.640
That's exactly right.
00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:21.599
So, what would you tell somebody who's at home and they're like, you know what?
00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.039
I haven't been paying attention to this, but it is important.
00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.680
I don't want my family to be sick or at risk.
00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:30.880
What would you tell somebody at like what should be thinking about at home?
00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:33.359
How do you have a safe product?
00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:40.000
And I know that's a really big topic, but are like some key things that keep in mind before you're gonna go prepare things at home.
00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:41.680
It was just an amazing conversation.
00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.240
I wish wish we would have recorded this a minute ago.
00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:54.319
We were talking about even the consumer, when they start, when they enter the grocery store, a lot of them they want to go green, so they're bringing those recyclable, reusable bags.
00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.000
Yes, everybody's coming in with their bags.
00:20:56.240 --> 00:21:02.319
If you're thinking about that bag, I'm putting chick raw chicken in there, I'm putting um maybe I'm doing chemicals in there, I'm doing whatever.
00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.240
And you never really clean them or wash them, do you?
00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:12.319
So that's that's one of the the key scripts we have is that hey, it's great to go green, but remember that could be a cross-contamination issue.
00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:17.359
You can grow bacteria, you need to remember to clean and sanitize, put them in a washer every once in a while.
00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:17.680
Yeah.
00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:30.319
So we'd even start as you enter the store, not to mention, as you just said, you know, don't go to the kids' soccer game and think that the milk's gonna be good in the trunk of the car for an hour and a half while you're watching, you know, timely manner.
00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:36.640
So we talk about cross-contamination's big deal, temperature control, and then proper cook temperatures.
00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.240
If you don't have a thermometer and you don't know how to use it, that's that's you are courting disaster ultimately, aren't you?
00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:44.240
Oh, you're definitely, you're not going down the right road.
00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:46.559
So there's a professional chef.
00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:50.880
I so I I mean, I'm average American guy, I'll grill.
00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.680
Pork and chicken scare me.
00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:59.759
I have a thermometer, but like I just live in this anxiety of if I don't have that chicken.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.160
Done enough, you know, it'd be sick.
00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:07.680
Like, but the thermometer, if you if the center of it is up to as it, what is it now?
00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.480
Is it 140?
00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:09.119
160.
00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:10.160
165 for chicken.
00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:10.559
That's it.
00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.759
165 for chicken, yes.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.599
150 something for pork.
00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:14.799
Oh, that's 145.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.559
145 for 145.
00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:16.799
Yeah.
00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:18.400
So temps are king.
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:21.119
As long as you get it up to that, you're you're good.
00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:31.359
I think you know, everybody should own a thermometer, meat thermometer, but also a little, even they give them away here from State Department, even Department of Public Health will give you a little magnet.
00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:36.240
It'll tell you this is a proper cook temperature for pork, beef, ground beef, chicken, etc.
00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:36.720
etc.
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:41.200
And if you can commit those to memory, or you know, then you're gonna be good to go.
00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.400
Yeah, you're gonna be good to go.
00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:48.720
And the other thing is too, I see some people, you know, will that they'll want to touch it with their finger.
00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:50.160
Yeah, that doesn't work.
00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:56.559
You have to take the real temperature, you know, or they cut into it and see if it's like a little uh a little opaque.
00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.599
That doesn't work either.
00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.559
It's all about temperature.
00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:03.279
I mean, if it's raw, obviously you can see that.
00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:08.880
Now, what about so okay, so poking a steak, not just for tip like so is beef a little different?
00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:12.400
Because like you can tell how that steak's just the softness I want it to be.
00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:20.240
But beef is different in that if you don't penetrate the muscle, anything from the exterior is gonna come to the interior if you poke it.
00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:23.759
So if you have a solid steak, anything that sears, you say you grill.
00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:28.000
Once it hits the grill and it sears on the outside, everything else, you're safe.
00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:38.880
It's like because you're just killing whatever's on it from the nothing's gonna penetrate the muscle unless you actually inject it, or some people mechanically tenderize with a fork, you know, pokey pokey pokey.
00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:43.359
You know, I can remember growing up with my mom, London broil, a tougher cut of meat.
00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:49.359
Yeah, you hit it with a fork, ch ch ch but now you got to cook that to a higher temperature because you've penetrated the muscle.
00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.279
It's the same thing with ground beef, right?
00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.559
Because you've blended everything together.
00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:53.839
Exactly right.
00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:54.880
It's 155.
00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:58.160
So what how how do you do a steak on the grill?
00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:04.319
I I know it's not technically food safety topic, but you'll get to talk to an actual professional chef very often.
00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:05.119
Oh, okay, perfect.
00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.039
Like, you know, I I I like ribeyes.
00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:09.680
Um, like should you do the salt, the cigar?
00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:11.359
How do you how do you do a good steak?
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:23.039
Now, if I were gonna do a ribeye, first of all, I would buy buy it in the cryovac, in the cryovac itself, like a half ribeye or whatever, yep, and then wet age it in your refrigerator.
00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:30.960
And what you do is you just take it in the cryovac and you're gonna turn it like once a week, and be people say, you have a steak in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks?
00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:34.160
Yes, it's in the cryovac, there's nothing gonna be able to penetrate.
00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:46.000
It's almost like having a something in a can where it's you're not gonna have any bacterial growth, but you're gonna actually um you're gonna release some of that some of that blood and intensify the flavor of the meat.
00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:48.799
It's almost like a dry aged beef, but we call it wet age.
00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:53.759
So I would do that, and then what I would do is I would do a dry rub.
00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:03.920
My favorite is like a Montreal steak seasoning, let it sit out at room temperature, super hot, screaming hot grill, sear, sear, but that don't I don't finish it on the grill.
00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:06.799
I finish it in the in an oven, very low temperature.
00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:12.720
It's almost a lot of people do that like the reverse sear, you know, yeah, yeah, where they'll do this and then sear it at the end.
00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:19.440
This is my it's an alternative to that where you sear it and then finish it low so that it go comes through all the way.
00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.559
Low and slow in the oven.
00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:21.279
Slow and low.
00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:25.039
So like you would do a roast or something, like a rib roast or something in the oven.
00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:25.680
Without a doubt.
00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:27.359
What do you what temperature do you do that on?
00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.400
Well in the in the oven.
00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:28.960
In the oven.
00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:30.640
Like if you've seared it, what do you do with it then?
00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:32.480
I do that about 250.
00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:38.880
250, and that's when the thermometer is really coming into play because I'll take it out at about 132, 133.
00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:39.519
Let it rest.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:42.000
I'll have a little bit of carryover cooking at 135.
00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:45.839
So it's seared on the outside, nice crust, but then red all the way through.
00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:47.519
So you've just seared on the grill.
00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.240
Yeah.
00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.440
That's interesting.
00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.440
A little bit more involved in the world.
00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:56.799
Yeah, it's a little it extends the time to cook for sure.
00:25:56.960 --> 00:26:07.039
But even if you're in the grill and you say, Oh, well, I'm gonna finish it on the grill, and I'm just gonna turn the grill off or just do whatever, it's still gonna get super hot in there and you have a tendency to overcook.
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:12.799
Whereas if you know the oven's gonna just stay at that exact temperature, I'm gonna get that sear on it, put it in there and keep an eye on it.
00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:18.720
And if you're doing the multiple things for multiple people, you're like, Oh, I'm just gonna take these steaks and put them on the top rack.
00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.599
That grill's hot.
00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:19.920
Oh, yeah.
00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:23.200
And I've I've overdone steaks more than I care to admit that way.
00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:23.920
Exactly.
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:25.680
And I because I'm a medium rare guy.
00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:32.079
So, Morris, who's producing over there, like we need to save that clip just for ourselves personally, because I'm gonna try that.
00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:33.839
I love doing like a rib roast in the oven.
00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.559
Oh, without doubt.
00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:36.640
And uh do it with a that's a great oven.
00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:43.279
We do it in the oven, something like that, like uh say a beef tanner line, very low, a little low fat, yeah, but you know, it's very delicate.
00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:49.039
So we start in the oven, super high heat, and then turn it down.
00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:51.680
So are you searing with the broiler?
00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.839
No, no, searing with a super high heat.
00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:57.519
Just all the way up 225, all the way up, and then turn it all the way down to 300.
00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.240
And let it cook.
00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:00.240
And just let it cook until but that's the key.
00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.279
You gotta keep an eye on it.
00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:06.880
Internal temperature 133, 135, pull it out, let it rest, perfection.
00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.759
Amazing.
00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:10.319
So, um, and sorry for that rabbit shirt.
00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:11.599
That was great.
00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.079
I love that.
00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:17.279
It's um I'm gonna have to try that because uh fall, it's too hot North Carolina to grill in the heart of the summer.
00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:18.960
I'm an indoor pet.
00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:20.480
The here is amazing.
00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:22.960
The last couple of days is it's it's been very hot.
00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:24.160
It's gotten really warm.
00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:27.599
Nobody even wants to go out and smoke anything at this you know, smokers and stuff.
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.799
No, no, it's just too much.
00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:29.599
You know, it's too small.
00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.880
Um, do you do you have a smoker?
00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:32.960
Like do you because that's really popular in Europe.
00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:34.000
What's the best smoker?
00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:34.640
Is it a Tregger?
00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:35.680
Well, I'm not gonna go there.
00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:36.640
Okay, that's fair.
00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:38.319
Yeah, put you on the spot that way.
00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:45.839
Um everybody has a you know, you have green egg, you have matt, you know, the the master belt or uh the different things like Draeger.
00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:47.359
Um they all say they're the best.
00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.799
They all say they're the best.
00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:54.559
I've worked on on all of them, and I always say it's not the tools, it's the mechanic using them.
00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:57.519
So if you know how to use it, you're gonna be all right.
00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.160
Yeah, it does.
00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:59.839
Some are trickier than others, you know.
00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:02.480
That that yeah, that's that's that just makes so much sense.
00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:09.440
Like you can have a$500 grill or a$5,000, and if you're a better cook, yeah, you're gonna beat the expensive grill every time, right?
00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.319
Yeah, that's all.
00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:12.319
Because it is what it's heat, it's a flame.
00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:13.599
It is it's all you're doing.
00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:14.400
Exactly right.
00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:15.279
It's technique.
00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:15.839
Technique.
00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:17.359
It's all about methodology, we say.
00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:19.599
What are um do you get in the kitchen much?
00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:20.880
Because it's a busy job you've got.
00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:22.880
Like you're doing all the trainings and things.
00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:26.880
Is it is the kitchen your happy place, or do you still get in there from time to time?
00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:28.240
Yeah, oh well, I definitely do.
00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:38.880
When we do the commercials and we do, you know, food plating, so we'll we'll prep the food and show picture perfect plates for commercials and different things like this.
00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:43.519
Uh, have the opportunity to cook at some big events over the last few years.
00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:59.920
I'm you know, uh my passion was I was on the King's Hawaiian culinary team, and we would always go down to the uh Miami Food and Wine Festival, South Beach Food and Wine Festival, and we would prepare meals for 3,500 people in one day.
00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:00.480
Wow.
00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:01.680
Outstanding.
00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:04.079
But you know, fast paced, really fun.
00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:05.200
That's a lot of meals.
00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:11.039
I was the food safety guy on that team, so everything you would have to meet with the inspectors down there as well.
00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:15.920
And you have multiple restaurants and people coming down and chefs from all over the country.
00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:17.920
But food safety was first.
00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:20.240
Let's see how you're handling the product.
00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:21.680
Is it under refrigeration?
00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:22.799
How are you gonna cook it?
00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:24.559
What's the temperature you're gonna cook it?
00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:28.799
So uh the public doesn't know behind the scenes.
00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:32.720
There's a lot of safety going on, and so they're already set set for them.
00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:38.960
They actually with the Super Bowl was uh was in San Francisco uh this past January, and there we work with them.
00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:54.480
HSGuptech, the underwriter of the podcast, is the data system out there with them, and they had a team of their inspectors out there for the entire two weeks leading up and during the Super Bowl.
00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:55.359
Oh, that's amazing.
00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:58.079
And and it it's like literally they handled it.
00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:01.119
Well, it's almost now a national level one national security event.
00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:01.599
Right.
00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:08.319
But I just because we work with them, got a appreciation for the hecticness of that.
00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:10.799
And they're they loved it.
00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:18.000
Oh they they didn't get to watch the game, obviously, because they're in the kitchens monitoring things, but they were real time leading up to and during the game.
00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.599
I find it so fascinating.
00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:24.400
That would be something that I would love to do on my bucket list, you know, to be out on that team.
00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:31.039
These these guys and gals in here who are the inspectors, they were just talking in uh during one of the segments about the World Cup.
00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:33.279
You know, World Cup was here in Atlanta.
00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:41.200
They were working 24 hours a day prior to, as you said, during, because you're feeding how many millions of people.
00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:53.119
Yeah, yeah, you know, in different venues, but on not only that, but they're feeding the athletes and you know, all this it's and international athletes, so that's deep.
00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.160
It is real deep.
00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:55.599
There's uh so much to it.
00:30:55.839 --> 00:30:58.160
In fact, um such a huge job.
00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:03.119
It is, and they're so we talk about this on this show all the time.
00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:10.559
There's not enough public awareness about what that job is, what they do, and how important it is.
00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:11.279
It's very important.
00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:24.720
And it also, we we we kid in with the audience, but they very few people grow up or like when they're looking in their high school years at what they want to do, very few people say, I want to be an environmental health specialist.
00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:31.279
I think it's largely a promotion, promotional problem to a degree because there's just not the awareness.
00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:42.079
And if you're a person who uh likes to solve puzzles, is inquisitive, um this it is never a day, never two days that are the same in a job like that.
00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:45.519
Yeah, and in fact, there was um the the major league.
00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:54.160
Sorry, I know you probably have a hard stop, but there's so many uh the the the uh pro sports are really starting to get into this.
00:31:54.400 --> 00:32:11.359
In fact, I know a couple of folks who one guy, Bob Custer, actually, has been on the show a few times from Virginia, actually was uh did a contracting gig with a major league baseball team to put all of the specs in place for their stadiums.
00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:14.880
They're starting to really do the uh athlete locker rooms.
00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.279
Oh, yeah.
00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:27.440
All of that food safety, they've they're putting big protocols in place because as he put it, you've got a hundred million dollar asset and you're going to just feed him any slop without taking care of it.
00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:29.279
That that doesn't make any sense.
00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:30.640
It's exactly right.
00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:35.440
You know, we talk in here, like you say, it it's somewhat of a thankless job.
00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:38.720
You know, it's no news is good news.
00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:40.559
Yeah, the dog in the bark.
00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:45.519
Yeah, the only time you hear about something is if something negative happens.
00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:46.000
That's right.
00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:51.440
Whereas where's the positivity, as you just said, we just fed how many millions of people internationally?
00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:53.440
Yeah, and it was nothing.
00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.519
You know, that's the thing he just said.
00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:59.119
He said there were zero incidents of anything, which is huge.
00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:02.720
That's almost the law of large numbers says that's hard to accomplish.
00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:04.160
Unbelievable, without a doubt.
00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:09.200
You didn't hear anything about it, but that as you said, it needs more uh publicity.
00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:16.720
That hey, do you realize what happened behind the scenes and it was really well done by all the inspectors?
00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:22.960
So what they really need is a uh not sensationalized, but a TV show.
00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:23.680
Oh yeah.
00:33:24.079 --> 00:33:31.839
Problem is though, and I get it, a lot of chains and restaurants especially would probably not like that, right?
00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:42.960
Because that you can you can't if you have a camera following an inspector, and I get it, cameras do change everything, whether you say reality TVs, not really, because you're recording someone, they change.
00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:54.319
But media is how people really learn about things in the world in the modern era, and they're missing from it in in so many ways.
00:33:54.960 --> 00:34:00.000
Though I will tell you, every consumer has got a camera, everybody's a media person now.
00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:01.839
See, right, that's the thing, and that's an issue.
00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:07.039
Right, Instagram and as few incidents as we have across the board.
00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:10.880
I'm talking about gr grocery retail, restaurant, country club.
00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:12.559
That says a lot.
00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:13.519
It does.
00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:14.559
How do you deal with that?
00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:25.840
Because when everybody is a citizen journalist with a phone and not everybody's uh either educated to like what should or shouldn't be happening, and not everybody is um fair.
00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:27.360
How would how do you deal with that?
00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:36.880
We actually work with the State Department regulators because they're will typically be involved as well, any type of media that comes from it.
00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:39.679
We come at and we head hit it head on.
00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:41.760
Hey, what do you think you see?
00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:47.360
Let us explain to you what you think you see, and we'll we'll explain the the science behind it.
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:48.159
Interesting.
00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:51.280
You know, and the regulators, we would never do anything without that.
00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:57.440
So if you I don't know if you have some of your stuff like posted, like you talked about, you do the planning and commercials.
00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:05.840
Anything that you think be interesting for folks to see that you mentioned, if you get me the links, we'll put them down in the description uh of that.
00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:16.320
And again, no pressure because some of that stuff's probably internal, but anything that you think or if you've done some media or something that you think would be fun for the audience, just send me a link and we'll embed it.
00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.039
Definitely will.
00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:17.679
You know what I'll do?
00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:20.880
I'll send you our scripts for the food safety for the consumers.
00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:22.800
Oh, that is a that's a great idea.
00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:33.039
And what we did a couple of years ago is we did recipes that we hand out when I do personal appearances and I do cooking for state departments or state fairs or whatever the case is.
00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:39.760
It's a recipe on front, but then the food safety on the back, the proper cook temperatures, why we do what we do, temperature control.
00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:40.400
So important.
00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:41.920
It goes hand in hand.
00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:42.639
That's great.
00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:43.519
Thank you for doing that.
00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:45.440
And what will so you did state fairs?
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:45.840
Oh, yeah.
00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:46.480
I do that.
00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:48.000
That's a crazy fun environment, isn't it?
00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:48.880
I love it.
00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:49.280
It's amazing.
00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:52.400
So are you you're not the guy like Date Fry and Oregos, I assume.
00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:53.280
No, no, no.
00:35:53.599 --> 00:36:01.440
They have a Georgia actually, Georgia Grown does a they do a big booth every year where they have uh stage that have chefs that come out and do it.
00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:02.400
Georgia Grown chefs.
00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:03.920
You do like a whole presentation.
00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:04.639
Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:08.239
Use some product and you know uh farm fresh produce.
00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:09.679
Is it coming up this fall?
00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:11.840
Is it like most states in like September, October?
00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:12.320
I love it.
00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:13.440
Yeah, September, October.
00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:15.360
Yeah, it gets got a little bit of a little cooler.
00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:16.480
A little cooler here, yeah.
00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:16.800
A little bit.
00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:21.760
Yeah, you can get warm, but yeah, that fall air and you go get, I'm a sucker for cotton candy funnel cakes.
00:36:21.920 --> 00:36:23.920
I I I eat like I was in college still.
00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:25.360
Only at the fair though.
00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.000
Only at the fair.
00:36:26.320 --> 00:36:27.679
That's that's we'll go with that.
00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:28.639
Yeah, there you go.
00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:31.440
I'd love to actually like follow up with you sometime.
00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:33.440
Maybe we're in formal studio and things.
00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:36.719
And uh but first of all, kudos to Kroger.
00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:42.239
I I I know that in tough economic times there's been companies who have like cut back on their food safety program.
00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:42.719
Oh no.
00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:44.400
Don't do it, don't do it.
00:36:44.639 --> 00:36:50.800
And by the way, you can't, you would know more being plugged in, right?
00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:54.639
If they're contemplating a rule change, you're in the room.
00:36:54.880 --> 00:37:02.400
And so you either can be prepared or say, hey, this doesn't work for industry because so anyway, I could ramble on all day.
00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:04.239
Thank you so much, Chef John.
00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:09.360
And uh we'll we'll probably be following up with him again sometime in more normal studio environment.
00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:11.119
But really enjoyed that conversation.
00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:12.239
Hope you all did too.
00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:16.880
For all of us here at the Beyond Data Management Podcast, live from Jihad in Lake Lanier, Georgia.
00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:18.079
I'm Cameron Garrison.
00:37:18.239 --> 00:37:22.000
We'll see you in just a little bit with another conversation from Jiha.
00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:23.039
Have a good one.
