Cooking Your Way Through Life

Cooking Your Way Through “Setbacks”

Setbacks happen — in life, in business, and even in the kitchen.

In this episode of Cooking Your Way Through Life, I talk honestly about navigating setbacks when things don’t go as planned. Whether a setback is personal, professional, or financial, we all eventually face the same decision: adapt, pivot, or let go and move forward.

I share real-life perspective on how setbacks can cost more than effort — they often cost time — and why knowing when to restart instead of forcing a fix can save you from deeper frustration.

On the culinary side, we explore setbacks in the kitchen. Some recipes can be saved, while others simply can’t — and learning when to start over is just as important as knowing how to fix a mistake. From broken sauces to recipes that go too far, the kitchen offers constant lessons on resilience and decision-making.

This episode is about reframing setbacks not as failures, but as moments that teach us how to adjust and keep going.

Cooking Your Way Through “Patience” with OG

Patience isn’t passive — it’s intentional, active, and often tested when progress feels slow.

In this episode of Cooking Your Way Through Life, I’m joined by OG for a grounded conversation about patience in both life and the kitchen. We talk about how patience shows up when you’re building something meaningful and why comparing your journey to someone else’s only creates unnecessary pressure.

On the culinary side, we focus on risotto — a dish that demands attention, restraint, and trust in the process. I break down my four pillars of making great risotto, and how each one directly connects to patience. You can’t rush it, you can’t skip steps, and you can’t force results — the dish tells you when it’s ready.

We also dive into the idea that your journey is yours alone. Timing looks different for everyone, and being patient with your own path is just as important as putting in the work.

This episode is for anyone who feels like they’re behind, waiting, or questioning their pace — a reminder that patience isn’t wasted time, and growth doesn’t happen on anyone else’s schedule

Guest: OG

Music producer and world-traveling professional musician who has worked with artists including Bryson Tiller, Elhae, Masego, Xavier Omar, T.I., John Legend, Trippie Redd, and more.

Follow OG:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/OGTha3
Facebook: Oliver Grose III

 

Cooking Your Way Through ”New Year New Me”

Happy New Year — and welcome to the first episode of 2026.

In this episode of Cooking Your Way Through Life, I’m taking a moment to acknowledge something important: we made it another year. With that comes reflection, intention, and the opportunity to start fresh.

We talk about New Year’s resolutions — how to make them realistic, obtainable, and sustainable, and why consistency and effort matter more than big declarations. Resolutions only work if we’re willing to put the work in.

On the food side, I share practical tips around meal prep — ways to make it easier to stick to if you’re doing it yourself, and an honest look at using meal prep services or personal chefs when it makes sense. Realistically, it’s often not much more expensive than the drive-through these days.

This year is about consistency for me, and new episodes will be dropping every Thursday.

Thank you for being here, and here’s to showing up for ourselves in 2026.

Cooking Your Way Through ”Friends & Family” Christmas Bonus

This is a special bonus holiday episode of Cooking Your Way Through Life.

This Christmas, I had the chance to spend time with friends I hadn’t seen in over five years — Mollie and Ger — and it reminded me just how powerful chosen friendships can be. We’re born into family, but we choose our friends, and that choice creates a bond that can last years, even across distance and time apart.

In this episode, I reflect on gratitude, friendship, and the beauty of reconnecting — and how meaningful it is when those bonds pick up exactly where they left off. And if you’re lucky enough to have family members who are also your friends, it really does feel like lightning striking twice.

On the culinary side, I still wanted to leave you with something delicious, so I share a quick and easy homemade eggnog recipe that packs a punch and is perfect for the holidays.

Thank you for listening, and make sure to check out new episodes weekly on YouTube and wherever you enjoy podcasts. Happy holidays from my kitchen — and my heart — to yours.

Cooking Your Way Through ”Impulse” with Jamal & Lexi

In this week’s episode of Cooking Your Way Through Life, Chef Drake Robertson (aka Chef Hollywood) is joined by Jamal and Lexi for an honest and thoughtful conversation about impulse — the thoughts and actions we make in the moment, often without slowing down to examine why.

We dive into impulsive decision-making and ask the bigger questions: Are our impulses driven by gut instinct, emotion, or habit? And how do those split-second choices shape our lives, relationships, and routines?

On the food side, we connect impulse to something everyone can relate to — fast food. I share tips on how to make four easy “fast food–style” items at home, because sometimes the drive-through feels like the quick answer, when cooking at home can be just as fast and even more satisfying.

🎧 New episodes every week — where food meets life lessons, and every ingredient tells a story.

🌐 Website – chculinarycreations.com 🔗 All Links – linkinbio.com/chefhollywood

👥 Guests: Jamal & Lexi

Lexi and Jamal are a married couple based in Atlanta, GA. Lexi is a freelance graphic designer, and Jamal is a soccer coach. Together, they share a love for travel, creativity, and making meaningful memories.

📸 Instagram – @jbyeldell 📸 Instagram – @lexiwandesigns 📸 Instagram – @lexisrisuwanyeldell

Cooking Your Way Through ”Growth” with Warren Mullins

In this week’s episode of Cooking Your Way Through Life, Chef Drake Robertson (aka Chef Hollywood) sits down with his friend Warren Mullins — a former cruise director turned tattoo artist — for a real and reflective conversation about growth, both personal and professional.

We talk about how growth doesn’t always look the way we expect, how sometimes we don’t even recognize our own progress, and how it often takes seeing growth in others to realize how far we’ve come ourselves. Throughout the conversation, Warren and I point out the ways we’ve each evolved over the years and how perspective plays a huge role in understanding growth.

In the kitchen, I break down Pickling 101, teaching you how to pickle just about anything and how to adjust the process to fit your own flavor profile. I also share a quick and easy kimchi-style recipe, offering my personal take while being mindful and respectful of kimchi’s cultural roots, and encouraging listeners to explore its history and significance further.

🎧 New episodes every week — where food meets life lessons, and every ingredient tells a story.

🍴 Stay Connected

🌐 Website – chculinarycreations.com 🔗 All Links – linkinbio.com/chefhollywood

👤 Guest: Warren Mullins

📸 Instagram – @ininkwetrust 🎵 TikTok – @ininkwetrust 🌐 Website – ininkwetrust.co.uk

💭 Join the Conversation

What’s one way you’ve grown recently — even if you didn’t notice it at first? Drop it in the comments and let’s talk.

Cooking Your Way Through ”Connections”

Connection shows up in our lives in more ways than we realize — through the people we love, the friendships we build, the cultures we explore, and the food that brings us together. Today’s episode dives into what connection truly means and how it shapes who we are.

We start by exploring the difference between a deep personal connection — the kind where you feel vulnerable, valued, and fully seen — and the powerful connections we form with close friends and family through shared experiences and trust.

From there, we move into the culinary side of connection. I share two stories from my childhood: Sundays spent outside cooking with my grandfathers and uncles, and Sundays inside learning to bake with my grandmother. These early moments sparked my love for food and taught me how cooking naturally creates connection, long before I ever stepped foot in a professional kitchen.

I also touch on what connection looks like as a chef and traveler — how food allows us to communicate across cultures, and how gastronomy has shaped my view of the world. And in today’s digital age, we also look at online connection and whether it’s truly connection if we don’t nurture it the same way we do in person.

Whether it’s around a holiday table, a Sunday dinner, or a simple shared meal, food connects us all. Let’s explore what that means, and how we can reconnect with ourselves and others through presence, intention, and flavor.

New episodes every Thursday — subscribe so you never miss a moment.

Cooking Your Way Through ”Change” with Spencer Jason

Change can be scary, exciting, uncomfortable, or transformational — sometimes all at once. In today’s episode of Cooking Your Way Through Life, I sit down with Spencer Jason, who grew up on the waters of Long Island and never expected that the ocean would become his workplace. Spencer began his journey as a Chef at Sea, but his curiosity and love for the salty air, breathtaking views, and constant exploration led him to make a bold career shift into the deck department.

Together, we dive into the real meaning of change: • When do you embrace it? • When do you push back? • And how do you know which one you truly need?

We also break down a versatile seasonal soup base that you can adapt all year long — just like life, your cooking changes with the seasons.

Follow Spencer: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theschmerz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSchmerz/

Tune in and cook your way through change with us.