Welcome to the second episode of the Chai Chats Podcast! In this episode, I traveled to Reykjavik and on the Golden Circle stopped by Lindin (a bistro) to have lunch and chat with Baldur in the small town of Laugarvatn. In this episode, Baldur and I chat about some fun things in and out of the culinary field: Interesting history of Lindin restaurant in Laugarvatn, Iceland Baldur's tough culinary journey that took him through Iceland, New York, Switzerland then back to Iceland Great ways for chefs and other high-performers to destress and create longevity Bonus: Baldur shows us how to truly enjoy the geothermal springs like an native Icelandic local Below are some detailed shownotes. I'll add timing starting next episode. For those who prefer the video interview, here's the Youtube link! Enjoy! Lindin a cozy bistro and restaurant that serves up delicious locally sourced game and fish - lamb (from northeast), arctic char, reindeer - and great desserts from a master pastry chef, Baldur. Found in the city of Laughvaghtan on the Golden Circle route. It’s a perfect stop for late lunch or dinner before moving onto the Geysir or Gulfoss waterfalls. Learn about the inspiration behind Lindin - a small bistro/restaurant in Laughvatarn on the Golden Circle in Reykjavik. Baldur’s journey to New York, his love for pastries, his amazing hobbies (hunting, fly fishing, farming) Chefs have the ability to hyperfocus but it comes with tradeoffs; the intense, instability of the kitchen and why it’s harmful yet beneficial to chefs The differences of working in a kitchen in iceland, nyc, and switzerland (hint: the last is the best because of work life balance) Potential root cause for chefs burning out and the backlash from burning out How the lack of Discipline in young chefs is leading to faster burn out Defining moments: learn about how Baldur almost quit cooking at age of 16 and again in culinary school Strong advice: follow your heart and passion and don’t overcalculate Quitting alcoholism, smoking and taking up yoga to manage health, stress and the secret to aging beautifully Advice to new chef - follow your heart + passion, don’t drink and do drugs kids, be open to feedback from others, be patient, focus on learning Baldur’s advice on what to do instead of drinking - do your sports, don’t skip family meetings, be ready to give, be excited about the small things in life and savoring the moment, practice enjoying the now Bonus content: how to enjoy geothermal springs of Iceland, especially next door in the best value alternative to Blue Lagoon, Fontana (cheaper, quieter, more personal, without sacrificing quality) How to find Lindin, Baldur, and one of the my first and best meals in Iceland

Chai Chats Podcast

Chai Chats: Ep. 2 – Meet Baldur, an Icelandic master pastry chef turned into a restaurateur

Welcome to our first Chai Chats, where the chai is real and so is the chat! Today we'll talk to Sharmila who co-owns Mr. Brasa, a smoked-BBQ food truck in Amsterdam's Sunday Market! I eat a lot. Maybe 3000-5000 calories a day when I'm on vacation (pretty much the last 6 months of my life). As well, the culinary field is one of my favorite things in the world because of its artistic, creative and delicious nature ... but, all these Instagram/FB pics of the perfect food all have a deep story. As I've been traveling to many countires, I've sat down with various chefs, restaurants, managers, etc and learned about their stories. These stories are about people giving up their lives and hyperfocusing on one thing: being successful. In these chats, we'll learn about four things on each episode: 1) history about the restaurant and my favorite dishes there 2) background about the interviewee 3) defining moments - think make it or break it moments 4) one piece of advice to new chefs Let's dig in! For those who prefer video, here's the video interview on Youtube!

Chai Chats: Episode 1 – Intro Episode and our first chat in Amsterdam!

Stories about favorite foods, defining moments, and other food-related topics with restaurateurs, chefs, and other culinary practitioners

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Chai Chats: Ep. 2 – Meet Baldur, an Icelandic master pastry chef turned into a restaurateur

Chai Chats: Episode 1 – Intro Episode and our first chat in Amsterdam!