Building Culinary Communities – Reflections with Chef Charles Carroll

On this episode, Ragnar speaks with former Worldchefs President, eight-time Culinary Olympian, award-winning author, producer and inspirational speaker, Chef Charles Carroll. From leading the US culinary team in the Culinary Olympics to authoring bestsellers, Chef Carroll shares his experiences, challenges, and reflections as he steps down from the Worldchefs’ board. Tune in for an introspective look at leadership, legacy, and the future of the global culinary community on Episode 116: Building Culinary Communities – Reflections with Chef Charles Carroll.

For the past decade, Charles M. Carroll, CEC, AAC, has been a pivotal figure within the culinary world. With his departure from the Worldchefs board, this episode serves as a reflective conversation on his journey— one marked by leadership, evolution, and a lasting memory for culinary professionals worldwide.

If it’s one thing that you could learn from this podcast today, it’s that your goal should be making memories.

Worldchefs Certified Executive Chef Nazim Khan

Tune in and LEARN:

• Inspiring Leadership Journey: Charles takes us through his decade-long journey with Worldchefs, highlighting his initial reluctance and eventual acceptance of the role of Congress Chairman, Vice President, and ultimately President. His story illustrates the power of perseverance and passion in achieving success.
• Navigating Challenges and Achievements: From being part of the culinary team in the Olympics to managing the complexities of leadership roles, including stepping down after an illustrious term, Charles shares how these experiences have shaped his perspective on leadership and community building within the culinary world.
• Global Community and Friendships: Charles shares heartwarming stories of forming lifelong friendships around the globe. As he steps down from the board, his message is one of enduring gratitude and optimism for the future of Worldchefs.
• A Call to Make Memories: Through personal anecdotes and introspection, Charles emphasizes the importance of making cherished memories and finding balance between professional commitments and personal life. His candid narrative inspires chefs to prioritize what truly matters, including forging meaningful connections with colleagues and family.

Resources

“Our goal is to bring chefs in and give them a hug and let’s bring them on this journey of education and growing as a whole globally.”

Worldchefs Certified Executive Chef Nazim Khan

Learn more about Chef Charles Carroll at chefcharlescarroll.com.

You can hear more from him on his podcast, The Recipe Podcast with Chef’s Roll, as journeys into the homes of some of the world’s most extraordinary people, to learn their own personal and professional secrets to an outrageously successful life.

Check out his books for more insights:

From eight-time Culinary Olympian Chef Charles Carroll and New York Times bestselling author John David Mann (The Go-Giver) comes a tale of heartbreak and redemption, the story of a boy who learns to overcome tragedy and carve out a life of excellence and honor through cooking lessons at the hands of a retired chef. Blending poignant story-telling with vivid culinary detail, The Recipe offers readers a compelling recipe for personal greatness.

Throughout the story the reader also learns key cooking concepts, cutting techniques, and other practical secrets of the kitchen. Includes a complete set of recipes for dishes cooked in the story.

Tasting Success is for every student in the beginning months of their education, or every new employee just starting out in a new hospitality job. It will be an asset to any introductory course in culinary, foodservice, or the hospitality industry, as well as a benefit for career planning or career development courses, intern or externships, leadership, and organizational development classes, or self study.In this book, Chef Charles Carroll expertly coaches students on how to attack their time and plan their future, while giving them encouragement and words of wisdom along the way to ensure success. With its no nonsense, upbeat, and inspiring style, Tasting Success: Your Guide to Becoming a Professional Chef outlines the most important, tangible decisions a young culinary professional can make now to achieve lifelong success, and provides the essential career map every young professional needs to travel the road to culinary career success!

Leadership Lessons from a Chef is about creating excellence in the professional kitchen. Here the difference between good and great comes down to the details, and attention to these details comes from the right attitude reaching across all staff. A good culinary manager, according to author and award-winning Certified Executive Chef Charles Carroll, skillfully cultivates this attitude for success, and so leads the way toward kitchen excellence.

Using stories and examples drawn from his many years’ experience, Chef Carroll gives you a leader’s tour through the working kitchen. Offering proven wisdom in plainspoken terms instead of abstract management theories, the practical tools and ideas found in this groundbreaking book can be used immediately to motivate and develop an effective team environment among kitchen staffs.

Interested in Worldchefs Global Culinary Certification?

Worldchefs Global Culinary Certification is a prestigious skills recognition framework designed for culinary professionals around the world. Created with leading employers, this framework validates individuals’ culinary skills, knowledge, and experience against a global benchmark. Find out how you can get your skills recognized at worldchefs.org/global-culinary-certification.

For the latest industry news, and thousands of job offers, join Worldchefs Online Community today.

About Charles M. Carroll, CEC, AAC

Charles M. Carroll, CEC, AAC, is the Executive Chef at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas, which is among the top country clubs in the United States. He has received over seventy national and international awards, including three Presidential Medallions from the American Culinary Federation. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Carroll was the manager of the 2004 United States Regional Culinary Olympic Team, which won three gold medals and was ranked third internationally. Before joining River Oaks, Carroll held executive chef positions at Rochester, New York’s Oak Hill Country Club and The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in New Hampshire.

Despite stepping down from his board role, Chef Charles remains a pivotal figure in the organization, reflecting on his extensive contributions and emphasizing the importance of making memories, maintaining health, and valuing family and professional relationships. The podcast also touches upon his experiences in organizing major culinary events, dealing with internal politics, and his vision for the future of Worldchefs.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Chef Charles Carroll for joining us, and for his years of dedicated service to the Worldchefs global community.

World on a Plate is supported by Nestlé Professional and our podcast sponsors.