Founders Feature: Real Ingredients, No Compromises with Chef V of Alchemy of Food | Podcast скачать в хорошем качестве

Founders Feature: Real Ingredients, No Compromises with Chef V of Alchemy of Food | Podcast

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Chef V (Vasisht Ramasubramanian), founder of Alchemy of Food—a sauce brand built on the principle that "real ingredients make real magic." After losing his sense of taste and smell from COVID-19 as a professional chef, Chef V took a sabbatical from the restaurant world, rediscovered his palate through clean eating, and launched a CPG brand committed to radical ingredient transparency—no ultra-processed junk, no unpronounceable ingredients, just real food. Chef V shares his journey from attending the Culinary Institute of America (which he calls "the Hogwarts of cooking schools") to opening restaurants around the world for well-known chefs, to the devastating moment he realized he couldn't smell cinnamon and cardamom in his rice during COVID. That loss—and the fear that his senses might never return—led him to take a sabbatical, prioritize his health, and eventually discover a gap in the market: everything on shelves is filled with ingredients you don't want in your food. The conversation explores how surplus crystallized honey from a local Tennessee beekeeper became the foundation for his first sauces, why he sold at five farmers markets a week in summer 2025 to validate product-market fit, and what it's like to transition from buying 5 pounds of honey for a restaurant to sourcing 55,000 pounds for CPG production. Chef V also discusses why he's a trendsetter (not a trend follower) who champions local ingredients like Tennessee honey and Carolina spices over imported truffles, how his chipotle maple sauce became a crowd favorite with its time-release flavor mechanism (sweet first, smoky second, heat third), and what it took to get selected for Sprouts' innovation set. Throughout the episode, Chef V pulls back the curtain on the science of CPG (pH levels, refractor readings, specific density), testing recipes with his 8-year-old daughter to standardize formulas, working with three different co-packers to find the right fit, and navigating the immigrant founder experience in today's climate. Whether you're a chef-turned-founder, sourcing local ingredients to build a differentiated product, or building a self-funded brand while staying true to your ingredient philosophy, this conversation offers honest lessons on transferring restaurant principles to CPG, playing the long game, and celebrating the flavors that connect us all. Connect with the guest: Chef V (Vasudeva Rama Subramanian) — Founder, Alchemy of Food 🔗 LinkedIn:   / vasisht-r-1814b69   🔗 LinkedIn:   / the-flavorsmith   📸 Instagram:   / real_flavorsmith   🌐 Website: https://www.theflavorsmith.com Caitlin Bricker — Managing Editor, Startup CPG 🔗 LinkedIn:   / caitlinbricker   Key Moments: 00:00 Introduction to Alchemy of Food and the Real Ingredients Philosophy 01:54 Chef V's Background: Culinary Institute of America & Opening Restaurants Worldwide 3:16 Losing His Sense of Taste from COVID: The Cinnamon and Cardamom Moment 06:32 The Devastating Reality of Not Being Able to Smell or Taste as a Chef 09:06 The Fear: What If It Never Comes Back? 10:03 Food as Connection: Growing Up Hindu with Muslim and Bengali Friends 12:22 From Restaurant Chef to CPG Founder: The Transition 14:06 The Science of CPG: pH Levels, Refractor Readings, and Co-Packer Challenges 16:16 Why Honey and Maple Syrup: Following Your Heart Over Trends 17:57 Getting Selected for Sprouts' Innovation Set 19:36 Favorite Pairings: Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Hot Honey on Ice Cream, Salsa Verde on Everything 21:25 Navigating the Immigrant Founder Experience in Today's Climate 24:04 Why We Need More Flavors from Diverse Backgrounds 25:51 Where to Find Alchemy of Food About Startup CPG: Startup CPG is the largest community for emerging brands: 30,000+ Slack members, the #1 podcast in CPG, 100+ events per year, and award-winning resources to help brands grow. Join free today: https://startupcpg.com/sign-up Stay connected: 📸 Instagram:   / startupcpg   🔗 LinkedIn:   / startupcpg   If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! #StartupCPG #CPGPodcast #CPG #AlchemyOfFood #ChefV #Flavorsmith #CleanLabel #RealIngredients #FunctionalFood #Sauces #ChipotleMaple #HotHoney #SalsaVerde #BetterForYou #ChefToCPG #RestaurantToCPG #Sprouts #InnovationSet #ShelfieAwards #ImmigrantFounder #FoodIsConnection #LocalIngredients #SelfFunded #FounderStory #CPGFounders #FoodAndBeverage #CPGIndustry #FarmersMarket #ProductMarketFit #IngredientTransparency