WEBVTT
00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:08.820
So I want to welcome everyone to Voice4Chefs and our next chef check in and decided to do this a while ago.
00:00:08.839 --> 00:00:14.128
I wanted to reach out to the people that really started voice for chefs and all our guests.
00:00:14.128 --> 00:00:21.269
And if you haven't and don't know Victoria, you'll get to know her now, but also I want to make sure.
00:00:21.875 --> 00:00:35.304
That you take a look at episode 27 and episode 28, because that really does a deep dive into Victoria, who she is and everything about her and her amazing cooking school and her.
00:00:35.655 --> 00:00:36.344
Chef journey.
00:00:37.024 --> 00:00:40.213
So I want to welcome Victoria Feldman to our show.
00:00:40.223 --> 00:00:41.304
Welcome again, Victoria.
00:00:41.304 --> 00:00:44.884
So excited that you're here coming all the way from Canterbury, England.
00:00:45.155 --> 00:00:47.174
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
00:00:48.075 --> 00:00:52.045
Oh, hi, and it's a pleasure to be back.
00:00:52.194 --> 00:00:53.094
So nice.
00:00:53.304 --> 00:00:55.344
Michael, that you've invited me back.
00:00:55.393 --> 00:01:00.844
Yes, sir. I have a baking school in the UK, Canterbury Baking School.
00:01:00.854 --> 00:01:04.655
I believe we're in about our 12th year now.
00:01:05.084 --> 00:01:05.254
Oh wow.
00:01:05.284 --> 00:01:08.174
And, yes, it's gone crazy.
00:01:08.603 --> 00:01:14.884
it's really evolved and changed, which is so exciting for me.
00:01:15.314 --> 00:01:40.504
And as things have changed, I've had to embrace, These new adventures, but it's been an absolute, yeah, a privilege to, to actually go to different countries, meet different people and share my love and my expertise, but also learn from other people.
00:01:40.694 --> 00:01:43.733
So for me, it's been amazing.
00:01:44.063 --> 00:01:49.614
I. Do hold workshops at Canterbury Baking School.
00:01:49.875 --> 00:01:55.015
this is for anybody who's interested in attending our workshops.
00:01:55.355 --> 00:02:03.314
I also train chefs and bakers, and our specialism is in sourdough.
00:02:04.064 --> 00:02:11.264
And really the ethos of the school is about the impact food has on your health.
00:02:11.685 --> 00:02:12.694
And, so.
00:02:13.250 --> 00:02:24.759
It's possibly quite a niche that, I offer, but it's been full all the time, which is absolutely lovely.
00:02:25.090 --> 00:02:33.449
I've had the privilege of going in a few different directions and yeah, I'd love to share and tell you.
00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:35.360
What we're up to at the moment.
00:02:37.250 --> 00:02:38.039
That's amazing.
00:02:38.340 --> 00:02:43.400
And we're going to talk about that along, along reviewing or looking back at your journey.
00:02:44.088 --> 00:02:49.634
And again, there's a very detailed Two part series about Victoria.
00:02:49.775 --> 00:03:03.935
When we first met, we met on clubhouse and you know, now that we're thinking about clubhouse, so clubhouse for everyone that's listening, it still exists, it's not as prevalent as it used to be, but it's how I met Victoria.
00:03:03.935 --> 00:03:08.645
It's how I met a lot of people in this organization or this club called food is religion.
00:03:09.134 --> 00:03:10.895
And Victoria was holding these.
00:03:11.110 --> 00:03:25.770
Classes about gut health and sourdough and just her passion just came out with how much and how passionate she is about sourdough and, and baking healthy.
00:03:26.169 --> 00:03:33.038
And so I reached out and asked her if she'd interview, we had just the greatest time and I have followed you ever since then.
00:03:33.229 --> 00:03:38.310
I always am looking at what you're up to and I'm so excited to share that with our audience.
00:03:38.310 --> 00:03:46.000
So, so tell us a little bit about, Along your journey, what happened after the pandemic?
00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:50.069
Because when we interviewed, I remember it was crazy.
00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:51.030
It was chaos.
00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:52.689
You know, a lot of restaurants are closed.
00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:54.150
People were just picking up takeout.
00:03:54.669 --> 00:04:11.319
Your school, I think was closed and you were doing online classes or you're doing a lot of exploration in media, which was fascinating, but at the same time, you didn't have people coming into the school, but now that the pandemic has winded down, what's, what, what have you done since then?
00:04:11.389 --> 00:04:13.748
Okay,
00:04:13.830 --> 00:04:37.879
so during the pandemic, I did close everything and, I decided to do free online demonstrations and I got lots of people coming in and we would just go through the sourdough journey together from beginning to end and we'd do this over a few days and it was wonderful.
00:04:38.199 --> 00:05:05.875
people was just so enthusiastic and so that was something so I, I suppose in a way I was sharing my knowledge and my skills but also by doing this people begin to trust you and begin to know you and without realizing I was sort of getting myself online.
00:05:06.355 --> 00:05:19.745
I also needed to learn a little bit more about running my business and also how to market myself, how to show up on social media.
00:05:20.353 --> 00:05:41.035
And, I actually found the most amazing person, Jonathan Howard, and he, he was on Clubhouse and I reached out to him in one of his rooms and I remember He said to me, Well, what do you have trouble with?
00:05:41.095 --> 00:05:44.894
Well, what, what is the difficulty you have?
00:05:44.894 --> 00:05:48.233
And I said, well, I never go live on Instagram.
00:05:48.543 --> 00:05:53.055
He said, okay, as soon as this room finishes.
00:05:53.915 --> 00:06:01.475
I'm going to meet you and we are going to go live together on Instagram just for a few minutes.
00:06:01.915 --> 00:06:05.403
And I thought, okay, I'm game for anything.
00:06:05.404 --> 00:06:05.785
I love
00:06:05.785 --> 00:06:05.944
it.
00:06:05.944 --> 00:06:09.144
So literally, that's what happened.
00:06:09.144 --> 00:06:17.324
He invited me on Instagram and we were live and maybe it was 20 minutes, but it went so quickly.
00:06:17.605 --> 00:06:22.173
And he just asked me questions and I was able to answer.
00:06:22.404 --> 00:06:23.115
And I did
00:06:23.115 --> 00:06:23.684
it.
00:06:23.685 --> 00:06:24.550
Yeah, that's amazing.
00:06:24.550 --> 00:06:24.968
I've
00:06:24.968 --> 00:06:25.754
done it.
00:06:25.865 --> 00:06:27.504
What, what is the problem?
00:06:27.894 --> 00:06:33.264
And I joined his I think it was signature challenge and his membership.
00:06:33.764 --> 00:06:34.204
Anyway,
00:06:34.274 --> 00:06:38.615
I joined and I think it's about four years later.
00:06:38.675 --> 00:06:41.024
I'm still doing things with him.
00:06:41.024 --> 00:06:55.355
I'm, I'm still sort of in his groups and his guiding me and leading me and The most important thing that he's helped me with is to show up as myself.
00:06:56.949 --> 00:07:00.689
I'm now so comfortable that I don't worry.
00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:01.209
And see,
00:07:01.209 --> 00:07:02.910
that is truly amazing.
00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.339
Victoria, that is fantastic.
00:07:06.339 --> 00:07:07.095
You're
00:07:07.095 --> 00:07:07.848
conquering
00:07:07.850 --> 00:07:10.819
imposter syndromes for those that are listening.
00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:12.379
We all have these things in our head.
00:07:12.389 --> 00:07:14.339
I had it when I launched the podcast.
00:07:14.350 --> 00:07:16.100
I'm like, people are going to think it's stupid.
00:07:16.108 --> 00:07:18.778
They're not going to, they're not going to respect it.
00:07:18.978 --> 00:07:21.449
They're going to be haters out there and all these things.
00:07:21.449 --> 00:07:23.649
And I found the direct opposite.
00:07:23.875 --> 00:07:31.404
You know, I found that I connected to so many amazing people, audience members and guests, and my family was listening to the podcast from day one.
00:07:31.665 --> 00:07:35.264
My brother's in London, by the way, and he's listening to it.
00:07:35.274 --> 00:07:36.584
He'll listen to this episode.
00:07:36.584 --> 00:07:37.473
I guarantee it.
00:07:38.915 --> 00:07:40.024
So shout out to Bob.
00:07:40.625 --> 00:07:41.973
He's doing amazing things.
00:07:42.300 --> 00:07:43.699
He's going to be in London for a while.
00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:46.975
So I'm going to try to encourage them to come down and visit you.
00:07:46.975 --> 00:07:48.199
Actually.
00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:49.779
You stay in there for a few months.
00:07:49.779 --> 00:07:52.759
So I'm like, Hey, you got to go, you got to go meet Victoria.
00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:54.689
I'm sure we can meet up.
00:07:54.730 --> 00:07:58.028
London is not very far from me at
00:07:58.028 --> 00:07:58.209
all.
00:07:58.910 --> 00:08:05.379
But anyway, imposter syndrome is such a tough thing for so many people and it's wonderful that you embraced it.
00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:06.050
And
00:08:07.089 --> 00:08:16.718
what has helped me is that when you're online, you show your vulnerabilities and it doesn't matter.
00:08:17.550 --> 00:08:22.779
And I realized that people have bought into me as I am.
00:08:22.939 --> 00:08:26.230
I don't have to try and be anybody else.
00:08:26.629 --> 00:08:29.149
And that gives me the freedom.
00:08:29.584 --> 00:08:37.215
To do my teaching and what I love without worrying about, are people going to agree?
00:08:37.235 --> 00:08:38.484
It doesn't matter.
00:08:39.004 --> 00:08:44.684
As long as I know what I'm talking about, that's all you, that's what you need.
00:08:44.735 --> 00:08:47.254
You have to have good foundations.
00:08:47.264 --> 00:08:51.784
So yes, I think that was a very big part of it.
00:08:52.134 --> 00:08:54.634
And also, I was linking up with.
00:08:55.225 --> 00:08:57.875
Jason Hodge, who I also did.
00:08:58.085 --> 00:08:58.664
Oh, yeah.
00:08:58.754 --> 00:08:59.705
Religion with.
00:08:59.735 --> 00:09:22.955
We did healthy eating rooms together and he gave me a lot of advice about business, how to run it and so I use this time and I did a lot of research into gut health and I wrote about 100 recipes which the idea is for me to put into a book.
00:09:23.174 --> 00:09:33.894
So I kept myself very busy and active, but by doing, my live free sort of workshops.
00:09:34.684 --> 00:09:44.605
It gave me more confidence and working alongside with these other mentors that really helped me, just to go forward.
00:09:44.664 --> 00:09:52.014
And as soon as the pandemic, we could open, we had all our visors and everything.
00:09:52.404 --> 00:09:58.344
And, and we opened and then soon we didn't need the masks, et cetera.
00:09:58.803 --> 00:09:59.073
And.
00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:01.240
thing has just built.
00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:04.450
And I also now delegate.
00:10:04.549 --> 00:10:10.610
I have people in my business who do the things that I'm not good at, but I know, or you
00:10:10.610 --> 00:10:11.460
don't want to do,
00:10:12.710 --> 00:10:15.479
but I know I want them to do now.
00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:23.309
So I have more of a control and a hold over the business and it makes it much easier for me.
00:10:24.549 --> 00:10:25.610
Oh, I love that.
00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:26.610
Oh my gosh.
00:10:27.169 --> 00:10:28.769
So what's going on right now.
00:10:29.034 --> 00:10:35.945
In the moment with your cooking school, what kind of, give us kind of an idea of what it's like to come to a class, what classes do you offer?
00:10:36.544 --> 00:10:37.934
what's, what's shaken up there?
00:10:39.134 --> 00:10:44.575
well, one thing is we're going to move to bigger premises, so I'm.
00:10:45.154 --> 00:10:49.955
sort of already started looking, so that's exciting.
00:10:50.524 --> 00:10:58.653
so if you come to our classes, we work a lot with heritage grains, which are ancient grains.
00:10:59.475 --> 00:11:03.419
And, I have six little Stone mills.
00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:09.970
And what you would do is you would mill your own grains to make your own flour.
00:11:10.779 --> 00:11:23.899
And these will be heritage grains to make whether you're doing sourdough, basic bread, bagels, pizzas, pasta, etc. So that would be the first thing you would do.
00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:35.639
And we talk about the benefits and the why, why we do what we're doing and how to get the best nutrition from what you make at the school.
00:11:36.009 --> 00:11:55.340
And everything is hands on and The idea is that I want to give you the confidence and to work with your hands and to feel the different stages of how the dough should be so that you can go home and replicate what you've learned.
00:11:55.948 --> 00:12:03.299
And we make the workshops very fun and I do private but I do small groups as well.
00:12:04.850 --> 00:12:05.759
That's incredible.
00:12:05.769 --> 00:12:08.210
You know, your energy is a lot like mine.
00:12:08.210 --> 00:12:09.169
So I'm very.
00:12:09.745 --> 00:12:25.734
Aware and connected to it and when you have someone as a teacher or a guide that has the kind of energy that we have, it's infectious and I mean, literally people feel empowered to do something and it's a.
00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:49.600
It's like a superhero power in my book and you have that so if any was listening and wants to come online she has online classes sometimes and you know or if you're in Canterbury or near there you got to go check out her cooking classes and her school and you got to meet her so as we go along you've also expanded a bit with video right you're doing some online classes is that
00:12:49.990 --> 00:12:57.629
I have actually had Some videos done of my classes and they're going to be available.
00:12:57.629 --> 00:13:00.178
I've just got to get around to editing them.
00:13:00.619 --> 00:13:05.399
But, I'm, I've now started using Chatter.
00:13:06.408 --> 00:13:06.668
Okay.
00:13:07.119 --> 00:13:07.889
Tell us about that.
00:13:08.249 --> 00:13:08.558
Yeah.
00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:12.308
An app which is being tested at the moment.
00:13:12.318 --> 00:13:12.349
Okay.
00:13:12.548 --> 00:13:16.399
I believe it's going to become public very soon.
00:13:16.818 --> 00:13:25.649
And the reason I love this app is because I can do it visually like I am at the moment.
00:13:25.979 --> 00:13:29.124
So when I was on Clubhouse.
00:13:29.153 --> 00:14:01.149
It was quite difficult sometimes to, describe the state of the dough, how it should look, but now I do food demonstrations and I have started up my own channels, and I have, a Canterbury baking one, school one, but the one that I'm using As an introduction for people to get to know me is Keep It Simple Sourdough and that's going to be the title of the book that I'm writing as well.
00:14:01.149 --> 00:14:01.298
Oh, I
00:14:01.298 --> 00:14:01.688
love it.
00:14:01.690 --> 00:14:02.229
I love it.
00:14:02.229 --> 00:14:02.578
So, I've
00:14:03.149 --> 00:14:04.698
started that channel.
00:14:04.749 --> 00:14:08.668
I also want to get a forum of chefs together.
00:14:09.134 --> 00:14:13.943
to cook together and talk together and compliment each other.
00:14:14.073 --> 00:14:15.894
Are you going to do this online or in person?
00:14:16.524 --> 00:14:19.323
No, I want to do this on chatter.
00:14:19.474 --> 00:14:24.193
I may know some people, some of my guests, I mean they would be thrilled, absolutely thrilled.
00:14:24.193 --> 00:14:24.274
That would be
00:14:24.714 --> 00:14:25.104
perfect.
00:14:25.504 --> 00:14:32.144
and I'm, yes, and also I do an Italian culinary retreat with Chef Curzio.
00:14:32.153 --> 00:14:32.673
Yes.
00:14:32.923 --> 00:14:37.624
And I also want to showcase some of the food.
00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:43.708
Together, online and for people to see in our channels.
00:14:44.524 --> 00:14:50.333
on Chatter to actually see us making pizzas and pasta, etc.
00:14:50.403 --> 00:14:51.173
Oh, wow.
00:14:51.563 --> 00:14:51.884
So,
00:14:52.033 --> 00:15:00.774
yeah, I, I do like this app and I'm looking forward to when the general public can, can access it.
00:15:00.774 --> 00:15:05.474
But the fact for me is that it's visual and I can.
00:15:06.644 --> 00:15:08.144
Yeah, set up everything.
00:15:08.144 --> 00:15:19.173
I'm also going to be doing some in the baking school and showing people what we're up to, if we're making bagels or just sharing what I'm doing.
00:15:19.464 --> 00:15:25.433
so it will also be shown on different platforms as well, I believe.
00:15:25.434 --> 00:15:29.844
So I can do it onto my YouTube, etc.
00:15:30.423 --> 00:15:31.183
That's amazing.
00:15:31.793 --> 00:15:33.764
I'm excited about that.
00:15:34.714 --> 00:15:37.683
And you mentioned to me Italy, you also mentioned Greece.
00:15:37.874 --> 00:15:39.374
Can you tell me a little about Greece?
00:15:39.844 --> 00:15:40.984
Oh, yes.
00:15:41.004 --> 00:15:46.714
So, the last few years, I think I've been to maybe six different countries.
00:15:47.043 --> 00:15:47.173
Okay.
00:15:47.594 --> 00:15:50.524
And Greece was Interesting.
00:15:50.553 --> 00:15:54.663
I believe somebody saw me on Instagram.
00:15:54.663 --> 00:15:55.163
Oh, okay.
00:15:55.844 --> 00:16:00.354
New or he was a relative of this baker.
00:16:01.374 --> 00:16:02.494
Oh my gosh.
00:16:02.573 --> 00:16:03.234
I love it.
00:16:03.614 --> 00:16:08.364
Costos in Greece in a little place called Vista.
00:16:08.803 --> 00:16:20.678
on the mainland upper up the mountain I believe and I happen to be on holiday, in Greece, and he was also on holiday at the same time.
00:16:20.958 --> 00:16:26.048
His relative said, Hey, I saw on Instagram, she's where you are.
00:16:26.499 --> 00:16:30.469
And literally, I got a phone call, can we meet for supper?
00:16:31.058 --> 00:16:31.979
And we met.
00:16:32.494 --> 00:16:58.438
And it was wonderful and he is a baker and he's a very good baker but he wanted to start a school and he wanted to sort of find out how he could do it and he'd been following me and so he invited myself and my husband who was with me on holiday and we went to visit him at the baking school and now he, He has a school.
00:16:58.438 --> 00:17:02.519
So it was my privilege to be able to support him and.
00:17:02.698 --> 00:17:03.318
Oh wow.
00:17:03.408 --> 00:17:04.259
Just help him.
00:17:04.578 --> 00:17:13.159
And he was showing me the wonderful traditional things he made and really it was a wonderful collaboration.
00:17:13.439 --> 00:17:22.689
And whenever I have the opportunity, I think, I think it's now three times I've been and we've done sourdough bread together, et cetera.
00:17:22.848 --> 00:17:23.669
I love it.
00:17:23.848 --> 00:17:29.269
I, I go to Greece and spend time with him and his family.
00:17:29.489 --> 00:17:35.628
So, that was a wonderful experience and that was just from Instagram.
00:17:36.169 --> 00:17:37.128
Oh my gosh.
00:17:37.469 --> 00:17:38.009
Oh my gosh.
00:17:38.009 --> 00:17:39.598
Which is quite incredible.
00:17:40.088 --> 00:17:43.378
And Yes, I've, I've been to, Trinidad.
00:17:44.548 --> 00:17:45.229
That's right.
00:17:45.489 --> 00:17:46.229
Tell us about that.
00:17:46.269 --> 00:17:47.729
That's really cool.
00:17:48.138 --> 00:17:49.338
That's in the Caribbean, right?
00:17:49.749 --> 00:17:50.148
In the Caribbean.
00:17:50.509 --> 00:17:51.179
Yes.
00:17:51.209 --> 00:17:51.499
Yeah.
00:17:51.499 --> 00:17:51.828
Okay.
00:17:52.098 --> 00:18:12.058
So, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I was so excited and it was somebody who'd known me from quite a while ago and connected and possibly I think they saw me as well online and, It was a group of people who came together.
00:18:12.098 --> 00:18:17.409
And when I got there, I realized, I thought it was a co op, but it was a group of churches.
00:18:17.409 --> 00:18:23.419
So they came from Trinidad, Tobago, and I think Grenada.
00:18:23.969 --> 00:18:31.489
And, we possibly about 80 people for the week of health messages.
00:18:31.499 --> 00:18:31.949
So for
00:18:31.950 --> 00:18:32.863
me,
00:18:32.863 --> 00:18:47.019
I was there to, do workshops and talk about why we eat the food we eat and teach them how to make sourdough pasta, all sorts of things.
00:18:47.068 --> 00:18:53.648
And they also taught me how to do their traditional roti and all sorts of delicious food.
00:18:53.689 --> 00:18:58.219
But, uh, for me, it was the highlight.
00:18:58.298 --> 00:19:07.169
Uh, It was just wonderful to be surrounded by such beautiful, enthusiastic people.
00:19:07.179 --> 00:19:14.298
They welcomed me and, and they just had such joy and love.
00:19:14.298 --> 00:19:21.088
And, and, I had the most wonderful time and I had about, I think, eight.
00:19:21.538 --> 00:19:39.854
women who were like helping me in the kitchen and and we had a whole room set up and everybody who wanted to participate came and and cooked with us and we all ate together it was a real joy for me.
00:19:40.384 --> 00:19:41.483
That was lovely.
00:19:41.554 --> 00:19:47.683
And what happened recently, I went to Grenada, which was for a little break, and
00:19:48.114 --> 00:19:48.173
when
00:19:48.294 --> 00:20:02.084
you fly from Gatwick, you have to stop at Grenada, they refuel, and I met a woman who was stretching her legs, and it looks like I might be going to St. Lucia now.
00:20:03.769 --> 00:20:05.288
Oh, I'm jumping ahead.
00:20:05.489 --> 00:20:06.509
I'm so enthusiastic.
00:20:06.838 --> 00:20:09.528
No, no, this is perfect cuz I was gonna ask you about that.
00:20:09.528 --> 00:20:13.028
So, yeah, tell me about the woman that you met and the conversation.