Hospitality Bites – Episode 2 From Home Cook to Private Chef: Aly Romero’s Culinary Journey

In this episode, I sit down with Aly Romero — private chef, food blogger, cookbook author, and one-woman grilling powerhouse — to explore her unconventional (and wildly inspiring) path into the culinary world.

Aly didn’t start in a restaurant or culinary school — she started at home, cooking for the people she loved. What began as a second chapter in life quickly turned into a full-blown profession fueled by flavor, family, and fire.

We talk about how blogging her home-cooked meals sparked something bigger, how dining out keeps her inspired, and what it really takes to be a private chef. We also dive into her time on The Great Food Truck Race, catching salmon in Alaska, and how she’s redefining what it means to be a woman behind the grill.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt called to cook, create, or carve out their own path in an industry that doesn’t always make room for new voices. Aly reminds us there is room — especially when you’re not afraid to turn up the heat.

In this episode, we dish on:

• How Aly’s culinary career became her “second chapter”
• What inspired her to launch a food blog — and keep it real
• The hustle, heart, and high stakes of private chef life
• Why grilling isn’t just for the guys — and how she’s breaking that mold
• Her debut cookbook, Gas Fire Heat, and what’s coming next
• The role of family, culture, and storytelling in her food
• Where she finds inspiration beyond the kitchen

Key Takeaways:

• Cooking is a labor of love — and for Aly, it’s deeply personal
• A culinary career can begin at any age or stage
• Private chef life is high-pressure and high-reward
• Food Network fame opened doors, but the passion stayed rooted
• Grilling is joyful, not gendered
• Bold flavors and quality ingredients > fancy tools
• Culinary storytelling lives in blogs, grills, and cookbooks
• A second cookbook is already on the horizon — Barbecue Fusion

 Episode Breakdown:

00:00 – Intro: From Kitchen Table to Culinary Career

01:05 – How Aly Fell in Love with Cooking

04:17 – Food Blogging: Sharing the Journey

06:34 – Inspiration from Restaurants to Home Plates

09:22 – Private Chef Life: Behind the Apron

11:29 – Family First: Blending Home + Hustle

14:33 – Behind the Scenes: Food Network + Alaska Adventures

20:02 – Ingredient Obsessed: Sourcing Matters

21:00 – From New Zealand to Texas BBQ

23:44 – Grilling for the Girls: Breaking Stereotypes

26:29 – Family, Food & Fire

28:47 – What's Next: New Books, Events, and Big Dreams

New episodes of Hospitality Bites drop every week, now proudly under the Walk-In Talk Media umbrella. Follow along: Walk-In Talk Podcast — The Walk In Talk Show

Want to connect with Aly, purchase her cookbook, or learn more about her company?

Visit: www.alyromero.com

Want to collaborate or be featured on the podcast?

Reach out via HospitalityBites.com