Talkin' 'bout Food
Welcome to the “Talkin’ ‘bout Food” podcast. The only food commentary show on the Grand Strand. Richard Florczak, former private chef for Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Garner, shares his insights into the local food scene. The Private Chef to the Stars provides entertaining commentary, advice for the home cook, discussions with local chefs, interviews with his celebrity friends and endless stories of working up-close and personal with Hollywood’s A-list. But whether it’s locals or Hollywood stars, the topic will always be…food. Because nothing brings people together like great food!
Episodes
46 episodes
Episode 46: Chef Jerrett "JK" King of Oak Prime in Carolina Forest discusses his recent Michelin award. Sundy Barth, garduating student from HGTC, now bakes at the famous "Croissants Bistro and Bakery."
Chef JK of Oak Prime in Carolina Forest talks about the lead up to being bestowed the restaurant "Recomendation Award" in the new Michelin Guide. The only restaurant in the entire Grand Strand to receive such an accolade. Also, Sundy Barth, a g...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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58:03
Episode 45: Grant Turner aka comedian Ricky Mokel, sits down with The Private Chef to the Stars. Also, chef Joe Bonaparte is back with tips and whats new at HGTC International Culinary Academy.
Grant Turner, better known as Ricky Mokel, serves up a full plate of laughs as he journeys from the land of kale smoothies to the home of fried everything. Chef Joe Bonaparte talks about some amazing new equipment at the school including a roti...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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54:29
Episode 44: Liz Callaway of 94.5 and her husband Javi join chef Richard to discuss their favorite Grand Strand restaurants. Long awaited commentary on Luvan's Fish Camp.
Liz Callaway, 94.5 morning talk show host, and her husband Javier Lopez join The Private Chef to the Stars in studio to discuss their favorite restaurants on The Grand Strand. After being turned away last week from Luvan's in Conway, chef Richa...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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44:40
Episode 43: From Luvans to Anto's to The Crooked Oak Tavern to River City Cafe to Rivertown Bistro...in one night. Also, The Snack Guy!
The long night of trials and tribulations: A Quest for a Restaurant. Also, David Magaha (The Snack Guy) sits down with the Private Chef to the Stars to explain his constant hunt for a good snack around The Grand Strand.
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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47:34
Episode 42: Grand Strand magazine writer, Paul Grimshaw, discusses "Best of the Grand Strand Restaurants 2025" October issue.
Twenty year food writer, Paul Grimshaw sits down with The Private Chef to the Stars to discuss the many restaurants that made it into Grand Strand's magazine "Best-of-2025." They are joined by Sophia Edens, The Content Food Critic, to get her t...
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42:01
Episode 41: Congressman Russell Fry sits down with The Private Chef to the Stars to discuss the food scene here on The Grand Strand.
Congressman Russell Fry of district 7 chats with The Chef to the Stars about growing up on The Grand Strand, how the food scene has changed for the better, his mother's cooking, and his aunt's famous Cheez Whiz and Bugles appetizer...awesome. S...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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26:02
Episode 40: The Ball and Que restaurant in Georgtown, The Pierogi House in Myrtle Beach, and a new private chef job for The Private Chef to the Stars.
The Private Chef to the Stars has a new private chef position and leans on the Ball and Que restaurant in Georgetown for some traditional ideas. The Pierogi House in Myrtle Beach launches a discussion as to why we believe each of our tradional ...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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28:56
Episode 39: Chef Bear discusses plate presentation and his move towards the personal chef world. Laura Smith, from IRS tax agent to student at The International Culinary Academy at age 68.
Chef Curtis Hillard, AKA Chef Bear, sits down with The Private Chef to the Stars to deconstruct his approach to proper plate composition and presentation. And, how he moved from executive chef in restaurants to entering the world of the persona...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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1:02:40
Episode 38: Chef Danny Smith, winner of The Best Seafood Chef in South Carolina 2025. Peta and John Dabrowski, owners of Local Eat Drink Celebrate.
Chef Danny Smith, winner of best seafood chef in South Carolina 2014, 2019, and 2025, and 7 time World Food Championship competitor sits down to discuss cooking seafood in the low country. Also, Peta and Chef John Dabrowski. Peta, began her pas...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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56:25
Episode 37: Strong Man winner, Troy Bennett, Owner of Dirty Myrtle Wing Company.
He played professional football, won the Strong Man contest several times (including pulling an airplane), had a massive heart attack, then opened the hugely successful Dirty Myrtle Wing Company. Talented server Kaitlin Pryor, talks about her s...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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47:08
Episode 36: A Los Angeles pastry chef discusses his love of The Grand Strand restaurants and his comical disdain for the restaurant business.
Los Angeles Pasry chef, Enoc Guardado, sits down with The Private Chef to the Stars to discuss chef Enoc's exodus from the food industry and what made that happen. From dishwasher to pastry chef, to restaurant manager and why he has such a loat...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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46:29
Episode 35: Murrells Inlet Foodies and Entertainment's Jack Gregory discusses the best restaurants from North Myrtle beach to Conway all the way down to Pawleys Island!
You'd be hard-pressed to find someone in The Grand Strand who has eaten in more restaurants. Jack Gregory of Murrells Inlet Foodies and Entertainment sits down with The Private Chef to the Stars to discuss over twenty restaurants from north to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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50:11
Episode 34: Sweet Girlz Bakery and Cafe. Don Princiotto, from Boston to the navy to voice recognition to defence contracting to HGTC International Culinary Academy.
The sweet ladies of the hugely successful Sweet Girlz Cafe and Bakery, drop into the "Talkin' 'bout Food" studio to discuss the origin of their partnership with neither having a culinary backround. Also, Don Princiotto. He studied computer scie...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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52:17
Episode 33: Lakieta and Jamie Graves of The Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre and The Carolina Opry. Michael Roemhildt of Michael's Personal Chef and Catering.
Lakieta Graves, with a passion for singing and a voice like an angel, and Jamie Graves, a passionate musical prodigy, who would have ever suspected they have another passion...food. Lakieta Bagwell-Graves brings the life and legacy ...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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51:35
Episode 32: Bohemian Bull is now in full stride with $3 draft beers, 1/2 price burgers, $12 bourbon flights and more. The scoop on cheesesteaks by "The Scoop on Myrtle."
The owners of Bohemian Bull in Murrells Inlet are back to discuss their phenomenal progress in less than a year. Hard work, a love of the community, great food, and reasonable prices seems to be their secret. Flavio Medeiros of "The Scoop ...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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46:58
Episode 31: The best of the first 30 episodes and some of The Private Chef to the Stars' favorite restaurants in The Grand Strand.
Clips from the show's most famous guests. Top local chefs discuss their favorite foods they'd be embarrassed for people to know, and some of The Private Chef to the Stars' favorite restauarnts in The Grand Strand.
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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37:57
Episode 30: The changing of the food scene in The Grand Strand with Chef Joe Bonaparte of HGTC International Culinary Academy.
Chef Joe Bonaparte of The International Culinary Academy talks with The Private Chef to the Stars about the positive changes to the local restaurant scene, where he thinks it's headed. Also discussed is the first class education provided ...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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38:05
Episode 29: Interview with Lisa and Benny Blackwell, owners of the new restaurant Palm 33 in Murrells Inlet
The Private Chef to the Stars sits down with the owners of Palm 33, Lisa and Bennie Blackwell to discuss their month-old restaurant in Murrells Inlet. How Lisa was raised in a home that didn't cook to becoming the pastry chef and co-owner of Pa...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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46:51
Episode 28: Jack Gregory of "Murrells Inlet Foodies and Entertainment" stops in to discuss five restaurants on The Grand Strand. Some new, some old, and some hard to find.
The Private Chef to the Stars welcomes back into the studio, Jack Gregory of "Murrells Inlet Foodies and Entertainment" fame. With tens of thousands of views to his Facebook page daily, Jack is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the local f...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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30:48
Episode 27: Interview with chef/owner of Anto's Pizza Romana and Italian Market in Conway. Commentary on five restaurants on The Grand Strand.
The Private Chef to the Stars sits down with Anthony Ludovici DeBrigida, chef/owner of Anto's Pizza Romana and Italian Market in Coanway. From studying sea turtles in Florida to making one of the best pizzas on The Grand Strand. Also, commentar...
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56:54
Episode 26: US Foods corporate chef and executive chef of The Tasting Menu Series at The Tasting Room on 9th. The Private Chef to the Stars' commentary on Casa Mia in Surfside.
Chef Robert Kaufman is the corporate chef at US Foods Myrtle Beach location and is also the lead chef of the popular Tasting Menu Series at The Tasting Room on 9th. After finishing culinary school, Chef Kaufman worked in a number of highly resp...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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40:19
Episode 25: Getting educated on preparing boiled peanuts from two local natives and Oscar Chavez owner of Microledon Farm.
Two local natives school The Private Chef to the Stars on the proper way to cook boiled peanuts. Microledon Farm owner, Oscar Chavez, discusses how he started and how he became one of the best micro greens growers on the Grand Strand. Chef Rich...
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1:03:56
Episode 24: Chef Adam Kirby owner of Bistro 217 and Rustic Table. Chef Richard Florczak gets interviewed.
Acclaimed chef and co-owner of Bistro 217 and Rustic Table, Chef Adam Kirby. Chef Kirby sits down with Chef Richard Florczak and talks about growing up Southern, learning to cook from his mom and grandmother, working throughout the west coast a...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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52:14
Episode 23: Owner of Palmetto Farms and maker of some of the finest grits and Peter Gerace, local soft shell crab harvester.
The Private Chef to the Stars heads out to Aynor to sit down with David Dorman, owner of Palmetto Farms. The three generations old company that produces some of the best grits in South Carolina. Also, Peter Gerace, local soft shell crab harvest...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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43:41
Episode 22: Grand Strand Magazine food writer, Paul Grimshaw and his infinite knowledge of the local food scene. Also, The Content Food Critic stops by with a few new finds.
Twenty year food writer for the Grand Strand magazine, Paul Grimshaw discusses the past, present, and futue of the local food scene. Sophia Edens, The Content Food Critic, stops by the "Talkin' 'bout Food" studio to tell us abot "9 Spices Hot P...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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42:21