Season 9 -Episode 8 - Troy Payne - Crafting Culinary Memories !
What happens when comfort food meets the desert?
In this episode of the Chef JKP Podcast, host James Knight-Paccheco sits down with the inspiring and outspoken Chef Troy Payne for a deep, personal, and unfiltered conversation.
From his Melbourne food roots to launching Craft by Side Hustle, the first brewery concept in the MENA region, Troy opens up about the highs and lows of his culinary career. The episode touches on mentorship, his powerful connection with the late Chef Greg Malouf, the mental health challenges of the industry, and finding identity in the Dubai food scene.
Tune In To Learn:
👩🍳 How Troy’s journey from Australia shaped his food philosophy
👩🍳 The emotional toll and importance of mental health in kitchens
👩🍳 What it’s like to launch a brewery-meets-comfort food concept in the Middle East
👩🍳 How innovation, failure, and purpose intersect in modern hospitality
00:00 Chef JKP Podcast Live Announcement
03:58 Meet Chef Troy Payne
04:29 Growing Up in Melbourne & First Taste of Cooking
06:50 Childhood Food Memories & Influences
11:13 The Path to Professional Cooking
15:34 Mentorship and Growth in the Culinary World
22:47 Finding Confidence and Voice as a Young Chef
30:24 The Influence of Greg Malouf & Their Bond
42:30 A New Adventure: Opening a Restaurant in the Middle East
47:27 Returning to Dubai: A New Beginning
54:38 Innovating Mobile Kitchens
01:00:07 Craft by Side Hustle: The First Brewery in MENA
01:05:22 The Reality of Entrepreneurship in F&B
01:10:56 The Importance of Mental Health in the Culinary Industry
01:17:55 Family, Food, and Balancing Personal Life
01:22:12 Lessons from Failure and Reinvention
01:28:47 Quick Fire Questions & Final Reflections
Follow Troy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trotskie/
A huge thank you to our partners Luvv Fits – luvvfits.com
🚨Catch more unfiltered conversations like this one at Timeout Market Dubai. Live recordings continue on April 27th - don’t miss your chance to be part of the audience!
Stay sharp and hydrated with the Chef JKP thermos bottle - available at chefjkp.com or via DM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast/
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Food is memories! Enjoy the episode! 🍴
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The Chef JKP Podcast
James Knight-Paccheco celebrates the inspirational stories of people within hospitality, their ups, their downs and everything in between.
What does it take to keep up in one of the most competitive, mentally and physically stressful industries in the world?
Giving incredible insights and advice to the listeners.
For more information go to http://www.chefjkp.com
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