We recently connected with Christina M. Carrion and have shared our conversation below.

Christina M., looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

When I ventured into the culinary world, I already had a degree; actually two, which I found unfulfilling. I struggled within myself to take the leap and change career paths. But, cooking made my heart sing. The fast-paced life of the kitchen, the details of finely plated foods, the smells, the heat, the comradery with your kitchen team…everything about the kitchen ignited sparks in me. I had found the career that put wind in my sails and it came easily for me. Over the years, I have perfected my craft and have been fulfilled and successful in developing myself professionally and personally through food.

Where have I found my success? I have found it within myself. I have immeasurable joy cooking amazing food for people that believe in my flavors, my food, my vision. To make it even easier to understand…FOOD IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE. If you are eating my food, it’s because I love you and I want to share my food with you and impart a fond memory together. For me, being successful is a personal measure, not monetary. When I wake up every day, I’m excited for a new chapter in the kitchen; a new flavor profile; a new recipe to blog. Success for me is waking up every day and wanting to do it all over again! I have found my passion and I love what I do!

I’m reminded of a quote by Chef Anthony Bourdain: “When someone cooks for you, they are saying something about themselves. They are telling you who they are, where they come from, what makes them happy.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Before I started my culinary journey, I had a friend sit down with me to help me create an email account (this is at the dawn of civilization when emails were first budding), as a way of staying in touch while I was away at culinary school. She said, “what do you want for an email address?” I said I had no clue! She said, “well, you are going to be a chef and you are hot! So why not use Hotchef?!” After a few morphs, we nailed it to ChefHotDish. Thank you, Kelly! It was genius and I haven’t waivered from it after all these years. So, ChefHotDish started in 2003 with just an email name and a dream of having my own food “something”.

An admitted flavor juggernaut and SUPER-TASTER, I decided to share my passion with the world. I adore spicy food. Fundamentally, I was struggling with how to bring food back to the table in a meaningful way. I believe this is where we grow, learn and understand each other on a deeper level. My BEST memories are surrounded by amazing souls, breaking bread together and talking face to face, even with our mouths full of food and smiles. ChefHotDish needed to encompass all of these foundational values and so, here we are.

Partnering with my husband, ChefHotDish originally started as a scone business with over 65 flavors of scones. Then I started blogging recipes, chefhotdishfood.com. Fast-forward now: We create sensationally savvy, sweet and spicy, and down-right ridiculous hot sauces from scratch as well as organic, hand-blended spices. This is my happy place. I create the SAUCES TO SAVOR and SPICES TO FLAVOR so you can enjoy good food, good company; making memories surrounded by those you cherish. This is what a good life is about.

ChefHotDish offers organic, hand-blended spices, various from-scratch hot sauce flavors, and scones. We also cater, offer cooking classes, menu design and so much more. If you need something foodie, reach out with your wish and I’m POSITIVE we can make it happen!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

My motto: LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

I am willing to go to “war” in the trenches with my team. I work arm-in-arm with my staff to give the best, hospitable service with excellence. I continuously reiterate to my team that having a title does not give anyone a pass from doing the “work”. My hands are in every aspect of food production to the final plate. How can I command respect if I don’t show that I can do the work too?

Finally, EVERYONE needs to feel validated and appreciated for the work they do. Saying “thank you” for a job well done; “thank you” for taking constructive criticism to become better; how do you think we can do it better next time? Allowing your team to add value gives them ownership. When you “own” it, you acknowledge it and nurture it to fruition. When the team believes in you it is because you gave them something to nurture. Honesty, transparency, and excellence work hand-in-hand.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

Starting my career over at 28, leaving Santa Barbara California, and living like a pauper for the next three years, I embarked. I was happy! I was in my element and learning! I earned my Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts degree and started working all over L.A., Hollywood, San Francisco, Boston, and New York. Each new city was a new challenge, a new adventure and I was learning and growing. Along the way, I met my best friend. We worked at a tiny steak house in Hollywood, Keeping the same ridiculous hours, working weekends and holidays; we were all each other had. Then we both got fired on the same day.

We stood on the corner of Sunset Blvd and Phyllis Street, contemplating our next move. We decided we were going to conquer San Francisco, and so we did. City by city we moved, shook, conquered, and improved in gangster culinary prowess. Every kitchen was a new map to navigate and leave in a better condition. So, here we are 29 years later. Never in a million years did I think my roots would be laid in Baltimore, Maryland. As obscure as it may be to this native Californian, I am here! I married my best friend and my biggest cheerleader, my husband. We stuck by each other through our early culinary journey, married, and have two amazing children that I love so much.

Without him, I would not be able to have this moment to reflect on the last 27 years of my life with such fondness and amazement. I have worked in kitchens all over this country. I have even taught in culinary schools, but nothing has given me more fulfillment than realizing I AM THIS GOOD NOW. My husband tells me all the time, but I would never believe him because I measured myself against a salaried dollar amount, a corporation’s standards of who they think I should be. Now, I’m done measuring and I’m BEING.

I’m perfecting who I started out this life being… a SUPER-TASTER that loves food… a soul that loves to create… a creator that wants to share with anyone willing to climb the trust tree and swing with me. I want to share my love language with everyone because it is just that good.

Contact Info:

• Website: chefhotdishfood.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/chefhotdish
• Facebook: facebook.com/chefhotdish

Image Credits
Scone pictures: Arthur Hawkins, The Image Facktory Groupe All other pictures: ChefHotDish, LLC