Eddie Shepherd Is Doing Fine Dining on His Own Terms

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Fugitive Chefs

Furqan Meerza

39 episodes

2 days ago

I’m Furqan Meerza — a chef who worked in some of the world’s top kitchens, including Mugaritz and Noma. Like a lot of chefs, I hit burnout. And I realized I needed a different way to stay connected to food — one that didn’t cost me my health or identity. Fugitive Chefs is a podcast for chefs and food creatives who still love this craft, but need change. Each episode features honest conversations with those who’ve stepped away from the traditional kitchen and into something new — from fermentation and R&D to storytelling, drinks, food culture, and more.

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All content for Fugitive Chefs is the property of Furqan Meerza and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

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Eddie Shepherd Is Doing Fine Dining on His Own Terms

Fugitive Chefs

50 minutes 50 seconds

4 months ago

Eddie Shepherd Is Doing Fine Dining on His Own Terms

What happens when a chef walks away from the traditional kitchen and builds something entirely his own?

In this episode, we speak with Eddie Shepherd, the self-taught, plant-based chef behind The Walled Gardens—a solo tasting menu experience run from the ground floor of his home in Manchester.

From his early days as a philosophy student and dishwasher to pioneering a new model for modern fine dining, Eddie opens up about creativity, burnout, independence, and what the future of food could look like outside the restaurant industry.

Whether you're a chef, creative, or dreamer rethinking your path—this episode is for you.

🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday. Follow, rate us & subscribe for more stories from the culinary underground.

🎙️ Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast

Furqan`s Personal Insta : https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv

Podcast Instagram : https://bit.ly/43ndATO

Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A

Apple Podcasts : https://apple.co/43vBtbT

🔗 Connect with Eddie Shepherd

Instagram: eddiesheps

Linktree: http://bit.ly/45j6TmX

00:00 – Intro: Meet Eddie Shepherd

01:04 – From philosophy student to dishwasher to chef

02:17 – Self-teaching science and technique without culinary school

03:56 – Thoughts on culinary education vs. on-the-job learning

06:58 – Why Eddie went plant-based early in his career

09:25 – El Bulli, Ferran Adrià & the spark of creativity

11:28 – Working in early vegetarian restaurants in the UK

13:41 – Why he had to create his own learning platform

15:35 – Starting with blogs, e-books, and early YouTube

18:30 – Thoughts on social media & content in the chef world

20:43 – What is *The Walled Gardens*?

25:24 – Learning business skills as a solo chef

27:35 – Turning discarded ideas into creative content

28:26 – Are you ever really “ready” to start?

31:58 – A week in the life of Eddie’s micro-restaurant

35:20 – Long hours, legality, and independence vs burnout

39:01 – Mental health, creativity, and protecting the self

41:06 – The cost of sustainability and staff balance

44:00 – Family support & impact on personal life

48:37 – What’s next for Eddie & The Walled Gardens

51:07 – Advice for chefs ready to start something of their own

54:10 – Final reflections and close