From Chef to Systems Thinker: Rethinking Food from the Ingredient Up

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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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From Chef to Systems Thinker: Rethinking Food from the Ingredient Up

Fugitive Chefs

56 minutes 16 seconds

4 months ago

From Chef to Systems Thinker: Rethinking Food from the Ingredient Up

In this episode of Fugitive Chefs, we speak with Frederik Jensen — a former fine-dining chef who left the restaurant world to tackle the food system from the inside out.

From working in Michelin-starred kitchens in Copenhagen, Shanghai, and Tokyo, to co-founding the food innovation powerhouse Chew, Frederik has now launched Nutrumami (https://www.nutrumami.com/) — a company focused on creating clean-label, multifunctional ingredients that can help reshape how we eat.

We discuss:
– The reality of kitchen culture in Japan, Denmark, and China
– Why chefs are uniquely positioned to drive food innovation
– Building Neutromami to fight ultra-processed food through better ingredients
– The misunderstood world of clean label, fermentation, and scale
– What chefs bring to R&D teams in FMCG

Whether you're a chef considering a new path, a food scientist, or just someone curious about the future of food — this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and a vision for better food at scale.

👉 Follow and rate us for more stories from inside and outside the kitchen.

#FugitiveChefs #FrederikJensen #Nutrumami #FoodInnovation #CleanLabel #FoodSystem #FoodTech #ChefLife #RestaurantToStartup #CulinaryScience #UltraProcessedFood #Fermentation #IngredientInnovation #KitchenCulture #FromChefToFounder #FoodPodcast

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Frederick Jensen

01:33 Early Influences and Culinary Journey

04:56 Culinary Education and Apprenticeship

07:36 Experiences in Shanghai and Japan

11:45 Cultural Insights from Japanese Kitchens

18:14 Transitioning to Concept Creation and Business

27:02 The Birth of Chew and Its Vision

27:46 The Birth of a Food Innovation Lab

30:41 Merging Culinary Arts with Science

33:29 The Role of Chefs in Food Innovation

36:39 Navigating the Challenges of Food Development

40:31 The Transition to Nutrumami

44:20 Innovating with Multifunctional Ingredients

46:09 The Debate on Ultra-Processed Foods

52:17 The Future of Plant-Based Products

56:13 Government Regulations and Market Dynamics

01:02:02 Advice for Aspiring Food Innovators