Chris Rennoldson's journey to founding Pasta Evangelists was anything but linear:
from chemical engineering to the London Stock Exchange during its most dramatic takeover battles, to professional cookery school at Leiths. Each turn shaped how he thinks about leadership, teamwork and elevating the ordinary into something special.
Now leading 400 people across 50 restaurants, Chris shares what Clara Furse taught him about unwavering conviction during NASDAQ's hostile bid.
We explore his transition from left-brain analyst to creative chef, why being present matters more than anything else as a senior leader, and how he navigates cross-cultural relationships with Italian shareholders.
His chosen dish is Lancashire hot pot, a humble casserole that reflects his philosophy of taking the apparently ordinary and making efforts to elevate it through technique and care.
He also shares a secret quick pasta recipe that celebrates exactly that.
Bon Appétit!
“Take the apparently ordinary and really make efforts to elevate it.” – Chris Rennoldson
You’ll hear about:
Episode resources:
Sfoglia Rina (Valentine’s pasta tip) - https://www.sfogliarina.it/en/cooking/
Harold McGee's Book on Food Science - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Cooking-Science-Lore-Kitchen/dp/0684800012
Leiths School of Food and Wine - https://www.leiths.com
Find out more about Chris:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/crennoldson/?originalSubdomain=uk
Pasta Evangelists - https://pastaevangelists.com/
Contact François & Valentine:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/francoismoscovici/
Valentine’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentine-moscovici/
François’ Instagram food feed:
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/
