Spike's career, spanning nearly three decades, can be described as nothing short of creatively diverse. From chef and restaurateur to television personality, product developer and consultant, Spike is a force to be reckoned with in the culinary world. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Spike worked with some of the world's most renowned chefs and restaurateurs such as Gerard Boyer, Thomas Keller, Sirio Maccioni and Drew Nieporent. After making his television debut on Bravo TV's Top Chef, Spike went on to appear on several other cooking-related shows, including Life After Top Chef, Iron Chef America, Late Night Chef Fight and Beat Bobby Flay. He also hosted Midnight Feast and Food Network's Kitchen Sink. In 2008, Spike opened up the first restaurant in his culinary empire on Washington DC's Capitol Hill: Good Stuff Eatery. His burger joint quickly became a favorite of political elites, including President Barack Obama. This success inspired a cookbook (The Good Stuff Cookbook) and multiple locations across the country and overseas. Following the opening of Good Stuff Eatery, Spike opened up We, The Pizza, Béarnaise and Santa Rosa Taqueria. Spike's newest restaurant, PLNT Burger, is dedicated to crafting and redefining some of America's favorite foods without the use of any animal products.Outside of his restaurants, Spike's popular DC speakeasy (The Sheppard) has paved the way for a second concept called The Morris. Applying his experience and expertise as a chef and restaurateur, Spike has worked with several brands by providing them with creative and comprehensive culinary consulting services. His consulting projects include Sunny's and Campton Yard in Miami Beach and Vim & Victor at the state-of-the-art sports and active entertainment center, The St. James, in Virginia. In an effort to put his passion for food equity and education into action, Spike began working with organizations like CARE and DC Central Kitchen as a chef ambassador and contributor. His work landed him the position as the first chairman of DC's Food Policy Council. He has used his voice to speak out about improving the quality of school lunches, equal access to whole and healthy foods and for the protection of the SNAP program. Spike continues to partner with groups like Food Rescue US and Food Policy Action to make a positive impact on our food system. Most recently, Spike has combined his intimate knowledge of the Relais & Chateau kitchen life with his experience in media production by partnering with Show of Force as an executive producer to deliver a riveting and never-before-seen look behind the curtain that is the Inn at Little Washington. The Inn At Little Washington: A Delicious New Documentary will premier at the Virginia Film Festival and air on PBS in early 2020. Spike lives in the DC area with his wife, Cody, and their son. When he's not in the kitchen or lobbying on The Hill, Spike can be found surfing any river or ocean that has a wave. What a powerful and in-depth conversation about how to follow your passion, purpose and talents, and to make positive change while doing so. The main take away for me, in addition to his incredible amount of success with being a chef and restauranteur, and newest endeavor with PLNT Burger, is how he tapped into his creativity and inner voice. We talked a lot about how Spike really used his intuition and stayed connected to his flow state to create a meaningful and impactful career. A powerful reminder is to follow the ideosynchronicities you notice, and your inner voice.
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