Chocolate Without Borders: Julius Persoone on Innovation, Legacy, and Flavor

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts211/v4/27/71/83/2771832e-ccb8-1e6c-53e3-e113140efdef/mza_2386834235699326726.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Fugitive Chefs

Furqan Meerza

33 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.

Food

Arts

RSS

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.

Food

Arts

https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode/42856081/42856081-1758549966404-cfa7a5a359765.jpg

Chocolate Without Borders: Julius Persoone on Innovation, Legacy, and Flavor

Fugitive Chefs

40 minutes 43 seconds

1 week ago

Chocolate Without Borders: Julius Persoone on Innovation, Legacy, and Flavor

Julius Persoone, third-generation chocolatier, chef, and creative force behind one of Belgium’s most celebrated chocolate houses—joins Furqan to talk about reimagining what chocolate can be. From growing up in a Michelin-fed pastry family to carving out his own rebellious path, Julius shares how he turned family legacy into a playground for flavor, science, and storytelling.

We explore the dramatic moment when his entire kitchen staff walked out, how he rebuilt with restaurant chefs seeking better hours, and why he treats every chocolate like a plated dish. Julius dives into collaborations with Antwerp fashion designers (including “alien chocolate”), savory experiments with grass and tomato, and groundbreaking medical projects that help throat cancer patients taste again.

This conversation unpacks what it means to balance heritage with innovation, the future of chocolate as prices soar, and why the next generation of chefs must question everything to find their own identity.

If you’ve ever thought chocolate was “just sweets,” Julius will change your mind.

🎧 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 Julius Persoone
Instagram : @juliuspersoone
Website : https://juliuspersoone.com/en/

Chapters
00:00 Growing Up in a Chocolate Legacy09:10 From Savory Kitchens to Pastry18:45 Reinventing the Family Business27:30 Fashion, Aliens & Experimental Flavors36:50 Medical Chocolate and Healing Through Taste45:00 The Future of Chocolate & Advice for Young Chefs49:03 Outro