00:00 – The Chaos Behind the Camera
What really happens when content creation goes wrong — from lost footage to bad audio and broken mics. The painful side of the grind that no one sees.
03:22 – Welcome to The Pear Pod
Meet Paul & John from Is It Worth It? — the duo turning everyday meals into viral content. Find out how their journey began.
06:05 – From Holidays to Honest Reviews
How Paul’s love for filming memories on lads’ trips evolved into one of Ireland’s most authentic review channels.
09:48 – Building a Brand on Brutal Honesty
Why “Is It Worth It?” refuses to fake positivity — and how being too honest cost Paul some friendships.
12:37 – The Pressure of Being Recognised
What happens when restaurants realise a reviewer has walked in? Bigger portions, fresher food, and the psychology behind it all.
15:28 – “Not You!” – The Pizza Shop Confrontation
Paul shares the story of the viral moment when a Dublin pizza owner told him, “I don’t want your review.” The shocking reality behind that clip.
18:15 – Authenticity vs. Influence
Can small creators stay honest when money enters the picture? The team reveals how they’ve resisted paid reviews and stayed independent.
22:41 – When Integrity Costs You Work
Paul talks about turning down easy cash and why taking the high road might mean slower growth — but lasting respect.
26:50 – Dublin’s Hidden Food Gems
The best dishes and restaurants in the city you need to try — including Michelin-level meals that won’t break the bank.
30:10 – The Struggles of Reviewing Restaurants
What really happens when you film in a busy restaurant? The intimidation, fake friendliness, and staged “empty” reviews explained.
34:52 – Overpriced or Overhyped?
Paul and the host debate luxury dining — from disappointing €200 steak dinners to why cheaper meals sometimes taste better.
39:05 – The Salt Bae Experience
Behind the scenes of reviewing London’s most infamous restaurant — and the shocking £630 steak story.
42:33 – Going Global (Without Selling Out)
The dream of taking Is It Worth It? international — from London to LA — and the challenge of growing while staying true to their roots.
47:15 – The YouTube vs. TikTok Dilemma
Why content that explodes on social media doesn’t always succeed on YouTube — and how the duo plans to master both.
50:10 – The Search for the Right Sponsor
Paul reveals the brands they’ve turned down and what kind of partnership would actually make sense for their audience.
54:40 – Real Impact: When Reviews Change Lives
The powerful stories of local takeaways going viral — and how one review had queues wrapping around the block.
57:22 – The Future of Honest Food Reviews
How fake reviews dominate the scene — and how you can spot creators who aren’t telling the truth.
01:02:15 – What Food Wins the Internet?
Discover the secret: it’s not pizza. Paul breaks down which dishes perform best online and why Irish audiences are obsessed with spice bags.
01:07:45 – Hate Comments & Humour
The host opens up about the “Make podcasts cheaper” trolls — and how creators stay sane online.
01:10:12 – The Travel Dream: Chalk & Cheese
Paul’s second channel idea — how a travel job led him to create a platform for honest experiences across Ireland and beyond.
01:14:40 – Why They Quit the 9-to-5
From business degrees to bold decisions — Paul and John prove that following your passion can actually pay off.
01:18:00 – Closing Thoughts: Doing What You Love
A genuine conversation about purpose, patience, and why doing what feels right is always worth it.
Back with another interview for you all today. Delighted to welcome the founder of Naze, Niall Keogh onto the podcast where we discuss everything from starting a business with his mates, my journey quitting green and how Naze helped him tackle his social anxiety.
Enjoy people! And subscribe ffs
Wanted to give you guys an update about where I've been..
Delighted to welcome Irish music producer Ev Wilde back onto the podcast.
So happy to be able to learn more about the man outside of the music and understand where his drive and passion comes from.
Ciaran O'Connor is a 23 year old Irish entrepreneur. We discuss his rise through the food industry in Ireland as a chef, starting his first company 'Soul Food' and how he navigates life as a young entrepreneur with more employees every year.
One of my favourite and most impactful episodes we've done so far. I hope you enjoy!
A couple of weeks back I saw a TikTok of this Irish rapper freestyling and decided I had to get him on the podcast.
Fast forward two weeks and here we are. Graham was also decent enough to drop a freestyle for us at the end of the episode. Don't Miss It.
Delighted to welcome on the UHUO lads to discuss all things comedy.
We're thinking of making this a series called "Protect Our Pears" so let us know if you enjoy this little threesome. x
Only right that the last episode recorded in 2024 was with Jay. My first guest in Ireland and honestly the first episode where I felt things starting to click for the show. Loads of episodes upcoming in January :)
It's a special one today folks. My dad joins me on the podcast to discuss his illustrious career as an entrepeneur comprising of 25 different businesses.
On a serious note, my Dad is a huge inspiration for me and this was a pleasure to record. Love you dad.
Thomas Arnold is someone who's content I have been watching for years. Back when he was making vlogs in UCD, I remember thinking how cool those vlogs were. Fast forward a few years, and I was actually brought in to shoot some behind the scenes of a podcast Thomas co-hosted. It was here that the inspiration for the pear pod was born. Fast forward a little further and here we are. Thomas Arnold x The Pear Pod Follow Thomas - http://www.youtube.com/@UCbTne30haUJfKoABQeOnbrw
We are back for season six of the pod and this week we welcome sean and manny, founders of the filmbytwo studio. Known these lads a long time and they talk about how they manage being best friends as well as co-workers.
Manny also speaks on the ongoing issues in Venezuela and why he needed to move to Dublin. Really tried to step up the production in this episode, hope you enjoy.
Subscribe plz.
This week I am delighted to be joined by Mark Donnelly. Mark founded a mental health clothing brand HUH Clothing and is using clothing as a way to get more people talking about their mental health.
Enjoy. X
Delighted to welcome Irish producer Camrin Watsin onto the pod this week. Cam's music has exploded this year after having huge success with tracks like Blue Lights and Kisses. Cam has an amazing story, after being inspired by his father who also produced music, he decided to leave his apprenticeship to pursue his dream, which cumulated in his performance at longitude this year. Like and Subscribe beautiful people. Pear
This week I am delighted to be joined by Luke McHugh, owner of New Rhythm Yoga. Luke told me nothing was off the table and we have a great conversation about how he battled his mental demons, why he started fighting, his ayahuasca experience and running 100km for charity
Fresh off the plane from Australia, Monksy from the S&M show joins us to discuss life in Australia, the real reason he came home and how he found himself in debt. Hope you all enjoy x and subscribe ffs
This week we are delighted to welcome 8-0 pro-boxer, Thomas Carty.
We did it folks. This week I am delighted to welcome the host of @trainrecovereat Aaron Whelan / Whelo Whelo and I first met when he hired me to shoot the pilot episode of TRE. Since then I have been dying to get him on the podcast. We discuss that appearance on first dates, life growing up, being misunderstood as well as his cancelled MTV show and how he is going to climb mount everest. If you enjoy, please subscribe!
This week I am delighted to be joined by Conor Ryan. Conor is a content creator and entrepreneur from Dublin who rocketed to fame with his food reviews. We hear about his upbringing and what toll social fame has taken on him mentally.
This week I am delighted to be welcomed by Luke Joyce. Luke is an entrepreneur who is currently building an empire with The Cleaning Company and he tells us the whole story. Luke's humility makes him an amazing story teller, no frills, no sugar coating. Enjoy.
This week I am delighted to be joined by OG creator Glen Gillen. Glen is a staple of the Irish fitness scene and reveals all the BTS stories that we haven't heard before.
Enjoy folks. Rate 5 stars please!