# Founder Feature: Chef V of Alchemy of Food

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2026-02-13
- Length: 27m
- Episode: 257
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-02-13-founder-feature-chef-v-of-alchemy-of-food
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/1ad30d57

## Summary

Chef V (Vasisht Ramasubramanian), founder of Alchemy of Food, explains how losing his sense of taste and smell to COVID-19 led him to create a clean-label sauce brand using real ingredients like Tennessee honey and Carolina spices. He details the transition from restaurant operations to CPG, highlighting the shift from sourcing small quantities to buying 55,000 pounds of honey and the scientific rigor required for pH levels and refractor readings. Chef V discusses validating product-market fit by selling at five farmers markets a week in summer 2025, his selection for Sprouts' innovation set, and the challenges of scaling production with co-packers while maintaining quality.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Chef V and Alchemy of Food
2. Losing Taste and Smell to COVID-19
3. From Restaurant Chef to CPG Founder
4. Scaling Sourcing and Co-packer Challenges
5. Validating Product-Market Fit at Farmers Markets
6. Sprouts Innovation Set and Retail Launch
7. Immigrant Founder Experience and Future Plans

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Alchemy of Food (product)
- Sprouts (company)
- Culinary Institute of America (other)
- Yellowbird (product)
- Momofuku (product)
- Shelfie Awards (other)
- Fancy Food Show (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [How I Built Resilience: Kara Goldin of Hint](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-01-how-i-built-resilience-kara-goldin-of-hint) (How I Built This)
- [Perfect Snacks: Bill and Leigh Keith](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-06-09-perfect-snacks-bill-and-leigh-keith) (How I Built This)
- [Magic Spoon & Exo: Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-12-magic-spoon-exo-gabi-lewis-and-greg-sewitz) (How I Built This)
- [Dang Foods: Vincent and Andrew Kitirattragarn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-24-dang-foods-vincent-and-andrew-kitirattragarn) (How I Built This)
- [MadeGood: Salma and Nima Fotovat Lost Their First Business. They Grew Their Next One Into a Snack Giant.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-08-10-madegood-salma-and-nima-fotovat-lost-their-first-business-they-grew-their-next-o) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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