Chef Patrice Cleary: She Joined the Marines to Save Her Family, Then Built DC's Filipino Food Empire Ā
Podcast: In the Weeds Podcast with Chef Spike MendelsohnPublished On: Tue Sep 01 2026
Description: The Marine Corps couldn't break her. A pandemic couldn't break her. No culinary school, no mentor, no safety net ā just her mother's recipe and zero interest in quitting. Chef Patrice Cleary went from Navy Achievement Medals to building Purple Patch and Joya Burger with no restaurant training whatsoever ā she found her first contractor by driving to Home Depot. Chef Spike gets into the grief, the grit, and the "burger dating" process behind DC's Filipino food renaissance, plus the real story of how a landlord's phone call turned into a restaurant empire. Then it's a round of Head Chef that gets very personal, very fast. Listen & Connect With Us Here: https://www.intheweedspod.com/itw-linksWe have teamed up with Odd Chef for an official merch collab! Check it out here and get 10% off your order with code INTHEWEEDS10.šļøšļø In The Weeds Podcast is proudly sponsored by: Events DC is the official convention and sports authority for the District and a key player in making some of DCās most exciting events and experiences happen. From world-class sports to cultural festivals and everything in between, they help power the energy of the city. Visit eventsdc.com to see what they are cooking up!DC Central Kitchen is an iconic nonprofit and social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation. The organization provides hands-on culinary job training for individuals facing high barriers to employment while creating living wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed. To learn more, please visit dccentralkitchen.org
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