The Perfect Bite
The Perfect Bite
Podcast Description
A fusion of food and entrepreneurship, The Perfect Bite brings you conversations with chefs, restaurateurs, CPG brand founders, food tech founders, and more in the food and beverage industry, highlighting their experiences and how they've cooked up something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The show centers around food entrepreneurship, showcasing topics such as chef experiences, restaurant operations, and innovative food brands. Specific episodes delve into personal narratives from notable figures like Maneet Chauhan, discussing themes such as the attitude of gratitude, work-life balance, and inspirational culinary moments.
Your fusion of food and entrepreneurship, The Perfect Bite brings you inspiring conversations with chefs, restaurateurs, CPG brand founders, food tech founders, and more in the food and beverage industry, highlighting their experiences and how they’ve cooked up something new. From emerging brands to established business owners, you’ll learn from the best entrepreneurs in food, beverage, hospitality, and agriculture about how they started their businesses, what problems they’re solving, the tough times they’ve overcome, and their best advice for entering these industries or starting your own business. We end each episode with the world’s best and hardest question: What is your perfect bite?
What if non-alcoholic drinks were just as complex, cultural, and satisfying as craft cocktails?
On this episode of The Perfect Bite podcast, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Benno Nelson, co-founder of Five Corners Beverage Company, a Chicago-based brand crafting deeply flavored, globally inspired non-alcoholic canned drinks for adults.
Benno shares how his journey into sobriety — paired with a lifelong love of food, beverage, and global storytelling — sparked the idea for Five Corners. Rather than creating sugary substitutes or imitation cocktails, Five Corners honors traditional non-alcoholic drinks from around the world, focusing on the five foundational tastes: salty, sour, bitter, savory, and sweet.
This episode explores the evolution of the non-alcoholic beverage movement, why Chicago is the perfect testing ground for innovative drinks, and how intentional flavor design can create true alternatives—not compromises.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why non-alcoholic drinks deserve depth, culture, and story
- Benno’s sobriety journey and how it shaped Five Corners
- The inspiration behind flavors like Salted Lemonade and Sangrita
- How global beverage traditions influenced Five Corners’ recipes
- Building a beverage startup intentionally and locally in Chicago
- Why non-alcoholic menus are additive — not cannibalistic — for restaurants
- Lessons in entrepreneurship, patience, and community-driven growth
To learn more about Five Corners or order your own packs around the country, head to www.fivecornersbev.com. Get 10% off your online order with code ‘BITE’!
You can purchase and experience Five Corners Beverage at retailers, restaurants and venues throughout the Chicago area.
You can follow Five Corners on Instagram @fivecornersbev.
Subscribe to The Perfect Bite podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube!
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Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
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