Chef (Steve) Corso’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with Chef (Steve) Corso and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Chef (Steve), thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Since starting and running my own business, the path hasn’t always been clear. In the early days, it often felt unpredictable—full of sharp turns, sudden stops, and detours I didn’t always see coming. But after five years, the direction feels much more defined. The path is still flexible enough to meander, to allow for new ideas and opportunities, but it’s no longer making the drastic lefts and rights that marked the beginning.
Now, it’s about continuing to put one foot in front of the other, trusting the momentum I’ve built, and staying open to the smaller shifts that keep the journey interesting without knocking it off course.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Chef Corso, and I’m the head chef and founder of Outdoor Eats. I’m a classically trained chef turned outdoor cooking expert with over 25 years of culinary and product development experience. My mission is simple: to elevate the outdoor food experience and inspire people to cook and share real meals outside. I’m the author of the popular Trail Meals pocket-sized cookbook series, a YouTube content creator, and the host of Outdoor Eats TV, a nationally airing television show.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a somewhat classic “indoor chef.” I worked in many kitchens and eventually held positions as a research chef, culinary consultant and culinary trainer for large regional and national brands. It took a surprising and abrupt layoff for me to start my own business. I have loved the creativity and freedom to work for myself, make my own schedule and make all of the final decisions.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
I wasn’t necessarily sad, I had a solid upbringing in a happy household. But I was very quiet and uncomfortable with myself as a kid. I never really felt like I truly belonged with any of my friend groups and I had a moderate level of anxiety and good degree of self consciousness. It took me a while to find what I was passionate about and what I liked to talk about and that was food. Once I learned more about that, became more of an expert and found others than also shared my passion for food, I came out of my shell, found my footing and became a lot more self confident.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Pretty much. When I started my YouTube channel, I never wanted to “act” like someone else or layer on emotions that didn’t feel true to me. I knew that would be hard to replicate consistently. So I decided to just be myself—sharing and creating content I genuinely enjoy. I think that authenticity resonates with people. At the end of the day, I’m just a regular hiker who loves teaching others how to cook.
With the TV show I host, the same approach applies. I truly enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories. It’s not an act—it’s been one of the best parts of this journey and something I continue to enjoy the most.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When have you had to bet the company?
Many times. When I first launched the company, I had just been laid off from the highest-paying job of my career. After that, I self-published my first cookbook—figuring out most of the steps on my own. But the biggest bet came when I self-funded the first episodes of the TV show. I was passionate about the idea, determined to make it happen, and confident it would resonate with people. Thankfully, it worked. Now we’re heading into production for Season 4, which will soon air on PBS.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Outdoor Eats. Chef Corso

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