
How an Engineer-Turned-Michelin-Chef Built Epicurate, the Experience Platform for Luxury Stays
From Behind the Stays by Zach Busekrus
May 13, 2026 · 47 min · Episode 359
About this episode
Zach Busekrus interviews Max Porterkhamsy about his journey from engineering to creating Epicurate, a luxury experience platform.
Explore Epicurate: https://epicurate.vip/ Connect with Max: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-porterkhamsy/ Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/ Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/ — Every once in a while on this show, I get to share news that I'm personally invested in — and this is one of those episodes. A few weeks ago, Journey acquired Epicurate, a private chef and experiences platform that has become one of the most beloved platforms in the luxury segment of the short-term rental world. If you operate in the high-end residence rental space, there's a good chance you've either used Epicurate yourself or you've stayed somewhere that does. The platform powers private dining, in-home wellness, gear rental, grocery delivery, and a growing list of curated services for some of the most respected vacation rental brands in the country — AvantStay, Abode Luxury Rentals, and Red Cottage just to name a few.The man behind it is Max Porterkhamsy, and his story is one of my favorite kinds. A would-be patent lawyer who walked away from mechanical engineering to go to culinary school. He went on to work at a storied michelin star…
People in this episode
Host: Zach Busekrus
Guest: Max Porterkhamsy
Topics covered
- luxury stays
- private dining
- culinary experiences
- short-term rentals
- entrepreneurship
Keywords
- Epicurate
- luxury rentals
- private chef
- culinary school
- Michelin star
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Epicurate, Journey, AvantStay, Abode Luxury Rentals, Red Cottage
Places: New York, Sonoma, wine country
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