Summary

In this powerful follow-up conversation, David talks with Chef Charlie Vollmar on his return to Out Late With David to share how his life has transformed since his first interview 18 months ago. Speaking from Palm Springs, Charlie updates listeners on his reinvention in San Miguel de Allende—rebuilding his life after being outed, creating a new chosen family, relaunching his culinary school, and deepening his work in cultural exchange and philanthropy. With his signature radical vulnerability, he reflects on personal growth, identity, male connection, creativity, and purpose, all while offering honest guidance for others navigating late-in-life coming out journeys. This uplifting episode highlights resilience, authenticity, and the joy of discovering life on the other side of trauma. 

Keywords

#ComingOutLater #GayMen #LGBTQStories #AuthenticLiving #ChosenFamily #ChefCharlieVollmar #SanMiguelDeAllende #PalmSpringsLGBTQ #CulinaryJourneys #GayExpatLife #Self-discovery #Authenticity

Takeaways

• Reinvention at any age is possible.
• Authenticity transforms everything.
• Mexico sparked Charlie’s creative and personal rebirth.
• Chosen family brings deep healing and joy.
• Radical vulnerability can save lives—your own and others’.
• Letting go is often the first step to moving forward.
• There is hope and purpose on the other side of trauma.
• Male connection—emotional, social, spiritual—can be profoundly healing.

Sound Bites

1.  “I didn’t just come out—I became someone I never knew I was allowed to be.”
2.  “Mexico didn’t just give me a new home. It gave me a new mind, a new heart, and a new life.”
3.  “Radical vulnerability wasn’t a choice—it was the door that saved me.”
4.  “At 60, I thought my story was over. It turns out it was only just beginning.”
5.  “I left with two carry-ons, a red backpack, a laptop, and a cup of coffee—and rebuilt everything from nothing.”
6.  “My chosen family filled a space in my heart I didn’t even know was empty.”
7.  “I wake up every day now with one thought: I can’t wait to see who I become today.”
8.  “Authenticity isn’t a destination—it changes every hour with the people you meet and the life you live.”
9.  “There is so much life waiting for us on the other side of trauma. Hold on. There’s always another side.”
10.  “Teaching isn’t my job—it’s my purpose. It’s the gift I get to give away every day.”

The Classic Cocktail Anthony Bourdain Called The 'Perfect Mixed Drink': https://www.tastingtable.com/1360085/classic-cocktail-anthony-bourdain-perfect-drink-negroni/

Boeuf Bourguignon | The French Chef Season 7 | Julia Child: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uruT8FPpeKc

Connecting with Chef Charlie

Chef Charles Vollmar
Epicurean Exchange Culinary Education
Aparicio 25, #5, Zona Centro
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México

WhatsApp: +1 925-369-4181
Email: charlie@epicureanexchange.com

Websites:

Education: www.epicureanexchange.com
Travel: www.epexculinarytravel.com
Blog: www.epicureanglobalexchange.com

Social media:
Facebook:

• Charles Vollmar
• Epicurean Exchange Culinary Travel

Threads: @charlesvollmar

Instagram: @charlesvollmar & @epexculinarytravel

Bluesky: @carlitosv.bsky.social

January Cover of GoNaked Magazine 😉 https://gonakedmagazine.com

Podcast website and resources: https://www.OutLateWithDavid.com
 
YouTube Edition:  https://youtu.be/BISaHg0YRQs
 
YouTube Channel:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvsthP9yClKI4o5LxbuQnOg
 
Certified Professional Life Coach, David Cotton:  https://www.DavidCottonCoaching.com
 
Contact me:  mailto:david@davidcottoncoaching.com
https://www.DavidCottonCoaching.com 
https://www.OutLateWithDavid.com 
https://linktr.ee/davidacotton

© 2025 David Cotton Coaching, LLC. All rights reserved. The "Out Late With David" podcast and its content are the property of David Cotton Coaching, LLC. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from David Cotton Coaching, LLC is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to "Out Late With David" and David Cotton Coaching, LLC with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.