Pan Con Podcast

Henry Gómez is the VP of strategic planning at Zubi Advertising Services, a Miami based firm founded by the late Tere Zubizarreta, a pioneer of Hispanic advertising and an Advertising Hall of Fame inductee. In this conversation with chef Mike Beltrán, Henry talks about his own career trajectory, his role on the team that won a Cannes Lion for bold Burger King campaign, and the parallels between the advertising business and the restaurant business. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenezSupport Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag

When the pressure of COVID restrictions in Los Angeles pushed chef Phillip Frankland Lee to set up shop in Austin, Texas, it didn't take long for the gamble to pay off. Sushi by Scratch Bar was a hit. But it was a push from an early Austin guest — Joe Rogan — that sent things into another stratosphere for Phillip's company. In this conversation, Phillip tells Mike Beltrán about how his career in food began, the experience of earning his first Michelin Star, the impact of a social media post from Joe Rogan, and Sushi by Scratch's new Miami outpost, which is opening at The Stirrup House, the historic home behind Ariete. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenezSupport Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Florida has its first Michelin Guide, with eleven Miami restaurants taking Stars and a number of others being awarded Bib Gourmands and recommendations. In this episode, chef Michael Beltrán recaps the inaugural Florida ceremony, recalls what it was like for him and his team at Ariete Hospitality Group to win a star at Ariete and a Bib at Chug' s Diner, and talks about the significance of the Guide's official arrival to Florida chefs and restaurateurs. In the second half of the podcast, Mike answers questions submitted by listeners via Instagram in an Ask-Mike-Anything segment. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenezSupport Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Lee Schrager is the senior vice president of communications and corporate social responsibility for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirit of America. He's also the founder of the New York City Wine & Food Festival and the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. Mike Beltrán's criticisms of SOBEWFF are no secret. In fact, if you've hear enough other episodes of this podcast, you've heard a lot of them. Mike invited Lee on as a guest for this episode of Pan Con Podcast. In this conversation, the two talk about Lee's professional history and how it led to the birth of the South Beach festival 22 years ago. The two also open up about their tense relationship and disagreements. A chunk of this conversation was cut from the final product. This chat was recorded days before the Michelin Guide awarded its first ever Florida Stars. We elected not to include the conversation about whether anyone was left out unfairly. You can, however, find some of Lee's thoughts on that on Instagram. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenezSupport Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Val Chang is a member of what Miami diners affectionately call “the Chang gang.” She, her father Fernando and her brother Nando are the engine that drives Itamae (which began as a stall and recently opened as a standalone restaruant), B-Side Sushi, and Raya. Like our host Michael Beltrán, Val and Nando were named 2021 StarChefs Rising Stars. In this episode of Pan Con Podcast, Val and Mike talk about her childhood, family recipes, working with family, and navigating the waters of an evolving, expanding business. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Danny Serfer is the chef behind two of Miami's favorite restaurants: Mignonette and Blue Collar. In his first appearance on Pan Con Podcast, Danny told Mike about his experience with addiction and getting clean. In this latest episode, Danny opens up about his having relapsed during the early stages of the pandemic and what it took to get clean all over again. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Chef Manny Arredondo has been referenced a lot on Pan Con Podcast. The Ariete chef was walking by when Mike Beltrán and Nick Jiménez were recording this episode. So he was pulled in to recap a recent dinner that the Ariete team executed with a crew from Washington, D.C.'s Bresca (including chef-owner Ryan Ratino, who was our guest on the last episode of the podcast). Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Ryan Ratino is the chef-owner or Washington, D.C. restaurants Jônt (two Michelin Stars) and Bresca (one Michelin Star). Ryan and Pan Con Podcast host Michael Beltrán became fast friends when they met — spurred largely by the fact that they're in a very small group of American chefs running restaurants with duck press programs. In this episode of the podcast, Ryan talks with Mike about his career, his leadership style, the dinner the two executed together art Bresca and the dinner the two would work on at Ariete the night after this interview was recorded. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Ryan Ratino's Jônt and Bresca: https://www.instagram.com/brescadc/ https://www.instagram.com/jont_dc/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ www.twitter.com/panconpodcast www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

When a Miami social media personality went South-Florida-viral for posts about New York-based Café Habana's plans to open a Miami location, the news of that brand's story — namely, its having taken inspiration from Fidel Castro's revolution and its using images of figures like Che Guevara — felt like a punch to the guts of many Cuban exiles and their descendants. How did Cuban Miami respond? How should it have reacted? Are efforts to keep the restaurant from opening actually productive? Can anything good come from engaging owner Sean Meenan and others involved with the business rather than seeking to stop their efforts to open? In this mini-episode that turned into a full-length thing, Michael Beltrán, Nick Jiménez and Martha Bueno (with whom we'd just recorded another episode) talk through — and sometimes butt heads over — these and other questions. It's an open, honest conversation that we at Pan Con Podcast hope you'll find useful. More importantly, we hope the people at Café Habana will take us up on our invitation to participate. The issue isn't going away and the conversation isn't ending any time soon. Follow Martha Bueno on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenoformiami/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Martha Bueno is an entrepreneur, activist and candidate for a seat on The Miami-Dade County Commission. Though she's running without party affiliation, she calls herself a libertarian and had previously worked on Hispanic voter outreach for Libertarian Party presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen's 2020 campaign. Martha joined Michael Beltrán at Ariete for a discussion on why she's involved in local politics, its relationship to small business, COVID relief spending, and more.Martha Bueno is an entrepreneur, activist and candidate for a seat on The Miami-Dade County Commission. Though she's running without party affiliation, she calls herself a libertarian and had previously worked on Hispanic voter outreach for Libertarian Party presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen's 2020 campaign. Martha joined Michael Beltrán at Ariete for a discussion on why she's involved in local politics, its relationship to small business, COVID relief spending, and more. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (including an extended cut of this episode) and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Martha Bueno on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenoformiami/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Ali Noorani is the CEO of National Immigration Forum. After dinner at Ariete, he joined Mike Beltrán for a conversation about food, culture, and immigration policy. The two also discuss Ali's upcoming book, Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants. In the Patreon-only extended cut, you'll find out where Ali goes for his favorite doughnuts (hint: it's in California and it is not Krispy Kreme), how he likes his eggs, and other food preference things. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Ali Noorani and the National Immigration Forum: https://www.instagram.com/alinoorani/ https://www.immigrationforum.org/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

In this episode of Pan Con Podcast, chef Michael Beltrán get together to recap a James Beard Foundation dinner built around food created by the Ariete team in collaboration with Itamae chef Valerie Chain, lament the Miami Dolphins' failure to make the playoffs, and wonder whether Nick will somehow screw up this episode since it was recorded with new gear. [Spoiler, Nick only screwed it up a little.] Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Miami chef Raheem Sealey has an impressive résumé, with his most recent restaurant gig as the executive chef at Kyu being the one he's best known for. Raheem parted ways with Kyu — which he'd helped open about six years ago — a month before this recording. These days, he says he's as excited about food as he's ever been. He's got projects in the works that he wasn't ready to talk about publicly. One thing he did say, though: he's on the hunt for permanent home for Drinking Pig BBQ, the unassuming smoked meat popup that, according to Infatuation editor and past Pan Con Podcast guest Ryan Pfeffer, has “evolved to become the best barbecue in South Florida.” In this conversation with Michael Beltrán, Raheem talks about his favorite foods, his upbringing in St. Croix, why he chose to move out of the Virgin Islands, and some of the lessons he's learned about the restaurant business over the years. In a special Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Mike and Raheem talk doughnuts, fried fish, and cookies. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Raheem Sealey and his things: https://www.instagram.com/chefraheemstx/ https://www.instagram.com/drinkingpigbbq/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

This episode was a long time coming; screenwriter Nick Zayas and eighth grade basketball MVP Mike Beltrán have been friends since kindergarten. Nick has been living in L.A. for the last 16 years or so, where he spent years working for movie producer Scott Rudin before making a tansition to writing for TV, including series like Major Crimes and Star Trek: Picard (to name just some of the work that comes up in this conversation). Nick and Mike also talk about how Miami is portrayed in movies and TV; the time Nick met Jon Favreau and embarrassed, then redeemed himself; their matching childhood haircuts; and whether Hollywood's professional culture is a healthy one or in need of change, especially for young talent. Join any tier at Patreon.com/DADEmag for the Patreon-only extended cut. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Mike and Nick didn't do any planning for this episode, so it's all over the place. We talk about changes that are coming to the Chug's Diner menu, Mario Cristobal's being hired as the University of Miami's football coach, boxing's renaissance, golden chicken wings, what kind of lettuce belongs on sandwiches, and more. In the Patreon-only extended cut: Mike takes lightning round questions and we talk monsters, pizza chains, hot PB&J, and Jacques Pepin's fried eggs. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

We've mentioned on the podcast that Mike was invited to travel to Napa to speak and demo his food at the Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival at the Culinary Institute of America. In this episode that we recorded in an awkward new set up in Mike's house, Mike recaps his experience with the conference along with some of the meals he had and people he met while in California — including a bucket-list dinner at chef Thomas Keller's The French Laundry. We also talk about the impact of the news that the Michelin Guide will be coming to Miami, Tampa and Orlando.

Carlos Escanilla is a psychologist and a musician; we delve into both mental health and music — along with his and Mike Beltran's experiences with weight loss — in this episode of Pan Con Podcast. Along the way, the podcast is crashed by past guest John Falco, whose restaurants and brewery also serve as a frequent venue for Carlos' gigs. In the Patreon-only extended cut, Carlos answers lightning round questions about food and we learn about some of his preferences and his unusual Wendy's hamburger habits. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Carlos Escanilla and his things: https://www.carlosescanilla.com/ https://www.instagram.com/carlos.escanilla/ https://www.instagram.com/carlos305music/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Carlos Escanilla is a psychologist and a musician; we delve into both mental health and music — along with his and Mike Beltran's experiences with weight loss — in this episode of Pan Con Podcast. Along the way, the podcast is crashed by past guest John Falco, whose restaurants and brewery also serve as a frequent venue for Carlos' gigs. In the Patreon-only extended cut, Carlos answers lightning round questions about food and we learn about some of his preferences and his unusual Wendy's hamburger habits. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Carlos Escanilla and his things: https://www.carlosescanilla.com/ https://www.instagram.com/carlos.escanilla/ https://www.instagram.com/carlos305music/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Tattoo artist Jennifer Suárez — better known as Pooka, a nickname whose origin she explains in this interview — has some of her work on our host, Mike Beltrán, including a pine cone that Mike admits he got for the sake of getting in Pooka's good graces and a mamey hanging from a branch on his arm. In this episode, Pooka talks about her creative process and what it's been like for her to strike out on her own — she just opened Great Oak Tattoo — and create a tattoo shop culture that reflects her own style. She and Mike also talk about how they train others in their skills, and past guest Dave Arvelo's t-shirt ideas. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Pooka and her things on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pooka/ https://www.instagram.com/greatoaktattoo/ https://www.instagram.com/morningglorynaturals/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

This episode was recorded Sept. 22, 2021 at Maxwell Bros. Clothing Co. in front of a live audience, whose members were also enjoying a special menu born out of a collaboration among the teams at Maxwell Bros., Crybaby Creamery (both owned by John Falco's Firepit Hospitality) and Ariete (which is, of course, our host Michael Beltrán's flagship restaurant). This absolute shit show of a podcast is a conversation with chef Michael Beltrán, restaurateur John Falco, and printmaking artist Peter Santa-Maria. The three discuss everything from Chik-Fil-A to art to the camaraderie of the food and beverage industry. Along the way, we raffled some barware for charity (thanks to Steelite International) and John Falco launched some t-shirts into the crowd with his homemade cannon. Rapper and past guest Mario Obregón was also on hand to read poetry about some of the night's dinner menu, from the nochebuena pizza to a beer float. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content and other perks: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow John Falco and all his things: www.instagram.com/falcohatesmoney/ www.strangebeast.beer/ www.instagram.com/strangebeastbeer www.lincolnsbeardbrewing.com/ www.instagram.com/lincolnsbeardbrewing/ Follow Peter Santa-Maria: www.instagram.com/attackpeter/ Follow Pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Mike Beltrán first saw Robby Ramos in New York, where the actor was playing a chef in an early iteration of Amparo, the play written and directed by past guests Vanessa García and Vicky Collado. Now, Robby is a member of the cast of Heels, a Starz drama about professional wrestlers, where he plays Diego Cottonmouth. He also hosts his own podcast called Dropping Character. In this episode of Pan Con Podcast, Robby and Mike discuss their respective evolutions as creatives, the distinction between art and craft, the role that Cuban heritage and the politics of exile play in each of their professional lives, and the adjustments necessary to make physical health a priority alongside professional development. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Robby Ramos and all his things: https://www.instagram.com/therobbyramos/ https://www.instagram.com/droppingcharacter/ https://www.instagram.com/heelsstarz/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Health issues in his family led José Manuel Perrone to ditch a job at a major tech company and look for a way to put his career in service of combating disease and giving people the tools they need to lead healthier lives. Eventually, that motivation inspired Cura Market, the company he cofounded as a way to give people more control of their nutrition and the quality of their food. For now, Cura gives creators a way to simplify the process of bringing their food products to market. For instance, Cura produces two sauces in partnership with chef Norman Van Aken, another past guest of this podcast. But José has a bigger, broader vision for what Cura might look like in the future. In this episode, Mike Beltrán digs into the Cura model with José and the two discuss José's broader goals for his work in health. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Louie Estrada left Miami for New York knowing that he wanted to make his mark by starting a business of his own. After years picking up experience working in restaurants, bars and clubs, he planted his flag in a tiny corner of Brooklyn. From the roughly 150-square-foot kitchen at My Cuban Spot, Louie's been cranking out Cuban classics the city's Cubans were sorely missing at a level of quality that's earned him a following even in lechón-saturated South Florida. Louie joined Mike at Ariete to record this conversation about his food, his career, and his plans to bring My Cuban Spot back home with him to Miami. Also, in the Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Louie lays out his preferences on pastelitos, coffee, doughnuts and more. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Miami native chef Giorgio Rapicavoli (known for Eating House and, most recently, Luca Osteria) has been a James Beard Award semifinalist, a Chopped winner, and a perennial favorite of Miami diners. In this episode, Giorgio joins Mike Beltran to talk about the maturation of his cooking, moving beyond “stoner food,” their mutual admiration for the precision and consistency of restaurants like Hillstone, and his plans for the revival of Eating House. Also, in the Patreon-only extended cut, Giorgio reveals the weird (and yet delicious-sounding) way he consumes pastelitos at Cuban bakeries. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

We recorded this episode of Pan Con Podcast at Chug's Diner shortly before its Sept. 8 reopening. In this conversation at a booth in the Chug's dining room, Mike Beltrán talks about the restaurant's new space, team and menu, along with some of the challenges he faced in designing a restaurant from scratch for the first time. Also, the new Suicide Squad movie was pretty good, Mike did a thing with Ludacris, and Pan Con Podcast's next live episode dinner is right round the corner. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Pan Con Podcast recorded an episode with a live audience for the first time ever, and we brought in a special guest for the occasion. Chef Norman Van Aken was one of Mike's early interviewees. He's also Mike's longtime culinary mentor and the author of at least one cookbook that changed the course of Mike's career in food. This episode was recorded at Ariete in front of an audience of other past guests and friends of Pan Con Podcast — Larry Carrino, Josh Pascual, John Falco, Matt Kuscher, Carolina Quijano, Nidal Barake, Terence Reilly, Otto Othman, Nedal Ahmad, Derek Kaplan, and David Verjano. During the interview, our audience enjoyed a six-course meal bookended by cocktails and cigars, all made possible by this event's brand partners: Courvoisier, S.Pellegrino, Acqua Panna, D'Artagnan and Aganorsa Leaf. Mike and Norman discussed the state of the restaurant business after a year and a half of COVID turbulence, the challenges of adapting to a young workforce with new attitudes about the industry, and Norman's lasting impact on South Florida cuisine. This episode was recorded July 14, 2021, and we were paid a visit from another past guest, Cuban activist Rosa María Payá, who addressed our guests on the explosion of protests that had begun in Cuba just days earlier on July 11. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow chef Norman Van Aken: https://www.normanvanaken.com/ https://www.instagram.com/normanvanaken/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

July 11, 2021 brought an eruption of protests on the streets of Cuba. Mike Beltrán and Nick Jiménez got together to record some reaction and reflection on those events. Note that this podcast is being released more than 24 hours after it was recorded and the situation in Cuba is changing rapidly. We also talk about changes in Ariete's tasting menus and the beginning of live Pan Con Podcast recording events, which will create an opportunity for you to join us as we record podcasts (and eat and drink and smoke cigars). Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Nidal Barake is the founder of Gluttonomy, a marketing firm specializing in digital strategy for the dining world. As he notes in this episode of Pan Con Podcast, “Big agencies, they don't know anything about food. They have no clue about what happens at a restaurants, what's behind the production process, or what drives the consumer.” Nidal, by contrast, is passionate about dining and has leveraged that passion to build a successful firm that the people behind the food he loves can trust. Nidal joined Mike Beltrán at Ariete to talk about his career in food marketing, how Miami has grown as a food city over the last decade or so, and what it would mean for the city to get a Michelin Guide. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Nidal Barake and Gluttonomy: https://www.instagram.com/nidalbarake/ https://www.instagram.com/gluttonomy/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Chef Pablo Zitzmann was one of our very first guests on Pan Con Podcast in 2019. Nearly two years later, he’s also our first repeat guest (not counting the short interviews we did at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic). This time, he’s here to talk about the success he’s found on the other side of lockdown with Zitz Sum, a new Asian inspired concept he opened in Coral Gables shortly before we recorded this interview. Pablo and Mike talk about the joy and the agony of launching a new venture, building a company culture from the ground up, balancing work and family, and whether Miami is ready for a Michelin Guide. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Zitz Sum: https://www.instagram.com/zitzsum/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

A May 8 Washington Post story by Laura Reiley bearing the headline “As his restaurants’ customers return, a Miami chef is missing a critical ingredient: Workers,” examines the widespread difficulty restaurants and other hospitality businesses are having in staffing their businesses to meet the demand of an economy that is recovering — even if slowly — from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions imposed by government. The piece uses Ariete Hospitality (of which our host Mike Beltran is chef-partner) as a case-in-point. In this episode, Mike responds not to the article and Laura Reiley’s reporting, but to the comments left on the piece at the Washington Post’s website (of which, at the time we recorded, there were nearly 3,000). Most of the comments we saw were negative and highly critical of Mike’s approach to his businesses and employees. So we took it as an opportunity to respond to some of the criticisms and explain a bit about how the restaurant business — or at least Ariete Hospitality’s little corner of it — functions. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Read the Washington Post piece referenced in this episode: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/08/restaurant-jobs-shortage-workers-miami/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Nedal Ahmad was one of the co-founders of Pincho, the Miami-born fast casual chain we discussed at length on Pan Con Podcast with previous guest (and Nedal’s cousin) Otto Othman. Nedal has since moved on to other ventures, including a healthy meal delivery service and a digital food hall — a term that describes something eerily similar to the ghost kitchen model that’s been a hot button issue on this podcast before (for instance, in Mike Beltran’s conversation with publicist Larry Carrino). Nedal joined us for cigars, wine, conversation about the restaurant industry and some analysis of the Marvel and DC cinematic universes. Also, the famed Coconut Grove street sweeping zamboni made an astonishing number of passes in front of Ariete and threw our shit show of a podcast into a new realm of chaos. Follow Nedal Ahmad: https://www.instagram.com/nedalaahmad https://www.twitter.com/NedalaAhmad Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Whether painting for live audiences at nightclubs, showing his work at galleries or creating hand-drawn covers for the zines he bought from Miami record stores, Kiki Valdés has been making art consistently since he was a kid. His work has been inspired by religion, cartoons, secret societies, and the color characters he encountered while painting at those clubs. Along with his brother, he also created Abuela Mami, a Cuban care package company that’s expanded with its own premium coffee brand with the same name. Kiki joined Mike Beltrán to talk about art, creativity, finding your voice in your work, and the business sides of painting, coffee and subscription services. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Visit Abuela Mami and Abuela Mami Coffee: https://www.abuelamami.com/ https://www.abuelamamicoffee.com/ Follow Kiki Valdés on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikivaldes/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Ike Shehadeh is the founder and face of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, the San Francisco-based sandwich chain with about 80 locations, known for its extensive menu, unusual flavor combinations and quirky sandwich names. Miami is home to the first Ike’s location on the east coast — a franchise store in Aventura — and Ike says the company has aggressive expansion plans that include another 40 or so locations in Florida. Ike joined Mike Beltran at Ariete for a wide ranging discussion about his fast casual concept, the first sandwich he ever sold, his athletic career, his first job walking on stilts in a circus, and hotdate4hire.com, the Internet business that was even more interesting to hear about than you would imagine from the name. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

María Cabré is the general manager at Miami’s J. Wakefield Brewing. In this conversation with Michael Beltrán, she talks about her experience as a pastry chef, how those skills have served her in a career in brewing, and what it’s been like for her to find success in the beer business as a woman. Also in this conversation: what the COVID pivot looked like for J. Wakefield, Mike’s impression of chef José Mendín, and Mike’s and María’s takes on the Irish goodbye. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Pincho — perhaps better known in South Florida by its original name, Pincho Factory — is a distinctly Miami fast casual restaurant brand that’s grown to 10 locations serving kebobs and burgers. Co-founder and CEO Otto Othman joined us on this episode to talk about his own path from marketing to restaurants, how his Palestinian and Brazilian heritage came together with time growing up in Hialeah to inform Pincho’s take on Miamian casual dining (from the Tostón burger, which replaces the bun with fried plantains, to the Fritanga Burger that takes its inspiration from Nicaraguan cuisine). Otto and Mike also discuss the challenges of the restaurant business, how Otto and his company powered through some uncertain times to take Pincho from a struggling concept to an expanding enterprise with a goal of opening 100 locations, and some of the business and hospitality philosophy that fuels Pincho. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Visit Pincho: https://www.pincho.com/ Follow Otto Othman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otto_othman/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer are the chefs behind Boia De, a Miami restaurant that Mike has recommended on Pan Con Podcast numerous times. The two made their long-overdue appearance on the podcast to talk about their respective culinary careers, toast to their being named 2021 Star Chefs Rising Stars, and discuss the wave of New York City restaurateurs that has hit Miami at the tail end of the COVID pandemic. Both in her childhood and her early professional life, Carolina Quijano moved around a lot. “Living on planes” — especially when she was working as a management consultant — led her to all kinds of food. She joined Mike Beltrán on this episode of Pan Con Podcast to talk about how that led to her love of chocolate, how she taught herself (with some help from YouTube videos) to make her own, and what it took to eventually launch Exquisito Chocolates, a bean-to-bar chocolate factory in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. In this episode, we also learn that Mike freaks out about his own mortality on airplanes, Nick is an OK bartender, Carolina is not a sci-fi person. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Visit Boia De: https://www.boiaderestaurant.com/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ https://www.twitter.com/panconpodcast https://www.facebook.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez Also, Alex explains why he’s getting his first haircut in a year, Luci recommends Chicken Kitchen’s curry mustard sauce, and Mike cuts the podcast short to deal with our most ridiculous interruption to date (spoiler: some drunk guy wanted to join the conversation).

Both in her childhood and her early professional life, Carolina Quijano moved around a lot. “Living on planes” — especially when she was working as a management consultant — led her to all kinds of food. She joined Mike Beltrán on this episode of Pan Con Podcast to talk about how that led to her love of chocolate, how she taught herself (with some help from YouTube videos) to make her own, and what it took to eventually launch Exquisito Chocolates, a bean-to-bar chocolate factory in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. In this episode, we also learn that Mike freaks out about his own mortality on airplanes, Nick is an OK bartender, Carolina is not a sci-fi person. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Visit and shop Exquisito Chocolates: https://www.exquisitochocolates.com/ Follow Exquisito Chocolates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exquisitochocolates/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Katherine Manning and Tung Nguyen and widely regarded as the restaurateur duo responsible for popularizing Vietnamese flavors in Miami at Hy Vong. The two met when Katherine, then a University of Miami grad student, volunteered herself and her home to help resettle refugees after the end of the Vietnam War. Their new memoir, Mango and Peppercorns (published by Chronicle Books), tells the story of their odd-couple friendship, their pioneering restaurant, and a refugee experience that’s as unique to them (and Tung’s daughter Lyn) as it is relatable to the countless refugees they call their neighbors. Katherine and Tung joined chef Michael Beltran at Ariete in Coconut Grove, a stone’s throw away from the home where much of their story plays out, to share some of their story and reflect one of the most consequential restaurants South Florida diners have ever known. [Editor’s note: there are portions of this interview that might be tough to hear. We didn’t expect all the rain we got while recording on Ariete’s patio, which got a little loud. Thankfully, everyone but Nick managed to stay dry.] Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

It took 23 years for the brewery Manny Portuondo dreamed of opening to become a reality. It took patience, passion, and some legal battles with the Cuban government, but Cervecería La Tropical — Cuba’s first beer brand — has been revived in Miami with an investment from Heineken. On this episode of Pan Con Podcast, Manny and Mike talk about the history behind La Tropical beer, how the brand’s current form takes cues from and interprets its own Cuban legacy, the brand’s significance to the Cuban community in Miami, cultural preservation and why he chose to partner with Heineken — one of the world’s largest brewers — to bring his vision to life. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon for exclusive content (like the extended cut of this episode): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Lucy López has been a Miami radio fixture since she joined Power 96.5 FM back in 1996; she’s been with the station all this time and now hosts Power 96’s morning show. She joined Mike Beltran on Pan Con Podcast to talk about the state of her industry, Miami’s music, and how Miami mayor Francis Suárez’s efforts to lure tech industry transplants to Miami might change the city. The two also discuss brunch, bread service, being Cuban outside of Miami, and past guest Carlos Frías’ takes on sandwiches. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

A chance encounter with a great burger at a Miami pizza joint led Sef González to snap a photo of it on his Motorola Razor. That grainy flip phone photo was the beginning of Burger Beast, one of Miami’s first and best known food blogs. Sef joined Mike on this episode of Pan Con Podcast to talk about food media, his burger museum, his burger book, his events, frita history, skydiving, and the Chug Burger, that Ariete burger that topped Sef’s list of the best burgers in Miami, launching a new chapter in the restaurant's story. We also took our first ever phone call on the podcast when artist and past guest Peter Santa-María called in to set the record straight on his role in inspiring a Foo Fighters song and the prank that Sef pulled on him with Guillermo Del Toro. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon (and get access to bonus content from this interview): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Derek Kaplan had a decade-long career as a firefighter, but he started honing his dessert skills in high school when, as he told Mike Beltrán on this episode of Pan Con Podcast, he would make pies for himself and his friend when they had the munchies.Today, Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop has two Miami locations and delivers baked goods nationally. On this episode, Derek and Mike discuss the business of dessert, hospitality, food TV, new media, and the cultural value of sports. In the Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Mike has five bonus questions about Derek’s personal dessert preferences. Drew Estate is one of the biggest names in premium cigars. And Willy Herrera, the company’s master blender, is the man responsible not only for developing new cigar blends, but also for ensuring that the blends in the company’s portfolio maintain consistency year over year. In this conversation with chef Michael Beltran on Pan Con Podcast, Willy talks about how he got into the cigar business at his family’s Little Havana factory, El Titán de Bronze, his experience moving to Estelí, Nicaragua when he made the transition to Drew Estate, and how his work producing cigars compares to Mike’s work as the chef partner at Ariete Hospitality Group. In the Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Mike has five extra food-related questions for Willy. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon (and get access to bonus content from this interview): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Drew Estate is one of the biggest names in premium cigars. And Willy Herrera, the company’s master blender, is the man responsible not only for developing new cigar blends, but also for ensuring that the blends in the company’s portfolio maintain consistency year over year. In this conversation with chef Michael Beltran on Pan Con Podcast, Willy talks about how he got into the cigar business at his family’s Little Havana factory, El Titán de Bronze, his experience moving to Estelí, Nicaragua when he made the transition to Drew Estate, and how his work producing cigars compares to Mike’s work as the chef partner at Ariete Hospitality Group. In the Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Mike has five extra food-related questions for Willy. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon (and get access to bonus content from this interview): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Simon Kim is the restaurateur behind Cote, a one-of-a-kind, Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse in New York City, which is set to open its Miami location in early 2021. In this conversation with chef Michael Beltrán on Pan Con Podcast, Simon talks about how visiting fine dining restaurants with his dad in South Korea and his adolescence in his family’s Korean restaurant in Tribeca led to his falling in love with hospitality and restaurants. Simon and Mike also get into their respective experiences with understanding the relationship between their heritage and their work — namely, in how each of them has translated a dual national identity into a restaurant experience. In the Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Mike has five extra food-related questions for Simon. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon (and get access to bonus content from this interview): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Full show notes: Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Carlos Frías is the James Beard Award-winning food editor at the Miami Herald. Before moving into food at the Herald, Carlos was covering sports at The Palm Beach Post, where he also wrote a series about his first trip to Cuba that would later become the framework for his memoir, “Take Me With You: A Secret Search for Family in a Forbidden Cuba.” He joined Michael Beltrán on Pan Con Podcast to talk about his career in journalism, covering the restaurant industry through the COVID-19 pandemic, defining “sandwich” (a recurring topic on this podcast of late) and food journalism ethics. Carlos, Mike and Nick Jiménez also discuss race and cultural appropriation in the context of restaurant branding and whether a particular Chinese concept is using “race as a costume” in a particularly offensive way with its Instagram content. In the Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Mike has five extra questions to Carlos. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon (and get access to bonus content from this interview): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Dave Arvelo is the director of MMA athlete development at First Round Management, which represents some of the biggest names in combat sports (e.g., Jorge Masvidal, Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, Yoel Romero), along with a roster of NFL clients. Dave joined Mike (who also happens to be his neighbor) on Pan Con Podcast to talk about about his recent move to Miami, how he got his start in the fight business, the impact of the COVID pandemic on sports, and how his dog got the name Jorge. In the Patreon-only extended cut of this episode, Mike poses five extra questions to Dave. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon (and get access to bonus content from this interview): https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Larry Carrino, president of Brustman Carrino Public Relations, is the Miami publicist with the stress-inducing distinction of having our host Michael Beltran as his client. Ove the time Larry has been working with Mike, the two have become friends. On this episode of Pan Con Podcast, Mike and Larry talk about food journalism, influencers, social media, food festivals and the ghost kitchens. In the Patreon-only extended cut, Mike poses an extra five questions to Larry. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Brustman Carrino Public Relations: https://www.brustmancarrinopr.com/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Our "Ask Mike Anything" episode is the last of 2020, and we opened it up to questions from listeners for chef and eighth grade basketball MVP Michael Beltran. There are even more questions and answers in our extended Patreon-only episode. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

David Foulquier is the restaurateur behind Fooq’s, a Miami restaurant built on French-Persian cuisine, and Sushi Noz, the Michelin-starred Manhattan sushi restaurant named for its chef, Abe Nozomu. Pan Con Podcast’s last guest of 2020, David joined Mike at the Ariete Patio for a conversation about his culinary influences, the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, how he found his way into the restaurant business, and the significance of having earned a Michelin star. In a Patreon-exclusive clip, David talks about the differences he’s observed between running restaurants in New York City and Miami. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow David Foulquier and his restaurants: https://www.instagram.com/davidfooqs/ https://www.sushinoz.com/ https://www.fooqsmiami.com/ Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Ryan Pfeffer of Infatuation Miami joined Michael Beltran and Nicolás Jiménez to talk about his writing career, what he’s learned from covering the Miami restaurant scene and the ethics of freebies. Also on the agenda for the night: butthole tattoos, pasta, and what it might take for Miami to further mature as a food city. Finally, we ask our listeners to give what they can to The Hungry Post’s #FeedTheChain campaign in the memory of a friend of the podcast as the Miami restaurant community by using #LiveLikeMari with their donation message. Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow Ryan Pfeffer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanpfefferoni/ Visit Infatuation Miami: https://www.theinfatuation.com/miami Support #FeedTheChain: https://www.gofundme.com/f/feed-the-chain Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez

Mike Betrán and Nick Jiménez got together to offer their ham-handed, but hopefully helpful update on the protests and repression that have continued after the Nov. 9 arrest of Cuban dissident rapper Denis Solís and other members of Havana's San Isidro Movement. If you missed our initial discussion of these events, check out this episode from Nov. 30. http://www.dademag.com/features/2020/11/30/pan-con-podcast-cuba-protests-san-isidro-movement-denis-solis Follow Movimiento San Isidro on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mov_sanisidro/ Support Pan Con Podcast and the rest of DADEmag.com on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DADEmag Follow pan Con Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piginc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/piginc Follow DADE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DADEMAG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadeig Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dadetweets Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasajimenez Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nicolasajimenez