On The Pass

Many of my most unforgettable hospitality and culinary experiences have been meaningful not just because of their quality, creativity, or service, but because they fostered a deeper connection to the local culture, people, and traditions. These experiences go beyond excellence—they tell a story, evoke emotion, and create lasting impressions. This is exactly what our next guest has dedicated his ca...

In Episode 6 of Effects of Change, Jamila and Gabriel sit down with Fawn Weaver, entrepreneur, author, and spirits mogul, CEO of Grant Sidney Inc. and owner of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. They discuss leading as your authentic self. Jamila and Gabriel close out the series by reflecting on everything they've learned through these conversations, the progress that has been made, and the work that...

 In Episode 5 of Effects of Change, Jamila and Gabriel sit down with Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, and Tim Brooke-Webb, Managing Director of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, Bars, and Hotels platform. They discuss awards, recognition, and the importance of these platforms as vehicles for discovery and community building.   Learn More about The World's 50 Best Ecosystem: htt...

In Episode 4 of   Effects of Change , Jamila and Gabriel sit down with Melina Shannon-DiPietro, Managing Director of MAD, the nonprofit founded by chef René Redzepi of restaurant Noma, and Juliane Caillouette Noble, Managing Director of the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Together, they discuss sustainability, the supply chain, and the broader impact of how and what we eat.     Follow Melina S...

In Episode 3 of   Effects of Change, Jamila and Gabriel sit down with Daniel Humm, chef and owner of the iconic New York fine-dining establishment Eleven Madison Park, and Elena Reygadas, The World's Best Female Chef 2023 and chef-owner of Rosetta in Mexico City. They discuss philosophical change and the courage to cook the food they truly want to create.   Learn more about Bon Appétit:  https://b...

In Episode 2 of Effects of Change, Jamila and Gabriel sit down with Sean Sherman—award-winning chef, educator, author, and activist—and Rupa Bhattacharya, Executive Director of the Strategic Initiatives Group at The Culinary Institute of America. Together, they discuss heritage, culture, and education through the lens of food.   Learn more about Bon Appétit:  https://bit.ly/49CWK51     Follow Sean...

Jamila and Gabriel kick off this series opener by introducing Effects of Change, a Bon Appétit and On The Pass original six-part series. The series explores progress and features intimate conversations with some of the most influential change-makers in the restaurant and hospitality industry.   Learn more about Bon Appétit:  https://bit.ly/49CWK51     Follow Bon Appétit and Jamila Robinson on Inst...

How do you build a great partnership? And how does that partnership foster a strong company culture—one that extends beyond your guests to include your entire team? Our next guests have mastered this balance, creating a thriving hospitality group while continuing to expand their portfolio of offerings.   In this episode of On The Pass , we're joined by two culinary visionaries who have helped shap...

No matter where you are in the world, January is a time for reflection—a moment to consider how we've moved through the past and envision how we want to step into the future. January offers us a cultural and astrological milestone, the New Year, as an opportunity to start fresh.     For many, Dry January becomes a product of this cultural shift, reflecting a growing interest in a more health-consc...

At On The Pass we have a deep love for Mexican food—from the humble street taco to the artistry of fine dining. Mexican cuisine is vibrant, flavorful, and as colorful as the people, culture, and diverse landscapes it represents. It's hard to imagine a time when the beauty and richness of this storied food culture weren't widely celebrated, both in Mexico and across the globe. In many ways, we can...

Are you familiar with the three key tiers in Cognac production? These include the distillers, the grape growers, and those who age the eau-de-vie . In Cognac, it's quite uncommon for a single brand to oversee every aspect of the process—growing grapes, distilling, and aging. However, our next guests are doing just that. Some might even say this challenger Cognac brand has been a century in the mak...

Our next guest is on a mission to support restaurants and reclaim market share in a sector her company helped revolutionize 26 years ago. Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, the pioneering platform for restaurant reservations, founded in 1998 in San Francisco. Today, OpenTable remains the leader in online reservations as part of Booking Holdings Inc., but being the first and largest doesn't automatically...

Chef Mauro Colagreco has famously said, "We aren't a restaurant with a garden, we are a garden with a restaurant." He and his team are deeply committed to safeguarding the world's culinary heritage, particularly through the preservation of biodiversity in both flora and fauna. This dedication has extended his role far beyond the kitchen and his numerous restaurants, positioning him as a global lea...

On this episode of the Hot Spot series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Chef Jon Yao and Sommelier Ryan Bailey, co-owners of Kato, an Asian American restaurant that artfully explores the intersection of Los Angeles culture and the Asian diaspora.   Kato originally opened in a small Westside strip mall, operating in a space just one-quarter the size of its current location in Downtown LA. At that ti...

In January 2023, Gabriel traveled to the southern Pacific Coast of Mexico, in the state of Guerrero, to experience Playa Viva, an eco-luxury and regenerative boutique hotel founded by our next guest, David Leventhal, and his then-wife shortly after purchasing the land in 2006.   Playa Viva is situated at the base of the Sierra Madre Mountains, just forty minutes from Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa Internation...

On this episode of the High Tea series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Clay Williams, Brooklyn-based James Beard Award-winning photographer.   Clay has been capturing and helping tell stories about food, hospitality, and the people and places that define our culture for more than 15 years. His work has appeared in the pages of Food & Wine, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Travel + Leisure, as we...

On this episode of the High Tea series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Adam Teeter, New York-based Co-founder and CEO of VinePair.   Adam and Josh Malin Co-founded VinePair ten years ago and together they've grown the platform into the largest multi-media publication about wine, beer and spirits in America, reaching almost 40 million people a month.   In this episode, we discuss: ☑️Remake the indu...

Our next guests are Ian Burrell and Aaisha Dadral, Co-founders of The Equiano Rum Company, creators of the world's first African and Caribbean rums. This pioneering venture not only celebrates the rich heritage of rum but also champions the values of freedom and equality, inspired by the legendary figure Olaudah Equiano.   Ian, known globally as the Rum Ambassador, has spent decades entertaining a...

On this episode of the High Tea series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Matthew Kaner, Los Angeles-based sommelier, wine educator, correspondent and consultant.   Matthew is the wine correspondent for Men's Journal which garners 12,000,000 unique monthly views. He's also the Owner of "Will Travel For Wine Consulting" and literally will travel anywhere and everywhere on the globe for wine and food e...

On this episode of the High Tea series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Rita Jammet, New York-based restaurateur, hospitality advisor and Founder of La Caravelle Champagne.   Rita and her husband André owned and operated the iconic New York French restaurant, La Caravelle. The New York Times described La Caravelle as a "French Legend and a Paris in Manhattan experience to food enthusiasts and the A...

Our next guest bathes throughout the year in an energy of potential and is constantly on a journey of exploration and discovery.   Meet Jhonatan Cano, restaurateur, travel enthusiast, and global citizen. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Jhonatan always had a deep yearning to discover the world. He began his career in award-winning hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, and Conrad Hotel. L...

On this episode of the High Tea series, Bill Esparza, Los Angeles-based James Beard Award winning writer and author of LA Mexicano.   Bill is a leading authority on Latin American cuisine as a freelance writer for publications such as New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Eater; he's also appeared on several food television programs.   In this episode, we discuss: ☑️Travel always...

On this episode of the High Tea series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Esther Tseng, Los Angeles-based food, drinks and culture writer.   Esther is an Academy Chair of the USA West region for The World's 50 Best Bars and has served as judge for the James Beard Foundation . She has contributed to numerous publications like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Eater,...

Daniel Johnnes, truly needs no introduction. He is a luminary in the wine industry, renowned for his leadership and community-building efforts. As one of America's pioneering sommeliers—one of our forefathers in the field, if you will—Daniel has dedicated decades to mentoring and educating the next generation of wine professionals.   Daniel is the visionary founder of several prestigious wine even...

On this episode of the High Tea series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Mike Jordan, Atlanta-based journalist and Senior Editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.   As Senior Editor, Mike leads the media brand "UATL," which focuses on Black culture. Just last week, Mike won the James Beard Foundation's 2024 Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award for coverage of Atlanta. He's also an executive board memb...