Pan Con Podcast

This is part 2 of Mike Beltran's sit-down with renowned chef Norman Van Aken. In this portion of the chat, the two talk about Norman's experience publishing books, mental health issues chefs deal with, and the time Norman passed on participating in Top Chef Masters. Norman is one of the most celebrated and consequential chefs in the country. Widely regarded as the founder of New American cuisine a...

Norman Van Aken is one of the most celebrated and consequential chefs in the country. Widely regarded as the founder of New American cuisine and a pioneer of "fusion," Norman has led renowned restaurants, published numerous books, and a nominee for and winner of countless awards, including an induction into James Beard Foundation’s list of “Who’s Who in American Food and Beverage" (where he's the...

Aniece "Ani" Meinhold grew up in a family that always had hospitality on the brain. Bred to be the consummate hostess, she's the brains behind the customer experience side of Miami's Phuc Yea and Pho Mo. In her Pan Con Podcast debut, she talks about growing up Puerto Rican, her German and Vietnamese heritage, and bringing a new take on Asian cuisine to Miami. She also shares her perspective on soc...

Mike went to Cleveland to work on a collaboration dinner at The Plum, a restaurant helmed by his friend Brett Sawyer. In this special one-mic episode, Mike and Brett talk about how they became friends (spoiler: there's a lot of alcohol involved), their approaches to their respective expressional restaurants, mental health issues, and the value (or lack thereof) of media that claim to identify "the...

Mario Obregón is a founding member of the band Problem Kids. Their fusion of hip-hop with Caribbean rhythms is as patently Miami as their ability to swing from irreverent to introspective from one verse to the next. Mario is also a high school friend of Mike's. In this sit-down, they talk about Mario's beginnings in music, the similarities and difference between their creative processes, and Mario...

Mike, Carlos and Nick meet after service at Ariete to talk about the influence of Miami on Mike's career as a chef and his perspective on food. But not before taking some detours through the subject of food journalism and giving Nick grief about his dog's Instangram account. Speaking of which, follow Peaty on Instagram: instagram.com/peatythedog Here's the cover of The Girl from Ipanema we referen...

Mike and Carlos have a chat in Ariete's underground bunker for a chat about people. How to lead them, how to recruit them, how to develop them... and also when to part ways with them. It's all about building the team that can take you to the promised land. Or to a great dinner. And , really, isn't that the same thing? It's a conversation that matters no matter what you're trying to accomplish. Bec...

This week, we're borrowing an episode from The Cigar Snob Podcast. It's Nicolás Jiménez's interview with Roberto Guerra of La Caja China, Cuban Miami's favorite way to roast a pig. They talk about cooking, culture, and how a few connections catapulted Roberto's family business from local icon to the barbecue mainstream. Check out the Cigar Snob Podcast: cigarsnobmag.com/podcast Follow Pan Con Podc...

The menu at Ariete in Coconut Grove just got a major overhaul. On this episode, Mike sits down with Nick to talk about what prompted the change, how it reflects his and his company's growth, and what it takes to get a whole team of people on board with a business' new direction. There are also shout outs for Carluba and his new baby, Jorge Masvidal and CVT Soft Serve. Plus, Nick reveals that he bo...

Pablo Zitzmann (of No Name Chinese and the forthcoming Alcalde) joins Mike and Nick in the patio at Ariete to talk about his own journey to food and how he fell in love with Asian cuisine growing up in Colombia. Pablo and Mike discuss the communication of culture through cooking, leading teams, dealing with burnout, and the development of Miami's food community. Follow Pablo on Instagram: instagra...

In the second part of their sit down, Mike and his guest Kris Huseby talk about health, wellness and cannabis. Kris gets into the business, politics, and health applications of marijuana. But first, there's a story about that one time that Kris grabbed Mike's junk in the kitchen. Follow Pan Con Podcast everywhere: Facebook: www.facebook.com/panconpodcast/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast...

Mike gets a visit at the Chug's Diner courtyard from Kris Huseby. They talk about their days cooking at Michael Schwartz's Cypress Room, leading young chefs, why Mike hated Kris' white clogs when they first met, the challenges and rewards of doing your own thing, and the rise of the social media food influencer. Follow Pan Con Podcast everywhere: Facebook: www.facebook.com/panconpodcast/ Instagram...

Chef Mike Beltrán talks about the ways he flexes his creative muscle as a chef and restaurateur and where business considerations place boundaries on the art and craft of food. Episode image: Blue Shell Media Follow Pan Con Podcast everywhere: Facebook: www.facebook.com/panconpodcast/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Twitter: twitter.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www...

In this, the first full episode of Pan on Podcast, we dive into chef Mike Beltran's journey into food, the unhealthy habits that sometimes develop in kitchen life, how Miami influenced his perspective as a chef, and what it was like for him to strike out on his own as a restaurateur. We also touch the chaotic first few days at Chug’s — Mike's Coconut Grove Cuban diner — dealing with crit...

In a special "inbetweenisode" of Pan Con Podcast, Mike Beltran gets into the controversy that was sparked when photos surfaced of chef Will Crandall wore Proud Boys gear to a couple of South Florida food events. The Proud Boys are a controversial, loosely organized group that some see as a white supremacist, neo-fascist organization. The fallout played out publicly and eventually drove his resigna...

Chef Michael Beltrán breaks down his vision for Pan Con Podcast with producers Nick Jiménez and Carlos Rodríguez. Follow Pan Con Podcast everywhere: Facebook: www.facebook.com/panconpodcast/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/panconpodcast/ Twitter: twitter.com/panconpodcast Follow Mike Beltran: Instagram: www.instagram.com/piginc/ Twitter: twitter.com/piginc Follow Nick Jiménez: Instagram: www.instagra...