The Pasta & Performance Podcast

It is not often that you meet a man in his 20s who has already built real success as a businessman, especially in a highly competitive environment like Los Angeles. Vache is one of those rare exceptions. After completing his university studies, he founded Muscle Lab , a performance and recovery center where he works with both professional and amateur athletes, focusing on mobility, recovery, and o...

We sat down with UFC fighter Uroš Medić to explore his complex relationship with the 155 lb weight class and his evolution as a professional athlete. Uroš reflects on the early stages of his career, when fighting was not his full-time profession and training, nutrition, and physical development were less structured. That changed in 2020, after earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Serie...

I sat down with David Papyan to explore the intersection of sports nutrition and culinary excellence in his internship at CapoNutrition. We recounted the rigorous journey leading up to a UFC title fight, sharing insights into the demanding world of MMA and the art of crafting performance-based meals. Together, we dove into the cultural nuances of Italian and Armenian cuisines, offering insights in...

I caught up with Matt Alfonte , a former wrestler, amateur MMA fighter, and high school wrestling coach from Orange County. I’ve known Matt for about ten years, ever since he was part of the first MMA team that Marvin Vettori joined when he arrived in the U.S. We shared some memories from those early days, talked about the team environment, and reflected on how things used to be before the UFC. La...

In this episode, I sit down with UFC middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan to explore the mental challenges of cutting weight and how the mind can play tricks on us under pressure. We dive into the psychological aspects of maintaining focus and discipline during such a demanding process. Edmen also shares his recent experiences in Italy, particularly when it came to navigating the local cuisine. As he pre...

I sat down with Edmen Shahbazyan, one of the first athletes I met after relocating to the United States. As a veteran of the UFC middleweight division, Edmen's career skyrocketed at the beginning but faced some significant challenges along the way. We discuss his journey, the importance of sports psychology, and his experience with the ketogenic diet. Edmen also shares his reasons for relocating t...

In this podcast episode, we sit down with Joshua Richards , a dedicated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt from New York City. What makes this conversation unique is the story of Joshua's last-minute preparations for the ADCC trials, which we undertook together. Just a week before the trials, Joshua reached out, and we had to navigate a challenging, time-pressed situation. This resulted in a less-tha...

Mike Guadango is a top-tier strength and conditioning coach located in New Jersey. Mike has honed his craft under the mentorship of legends like De Franco and by training notable athletes such as Kevin Love, and in this episode, we delve deep into his coaching methods from the early days of his career. Our conversation covers the critical role of practice in the field when building a winning roste...

Oliver Taza is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professional athlete. He recently became Pan American Champion, earning his title with four impressive submissions in four matches. He's been a CapoNutrition athlete for about six months. In this episode, Oliver shared his humble beginnings in Jiu-Jitsu and how he found his way to the prestigious Danaher Death Squad in Austin (formerly NYC), where he trains und...

Alexander Park is the founder of Food for Thoughts. His company has been instrumental in guiding high school students toward their dreams of university admission. We discussed the main differences between the US and the Italian school system. But that's not all - Alexander is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, adding a dynamic perspective to the world of sports. We'll also be delving into th...

What is regenerative agriculture? Walking around US supermarkets’ aisles, you will notice products from regenerative agriculture practices. While the US government still has to define what legally that is, I love to engage with farmers that put food on my table. I met Loren Poncia because I was looking for high-quality locally raised beef and pork. He owns a ranch in Marin County, about an hour no...

Jason Manly was born and raised in Southern California. He then relocated to the Bay area with a track and field scholarship at Berkeley; in the meanwhile, he started to train BJJ under Cesar Gracie, earning his black belt. Jason coached countless MMA elite athletes, including Ronda Rousey, Rampage, and Marvin Vettori. That led him to visit Italy numerous times, to the point he could start underst...

Andy Murasaki was one of the most dominant BJJ athletes in 2022, with a gold medal at the IBJJF world championship (no-gi) and a silver medal with the gi. In this episode, Andy discussed the cultural differences between Brazil, Japan, and the US regarding food, and his move to SoCal at ATOS BJJ. Still, most importantly, he opened up about developing an eating disorder because of weight cuts in the...

Augusto Tanquinho Mendes is one of the most accomplished athletes in BJJ history, with multiple wins at IBJJF worlds (both gi and no-gi) and ADCC 2019. He has also been a UFC athlete. He played a crucial role in my growth as a performance nutritionist in the US because winning ADCC gold was my first main accomplishment on a big stage. He also connected me to other champions like Mikey Musumeci, Da...

Chase Cichos is a S&C coach born in Bellflower, Southern California. His humble beginnings didn't stop in his journey to becoming one of the best trainers in the world, receiving a nomination from Fighters' Magazine for coach of the year. His roster of professional athletes included title challenger Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum, Giga Chikadze, Uroš Medić, and many more. In this episode, we...

Dante Leon is a 2022 bronze medalist and IBJJF world champion. He is one of the most skilled grapplers in the world at  170 lb, and he joined team CAPONUTRITION earlier this year. In this podcast, Dante and I discussed his journey to become one of the most accomplished BJJ players starting from a small city in Canada and growing his game far from the leading sports hubs. Dante is also a Westside B...

Keir Wenham-Flatt , aka The Rugby Strength Coach, is a British S&C professional who lives in the US but previously worked in Japan, Argentina (coaching its national team), and Australia, becoming one of the most authoritative coaches in Rugby 15. After a brief chapter in college football, he is now devoted to creating resources for young coaches who want to learn the art through an evidence an...

Nino Asaro is an Italian entrepreneur living in NYC and working as the head of development for his family company, Asaro Oil which has been importing extra virgin olive oil to the United States from Sicily for five generations. Nino is also a great cook and an NYU Gallatin graduate. In this first episode, we discussed living in the US as Italians, how he learned to make the most delicious Italian...