The Whet Palette Productions: Miami Food Blog & Podcast

Miami-born, Argentine-Italian, two-time James Beard Award semifinalist, Forbes’ “30 Under 30 List," and first-ever Miami contestant to win Chopped...twice. No big deal. Giorgio Rapicavoli reflects on his culinary journey. From the early days of the wild startup pop-up days of Eating House , he has matured into the chef and owner of Eating House 2.0 and Luca Osteria in Coral Gables. We discuss...

Daniel Figueredo and his wife, Rosa Romero, founded Sanguich de Miami in 2015. But life wasn’t always mojo pork and croquetas. The road to launch and reach success took many colorful detours. A background in marketing, architecture, and design within the fashion industry shaped Daniel's business approach and steered his vision when he decided to take a chance on this sandwich concept with Ros...

Brenda Popritkin engages in a deep conversation with acclaimed Miami chef Pablo Zitzmann , known for his Coral Gables restaurants No Name Chinese and Zitz Sum . Explore Chef Zitzmann's fascinating journey from his German-Mexican roots in Bogotá, Colombia, through his culinary adventures across Asia, to reaching his goals within the Miami food scene. Discussing his vision, achievements, and th...

The 2010 South Florida culinary scene has significantly evolved since Cari Garcia began her food blog. Through the years, she successfully transitioned her brand's model from restaurant reviews to recipes and giveaways, and turned challenges into opportunities. Recently, an unexpected incident prompted her to leave her healthcare career behind and become a full-time content creator and social...

Meet the fascinating Miami sommelier Allegra Angelo of Vinya Wine . From NYC's Jean-Georges to Michy's and La Mar, Allegra shares the journey that brought her to Miami and kept her here. Knowledgeable, passionate, and #teamMiami all the way. What's not to love? Ready to dive in? Let's go! LISTEN here: Apple Spotify iHeartradio Amazon Music Audible VISIT me on my other platforms...

We are about to get very 305. If you know, you know. And if you don’t know, you are about to find out. I am talking, of course, about Miami’s very own VENTANITAS. We all have a personal story and relationship with them. Daniela Perez Miron is here to discuss her very special book Ventanitas: A Window into Miami’s Coffee Culture.  Miron was raised in Miami, Florida, and now lives in London. She gra...

A much-respected veteran chef of the Miami culinary scene ( Bice at the Victor Hotel, Pelican Cafe, Toscana Divino, and more recently at Le Zoo —to name a few) and mentor to many, Chef Julian Alexander Baker joins me to chat about South Florida's growth and significant changes during his 15 years in Miami. What has kept him in here? What does he think are the city's strengths? What does...

Welcome to the behind-the-scenes episode of the MICHELIN Guide Florida Ceremony: Miami, Orlando & Tampa.   If this is your first time tuning in, here's the scoop. I've been writing about the MICHELIN Guide's Florida potential and eventual guide since 2014—initially on the blog and now also on the podcast. In this episode, I'll be your guide through the latest ceremony. I&ap...

In this episode, I analyze the MICHELIN Guide Florida and its upcoming April 18th awards ceremony in Tampa.  Is South Florida feeling jaded over the Guide? When will negotiations resume for the Florida contract? What do the one, two, and three-star ratings mean?  Will any restaurant lose its star? If so, which one (s)? Will the MICHELIN Guide rank up any restaurant? If so, which one (s)? Will Miam...

Listen in as we candidly review the last 15 Miami restaurants we visited. PART 2 of this supersized episode tackles an unlucky celebrity chef's arrival, a couple of Miami historical locations renovated by flashy restaurant groups, another Argentinian concept that didn't deliver on steak, a classy omakase experience with a starry future, a tiny but mighty local fine dining concept, and an...

Listen in as we candidly review the last 15 Miami restaurants we visited. PART 1 of this supersized episode tackles a Florida homegrown concept and a borrowed NYC one. Three restaurants center their food around a wood fire grill, with only one, a Broward newcomer, emerging victorious and ambitious enough to quickly become the area's best restaurant. Lastly, a couple of established 305 chefs d...

President and CEO Dana Young updates us on the MICHELIN Guide's current Florida impact since the initial announcement in 2021 and  two guides later (with a third on the horizon April 18th). Why is this partnership an ideal fit for the Sunshine State? Are diners choosing us and staying longer in Florida because of our food?  Was the initial plan for three guides/years? Is this partnership some...

Dominican pastry Chef Mari Angeles Rubio of Casa Gioia brings joy to Miami with her delicious desserts: all the custom cakes, but never ever cupcakes (ni tampoco cake pops, sorry). Listen in as she passionately shares her story. We chat about: Her time in Italy The success of pecan pie errors ATM 101 lessons Her favorite South Florida desserts Building a business without experience How noes turned...

The PALETTE AWARDS are for the TOP 23 MIAMI RESTAURANTS I feel offer the most well-rounded and top experiences. I reserved, ordered, photographed, ate, and paid at these restaurants. No one asked nor paid me to do so. Supporting our local restaurants brings me joy, and I am passionate about Miami’s food scene. Did your favorite make my list? Use this as a reference when making your next reservatio...

Our dishing and dining means you get the real unfiltered scoop as we experience it. The hubs, Lawrence, returns once again and joins me to review every visit and offer his perspective. We have spent the last several months returning to many Miami favorite restaurants.  In this episode, we will highlight which ones continued to impress, and also discuss the few who greatly disappointed. DRINKING GA...

Natural wine enthusiast Karina Iglesias talks all things vino and Miami in this special addition to my SOMM LIKE IT HOT series.   Listen at the links below and on all major platforms Apple Spotify iHeartradio Amazon Music Audible Supporting the podcast is simple. Like what you hear? Please share, review, and/or rate to help the episodes receive more exposure. It takes seconds!  Thank you for liste...

Chef.  Author. Mentor. Pioneer. All around Florida badass. Chef Norman Van Aken needs no introduction, really. His contributions to the Florida culinary community have been and continue to be endless. As the founding father of New World Cuisine , he once upon a time created an identity for Florida from which to launch and never looked back. Listen in as I chat with Norman about his upcoming TV pro...

Owner of the OG Miami food blog, Food for Thought,  FRODNESOR on all things social media, cofounder of the Cobaya Miami underground supper club, and an occasional food writer for publications around town, attorney David Rosendorf stops in to discuss his long-lived love for Miami food. What prompted him to launch the blog and Cobaya Miami? How does he summarize the change in the Miami food scene si...

A candid look at some of the Miami restaurants we recently visited. 68. Mosaico by Maurizio Farinelli 69. Le Jardinier 70. Tam Tam 71. Queen Omakase 72. Mamey 73. La Mar Miami 74. Casa Mariano 75. La Cosecha Argentinian Steakhouse Most of the Miami restaurants discussed in this episode are small operations that, for better or worse,  left a big impression. Listen at the Buzzsprout link above and o...

Why are Broward residents making lines to score Italian Chef Nunzio Fuschillo's baked goods? I won't gatekeep any longer. The secret is officially out and these are the magic words:  Cooper City. Gas Station. Effe Cafe. In this episode, we discuss Nunzio's journey to South Florida, his deep ties to Miami culinary royalty (and Hialeah), the Michelin Guide Florida and beyond, plus his...

Restaurateur, Content Creator, and Social Curator Gina Pelaez stopped in to chat, and chat we did. We explore her food journey and the creation of the Miami Food Family brand. Naturally, we Hialeah gals also discuss its history and ongoing growth, Miami's food influencers, the hot South Florida restaurant scene,  the flighty nature of food hall concepts, Broward's need for more y mucho m...

An up close and personal look at some of the Miami restaurants we recently visited. Buckle up, butter cup! We discuss it ALL.  61. Queen 62. Zeru 63. MaryGold's Florida Brasserie 64. Walrus Rodeo 65. Avra 66. Calle Dragones 67. Maty's As usual, we candidly review each restaurant without holding back. Which new restaurant captivated "the hubs" enough to name it the best opening...

I am pleased to introduce you to Laura DePasquale, a Master Sommelier, wine educator, and Senior Vice President of the Artisanal Wine Division at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Laura's inspiring journey in the wine industry is nothing short of captivating. From her beginnings as an artist to becoming a trailblazer in the wine world, Laura has truly led the way for others.  In this...

The MICHELIN Guide came to town to unveil Florida's new BIB Gourmand and One Star recipients at LoanDepot Park. I was fortunate to attend and witness all the action from beginning to end. Listen in as I give you an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse of the ceremony and share which restaurants made the cut and which ones didn't retain their spots. Listen on all major platforms: Apple Spo...

Guest Chef Ashley Moncada of the new Brasserie Laurel shares some insight into the restaurant's concept with the Ariete Hospitality Group, her quest for heat, love of butter, and her "Mini Mike" monicker. But, don't fall for her coy demeanor. Moncada is a confident beast in the kitchen, ready to capture your full attention and, hopefully, shine bright under a new Michelin star...