Episode 29 - Growing Latino Culinary Scene

Two men who both should be in the mix for the next cycle of the James Beard Awards: Jorge Guzman has been there, Gustavo Romero should be there. Jorge Guzman has been a beard award nominee for his work as the executive chef at Surly Brewing’s A Brewers Table… an awesome restaurant. He’s been at Solera, a distillery in LaCrosse, and now at Petite Leon in Minneapolis - we talk about expectations of a Latino Mexican chef, when it comes to the types of food that he cooks. Very interesting. Plus Gustavo Romero brought his love for heritage corn into a tortillas like the twin cities have never seen. Nixta changed the game with nixtamalized tortillas that taste like corn, instead of nothing. Now he’s opened a restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis. We talk about his work bringing together a group of Latino chefs and bartenders as K’ooben- raising their profiles, and drawing attention to some incredible talents in Minnesota.