Welcome back to Cooking From Scratch , the podcast where we dive deep into the motivation and inspiration behind cooking. I’m your host, Aliye Aydin, and today’s episode is all about love, connection, and culture in food. I’m thrilled to have Jairo Bogarin here with me— the mastermind behind one of the hottest smash burger popups in Long Beach, CA, Hamburgers Nice. I chatted with Jairo about his playful and innovative approach to this American favorite, as well as his inspiration and motivation behind creating this local community-building popup. Whether you’re a burger aficionado or just love a great food story, you’re in for a treat. So, grab a seat, get comfortable, and let’s dive into the delicious world of smash burgers with Jairo Bogarin on this episode of Cooking From Scratch . In this episode you’ll hear: What is ‘Hamburgers Nice’ and how did it start? Pairing beer with food Cultural identity and how it affects our creativity WHY smash burgers? The benefits of being a pop-up business How food serves as a connector Chicken tinga! How our memories and experiences inform our cooking Cooking as an act of self-love Using spice blends for a quick dinner The “dance” of cooking with partner who also loves to cook Freezing beans to use later The magic of Spam musubi and onigiri Aliye’s favorite comfort food How love and connection is a motivation for cooking How to use Cotija cheese and Queso Fresco The ingredients of elote slaw as a burger topper You can find the location of Jairo’s next pop-up on his Instagram @hamburgersnice , and grab a t-shirt from his website at https://www.hamburgersnice.com /. Jairo was generous enough to share a copy of his chicken tinga recipe with us after this show was recorded, and I never would have guessed the “secret” ingredient! Click below to have it emailed to you. Get Jairo’s Chicken Tinga Recipe!
