Author: The Whet Palette Productions: Blog & Podcast

Bilingual food journalist, podcast host, and hospitality consultant with over a decade of experience documenting fine dining, wine, and travel. Founder of The Whet Palette Productions: Blog & Podcast, a trusted Miami-based media platform spotlighting Michelin-starred restaurants, James Beard Award–recognized talent, and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants events across Florida and beyond. Recognized for an insider’s perspective on hospitality excellence, I bring depth, context, and curiosity to every story — from chef profiles and industry trends to behind-the-scenes event coverage. Skilled in editorial storytelling, restaurant evaluations, and brand collaborations, I bridge the worlds of journalism and consulting to celebrate and elevate the culinary arts.

by The Whet Palette Productions: Blog & Podcast

S5 E72 The Fire Behind Apocalypse Miami: Smoke, Setbacks, and Success

From Cancer Survivor to Pitmaster: The Story Behind Apocalypse Barbecue Miami may be known for cafecito and croquetas, but in this episode we’re talking about another side of the city’s food story: barbecue. In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Budnechky, the brawn behind Apocalypse BBQ, to discuss: This episode is about much more than smoked meat. If love […]

You Are Invited: From Roots to Rise DINNER

A Celebration of Florida’s Culinary Lineage An intimate, one-night-only dinner, celebrating the depth of Florida’s culinary roots and the vision shaping its future. To see a chef redefining Florida dining today, cooking alongside the pioneer who helped establish its culinary identity, is exceptionally rare. This exclusive one-of-a-kind evening brings together Chef Norman Van Aken, multiple-time James […]

North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 Announces New Orleans Ceremony After Las Vegas Debut

Hold onto your crawfish boils, because North America’s tastiest party on the planet is about to hit the Big Easy! After a debut that lit up the glitter of Las Vegas like a neon jambalaya bowl, North America’s 50 Best Restaurants is back for round two. This time, they’re bringing the heat Southern-style. Last year’s inaugural ceremony at […]

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards Heads to Abu Dhabi for the First Time

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 awards, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, will take place in November 2026, marking a new chapter for one of the most influential platforms in global gastronomy. Set against Abu Dhabi’s rapidly evolving dining scene, the week-long program will culminate in the highly anticipated awards ceremony, revealing the 2026 ranking. Supported […]

Wayan’s Wynwood Residency

Attending a small industry preview dinner by Cross Cultures made one thing immediately clear: it’s not just another opening, and it’s not trying to be. This restaurant stands out by offering something genuinely different for the neighborhood and for Miami as a whole. Wayan, from chef Cédric Vongerichten and partner Ochi Vongerichten, is now open in Wynwood for […]

S5 E71 Chef Jonathan Kaiser on Calusso, Pier Sixty-Six, and Raising the Bar in Fort Lauderdale

I am taking it to the 954, where “Michelin-level dining” used to feel like a Miami-only sport. Not anymore. In this episode, I’m joined by Chef Jonathan Kaiser, a South Florida native quietly helping rewrite Fort Lauderdale’s dining reputation from the inside out. We talk about his path from early kitchen curiosity to big-league fine dining, including […]

12 Seats. One Night.

Priority access for subscribers only

Hello friends,

This invitation is going to my The Whet Palette VIP subscribers.

Before tickets are released publicly, I wanted you to be the first to know about an intimate, one-night-only dinner I’m hosting on March 11:

DINNER: From Roots to Rise: A Celebration of Florida’s Culinary Lineage

S4 E70 Cajitas, Community & Cuban Coffee: The Vicky Bakery Story with Amy Cao

Miami y Hialeah, this one is for you. I’m joined by someone who feels like an extension of every 305 childhood: Amy Cao of Vicky Bakery. She embodies everything that makes this brand so beloved: warmth, family, community, and that unmistakable sense of Cuban hospitality that hits you the second you walk through the door. We chat about: If […]

A Taste of Tradition: Loire Valley Wines by Armand Mellot

There’s something special about experiencing old-world tradition in a new-world setting. Last week, Armand Mellot—representing one of France’s oldest family-run wine estates—brought a taste of the Loire Valley to the Sofia Design District in Miami. The setting: an intimate lunch with a handful of curious palates and open notebooks, all eager to taste.

S4 E69 Miami’s Culinary Glow-Up: Featuring GMCVB’s President & CEO David Whitaker

Miami’s dining glow-up continues. 🍽️ In this episode of The Whet Palette Podcast, I sit down with David Whitaker, President & CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, to unpack how Michelin stars, James Beard wins, and local programs like Miami Spice have elevated the Magic City into North America’s #1 food destination.