The Whet Palette Productions Michelin Guide

by The Whet Palette Productions: Blog & Podcast

S4 E58 Florida Chef Spotlight: Ryan Ratino of MAASS, Bresca, Jônt and Ômo by Jônt

Chef Ryan Ratino began his culinary journey in Florida while attending Orlando’s Le Cordon Bleu in 2009.

Life has come full circle. Not only does he own D.C.’s One Michelin-starred Bresca and Two Michelin-starred JÔN, but he is now back in Florida. MAASS (Fort Lauderdale) and Ômo by Jônt (Orlando) join the Hive Hospitality portfolio.

We discuss it all in this episode.

MICHELIN Guide Florida 2025 Additions: SNEAK PEEK

Ten new additions to the Miami (6) and Orlando (4) Florida list made headlines this morning as the MICHELIN Guide teased some of the upcoming entries. What does this mean? It’s too soon to tell. Last year, for example, three Miami restaurants from the eight on the teaser list received One Michelin Star. Others landed in the Bib Gourmand category or solely received […]

EXCLUSIVE: 2024 MICHELIN Guide Ceremony for New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

Who: The MICHELIN Guide What: Ceremony for New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. When: December 9th, 2024 Where: The Glasshouse, New York, N.Y. For the second consecutive year, The MICHELIN Guide brought culinary cachet to the Big Apple in an exclusive combined ceremony spanning three cities —New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. As a dedicated MICHELIN dining enthusiast, I packed my heaviest coats and […]

by Brenda Popritkin

Top 24 Miami Restaurants of 2024: Palette Awards

The list highlights diverse Miami restaurants celebrated with Palette Awards, reflecting their exceptional food, service, and ambiance. This year’s changes discussed notable spots from Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The comprehensive criteria included consistency, creativity, and attention to detail, ensuring a memorable dining experience for patrons seeking high-quality cuisine.

S3 E54 CHEF SPOTLIGHT: Featuring La Mar Miami’s Diego Oka

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Chef Diego Oka decided to attend culinary school on a whim. A chance encounter in a supermarket with chef extraordinaire Gastón Acurio sparked the start of an incredible career. As South Floridians, we are fortunate to have Chef Diego Oka as one of our top talents. His passion for […]

S3 E53 Culinary Insights from Jhonatan Cano: A Global Perspective

Allow me to introduce Jhonatan Cano, a seasoned professional in the culinary world. AKA: @memoriesofagourmand As the Director of Operations for Hive Hospitality (one Michelin-starred Bresca D.C., two Michelin-starred JONT D.C., MAASS Fort Lauderdale, and OMO Orlando), Jhonatan’s leadership has set the bar high. With a passport stamped from 39 countries, he has savored the finest cuisines and accumulated over one thousand Michelin stars, making him a […]

S3 E51 Daniel Figueredo’s Winning Formula For Sanguich de Miami: From Fashion to Flavor

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 […]

by Brenda Popritkin

The Truth About Miami’s Michelin-Starred Chefs

Do you know how many MICHELIN-Starred chefs we have in Miami? The answer might surprise you. The correct total is ZERO. Florida (and the world) has no MICHELIN-Starred chefs because the title does not exist. You’ve read otherwise in restaurant news outlets and social media posts, but it’s factually incorrect. Why? In 2016, the MICHELIN Guide posted […]

S3 E46 Exclusive Interview: Chef Julian Alexander Baker Talks Miami Restaurants and Culinary Growth

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.

S3 E45 MICHELIN Guide Florida Ceremony: Behind the Scenes

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’ll pull back the curtain, revealing how things unfolded, and offer you a sneak peek of the actual event (since I always receive questions about it). I’ll also share my personal take on the results and begin a first look ahead as to what 2025 could hold.