Flavors Unknown

Mexican, Spanish, and French Influences in Minneapolis, with Jorge Guzmán

Chef Jorge Guzmàn

In today’s episode, I talk to Jorge Guzman, a 2022 James Beard chef award finalist. He’s in charge of the culinary magic behind Petit Leon in Minneapolis, Sueño in Dayton, Ohio, and pop up Pollo al Carbon. Mid-pandemic, he found himself in a job he no longer wanted to be in. A phone call changed everything, and today he’s the chef and owner of a handful of highly regarded restaurants in the midwest.
You’ll hear about the unusual restaurant concept at Petit Leon, what was behind his motivation to open his own restaurant, and his unique creative process that brings together influences from Mexico, Spain, France, and all over the world. He also shares memories of his Yucatan childhood, his penchant for leadership, and why the way he chooses to lead matters.

What you'll learn with chef Jorge Guzmán

Why chef Jorge Guzmán decided to open his own restaurant (3:16)
Advice for anyone wanting to open their own place (4:50)
Where the food influence came from (6:15)
Why they had to have a burger on the menu (7:46)
What makes Yucatan food so distinctive (9:44)
The worldly history of El Pastor (11:14)
Chef Jorge Guzmán's top 3 Yucatan favorites (11:59)
How Sueño differs from Petit Leon (14:16)
Flavors from Jorge Guzmán's childhood the Yucatan (14:54)
Where his creative process starts (16:37)
The Petit Leon take on El Pastor (17:13)
Why collaboration is key (19:35)
The special spice paste they use to add flavor (21:29)
How Pollo al Carbon was born (24:04)
Why finding funding is so challenging (25:19)
Chef Jorge Guzmán's experience of going to Culinary School (27:08)
The key skill you’ll get in culinary school (28:03)
His intuitive hiring process (29:08)
His one regret coming up as a chef (29:54)
How he influences a positive work culture (31:28)
Why managing by fear doesn’t work (33:51)
A dish to try at home (36:02)
The eclectic restaurant culture in Minneapolis (37:28)
Series of rapid-fire questions.
Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast

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With me being the chef-owner, you're gonna get a lot of Mexican influences with the food, and it's something that I wasn't willing to budge on. 

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We didn't want to have our restaurant defined as a cuisine. We wanted it to be a great space with great food, and when you vocally talk about it, it almost doesn't make sense. But when you go and experience it, it all just kind of comes together. 

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In Minneapolis, if you don't have a good burger, you're dead in the water. 

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One of the reasons that I cook is because it reminds me of home. And it's one of the ways to kind of transport myself back home. I think as immigrants, that's one of the main visceral ways to be reminded of home. 

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I don't want to surround myself with people that aren't like-minded or that are going to waste my time or my staff’s time. If I feel like you won't be a good fit personally, I don't care where you've worked. We just won't hire you. We just hire people based on attitude and demeanor.

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