On The Pass

You've probably heard the incredible story of Nearest Green, the former slave who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. If you have, I invite you to dive deeper into the story, the history, the mission and the legacy, guided by Fawn Weaver, Founder and CEO of Grant Sidney, Inc. (GSI), a privately held investment company, which owns Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. Uncle Nearest is currently the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history. A brand she founded with her husband in 2016 and has since made her mark on history, culture and the spirits industry. After learning about Uncle Nearest, a formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to make Tennessee whiskey, Fawn was on a mission to solidify, or as she says, cement the legacy of Nearest Green. Uncle Nearest as he was referred too, was the first known black master distiller, which up until that point when Fawn started this journey, was sadly lost in history and less known by a wider audience. Fawn and her husband purchased the 300-acre farm in Tennessee, where Nearest taught Jack how to distill and has since been on a mission to bring this legacy to life through the bottle, its award winning liquid and incredible story. As actor Jeffrey Wright (a passionate consumer and collaborator of Uncle Nearest) who you'll know from popular series and films like Westworld, Shaft, The Batman, James Bond No Time To Die and many others, says…"its a story that unifies us." There was a deep love and respect between Jack Daniel and Uncle Nearest. This is a story of love and respect, not a story of a successful historical white man taking advantage of a black man. But just like Uncle Jack, as he's known in Tennessee, Uncle Nearest's legacy deserves to stand on its own and to never be lost again. Fawn and her team are ensuring people will be telling the story of Uncle Nearest for generations to come, but also uplifting and supporting so many other brands along the journey. Please enjoy the conversation with storyteller, serial entrepreneur and sprits industry innovator Fawn Weaver. Discover more about REPÚBLICA DEL CACAO: https://bit.ly/3ZRoVIv For more info on Uncle Nearest: https://bit.ly/464ow8N Follow Uncle Nearest on Instagram: https://bit.ly/45YVDdR Follow Founder and CEO Fawn Weaver on Instgram: https://bit.ly/3ZacgkS The Story of Nearest Green w/ Jeffrey Wright: https://bit.ly/3sPcEJ9 Follow On The Pass: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

He's been referred to as the real life "Willy Wonka!" Gonzo Jimenez is a celebrated pastry chef, chocolatier and República del Cacao's North American corporate pastry chef. We believe, if Willy Wonka was real, he would actually want to be Gonzo Jimenez. Gonzo, as he openly says, "had a very blessed start," originally from Northern Argentina and was raised in a Spanish household surrounded by good food and long family meals. These strong family values helped him find his calling in food, but specifically on the sweeter side of the business. His early training taught him that he was able to apply not only science, but also artistic expressions when it came to presenting beautiful sweets and confections. He was instantly hooked and found his true calling. In addition to being a valued República del Cacao partner, Gonzo is an educator, Co-owner and chocolatier of Miette et Chocolat in Denver Colorado where he currently lives. You may also recognize him from the Netflix Original Series "BakeSquad," hosted by Christina Tosi, where Gonzo and the cast of talented pastry chefs develop some of the most incredible treats for life celebrations. Get ready for a fun filled, energetic and informative conversation as Gonzo gives us a look into his life as a chocolatier, what motivates him personally and professionally and why he finds so much joy in being a República del Cacao partner, helping educate and empower the future generation of culinary creatives. Discover more about República del Cacao: https://bit.ly/3ZRoVIv Follow República del Cacao on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3mGwWBw Follow Gonzo Jimenez on Instgram: https://bit.ly/3KJjCWa Follow On The Pass on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

On this episode of the Hot Spot series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Yiming Lin. He's the creator and food ethnographer behind Literally.Starving—the highly popular social media platform and human interest food account he started in the summer of 2022 as a means of understanding his personal relationships with food and creating community as a new resident to New York. It's no surprise that in less than a year, Literally.Starving has garnered over 3 million subscribers from around the world and has been featured on BuzzFeed, First We Feast, World Journal, Fox News, and numerous other publications. We're excited to have him at On The Pass where we dig deeper into his creator journey. This journey began long before the genesis of Literally.Starving and stretches back to when his Chinese immigrant parents sought a better opportunity and escaped China's one child policy regulations. Yiming's parents settled in Tampa, Florida and opened a local Chinese-American takeout restaurant, which is where he truly found his love and deep curiosity for cooking and how food brings people together. In this episode, we discuss the impact of his upbringing in his family's restaurant, the origins of Literally.Starving, the evolution of both his content creator journey and this platform, and the responsibility and ethics around creating media and having a growing, global platform. It's a story about entrepreneurship, community building, and following one's passions. Hungry for more? Let's get into our exciting conversation with Yiming Lin of Literally.Starving! For more info on Literally.Starving: https://bit.ly/3OFWZUZ Follow Literally.Staving on Instagram: https://bit.ly/43Urriw Follow Literally.Staving on TikTok: https://bit.ly/45bWdob Follow Literally.Starving on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3OkHfWb Follow On The Pass: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

Did you know Colombia is home to 87 indigenous communities and 51,330 species of flora and fauna, which makes it the second-most biodiverse country in the world? Back in April 2023, Gabriel had the pleasure of spending time in Bogotá, Colombia with our next guests: Chef Leonor 'Leo' Espinosa and her daughter, the sommelier and drinks alchemist, Laura Hernández Espinosa. Both are the owners and creative visionaries behind the critically-acclaimed and globally recognized restaurant, LEO. Chef Leo and Laura are Colombia's highest-profile women working in gastronomy and have played an integral role in putting Colombia on the global culinary map. Restaurante LEO has ranked in both The World's 50 Best and Latin America's 50 Best lists many times, and Leo has been named The World's Best Female Chef. She also took home the prestigious Basque Culinary World Prize for the social and economic development work she, her daughter, and their team do at their NGO, FUNLEO. Both inspiring women are on a mission to reintroduce Colombia's ancestral culinary knowledge, while also supporting the country's Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities. Colombia has 1.5 million indigenous people who, like elsewhere in the world, have been historically stripped of their rights and left with little resources. Leo and Laura are artfully telling the story of Colombia's invisible territories and indigenous communities through the experience of fine dining. Both the food and drinks proposal are uniquely delicious and extremely memorable. Leo and her team bring you on an unforgettable gastronomic journey through Colombia's incredible biodiversity. It's been one of Gabriel's favorite meals this year, and this experience has been a catalyst for wanting to discover more of Colombia and learn more about its numerous beauty and offerings. Our hope is that this episode sparks a similar interest and curiosity for listeners to get out and explore Colombia's rich culture and delicious culinary scene. For more info on Restaurante LEO and FUNLEO: https://bit.ly/3JPr0za Follow Restaurante LEO on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rpfwvI Follow Leonor Espinosa on Instgram: https://bit.ly/3PPUyAf Follow Laura Hernández Espinosa on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rpuHVQ Follow On The Pass: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

This episode was recorded and released in Feb 2021. Who is Shep Gordon? You've probably heard the popular phrase "Chefs Are The New Rockstars" — you can thank Shep for that. He's the visionary who brought chefs like Roger Vergé, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Roy Yamaguchi and Daniel Boulud to the mainstream and coined the term "Celebrity Chefs." Coming from a colorful life as a music manager to artists like Alice Cooper, Luther Vandross, Blondie and Teddy Pendergrass to name a few, Shep brought his show business know-how to the culinary arts where he singlehandedly paved the path for chefs to become today's cultural icons. If you've seen him in the beloved 2013 documentary Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon, directed by Mike Myers, his persona is no different in this episode. Being the phenomenal storyteller that Shep is, he shares personal stories about some of today's most iconic chefs before their heydays, what he saw in chefs that encouraged him to create a highway for them to have a better life, and his own journey with food. For more info on Shep Gordon: https://bit.ly/3PoAowZ Follow Shep on Instagram: https://bit.ly/4498fOS Follow On The Pass: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

Starting any business requires your energy, enthusiasm, and passion for the space, but to catalyze its success, you also need a mission, vision, and business plan. Our next guest, Sherry Villanueva, was a first-time hospitality entrepreneur, but with a focused vision and mission, she's been able to successfully grow a multifaceted restaurant and hotel company. The mission is simple: Make people happy. Sherry is the founder and managing partner of Acme Hospitality and proudly serves as the owner and operator of an innovative collection of restaurants and historic hotels. If you've spent any time in Santa Barbara, we guarantee you've eaten, sipped on a fun cocktail, or enjoyed a glass of wine (or some combination of the three) at one of her spots like Loquita, The Lark, Santa Barbara Wine Collective, La Paloma Cafe, Lucky Penny, Helena Ave Bakery, and numerous others. With over a decade in the business, Sherry and her team diversified their portfolio several years back, started Acme Lodging, and have since opened historic properties in Grass Valley, Nevada City, and the newly opened 1950's mid-century modern Palm Springs hotel, Azure Sky. Sherry discusses helping pioneer Santa Barbara's Funk Zone, gives us a look into her creative process, and foreshadows what we can expect from her and her team in the years to come. For more info on Acme Hospitality: https://bit.ly/42tmIUk Follow Acme Hospitality on Instagram: https://bit.ly/43rUMSg Follow On The Pass on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Check out On The Pass website: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

On this episode of the Hot Spot series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with chef and restaurateaur Sean MacDonald. Sean is the chef/owner of Bar Monette—one of LA's newest and most talked about restaurant openings located in Santa Monica. Sean was named Canada's best young chef in 2016 by San Pellegrino and through the years, he has since made his mark on Toronto's fine dining scene. Thanks, in large part, to his lovely wife Monette—for which his newest Santa Monica concept, Bar Monette, is named after—he made it out west to sunny Southern California. Shortly after attending his friends and family pre-opening, Gabriel posted on social media saying, "Bar Monette will become your new third place, an instant neighborhood classic with delicious food and an even better vibe...Sean is setting the tone for the impact he will have in Los Angeles." Fast forward a month, it's been lovely to see publications such as Forbes, Time Out, Eater, and the Los Angeles Times, who have recently covered Sean's exciting opening, share their high praises, too. Listen as Sean talks about the development of Bar Monette, how he approaches challenges and cultivates joy, and how he plans to continue to evolve and grow in the City of Angels. For more info on Bar Monette: https://bit.ly/3WjqRZF Follow Sean MacDonald on Instagram: https://bit.ly/433n44N Follow Bar Monette on Instgram: https://bit.ly/3MbzSPR Follow On The Pass: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

A little over 2 years ago, we released Season 2 episode 27 titled "The Future of Food and Tech," featuring journalist and author of "Technically Food", Larissa Zimberoff. So much has transpired in the last 2 years since the release of this episode and her book, "Technically Food". Given the lightning-fast pace the food-tech space moves at, it only made sense to have Larissa back on the podcast for a Part 2. It brings us great pleasure to welcome Larissa back to the show to enlighten us, once again, on all things food-tech and future foods. If you're new to this podcast, I suggest you go back and listen to episode 27. Larissa's work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Bloomberg and many others. In this episode, Larissa discusses the responsibility investors have in helping propel the future of food. She provides an update on what's happening in the alternative protein space, the latest on cultivated meat, and helps answer some questions around when we will see future foods hit grocery stores and restaurants. For more info on Larissa: https://bit.ly/42gPEPQ Get her book, Technically Food: https://bit.ly/44pCVw3 Follow Larissa on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42mcOUO Follow On The Pass: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com BBC - The secret that fuels Metallica? Earl Grey Tea https://bbc.in/3LrrLOU

"Tea mind," as referenced by Steve Schwartz, is the simple, celebratory act of serving tea and has well-documented, powerful health and wellness benefits on a physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional level. Over the years, researchers have discovered how the ingredients in a cup of tea can lift mood, improve focus, and perhaps even ward off depression and dementia. The combination of this simple act paired with quality ingredients lends itself to a 360 welness experience. Master Tea Blender and Founder and CEO of Art of Tea, Steve Schwartz, in large part, has based his career on his belief in the powerful benefits of tea and is on a mission to impact as many lives as possible through tea. Steve lost his mother at an early age, and the tragic loss lead him on a path to discover and explore wellness. He found Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medical system based on ancient writings that rely on a "natural" and holistic approach to physical and mental health. Steve begins our conversation with a proper tea tasting experience, giving both myself and listeners a snapshot of the art of tasting tea. We get properly grounded, present, and activate our tea minds. He shares his own philosophy around healthy living, which he pulls from his studies of Ayurvedic practices. Steve also provides insight into his travels in search of the perfect product, as well as the numerous lives he gets to interact with along the way. Grab yourself a cup of tea, get grounded, and enjoy episode 61 with Steve Schwartz, Founder and CEO of Art of Tea. 🚀Special offer to On The Pass listeners. 20% off discountable Art of Tea products through June 21st with code ONTHEPASS20 For more info on Art of Tea: http://bit.ly/3nXgqxK Follow Art of Tea on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3MCHeh3 Check out Steve's Book: http://bit.ly/3o5ikMT Follow On The Pass on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com

On this episode of the Hot Spot series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with entrepreneur and sommelier Kristin Olszewski. Kristin is the Founder and CEO of Nomadica Wine—a premium, sustainably sourced canned wine brand that is looking to make waves in the industry, or as they say on the Nomadica website, they are sourcing universally gratifying wines with flavor profiles that are "serious enough for a glass, but vivacious enough to be sipped out of the can." Kristin earned a degree in sustainable agriculture before embarking on pre-med studies at Harvard, but life had different plans for her. She met the owner of a wine bar who sparked her passion for wine, and decided to drop out of Harvard Medical School to earn a Level 3 sommelier certification. Kristin then spent the next decade working at iconic and award winning establishments like Saison, Osteria Mozza, Gigi's, Husk and numerous others. Now Kristin is on a mission to disrupt the wine industry and is architecting a plan to draw in younger consumers to the category. For more info on Nomadica: http://bit.ly/3G07uxZ Follow Nomadica on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3JTvuE6 Follow Kristin Olszewski on Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/kristin___o/ Follow On The Pass: http://bit.ly/3Kvgm1n Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: http://bit.ly/3YS964b Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: www.gabrielornelas.com