
On The Pass
On The Pass serves up inspiring conversations with dynamic figures in the food + beverage, hospitality and travel space. Hosted by Gabriel Ornelas.
Latest episodes

Apr 27, 2022 • 48min
51. Sebastien Silvestri: The Next Era In Fine Dining
Opening a successful restaurant in New York City is no easy feat, yet famed chef Daniel Boulud has managed to successfully open multiple restaurants in the city and around the world in places like Singapore, London, and Toronto. So how does one man do it all? The answer is The Dinex Group, chef Daniel Boulud's restaurant group — the machine that powers his concepts such as Daniel, Bar Boulud, Le Pavillon, and the newly announced Le Gratin. Our next guest is Sebastien Silvestri, CEO of The Dinex Group, who along with chef Daniel Boulud has quickly grown the group into an empire of restaurants. As a veteran in the business of hospitality, Sebastien honestly shares what it was like facing the pandemic as the new CEO, his joy of working with his mentor and friend, the harsh realities of a restaurateur in the ever competitive landscape, and how he’s helping shape the next era in fine dining for The Dinex Group. For more info on The Dinex Group: https://www.danielboulud.com Follow Sebastien on Instagram: https://bit.ly/38vwZcg Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Apr 13, 2022 • 1h 4min
50. Elisa Fernandes: Living Her Passion & Purpose
Whether you're exploring the spirited streets of Rio de Janeiro, laid-back beaches of Bahia, or the ultra stylish neighborhoods of São Paulo, you will get to experience a beautiful range of food, culture, and people across its different regions. São Paulo, the home of today's guest, is an international blend of influences from places such as Japan, Italy, Africa, France, Germany, and Lebanon. You would be remiss if you didn't try the foods from these cultures or explore the different restaurants while in the city. Elisa Fernandes is the Chef-Owner of Clos Wine Bar and Bistro, a personal project in collaboration with her husband, a natural wine importer. The restaurant fuses their love for natural wines and french bistronomy — serving up dishes that could compete with any Michelin starred restaurant, but done in an approachable and fun everyday atmosphere to be paired with any of the 100 labels of wines they offer. With a large and continuously growing list, Clos Wine Bar and Bistro has the largest offering of natural wines in the country, while the food takes on flavors and nuances from the city's international inhabitants. In this episode, we get a look into Elisa's time in France working for chef Alain Ducasse after winning MasterChef Brazil, her passion for supporting women, and creating a more equitable future for women in all sectors. She also drops some local knowledge of her favorite spots and hidden gems to discover in São Paulo. For more info on Clos Wine Bar & Bistro: https://bit.ly/3xqlXzK Follow Elisa on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3vdD2dr Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Mar 30, 2022 • 20min
49. Life Lessons From The Best In Hospitality
We hope you are all enjoying Season 3 thus far and have had the chance to listen to our last few episode with Fulani Chef Fatmata Binta, Chris Jackson & Hélène Seillan of VÉRITÉ wines, and Rafael Shin of Agua Mágica Mezcal. All incredible creative entrepreneurs with valuable wisdom and insight from their personal journeys. This is the last week of March 2022 and our hope for you is the energy and enthusiasm you started the year off with is not only still present, but building momentum. Despite the world issues, conflict taking place in Europe and general easing back into life, coming out of the pandemic, our hope is you still feel optimistic on both a personal level and for your business as well. This is always the time of year for us where some of that initial excitement of the new year starts to wear off a bit. Maybe some of the stresses of work or personal life begin to weigh a little heavier or are more present. It’s during this time we like to remind ourselves of all the lessons we've learned, what we've accomplished and the incredible people we have in our life. That always puts things into perspective, builds confidence and puts us in a state or gratitude. Maybe this resonates with you, so we wanted to dedicate this episode to the life lessons our rockstar guests have shared on this show. At the end of every episode I ask our guests, to leave us with a life lesson, and here are some of our favorites. Enjoy! Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Mar 16, 2022 • 53min
48. Hot Spot: Rafael Shin of Agua Mágica
The addition of Mezcal to menus has been on a high rise the last few years, yet it still feels like it’s just the beginning for this complex and storied spirit. Rafael Shin, Founder of Agua Mágica Mezcal, is looking to change how people interact with the sprit by honoring the Oaxacan culture and its people, where almost 90% of all Mezcals' are made. Having grown up in Mexico, Rafael shares personal stories about his introduction to Oaxaca, the first time he ever tried Mezcal, and the spark that brought Agua Mágica to life. We talk about how he chose Mezcalero Don Rogelio to partner and co-own the brand with, and dive into the important brand mission to empower local entrepreneurship. Listen now to Rafael Shin of Agua Mágica Mezcal! For more info on Agua Mágica: https://aguamagica.com Follow Agua Mágica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aguamagicamezcal/ Follow Rafael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rafaelshin/?hl=en Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Mar 2, 2022 • 53min
47. Chris Jackson & Hélène Seillan: Two Families, One Legacy
The story of our next guests starts with the late Jess Jackson, a monumental visionary and entrepreneur who built a wine empire around Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay — catapulting him into the category as one of northern California's most recognizable self-made billionaires. In the late 1990’s, Mr. Jackson asked Pierre Seillan, a Bordeaux winemaker from France to come to Sonoma, CA to help him realize his dream of creating one of the best wines in the world. Together, they created Vérité wines and subsequently has become one of Sonoma's elite wineries. Today, Vérité is lead by Mr. Jackson's son Chris Jackson, and Pierre's daughter Hélène Seillan, as Assistant Vigneron. Together the two are slated with the responsibility to take Vérité to new heights, having true liberty to blend and curate an exceptional product that reflects Sonoma County. Listen now as they discuss the beauty of Sonoma County, their respect and admiration for their fathers and the future of this great brand. Follow Vérité on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3xWJuWahttps://www.instagram.com/veritewines/?hl=en For more info on Vérité: https://www.veritewines.com Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Feb 16, 2022 • 37min
46. Fatmata Binta: Food For The Adventurous Diner
What is West African food? You probably didn’t think of traditional Fulani cooking or Fonio, millet, and dawadawa which are a few of the grains, seeds, and locust beans that make up the traditional Fulani diet. Our next guest, helping us kick off Season 3 of On The Pass is chef Fatmata Binta, the mastermind behind the international nomadic restaurant Dine on a Mat, a 5-course Nomadic Dining Experience and Founder of the Fulani Kitchen Foundation. Fatmata, who comes from the African nomadic Fulani tribe, has dedicated her career to educate the world on the Fulani way of life and its culture. In this episode we explore the diaspora of West African cuisine and how chef Binta incorporates ancient recipes that have been passed down through generations. We also hear stories about Dine on a Mat’s guests. Her food she says is “for the adventurous diner,” while explaining delicacies such as cows tongue or goats testicles never go to waste with the Fulani people. This episode sheds light on the beautiful Fulani culture and the ways we can learn from their sustainable lifestyle. Follow Chef Binta on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef_binta/?hl=en For more information on Fulani Kitchen Foundation: https://fulanitestkitchen.com Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Nov 18, 2021 • 38min
44. Hot Spot: Courtney Boyd Myers of AKUA
Cultures around the world have been eating sea kelp for centuries, but in some places like America, the concept is quite new. Our next guest in the Hot Spot series is Courtney Boyd Myers, the co-founder and CEO of natural food startup Akua. Her company is known for making delicious and nutritious food products from kelp such as its fan favorite the Kelp burger with a mission to feed the planet sustainability while restoring the health of oceans. Unlike a lot of food tech products, the kelp burger is naturally dense nutrients like Vitamins A, B6, E, K, as well as Zinc, Calcium, Folate, Potassium, & Iron. Listen to this episode as we find out Courtney’s personal driving factor to starting Akua, what tough lessons presented themselves along the way as a first time entrepreneur, and what we can expect from Akua’s future innovations. For more info on Akua: https://bit.ly/3kORXGz Follow Akua on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3Dq4VBT Follow Courtney on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3kOpMYt Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Nov 3, 2021 • 1h 2min
43. Matthew Hofmann: Where Whiskey Meets Agriculture
There are only four ingredients needed to produce whiskey, and yet there are endless possibilities that can be expressed. Some put an emphasis on the water while others others focus on the wood with their own specific maturation philosophy, yet few really focus on the quality of whiskey's key ingredient: barley. Majority of whiskey today is produced with commodity barley, but our next guest Matt Hofmann is looking to change this ecosystem by focusing on regionally-grown and shortening the distance between distiller and farmer. Matt is Co-Founder and Master Distiller of Westland Distillery, the makers of an award-winning line of American Single Malt Whiskey. Matt is deeply passionate and knowledgeable and it's no surprise he was awarded in 2015 Whiskey of the Year by the American Distilling Institute, and in 2018, Whisky Magazine named him Master Distiller/Blender of the Year. Matt takes us on journey through the Pacific Northwest and shares why this region is so important and how it reflects in his products. He also talks about the need for reconnecting the industry to agriculture, and Westland’s commitment to local farmers through barley sustainability initiatives such as The Bread Lab, in partnership with Washington State University. Listen to this episode and get inspired by a passionate entrepreneur paving his own path in the whiskey space. For more information on Westland Distillery: https://bit.ly/3GPi75c Follow Westland on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3GPQlWj Follow Matthew Hofmann on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3nXEXiN Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Oct 20, 2021 • 1h 3min
42. Christian Lachel: Creating Multisensory Cultural Experiences
In the last decade with the rise of social media and our abilities to document every detail of our lives, the word experience has become synonymous with our generation. It's been said that consumers today care more about experiences than possessions which is why brands have had to evolve the way they interact with their customers. From store pop-ups to brand themed restaurants, companies are leaning into that word by creating memorable activations that change the way they connect to their customers. Our next guest is Christian Lachel, an experiential strategy & design expert and Chief Creative Officer of BRC Imagination Arts, a global experience production company founded in 1981. For the past 40 years BRC has worked with some of the world's biggest brands like General Motors, Brown-Forman, NASA, Pernod Ricard, Walt Disney, Ford and Coca Cola to name a few. Some of their more recent experiences include the World Food Center in the Netherlands, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Ohio, Jameson Distillery Bow St. in Dublin, and Johnnie Walker Distillery in Scotland. As CCO, Christian has devoted his career in creating sensory interactions. Whether he's doing it for whiskey lovers in the whiskey drinking capital of the world or beer drinkers in Amsterdam, he is a wealth of knowledge when it comes bridging the gap between ideas and reality. Listen to this episode as we talk about his most recent projects, his personal creative process, and how to create meaningful yet unique touch points for different audiences. Use code TAOP10 for 10% off Perrier-Jouet: https://bit.ly/3ptPC6S For More info on BRC Imagination Arts: https://bit.ly/3pmiWfy Follow BRC on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3AX3qch Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com

Oct 6, 2021 • 1h 3min
41. Rising Talent: Andy Kadin of Bub and Grandma’s
For this addition of our Rising Talent series on On The Pass, Gabriel Ornelas chats with Andy Kadin, a Rising Talent 2019 Finalist. Andy is the owner and baker behind Bub and Grandma's, one of LA’s most beloved bread. What launched in 2014 as a small and humble business, after leaving behind an advertising career, has now evolved into a wholesale bakery with over 150 customers around LA, many of which are some of the city's most well known restaurants. Andy shares how he got his start, the evolution of Bub & Grandma’s incredible growth, and his upcoming sandwich shop which has been years in the making. About Rising Talent Series The Rising Talent series on On The Pass coincides in conjunction with The Art of Plating Rising Talent 2021 program. This series highlights some of the emerging individuals on the list who are are all making an impact on our industry. Rising Talent 2021 Finalists will be announced on Monday, October 25, 2021. For Info on Bub and Grandma's: https://bit.ly/3lfM9Xj Follow Bub and Grandma's on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3AgJJM8 Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Learn more about On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3J2PPXP Read Gabriel's Articles: http://bit.ly/3SnOsGG Lets work together! Get in contact: https://www.studioornelas.com www.gabrielornelas.com