
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

Nov 21, 2022 • 45min
54. Daniel Boulud Rerelease: Four Decades of Service
This epiosde was recorded in Jan 2020 and released in April 2020. Iconic award-winning Chef-Owner and Restaurateur Daniel Boulud discusses the early days in his career, why building a strong corporate culture is important, and how he’s maintained longevity with over 4 decades in the culinary industry. For more information on Daniel Boulud and his team: https://www.danielboulud.com Follow Daniel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielboulud/?hl=en Follow On The Pass: https://bit.ly/3BpHckD Follow our Host, Gabriel Ornelas: https://bit.ly/3hTpONC Read Gabriel's recent articles: https://www.gabrielornelas.com/#articles

Jun 1, 2022 • 1h 11min
53. Hot Spot: Chef Pyet DeSpain
On this episode of the Hot Spot series, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with Chef Pyet DeSpain, a rising culinary talent who hit national notoriety as the recent winner of Gordon Ramsey’s "Next Level Chef" Season 1 on Fox Network. Having grown up on a reservation and a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Pyet collides the cuisine of both her Native American and Mexican heritage. Having won "Next Level Chef" on national TV, she talks about finding a new sense of identity as a spokesperson to share her knowledge, shine light on the Indigenous community, and to be proud of the resilience that is engrained in the culture. Listen to this epsidode as we dive into who Pyet really is and explore the cultures that inspire her mission driven work. For more info on Pyet: https://www.pyetsplate.com/about-me Follow Pyet on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefpyet/?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

May 12, 2022 • 53min
52. Gero Fasano: Taking A Family Business Global
It all started in 1902 when Vittorio Fasano, an Italian from Milan arrived in São Paulo, Brazil with a dream to open a restaurant. Since then, the Fasano family — the biggest name in Brazilian hospitality for over a century — has built a legendary portfolio that expands over 26 restaurants and 9 hotels across South America and more recently North America. This episode's conversation takes place in person at Fasano Restaurant in New York, the newest addition to the group's roster, with Gero Fasano, the great grandson of Vittorio and the present-day face behind Fasano Group. Having created culturally relevant scenes that epitomize classic, cool, and timeless since buying the family business back at 19 years old, Gero recalls the impact Fasano had in permeating elevated hospitality throughout South America. He also shares what’s next for the brand as it plans to bring its distinct personal approach of luxury to major cities around the world. For more information on Fasano: https://www.fasano.com.br Follow Fasano Group on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fasano/ Follow Gero on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gerofasano/?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

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