Inside Miami Food Scene with Top Rising Stars

Today on Flavors Unknown, I’m sitting down with four incredible voices from the Miami food scene: Chef Karla Hoyos from Tacotomia Chef Ivan Barros from Magie Wine Garden Chef Carmen Ibarra from Atomica Mixologist Valentino Longo from ViceVersa In this episode, you’ll hear how these Miami culinary leaders are shaping the city’s vibrant food and drink culture. We dive into how cultural heritage influences their creativity, the power of nostalgia, and why Miami has grown far beyond its party-town reputation. They open up about blending global flavors with local roots, building more inclusive hospitality, and tackling the challenges and opportunities of social media in the restaurant world. From evolving Latin flavors to the energy of Miami’s booming community, this is a revealing look at what makes the Miami food scene so bold, diverse, and future-focused. What you'll learn from this panel discussion in Miami Defining the Miami food scene today (2:46) Why Miami is no longer just a party town for food and drink (6:02) How Latin flavors have evolved beyond Cuban traditions (11:09) The art of blending global influences into local menus (12:32) Why Atomica goes beyond the “Peruvian” label (14:40) The bold corn-forward flavors at Tacotomia (16:57) How Ivan became the “CEO of Snacks” at Magie Wine Garden (18:37) Shifting from fine dining to creative, snack-style hospitality (20:59) How travel and downtime inspire fresh ideas (20:59) Valentino’s conceptual process for building cocktails (24:10) The historic Italian menu that inspired a bestseller (25:48) The challenge of sourcing seasonal, local ingredients in Miami (27:59) How Karla starts with bold flavors, then builds texture (29:31) Why inspiration often hits outside the kitchen (33:44) How food trends like “girl dinner” connect with younger guests (36:25) The role of cookbooks, street food, and travel in innovation (36:25) How nostalgia shapes dishes and sparks emotion (42:07) Which nostalgic dishes represent home for each guest (44:46) How the pandemic changed Miami’s cocktail and non-alcoholic scene (47:29) Why social media is both a blessing and a challenge (50:33) When a viral video nearly broke Karla’s taqueria operations (54:03) Why Atomica refuses free meals for influencer posts (52:59) Balancing authenticity with modern presentation (59:52) Global inspirations that fuel their creativity (59:52) How to protect mental health in the industry (1:03:15) I'd like to share a potential educational resource, "Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door", my new book that features dialogues with accomplished culinary leaders from various backgrounds and cultures. It delves into the future of culinary creativity and the hospitality industry, drawing from insights of a restaurant-industry-focused podcast, ‘flavors unknown”. It includes perspectives from renowned chefs and local professionals, making it a valuable resource for those interested in building a career in the culinary industry. Get the book here! Links to other episodes with the chefs from Miami Food Scene Don't miss out on the chance to hear from these talented chefs and gain insight into the world of culinary techniques. Check out the links below for more conversations with Chefs from Miami: Interview with Chef McInnis Conversation with Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour Conversation with Chef Brad Kilgore Interview with Chef Jose Mendin Interview with Chef Nando Chang from Itamae Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode) Chef Sheldon Simeon Chef Andy Doubrava Chef Chris Kajioka Chef Suzanne Goin Social media Chef Karla Hoyos Instagram Social media Chef Ivan Barros Instagram Social media Chef Carmen Ibarra Instagram Social media Valentino Longo