199: Award-Winning Mexican Chef and Political Analyst Hosts Groundbreaking PBS Special La Frontera

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“I wanted to stay connected to my own roots, but I also wanted to open a window so that Americans, or whomever would watch [La Frontera] would understand the Mexico that I missed, that I loved, and that nurtured me and my family so much.” - Pati Jinich

Today’s Finding Brave guest has dedicated her career to building a shared understanding between her two home countries, Mexico and the United States, through the lens of food, culture and community. In this episode, she not only reveals how she is furthering this mission through two new and exciting projects, including a PBS Primetime special, but also shares about the many twists and turns on her beautiful journey that have helped her arrive at where she is today, inspiring, entertaining and educating thousands around the world.

Pati Jinich is the James Beard Award-winning Mexican chef whose long running PBS series Pati’s Mexican Table has brought Mexican flavors, colors and textures into American homes and kitchens, as viewers have watched Pati thoughtfully and enthusiastically guide them through the various diverse geographic regions of the country.

Named one of the “100 Greatest Cooks of All-Time,” Pati has won a Gracie Award for her television work, is the resident chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute, has been named one of the “Top 5 Border Ambassadors” by The Council of Americas, and has authored two cookbooks highlighting Mexican cuisine.

Her third cookbook, Treasures of the Mexican Table, releases this November and is the culmination of over a decade of travel across her birth country, as she showcases the diversity of Mexican cuisine and sheds light on some lesser known dishes and recipes.

Earlier this month, Pati made her PBS Primetime debut as the host of the new culinary travel special, La Frontera, which highlights the fascinating, yet misunderstood, US-Mexico border region where countries and cultures collide.

In following Pati’s journey since 2014 when I first featured her work in my Forbes column, she has inspired me and so many around the world, with her brilliance, light, creativity and insight. Today on the show, I ask Pati not only about her professional journey but her personal one, and what she believes are keys to achieving the impact and reach she has.

Pati’s messages inform and inspire us to follow the recommendations she offers: to find work and endeavors that make you proud, to build a solid foundation from which to grow, to continue to hone your skills and knowledge, and most importantly, to commit to doing what feels good and right to you, that is true reflection of all that you are and wish to be.

To learn more about today's guest, visit: https://patijinich.com/