Jorge Guzmán: To Find and Create Meaning as a Chef

Chef Jorge Guzmán (Petite León) is an interesting character. I've been in similar rooms with him throughout the years, but I never really got to know him. He always seemed brooding and uninterested. The dude was hard to approach.

But I recently got to know him much better. For today's episode, I sat down with this guy and figured out what made him tick. And, let me tell you, I think I understand what's going on.

He's been through a lot. Trauma. He's been ripped off. He's failed. Hard. He's extremely critical of himself. He has trouble accepting compliments and praise. At the same time, he knows he deserves praise. James Beard has certainly taken notice of him.

So here we are, Jorge and I. We sat down for over an hour to talk about his restaurant, his past, his heritage, his beliefs, and much more.

-

Follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram.

-

Be sure to support Mucci's and Saint Dinette. How about making a reservation soon?

Also, you should totally buy a few of Muccis' frozen products, available in stores throughout the Twin Cities metro.

You can find Niver Niver Land across all of social media here:

Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

-

Welcome to Niver Niver Land: a podcast that addresses massive change in the restaurant industry.

The show is hosted by award-winning restaurateur Tim Niver – a local legend of Minnesota's Twin Cities – known for his involvement with fabled spots like Aquavit, Town Talk Diner, and Strip Club Meat & Fish. Today, he runs Saint Dinette and Mucci's Italian in St. Paul.

Tim sees a major problem with restaurant industry dialogue: a lack of discussion about the ongoing, unprecedented change. Many of those who work in the industry are still trying to wrap their heads around what has happened over the last two years.

Today, Tim is ready to talk about these things – through his trademark wit and foolishness – so that we can better appreciate and preserve the cultural importance of restaurants.