About this episode
Fermín Núñez discusses his journey between cultures, his culinary career, and the importance of community in the restaurant industry.
2021 Food & Wine Best New Chef Fermín Núñez grew up moving between Mexico and the United States, never quite feeling like he belonged in either place. He reflects on navigating life between cultures, the years he spent undocumented in America, and why he once went by “Leo” before learning to embrace his own name. He also shares the path that took him from dreams of film school to opening Austin’s acclaimed Suerte, how Anthony Bourdain and a bookstore copy of Kitchen Confidential changed his life, and the lessons he learned from burning sauces, breaking plates, and sneaking into a country club kitchen to land his first job. He opens up about building a healthier restaurant culture, creating community through his legendary Sunday gatherings, and why writing his cookbook Vitamina T felt like honoring the 15-year-old version of himself who never imagined any of this was possible. Visit foodandwine.com/tinfoilswans for more Episode Art Courtesy of Food & Wine /Andrew Reiner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Food & Wine
Guest: Fermín Núñez
Topics covered
- cultural identity
- restaurant culture
- cooking journey
- community building
- undocumented experiences
Keywords
- Fermín Núñez
- cooking
- restaurant culture
- cultural identity
- Austin
- Kitchen Confidential
- Vitamina T
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Food & Wine
Books & works: Kitchen Confidential, Vitamina T
Places: Mexico, United States, Austin
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