James Beard Award winner (Best Chef South 2010) Michael Schwartz is our guest on this episode of the podcast. He and Michael Beltran — who we will refer to as Chug in this text from here on out in the interest of clarity — discuss their relationship, which began when Chug was working at the Cypress Room, and how it's evolved over time.

Michael discusses the birth of his flagship restaurant — Michael's Genuine Food & Drink — the expansion of Genuine Hospitality Group (Tigertail & Mary, Amara at Paraiso, Ella, Genuine Pizza, Harry's Pizzeria, etc.) and the the lessons he's learned about being a restaurant operator and his role in nurturing young talent.

Plus, our first ad! Get excited, people; we're gonna be talking La Caja China for a bit.

Follow chef Michael Schwartz's things:

www.instagram.com/chefmschwartz/

www.thegenuinekitchen.com/

www.thegenuinekitchen.com/

www.amaraatparaiso.com/

www.ellapop.me/

www.genuinepizza.com/harrys-pizzeria