We talk food and travel with chef Michael Mina, founder of the Mina Group.
James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Mina is currently managing chef of Bourbon Steak Los Angeles at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, Calif., with restaurants in six cities, including Las Vegas where we often find him.
How did you get into the food industry?
I come from a Middle Eastern family that spent much of our family time around the table enjoying meals together. That overall memory throughout my childhood played a strong role in my decision to become a chef; I crave that ability to bring others together to create lasting memories together.
Why is your city a good place for it?
Los Angeles´ food scene is massive. In LA, you can find every type of cuisine, at all price points, being made by self-taught cooks, celebrity chefs and everyone in between. Great food is coming out of hole-in-the-wall joints, food trucks and exquisitely designed restaurants. The one constant that you´ll find though is the passion and pride that goes into the food. Being surrounded by these talented chefs, you are inspired by and thrive off of this passion, and maybe a little friendly competition.
What are the ultimate destinations for your specialty?
It is incredibly hard to narrow down ultimate destinations, I find a great deal of my culinary inspiration comes from my travels, both near and far. I will say though, the week I spent in Barcelona, touring the area with winemakers and chefs, had a profound impact on me. I was so inspired by the bold flavors and cooking techniques in that region. One of my greatest memories was my daily routine of stopping at the boqueria each morning for breakfast, then walking around to see all the amazing product while chatting with chefs about how they were using it.
What are your top tips for traveling foodies?
I find my greatest inspiration comes from my travels, both close to home and far away. I always recommend exploring the local farmers markets in whatever city your travels take you to, it´s one of the best ways to get a real taste for that region´s cuisine.
For visiting restaurants, dine at the bar. It is a fun way to experience a restaurant. The bonus? The bartenders will usually give you tips on other places to dine and check out. Be flexible with dining times: 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. reservations are usually available.
Use your concierge. They are guaranteed to have insight to offer and pull with top spots.
Have a plan. We always do a lot of research and map out where we want to eat. What we do is anchor the list with the confirmed spots and then layer in all the other spots we want to hit. We will usually hit a restaurant at 5:30 p.m., then dine at a bar at 8 p.m., and then hit another restaurant at 10 p.m.
What´s your most fun fact about your area of expertise?
I love watching strong individuals grow and flourish in our company. Great people can accomplish extraordinary things within our framework, both personally and professionally.
Where do you send visitors to eat or drink when they come to your city?
Three of my favorite restaurants in LA right now are Republique, Chi Spacca and Red Medicine. Walter Manzke is killing it right now; the restaurant has a great feeling and the food is outstanding. There is a lot to learn there! Chad Colby at Chi Spacca is cooking some of the most delicious, well executed food in the city. When people are looking for the wow factor, I often recommend Jordan Kahn´s cooking at Red Medicine, it is a parade of delicious dishes where each one is a surprise.
At home in the Bay Area, Hana Japanese Restaurant in Sonoma. Chef Ken Tominaga´s skill and ability to make Japanese food delicious and approachable is incredible. I order his Omakase menu, where he hand makes piece after piece of sushi and sashimi featuring the freshest available seafood. R&G Lounge for the best Cantonese food, Swan Oyster Depot is an institution and the Porchetta Sandwich at Roli Roti for a cheap but outstanding sandwich.
What trips are on your bucket list?
Japan. I´ve been before but I think I could go every single year and still discover new and exciting destinations that inspire me. Also on my list of places to visit are Australia, New Zealand, Morocco, Sweden and the Amalfi Coast.
What advice do you give people looking to go into your profession?
When you think you have things figured out, chances are someone is right behind you and has things figured out even more. You have to be relentless in your pursuit.
What learning experience sticks with you from your career?
The lobster pot pie became my first signature dish at Aqua and was a labor of love. Your goal as a chef is always to create dishes people remember years later. The pot pie is one I couldn´t articulate properly until we figured out how to do it tableside; the carving, the aromas, the reconstruction of the lobster — it helped me understand how impactful tableside service can be in a dining room.