What artist wouldn’t love to have a chance to create for Walt Disney Studios?! 

Ed Rodriguez kicked off his impressive career doing just that and serving as Creative Director there for over a decade was just the beginning. In this episode of More Than Rice and Beans, Tania and Miguel sit down with animator/illustrator/author/all-around-genius Ed Rodriguez to talk about his career, the creation of Kiki Koki, his best-selling children’s book series, and his production company, IdeaRworks. You won’t want to miss this fascinating look at what it’s like to break into an industry, make it to the top, and then strike out on your own.

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Links:

Book a virtual “A Tase of Puerto Rico” experience: https://www.coquithechef.com/cooking-classes/

Support our show here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ricebeanpodcast

Visit our webpage: https://www.coquithechef.com/podcast/

Visit the world of Kiki Koki: http://www.kikikoki.com/

Follow Kiki Koki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikikoki_official/

Tania and Miguel are joined by composer/producer Jan Reijnders on this episode of More Than Rice and Beans. 

When you think of salsa music, do you picture a tropical beach? How about a dark New York dance club? What about windmills? 

For Jan Reijnders, the Netherlands provided the backdrop to learn about, fall in love with, and begin composing salsa music. In this fun episode, Miguel and Tania learn about Jan’s background, career, and journey into Latin music.

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Links:

Support our show here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ricebeanpodcast

Visit our webpage: https://www.coquithechef.com/podcast/

Listen to Jan’s music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2zPkFMghUpCvdPylWkFf4v

Follow Jan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jan_reijnders/?hl=en

Have you ever wondered who is behind all the action figures and miniatures that line the aisles at toy stores? 

Chances are, you’ve seen something created by this week’s guest, sculptor Dave Cortes! Tania and Miguel are joined by Cortes, a legendary sculptor from Brooklyn who has worked with Marvel, DC, Sideshow Toys, and more. In 2016, Cortes created the thirteen-foot bronze sculpture of Captain America that was unveiled in celebration of the superhero’s 75th birthday. 

Don’t miss this exciting episode of More Than Rice and Beans to learn about Cortes’ rise to success, sculpting process, and more!

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Links:

Register for a class, shop for authentic ingredients, and more: https://www.coquithechef.com/

Support our show here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ricebeanpodcast

Visit our webpage: https://www.coquithechef.com/podcast/

Check out Cortes Studio: https://www.cortesstudio.com/

Follow Dave Cortes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cortesstudio/?hl=en

When you start culinary school at age 12, your life moves quickly. At least that was the case for Manolo Lopez, who by age 26 had launched a successful pop-up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn serving just one perfect dish: mofongo. In this episode of More Than Rice and Beans, Tania and Miguel are joined by chef, entrepreneur, producer, activist, and proud Nuyorican Manolo Lopez. The trio explores the unifying magic of mofongo, the success of Lopez’s pop-up concept that took him to Japan, the impacts of Hurricane Maria, and more.

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Support our show here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ricebeanpodcast

Visit our webpage: https://www.coquithechef.com/podcast/

Follow Manolo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manolo.jpeg/?hl=en

Visit Manolo’s website: https://manololopez.com/

Listen to Manolo’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3daSd6XWeeM6wXBEPh6al3

Season 3 airs on Sept 1, 2022, and this season, we’ve got some of the most influential and inspiring creators, writers, chefs, entrepreneurs, and musicians in the Latin community. Be the first to listen, subscribe to our podcast!

Season 2 | Eps 8 - Final episode of Season 2 - Tania and Miguel chat with the founder and CEO of Trip4Good, Marcelo Munoz. This unique approach to tourism in Chile encourages travelers to engage with and support the local communities that make each destination so special. Plus, Marcelo shares his favorite personal travel stories and teaches us how to make our own tourism more sustainable. He’s also got indispensable advice on creating and running your own business, so you won’t want to miss this episode of More Than Rice and Beans.

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Season 2 | Eps 7 - What would you do if you could spend a month exploring Puerto Rico? More Than Rice and Beans’ very own Miguel is here to give you some ideas. 

Miguel fills Tania in on his time there. From the incredible local food like mofongo and learning to make a traditional bean stew. Eating through Puerto Rico was an adventure. Miguel also talks about his favorite experiences, like exploring the world’s brightest bioluminescent bay on the island of Vieques and meeting the local turtles. Traveling to Puerto Rico is always a special experience, but Miguel is eager to share why this vacation was more meaningful than ever.

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Season 2 | Eps 6 - There’s no pride quite like the people from New York’s boroughs have in their neighborhoods. In this episode of More Than Rice and Beans, Tania and Miguel are joined by Amaurys Grullon, the co-founder of Bronx Native, an apparel, art, and media brand devoted to highlighting the beauty of the Bronx and lifting fellow Bronx creatives. Amuarys shares the inspiration and challenges behind creating a niche brand to serve his community, and shares how Bronx Native is working to educate and inspire their neighborhood and beyond.

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Season 2 | Eps 5 - If you’ve ever heard an ad, audiobook, or narration that features the warmest, most inviting midwestern voice ever, you’ve been listening to this week’s guest! Melissa Del Toro is a voice actor from Peoria, Arizona, who runs her own production company, Melissa Del Toro International. In addition to being a killer vocal talent, Melissa is also a proud Puerto Rican who connected with her roots a bit later in life. Join us this week as Tania, Miguel, and Melissa explore how different the Latinx experience can look, how we can use our voices to share our stories, and how you can enjoy Melissa’s voice each week through her podcast, Untold Tales.

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Season 2 | Eps 4 - One of life’s greatest pleasures is sharing a delicious home-cooked meal with an interesting friend. This week’s guest on More Than Rice and Beans does just that in her series, Dishin’ It. Vivian Guzman is a talented home cook, an avid traveler, and a proud Latinx New Yorker. Tania and Miguel chat with Vivian about the inspiration behind her show, explore how unexpected health problems changed the way she thought about the food we put in our bodies and dive into what it’s like to experience instability in childhood.

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