#40. As we close out season one, The meez Podcast welcomes Chef David Santos. Growing up as a first generation Portuguese American, Dave was immersed in every aspect of food since a young age. He started his culinary career as a 2001 graduate of Johnson & Wales University. He then traveled throughout Europe and South America, soaking up the culinary heritage of the visited countries and their cuisines rooted in peak quality seasonal ingredients.

Santos later worked at acclaimed restaurants like Per Se and Bouley (where he met meez CEO, Josh Sharkey) as well as Nicholas and The Ryland Inn. By launching Um Segredo, a series of supper clubs hosted at his Roosevelt Island home, Santos established his own culinary voice and quickly developed a cult following. In 2012, he opened Louro in the West Village to much acclaim.

In this episode, Josh Sharkey and Dave touch on the beauty and culture of Portuguese food, the excitement of opening and running his supper club series, Um Segredo, and his new and thriving restaurant, Foxface, which recently earned 3 stars in The New York Times.

Josh and Dave end the episode by discussing the controversy of food critics, Dave's YouTube channel, and what's next in the pipeline for Dave and Foxface.

Where to find Dave Santos: 

• Youtube
• Website
• Instagram

Where to find host Josh Sharkey:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn

In this episode, we cover:

(03:26) Dave's family and food background
(12:14) Portuguese cuisine's influence on other cultures
(18:51) Tinned Fish
(21:25) Pastéis de Nata and recreating it in the States
(30:41) Foxface and its origin
(39:28) Um Segredo and who should and shouldn't host professional Supper Clubs
(46:33) Lessons learned from cooking that influence Dave today
(22:03) How bad experiences can teach you the greatest lessons
(1:05:16) Food critics and their place in the culinary industry