February is often associated with romantic love, but love takes many forms.
For me, it’s the love I have for my family and friends, who ground me and remind me who I am. The love for my profession — one that challenges me every day, keeps me curious, and allows me to express myself through food. And I also share a deep love for my team, who continue to push both of our restaurants to exciting new heights.
Recently, I was named a 2026 James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Great Lakes Semifinalist, an honor that belongs to all of the people who make this journey possible. To the teams who perform every service at Barda and Puma; the farmers, suppliers, and collaborators who share our values; and every guest who walks through our doors — thank you!
It’s why I often like to say that at my restaurants, we perform. There are many different players at Puma and Barda, all with a singular goal. The script is written, and then my staff and I act it out. That’s the drama; that’s the experience that I want to create. To share life, to bring things alive. That connection is amazing. So, any award I achieve is for my staff. They are the ones who achieve my vision every single day. They are the ones who make it true. And I am very grateful for that.
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Love isn’t something we earn or deserve; it’s something we all need. And through food, care, and shared spaces, we spread that love far beyond the table. Together, we create spaces where people connect, celebrate, and feel welcome. What is love if not the act of sharing? And so I’m very excited to keep collaborating with the beautiful, creative people of Detroit. And Puma will be the nucleus, the playground for those ideas.
On Tuesday, March 24, I am throwing a party at Puma with my friend, collaborator, and award-winning journalist turned marketing guru Mark Kurlyandchik. Save the date. The working title for the night is “Slavic Fire” and Mark is preparing a special takeover menu of Eastern European classics. We’ll be working the line together, demonstrating how much our cultures actually have in common.
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I feel a kinship with Mark, an immigrant from the former Soviet Lithuania who has a mixed Slavic heritage. We often like to joke about how similar Eastern Europeans and Latinos are. He told me that there’s a social media trend where Slavs call themselves “winter Latinos”, and you know what? It makes so much sense! Our minds and our values are quite similar. Slavs and Latinos have a lot in common.
For one, we share a similar notion of family. The tight-knit sense of family and these big get-togethers that feel like never-ending parties. That’s very Latino. When I listen to the way that Mark talks about his own family parties — the abundance of wine and food and smoke and laughter; the late nights of deep conversation — it makes me think of a word that’s crucial to Hispanic culture: sobremesa.
The literal meaning of sobremesa is “over the table,” but it’s so much more than its face value definition. Sobremesa is an extended moment in time after dinner. It’s when you gather with friends and family, you eat a lot, you drink a lot, and you stay. Do you know how important it is for your life to stay? To not leave so quickly? Sobremesa means to linger for a good while. For conversation, for laughter, for wine, for debauchery — if that’s what the night orders.
At its core, it’s about freedom and connection. Think about it: Once you eat and you are full and you feel slightly drunk, you can express yourself with unbridled freedom. This is when sobremesa shows up. It’s a rich moment. It’s when everything happens.
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Often, what’s most enjoyable in life comes after dinner, after the formal get together. This is sobremesa. It’s very important to do this in one’s life. It’s important to hang around, to stay a while, to savor each and every moment of life. This is what we believe as Argentines, and it’s what Mark believes in, too. Sobremesa is such a beautiful word and practice. I hope you all take it with you in your own lives!
In addition, I’ll be letting some of my cooks express themselves more freely at Puma with an “Employee of The Month” pop-up event. At this event, a select cook will choose a special menu to execute based on their creativity and personality. Be on the lookout for that! And on Sunday, March 1st, Ann Delisi will be at Puma for a special WDET Essential Cooking event featuring live DJ and classic Puma flavors and cocktails. This one is already almost sold out, so get your tickets now if you still can.
Barda is its own animal, and even when it’s the one receiving more accolades, Puma feels like my personal backyard. It’s where I get to play. It’s where the fire flickers and dances to a thumping beat, and so I’ve embraced that. I’ve realized that Puma is this phenomenal opportunity to invite people I respect to come and play with me. And, I am happiest when I play. When I partake in love and sobremesa.
If you enjoy these things, too, come to Puma for these events. Together, we can enjoy a full life.
- Javier
