We’re on a mission to build a more sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and collaborative food & beverage industry. Lengua features an annual conference, exclusive pop-up dinners, and talks about food business, marketing, and innovation. —Nidal Barake 2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the food centric conference featuring food’s thought leaders, restaurateurs,…
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THE NEW TIMES: “How Norman Van Aken drew the first map of Miami cuisine”.
It is my deep pleasure to be on the cover of ‘The Miami New Times’. Journalist Michelle Muslara penned the story which you can access via the link. It is gratifying how she understood my success has been a story married to the culture of Florida. Without that union my…
Substack: Key West Time Traveling
KEY WEST TIME TRAVELING by Norman Van Aken “The days drift by, they don’t have names… “– Jimmy Buffet, “I Have Found Me a Home” Read on Substack…
A Word On Food: Cuban Coffee
If you have signed up on my Substack thank you. I f you are new to Substack you can subscribe to mine on Substack for free at NormanVanAken1. Please see my #linkinbio Paid subscribers get everything. Start with the free content but if you enjoy, hit the upgrade button and…
“Let’s Eat Orlando” A Podcast
I was a guest on this podcast hosted by Amy Drew Thompson, the beloved food editor of The Orlando Sentinel and ‘Biggie’ Bencomo. Listen on your way to eat something delicious! I so enjoyed the great questions these two curious, intelligent, food and restaurant community leaders. A wide ranging conversation…
JAMES BEARD CELEBRATION NIGHT AT NORMAN’S ORLANDO
On August 5th of 1986 we drove up to Miami from Key West. I was the Executive Chef/Partner of “Louie’s Backyard”, which was by many folks reckoning the most beautiful place to dine on the Island and arguably the best. I was accompanied by my wife, Janet our pastry chef…
TREASURE BOOK, ‘THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FISH COOKERY’
Back with one of my All Time Treasure Books. This was written by the legendary, A.J. “Al” McClane. Google him if you like. He should be as well known as Grizzly Adams and a whole lot more real life. His friend Curt Gowdy had this to say, “Al McClane was…
A Treasure Cookbook; Prune
The reasons I have selected this as one of my Treasure Cookbooks? It’s all in the video!…
TREASURE BOOK, ‘GRAMERCY TAVERN’
Chef Tom Colicchio was the Chef/Partner of ‘Gramercy Tavern’ in NYC when he invited me to come up and do a “Share Our Strength” dinner with him in September of 1999. We’d been to the beautiful restaurant and the more casual ‘Tavern’ side a few time by then and were…
Treasure Book: Jean-Louis Palladin
In February of 1996 I was invited to participate in the first ever International James Beard Dinners in Mexico City. The other chefs included Thomas Keller, Susur Lee, Jean-Louis Palladin, Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless and Todd English. Like I say, ‘the first‘ of these. We were all excited for the…
A TREASURE BOOK; PAUL BERTOLLI, “CHEZ PANISSE COOKING”
I have had the great pleasure of knowing or at least meeting many of the folks who are in my Treasure Books series. That is not the case here but hopefully it will be rectified one day! Goodness knows I have admired Paul Bertolli’s craftsmanship from afar in the form…
NORMAN ON “THE PERFECT BITE”
Howdy All! I recently joined The Trotter Project as the newest Board Member. I have posted on this great organization before and no doubt will again. In the process of joining I met a very bright professional who is also part of it. Her name is Sarah Perkins. In addition…
‘THE WAY WE COOK’, SAVEUR
I believe it was in 1994 that Saveur Magazine began publication. I was in the midst of beginning to write a cookbook for Random House titled, “New World Cuisine”. While writing a book it is very hard to do almost anything else. It is simply way too time consuming doing…
TWO ‘FOREVER MEMORY’ NIGHTS
From The Jacques Pépin Foundation. A recap! February 18, 2025 at Sereia in Miami, FL Diners at the beautiful Sereia restaurant were treated to an incredible six-course meal crafted by Miami’s top chefs, including Henrique Sá Pessoa, Norman Van Aken, Miguel Massens, Michael Beltran, Danny Ganem, Michael Schwartz, and Soraya Caraccioli-Kilgore. The menu of dishes inspired by Jacques…
Outstanding in the Field and 4 Roots Farm Dinner
In a dynamic and sure to be delicious collaboration CEO of ‘4 Roots Farm’, John Rivers announced an event with the Farm and the roving, imaginative group knowns as, “Outstanding in the Field”. The meal will feature a tour of the amazing, multi-dimensional property that ‘4Roots Farm’ is and then…
CHEF JACQUES PÉPIN SALUTES ‘GET COOKING’!
Hello Everyone! Stacie Archer, my partner in our non-profit, ‘Get Cooking’ and I are happy to provide and update on our progress and share this beautiful video as well! Stacie is tirelessly working to help find more ways to extend our mission. for more information on that please go to…