Midland restaurant owner:‘It's super important for everybody to get to know how to cook’

Alejandro Barrientos | Best of Midland podcast on Youtube

Alejandro Barrientos, a Midland restaurant owner, said it is important to develop cooking skills, and that everyone should learn a few key recipes for a lifetime of enjoyable dining experiences. Barrientos was a guest on a recent episode of the Best of Midland Podcast.

“I think it's super important for everybody to get to know how to cook, how to cook well," said Barrientos on a recent edition of the Best of Midland Podcast. “Maybe not like 20-30 recipes, but at least have a couple in your back pocket: like one for beef, one for chicken, one for fish, vegetables, and then like a good pasta one or something. You have to eat for the rest of your life; might as well learn how to cook it really, really good.”

"It's knife skills that are important, not prep and knives CES, and organization is what usually stops most people from making a dish because they be like, 'oh, that looks delicious,' and they look at the recipe just, I'm getting pizza," Barrientos said. "It's fun. It's a nice thing you can do to relax. It's a good pause, and then at the end, you get something delicious that you can share."

Barrientos is a restaurateur who transitioned from operating a food truck to owning Curbside Bistro in Midland.

Best of Midland Podcast is hosted by Ryan Shewchuk and Terra Avery. It is an extension of the broader Best of Midland program, which aims to support small, local businesses by showcasing them and the people behind them. Their website lists top businesses and upcoming live events happening in the area.

The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.