Alejandro Barrientos, a Midland restaurant owner, said staying updated with culinary trends, exploring local restaurant scenes, and avoiding stagnation are important in the culinary industry. Barrientos was a guest on a recent episode of the Best of Midland Podcast.
“I'm always looking at different competitions, what's going on, what new food challenges, what trends or something," said Barrientos on a recent edition of the Best of Midland Podcast. “I try not to stay stagnant because I've seen a whole lot where some chefs, some people, they sip on their juice a little bit too much and they believe their own hype. I'm like, no, try to stay humble, try to stay hungry, because whatever you're creating, there are 10 other guys behind you looking at what you're creating, coming after you and seeing everything else.”
"I feel it's important. And then also going, checking out the local restaurant scene, like going to farmers markets, going to these food trucks, seeing what other people are creating because here in middle and Odessa, you have some really amazing mom and pop shops, amazing food trucks, restaurants, and home bakers," Barrientos said.
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.