What Matters Most, to Me

By the time you read this, the next round of James Beard nominations will already have been announced. I will either be a finalist, or I won’t. I’m writing this before I know anything, because that’s the most honest place to talk about what awards actually mean.

Getting to this point means years of showing up the same way. It means pushing through the days when things don’t work — when a product comes in wrong, when the team is tired, the days when you question your own standards — and still choosing to hold the line. Excellence doesn’t come from one dish, one service, or one idea. It’s repetition. It’s discipline. It’s consistency when nobody is watching. Awards don’t create that; a team of exceptional human beings does.

Every plate that leaves our kitchen passes through the hands of Detroiters — people who prep, clean, organize, taste, adjust, and care. Any recognition belongs to them as much as it does to me. Probably more, to be truthful. And beyond Barda’s walls, recognition means much for the city of Detroit. It’s confirmation that we’re creating something special here, something other places can’t touch.

This city has been building something real for a long, long time. Not chasing trends, not trying to imitate other markets, but developing its own identity, its own pace, its own standards. To be part of that, and to have that work seen on a national level, it matters. Not as validation, but as momentum. It opens the door a little wider for everyone pushing in the same direction.

So, let’s be clear about what awards are and what they are not. Awards do matter. Anyone who says they don’t is lying. They bring visibility, they create opportunity and raise the stakes. But, they are not the reason we do this. The real work is defined by my excellent staff. To give back to them, to celebrate all the different voices and personalities within this great city — that’s the most rewarding thing of all.

If you know me, you know that I like to socialize. I like to mingle, circulate, and rub shoulders. When you invite people into your world, find new cultures, and have new experiences, this is when you truly learn as a human being. This is why Puma is our playground.

Take Mark Kurlyandchik’s Dacha Fire event, part of our Friendly Fire series (get it?), which was a huge success. Both seatings sold out, and the energy was incredible. When the restaurant is filled with friends, family, and industry, that’s when the vibes are best. That’s exactly where we want to be.

The next Friendly Fire event is in the early stages of development, but we’re organizing something with chef William Branch, who’s opening a dim sum smokehouse in Ferndale called Paper Sons. Think Chinese roots and pan-Asian ideas meeting Texas-style barbecue. What a concept! Will wants to try this unique style of barbecue at Puma, which is a natural fit with our live-fire approach. The heart of Paper Sons will be on full display, so be on the lookout for that announcement in the coming weeks.

We also opened up tickets for April’s Employee of The Month dinner on Sunday, April 19th, which will feature the special talents of our chef de cuisine, Patrick Laramie. Patrick is integral to Barda and Puma’s success. He’ll be showcasing a one-night-only menu of southern Spanish ingredients and techniques that he learned while living in Spain. The menu he’s devised is phenomenal: boquerones with tallow-fried smelts, spanish octopus over live fire, an ensalada campera with line-caught tuna, and grilled sea bream. There’s a few tickets left, and you can book your reservation right here. Honestly, the Employee of The Month series is what I’m most excited about. To be able to reward my team creatively and to give their talents the platform they deserve — this means everything to me.

Will came to Puma last week to see the kitchen, and we talked about this Employee of The Month concept. He loved it, and said, “I wish I had that when I was a young cook.” This feels so very good to hear, because it is essential for me that my cooks explore themselves, their art, their craft, and grow. I want my staff to freely express whatever they have inside (with my mentorship of course), and this event symbolizes what an amazing culture we have here. This is the very first Employee of The Month event, and I can’t wait to share it with you all.

Friends, I receive so much energy from collaboration! And not just collaboration with chefs. Friendly Fire, for instance, will expand past chefs. I’m thinking wider: artists and anyone who has something to say food-wise; people who want to share something from their own culture or their childhood. Imagine that? Painters, musicians, growers, builders, organizers, and speakers — what if we worked on a menu together? This is the perfect environment to tell stories about life, to communicate the delicate human experience, and to show the true might of Detroit.

Being a part of this industry, bringing people into my world and stepping into theirs — this is what fuels me. Everything good in life happens because of collaboration.

This is how we succeed. This is how Detroit succeeds.

- Javier

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