No Passport Required Season 1 Episode 5 Miami
- TV-PG
- August 7, 2018
- 52 min
No Passport Required season 1 takes viewers on a culinary journey to explore immigrant communities and the delicious food that they bring to American cities. Episode 5, named Miami, focuses on the vibrant Latin-American food scene in the city.
Hosted by renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson, the episode starts with an introduction to Miami's Latin food culture, which has roots in the mixing of Caribbean, Central and South American cuisine. The first stop on the culinary tour is at a Peruvian restaurant where chef Samuelsson tastes the national dish, ceviche. He meets the chef, Ricardo Zarate, who tells him about Peru's influence on Miami's food scene and how his restaurant blends traditional Peruvian flavors with modern cooking techniques.
Next, chef Samuelsson heads to Little Haiti, a neighborhood that has become a hub for Haitian immigrants. He visits Chef Creole, a restaurant that has been serving Haitian food since the 1990s. The owner, Wilkinson Sejour, tells him about the history of Haiti and how the flavors of the food are a blend of African and French influences. Chef Samuelsson samples the restaurant's most famous dish, griot, a crispy fried pork shoulder served with pikliz, a spicy cabbage slaw.
The episode then moves to Little Havana, the neighborhood that is home to Miami's thriving Cuban community. Chef Samuelsson meets with a local celebrity chef, Michelle Bernstein, to explore the food scene. They visit a local restaurant where they taste the classic dish, ropa vieja, a stew made with shredded beef and vegetables. Chef Bernstein tells him about her Cuban roots and how the cuisine reflects the history and culture of the island.
After exploring Miami's Latin food scene, Chef Samuelsson visits a food incubator that helps immigrant entrepreneurs start their own businesses. He meets a pastry chef, Isabel Cid, who immigrated from Venezuela and now runs a bakery that specializes in arepas, a traditional Venezuelan bread made from cornmeal. Chef Samuelsson helps her make arepas and learns about the challenges that immigrant entrepreneurs face when starting a business in a new country.
The episode ends with a visit to a Cuban coffee shop, where Chef Samuelsson meets with the owner, Alberto De La Reguera. He learns about the role that coffee plays in Cuban culture and how the shop has become a gathering place for the community. Chef Samuelsson samples a cafecito, a sweet espresso drink that is a Miami staple.
No Passport Required season 1, episode 5, Miami, offers a mouth-watering exploration of the Latin-American food scene in the city. Chef Marcus Samuelsson's travels through neighborhoods such as Little Havana and Little Haiti highlight the cultural richness and diversity of the food. The episode is a celebration of the immigrant communities who bring their unique flavors and traditions to American cities.