Norman Fenton's Cariño is a Love Letter to Mexico, Family, and Purpose

You can taste the love someone puts into their cooking. And the opposite is true too.Norman Fenton is the Michelin starred, James Beard nominated chef and co-owner of Cariño, a modern Mexican restaurant in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood that is, in every sense, a love letter. A love letter to his wife Karina and their sons. A love letter to her family in Quintana Roo. A love letter to Mexican cuisine, culture, and the Latino community that has shaped his entire career and life.In this episode, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Norman for a conversation that traces an extraordinary arc: From a 14 year old in Detroit cooking purely for a paycheck, to a transformative scallop dish that revealed food could be art, to the demanding kitchens of Alinea Group and five and a half intense years at Schwa under Michael Carlson, to a spontaneous decision to drive his car from Chicago to Tulum, Mexico rather than fly it abroad, which changed the entire trajectory of his life.That decision led him to WILD, to his now wife Karina, to a years long immigration process he describes candidly and emotionally, and ultimately to Cariño in Chicago, where nearly every single object inside the restaurant, from the chandelier to the place mats, was handmade by artisans Norman personally knows and has visited in Mexico. Nothing in the restaurant was ordered. Everything was sourced directly, with intention, and with the explicit goal of putting money directly into the hands of the families who made it.Norman also opens up about Cariño's ongoing commitment to Latinos Progresando, a Chicago nonprofit focused on immigration support for the Latino community, through their monthly Tacos and Friends guest chef taco omakase dinners, which have raised nearly $40,000 in two and a half years. And he shares an exciting first look at Molino Los Hermanos, a forthcoming tortilleria and casual sister concept opening at the end of summer right next door to Cariño.In this episode, we cover:Growing up in a non-food family in Detroit where special occasions meant Red Lobster and Morton’s SteakhouseStarting in restaurant kitchens at 14 purely to earn moneyThe hazelnut crusted scallop dish from mentor chef Derick Watson that changed everythingYears at Andiamo learning real in-house butchery and pasta productionBecoming a de facto executive chef in his early 20s and learning leadership the hard wayDeciding to leave Detroit for a Michelin market and choosing Chicago Staging and working at The Aviary and The Office under Alinea GroupExperiencing kitchen toxicity firsthand and the moment that changed his trajectoryHis first ever Michelin starred meal at Schwa and immediately falling in love with itFive and a half transformative years at Schwa under chef Michael CarlsonFinding his culinary voice through nostalgia, emotion, and personal memoryThe decision to drive his car to Tulum, Mexico rather than pay to fly it to Japan or FranceMeeting his now wife Karina and learning Spanish to fall in love with her properlyBecoming executive chef of WILD under business partner Karen YoungThe pandemic, years of commuting between Chicago and Tulum, and a son born mid chaosBrass Heart, a Chicago restaurant whose menu organically became more and more MexicanThe phone call that closed Brass Heart and the business plan Karen and Norman built on the spotDesigning Cariño: nearly every object in the restaurant handmade and sourced directly from artisans in MexicoThe personal stories behind the framed photos in the restaurant bathroomSingle origin heirloom corn and direct relationships with farmers in Oaxaca and beyondThe four and a half year immigration process for his wife and the toll it took on his familyTacos and Friends: a monthly guest chef taco omakase dinner series benefiting Latinos ProgresandoNearly $40,000 raised for immigration support in two and a half yearsWhy he believes money and voice are the most powerful tools for changeBeing a James Beard finalist and what it means for the broader conversation around Mexican cuisineAn exclusive first look at Molino Los Hermanos: a tortilleria and casual sister restaurant opening end of summerAdvice for founders: sacrifice yourself to your craft and give it everythingFind Norman and Cariño:Instagram: @carinochicago, @chefnormdoeCariño: 4662 North Broadway, Chicago, IllinoisLearn more about Latinos Progresando: @latinosproTacos and Friends: monthly guest chef series, details on Cariño's InstagramSubscribe to The Perfect Bite podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube!You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and sign up for our newsletter!