About Gabe Erales & Mike Diaz
Gabe Erales is a chef and restaurateur based in Austin, Texas. He is the chef-owner of Omateo and serves as Executive Director of Oido — a nonprofit organization that provides professional culinary training and career pathways to young people from underserved communities in Mexico. His cooking is rooted in the culinary traditions of the Yucatán, with a focus on the ingredients, techniques, and cultural history of the region.
Mike Diaz is the Head Chef at Oseyo in Austin, Texas. Before working as a chef he had a career in stand-up comedy, and that background shapes how he engages with the industry — directly, critically, and without much patience for the parts of kitchen culture that don’t serve the people inside it.
Episode Overview
André Natera sits down with Gabe Erales and Mike Diaz for a candid conversation about cooking, mentorship, mental health in professional kitchens, and what it means to build a culinary career with purpose. Gabe talks about the work behind Omateo and Oido, the culinary traditions of the Yucatán that ground his approach to food, and lessons from figures like Jacques Pépin that have shaped how he thinks about craft and generosity in the kitchen. Mike brings his characteristic directness to the conversation about what kitchen culture gets wrong and what actually needs to change for chefs to sustain long careers.
Links & Resources
Gabe Erales on Instagram: @gabeerales
Subscribe to Chef’s PSA → youtube.com/@ChefsPSA
Shop Chef’s PSA Merch → shop.chefspsa.com
Visit Chef’s PSA Website → chefspsa.com
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