In this episode of On The Pass, Gabriel Ornelas sits down with world-renowned chef, restaurateur, and creative force Curtis Stone — a figure who has spent nearly two decades evolving from fine dining in Beverly Hills, to live fire at Gwen, to his latest chapter with Woodend at Maroma, A Belmond Hotel in Mexico.
Curtis has worn many hats: Michelin-starred chef, butcher, farmer, TV personality, cookbook author, Emmy-nominated producer, and entrepreneur. But beneath the accolades lies a deeper story — one about vision, leadership, reinvention, and the pursuit of meaning in both work and life.
In this conversation, Curtis opens up about:
How he gets others to believe in and buy into his vision across restaurants, media, products, and farms
Why vulnerability is just as essential to leadership as grit and discipline
His perspective on the future of culinary storytelling — from network TV to TikTok to long-form depth
What Mexico has taught him about humility, culture, and honoring place through food
How he decides where to focus his energy, what he's ready to leave behind, and what success means now as a leader, father, and builder of community
This is Curtis Stone like you've never heard him before, not just as a celebrity chef, but as a creative visionary building an ecosystem that stretches far beyond the kitchen.
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